Good flock of small birds in a small ploughed field at west end of Moss Lane today. 20+ Yellowhammers, 12+ Reed Bunting, 8+ Brambling, 20+ Linnet, 30+ Fieldfare and c.100 Chaffinch as well as Starlings and 15+ Stock Dove.

Info thanks to Andy Isherwood

12.30-3.15pm

Rindle feeding track
2 Willow tits
13 Tree sparrow
8 Yellowhammers
2 Reed buntings
15 Chaffinch
Coal tit with usual Blue and Greats

I spent over an hour just watching the birds around the potato fields and Rindle hedges. From first appearance the fields seem quite empty but there was plenty to see including;

35 Crows
52 Jackdaws
3 Rooks
130+ Redwing
5 Mallard
3 Lapwing
5 Mistle thrush
Song thrush
7 Blackbirds
120+ Chaffinch
12 Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch
5 Brambling
60+Mixed flock of Tree sparrows and Yellowhammers
2 Grey partridge
Moorhen
3 Buzzards over

Astley SSSI
3 Teal
Wren
4 Tree sparrows
Kestrel

Bedford moss
2 Willow tits
Goldcrest
2 Buzzards sat in their favourite trees
5 Mallard
Treecreeper
Song thrush
Heron over

The Wildlife trust are doing work again in Rindle woods and on the SSSI.

Wildlife sightings on the Manchester wildlife site

9.30-10.30 Barton Moss

Fairly Quiet, but:

Adult and Juv Whooper Swans still in f8

4 pairs of Grey Partridge in f9 & f10
6 pairs of Lapwing displaying - 4 pairs f8, 2 pairs f9
Pair of Mallard over Croxten
1 GS Woodpecker
1 Buzzard on pylon in f8
29+ Tree Sparrow
600+ Woodpigeon (500+ flushed from Black Wood by something and 100+ around f9)
1 Wren - track between f9 & f10
1 Linnet over
1 Yellowhammer

Rindle/Astley Moss SSSI this afternoon:

43 Tree Sparrow
14 Yellowhammer
2 Willow Tit
Singing Linnet on the SSSI
2 vocal Great Spotted Woodpeckers in Rindle Wood
22 Teal
3 Mallard

I was wondering if these Whoopers are the same 2 birds that were at Ringley?

Both Whoopers still in f8 at 4.30pm this afternoon.

Cheers Steve - I didn't realise there were that many!

Hi Steven,
Re: grey heron, around 60 occupied nests last year but have been up to 120 in last 10 years.

11.00-12.00pm Barton Moss

Both Whoopers still in f8 this morning.

Over towards Botany Bay Woods something had obviously disturbed the Heronry. An amazing 60+ Herons in the air at the same time over the wood with many more on the ground in f8 at the far east side. Many came down to join the birds in the field. Difficult to get a fully accurate count as the birds in the air were swooping around alot. The minimum count I had with birds both in the air and on the ground was 74. There must have been more though. An amazing sight and something I've never seen before. Does anyone know how many pairs are in the wood?

Also seen around f9 & f10 and edge of Croxten:

Female Sparrowhawk hunting over f9
5 Buzzard
c.70+ Fieldfare
12+ Redwing
5 Grey Partridge (2 + 3)
13 Lapwing (including 2 pairs in f9 displaying)
5 Mallard
2 Teal (pair)
2 Snipe
1 Yellowhammer
c.40 Tree Sparrow

plus usuals

10.30-11.30am Barton Moss f9 and f10 and surrounding area

2 Whoopers (adult and juv) again in f8 but further towards the middle of the field today. They seem quite settled.

Mixed flock of c.60 Fieldfares and c.200 Starling at northern end of f65 suddenly became 1 less in number as a Sparrowhawk came from over the railway and caught a Starling lightening fast and sent the rest flying off in panic!

Later 2 more Sparrowhawks briefly displaying over Dixons Wood.

4 Buzzards included 3 circling together.
Quite a bit of Heron activity in Botany Bay Wood visible from a distance. Also 3 flew over from here.
5 Lapwing
c.40 Tree Sparrow
c. 60 Linnet
5 Yellowhammer
c.20 Chaffinch
2 Grey Partridge
2 Reed Bunting
3 Stock Dove
1 Redwing
3 Mallard over Croxten (2m, 1f)

10.00-11.15am Barton Moss

Lovely spring like day this morning and some great birds too!

