Called up 3 or 4 times over the past week or so but not really had much to report until today;
Managed to get my first Wheatear of the year (a very bright male) in the field on the left as you head up the Picking Rods path, though it did then hop over the path into GM.
3 Chiffchaff in song More Reed Buntings in with 4 males seen Green woodpecker heard 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Curlew heard 22 Fieldfare 4 Mistle Thrush 4 Tree Sparrow 1m and 1f Bullfinch 3 Golden Plover Plenty of Meadow Pipits displaying 8-10 Skylark in song 20-30 Lapwing displaying 2 Snipe
1m and 1f Teal also seen on the 20th.
Other than that the only other thing of note was bumping into a fellow birder enjoying the weather on Saturday, I'd hoped for Wheatear then but no luck.
Cheers
Mark
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Monday 27th of March 2017 11:41:10 AM
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Monday 27th of March 2017 11:45:23 AM
John Rayner said
Sun Mar 26 5:57 PM, 2017
Golden Plover 2 near Picking Rods with another 38 over Lapwing seemed to be similar numbers to last year. Many on territory but not much display Skylark c6 in song Meadow Pipits parachuting Reed Bunting male back on territory Pheasants 2 males fighting Unusually, no raptors or thrushes of any description.
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Sat Mar 25 9:35 PM, 2017
A fair cross-section of birds, but not that exciting. Best was at least one brambling at the feeders of the first house at Larkhill. Other species inc. rook (10), stock dove (12), chiffchaff (2/3), buzzard (3), kestrel, fieldfare (2) and about 120 black-headed gulls (inc the odd common) which were taking a rest before departing high NE mainly. The down side was that even though it was p.m., the amount of 'song' from skylarks, lapwings, meadow pipits was the worst I can remember.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Saturday 25th of March 2017 09:36:33 PM
John Rayner said
Wed Mar 15 5:20 PM, 2017
Similar sightings to Mark plus...
Green Woodpecker heard 2 Curlew beyond Far Bradshaw towards Mellor Moor 1 Sparrowhawk 6 Stock Doves (on 13th March)
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Wednesday 15th of March 2017 05:23:01 PM
Mark Walsh said
Wed Mar 15 3:29 PM, 2017
Julian Winstanley wrote:
Curlew (at least 4), lapwings and skylark all seen / heard as I cycled over Ludworth this morning
I was going to say that I passed a few cyclists out today and so might have seen you Julian, then I noticed the time you were out I didn't get up there till 10ish
On to todays sightings;
28 Lapwing 7 Skylark (all along the PR path) 8 Meadow Pipit 4 Buzzard over Cloughend area 2 Pied Wagtail 1 Heron 1 Curlew (Heard over towards Far Bradshaw) Plenty of Dunnocks in song and the usual tits etc.
Bumped into Mr Raynor on my way back to the car as well.
Cheers
Mark
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Wednesday 15th of March 2017 03:30:14 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of March 2017 04:07:03 PM
Julian Winstanley said
Wed Mar 15 8:40 AM, 2017
Curlew (at least 4), lapwings and skylark all seen / heard as I cycled over Ludworth this morning
Mark Walsh said
Fri Mar 10 4:50 PM, 2017
2 hours spent walking from Larkhill to the Picking Rods and back.
32 Lapwing (a good number displaying) 6 Goldfinch 5 Starling mixed in with the Lapwing 5 Redwing over 4 Skylark singing 4 Chaffinch 3 Meadow Pipit 3 Buzzard 3 Curlew 1 Jay 1 fly past from a Sparrowhawk
Mark
Mark Walsh said
Sat Mar 4 3:57 PM, 2017
Called in before the weather got a bit cooler today;
Larkhill area: Brambling 1 Tree Sparrow 6 (minimum) Reed Bunting 1 Redwing and Fieldfare c20 in mixed flock Carrion Crow 22
Brownlow area: Buzzard 3 Raven 3
Cloughend area: Raven 1 Lapwing 1 (the only one seen)
Quarry area: Crawling with trail bikers
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Sat Feb 25 6:10 PM, 2017
Slacked off a lot over the winter so haven't been out as much as I should.
From the last 2 visits though;
17th;
c120 Starling moving from GM into Derbyshire 64 Fieldfare 5 Raven up near Hillside farm 4 Goldcrest 4 Green finch 2 Buzzard and then singles of, Tree Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch.
