Decided to have a look around Irlam Moss this a.m. 9.20-11.45, parked near Worsley View Farm, walked up Astley Rd, turned right towards Haphzibah farm(where does this name come from on Irlam Moss), on to road that goes past Moss Farm to 12 Yards Rd and back to Astley Rd to car and steak and chips and a pint of Landlord in the White Horse at Swinton!.
2 Red Legged Partridge field 24, 800+ Wood Pigeon and 2 Buzzard field 44, 1 Whitethroat between fields 1 & 3(3 rabbits in 3),500+ Wood Pigeon in 3 also, 1 Buzzard field 4, Peregrine over 12 Yard Rd, 1 Yellowhammer and 12 Tree Sparrow on wires field 19, looked at field 38(ringing pits) for Marsh Harrier only saw a Roe Deer. Swallows every where and 1 Swift over. Quite enjoyed it even though the weather was awful and I missed my target Yellow Wagtail.
Cheers Ian
.........................................
Also meant to say that I found the site map with field numbers incredibly useful, I printed it off and took it with me as I'm not familiar with the area. Hats off to Mr Mck and his excellent web site

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 02:33:31 PM

3 Lesser Whitethroats and 26 Tree Sparrows in hedges on Morleys Lane near to the sewage works this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Isherwood

Two Spotted Flycatchers at Morleys Hall (300 yards from my house ) and a single Lesser Whitethroat in the nearby horse paddock.

Info thanks to Andy Isherwood.

Peregrine on a pylon in field 8, Irlam Moss early pm today.

7-11am this morning.

Astley moss
3 GS Woodpeckers
2 Snipe
6 Kestrels
3 Buzzards
2 Tree sparrows
8 Yellowhammers
Skylark
2 Greenfinch
Song thrush
30 Goldfinch over the SSSI
Lots of Swallows about

Chat moss
A young Buzzard sat on a fence post in the fields just before Red Challis farm was being relentlessly mobbed by 4 Magpies when a Wren decided to attack and actually pecked the Buzzard on the back of its neck.

I had a walk around the Ringing Pits area, not many birds but lots of wildlife about.
Sparrowhawk
3 Buzzards
2 Pied wagtails
2 Kestrels
5 LT tits
2 Singing Willow warblers

It is also number 38 on the mosses field number map.

Ringing Pits is an area of peat cutting which has been acquired by the LWT. At the crossroads on Astley Road with Twelve Yards Rd, turn down the track (house on the corner) across the way from 12 Y Rd. No vehicular access.

What and where please are the Ringing Pits?
(Presumably it's nothing to do with underground mist netting).

Cheers,
Mike P. (who "needs" Marsh harrier for Gr. Man.).

Dave Steel had the Marsh Harrier at Ringing Pits again this morning.

Quick visit to Cadishead Moss on way home from Pennington Flash - 4.00-4.30pm

No gulls at all at the pig field on Woolden Road. Lots more pigs though!
But mixed group of 50+ BH Gulls and 6 LB Gulls over the motorway in field 66
4 Buzzards together mewing and interacting over New Moss Wood.
2 Kestrels
30+ Starlings
No sign of Marsh Harrier at Ringing Pits.

Nearby on Glazebrook Lane - just in Cheshire!
1 singing Corn Bunting on telegraph wires
female Sparrowhawk over.

Not much to add to what Nik already saw, large flock of greenfinch, single song thrush, great spotted woodie on its favourite pecrh on the telegraph poles and the usual hirundines and swifts still around,

Very nice to meet you Nik

Nik Grounds wrote:

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10/8/10 7.30pm - 9.20pm

Cutnook Rd / Twelve Yards Rd Junction to Red Chalis Farm

Female Sparrowhawk (Field 13)
5 Linnets
3 Goldfinches
3 Blackbirds
2 Blue Tits
3 Long Tailed Tits
2 Whitethroats
1 juvenile Robin
1 Wren
3 Buzzards calling (Field 23)
2 Kestrels (Field 17)
2 Mistle Thrushes @ Olive Mount Farm

Nice to meet Dennis Atherton on Astley Rd

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10/8/10 7.30pm - 9.20pm

Cutnook Rd / Twelve Yards Rd Junction to Red Chalis Farm

Female Sparrowhawk (Field 13)
5 Linnets
3 Goldfinches
3 Blackbirds
2 Blue Tits
3 Long Tailed Tits
2 Whitethroats
1 juvenile Robin
1 Wren
3 Buzzards calling (Field 23)
2 Kestrels (Field 17)
2 Mistle Thrushes @ Olive Mount Farm

Nice to meet Dennis Atherton on Astley Rd

Female Marsh Harrier this am on Ringing Pits.