2 Whooper Swans in f8 (adult and juv) were a nice suprise and still there when I left.
1 Woodcock flushed from track between f9 & 10 and landed in the middle of f10
mixed flock of c.50 Linnet, c.40 Tree Sparrow, c.20 Chaffinch c.40 Fieldfare, c10.Redwing in f11 (no Brambling though) which attracted the attention of an adult female Sparrowhawk scattering the flock in all directions.
5 Buzzards very vocal and soaring
1 Curlew over f10 calling before heading off towards Croxten
18 Lapwing - 6 (3 pairs) in f10 and f8 calling and performing tumbling display flight. Also a flock of 12 in f5
4 Grey Partridge (2 pairs) f10 and f9
4 Willow Tit track between f9 and f10
1 GS Woodpecker track between f9 and f10
1 Siskin - trees on edge of Croxten
2 Skylark singing
1 Yellowhammer
2 Mallard (pair) flying over Croxten
25 Jackdaws over
1 Meadow Pipit
3 Pheasant
3 Herons over

plus usual Woodpigeons (large flock c300 f8), Carrion Crows, Magpie, Blue Tit, Blackbird

also 3 Hares(2 - f10 and 1- f9)

Nice to meet Dave Steel again - he'd also flushed a different Woodcock elsewhere!

Forgot to add: numerous birch trees along track between Birch View Farm and Woodbarn Farm with red crosses presumably ear-marked for felling!!

Also saw the LWT Mosslands Project van along Twelve Yards Rd

Irlam Moss 9.15-10.15am

Rather quiet with most activity around Dixons Wood with many birds singing. Quite spring like despite being overcast and chilly.
Main sightings:

1 Curlew flying round calling over Twelve Yards Rd. Came from Croxten and headed west.
2 Skylarks singing high up
5 Yellowhammers - 1 singing
12 Fieldfare over SW
3 Pied Wagtails
3 Mallards - Croxten

Dixons Wood:
3 Willow Tit
2 Coal Tit
LT, Blue and Great Tits
6 Redpoll
2 Jay
1 GS Woodpecker
2 Redwing
2 Song Thrush singing
Plus a few Robins, Blackbirds, Wood Pigeons, 2 Carrion Crows, Magpie, Jackdaws


-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Tuesday 22nd of February 2011 03:32:58 PM

6 very vocal Grey Partridge in f67 this evening as it was going dark. I also heard a distant Tawny owl and a Fox close to the signal box.

A three hour walkabout around Astley and Bedford moss this afternoon turned up very few birds

Seen were;

3 Tree sparrows
7 Chaffinch
12 LT tits
2 Willow tits
Treecreeper
GS Woodpecker
Mistle thrush
2 Skylarks in the potato fields
3 Jays
Kestrel
40 Jackdaws
Heron on the scrapes
Curlew, Buzzard and Oystercatcher over

Very quick visit today before realising, l should've been somewhere else (doh!!)

Along the feeding track the birds were very skittish... constantly settling only for seconds before going back into the safety of the bushes.

1 Brambling
7+ Yellowhammers
Male and female Tree Sparrows
1 Reed Bunting
2 Collared Dove
Chaffinches

12/2/11

Rindle Road feeding station area, early afternoon:

c15 Tree Sparrow
c10 Yellowhammer
1 Willow Tit
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
5 Stock Dove
10 Lapwing
1 Reed Bunting
2 Mallard
2 Collared Dove
Chaffinches, Great & Blue Tits, Dunnock, Blackbird.

11.15am Irlam Moss
Peregrine over heading west
2 Buzzard circling overhead

Earlyish afternoon today:

43 Tree Sparrow, 20 Yellowhammer and 90 Chaffinch Rindle Hedge.
320 Jackdaw field 67/68 at Rindle

8.30-9.45am this morning. Very windy.

Due to the heavy rain Rindle road was flooded just before the wood mouldings factory and the water levels in the ditches were high enough to please 14 Teal near the junction with Nook lane

After putting down a little seed at the feeding track small numbers of birds started to fly in including;

2 Brambling
7 Tree sparrows
8 Yellowhammers
12 Chaffinch
5 Reed buntings
3 Stock doves
Usual tits with a single Willow tit

2 Ravens flew from Chat moss and dropped down into the potato fields for 10 minutes before heading towards Bedford moss

A Buzzard was sat in a tree in Rindle woods and another soared around on the wind.

Not much about so I went to Pennington.