I also heard a Tawny call once just past Clough End in the conifers.
24th;
c200 Starling moving about with about 150 Lapwing 8 Skylark with several in song flight 1 Golden Plover amongst the Lapwing 2 Meadow Pipit 1 Heron 1 Green Woodpecker
6th Jan.
Tree Sparrow 6
Golden Plover 34
Lapwing 48 (mixed flock with the Goldies)
Raven 3
Rook 17
Fieldfare 1 (no Redwings)
Cheers John
paul shaw said
Mon Jan 2 7:26 PM, 2017
Today12.00 till 1.30.
C 80 Lapwing
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Raven
10 Meadow Pipit
1 Grey Wagtail around quarry area.
4 Mislte Thrush and 10 Redwing and c200 Starling.
Nice to find a pair of Stonechat near the gate up to the picking rods although they were in Derbyshire i believe.
John Rayner said
Wed Dec 21 11:51 PM, 2016
Late evening:
A magnificent 20 (minimum) Ravens flew out of Brown Low in 1s, 2s and 3s and most continued straight as an arrow in a South Easterly direction. One or two meandered but I don't think I double counted any. I think they were using Brow Low as a pre-roost site (and there may have still been 1 or 2 in there when I left).
Cheers, John
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Dec 14 9:17 PM, 2016
Fair weather had me out looking for something out of the ordianary, and the barn owl fitted that bill. Seen for about 30 minutes from 2.00 p.m. at close range in perfect light, it was a brilliant first site record for me. It was using the scrub and rough grass on the opposite side of the road from Clough End Farm.
Also at least 5 ravens entertained as they flew around the area the whole time I was up there. 5 tree sparrows at Larkhill too. Finally, as I was taking my boots off back at my car, a kestrel came in and began to hover just 20 feet away and less than 20 feet up over a scrawny piece of rough grass by the parking area. It was as close as I think I've ever been to one, and a perfect ending as the sun set behind it.
John Rayner said
Tue Dec 6 4:43 PM, 2016
Not a lot to be seen but ...
Jack Snipe 1 (flushed from pool immediately above quarry) Fieldfare 37 Redwing c80 Reed Bunting 2 Common Gull 21
Cycled over ludworth this morning and saw two notable flocks - a flock of circa 30 thrush sized birds, likely fieldfare or redwings, and circa 100 starling-sized birds first in two separate flocks heading north, then as a single group a few minutes later. Not good on identifying fieldfare vs redwing, sorry, especially from a moving bike!
Also caught a glimpse of a smallish (bigger than a robin, smaller than a blackbird) with a distinct white patch on the lower back, just above the tail - likely to be a bullfinch, on checking the RSPB bird identifier
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Nov 27 9:19 PM, 2016
A couple of hours this morning.
No barn owl, sadly, but some winter thrushes (of which I've seen little around Romiley) which was nice. Difficult to count, as kept coming and going, and were in mixed flocks, but over 100 of them, 90% fieldfare (about 80 most seen at once).
c12 siskin, which are also non-existent nearer to home.
1 snipe, kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, wigeon (outside county, so I don't count on my Ludworth list), 20+ goldfinch, 40+ meadow pipits plus other stuff. Needed a surprise really.
John Rayner said
Thu Nov 24 1:51 PM, 2016
A surprise today in the form of a day flying Barn Owl viewed in perfect light (vicinity of Cloughend Bungalow)
Lapwing flocks of 30 and 80 Ravens 3 Meadow Pipits 4 Fieldfare 9 Chiffchaff heard
-- Edited by John Rayner on Thursday 24th of November 2016 01:56:53 PM
John Rayner said
Sat Nov 19 1:17 PM, 2016
A pleasant walk on a crisp sunny morning (till I filled my boots with icy water)
Raven 5-6 Wigeon 1 (still) Snipe 6 Meadow Pipit 13 Fieldfare 23 Blackbirds 9 Redwings - zero Tree Sparrow 2 Buzzard 2 small numbers of Gold, Green and Bullfinches.
