Male Stonechat along 12 yards road this afternoon.

Irlam Moss 1.00pm - 2.30pm
F7
Pair of Peregrines on pylon with female plucking a kill and the male looking longingly for a share but no joy! Very obvious size difference between them.

f9
Also c.30-40 Tree Sparrows
a few Chaffinch - no Brambling though
2 Grey Partridge
2 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
usual flock of corvids but much smaller now
small flock of Starlings

Croxten
19 Mallard
no Snipe ! - maybe all dispersed when all frozen and haven't returned

f11
c.30+ Fieldfare
6 Redwing

f13
GS Woodpecker over

Nice to meet Ian Moffet also watching the Peregrines!

12.25-15.45 this afternoon.
Astley moss
Small numbers of the usual birds at the feeding area, plenty of birds in the hedgerows at the end of the track including;

32 Yellowhammers, some coming to bathe in a large puddle
3 Brambling
50+ Chaffinch
10+ Greenfinch
25+ Goldfinch
Mixed tit flock Blue ,Great and mainly LT 20+

Rindle woods
I watched 2 cock pheasants have a fight which lasted for over 5 minutes, very vicious and both birds were bloodied at the end. They were that intent on hurting each other that I got within 20' and they still didn't noticed me.
Also 2 GS Woodpeckers including one drumming
2 Jays
Sparrowhawk

Bedford moss
Woodcock
2 Snipe
2 Buzzards

2 Grey Partridge in each of the fields 69,67 and 68
Also in f68 was 32 Fieldfare and another Buzzard over

Along the edge of Astley moss peat works turned up 6 Linnets, 2 RL Partridge, Sparrowhawk and 2 Foxes.

Botany Bay woods had its usual shooting going on. 2 woodcock and plenty of Wood pigeons over.

Croxdens peat works had a pair of Mallard walking about and best of all 3 Corn buntings in the trees at the edge.

On the walk back to Rindle 6 Lapwings flew over and landed in f68.

A Beautiful sunny day, I'm so glad that I got out of work early today

9-30am to midday cloudy but warmish Irlam and Chat moss

f1 11 fieldfare and 4 redwing. 1 buzzard over calling repeatedly, ignored by thrushes.

rasberry lane
1 dunnock, 1 robin, 4 blue tit, 2 great tit, 4 LT tit

Bartonmoss farm lane
f9 9 lapwing, lots of crows, magpies, starlings. 2 kestrels, 1m R L partridge, 2 fem. 2 pied wag. lots of chaffinch, 1 buzzard.

12 yards lane.
2 mixed flocks of tits (no willow) usual wrens,dunnocks, robins, blackbirds.

Woodbarn farm lane.
8 tree sparrows, 2 pied wag. 1 GSW on telegraph pole. No finches or buntings as most of the hedgerow has been ripped out. 1 mistle thrush singing.

Generally there was lots of birdsong today, chaffinch in particular.

Mike

Today, afternoon:

Rindle feeding track and behind woods:

17 Tree Sparrow
46 Yellowhammer
c120 Chaffinch (not thoroughly counted nor checked due to poor or distant views of the flock)
1 Lesser Redpoll
3 Reed Bunting
2 Willow Tit (SSSI)
9 Skylark

30 Linnet feeding in the ditches along Nook Lane. The flock was up to 80+ on the 31st Jan this year.

Ahh ok, thanks to Eddie for the seeds on the track


I also did see a single willow or marsh tit yesterday in rindle woods,

i did not mention it because i was not 100% on the identity, it was not calling and it was only a quick sighting, if there are willow tits in the area then that it very likely what it was so good news there is at least one for sure that survived winter probably helped with the seed though i did not see it on the track

Its not my feeding station Dennis. Eddie King from the LOS puts down most of the seed so its him everyone should be thanking when they go to view the Tree sparrows and Yellowhammers at Rindle road.