Info thanks to Dave Steel via Judith Smith

Not been for a while but the feeders were stocked earlier in the year.

Mike

The hide is an old shooting hide as far as I am aware - maybe for Pheasant? But not 100% sure. I don't fancy sitting it though- probably riddled with creepy crawlies!

-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Sunday 8th of August 2010 09:49:41 PM

thanks Judith i had a feeling someone on here would know something,

Actually it is a private feeding station, used by someone who posts occasionally on here.

yep definatly could be, a small wooded area with farm land either side, there was not any perches or feeders there, just a hide and old seed on the floor, the hide was not facing out onto the fields but just viewing a small area in front of the hide in the thick wooded area

Dennis atherton wrote:

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Decided to cover two not usually covered areas of the mosses today, first int morning was, Cutnook, new moss wood, see site guide if you are interested in where the area is


Loads of linnets and large flocks of goldfinch, also mistle thrushes, greenfinch, kestrel, 6 white throats, and a very nice sedge warlbler

Barton moss

the same birds as cutnook with additions of 4 buzzards, pied wagtails, great spotted woodie, willow warbler, sand martins, young pheasants 6, red legged partridge 1,

wood pidgeons 1,365,897 only joking but i think we need more perigrines here to cull some of the pigeons,

was hoping on barton moss for possible marsh harrier but no luck,

Tractors have started some harvesting today so hopefully that could stir things up a bit,

Also somewhere near Barton moss ish, i am not quite sure how far i walked, i found a nice little two man hide set up in the trees between two fields that looks like it could be a good little set up in winter for a feeding station, anyone know anything about this little set up ???

---

Just thowt Den,since i spoke to thi earlier-bet thats not a bird hide ,I think it was probably a pigeon shooters hide,where they feed woodys,then shoot em
thats my guess anyway seeing as you said it was in the middle of a farmers field

Decided to cover two not usually covered areas of the mosses today, first int morning was, Cutnook, new moss wood, see site guide if you are interested in where the area is


Loads of linnets and large flocks of goldfinch, also mistle thrushes, greenfinch, kestrel, 6 white throats, and a very nice sedge warlbler

Barton moss

the same birds as cutnook with additions of 4 buzzards, pied wagtails, great spotted woodie, willow warbler, sand martins, young pheasants 6, red legged partridge 1,

wood pidgeons 1,365,897 only joking but i think we need more perigrines here to cull some of the pigeons,

was hoping on barton moss for possible marsh harrier but no luck,

Tractors have started some harvesting today so hopefully that could stir things up a bit,

Also somewhere near Barton moss ish, i am not quite sure how far i walked, i found a nice little two man hide set up in the trees between two fields that looks like it could be a good little set up in winter for a feeding station, anyone know anything about this little set up ???

Rule number 1 never go on the mosses without your scope.

2 kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk (f)
3 Buzzard.
and an unidentified raptor in a tree, unable to get anything on it.( tried to turn it into marsh harrier, but could,nt)

Linnets 17
Goldfinch 6
Whitethroat 3
Yellowhammer 9.

Keep Birding

Female Marsh Harrier still around Astley Moss East this evening, flew south over the railway to Croxdens.

irlam moss tonight, astley road to twelve yards road,

Lots of goldfinchs, three buzzards near the farm calling, also juv kestrel, two ravens over, swallows and swifts, large flock of misstle thrushes, nothing much else of note tonight

5.30-8.pm this evening,

2 Grey Partridge in f67
2 Whitethroat still feeding chicks near Rindle road
A Barn owl was a nice suprise roosting in a tree near the rail track

35 Swallows sat on wires near Olive mount farm
Male Sparrowhawk over f62 on Chat moss
Quick glimpse of a Hobby flying over the M62 and then over f55 on Barton moss.

According to locals up to 4 Little Owls can be seen perched alongside Astley road at dusk.

Single Hobby 1.30pm today Twelve Yards Road towards Woodbarn farm.

Irlam Moss 10.30am-12.00pm

A good morning for raptors today

1 Hobby over Dixon's Wood/Croxten (11.30am) - only for about 1 min
1 Peregrine over f1 (11.15am) - came from direction of Irlam and headed off east after circling above me for a couple of mins

Also:
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
6 Tree Sparrows - 2 Birch View Farm + 4 Twelve Yards Rd
22+ Linnet and 6 Goldfinch - mixed flock f4
1 Yellowhammer f3
Still plenty of Swifts
1 Leucistic Woodpigeon with c.50+ Woodies around Birch View Farm

Female Marsh Harrier again over Astley Moss East yesterday evening, possibly headed over towards Rindle. This is undoubtably the same female which was now last seen here a month ago!