Shooting underway below the SBI area as I arrived - 3 guns, 2 dogs. Sweeping abreast through the rushes they looked like they were after Snipe. Nevertheless scattered over the whole area were:
14 Snipe 251 Fieldfare Only 5 Redwings 3 Stock Doves 2 Tree Sparrows 30 Meadow Pipits 1 Skylark c800 Starlings 48 Common Gulls 13 Rooks
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sat Oct 29 6:39 PM, 2016
Plenty of birds but mostly common or garden stuff:
c150 Fieldfare in one flock heading NE, quite low so whether thy had been startled I'm not sure. 20 Fieldfare a moment later 1 Reed Bunting 53 Wood Pigeon 5 Meadow Pipit
While sat near the quarry I noticed a strange patch of white on the ground about 10 meters in front of me, turned out to be a Stoat on it's hind legs watching me. We had a short staring contest before it headed back off into the bracken.
Cheers
Mark
Mark Walsh said
Sun Oct 9 3:59 PM, 2016
Mid-afternoon walk round the Picking Rods area and quarry;
1 Wheatear along gun road but in Derbyshire, noticed when it landed on fence wires that it had an injured leg, otherwise it looked in good health A sizable (for Ludworth) flock of c38 Snipe over the quarry 1 Linnet (more heard) again in Derbyshire 3 Pied Wagtail 5 Meadow Pipit 2 Jay 1 Buzzard 1 Sparrowhawk 9 Long Tailed Tit in a party near Larkhill
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Fri Oct 7 9:00 PM, 2016
Redwing 18 (My first of the autumn) Lapwing 96 Meadow Pipit 65 Goldfinch 16 Chaffinch 13 Mistle Trush 1 Chiffchaff 2 Jackdaw c200
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Oct 2 8:21 PM, 2016
John Rayner wrote:
Meadow Pipit 276 (including three largish flocks of c80, 64 and 27) Skylark 7 Swallow 14 (heading south and mostly only a few inches from the ground) Bullfinch 5 (flying high) Great Spotted Woodpecker (a long way from any trees and apparently migrating) Chiffchaff 2 Pied Wagtail 5 Sparrowhawk (circling high then plunged onto Meadow Pipits in a Peregrine-like stoop)
Cheers John
41 swallows were on wires down Smithy Lane, but were gone when I returned (migration in action). Also about another dozen moved through which John could not have seen.
1/2 additional skylarks to above, and another two chiffchaffs were in areas not covered by John.
Siskins heard only
1 snipe flushed.
John Rayner said
Sun Oct 2 5:25 PM, 2016
Meadow Pipit 276 (including three largish flocks of c80, 64 and 27) Skylark 7 Swallow 14 (heading south and mostly only a few inches from the ground) Bullfinch 5 (flying high) Great Spotted Woodpecker (a long way from any trees and apparently migrating) Chiffchaff 2 Pied Wagtail 5 Sparrowhawk (circling high then plunged onto Meadow Pipits in a Peregrine-like stoop)
Meadow Pipits 65 Skylarks 8 Snipe 7 Raven 2 Swallows 4 House Martin 2 Kestrel 1
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Tue Sep 20 1:18 AM, 2016
I was up midday Sunday and noted that they seemed to be spraying something onto the ploughed area, so as you mention John most likely an attempt to create the perfect pasture. We all know that getting rid of those last few rushes is going to improve the income of those sheep farmers.
Coincidentally nothing worth noting while I was up there, no Wheatear even.
Andy Bissitt said
Mon Sep 19 9:16 PM, 2016
John Rayner wrote:
The only change was the extent of the ploughed area which is now about 7-8 football pitches in size and is still growing. Can't see arable farming working up here so maybe just ploughing in the remnant rushes to create the perfect grassland sheep pasture.
Cheers John
John,
Surely not! According to the NFU puppet on BBC 5 Live last week, farmer's destruction of the countryside is a thing of the past!! He tended towards birds of prey being at the root of the disappearance of farmland birds nowadays. God give me strength.
The only change was the extent of the ploughed area which is now about 7-8 football pitches in size and is still growing. Can't see arable farming working up here so maybe just ploughing in the remnant rushes to create the perfect grassland sheep pasture.
This area held 21 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Gulls, c100 Jackdaws and 6 Carrion Crows.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sat Sep 17 7:22 PM, 2016
Brief visit this morning - quarry area only.
Of note 1 Wheatear and 4 Ravens.
The ploughed area now extends to 2 fields.
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Wed Sep 14 12:58 PM, 2016
First time in a week that I managed to get to Ludworth yesterday due to car problems, did a short circuit around the PR path and down to the quarry; 8am start.