The Merlin was flying over Nook lane yesterday then later flew over f68 at the end of the Cutnook path just before the rail track. Also seen were;

4 Buzzards
2 Grey partridge in f68
Kestrel
4 Tree sparrows
2 Yellowhammers
3 Snipe
2 Woodcock
Unusual not to see any Treecreepers, Goldcrests and Willow tits around Rindle lately, I hope that the cold weather has not claimed them.

a good walk round rindle road and daves feeding station on saturday afternoon,


Seven yellow hammers on the track at one point, all the usuals too, two buzzards in the air and a kestrel,

a walk round behind rindle woods showed at least a hundred chaffinches with yellowhammers mixed in in the feilds, a few reed buntings, lots of fieldfares and redwings around in the feilds, also a flock of long tailed tits, best view of the day was a female merlin over the back behind rindle woods

possible sighting of a stoat in the vegitation in the woods, only saw it for a second and it shot off, it was just as shocked to see me as i was was to see him, i was stood still for ages being quiet and watching the fields behind the woods and it almost bumped into my feet

Hi Craig

I had a wander around the cottages as they were being built and there were no nesting holes being built in. Years ago Swallows used to nest in the building alongside Rindle road which for years had a couple of large holes in its roof. Hopefully the Swallows will nest in the new barn at the rear of the cottages as last year I watched plenty flying in and out.

In the fields behind Rindle Road cottages today:

150+ Chaffinch
3 Linnet
100+ Fieldfare
20+ Redwing
3-4 Reed Bunting
1 Mstle Thrush
2 Blackbirds

Elsewhere c300 Woodpigeon in the small field behind the cottages next to railway line/level crossing. Also 1 buzzard here.

Does anyone know if they incorporated any sort of nesting 'holes' for swallows when they renovated the cottages? Criminal if they didnt.

24/1/10 am

Dave,
There`s nowt much we saw that you didn`t, except for c130 Pink-footed Geese >E @ 10:35, a Grey Wagtail near Boag Farm and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the same area. Also a count of 48+ Pheasants from Nook Lane to the feeding station...

Rindle road feeding area was very quiet this afternoon;

8 Chaffinch
1 Song thrush
3 Yellowhammers
2 Tree Sparrows

160+ Chaffinch at the far side of f69
60+ Fieldfare with 18 Redwing and 4 Mistle thrushes in f68
2 RL Partridge in f67

Birds flying over included;
Skylark
2 Raven heading towards Chat moss
Heron
2 Buzzards
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels

Good to see Mr Woosey again with Mr Thorpe

Fem brambling with large flock off chaffinch at rindle road feeding station at 1230. Also 5 yellowhammer.

9-30 to midday damp and cool Irlam and Chat mosses

f4 5 pheasant 3m, 2 fem.
f5 2 jays, 4 lapwings, c30 fieldfare, 2 mistle thrush, plus crows, magpies and
BHG's on pools in field
f2 1 kestrel
f46 1 kestrel

black wood 1 buzzard

12 yards road 3 flocks LT Tits 5, 12, c20 (incl. 1 willow tit)
1 willow tit (alone)

Woodbarn farm lane.
12 tree sparrows. The the work going on at moss farm has resulted in the hedgerow on the east side of the drainage ditch (between f44 and f3) has been removed so there are no finches or buntings to be seen. fortunately the tree sparrows have remained.

The large focks of pigeons and chaffinches have moved somewhere else for the time being .

Mike

Earlier this afternoon,

Rindle road feeding area,

Only 4 Tree sparrows turned up
7 Yellowhammers
20+ Chaffinch
3 Greenfinch
2 Siskin
8 Reed buntings
1 Moorhen
6 Collared doves

All the birds only spent seconds at the seed before flying back and forth into the bushes as 2 Sparrowhawks and 3 Kestrels kept flying over the area. Also a Stoat was hunting in the ditch which scared the Moorhen onto the track.
Field 69
At least 100+ Woodies and Stock doves
120+ Chaffinch
12 Fieldfare
6 Mistle thrushes
2 Grey Partridge
1 RL Partridge

The small field between Rindle road and the woods contained;
2 Grey partridge
4 Fieldfare
1 Hare

3 very vocal Buzzards were flying about and 8 Yellowhammers were seen feeding beneath a Blue seed tub put out for the pheasants at the rear of Rindle wood.

No sign of Hen Harrier on Croxden's today. Possibly moved onto the coast. No birds at the feeding station. In fact very few birds about at all. Certainly nothing to warrant the hell ride down Rindle Road. My advice, stay at home and think about Cuckoos to come.

Interesting report re: Grey Geese,as I saw 5 yesterday flying over Higher Green towards the moss.