At the Rindle Road feeding station this morning there were Willow Tit, 18 Tree Sparrow, approx 50 Chaffinch, 2 Brambling, 12 Yellowhammer and a Stock Dove

85 Lapwing and at least 6 Brambling Moss Lane

3 Red-Legged Partridge along the road between the Landfill and the A580

10-11.10am Rindle Road Feeding Station

Very windy conditions not conducive to watching passerines

8+ Tree Sparrows
4+ Yellowhammers
1 Reed Bunting
2 Pheasants
Numerous Blue and Great Tits, Chaffinch and Greenfinch

30-40 Stock Dove at back

Very quiet mooch round the SSSI at lunchtime today.

2 owl pellets were the highlights!

2 Collared Doves
3 Tree Sparrows
3 Yellowhammers
1 Blue Tit
1 Greenfinch
1 male Pheasant
2 Buzzards

Mid-afternoon today:

360 Jackdaw on the fields behind Rindle Wood (no 'scope to check through them)

Rindle Hedge:

32 Yellowhammer
2 Treecreeper
At least 5 Brambling
120 Chaffinch
2 Willow Tit
Only 4 Tree Sparrow

Fields 9 & 10 and surrounding area 2.30-4.30pm

6 Brambling (incl 2 cracking males) with 20+ Chaffinch
16 Yellowhammer
40+ Linnet
40+ Tree Sparrow
1 Willow Tit
3 Great Tit
2 Blue Tit
2 Redwing
1 Fieldfare
1 Blackbird
2 Mallard (m & f) over S
1 Sparrowhawk (m)
1 Pheasant (f)
3 Carrion Crows
3 Magpie
1000+ Woodpigeon in one flock took to the air a couple of times before settling back into trees along railway line. Couldn't see what spooked them though.

Dixons Wood
1 Woodcock flushed
3 Yellowhammer
1 GS Woodpecker

Good numbers of birds at the Rindle feeding track this morning including;

8 Brambling
3 Willow tits
32 Tree sparrows on the seed at one time with others in the bushes
13 Yellowhammers
5 Blackbirds
15+ Reed Buntings
Too many to count Chaffinch as they were flying in and out all the time
Moorhen
7 Greenfinch
6 Goldfinch
Wren
4 Stock dove
3 Collared dove
2 Jays
usual Robins and tits including a Coal tit,

2 Bullfinch and a Kestrel in the large tree at the end of Rindle wood
GS Woodpecker and Buzzard heard

120+ Redwing feeding in f69 and the field between Rindle wood and the road
27 Lapwings in f67 with 50+ Jackdaw

300+ PF Geese heading NW and 42 Canada geese heading towards the peat ponds

Sparrowhawk over Nook lane.

As I was travelling down the A580 East Lancs road on the way to the mosses this morning at 8.20am a Barn owl was flying over the fields opposite the Nationwide platforms company. I parked up and watched the bird for a couple of minutes before it headed South and out of view.

Rindle road
Small numbers of the usual around the feeding track including a Willow tit this morning.

A little mooch on the moss this morning.

A few sizable flocks of Redwing about (all inspected for 'duskiness')!!
c60 Chaffinch with at least 6 Brambling in f69.
All the usual tits, corvids, etc

Also, a Steve Ashworth watching the feeding station. Nice to meet you Steve.

Point taken Pete,
I know the pro's and cons of shooting on the mosses and I also know a couple of shooters who are as interested in Birds and Wildlife as I am.

But as I only get a couple of Saturday mornings off work in a year to go wandering around the mosses I don't like getting it cut short because of people with guns.

Dave Thacker wrote--lots of people with guns getting ready to kill everything.
_____________________________________________________________

Although I am not defending the shooting brigade,and am against all forms of indiscriminate shooting,the facts are that on the mossland we would have no Barn Owls or Long eared Owls if it wasn't for the farmers (who's land is shot over)leaving all the set- a-side for the rough shoot,which is prime feeding habitat for these owls.Furthermore the farmers plants sunflowers and other seed bearing crops with the purpose of feeding the pheasants etc.These crops are utilised in some winters by large numbers of finch flocks,I have personally seen over a thousand Linnets/Chaffinch etc feeding on these crops in past years,food that would not be avaidable if the land was ploughed up to grow spuds etc.The shooters are mainly after Pheasants,Grey Partridge and Red Legs,all of which they put down in the area for the sole purpose of shooting them,very little other birdlife gets shot apart from the odd duck.When the Bean Geese were down there a few winters back the shooters knew of their existance long before any birders did,but they left them alone.I know several of the guys in the shoot down there,they are as interested in the wildlife as we are,and have pride in the fact that the area holds Barn Owls.
Whether or not you agree with shooting,the fact remains that in some instances such as this the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages and the shooting of tame Pheasants/Partridges is in my opinion a small price to pay for the large benefit it reaps for the other wildlife.