Good numbers of Swallow passing through midday mainly (181 south) Smaller numbers of House Martin mixed in (33) I only managed to count the migration for about 20 mins so the numbers passing through would have been much greater.
One of the sheep pastures below the quarry was being ploughed. Only 1/2 a football pitch in size but at tiny bit of new habitat.
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Tue Sep 6 1:22 PM, 2016
Headed out early as the forecast was good, 8:00 - 11:00.
39 House Martin south 45 Swallow south 18 Meadow Pipits 25 Snipe in the air and circling as I walked up the PR path, 1 extra on the ground 5 Golden Plover 4 Wheatear 2 Skylark 2 Raven And single's of, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting, Bull Finch and Chiffchaff.
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Sat Sep 3 1:15 PM, 2016
Further visits on 1st and 3rd September continued the recent poor returns from this site.
Combined highlights were: 2 Wheatears, 11 Snipe, 110 Starlings and a single Reed Bunting.
A walk up the path to the Picking Rods produced 9 Wheatear all perched on the fence on the GM side, in amongst them was a single female Whinchat . These were just passed the stile over the wall.
Other birds included;
17 Meadow Pipit 10 Swallow 1 Swift 1 Kestrel 2 Juvenile Buzzards were rather vocal 2 Raven 2 Chiffchaff 2 Willow Warbler
Cheers
Mark
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Sunday 21st of August 2016 05:25:49 PM
John Rayner said
Wed Aug 17 10:15 AM, 2016
Red Kite over Gun Road near start of track to Picking Rods Redstart 2f and poss juv Spotted Flycatcher Tree Sparrow minimum 4 (2ads 2 juvs) House Martin 15 through Lesser Redpoll 2 Stock Dove 1
Cheers John
Also:
Skylark 5
Wheatear 2
-- Edited by John Rayner on Wednesday 17th of August 2016 08:58:34 PM
Mark Walsh said
Tue Aug 16 6:17 PM, 2016
Decided to call up this afternoon as my morning was taken up, glad I did so as it was a good day for Ludworth;
Highlights were 2 Redstart (1 juvenile and 1 female) and 1 Spotted Flycatcher along the cown edge way.
In addition;
5 Chiffchaff c30 Swallow 4 Willow Warbler 1 Kestrel 1 Bullfinch 10 Goldfinch 2 Linnet (though these were in Derbyshire) And 2 Raven as I got back to the car
Butterflies in 'other wildlife'
Cheers
Mark
Mark Walsh said
Fri Aug 12 3:00 PM, 2016
Midday walk from Larkhill to the quarry and back;
3 Willow Warbler with one in song 4 Chiffchaff 1 Pied Wagtail 7 Swallow 1 Lapwing 1 Buzzard 6 Mistle Thrush 1 Bullfinch 1 Whitethroat
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Wed Aug 10 2:21 PM, 2016
Golden Plover 23 Raven heard Whitethroat 1 Goldfinch 17 Meadow Pioit 44. (Inc single flock of 33) Swallow 2 Chiffchaf 5 Buzzard, Willow Warbler, Grey Heron.
Managed to get my first Wheatear of the year (a very bright male) in the field on the left as you head up the Picking Rods path, though it did then hop over the path into GM.
3 Chiffchaff in song
More Reed Buntings in with 4 males seen
Green woodpecker heard
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Curlew heard
22 Fieldfare
4 Mistle Thrush
4 Tree Sparrow
1m and 1f Bullfinch
3 Golden Plover
Plenty of Meadow Pipits displaying
8-10 Skylark in song
20-30 Lapwing displaying
2 Snipe
1m and 1f Teal also seen on the 20th.
Other than that the only other thing of note was bumping into a fellow birder enjoying the weather on Saturday, I'd hoped for Wheatear then but no luck.
Cheers
Mark
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Monday 27th of March 2017 11:41:10 AM
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Monday 27th of March 2017 11:45:23 AM
Lapwing seemed to be similar numbers to last year. Many on territory but not much display
Skylark c6 in song
Meadow Pipits parachuting
Reed Bunting male back on territory
Pheasants 2 males fighting
Unusually, no raptors or thrushes of any description.
