ASTLEY, CHAT, LITTLE WOOLDEN AND ASSOCIATED MOSSES
Henry Cook said
Tue Nov 18 7:40 PM, 2008
The Hampshire bird has been wintering there for a few years now so almost definitely isn't the Manc bird. Cheers. Henerz.
Mike hirst said
Tue Nov 18 6:01 PM, 2008
Flying visit after Pennington. sunny and cool. Feeding station:- 10 tree sparrow 3 yellowhammer 6 chaffinch 3 collar dove2 blue tit 3 great tit. 2 mistle thrush (in tree) c40 fieldfare over.
near barn conversions/fishpond:- 100's fieldfare, redwing, starlings in the hawthorn. Lots of pigeons in the field much further back. 1 buzzard 1 kestrel 1 red leg partridge
A fellow birder was just leaving as I arrived. He had been there on and off since 10-15 am but no sign of GWE. There is one turned up in Hants according to birdguides - this can't be ours can it? (We have claimed this one you see)
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Nov 16 5:30 PM, 2008
The Great White Egret is still roaming the mosslands and was present at a private site again today (info thanks to Judith Smith)
310 Fieldfare over the Rindle Reeding station at 4:10pm 200+ Chaffich Nook Lane
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 17:31, 2008-11-16
Geoff Walton said
Sat Nov 15 8:44 PM, 2008
Thanks Mike, but Stockport is a long way for regular visits. We "do" Pennington quite a bit, and last week went to Jumbles and the others two Res. Do you get south at all?
If anyone sees "we three" or four anywhere, please let on. It's not hard, I am the 5'3" member
Sad to say, the nearest we got to the GWE were the 3 Farmyard geese
Geoff
eddie king said
Sat Nov 15 8:25 PM, 2008
The Great White Egret was feeding in the ditches at 12.15pn today on Rindle road Astley. Eddie King.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Nov 15 3:36 PM, 2008
330+ Chaffinch in the stubble field along Nook Lane mid afternoon today, no Brambling though (not that I could pick out anyway).
Mike hirst said
Sat Nov 15 3:28 PM, 2008
Hi Geoff, No it wasn't me on a bike - shankies pony's my way. I did see what I thought was a bird of prey but I was a good distance away and it turned away from me before ducking behind the trees. It was in an area where I regularly see a buzzard but its anyones guess really. We will probably bump into each other sometime and I look forward to meeting you. cheers Mike
Geoff Walton said
Fri Nov 14 7:53 PM, 2008
Hi Mike, "We three" have now become four, and we were at Astley Moss between 10-12.30.
Were you the one on the bike?
We saw a bird of prey, but could not work out if it was a Buzzard or a Hen Harrier? Did anyone else see it? It was one a post and circling low in front of the woods down the small path more or less opposite the "new" posh apartments.
To your list we can add Redwing and Fieldfare
Cheers
geoff
Mike hirst said
Fri Nov 14 3:18 PM, 2008
9-30am to 11am. dull and damp but warm. Irlam cutnook end. Falling leaves very distracting.
2 bullfinch 1 greenfinch lots of chaffinch & goldfinch 2 wrens seen (lots heard) lots of robins, blackbirds, magpies, crows. 1 goldcrest 1 flock (c20) L.T. tits lots of blue & great tits
cheers Mike
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 14 1:13 PM, 2008
Unfortunately not Henry, it appears it may still be in the 'area' (atfer yesterday's sighting) but also that it might have located a newer feeding area which we haven't found yet, perhaps a different set of ditches?
Henry Cook said
Fri Nov 14 12:24 PM, 2008
Hi Ian. Any sign of the GWEgret this morning? Thanks. Henry.
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 14 11:43 AM, 2008
118 Collared Doves along Rindle Road this morning, in the fields and along telegraph wires near Moss Bank Farm.
Mike hirst said
Thu Nov 13 7:35 PM, 2008
11am to 12-15pm cloudy and wet. Cutnook end.
A quick walk round in the drizzle and it was fairly quiet
1 mistle thrush 1 kestrel 2 flocks of L.T.Tits - one mixed with a few goldcrests. several small flocks of chaffinch but no brambling seen today. Lots of blackbirds in the hawthorn. small flock of fieldfare (c30) over Lots of blue and great tits, robins.
cheers, Mike
Judith Smith said
Wed Nov 12 8:45 PM, 2008
The GW Egret was at the private site at 11am.
