ASTLEY, CHAT, LITTLE WOOLDEN AND ASSOCIATED MOSSES
Nik Grounds said
Wed Apr 14 10:07 AM, 2010
13/4/10 6.50pm - 8.10pm Rindle Road to Olive Mount Farm
4 Chaffinches 1 Chiffchaff 1 Willow Warbler 1 Great Tit 1 Pied Wagtail 1 Robin 3 Song Trushes 5 Blackbirds 3 Magpies c5 Carrion Crows c35 Woodpigeons 1 Red Legged Partridge 6 Pheasants c5 Lapwing 3 Grey Herons over 1 Kestrel
Wildlife Trust digger was still working Rindle Woods as I left at 8.10pm.
Dave Thacker said
Sat Apr 10 1:09 PM, 2010
7.30-10.00 this morning
12 Buzzards in the air at once over Astley SSSI 7 Canada geese over 5 Curlew f68 1 Wheatear f68 Lots of Willow warblers about
Lots of disturbance around Rindle woods as the Wildlife trust are continuing their work there with diggers and dump trucks going up and down the feeding track. The path through the woods has been ripped out and is having stone put down. Luckily the LT Tits nests that I have found nearby are still ok.
If this work is going to carry on over Spring/Summer then the soon to be arriving Cuckoos might as well just fly on somewhere else this year.
Judith Smith said
Mon Apr 5 12:47 PM, 2010
There were 2 at Rostherne at the end of March, so a warden there told me.
Rob Smallwood said
Mon Apr 5 8:25 AM, 2010
Andy Bissitt wrote:
mike haylett wrote:
hi rob, it was the sythe shaped wings and the streaked underside of the wings that convinced me, but i understand your possible doubts, it is early but i am sure it was a hobby. it ticked all the boxes regarding size, shape, flight and plumage. this raptor was i am sure a hobby. thanks for your input, regards mike
My brother (who is a more than useful birder) was 99% convinced he saw a hobby over Marple at about 12.30 today. Could easily have reached where you were by 2.00 p.m.
Andy - sorry - I wan't meaning to cast doubt, just flagging up an early date.
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Apr 4 9:37 PM, 2010
mike haylett wrote:
hi rob, it was the sythe shaped wings and the streaked underside of the wings that convinced me, but i understand your possible doubts, it is early but i am sure it was a hobby. it ticked all the boxes regarding size, shape, flight and plumage. this raptor was i am sure a hobby. thanks for your input, regards mike
My brother (who is a more than useful birder) was 99% convinced he saw a hobby over Marple at about 12.30 today. Could easily have reached where you were by 2.00 p.m.
Dave Thacker said
Sun Apr 4 9:06 PM, 2010
7.30-11.00am
Pretty quiet this morning 2 Curlew over Rindle road Peregrine seen twice, first over f59 then 10 minutes later over f62 Wheatear eventually found in f14 along 12 Yards road Up to 8 Buzzards around Chat moss including a very dark coloured one for a change
18.00-20.00 this evening
Up to 60 birds feeding at the seed at Rindle this evening whilst I was watching for Stoats. Mainly Chaffinches, Reed buntings and a couple of Yellowhammers and only 2 Tree sparrows. 5 Curlew over , 2 heading for f68 and the other 3 for Chat moss Willow warbler singing in Rindle woods 2 Grey partridge in f67 4 Buzzards in the air above Bedford moss 2 Kestrels hunting over f69 and f67 Sparrowhawk flying through the woods A very quick glimpse of a Tawny Owl flying at the far end of f67 and over the rail track as I was leaving.
Also some cracking views of a couple of Stoats along the the track
mike haylett said
Sun Apr 4 7:27 PM, 2010
hi rob, it was the sythe shaped wings and the streaked underside of the wings that convinced me, but i understand your possible doubts, it is early but i am sure it was a hobby. it ticked all the boxes regarding size, shape, flight and plumage. this raptor was i am sure a hobby. thanks for your input, regards mike
Rob Smallwood said
Sun Apr 4 6:57 PM, 2010
That must be close to a record early date for Hobby?
mike haylett said
Sun Apr 4 4:50 PM, 2010
2.00 pm today, hobby amd wimbrel over rindle rd. the hobby was high and heading west[to risley moss possibly], the wimbrel also heading west but seemed to be struggling and tired, regards mike
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Apr 3 4:00 PM, 2010
First summer male Wheatear and 10 Stock Dove off Nook Lane at around 3pm today, also 12 Stock Dove and 14 Meadow Pipit off Moss Lane too.