Cheers John
A fair cross-section of birds, but not that exciting. Best was at least one brambling at the feeders of the first house at Larkhill. Other species inc. rook (10), stock dove (12), chiffchaff (2/3), buzzard (3), kestrel, fieldfare (2) and about 120 black-headed gulls (inc the odd common) which were taking a rest before departing high NE mainly. The down side was that even though it was p.m., the amount of 'song' from skylarks, lapwings, meadow pipits was the worst I can remember.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Saturday 25th of March 2017 09:36:33 PM
Green Woodpecker heard
2 Curlew beyond Far Bradshaw towards Mellor Moor
1 Sparrowhawk
6 Stock Doves (on 13th March)
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Wednesday 15th of March 2017 05:23:01 PM
I was going to say that I passed a few cyclists out today and so might have seen you Julian, then I noticed the time you were out
On to todays sightings;
28 Lapwing
7 Skylark (all along the PR path)
8 Meadow Pipit
4 Buzzard over Cloughend area
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Heron
1 Curlew (Heard over towards Far Bradshaw)
Plenty of Dunnocks in song and the usual tits etc.
Bumped into Mr Raynor on my way back to the car as well.
Cheers
Mark
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Wednesday 15th of March 2017 03:30:14 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of March 2017 04:07:03 PM
32 Lapwing (a good number displaying)
6 Goldfinch
5 Starling mixed in with the Lapwing
5 Redwing over
4 Skylark singing
4 Chaffinch
3 Meadow Pipit
3 Buzzard
3 Curlew
1 Jay
1 fly past from a Sparrowhawk
Mark
12 Lapwing
8 Skylark
5 Starling
3 Buzzard
3 Tree Sparrow
3 Chaffinch
1 Brambling
1 Curlew
1 Goldcrest
The usual tit's, Robins, Dunnocks etc.
Mark
Larkhill area:
Brambling 1
Tree Sparrow 6 (minimum)
Reed Bunting 1
Redwing and Fieldfare c20 in mixed flock
Carrion Crow 22
Brownlow area:
Buzzard 3
Raven 3
Cloughend area:
Raven 1
Lapwing 1 (the only one seen)
Quarry area:
Crawling with trail bikers
Cheers John
From the last 2 visits though;
17th;
c120 Starling moving from GM into Derbyshire
64 Fieldfare
5 Raven up near Hillside farm
4 Goldcrest
4 Green finch
2 Buzzard
and then singles of, Tree Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch.
I also heard a Tawny call once just past Clough End in the conifers.
24th;
c200 Starling moving about with about 150 Lapwing
8 Skylark with several in song flight
1 Golden Plover amongst the Lapwing
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Heron
1 Green Woodpecker
Mark
Brambling 3
Tree Sparrow 4
Reed Bunting 3
Chaffinch 13
Rook 14
Raven 1
Lapwing 9
Buzzard 1
Cheers, John
Snipe 6
Jack Snipe 1
Raven 4
Buzzard 1
Tree Sparrow 5
Brambling 2
Cheers John
Brambling 2 splendid males (on feeders at Brownlow)
Treecreeper 1 (on feeder at Larkhill. can't remember seeing a Treecreeper taking seed from a feeder before)
Chaffinch 14 minimum
Greenfinch 3
Goldfinch 2
Reed Bunting 2
Raven 3
Buzzard 1
Fieldfare 31
Cheers, John
3rd Jan.
Green Woodpecker 1
Snipe 2
Redwing c80
Raven 2
Buzzard (dive bombing display flight)
6th Jan.
Tree Sparrow 6
Golden Plover 34
Lapwing 48 (mixed flock with the Goldies)
Raven 3
Rook 17
Fieldfare 1 (no Redwings)
Cheers John
A magnificent 20 (minimum) Ravens flew out of Brown Low in 1s, 2s and 3s and most continued straight as an arrow in a South Easterly direction. One or two meandered but I don't think I double counted any. I think they were using Brow Low as a pre-roost site (and there may have still been 1 or 2 in there when I left).
Cheers, John
Fair weather had me out looking for something out of the ordianary, and the barn owl fitted that bill. Seen for about 30 minutes from 2.00 p.m. at close range in perfect light, it was a brilliant first site record for me. It was using the scrub and rough grass on the opposite side of the road from Clough End Farm.
Also at least 5 ravens entertained as they flew around the area the whole time I was up there. 5 tree sparrows at Larkhill too. Finally, as I was taking my boots off back at my car, a kestrel came in and began to hover just 20 feet away and less than 20 feet up over a scrawny piece of rough grass by the parking area. It was as close as I think I've ever been to one, and a perfect ending as the sun set behind it.