Mike hirst said
Wed Nov 12 6:14 PM, 2008
Rindle road. Flying visit 2-45pm to 3-30pm - a sunny afternoon
feeding station:- 11 tree sparrows. 8 chaffinch 1 yellowhammer 3 great tits 2 blue tits 2 robins
buzzard strutting around field L.H. side of station. kestral on telephone wire starlings, pigeons (lots of both) all around blackbirds many goldfinches in small flocks.
G w egret feeding in ditch on left of rindle road 1030am-11am just before the barn conversions.Disturbed by dog walker and it flew up rindle road landing in ditch just before nook lane were it carried on feeding.
Paul Heaton said
Mon Nov 10 7:42 PM, 2008
Great White Egret flying over back of rindle woods Tree sparrows x 3 Yellowhammer x 6 Stonechat X1
Buzzard flying low over field gave me hope for a second.
Keep Birding.
Paul Heaton said
Sun Nov 9 4:50 PM, 2008
7 Tree Sparrows 9 Yellowhammer 5 Great Tit 6 Blue Tit 1 Jay at feeding station today then a soggy Mr Rowley came with Great White Egret in tow, saved me getting out of the white van.
No Sign of the Harrier, and to save time and space went to Snow bunting site this morning at werneth low road no sign of that either, bloody birds.
Rindle Wood is the wood off to the right of the road at the level crossing end of Rindle Road (as you look at the level crossing) and is situated at the end of the feeding station track.
I have been working on a Rindle Road site guide which will be being published on the website tonight hopefully.
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Nov 9 2:01 PM, 2008
No sign at 11am unless I was looking in the wrong place. I drove down to the level crossing and back. Which one is Rindle Wood ?
Alan Rowley said
Sun Nov 9 1:32 PM, 2008
G-w E still in ditches around Rindle Road at 1PM.
pete berry said
Sun Nov 9 10:27 AM, 2008
According to Birdguides(sorry Ian didn't have pager on so can't plug Birdnet) the Gt. White Egret back down Rindle Road this am.Mustn't have liked it elsewhere and decided Astley is the place to be.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Nov 8 1:16 PM, 2008
No sign of the Great White Egret from Rindle Road today.
Judith Smith said
Sat Nov 8 12:41 PM, 2008
No sign of the GW Egret at the private site this morning so maybe it's gone?
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 7 3:08 PM, 2008
Rindle feeding station, 13:45-14:25 today
Tree Sparrow- 19 Lesser Redpoll- 6 (in the trees along the track) Chaffinch- 11 Yellowhammer- 4 Long-tailed tit- 6 Siskin- 1 over south Coal Tit- 2 (unusual here) Willow Tit- 1 Jackdaw- 80 in fields behind Rindle Cottages Starling- 300 in 1 flock behind Rindle Cottages
Mike hirst said
Fri Nov 7 12:44 PM, 2008
9-30am - 11am bright and fresh. between cutnook and astley road. blue, great and long tailed tits robins, blackbirds, crows, magpies in abundance. 8 skylarks 1 grey wagtail 1 pied wagtail 4 mistle thrush several flocks of starling mixed flock of chaffinch and brambling (c30 birds) 4 brambling seen but the birds were skittish and ducking and diving between the ruts in a potato field so there could have been more.The railway line is line a north/south divide for winter thrushes. The Astley side has loads of redwing and fieldfare but the Irlam side has seen very few (when I've been looking). Maybe when they have cleared the berries on the north they will migrate. cheers Mike
pete berry said
Thu Nov 6 2:42 PM, 2008
Egrret back in Ditches at 1pm(info per Adam Davison) along Rindle Road.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Nov 6 11:57 AM, 2008
Great White Egret once again early this am (info thanks to Birdnet pagers) and at 10:40am it was still along Rindle Road feding in the ditch, then flew off towards Nook Lane and was not relocated (info thanks to Pete- Haydock birder).
John Rayner said
Wed Nov 5 7:26 PM, 2008
5/11/08 (3.30 - 5.00)
No sign of Egret, Harrier or Barn Owl.