Dave Thacker said
Sat Apr 3 2:56 PM, 2010
Wheatear in field along Moss lane early this morning
Rindle wood Blackcap [f] 3 Tree sparrows Chiffchaff 3 pairs of LT Tits Jay
Astley SSSI 5 Skylarks Plenty of M Pipits displaying 4 Reed buntings 7 Yellowhammers Buzzard over 5 Mallard
Not much about the feeding area early on but this soon changed when Eddie King turned up with seed with the usual Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and a couple of Tree sparrows flying in to feed.
4 Herons over and 9 Buzzards seen soaring around, 5 over Astley moss,2 over Chat and 2 in the distance over Little Woolden moss.
Sunday 28/03 7-8.30am
Up to 14 Tree sparrows on the seed with 11 Yellowhammers, 7 Reed buntings and 6 Chaffinch 2 Grey Partridge in f69 3 Buzzards over Kestrel 2 Chiffchaffs 12 Fieldfare over Curlew calling
Just remembered that there were 2 Swallows sat on the wires in Astley village near the green this morning and 6 Sand martins over Rindle road yesterday
-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Sunday 28th of March 2010 02:32:35 PM
Dennis atherton said
Sat Mar 27 8:19 PM, 2010
managed to find the east pools today via ians photos in the site maps, thanks Ian,
5.30 till dusk curlew, oystercatcher, reed bunting, redshank, red legged partridge, heron, cormorant, lapwing, a lovely very pale buzzard,
Nik Grounds said
Sat Mar 27 10:30 AM, 2010
27/3/10 7.30am - 8.50am Rindle Road to Olive Mount Farm
c 25 Chaffinches 1 Goldfinch 8 Great Tits 2 Blue Tits 2 Long Tailed Tits 4 House Sparrows 2 Pied Wagtails 1 female Greater Spotted Woodpecker 3 Robins 2 Yellowhammers 5 Skylarks 2 Song Trushes 12 Blackbirds 4 Magpies c12 Carrion Crows 7 Stock Doves c75 Woodpigeons c15 Lapwing 4 Curlews 2 Grey Herons 9 Mallards 6 Canada Geese
In the long row of trees next to the ditch beside f69 were 5 Chiffchaffs busily looking for food. Also 150+ mixed flock of Chaffinch and Yellowhammers in the field behind Rindle wood
Judith Smith said
Sun Mar 21 7:46 PM, 2010
Sounds par for the course on Chat Moss (ditch clearances) Maybe the LWT's mossland officers can influence events there - though I doubt it.
Steven Nelson said
Sun Mar 21 6:21 PM, 2010
Irlam Moss 12.30-1.30pm
No sign of any Wheatear here yet despite a good search, especially the freshley ploughed fields.
main sightings: 40+ Fieldfare and 20+ Redwing in a mixed flock (f16) 2 Kestrel (m on a kill in f44 + a f over f17) 1 Buzzard singing Skylark (f44) Lots of Lapwing displaying - almost every field has a pair
There seems to be a mass tree felling and hedgerow ripping up programme going on at the moment on the moss to clear the ditches. The latest is along Twelve Yards Rd on edge on f14 and part of f52. These bushes were great of finches, buntings, willow tits and whitethroats. Also gone recently are hedgerows in f12 near Woodbarn farm - good for tree sparrow; bushes along track between f9 & f10, trees and bushes between f3 & f44. Also a parch of birch scrub near Red Chalis Farm has been cleared. It makes me so mad. Do the farmers have to get permission to do this? Does anyone oversee what they do or are they allowed to just hack anything down they want?. If it is just about improving the drainage then surely the trees soak up alot of water. I fear for the future of the mosses at timesIn addition to all this the trees alongside the M62 are being hacked back or cutdown entirely through the roadworks section at Irlam - it looks a right mess! (But at least United won!!!)
Judith Smith said
Sat Mar 20 8:19 PM, 2010
A Wheatear was on f8 Barton Moss today (info from Dave Steel)
Dave Thacker said
Sat Mar 20 2:33 PM, 2010
For Friday 19/03 at 15.30 - 1800
Around Rindle and f68
Peregrine hunting Stock doves over f68 2 Curlew 26 Lapwings 60 + Woodies and Stock doves 5 Pied wagtails 4 Mistle thrushes 43 Fieldfare Song thrush 4 Tree sparrows 8 Yellowhammers 3 Greenfinch 2 Canada geese 6 Mallard 2 Kestrels 2 Sparrowhawks 4 Buzzards 11 Herons over
Matt Potter said
Mon Mar 15 8:17 PM, 2010
A quick walk down Rindle Road tonight around 5.30 to 6.30:
Fieldfare flying over. Canada Geese flying over. Robin Chaffinch - 10 singles Long Tailed Tit - 2 Song Thrush - Singing
Feeding Station Yellowhammer - 1 Blue Tit - 1 Reed Bunting - 1
Field to the left
Pale Buzzard eating its tea on a fence post Lapwing - 5 ish
Lots of Pheasants and Woodpigeons.