Ian McKerchar wrote:

---

A two hour circular walk from my house, around Moss lane and back again this afternoon produced:

Bullfinch- 2 along the tip road
'Grey Geese'- 5 flew low over the old Tyldesley Sewage Works heading east and appeared to be looking for somewhere to land in the semi-blizzard. They certainly weren't Pink-feet nor Greylags and I had a suspicion from their 'rear end' pattern they were Bean Geese but despite a thorough search I couldn't refind them and they are assigned to the 'best forgotten about' bin
Pied Wagtail- atleast 40 on the filtration beds at Tyldesley Sewage Works
Meadow Pipit- atleast a dozen on the filtration beds at Tyldesley Sewage Works
Snipe- 2 on the Moss Brook
Teal- 4 on the Moss Brook
Little Grebe- 1 on the Moss Brook

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 05:19:38 PM

---

Bet it was cowd ont mosses

A two hour circular walk from my house, around Moss lane and back again this afternoon produced:

Bullfinch- 2 along the tip road
'Grey Geese'- 5 flew low over the old Tyldesley Sewage Works heading east and appeared to be looking for somewhere to land in the semi-blizzard. They certainly weren't Pink-feet nor Greylags and I had a suspicion from their 'rear end' pattern they were Bean Geese but despite a thorough search I couldn't refind them and they are assigned to the 'best forgotten about' bin
Pied Wagtail- atleast 40 on the filtration beds at Tyldesley Sewage Works
Meadow Pipit- atleast a dozen on the filtration beds at Tyldesley Sewage Works
Snipe- 2 on the Moss Brook
Teal- 4 on the Moss Brook
Little Grebe- 1 on the Moss Brook

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 05:19:38 PM

A search of Croxten and f9 and f10 this afternoon for male Hen Harrier but unfortunately no sign.

Croxten
2 Raven over at 3.35pm heading south.
3 Reed Bunting
1 Snipe (all pools frozen)
1 Buzzard

f9
large mixed corvid flock as usual with a few Starlings and Wood Pigeons
2 Stock Dove
2 Fieldfare
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
c. 20+ Chaffinch
8 Linnet
2 Pheasant

f10
20+ Tree Sparrows around green barns

Spent 2 hours there this PM WITH camera but Kingfisher didn't show. Best I managed was the back ends of 2 GSWoodpeckers flying over.

sorry for late post
Yesterday a kingfisher was showing really well (no camera) along ditch south of feeding station present c. 2pm on fence, hedge and on icy grass.

Male Hen Harrier hunting over Croxton's peatworks at 1530PM today.

2/1/10 pm

Astley Moss: Rindle Road/Nook Lane/Moss Lane, with Mr Thorpe:

6 Buzzard
2 Tree Sparrow
8 Yellowhammer
2 Snipe
c45 Fieldfare
30 Teal over
2 Reed Bunting
c15 Meadow Pipit
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrel
3+ Willow Tit

Stock Doves, Bullfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker etc....

A female Merlin put on a spectacular hunting display around Moss Lane at approx 3.30.

Cheers, John

A male Hen Harrier at 1605 hrs on Croxton's peatworks flew towards f9 (Info from Dave Steel)

In addition to Dave's sightings we had a Merlin on Moss Lane mid morning and 2 Stonechat on Colliery fields, Higher Green. Good to see you again Dave.

A good place to go birding if you have not been, thanks to dave for his help with directions and stuff, hello to everyone else i met today, to many names to remember, it must be my age

9.00- 1300pm this beautiful clear morning.

Field 69
3 RL partridge
3 Grey partridge and 6 in f67
18 Fieldfare
16 Redwing
14 Magpies
150+ Chaffinch joined later by another flock of 120+

In the small field between Rindle road and Rindle wood ;
2 RL Partridge
5 Grey Partridge
27 Fieldfare
21 Redwing
All the Grey partridge eventually flew into f68 and the fields near Shooters grove farm.
1 Kingfisher

Feeding area
Up to 40 Chaffinch
9 Yellowhammers
11 Tree sparrows including one which was coloured ringed, green over white on left leg and red over the metal ring on the right leg.
8 Blackbirds
7 Blue tits
5 Great tit
6 Greenfinch
5 Goldfinch
7 Reed buntings

3 Stoats kept running up and down the track scaring the birds from the seed.

Also seen;
2 Buzzards
3 Kestrels
2 Sparrowhawks
8 Jays
50+ Jackdaws
2 Herons
GS Woodpecker
Continuous flocks of gulls flying in a North-East direction, 400+ in 4 hours.

