Saturday 22nd October 2016, 7.30 - 11.00am

Walkerwood to Higher Swineshaw and around Lees Hill

Walkerwood area at first light

36 Canada Geese
12 Mallard
3 Moorhen
1 Willow Tit, plus usuals around the feeder, at 11.00am
Lesser Redpoll calling

Higher Swineshaw and Lees Hill

At least one Peregrine around Lees Hill. I saw one on the way to a fruitless trudge around to Hollingworth, and again in the same area an hour and a half later, on the way back to Brushes. The second bird looked more ragged, with at least one central tail feather missing, but perhaps I didn't look carefully enough the first time?
1 pair of Stonechat
10+ Reed Bunting
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Ravens
1 Buzzard
At least one Skylark over south
Lesser Redpoll over
Meadow Pipit numbers dwindling - no more than 20 today in the entire area, including Middle and Higher Bank.

c 130 Pink-footed Geese over east at 10.10am

Thursday 20th October 2016, 12.00 - 1.00pm

Walkerwood Dam

c 40 Fieldfare over west
1 Willow Tit
Coal Tits
Bullfinch
Chaffinch

Thursday 20th October 2016, 7.30 - 9.30am

Walkerwood to Higher Swineshaw

A bit of action, for a change, around Lower Swineshaw scout hut

c 150 Fieldfare were my first of the Autumn, and made quite a sight, exploding from the larches upon the arrival of a Sparrowhawk, which was promptly mobbed by 3 Carrion Crows. The thrushes resettled, giving good views in the sunshine
2 Kestrels hunting together over Pack Saddle
18 Black-headed Gulls on Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
c 25 Lesser Redpoll moving noisily around the trees at the edge of the country park adjacent to Walkerwood Dam, feeding on alders. Had a good look through, but no sign of any Siskin, just a couple of Goldfinch.

Sunday 16th October 2016, 9.00 - 11.00am

Walkerwood Dam

30 Canada Geese
5 Mallard
2 Moorhen
c 20 Redwing feeding around the hawthorns
2 Mistle Thrush
5 Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Male Great Spotted Woodpecker
Several Jays

Saturday, around Lees Hill and Higher Swineshaw

Pair of Stonechat
2 Ravens, mobbing a Buzzard and a Kestrel
10+ Reed Bunting
1 Chiffchaff

Thursday 13th October 2016, 9.30 - 11.00am

Higher Swineshaw

1 Common Snipe flushed from the overflow, flew high up onto the moor
1 Cormorant on the reservoir
10+ Reed Bunting
6+ Dunnock calling from the bracken
Several Red Grouse
6 Linnet over north
c 25 Redwing flew west over the scout hut

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
1 Coal Tit
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Pied Wagtail
Several noisy Jays

Monday 10th October 2016

A couple of wanders around Walkerwood today.

1 Willow Tit
2 Coal Tits
10+ Blackbirds
1 Song Thrush
2 House Martins quickly over southwest at 3.00pm
1 Moorhen
Several Jays
6 Goldfinch
Several Chaffinch

Saturday 8th October 2016, 8.00 - 11.00am

Higher Swineshaw and around Lees Hill

1 pair of Stonechat feeding around Higher Swineshaw dam. The juveniles have dispersed, and this appears to be the only remaining pair.
10+ Reed Bunting
5 Linnet, 2 on Higher Swineshaw dam, the others over Lees Hill
c 10 Swallows through quickly, south
1 Wheatear at Lees Hill
2 Kestrel
10+ Red Grouse
Plenty of Meadow Pipits

Thursday 6th October 2016, 8.30 - 11.00am

Brushes Valley and around Lees Hill, windy and cold.

Very quiet again, except for Meadow Pipits springing up from every tussock. The other point of interest was signs of the seasonal flocking together of Reed Bunting.

16+ Reed Bunting; a group of c 10 feeding in the shelter of the bracken by Lees Hill, the rest around Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
40+ Meadow Pipits
1 Wheatear
2 Chiffchaff at Lees Hill
Linnet over
1 Grey Wagtail in Higher Swineshaw overflow
1 Dipper in the same overflow
2 Buzzard

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
Several Coal Tits
Flock of Long-tailed Tits
2 Moorhen in the overflow

Saturday 1st October 2016, 7.00 - 10.00 am

Brushes Valley, past Higher Swineshaw towards Carrbrook, as far as Turf Pits. And back.