I gave the Thrushes a good going over early this morning in the hedges along Rindle road,
120+ Redwing
7 Mistle thrushes
2 Song thrush
No Fieldfare about

After putting down some seed at the feeding track the birds started to arrive including,

4 Brambling
12 Chaffinch
4 Greenfinch
2 Yellowhammers
4 Tree sparrows
Willow tit

A single Grey goose was flying about

Lots of shooters and beaters with their dogs getting ready to kill everything as I left.

Rindle Rd feeding station in the fog

2 Brambling
20+ Chaffinch
7 Yellowhammer
4 + Tree Sparrow
1 Willow Tit
1 Jay
1 Pheasant
2 Reed Bunting

Waited until the shooting party, driving Rindle wood, was well away .Fortunately
this coincided with the heavy rain stopping.
Nearly 2 hours up to 12.30pm.
Mainly around Hawthorn hedge at bottom of the feeding station track.
(some food down behind this hedge)
Numerous birds in and out of the hedge and taking food.

At least:
20 Yellowhammers
15 Tree Sparrows
10 Reed Buntings
10 Blue Tit
10 Chaffinch

Willow Tit regulaly taking food.
Good view of a cracking fem. Brambling.
Robins and Dunnocks also in hedge and a Kestrel over.

-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 15th of January 2011 02:18:22 PM

Barton Moss, Sunday 02.01.11:

Field no.6

Large flock of Chaffinch approx. 500 including 13 Brambling
Tree Sparrow Approx. 50

Rindle Road-

Tree Sparrow approx. 12
Yellowhammer approx 20
Willow Tit 1
Kestrel 1
Fieldfare 8 (over)
Skylark 3 (over)

Info thanks to Phil Kelly

GREAT,
I have just had 13 days holiday over Xmas and visited Astley moss on 11 of the days.
I went back to work today and now this turns up

I just hope that it stays around until the weekend.

Midday onwards today:

Single adult 'Nordic' Jackdaw (the Scandinavian-ish race of our own Jackdaw) in field 67 with other mixed Corvids at around 2pm. Soon after it flew off west towards the SSSI where a flock of Jackdaws around midday had numbered 630!

Around Rindle Hedge (at the top of the feding station track):

48 Tree Sparrow
240 Chaffinch
1 Brambling (probably more but the flock was very flighty)
80+ Yellowhammer
47 Redwing in Rindle Wood (flew off towards Moss Lane)
2 Willow Tit

10-11.15am

Good numbers around the feeding track this morning including;

2 Willow tits
15 + Tree sparrows including 2 with coloured rings
12 Yellowhammers
4 Reed buntings
6 Greenfinch
Lots of Chaffinch

A mass of finches in Rindle hedges , you could hear them from Rindle road.

2 Grey partridge were in the fields beside Nook lane

Lots of shooting going on all over the mosses today

Midday today, Rindle Hedge (beyond the feeding station) and fields behind Rindle Wood:

70+ Yellowhammer
14 Tree Sparrow
170 Chaffinch
3 Brambling (including a lovely male)
7 Reed Bunting
4 Lesser Redpoll
130 Stock Dove
2 Bullfinch
2 Willow Tit (also around the feeding station)
2 Buzzard

8.50-10.50am

Feeding track at Rindle;

Willow tit with usual Blue and Great tits
5 Greenfinch
18 Tree sparrows
2 Yellowhammers
Moorhen
2 Collared doves
4 Blackbirds

Around Astley moss;
5 Snipe over heading towards Chat moss
3 Buzzards
Many Pheasant
Kestrel
GS Woodpecker
600+ Crows and some Jackdaws feeding in the potato fields were all put up by a fox.
12 Stock doves
2 Linnets
In the hedges beside the potato fields;
200+ finches mainly Chaffinch with 20+ Yellowhammers and small numbers of Reed buntings.
Steady stream of gulls over all heading to the tip.

No Partridge seen and a lot of shooting going on around the mosses

2 Willow tits visited the seed at the feeding track at Rindle this afternoon.
Also seen ;
Sparrowhawk
Moorhen
Blackbird with one white feather in its left wing.

Mid afternoon today:

Peregrine chasing Woodpigeons over Little Woolden Moss
42 Reed Bunting on field 57
34 Linnet on field 57
8 Yellowhammer on field 57

Thanks Dave, God loves a trier eh ?