Jack Snipe 1 (flushed from pool immediately above quarry)
Fieldfare 37
Redwing c80
Reed Bunting 2
Common Gull 21
Cheers John
Redwing 75
Starling 7-800 (single flock)
Meadow Pipit 2
Bullfinch 1m
Kestrel 1
Buzzard 2
Shotguns 2
Snipe 0
Cheers John
Also caught a glimpse of a smallish (bigger than a robin, smaller than a blackbird) with a distinct white patch on the lower back, just above the tail - likely to be a bullfinch, on checking the RSPB bird identifier
A couple of hours this morning.
No barn owl, sadly, but some winter thrushes (of which I've seen little around Romiley) which was nice. Difficult to count, as kept coming and going, and were in mixed flocks, but over 100 of them, 90% fieldfare (about 80 most seen at once).
c12 siskin, which are also non-existent nearer to home.
1 snipe, kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, wigeon (outside county, so I don't count on my Ludworth list), 20+ goldfinch, 40+ meadow pipits plus other stuff. Needed a surprise really.
Lapwing flocks of 30 and 80
Ravens 3
Meadow Pipits 4
Fieldfare 9
Chiffchaff heard
-- Edited by John Rayner on Thursday 24th of November 2016 01:56:53 PM
Raven 5-6
Wigeon 1 (still)
Snipe 6
Meadow Pipit 13
Fieldfare 23
Blackbirds 9
Redwings - zero
Tree Sparrow 2
Buzzard 2
small numbers of Gold, Green and Bullfinches.
Cheers John
Wigeon 1m
Teal 7
Green Woodpecker 1
Fieldfare 63
Redwing 9
Greenfinch 12
Collared Dove 8
Meadow Pipit 5
Strarling c50
Cheers John
14 Snipe
251 Fieldfare
Only 5 Redwings
3 Stock Doves
2 Tree Sparrows
30 Meadow Pipits
1 Skylark
c800 Starlings
48 Common Gulls
13 Rooks
Cheers John
Lapwing 66
Golden Plover 2
Snipe 13
Carrion Crow 46
Jackdaw 735
Rook 10
Jay 5
Raven 2
Starling 265
Black-headed Gull 112
Common Gull 15
Fieldfare 160
Redwing 37
Wood Pigeon 89
Goldfinch 49
Greenfinch 8
Bullfinch 2
Buzzard 1
Sparrowhawk 2
Grey Heron 3
Canada Goose 57
Cheers John
c150 Fieldfare in one flock heading NE, quite low so whether thy had been startled I'm not sure.
20 Fieldfare a moment later
1 Reed Bunting
53 Wood Pigeon
5 Meadow Pipit
While sat near the quarry I noticed a strange patch of white on the ground about 10 meters in front of me, turned out to be a Stoat on it's hind legs watching me. We had a short staring contest before it headed back off into the bracken.
Cheers
Mark
1 Wheatear along gun road but in Derbyshire, noticed when it landed on fence wires that it had an injured leg, otherwise it looked in good health
A sizable (for Ludworth) flock of c38 Snipe over the quarry
1 Linnet (more heard) again in Derbyshire
3 Pied Wagtail
5 Meadow Pipit
2 Jay
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
9 Long Tailed Tit in a party near Larkhill
Cheers
Mark
Lapwing 96
Meadow Pipit 65
Goldfinch 16
Chaffinch 13
Mistle Trush 1
Chiffchaff 2
Jackdaw c200
Cheers John
Skylark 7
Swallow 14 (heading south and mostly only a few inches from the ground)
Bullfinch 5 (flying high)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (a long way from any trees and apparently migrating)
Chiffchaff 2
Pied Wagtail 5
Sparrowhawk (circling high then plunged onto Meadow Pipits in a Peregrine-like stoop)
Cheers John
Meadow Pipit 211
Skylark 16
Swallow 6
Pied Wagtail 5
Grey Wagtail 1
Goldfinch 5
Also:
Teal 1
Green Woodpecker 1
Snipe 6
Jay 3
Sparrowhawk 1
Bullfinch 5
Linnet 7
Chiffchaff 1
Cheers John
43 Meadow Pipit
2 Skylark
4 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
5 Snipe
1 Swallow
1 Reed Bunting
Cheers
Meadow Pipits 65
Skylarks 8
Snipe 7
Raven 2
Swallows 4
House Martin 2
Kestrel 1
Cheers John
Coincidentally nothing worth noting while I was up there, no Wheatear even.