50+ Meadow Pipits around the moor at the top
6+ Reed Bunting calling around Higher Swineshaw
3 Skylark over south
9 Linnet over south
12+ Red Grouse
1 Raven over
c 10 Goldfinch around the scout hut
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker at Brushes Cottages

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
3 Lesser Redpoll
c 10 Goldfinch
2 Mistle Thrush
Several noisy Jays
1 Cormorant on the reservoir
1 Grey Wagtail

Thursday 29th September 2016, 9.30 - 11.00am

Higher Swineshaw, quiet again.

1 Dipper
1 Buzzard over Irontongue Hill
10+ Reed Bunting
1 Stonechat
2 Linnet
14 Swallows over south

Walkerwood

1 Willow Tit
2 Mistle Thrush
2 Moorhen
1 Cormorant
Bullfinch, Chaffinch, and mixed Tits around the feeder
1 Sparrowhawk took a Woodpigeon over Cock Wood
1 Buzzard over Harridge

Sunday 25th September 2016

Highlights, such as they are, of a desperately quiet couple of days in the valley.

Higher Swineshaw

12+ Reed Bunting chasing around the bracken
1 Dipper
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
20+ Meadow Pipits yesterday, 2 only calling today
6+ Red Grouse
4 Carrion Crows on the moor
2 Mistle Thrush at the scout hut

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
Increasing numbers of Chaffinch and Bullfinch around the feeder
2 Moorhen in the overflow
Party of Long-tailed Tits calling
Group of c 20 House Martins and Swallows feeding yesterday afternoon over the reservoir

On Friday evening, 2 young Tawny Owls calling from the woods around Lower Swineshaw, and another perched on a wire near the gamekeeper's cottage after dark

Wednesday 21st September 2016

Late post from this morning

1 juvenile Great Crested Grebe on Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
1 Dipper in the overflow at Higher Swineshaw
1 Cormorant on Walkerwood Reservoir

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 21st of September 2016 09:32:02 PM

Monday 19th September 2016, 6.30 - 7.15am

Walkerwood Reservoir, in mist and drizzle.

1 Grey Heron
2 Cormorant
19 Canada Geese
4 Moorhen, 2 adults and 2 fully grown juveniles
8 Mallard

Saturday 17th September 2016, 7.15- 10.30am

Higher Swineshaw

8 Stonechat, a mix of adults and juveniles
20+ mainly juvenile Reed Bunting, in groups around the bracken
1 Raven over from Lees Hill towards Carrbrook
1 Grey Wagtail
12 Linnet
40+ Meadow Pipits

1 Willow Tit at Walkerwood
Several Bullfinch moulting into adult plumage, around the feeder
2 Chiffchaff at Brushes Rangers football pitch

Steve Suttill wrote:

Curlew very unusual at this time of year...

They were a great surprise, Steve. The breeding birds left at the end of June. After the Scoter fest the other week, I thought I'd have an early morning shuffle up the valley to see what the previous evening's storms had blown in, and two Curlew were a nice surprise. With their two note call ringing around the valley, and the balmy conditions, I closed my eyes and dreamt it was April again

A few sightings from earlier today:

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

1 Sparrowhawk being harassed by 4 Carrion Crows over the moor
16 Linnet, mainly juveniles, bathing
3 Reed Bunting
1 Chiffchaff

Another 2 female/juvenile Sparrowhawk low down near Walkerwood
c 40 House Martins feeding around Walkerwood
c 20 Swallows with the House Martins
1 Willow Tit at Walkerwood
2 Chiffchaff in the Country Park

David Walsh wrote:

---

Wednesday 14th September 2016, Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

2 Curlew calling constantly, 1 Red Grouse on the dam banking

---

We were up at Higher Swineshaw late afternoon on Monday. Perhaps we saw the same Red Grouse as it was the tamest one I've ever encountered. It allowed approach within four yards and then was in no hurry to fly off. When it did fly it seemed perfectly fit and healthy. It kept returning to the area below the dam wall, strolling around by the sign saying shooting was taking place!

Curlew very unusual at this time of year...