First time I have been here since a Nightjar survey some 7 ish years ago. I will be back more often to walk round this area.
Curlew flew south over field 67 and over railway lines 30+ Redwing Rindle Wood 6 Teal on new ponds 2 Buzzard
Dave Thacker said
Fri Mar 12 8:24 PM, 2010
Astley moss 15.45- 18.45.
A Merlin [m] flew over Rindle road at 16.15pm this afternoon flying out from Rindle wood and heading over f67 towards the peat works.
Large flock of mainly Chaffinch [170+] with at least 30 Yellowhammers and 12 Reed Buntings feeding at the rear of f69.
I have only seen 1 Treecreeper in Rindle woods this year then 3 come along at once today, all seen at the same time at the far end of the woods near the bend.
5 Teal and 4 Mallard on the new ponds next to the SSSI.
Field 68
32 Stock dove 14 Woodies 15 Lapwings 2 Canada geese 70 + Fieldfare which dropped into the field for about 10 minutes then they all took off over the peat works.
Also seen flying around 3 Buzzards 2 Kestrels 4 Herons Sparrowhawk checking out the feeding track 2 Song thrushes 1 GS Woodpecker 3 Pied wagtails
-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Friday 12th of March 2010 08:26:52 PM
Judith Smith said
Thu Mar 11 7:52 PM, 2010
Ringtail Hen Harrier today at 1225hrs over fields 56/57 (Little Woolden Moss) flying E towards Astley Rd (Info from Dave Steel)
Paul Heaton said
Wed Mar 10 7:46 PM, 2010
Must have just missed you Brian, 30 plus Fieldfare this morning, plus kestrel taking prey near the feeding station,
Keep birding
brian fielding said
Wed Mar 10 6:10 PM, 2010
rindle road from 245 till 415pm, hoped the harrier might still be around but no joy, buzzard, sprawk, kestrel. large mixed flock of chaffinch and yellowhammer nr feeding station, at least 100 birds but couldnt find any brambling with them.
Dave Thacker said
Sun Mar 7 8:14 PM, 2010
12.30-1600 this afternoon
Nice walk around Astley moss with Paul Hammond this afternoon turned up;
7 Buzzards Sparrowhawk 2 Kestrels getting a little frisky Usual Yellowhammers 4 Tree sparrows 5 Fieldfare 4 LT tits 2 Coal tits Mallard 2 Snipe on the new ponds 1 Pied wagtail 1 GS Woodpecker
Still no Hen harrier about or roosting Owls
Dennis atherton said
Sat Mar 6 8:22 PM, 2010
still looking forward to some cuckoo sightings this year Dave, fingers crossed
Dave Thacker said
Sat Mar 6 7:57 PM, 2010
Early this afternoon,
Rindle woods
2 Willow tits 1 Treecreeper [ first one I have seen in the woods this year] 2 GS Woodpeckers 5 Tree sparrows 30+ Yellowhammers around feeding area and field to the rear of the woods 1 Buzzard over
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Mar 4 2:04 PM, 2010
Late morning/early afternoon:
Fieldfare- 79 in f10 Golden Plover- 2 north east over f5 Lapwing- 43 f10 and c20 f17 Buzzard- 12 in total at various locations over Chat, Irlam and Barton Mosses
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 4th of March 2010 04:27:31 PM
Raymond Ashcroft said
Thu Mar 4 1:15 PM, 2010
Thurs 4th Mar - Rindle Road
Hen Harrier flew from behind new barn and across field 67 chased by Kestrel Second Kestrel also on power lines in field 67 2 Buzzards
Rob Thorpe said
Tue Mar 2 6:06 PM, 2010
Tuesday 02 March 2010
Ringtail Hen Harrier hunting just south of Moss Lane, Astley Moss, at 17:30ish.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Feb 28 9:49 PM, 2010
This afternoon:
Hen Harrier again just west of Rindle Road feeding station, being mobbed by 2 Buzzards
22 Brambling around the Rindle Wood area in a mixed Chaffinch flock
info thanks to Charlie Owen
Dave Thacker said
Sun Feb 28 7:10 PM, 2010
8.10-12.15 this morning,
More birders than birds on the moss this morning. Good to meet up with the Wigan contingent of Ian, Ian, Rob and Jimmy.