Cheers, John
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Nov 5 7:11 PM, 2008
The Great White Egret was still present this morning, atleast when I called in on my way to work at 7am, along the ditch before the fishing lake. Thankfully the bird had the common decency to hang around until I got back off my holidays so I could gatch up with it and I've now managed to see all 4 records of this species in the county, now all I have to do is catch it in flight from my son's bedroom window as the bottom of Rindle Road/Nook Lane area is visible from there, what a 'seen from your garden' tick that would be
A surreal sight though to drive right past it within 12 or so feet with the bird semingly oblivious, I made 4 passes before a dog walker flushed it
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Nov 4 8:09 PM, 2008
Birdguides, how very dare you Sure I've been away on hols and am experiencing some technical difficulties which are delaying updates to the Manchester Birding website but I assure you, the photos I have to upload onto the galleries are superb
Birdguides indeed
brian fielding said
Tue Nov 4 5:02 PM, 2008
superb photos of the egret now on birdguides
-- Edited by brian fielding at 17:41, 2008-11-04
pete berry said
Tue Nov 4 4:15 PM, 2008
Gt. W. Egret back in ditch by Rindle Cottages from 3pm.
Mike hirst said
Tue Nov 4 2:30 PM, 2008
Rindle road 7-30am - 8-45am cloudy and cold Bingo, I've seen the Egret at last, in the ditches and in flight, quite impressive and well worth the effort if like me you have not seen one before.
feeding stn. 4 yellowhammers 6 chaffinches 1 greenfinch 2 robins 2 dunnock (fighting) 6 tree sparrows blue & great tits. 20 fieldfare in hawthorn by stn. (small flocks redwing, fieldfare and mistle thrush generally) 25 r.l. partridge cheers Mike p.s. lots of blackbirds and starlings generally
Judith Smith said
Tue Nov 4 1:11 PM, 2008
Back at the private site by 1030hrs.
Simon Warford said
Tue Nov 4 9:42 AM, 2008
4/11/08
Great White Egret still present in ditch next to Rindle Road 7-9am at least and showing very well.
View only from the car.
Info provided by Mark Rigby.
-- Edited by Simon Warford at 09:43, 2008-11-04
John Rayner said
Mon Nov 3 3:14 PM, 2008
3rd Nov 07.15 - 10.30.
Re-found the Great-white Egret at 07.20 in the ditch near Old Moss Farm, Rindle Road. It was pushed up and down the ditches either side of the road by a succession of dog walkers and 1 jogger and ended up in the ditch near the barn development. It flew SW at 08.10.
Feeding Station.
Red-legged Partridge 5 Tree Sparrow 8 Yellow Hammer 6-8 Willow Tit 2 Pinkfeet 37 NW Sparrowhawk mobbed by Carrion Crow Scattering of Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrushes.
Then, at 10.00 the Ring-tail Harrier appeared from the left passing behind the feeding station at no more than 75 metres. It angled across the next field, crossed the road and disappeared behind the barn development. I assume this is a juvenile bird because it was strikingly rufous below. (It couldn't be a Northern Harrier could it!! No, stop it!! As Ian says it's overwhelmingly more likely to be the commoner option)
Wow. New county bird Delighted or what
Steve Collins said
Sun Nov 2 6:09 PM, 2008
Yes good to meet you finally too Dave! I was surprised to see the GW Egret again before it flew off about 3pm. I called at the peat pools on the way which was empty but Kestrel, Buzzard, 5 grey partridge and 8 linnet were along the way to it! No Hen Harrier but enjoyed the wait! Cheers Steve
I found the GW Egret in the ditch behind the new barn development at 14.15pm and followed it up Rindle road as it fished the ditches before it flew SW.
Met a gentleman from Yorkshire who had come to see the Egret and told me that he was positve that he had seen a Juv Marsh harrier earlier in the morning behind Rindle wood.
Watched for the Hen Harrier with Steve Collins but no sighting tonight.
Nice to meet you Steve
Steven Nelson said
Sun Nov 2 11:23 AM, 2008
Sparrowhawk and 2 Buzzard on Irlam Moss
-- Edited by Steven Nelson at 11:27, 2008-11-02
Steven Nelson said
Sun Nov 2 11:07 AM, 2008
GW Egret showing well at Rindle getting either side of the road down as far a Nook Lane this morning to 9.20am at least. It caught a frog in the ditch and took it to the field to try and kill it which it failed to do after trying for about 5 mins! It then dropped the frog and went back to the ditch leaving the frog in the field - probably with a headache !