Wednesday 14th September 2016, 6.00 - 7.00am

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

2 Curlew calling constantly, circled the area for twenty minutes after first light, then flew off east
1 Dipper singing
3 Linnet
15+ Meadow Pipits
1 Red Grouse on the dam banking

Tuesday 13th September 2016, 6.30 - 7.15am

Walkerwood Dam

Steady movement of c 50 Swallows over the reservoir, moving roughly east
3 Cormorants over west
16 Canada Geese on the reservoir
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Willow Tit
Bullfinch and Goldfinch calling

Sunday 11th September 2016, 10.00 - 11.00am

Around Higher Swineshaw

7 Stonechat, including a third brood
Willow Warbler singing weakly between Higher and Lower Swineshaw

Saturday 10th September 2016, 7.30 - 11.00am

Higher Swineshaw

c 30 Linnet feeding around the dam
5 Stonechat
6+ Reed Bunting
15+ Meadow Pipits
2 Goldfinch

1 Willow Tit straight onto the Walkerwood feeder after refilling at 7.30.

Thursday 8th September 2016, 8.00 - 10.30am

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

Adult plumaged Dipper singing in the overflow
3 Stonechat
2 Ravens
1 Kestrel
1 Linnet
20+ Meadow Pipits

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
6+ Great Tits
6+ Blue Tits
3 Long-tailed Tits
1 Jay
6+ Bullfinch, including some very young looking juveniles
2 Chaffinch
1 Chiffchaff singing

Tuesday 6th September 2016, 2.00pm

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
3 Blackcap
3 Grey Wagtails
1 immature Moorhen
Juvenile Bullfinch

Tuesday 6th September 2016, 8.00 - 10.00am

Walkerwood Dam

2 Blackcap, 1 male, 1 fem / immature
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Bullfinch calling
1 Chiffchaff
2 Sparrowhawks together over Harridge. From the size and behaviour, looked like a female and immature female.

Higher Swineshaw

1 Dipper flying around the reservoir edge
2 Stonechat
c 10 Reed Bunting, signs of flocking together
3 Willow Warblers
12+ Red Grouse

Sunday 4th September 2016, 3.30pm

This morning I reinstated the feeder on Walkerwood Dam, after a few months off. As I walked on to the dam earlier, I could hear the familiar call of:

1 Willow Tit, which was feeding on the sunflower seeds. The first sighting since the end of April.
Also 1 Coal Tit in attendance
26 Canada Geese on the reservoir

Saturday 3rd September 2016, 9.00 - 11.30am

An unbelievably quiet morning, which included a fruitless scout around Lees Hill, Middle, and Higher Bank.

1 Kestrel at Lees Hill
4 Stonechat at Higher Swineshaw
1 Willow Warbler following the chats
5 Grey Wagtails feeding together in Walkerwood overflow
4 Linnet on Walkerwood Dam

Tuesday 30th August 2016

A couple of juvenile Tawny Owls calling after dark; one in the trees by Brushes Cottages, the other at the edge of the country park towards the housing on Brushes Road.

Sunday 28th August 2016

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

All 6 Common Scoter flew off at 3.30pm.

Sunday 28th August 2016, 10.30 - 11.30am

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

6 drake Common Scoter on the reservoir were a very unusual sighting for the valley
2 Grey Wagtails
1 immature Dipper in the overflow

Thursday 25th August 2016, 10.30am

Higher Swineshaw

3 Stonechat
1 Wheatear
1 Kestrel
1 Grey Wagtail

Tuesday 23rd August 2016, 7.30 - 8.30pm

Wild Bank Hill

5 Wheatear, a figure that pales into insignificance when compared to the earlier post from the Horwich Moors
1 Little Owl

Flaxfield

c 50 Swallows feeding around Flaxfield Farm, including food being taken into nest sites
2 House Martins
c 20, mainly immature Goldfinch
4 Willow Warblers

Sunday 21st August 2016, 10.30 - 11.30 am

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

4 Stonechat, with juveniles now showing a wide range of plumages. I watch Stonechat fairly often, but saw something yesterday morning that was new to me. A female was feeding two juveniles in mid-air, catching insects, then hovering until the youngsters flew up to take the food. Great to watch, and the easiest FL code you'll see.
1 juvenile Willow Warbler, chasing around after both Stonechat and Meadow Pipits
20+ Meadow Pipits
3 Goldfinch
2 Linnet
1 Cormorant
1 Raven
1 Buzzard
c 50 Swallows moving through south
1 Pied Wagtail

Several House Martins feeding over Walkerwood

Saturday 13th August 2016, mid-morning.