No sign of the Hen Harrier around Rindle road and not much of anything else apart from
Still 110 Skylark in the stubble fields off Nook Lane. Maybe many, many more but I didn't want to disturn them and this flock just happened to be swirling around at one point.
c200 Fieldfare in field 68
27 Stock Dove off Moss Lane
Dave Thacker said
Sat Feb 27 7:22 PM, 2010
8.10- 8.50am this morning,
Quick look around Rindle road on the way to Marshside this morning
Feeding area 7 Tree sparrows including 2 which had coloured rings 5 Reed buntings 8 Yellowhammers 2 Stock doves 4 Magpies 20+ Chaffinch Weasel crossing the track
In f69 2 RL Partridge 1 Song thrush 2 Mistle thrush 1 Buzzard perched in the trees beside the rail track.
Steven Nelson said
Sat Feb 27 5:23 PM, 2010
f9 Female Merlin seen at 3.30pm flying fast & low towards f9 and then again at 4.30pm where it landed on a small earth mound in f9 for 10mins giving good views then it moved to another mound for a couple more mins then flew off. Also here: 50+ Linnet 17 Tree Sparrows 1 Mallard 12 Chaffinch 2 Blue Tit 1 Great Tit 120+ Starling 2 Grey Partridge 1 Snipe 5 Blackbirds a few corvids
f10 1 Snipe 1 Buzzard 200+ Woodpigeon in small woodland patch 17 Magpies together around the green barns
Croxten 2 Snipe 5 Mallard 2 Reed Buntings
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 27th of February 2010 05:25:02 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Feb 27 4:18 PM, 2010
'Ringtail' Hen Harrier still in the area and seen heading east over the top (railway end) of Rindle Road at 15:45
info thanks to Mark Rigby
Ian Woosey said
Sat Feb 27 3:43 PM, 2010
27/2/10 (pm)
Astley Moss, from Nook Lane to Rindle Rd feeding station:
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) flew quite low from behind the new barn conversions on Rindle Road, flew over the road itself, then over the fields adjacent to the feeding station track. It headed off in a westerly direction (Bedford Moss) at 13:55.
2 Buzzard 1 Red-legged Partridge 20+ Yellowhammer 3 Tree Sparrow 1 Kestrel c15 Stock Dove 1 Reed Bunting 3 Fieldfare 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming on the telegraph poles along Rindle Rd.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Feb 21 3:18 PM, 2010
A final conservative but equally impressive count of 550 Skylark in the subble field alongside Nook Lane today, after one and a half hours of trying to count them and search for anything with a shorter tail. A very noisy bunch they could be heard from all along the road, with much strange and subdued singing from the ground
Also present in the stubble fields alongside Nook Lane:
c60 Yellowhammer 18 Reed Bunting 43 Stock Dove c200 Linnet maximum of 2000 Starlings on telephone wires, dropping into the stubble and tooing and froing to the nearby landfill.
Dave Thacker said
Sat Feb 20 6:54 PM, 2010
14.25- 15.25
Spent an hour watching from the top of the track on Rindle road this afternoon and had great views of a Peregrine hunting the Woodpigeons in f69 and later in f68. It finally made a kill of a Woodie after chasing a large flock, the Peregrine dived through the middle of the flock which burst in all directions and caught its victim as it headed for the trees.
Also 8 Buzzards about 2 Sparrowhawks 2 Kestrels 272 Starlings sat on the wires in f67 not taking an interest in any of the raptors 2 Singing Skylarks, one in each of f69 and f68 2 RL Partridge in f67 GS Woodpecker flying alongside Rindle woods 4 Yellowhammers and 2 Tree sparrows along the track Heron over Also 2 Oystercatchers flew over towards f59 on Chat moss
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Feb 18 4:02 PM, 2010
Ringtail Hen Harrier seen by Dave Steele today. Heading west over fields 56/57 just north of Little Woolden Moss. Unfortunately heading out of our county
Info thanks to Judith Smith
Steven Nelson said
Thu Feb 18 3:43 PM, 2010
11.30am - 12.30pm Irlam Moss
f5 24 Lapwing 1 Reed Bunting
f10 150+ Starling 5 Skylark 2 Grey Partridge 17 Tree Sparrows 3 Buzzards 1 Kestrel a few Chaffinch usual corvid flock and Woodpigeons (didn't bother counting!)
Also 2 Grey Herons visible on tree tops at Botany Bay Wood heronry
The only bird of note was a Brambling(fem) with a large Chaffinch flock in field 25, otherwise it was very quiet
Mike hirst said
Tue Feb 16 4:38 PM, 2010
9-30am to 12-30pm cool but bright Chat, Irlam and Barton mosses
3 good flocks of lapwings today, c70 f5, c30 and c50 in f9. usual abundance of crows and starlings in f9. 6 more lapwing in f46. c80 starling and c40 fieldfare in the trees between f47 & f48 sunning themselves. 4 herons (singlely) flew south from the heronry
12 yards road had lots of chaffinch, robin, dunnock, blackbird, 1 pied wag, 2 yellowhammer, 1 reed bunting, 1 jay, 2 buzzard over, 2 kestral over, good nos of blue, great and LT tits but no willow tits today. Woodbarn farm lane had some chaffnch and 4 tree sparrows. A nice flock of c20 fieldfare, 4 redwing, 40 starling and a few chaffinch was in f2, 1 yellowhammer was in the ditch on the north side of f2.