Loads of Thrushes around and 500+ Pink-feet over in 6 skiens. Most going SE but 1 flock heading NW. Also Sparrowhawk hunting starlings.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson at 11:26, 2008-11-02
Mike hirst said
Sun Nov 2 10:35 AM, 2008
I missed the GW Egret again yesterday morning by about 5 minutes. Nice to meet Steve Atkins, Simon Hitchen and their mate Alan. Feeding station, 2 tree sparrows 2 chaffinch 3 great tits 2 robins 2 stonechats(in field left of feeding stn.) 1 greenfinch
still lots of blackbirds, redwings, fieldfares, mistle thrushes in the hawthorn, starlings and pigeons in the fields 1 kestrel hunting cheers Mike
pete berry said
Sat Nov 1 4:58 PM, 2008
No sign of Egret till dusk.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Nov 1 4:02 PM, 2008
hen harrier at 3:30pm this afternoon along rindle road heading SE towards the railway.
Info thanks to ian woosey
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sat Nov 1 3:12 PM, 2008
I don,t know how to do that 'thingy wrote' but sp buzzard= evens, harrier = 20/s
the joys of misspent youth, cheers geoff
pete berry said
Sat Nov 1 2:04 PM, 2008
The Gt.White Egret was back at Rindle on the fields at about 11am,but could not re-locate it later,maybe its gone for good this time? Peregrine over Peat Pools at 10.30am
-- Edited by pete berry at 15:07, 2008-11-01
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Nov 1 10:57 AM, 2008
great white egret present along rindle road again early am (info thanks to paul hammond) and then later, on once again at the private site (info thanks to judith smith).
Re large raptor: classic V shape of gliding wings- pretty much excludes falcons or goshawk, so it's buzzard or harrier (sp. For either)
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 12:02, 2008-11-01
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Nov 1 8:15 AM, 2008
Judith Smith wrote:
Paul - this morning, looking towards the peatworks, I and another birder saw a largish brown raptor which at first we thought was the Hen Harrier, but then we could not see a white rump on it. It seemed too large for a f. Sparrowhawk and I wondered if it was that escaped Saker that's been around for a few years, often on the peatworkings. Almost immediately afterwards, the other birder saw a raptor in the same general area that he was pretty certain had a white rump; I got an impression of 2 raptors in that area, with is bisected by the public footpath and its treeline, so not easy.
The egret was back at its private site at 1100, feeding well. But I guess the area will be frozen up first thing in the morning, so the Rindle ditches alongside the road will be a good bet. People need to keep going in their cars past it, though, if they stop, it will fly out of the ditch.
There was a goshawk a week or so ago that mike baron had at Houghton green pool(see the out of county Houghton green thread),that could easily have ended up at astley,could the raptor have been that?
Cheers. Henerz.
Feeding station:-
10 tree sparrow
3 yellowhammer
6 chaffinch
3 collar dove2 blue tit
3 great tit.
2 mistle thrush (in tree)
c40 fieldfare over.
near barn conversions/fishpond:-
100's fieldfare, redwing, starlings in the hawthorn.
Lots of pigeons in the field much further back.
1 buzzard
1 kestrel
1 red leg partridge
A fellow birder was just leaving as I arrived. He had been there on and off since 10-15 am but no sign of GWE. There is one turned up in Hants according to birdguides - this can't be ours can it? (We have claimed this one you see)
310 Fieldfare over the Rindle Reeding station at 4:10pm
200+ Chaffich Nook Lane
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 17:31, 2008-11-16
If anyone sees "we three" or four anywhere, please let on. It's not hard, I am the 5'3" member
Sad to say, the nearest we got to the GWE were the 3 Farmyard geese
Geoff
No it wasn't me on a bike - shankies pony's my way. I did see what I thought was a bird of prey but I was a good distance away and it turned away from me before ducking behind the trees. It was in an area where I regularly see a buzzard but its anyones guess really. We will probably bump into each other sometime and I look forward to meeting you.
cheers
Mike
"We three" have now become four, and we were at Astley Moss between 10-12.30.
Were you the one on the bike?