Meadow Pipit 36
Wheatear 1
Chiffchaff 2
Raven 2
Kestrel 1
Reed Bunting 6
Buzzard 2
The only change was the extent of the ploughed area which is now about 7-8 football pitches in size and is still growing. Can't see arable farming working up here so maybe just ploughing in the remnant rushes to create the perfect grassland sheep pasture.
This area held 21 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Gulls, c100 Jackdaws and 6 Carrion Crows.
Cheers John
Of note 1 Wheatear and 4 Ravens.
The ploughed area now extends to 2 fields.
Cheers John
Good numbers of Swallow passing through midday mainly (181 south)
Smaller numbers of House Martin mixed in (33)
I only managed to count the migration for about 20 mins so the numbers passing through would have been much greater.
Other than that;
2 Linnet
20 Meadow Pipit
4 Skylark
5 Pied Wagtail
2 Snipe
2 Raven
2 Chiffchaff
1 Wheatear
And finally after thinking I'd go without for the year 1 Hobby - unfortunately in Derbyshire near the Kennels.
Cheers
Mark
Swallows - 83 south
Meadow Pipits 42
Linnets 2
Also:
Goldfinches - just 5
Reed Buntings 3
Wheatears 2
Chiffchaffs 3
One of the sheep pastures below the quarry was being ploughed. Only 1/2 a football pitch in size but at tiny bit of new habitat.
Cheers John
39 House Martin south
45 Swallow south
18 Meadow Pipits
25 Snipe in the air and circling as I walked up the PR path, 1 extra on the ground
5 Golden Plover
4 Wheatear
2 Skylark
2 Raven
And single's of, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting, Bull Finch and Chiffchaff.
Cheers
Mark
Combined highlights were:
2 Wheatears, 11 Snipe, 110 Starlings and a single Reed Bunting.
Cheers John
Ravens 2
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Meadow Pipits 6
Chiffchaff 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Swallows 2
+ Corvids
Cheers John
Scant pickings with singletons of most birds, only sizable groups were Meadow Pipits in Derbyshire (c30) and 18 Linnets up the PR path, otherwise:
10 Swallow
1 Lapwing
1 Reed Bunting
1 Kestrel
1 Chiffchaff
1 Juv Buzzard
Cheers
Mark
Golden Plover 14
Meadow Pipit 28
Snipe 2
Teal 2
House Martin 4
Green Woodpecker heard
Cheers John
Hillside Farm - Picking Rods - Quarry - Cloughend - Hillside.
A walk up the path to the Picking Rods produced 9 Wheatear all perched on the fence on the GM side, in amongst them was a single female Whinchat
Other birds included;
17 Meadow Pipit
10 Swallow
1 Swift
1 Kestrel
2 Juvenile Buzzards were rather vocal
2 Raven
2 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
Cheers
Mark
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Sunday 21st of August 2016 05:25:49 PM
Redstart 2f and poss juv
Spotted Flycatcher
Tree Sparrow minimum 4 (2ads 2 juvs)
House Martin 15 through
Lesser Redpoll 2
Stock Dove 1
Cheers John Also: Skylark 5 Wheatear 2
-- Edited by John Rayner on Wednesday 17th of August 2016 08:58:34 PM
Highlights were 2 Redstart (1 juvenile and 1 female) and 1 Spotted Flycatcher along the cown edge way.
In addition;
5 Chiffchaff
c30 Swallow
4 Willow Warbler
1 Kestrel
1 Bullfinch
10 Goldfinch
2 Linnet (though these were in Derbyshire)
And 2 Raven as I got back to the car
Butterflies in 'other wildlife'
Cheers
Mark
3 Willow Warbler with one in song
4 Chiffchaff
1 Pied Wagtail
7 Swallow
1 Lapwing
1 Buzzard
6 Mistle Thrush
1 Bullfinch
1 Whitethroat
Cheers
Mark
Raven heard
Whitethroat 1
Goldfinch 17
Meadow Pioit 44. (Inc single flock of 33)
Swallow 2
Chiffchaf 5
Buzzard, Willow Warbler, Grey Heron.
Cheers John