Mike
Dennis atherton said
Sun Feb 14 4:36 PM, 2010
good walk round today, 3ish behind and round rindle woods, 4 buzzards in the air at one point, a few kestrels hovering about, woodpecker drumming in the woods and a owl hooting, loads of chaffinch in feilds by the feeding track and two red legged partridge in the field on left of track with the horses, no yellow hammers today, lots of redwing and fieldfare knocking around
Also the two red legs were having a bit of early season nookie, naughty partridges
-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Sunday 14th of February 2010 08:42:13 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Feb 13 6:33 PM, 2010
We did indeed Dave.
I flushed two Snipe off the side of one of the stubble fields behind Rindle Wood, perhaps your birds as there were none when I wandered around the new pools. There was a single Teal and two Mallard though.
Dave Thacker said
Sat Feb 13 5:27 PM, 2010
13.10-15.45 this afternoon,
Ian, I think we may have eyeballed each other as our cars passed along Rindle road today just after 1pm. I should have used my bin's to be sure
Feeding area was pretty quiet, plenty of Fieldfares and Chaffinch about as Ian mentions in the surrounding fields.
On Bedford moss the Wildlife trust are working to raise the water levels and parts are now flooded, 2 Snipe and 2 RL Partridge were around the edges. I'm not too certain about this new flooding being beneficial to birds, its probably better for the plants and bugs/bats in the area.
5 Grey partridge in scrub next to the metal barn behind the farm house development
Also a Buzzard made a half hearted attempt to catch a Hare which it chased across f68.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Feb 13 1:56 PM, 2010
Midday today:
Chaffinch- c200 but all over the place along Rindle hedge, wood and flying across to the railway line Yellowhammer- c60 Red-legged Partridge- 1 field 69 Fieldfare- 118 in field next to the feeding station
Mike hirst said
Fri Feb 12 2:44 PM, 2010
9-30 to midday cold and bright. Springfield, Chat, Irlam and Little Woolden moss
Springfield (very quiet) pair of great tits and a few pigeons.
Irlam moss. 6 greenfinch, 2 buzzards in the air calling, 3 corn buntings on telephone wire. 6 mistle thrush and 10 chaffinch in f1. 1 sparrowhawk over Cutnook and c12 LT tits on the lane
Astley road. 1 willow tit, usual chaffinch, robin, dunnock, blackbird and blue and great tits.
Little Woolden moss. 1 chaffinch and 2 blue tits. Not much change to SSSI but weather has been poor.
4 Chaffinches
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Great Tit
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Robin
3 Song Trushes
5 Blackbirds
3 Magpies
c5 Carrion Crows
c35 Woodpigeons
1 Red Legged Partridge
6 Pheasants
c5 Lapwing
3 Grey Herons over
1 Kestrel
Wildlife Trust digger was still working Rindle Woods as I left at 8.10pm.
12 Buzzards in the air at once over Astley SSSI
7 Canada geese over
5 Curlew f68
1 Wheatear f68
Lots of Willow warblers about
Lots of disturbance around Rindle woods as the Wildlife trust are continuing their work there with diggers and dump trucks going up and down the feeding track. The path through the woods has been ripped out and is having stone put down. Luckily the LT Tits nests that I have found nearby are still ok.
If this work is going to carry on over Spring/Summer then the soon to be arriving Cuckoos might as well just fly on somewhere else this year.
Andy - sorry - I wan't meaning to cast doubt, just flagging up an early date.
My brother (who is a more than useful birder) was 99% convinced he saw a hobby over Marple at about 12.30 today. Could easily have reached where you were by 2.00 p.m.
Pretty quiet this morning
2 Curlew over Rindle road
Peregrine seen twice, first over f59 then 10 minutes later over f62
Wheatear eventually found in f14 along 12 Yards road
Up to 8 Buzzards around Chat moss including a very dark coloured one for a change
18.00-20.00 this evening
Up to 60 birds feeding at the seed at Rindle this evening whilst I was watching for Stoats. Mainly Chaffinches, Reed buntings and a couple of Yellowhammers and only 2 Tree sparrows.
5 Curlew over , 2 heading for f68 and the other 3 for Chat moss
Willow warbler singing in Rindle woods
2 Grey partridge in f67
4 Buzzards in the air above Bedford moss
2 Kestrels hunting over f69 and f67
Sparrowhawk flying through the woods
A very quick glimpse of a Tawny Owl flying at the far end of f67 and over the rail track as I was leaving.