Higher Swineshaw

Juvenile Dipper still flying around Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
Willow Warblers singing from the bracken
Several juvenile Reed Bunting. They tend to flock together towards Autumn.
50+ Meadow Pipits
2 Pied Wagtails

Thursday 11th August 2016, 10.30 - 11.45am

Higher Swineshaw, in poor conditions

1 juvenile Dipper feeding in the overflow
2 juvenile Grey Wagtails
1 pair of Stonechat plus juveniles
1 Linnet
1 Raven cronking through the gloom
Mallard with 4 well grown young
Many Meadow Pipits
Willow Warblers singing
1 adult and 1 juvenile Pied Wagtail on Lower Swineshaw dam

Earlier this week on Wild Bank Hill

Pair of Stonechat
1 Peregrine
1 Kestrel
Several Lesser Redpoll
5 Red Grouse, female plus youngsters
Little Owl

Saturday 6th August 2016, 8.00 -11.00am

Walkerwood to Higher Swineshaw, sightings mainly around the top of the valley.

Family party of Stonechat; one of a number of second broods. Steve Suttill recently mentioned the attraction that juvenile Willow Warblers seem to have for male Stonechat, and it is behaviour I see regularly, with a very yellow youngster pestering the chat this morning. They never seem interested in Meadow Pipits, which seem to have been perched on every fence post for the past two months, with all manner of invertebrate dangling from their bills. Juvenile Dunnock are another which seem to like the male Stonechat.

1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
2 Linnet
Several Reed Bunting calling
2 juvenile Pied Wagtails in Higher Swineshaw overflow
13 Canada Geese flew in at Higher Swineshaw from the direction of Chew
Willow Warblers singing all along the valley
Chiffchaff singing around Brushes Cottages
2 Grey Wagtails at Walkerwood Dam

Friday 5th August 2016, 6.30 - 7.15am

Walkerwood Dam

1 juvenile Cormorant
1 juvenile Moorhen
1 juvenile Kestrel
Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers singing, and a lot of Willow Warblers calling around the valley this week
Several Lesser Redpoll
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Pied Wagtail
Family groups of Jays

Good views of a juvenile Tawny Owl after dark last night, hunger calling in the woods by Brushes Reservoir

Thursday 28th July 2016, 7.30 - 10.30am

Around Higher Swineshaw and Irontongue Hill

The main point of interest was the sight and sound of 2 immature Dippers together in Higher Swineshaw overflow. I had an adult for the first time ever on a couple of occasions in spring, but nothing during the breeding season, and these will be dispersal birds.
3 juvenile Grey Wagtails
12+ Willow Warblers, including groups of juveniles chasing around the bracken. One male singing.
A few Swift moving down the valley
Plenty of food carrying Meadow Pipits
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrels
Several Reed Bunting
3 Linnet
Several Lesser Redpoll - there have been a few juveniles calling from the bracken over the past couple of weeks. The birds breed lower down the valley, at Lower Swineshaw.
2 Goldfinch feeding on thistles
Good numbers of juvenile Wren and Dunnock on the moor
A flock of c 40 Woodpigeon high overhead, flying south

Lower down:

1 Kestrel over Harridge
c 10 House Martins quickly through Walkerwood
2 Swallows feeding 4 youngsters at Walkerwood Dam
1 juvenile Grey Wagtail in Walkerwood overflow

Tuesday 26th July 2016

Lower Swineshaw Reservoir, up to dusk.

Still one Common Sandpiper hanging on, feeding in the overflow
5 Pied Wagtails, 2 adult and 3 juvenile
1 Kestrel
1 Buzzard over Higher Swineshaw
Several Lesser Redpoll around the scout hut
Several Willow Warblers, including a couple of juveniles feeding on the dam wall

Friday 22nd July 2016, 9.30 - 11.00pm.

2 Common Sandpiper on Higher Swineshaw Reservoir at dusk. After dark, one bird flew noisily down the valley, and seemed to alight around the area of Lower Swineshaw dam.

Juvenile Tawny Owl hunger calling from around the scout hut

Saturday 15th July 2016, 9.30 - 11.30am

Brushes Valley, to Higher Swineshaw, in poor conditions. Drifting, drizzly cloud at the top, and poor visibility.

1 Common Sandpiper at Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
1 Pied Wagtail
Linnet and Reed Bunting singing

The highlight was at the end of the morning, from Walkerwood Dam, with a group of 8 Kestrels over Harridge. The majority appeared to be juvenile birds engaging in play. There was at least one adult male with them, and a bird slightly apart, hunting higher up over the moor was behaving like an adult. Great to watch.