Irlam Moss - 4.30pm-5.30pm

2 Hobbies this evening at 5.00pm for 5 mins from Twelve Yards Rd again chasing the Swifts above f16 and surrounding fields. Still lots of Swifts. It seems like you don't have to wait long before a Hobby appears. Best bet is to watch for the panic in the Swift flock! Both birds headed off to the southwest

Also:
16 Tree Sparrows
1 Buzzard

Irlam Moss 2.30pm - 3.40pm

1 Hobby this afternoon at 3.20pm for 10mins harassing the Swifts again over Twelve Yards Rd near Woodbarn Farm. Still plenty of Swifts but much less than previous days. It eventually headed off west.

Croxten

2 Redpolls
30+ Linnets
8+ Reed Buntings

sunday

50 mistle thrushes other side of the road opposite rindle woods behind new build property with two red legged partridge,

hobby over irlam with two very vocal buzzards

whitethroat and yellowhammer near rindle woods
kestrels every where

Gutted, a very large brown bird heard me coming and flew away low through rindle woods, buzzard sized, i only saw it fly away round the corner for about a second, silent flight, about six feet from the ground, not flapping but soaring like a owl or buzzard, down the track round the corner, never seen a buzzard fly low through the woods? but also never seen an owl at rindle woods before

Checked the gulls at the pig pens by Gt. Woolden,several hundred Lesser Black Backs feeding just by the road,no sign of any ringed birds.They were mainly adults with a few recently fledged young,and only 2 Herring gulls with them.
Just as I was driving off over The Glaze a Hobby flew east from the direction of Risley and on towards Chat Moss.

Irlam Moss 11.00am-12.00pm

Well my predictions were correct!
3 Hobbies together (1 biggrin for each hobby!) above Twelve Yards Rd at 11.50am attracted by the hundreds of Swifts. They were quite high up and didn't appear to catch anything but they were causing panic amongst the swifts. Estimate of 1000+ Swifts today. Most of the Swallows and Martins seem to have dispersed today. The Hobbies drifted off over Croxten. I've only ever seen singles before. I got a couple of record shots.

Also 2 Spotted Flycatchers showing well at their farm. Managed a couple of decent pics.

Kestrels seem to be nesting here as well.
2 amorous Stock Doves!

But 1 idiot and his son shooting Wood Pigeons in f16 - just as the Hobbies were overhead!

Irlam, Chat & part of Barton Mosses 10.30am - 12.30pm

Huge numbers of Hirundines over virtually every field swooping low inches above the crops. Mostly Swifts and Swallows but plenty of Sand Martins and a few House Martins. Many of the Swallows are youngsters. Impossible to count but an estimate of 2000 birds easily involved. Lots yesterday as well. A fantastic sight. Also lots gathering on telegraph wires. Must be Hobby food?!!

Also lots of young bird activity including, along Twelve Yards Rd, a mixed flock of Blue, Great & LT Tits which also inlcuded 1 adult & 2 young Willow Tits, 2 Treecreeepers, 1 female Blackcap, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Wrens, 1 adult & 1 young Robin all working their way through the trees.

2 Spotted Flycatchers at their breeding farm
2 more Willow Tits - 1 f1 & 1 f8 (5 in total today - easily best count I've had on the moss for a long time)
23 Tree Sparrows - 19 f9, 3 f16, 1 f63
1 Buzzard f16
6 Yellowhammers
Whitethroat families in lots of hedgerows
5 Mistle Thrushes - Red Chalis Farm
GS Woodpecker - Dixons Wood
3 half grown young Pheasants
5 Pied Wags

On a negative note, not a single Corn Bunting. I had 3 on Rixton Moss on Wed. Same habitat, same crops, same time of day. Not looking good for this species here now.
1 Song Thrush + anvil and broken snail shells

Well, that's where I thought they were, as I could see a pig or two over there from New Moss Rd. Woolden Rd was open for cars today (occasionally the gate is closed) but when I drove along, I couldn't see these pigs at all and certainly no gulls! Never mind!

Woolden Road. The pig field is on the north (motorway) side of Woolden Rd near the gate halfway between New Moss Rd and the houses on Woolden Rd. When I went up a couple of weeks ago there were only 3 or so pigs in the field and they are quite difficult to see in the mud and tall vegetation. The gulls should show you where!

Where are these pig pens? I went up New Moss Rd today and didn't see any pigs! A few LBBs sitting down on the turf.