Also some cracking views of a couple of Stoats along the the track
Rindle wood
Blackcap [f]
3 Tree sparrows
Chiffchaff
3 pairs of LT Tits
Jay
Astley SSSI
5 Skylarks
Plenty of M Pipits displaying
4 Reed buntings
7 Yellowhammers
Buzzard over
5 Mallard
F68
Curlew
2 Canada geese
Oystercatcher
20 Lapwings
12 Stock doves
Kestrel
Heron
2 Grey partridge
5 Swallows and plenty of Sand martins about
2 Buzzards over Bedford moss
Field 68
3 Curlew
15 Fieldfare
22 Lapwings
Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels
Astley moss scrapes and ponds
2 Tufted duck
8 Mallard
2 Teal
2 Canada geese
2 Moorhen
Heron feeding on the spawning frogs
Rindle woods
Chiffchaff
Treecreeper
GS Woodpecker
2 Tree sparrows
4 LT Tits
Not much about the feeding area early on but this soon changed when Eddie King turned up with seed
4 Herons over and 9 Buzzards seen soaring around, 5 over Astley moss,2 over Chat and 2 in the distance over Little Woolden moss.
Sunday 28/03 7-8.30am
Up to 14 Tree sparrows on the seed with 11 Yellowhammers, 7 Reed buntings and 6 Chaffinch
2 Grey Partridge in f69
3 Buzzards over
Kestrel
2 Chiffchaffs
12 Fieldfare over
Curlew calling
Just remembered that there were 2 Swallows sat on the wires in Astley village near the green this morning and 6 Sand martins over Rindle road yesterday
-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Sunday 28th of March 2010 02:32:35 PM
5.30 till dusk curlew, oystercatcher, reed bunting, redshank, red legged partridge, heron, cormorant, lapwing, a lovely very pale buzzard,
c 25 Chaffinches
1 Goldfinch
8 Great Tits
2 Blue Tits
2 Long Tailed Tits
4 House Sparrows
2 Pied Wagtails
1 female Greater Spotted Woodpecker
3 Robins
2 Yellowhammers
5 Skylarks
2 Song Trushes
12 Blackbirds
4 Magpies
c12 Carrion Crows
7 Stock Doves
c75 Woodpigeons
c15 Lapwing
4 Curlews
2 Grey Herons
9 Mallards
6 Canada Geese
1 Buzzard over Nook Lane & 2 over the A580
2 Curlew
23 Fieldfare
18 Lapwings
150+ Starlings
Jay
2 Buzzards
Kestrel
2 Grey partridge
Moorhen
5 Yellowhammers
Rindle woods and feeding track
2 GS Woodpeckers
3 Tree sparrows
2 Treecreepers
4 Jays
RL partridge
2 Coal tits
Song thrush
Astley SSSI and Bedford moss
12 Linnets
9 Mallard
Chiffchaff calling
3 Buzzards
Curlew
In the long row of trees next to the ditch beside f69 were 5 Chiffchaffs busily looking for food. Also 150+ mixed flock of Chaffinch and Yellowhammers in the field behind Rindle wood
No sign of any Wheatear here yet despite a good search, especially the freshley ploughed fields.
main sightings:
40+ Fieldfare and 20+ Redwing in a mixed flock (f16)
2 Kestrel (m on a kill in f44 + a f over f17)
1 Buzzard
singing Skylark (f44)
Lots of Lapwing displaying - almost every field has a pair
There seems to be a mass tree felling and hedgerow ripping up programme going on at the moment on the moss to clear the ditches. The latest is along Twelve Yards Rd on edge on f14 and part of f52. These bushes were great of finches, buntings, willow tits and whitethroats. Also gone recently are hedgerows in f12 near Woodbarn farm - good for tree sparrow; bushes along track between f9 & f10, trees and bushes between f3 & f44. Also a parch of birch scrub near Red Chalis Farm has been cleared. It makes me so mad
Around Rindle and f68
Peregrine hunting Stock doves over f68
2 Curlew
26 Lapwings
60 + Woodies and Stock doves
5 Pied wagtails
4 Mistle thrushes
43 Fieldfare
Song thrush
4 Tree sparrows
8 Yellowhammers
3 Greenfinch
2 Canada geese
6 Mallard
2 Kestrels
2 Sparrowhawks
4 Buzzards
11 Herons over
Fieldfare flying over.
Canada Geese flying over.
