Simon's lodge, near shooting range 1130am today 2 Canada geese, pair mallard and pair goosander, most birds seen on lodge for ten years, hopefully this means no mink

Thanks Paul. Will give the bridal path a go

lol steve! i actually thought about whether that was right or not and convinced myself it was the right way round - in my defense it was early this morning!:D

Paul Cliff wrote:

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if you take the bridal path...

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or, if you have a horse rather than a fiancee, you could take the bridle path...

Sorry Paul

hi mark

lots a lovely walks all with a chance of seeing birds.
if you take the bridal path from holcombe old road (moor bottom road) but rather than climbing the hill towards the tower go out and along - there are lots of points you can either, turn off to go up onto the top of the hill, or on to pilgrims cross, or round the horseshoe towards edgeworth or drop down into reddisher woods.

often green woodpecker, linnets, stonechat, mipits even raven can be seen and you soon start to pick up little owls if you look carefully - it's been good for passing ring ouzels too...

Hi

I live very close to Holcombe Village and would like to get to bird this area alot more. Please could you recommend either a route or a walk which would take me to some of the better spots in the Holcombe moor/hill area. Many thanks.

Mark Connaughton

Along Moor Bottom Moor Rd to Holcombe Head Farm Riuns
Pheasant
Carrion Crown
Rook
Kestral
Curlew
PiedWagtail
Blue Great and Coal Tit
Chaffinch Dunnocks etc
very pleasant hour

First visit for me to Holcombe today

3 Goldcrest at Moorbottom Road where first for the year in the Borough and that was about it just a single Meadow Pipit north was the only other bird seen. Think will wait to April till the next visit

this afternoon

1 green woodpecker
1 little owl
a few magpie and crows.

driving out of ramsbottom centre on to the top road had 15 snipe fly over the car.

myself and phil jennison walked out from holcombe village along the edge of the hill above the firing range and up onto pilgrims cross and bull hill back down harcles hill and around the back of the tower. sadly no snowbunting seen enroute.

chaffinch and goldfinch in village
1 little owl
4 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
1 peregrine
2 stonechat
8 wren
10 meadow pipit
3 robin
lots of magpie and carrion crow

Same here three trips to holcombe village' nada',thought I was looking in the wrong spots.

cheers geoff

I have made a few visits but no spotted flycatcher...very sad.

Sadly it seems no Spotted Flycatchers have returned to Holcombe village this year, despite numerous visits none have been seen by either me or Peter Baron, unless anyone knows different. None seen at Barrow Bridge either.

4pm to 7pm myself and mel b - lovely clear warmish late afternoon, light to moderate winds

3 kestrels
3 stonechat (including 1 juv still heavily speckled)
6 meadow pipit
a dozen or so crows
2 house martins over the top of the moor
15 or so swallows above the trees in the valley
mel pulled a green woodpecker from a fleeting glimpse, we found it on a post further along.
absolutely cracking views of a little owl sat on one of the broken down farm houses - didn't even need the bins as the 3 of us sat regarding each other.

smashing evening, cheers mel!

Monday 7-10 pm with my birdwatching class headed by Peter Baron.
A great warm evening and some lovely sightings,the first was a nesting Spotted F/Catcher,further up on the moor we watched one of three Kestrels hunt successfully.Others seen were Linnets,Stonechat,Meadow Pipit again we heard the Green W/pecker but no sightings same with the Curlew,we saw a very shy Grey Partridge who once realised it had been noticed crept off and hid.
The Little Owl couldn't be seen at the begining of our walk or at the end,wasn't there on Sunday either
A singing Wheatear made an appearance (L)....beautiful

l went up Holcombe today (3rd visit) and no sooner had l parked up,a Spotted Flycatcher flew into the garden l'd been told it would be...l had several clear views.
Also heard a Cuckoo calling,according to a local it's not been around for three years!!!!
well chuffed...

At least 4 Spotted Flycatchers Holcombe Village this am plus a Garden Warbler singing at the start of Moorbottom Rd under Peel Tower.

Myself and Paul Cliff.

Went to Holcombe this evening from 7pm till 9 (ish), treated to some great views of a Little Owl,quite charming,also lots of Stonechats feeding their young,several sightings of Linnets (all lifers for me).A Green Woodpecker could be heard but not seen,l'll go back for the Spotted F/Catchers,
cos l know they're there.....

2 Spotted Flycatchers Holcombe village this afternoon.

Thanks alot Alan , will try and track down those ring ouzels this week.

Hi Simon

Welcome to the Forum

The rifle range (MOD army, watch for red flags flying) is to the west of Holcombe Hill (tower) in valley reached by walking from Holcombe village on Moorbottom Road round south side of Holcombe Hill, a fair walk.

Hi Simon , just moved to the walmersley area of bury , so holcombe is on my doorstep.Was wondering were the rifle range is on Holcombe moor and also were you saw the redpolls.Any information would be much appreciated.Thanks

27/4/2008 2.30-5pm another good soaking

RING OUZEL - 1 Male around Harcles Hill.
Plus wheatears, Curlews and usual.

Whimbrel - 1 in field nr Rifle Range
Plus Green Woodpecker, Stonechats, Redpolls, Wheatears and lots of Pheasants.

Hi Simon,

I'm pleased your efforts have been rewarded and its great that this species which I think normally passes through G.M in spring or autumn in ones or twos (if we are lucky!) has today been seen in separate parts of the area in good numbers by two different observers. My sighting of similar numbers at Piethorne this morning is certainly a record (in recent times anyway!) for the valley.

Cheers,


Bill.

20/4/2008 9-11.30 - 3rd time lucky!

Had a good look around the rifle range and walked up the valley end with just the following, curlew, 4 stonechat, Green Woodpecker, 6 Redpoll, 6 Wheatear and Linnets. Then as I was half way back down the valley at least 6 RING OUZEL's appeared from nowhere flew past me up the valley side and carried on north towards the moors! persistance does pay off after all.

Hi If you are looking for the wheatear they were up near ashworth res yesterday. Pics on my web page http://web.bethere.co.uk/killy/

Regards Mike

-- Edited by killy at 18:34, 2008-04-13

thats spooky I also visited Holcombe this afternoon, walking to the valley end of moorbottom rd, slighty wet under foot, and no ouzels anywhere to be seen. Best I could manage was 3 pairs of Wheatears and several stonechat.

no Ouzels last weekend either but had 2 Ravens and a Green Woodpecker on the Mod area.

Went up this a.m. with P Johnson looking for Ring Ouzel but no luck. Did see lots of Meadow Pipits, even more Carrion Crow, 4 Pheasant and a Kestrel. Surprisingly no Wheatear, they must all be at Elton!. Also heard singing 1 Willow Warbler.
Cheers Ian
---------------------------
Forgot the half dozen Curlew

-- Edited by Ian Campbell at 14:56, 2008-04-13

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 15th of May 2011 07:06:00 PM