Judith

I didn't have much time today, however I did scan the birds for rings. Most were laid down in the grass and their legs were not visible - no rings on the birds that were stood up. Will keep looking

Lesser Black-backs, Cadishead Moss - with so many, some must have Darvic rings as quite a few are ringed up on the Pennine moors and elsewhere. These are usually orange or yellow letters on black rings with a letter and 3 numbers. The letter indicated where it was ringed (eg R = Ribble estuary). Other coloured rings are more exciting! Please keep your eyes open for these rings.

Cadishead Moss

1040+ LBBG's around the turf fields and pig pens

Irlam Moss 11.30am - 1.00pm

1 Spotted Flycatcher (full grown juv) at their usual breeding farm. No sign of any adults or other young though.
Lots of low flying Swifts, Swallows and a few Sand Martins over most of the fields.
Also lots of LBB gulls and a few BH Gulls overhead coming from the Woolden Road gathering (still visible in the distance).
1 Buzzard,
2 Kestrel
2 Grey Partridge
mixed family party of LT and Blue Tits
3 adult + 1 juv Pied Wag
5 Whitethroat
flock of 60+ Linnet over Twelve Yards Rd heading N
1 Tree Sparrow
4 Goldfinch
1 Meadow Pipit
3 Yellowhammer
6 Stock Dove
1 Jay

A Hobby put on a superb display over the fields south of Moss Lane today at 2.30, rather half-heartedly (but nevertheless very impressive) dashing acrobatically through a flock of Sand Martins before seemingly loosing interest and heading off north.

Yellow Wagtail also in fields off Moss Lane and four Buzzards visible soaring to the south.

3.30-7.30pm

Field 68
2 Oystercatchers
5 Mistle thrush
8 Lapwing
Kestrel
Curlew
7 Goldfinch
Skylark
300+ Sand martins which I watched for over an hour, brilliant little birds which always seen to be making noise when flying about.

Astley moss
4 Willow tits, possible family party.
Yellowhammer [f] feeding 4 well fed young still in the nest.
Whitethroat feeding young.
Lots of Willow warblers about.

A Green sandpiper flew in to the scrapes which disturbed a female Pheasant and 7 young which scattered just in front of me. The pheasant spent 20 minutes quietly calling while walking through the long grass gathering up her brood.
2 families of Moorhens on the ponds.
2 Buzzards over the SSSI

Also over the last two months I have found more nests on the mosses than I have found in years. Considering that many birds perished last Winter it is great to see so many young birds about. Three of the four Treecreepers nests that I found were successful. Two Tawny Owl chicks did OK. Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and Mpipits were mainly successful. Of the 6 LT tits nests that I found only 2 did OK. Two Song thrush and 3 Mistle thrush nests did OK but two of the ground nesting Blackbirds nests were predated, one possibly by a Stoat.

13th July:

Single Yellow Wagtail in field 52.

There have been at least two Wood Pigeon kills this year in and around my (suburban-type) garden in Sandbach. In the past I've seen a male Sparrowhawk plucking a pigeon by the hedge (got some photos somewhere). Sparrowhawks hunt through the local gardens regularly, and we usually have Wood Pigeons nesting in our garden.

Apologies for being off-topic and out-of-county.

It has indeed been publisized several times now in various publications etc that Sparrowhawks will take Woodpigeons but it is still not a common prey item and at the very peak of what they're capable of catching. Must be a fair old battle but for all other than a big old female Sparrowhawk!

I've seen a female Sparrowhawk kill and pluck a Woodpigeon in the middle of a field on Irlam Moss. But this is presumably much more of an infrequent prey item compared to that of a Peregrine.

All the kills on Astley Moss East are of Woodpigeons and are found out on the baron expanse of bare, milled peat. Clumps of plucked feathers can easily be seen against the dark peat background. It also helps that I occasionally see the birds still sat on top of their prey . The Peregrines often sit around and wait on fence posts for the Woodpigeon flocks to appear and then set off after them.

Sparrowhawks tend to take smaller prey, tits, finches etc and their plucks are often done from a favourite post which will be more often be alongside the edge of woodland (on my patches atleast).

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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I am seeing regular evidence of Peregrine kills on Asley Moss East.

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Hi Ian, how does the evidence of a Peregrine killl differ from a Sparrowhawk ?

Just so l can tell for myself...thanks.

Raven flew south off Irlam Moss and over Irlam at c.11.30am this morning.

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Around 600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a single Mediterranean Gull feeding in the pig fields off Woolden Road, Cadishead Moss at 10am this morning.

Info thanks to Mike Baron

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No sign of the Med gull this morning at 6.15am on the pig fields but there was a single raven knocking about around the sheds. Probably 100+gulls there, with more flying in from the east as I watched, mostly lbb but with a smattering of bh's.