Robin
Chaffinch - 10 singles
Long Tailed Tit - 2
Song Thrush - Singing
Feeding Station
Yellowhammer - 1
Blue Tit - 1
Reed Bunting - 1
Field to the left
Pale Buzzard eating its tea on a fence post
Lapwing - 5 ish
Lots of Pheasants and Woodpigeons.
First time I have been here since a Nightjar survey some 7 ish years ago. I will be back more often to walk round this area.
Astley Moss - Nook Lane, Rindle Road, SSSI & Bedford Moss with Mr Thorpe & Mr Hargreaves:
3 Buzzard
20+ Yellowhammer
1 Tree Sparrow
2 Red-legged Partridge (Moss Bank Farm)
33 Stock Dove & 8 Lapwing (Nook Lane)
1 Sparrowhawk (Messuages Farm)
25+ Fieldfare
8 Teal, 1 Snipe & 2 Canada Goose (scrapes)
Curlew flew south over field 67 and over railway lines
30+ Redwing Rindle Wood
6 Teal on new ponds
2 Buzzard
A Merlin [m] flew over Rindle road at 16.15pm this afternoon flying out from Rindle wood and heading over f67 towards the peat works.
Large flock of mainly Chaffinch [170+] with at least 30 Yellowhammers and 12 Reed Buntings feeding at the rear of f69.
I have only seen 1 Treecreeper in Rindle woods this year then 3 come along at once today, all seen at the same time at the far end of the woods near the bend.
5 Teal and 4 Mallard on the new ponds next to the SSSI.
Field 68
32 Stock dove
14 Woodies
15 Lapwings
2 Canada geese
70 + Fieldfare which dropped into the field for about 10 minutes then they all took off over the peat works.
Also seen flying around
3 Buzzards
2 Kestrels
4 Herons
Sparrowhawk checking out the feeding track
2 Song thrushes
1 GS Woodpecker
3 Pied wagtails
-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Friday 12th of March 2010 08:26:52 PM
Keep birding
Nice walk around Astley moss with Paul Hammond this afternoon turned up;
7 Buzzards
Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels getting a little frisky
Usual Yellowhammers
4 Tree sparrows
5 Fieldfare
4 LT tits
2 Coal tits
Mallard
2 Snipe on the new ponds
1 Pied wagtail
1 GS Woodpecker
Still no Hen harrier about or roosting Owls
Rindle woods
2 Willow tits
1 Treecreeper [ first one I have seen in the woods this year]
2 GS Woodpeckers
5 Tree sparrows
30+ Yellowhammers around feeding area and field to the rear of the woods
1 Buzzard over
Fieldfare- 79 in f10
Golden Plover- 2 north east over f5
Lapwing- 43 f10 and c20 f17
Buzzard- 12 in total at various locations over Chat, Irlam and Barton Mosses
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 4th of March 2010 04:27:31 PM
Hen Harrier flew from behind new barn and across field 67 chased by Kestrel
Second Kestrel also on power lines in field 67
2 Buzzards
Ringtail Hen Harrier hunting just south of Moss Lane, Astley Moss, at 17:30ish.
Hen Harrier again just west of Rindle Road feeding station, being mobbed by 2 Buzzards
22 Brambling around the Rindle Wood area in a mixed Chaffinch flock
info thanks to Charlie Owen
More birders than birds on the moss this morning. Good to meet up with the Wigan contingent of Ian, Ian, Rob and Jimmy.
No sign of the Hen Harrier around Rindle road and not much of anything else apart from
5 Buzzards
2 Kestrels
39 PF Geese
18 Canada geese
4 Mallard
GS Woodpecker
3 Herons
15+ Yellowhammers
4 Reed buntings
4 Grey partridge
2 RL Partridge
Still 110 Skylark in the stubble fields off Nook Lane. Maybe many, many more but I didn't want to disturn them and this flock just happened to be swirling around at one point.
c200 Fieldfare in field 68
27 Stock Dove off Moss Lane
Quick look around Rindle road on the way to Marshside this morning
Feeding area
7 Tree sparrows including 2 which had coloured rings
5 Reed buntings
8 Yellowhammers
2 Stock doves
4 Magpies
20+ Chaffinch
Weasel crossing the track
In f69
2 RL Partridge
1 Song thrush
2 Mistle thrush
1 Buzzard perched in the trees beside the rail track.
Female Merlin
Also here:
50+ Linnet
17 Tree Sparrows
1 Mallard
12 Chaffinch
2 Blue Tit
1 Great Tit
120+ Starling
2 Grey Partridge
1 Snipe
5 Blackbirds
a few corvids
f10
1 Snipe
1 Buzzard
200+ Woodpigeon in small woodland patch
17 Magpies together around the green barns
Croxten
2 Snipe
5 Mallard
2 Reed Buntings
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 27th of February 2010 05:25:02 PM
info thanks to Mark Rigby
Astley Moss, from Nook Lane to Rindle Rd feeding station:
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) flew quite low from behind the new barn conversions on Rindle Road, flew over the road itself, then over the fields adjacent to the feeding station track. It headed off in a westerly direction (Bedford Moss) at 13:55.