It was also great to meet up again with Simon Warford, Simon Johnson, Paul Heaton, Paul Cliff, Melanie Beckford and Dennis Atherton this morning. Happy New year to you all

11.45 - 1300pm

Feeding area,
5 Yellowhammers
3 Tree sparrows
Coal tit
12 Chaffinch
All the birds at the feeding area were continually scared off the seed by up to 10 Magpies.

Field 59
60+ Stock doves
500+ Woodpigeons
Large flock of Chaffinch 150+
2 Skylarks
1 Buzzard
12 Magpies

2000+ Woodpigeons in the air over Bedford moss

GS Woodpecker drumming in Rindle woods
Kingfisher seen again flying along the ditches
80+ Chaffinch flock in the fields along Nook lane near the Peat works
Mixed flock 50+of Goldfinch,Chaffinch and Yellowhammers in fields along Moss lane also a female Sparrowhawk in a tree along the lane.
17 LT tits in the trees at the beginning of Moss lane near the junction of Rindle road

Nice to see that you are back on the mosses again Alan. Best wishes to you.

-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Wednesday 30th of December 2009 08:27:29 PM

Single Corn Bunting at the feeding station when I arrived about lunchtime.

Beautiful clear early morning in Swinton so I went to the mosses and found freezing fog
I could hardly see the feeding area and only saw 5 Tree sparrows and 3 Yellowhammers.

Flushed a Woodcock and 2 RL Partridge at the entrance to Astley SSSI.

3 Snipe in the ditch opposite the Shooters grove sign and a Kingfisher flying down the same ditch.

Large flock of Chaffinches [50+] beside the road at the corner of Nook lane.

2.15pm - 3.45pm

Track between f9 & 10
2 Woodcock flushed
1 Brambling in 30+ Chaffinch flock
2 male Bullfinch
2 Yellowhammer
1 GS Woodpecker

f9
1 Buzzard carrying a dead crow and being mobbed by many others before dropping it
(3 more Buzzards circling over Botany Bay Woods)

f10
35 Tree Sparrows feeding around green barns
1 male Grey Wagtail also around the barns
2 Song Thrush
20+ Chaffinches
1 Kestrel

f7 1 Fieldfare

f16
700+ Woodpigeons feeding (estimate of at least 1200+ seen all together in moss today)
2 Meadow Pipits

f18
male Sparrowhawk

LT Tits
11 Dixons Wood
8 trees between f2 & 3
6 at Plant Cottage Farm

Rindle road this morning was like an ice rink, the pheasants were running down the road quicker than I was driving

2 Kingfishers seen , one at the frozen fishing pond and the other flying along the ditch near the feeding area.

At the feeding area;
6 Yellowhammers
3 Tree Sparrows
2 RL Partridge
4 Magpies
2 Woodpigeon
6 Chaffinch

Field 69
8 RL Partridge
1 Buzzard
2 Pied wagtails
20+ M pipits
3 Fieldfare
1 Song thrush

4 Kestrels along Rindle road and plenty of Pheasants about .

Yesterday, 23.12.09, 12:40pm

All around the fields behind Rindle Wood

Stock Dove- 9
Raven- 1, heading north towards Moss Lane
Meadow Pipit- 8
Skylark- 5
Tree Sparrow- 14 (feeding station track)
Sparrowhawk- 1, which took a Tree Sparrow from along the feeding station path (not included in the above total!)

Irlam Moss 3.00pm - 4.15pm

Peregrine flew over f14 in the direction of Croxton.
c.1500+ Wood Pigeons around Dixon's Wood
8 Grey Partridge and 4 Pheasant in f4
2 Goldcrests - Dixons Wood
3 Reed Buntings f10
2 Lapwings over f10
1 Kestrel along Twelve Yards Rd
Usual Tree Sparrows heard from bushes around Woodbarn Farm

A single flock of a good 200 Chaffinch this early afternoon, along the hedge at the top of the feeding station track off Rindle Road, unfortunately with no Brambling amongst them. They then worked their way through Rindle Wood along with a dozen or so Yellowhammer, several Tree Sparrow and half a dozen Reed Buntings.