A few sightings from the past few days

Wild Bank Hill

Good numbers of Linnet. At least 6 singing males
Male Whitethroat in a usual territory high up on the moor
9 juvenile Mistle Thrush feeding together
Male Stonechat
Lesser Redpoll in birch growth at both sides of the moor
Family of Swallows around Flaxfield

Higher Swineshaw

2 Common Sandpiper still on the reservoir this evening
Plenty of Linnet, Reed Bunting, and Dunnock singing
1 Buzzard
Couple of Chiffchaff singing in the valley
A few family groups of Jays, one parent feeding youngsters bilberries at Walkerwood
2 Blackcap singing at Walkerwood

Monday 11th July 2016, 5.45am

Walkerwood Dam, in torrential rain.

2 Blackcap singing strongly on either side of the overflow
23 Canada Geese

Sunday 10th July 2016, 10.30am - 12.00pm

Higher Swineshaw, towards Turf Pits

3 Buzzards together
1 Kestrel flew up from the moor and saw off one of the Buzzards
3 juvenile Pied Wagtails
1 immature male Stonechat
Several Linnet around, a couple of singing males
Several Reed Bunting singing, one male seen carrying food to a nest site
Several Blackbirds flying around with food
Juvenile Red Grouse skulking in the bracken

Several Swallows around Walkerwood
23 Canada Geese have been on Walkerwood Reservoir for a fortnight
1 pair of Canada Geese with five well grown young on Lower Swineshaw Reservoir

Saturday 9th July 2016, 5.45 - 9.00am

Around the Swineshaws, in good conditions. An early start to beat the rain, which arrived later than forecast, at 9.00.

3 Common Sandpiper on Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
Linnet singing
Reed Bunting singing
1 Kestrel
1 Buzzard
1 male and 1 juvenile Stonechat at the foot of Irontongue Hill. A new territory (for me, anyway). Probably an existing pair relocated for the second brood. The pair nesting nearest this area were seen carrying food a few weeks ago, but I saw no sign of fledglings, and Stonechat will relocate after a nest has been predated.
Adult and juvenile Willow Warblers around the moor
Several Wrens carrying food

Otherwise pretty quiet

A few sightings from several visits to the top of the valley over the past few days

Common Sandpiper still on the top two reservoirs; two on Lower Swineshaw on Tuesday evening, and two at Higher Swineshaw this afternoon. They will be gone in the next week or so, signalling the beginning of the end of summer in the valley, at the end of a great breeding season, with breeding confirmed on all four reservoirs.
1 adult Pied Wagtail with 3 juveniles at Higher Swineshaw
Decent numbers of Swift over the moors and reservoirs
Family parties of Linnet, plus singing males around Higher and Lower Swineshaw
8 singing Reed Bunting this afternoon at Higher Swineshaw, plus a couple at Lower Swineshaw
Buzzard over Boar Flat
Couple of juvenile Stonechat
Good numbers of Meadow Pipits throughout the area, a mix of birds carrying food, displaying, and juveniles. Counted 35 on Higher Swineshaw dam wall alone on Wednesday morning.

Thursday 30th June 2016, 9.00 - 11.30am

Around Millbrook Dam

1 Grey Heron
1 Moorhen
Whitethroat singing
15+ House Martins

Country Park

10+ Long-tailed Tits, in two family groups
4 Chiffchaff singing
10 Willow Warblers
2 Blackcap singing
2 Song Thrush

Common Sandpiper in Walkerwood overflow
Whitethroat singing behind Brushes Rangers football pitch

Tuesday 28th June 2016, 10.00 - 11.00pm

Brushes Valley

3 male Tawny Owls, plus a couple of juveniles chasing around

Sunday 26th June 2016, 10.00 - 11.00am

Brushes Reservoir, the one of the four that I didn't visit yesterday.

Only 1 fairly relaxed looking adult Common Sandpiper visible
A few juvenile Lesser Redpoll chasing parents around
3 Blackcap singing
1 Chiffchaff singing
Several noisy Jays

Saturday 25th June 2016, 7.30 - 11.00am

From Walkerwood to Higher Swineshaw, and Irontongue Hill

1 Red Kite drifted north over Boar Flat and Swineshaw Moor at 9.00am
1 Buzzard
10 Common Sandpiper
Lesser Redpoll adult and youngsters at Brushes Cottages
10+ Reed Bunting, plenty of singing males, and one male with 3 fledglings
6+ Linnet, including a pair taking food into a nest site
Several Skylark singing over Boar Flat
Pied Wagtail at Higher Swineshaw