2 Buzzard
1 Red-legged Partridge
20+ Yellowhammer
3 Tree Sparrow
1 Kestrel
c15 Stock Dove
1 Reed Bunting
3 Fieldfare
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming on the telegraph poles along Rindle Rd.
Also present in the stubble fields alongside Nook Lane:
c60 Yellowhammer
18 Reed Bunting
43 Stock Dove
c200 Linnet
maximum of 2000 Starlings on telephone wires, dropping into the stubble and tooing and froing to the nearby landfill.
Spent an hour watching from the top of the track on Rindle road this afternoon and had great views of a Peregrine hunting the Woodpigeons in f69 and later in f68. It finally made a kill of a Woodie after chasing a large flock, the Peregrine dived through the middle of the flock which burst in all directions and caught its victim as it headed for the trees.
Also 8 Buzzards about
2 Sparrowhawks
2 Kestrels
272 Starlings sat on the wires in f67 not taking an interest in any of the raptors
2 Singing Skylarks, one in each of f69 and f68
2 RL Partridge in f67
GS Woodpecker flying alongside Rindle woods
4 Yellowhammers and 2 Tree sparrows along the track
Heron over
Also 2 Oystercatchers flew over towards f59 on Chat moss
Info thanks to Judith Smith
Irlam Moss
f5
24 Lapwing
1 Reed Bunting
f10
150+ Starling
5 Skylark
2 Grey Partridge
17 Tree Sparrows
3 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
a few Chaffinch
usual corvid flock and Woodpigeons (didn't bother counting!)
Also 2 Grey Herons visible on tree tops at Botany Bay Wood heronry
Dixon's Wood
1 Willow Tit
1 Coal Tit
plus usual stuff
f2
18 Fieldfare
6 Redwing
60+ Starling
f16
20+ Starling
3 Buzzards
The only bird of note was a Brambling(fem) with a large Chaffinch flock in field 25, otherwise it was very quiet
3 good flocks of lapwings today, c70 f5, c30 and c50 in f9. usual abundance of crows and starlings in f9. 6 more lapwing in f46. c80 starling and c40 fieldfare in the trees between f47 & f48 sunning themselves. 4 herons (singlely) flew south from the heronry
12 yards road had lots of chaffinch, robin, dunnock, blackbird, 1 pied wag, 2 yellowhammer, 1 reed bunting, 1 jay, 2 buzzard over, 2 kestral over, good nos of blue, great and LT tits but no willow tits today. Woodbarn farm lane had some chaffnch and 4 tree sparrows. A nice flock of c20 fieldfare, 4 redwing, 40 starling and a few chaffinch was in f2, 1 yellowhammer was in the ditch on the north side of f2.
Mike
Also the two red legs were having a bit of early season nookie, naughty partridges
-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Sunday 14th of February 2010 08:42:13 PM
I flushed two Snipe off the side of one of the stubble fields behind Rindle Wood, perhaps your birds as there were none when I wandered around the new pools. There was a single Teal and two Mallard though.
Ian, I think we may have eyeballed each other as our cars passed along Rindle road today just after 1pm. I should have used my bin's to be sure
Feeding area was pretty quiet, plenty of Fieldfares and Chaffinch about as Ian mentions in the surrounding fields.
On Bedford moss the Wildlife trust are working to raise the water levels and parts are now flooded, 2 Snipe and 2 RL Partridge were around the edges. I'm not too certain about this new flooding being beneficial to birds, its probably better for the plants and bugs/bats in the area.
5 Grey partridge in scrub next to the metal barn behind the farm house development
Also a Buzzard made a half hearted attempt to catch a Hare which it chased across f68.
Chaffinch- c200 but all over the place along Rindle hedge, wood and flying across to the railway line
Yellowhammer- c60
Red-legged Partridge- 1 field 69
Fieldfare- 118 in field next to the feeding station
Springfield (very quiet)
pair of great tits and a few pigeons.
Irlam moss.
6 greenfinch, 2 buzzards in the air calling, 3 corn buntings on telephone wire.
6 mistle thrush and 10 chaffinch in f1. 1 sparrowhawk over Cutnook and c12 LT tits on the lane
Astley road.
1 willow tit, usual chaffinch, robin, dunnock, blackbird and blue and great tits.
Little Woolden moss.
1 chaffinch and 2 blue tits. Not much change to SSSI but weather has been poor.
Chat moss.
4 RL partridge and lots of pigeons.
Mike