A dozen or so Meadow Pipits were also in the damp weedy field at the back of Rindle Wood.

2 Stonechats(m+f) on Colliery Fields,Higher Green this pm.

9-45am to 12-15pm Cold, dank and dismal Irlam moss - Cutnook end

Rasberry lane
20 LT tits, 6 chaffinch, 4 reed buntings

Bartonmoss farm lane
2 pheasant, 2 robin, 2 reed bunting, c30 chaffinch, 4 yellowhammer, 2 blue tits, 8 LT tits.
f8,9 held lots of corvids, pigeons and starlings.

12 yards road.
6 yellowhammer, 1 mistle thrush, 2 blue tits, c12 LT tits, 2 great tits, c30 chaffinch, 1 kestrel. 2 wrens, 3 robins, 2 dunnocks, 5 blackbirds.

Woodbarn farm lane.
8 yellowhammers, 4 reed buntings, c12 tree sparrows, c30 chaffinch, 3 redpolls (2 mealie, 1 common). 1000's pigeons in f44

Also in f3 2 mistle thrush and 2 mipits bathing in shallow pool of water.

Mike

Lots of Fieldfares on Irlam Moss this afternoon:
70+ in f2 (with c.200+ Starlings)
40+ in f21
17+ in f23

Also c.2000+ Woodpigeons flying around

pretty quite other than that!

field 9 (3.30 - 4.15pm)
At least 53 Tree Sparrows - all flew in small parties towards Barton Moss Farm as the light faded. I think they roost in the leylandii hedge there.
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
lots of corvids - including 4 crows with white wings
lots of Wood Pigeons

9-45am to midday very cold but bright chat moss Cutnook end.

Cutnook lane
sparrowhawk
chaffinch's
LT, blue and great tits.
4 fieldfares, 1 mistle thrush

Bartonmoss farm lane.
pair willow tits
8 LT tits, blue and great tits.
1 grey wag. 1 pied wag.
1 sparrowhawk 2 buzzards.
2 reed buntings, lots of chaffinches.
lots of crows, pigeons, magpies and starlings in fields 7,8,9 and 10.
field 10/11 held a massive flock (c3000) wood pigeon.

12 yards road.
3 groups of LT tits c8, c10, c30 (incl. blue and great)
Mixed flock c40 chaff's, 4 yellowhammer, c8 reed bunting.

Mike

10am to mid-day cooland bright Chat moss - Cutnook end.

Rasberry lane
pair willow tits, blue tits, corvids and pigeons

Bartonmoss Farm lane.
1 kestrel, 1 pied wag. 4 yellowhammer, 1 reed bunting, 3 tree sparrow, 30 chaffinch. 6 L.T. Tits. 3 skylark in f8. 2 grey partridge, lots of corvids,pigeons and starlings in f7,8,9 and 10.

Woodbarn Farm lane.
c17 tree sparrow, c40 chaffinch, 4 goldfinch, 2 reed bunting, pair willow tits, 4 great it, 2 blue tit, 8 L.T. tit, 4 yellowhammer and 1 kestrel in tree preening and being closely watched(within a few feet ) by tree sparrows and yellowhammer.

General.
Some of the larger pools of water attracted the black headed gulls and quite a few pheasants were seen. The hedges and ditches were full of the usual blackbirds, robins and wrens. 1 mistle thrush was seen but no winter thrushes or bramblings today.

Mike

Pete Berry and I were about from early morning to early afternoon and the Peregrine was initially circling purposefully over Chat Moss around midday before flying off back towards Astley Moss East. An hour or so later a pair were on the bare peat of Astley Moss East.

Astley Moss 12.20- 14.30pm

At least 2000 Wood Pigeons feeding in f69 were put to flight by a Peregrine which came in over the rail track this afternoon, a large female Sparrowhawk also joined in but neither of the raptors made a kill.

Also in the same field a Buzzard was feeding in on the remains of a Rabbit before being moved off by 13 Magpies. The Buzzard returned a couple of minutes later and scattered the Magpies and carried on with its meal.

In the field behind Rindle wood was a large flock of finches 220+, mainly Goldfinches, Yellowhammers and a small number of Reed buntings.