A couple of Buzzards again, and a Sparrowhawk eyeing up the feeding track . No Yellowhammers, but a couple of Moorhens, Tree Sparrows and the usual tits, but it took ages for them to come to the seed.

Nice to meet Eddie King who fed them today and Steve Christmas passed by too.

Lots of Pheasants in the surrounding fields.

Woodcock flying alongside Rindle road this afternoon.
2 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk plus the usual at the feeding track.

Nice to meet Melanie again looking for the non-showing Stoats

11.30am -1.00pm Barton Moss
Area around f9 & 10

Excellant numbers of Brambling with 100+ Chaffinch along track between f9 & 10. Estimate of 30+ birds in the flock. Bit flighty so difficult to say exactly how many. The flock flew towards the trees along Twelve Yards Rd. Biggest number I've had on the mosses

Also:
2 coveys of Grey Partridge - 8 in f9, 6 in f10 + 1 single male
20+ Tree Sparrows
12+ Yellowhammers
2 Reed Bunting
1 Jay
1 Willow Tit
3 Great Tit
1 Blue Tit
1 Robin
2 Carrion Crow
100+ Wood Pigeon
4 Magpie
4 Herring Gull together over heading SW

(the small private feeding station had 2 Brambling (m & f), and 3 Tree Sparrows, 1 Willow Tit all on feeders)

Freezing hour or so at Rindle today. l put down lots of seed as the remaining was very sparce now.

Two Buzzards were there and fighting (was a great sight).

Plenty of action at the feeding track. Many Yellowhammers possibly 6 or 7, Chaffinch and Reed Buntings, Tree Sparrows, Blackbirds etc...

A Moorhen was feeding also and then from the left came a Pheasant legging it across the field, made me burst out laughing, it reminded me of a vicar running for the last cake at the church fete...

Also on the edge of the wood, l saw a Treecreeper and a GSW. Many Corvids and Woodpigeons too...

..not a Stoat in sight (they only come out for Dave)

Bitterly cold early this morning [ -11'] while stood watching the feeding track at Rindle road.

Buzzard in the Birch tree next to the seed and another perched on a fence post opposite. When they eventually flew off birds arrived at the seed within minutes including;

Brambling which arrived with 12 Chaffinch
2 Moorhen
5 Pheasant
6 Reed buntings
6 Tree sparrows
3 Yellowhammers
5 Robins
3 Great tits
2 Blackbirds

Beneath the rear hedgerow near the potato fields were 32 Pheasant, 12 Yellowhammers, Mistle thrush and Blackbird.

All the Thanks should go to you Eddie for keeping the feeding track topped up with seed throughout the year.

Best wishes for Xmas

Thanks Dave for putting some seed down, I visited this morning, 22nd after a break of almost a week due to the severe weather

8.30-11am

I decided to park up outside the wood mouldings factory and walk along Rindle road and was surprised to see a Cormorant swimming in the stream under the bridge. It did not seem to be having much luck in catching any fish. Also seen from the bridge were 2 Moorhen and a Kingfisher.

Plenty of Blackbirds and Redwings in any bush that had any berries left but only 5 Fieldfare seen along Rindle road.

Another Kingfisher seen flying along the ditch near the feeding track and a cracking view of a Stoat in the snow.

Not much about along the track so I put down some more seed and a bag of Sultanas.

120+ mixed flock of Jackdaws and Crows in the potato fields
In the hedges beside the fields were
30+ Chaffinch
5 Brambling
7 Lesser Redpoll
12 Yellowhammers
3 Reed buntings
5 Tree sparrows
with the usual 15+ tit flock
3 Mistle thrushes

Around Bedford moss
GS Woodpecker
Goldcrest
7 LT Tits
Coal tit
12 Chaffinch
Greenfinch
2 Goldfinch
Tawny owl
2 Reed buntings
Kestrel

On my return to the feeding track there were plenty of birds on the seed including;

21 Blackbirds
Redwing
6 Robins
5 Chaffinch
3 Yellowhammers
Brambling
4 Great tits
2 Stock dove
All the birds were flushed by a Stoat which shot out of the grass and just missed catching a Blackbird

9.45-10.45am Irlam Moss

1 Brambling (m) in a small flock of c.15 Reed Bunting & c.15 Yellowhammer and very vocal. Also in the flock just 2 Chaffinch & 1 Greenfinch along Twelve Yards Rd

Also seen:
5 Skylark over
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
14 Magpies in one bush !!! before all dispersing

and 1 dog Fox - Dixons Wood