In Rindle wood,
2 GS Woodpeckers
15 LT Tits with 1 Willow tit
5 Jays

A Barn owl was flying over Astley SSSI towards Moss lane

3 Snipe and 2 Teal around the Scrapes,

A Woodcock, 2 Kestrels and a sleeping Tawny owl around Bedford moss.

field 9 this afternoon:
3(possible 4) Bramblings with Chaffinch flock
70+ Tree Sparrows
2 Buzzard
lots of corvids
2 Pied Wags
c. 20 LT Tits in one flock
at least 1600+ Woodpigeons in one flock over the railway heading for Botany Bay Woods

Also 120+ BH Gulls + 1 Common Gull in f5

Today 12:30-14:30

Skylark- 22 off Moss Lane
Meadow Pipit- 30 off Moss Lane
Starling- 500 off Moss Lane
Bullfinch- 6 along Moss Lane close to the junction with Rindle Road
Tree Sparrow- 18 feeding station track
Chaffinch- 300 in the hedge at the top of the feeding station track, flying to and fro into the edge of field 59. No obvious Bramblings in with them though.
Woodpigeon- c4000 all around Astley Moss in various sized flocks

9-30am to 12-30pm cold and damp Chat and Irlam moss.

First half hour very quiet in the fields but f9 came to the rescue again. The whoopers have moved on but at the north end just before the farm a flock of c70 linnets and chaffinches, a further c30 chaffinches along with 2 brambling were feeding on the track.
f10 had 7 pied and 1 grey wagtail feeding on the stubble, and 1 kestrel roosting in a tree on the lane.

12 yards road.
Good flock c20 blue, great and L.T. tits in the wooded area and 2 willow tits calling (1 seen and 1 heard) at the junction with Cutnook lane. 3 yellowhammers.

Woodbarn lane.
Smashing flock c30 yellowhammer,reed bunting, tree sparrow and chaffinch feeding on the edge of f12 and in the hedgerow. Also, 1 song thrush and another small flock of L.T. tits.

General.
There was the usual high nos. of corvids and pigeons and the usual robins,dunnocks,wrens etc. in the hedgerows. there was a few mistle thrushes about but no fieldfares etc. on the route I took today.

Mike

I cycled down to f9 this afternoon to see if the Whoopers were still there but no sign. However 70+ Tree Sparrows in roadside bushes and 1 Buzzard.

I then decided to explore the rest of the mosses and just as I was cycling down Twelve Yards Rd all 14 Whoopers flew almost above my head and settled into f12 !! I watched them for a few mins before moving on as they seemed nervous. But when I came past again about half an hour later they had gone - probably disturbed by the usual Sunday afternoon motorbike and quadbike scramblers that where tear-arsing all over the place I don't know where they went - possibly back to f9?

Also:
60+ Fieldfare, 300+ Starlings, 17 BH Gulls and 3 Mistle Thrushes in f62
2 Buzzards in f44

Also annoyed to see a small patch of remnant birch mossland along Astley Road behind Red Chalis Farm has been ripped up. A few less homes for Willow Warblers in summer!

-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Sunday 22nd of November 2009 04:23:53 PM

14 Whoopers still in f9 again this morning and still present at 1.00pm when they all flew to the far west end of the field. When I arrived they were in the flooded SE corner right next to the road but are rather wary and waddled off further into the field as I pulled up in the car. I've sent some pics to the GM birds website.
Large numbers of other birds in this field. 100+ crows, 500+ Wood Pigeons and 100+ Feral Pigeons and 100+ Starlings often all flying around together at times.
Mike - re: your partial leustic crow I counted at least 4 birds with white in the wings. I see crows like this regularly on the moss. Most large gatherings on the moss seem to have at least one or two. I get the impression they are young birds undergoing so sort of moult but I don't really know to be honest!.
Along the track between f9 and f10 a large flock of Chaffinches contained 1 male Brambling and 40+ Tree Sparrows. Also 20+ Tree Sparrows near road - difficult to say exactly how many in total as they fly around. (my previous record count on the moss has been 53!) Things looking good for this species on the moss.
Also:
3 Buzzard
1 female Sparrowhawk
1 female Kestrel
7 Fieldfares
2 Redwing
3 Snipe
3 Mallard
4 Pheasant
3 Stock Dove
3 Skylark
1 Pied Wag