We saw a bird of prey, but could not work out if it was a Buzzard or a Hen Harrier? Did anyone else see it? It was one a post and circling low in front of the woods down the small path more or less opposite the "new" posh apartments.
To your list we can add Redwing and Fieldfare
Cheers
geoff
Falling leaves very distracting.
2 bullfinch
1 greenfinch
lots of chaffinch & goldfinch
2 wrens seen (lots heard)
lots of robins, blackbirds, magpies, crows.
1 goldcrest
1 flock (c20) L.T. tits
lots of blue & great tits
cheers
Mike
Thanks. Henry.
A quick walk round in the drizzle and it was fairly quiet
1 mistle thrush
1 kestrel
2 flocks of L.T.Tits - one mixed with a few goldcrests.
several small flocks of chaffinch but no brambling seen today.
Lots of blackbirds in the hawthorn.
small flock of fieldfare (c30) over
Lots of blue and great tits, robins.
cheers,
Mike
feeding station:-
11 tree sparrows.
8 chaffinch
1 yellowhammer
3 great tits
2 blue tits
2 robins
buzzard strutting around field L.H. side of station.
kestral on telephone wire
starlings, pigeons (lots of both) all around
blackbirds many
goldfinches in small flocks.
No sign of GWE
Cheers
Mike
12 Siskin
1 Lesser Redpoll
19 Redwing
3 Bullfinch (2 males, 1 female)
1 GSW
1 Coal Tit
+ Long-tailed Tits - thousands of em!
-- Edited by Mike Baron at 15:25, 2008-11-12
Tree sparrows x 3
Yellowhammer x 6
Stonechat X1
Buzzard flying low over field gave me hope for a second.
Keep Birding.
9 Yellowhammer
5 Great Tit
6 Blue Tit
1 Jay
at feeding station today then a soggy Mr Rowley came with Great White Egret in tow, saved me getting out of the white van.
No Sign of the Harrier, and to save time and space went to Snow bunting site this morning at werneth low road no sign of that either, bloody birds.
Keep dry
keep birding
http://www.lancswt.org.uk/Our%20Reserves/reserve%20maps/astley_moss_map.htm
I have been working on a Rindle Road site guide which will be being published on the website tonight hopefully.
No sign at 11am unless I was looking in the wrong place.
I drove down to the level crossing and back. Which one is Rindle Wood ?
Tree Sparrow- 19
Lesser Redpoll- 6 (in the trees along the track)
Chaffinch- 11
Yellowhammer- 4
Long-tailed tit- 6
Siskin- 1 over south
Coal Tit- 2 (unusual here)
Willow Tit- 1
Jackdaw- 80 in fields behind Rindle Cottages
Starling- 300 in 1 flock behind Rindle Cottages
blue, great and long tailed tits
robins, blackbirds, crows, magpies in abundance.
8 skylarks
1 grey wagtail
1 pied wagtail
4 mistle thrush
several flocks of starling
mixed flock of chaffinch and brambling (c30 birds) 4 brambling seen but the birds were skittish and ducking and diving between the ruts in a potato field so there could have been more.The railway line is line a north/south divide for winter thrushes. The Astley side has loads of redwing and fieldfare but the Irlam side has seen very few (when I've been looking). Maybe when they have cleared the berries on the north they will migrate.
cheers
Mike
No sign of Egret, Harrier or Barn Owl.
Cheers, John
A surreal sight though to drive right past it within 12 or so feet with the bird semingly oblivious, I made 4 passes before a dog walker flushed it
Birdguides indeed
-- Edited by brian fielding at 17:41, 2008-11-04
Bingo, I've seen the Egret at last, in the ditches and in flight, quite impressive and well worth the effort if like me you have not seen one before.
feeding stn.
4 yellowhammers
6 chaffinches
1 greenfinch
2 robins
2 dunnock (fighting)
6 tree sparrows
blue & great tits.
20 fieldfare in hawthorn by stn. (small flocks redwing, fieldfare and mistle thrush generally)
25 r.l. partridge
cheers
Mike
p.s. lots of blackbirds and starlings generally
Great White Egret still present in ditch next to Rindle Road 7-9am at least and showing very well.
View only from the car.
Info provided by Mark Rigby.
-- Edited by Simon Warford at 09:43, 2008-11-04
Re-found the Great-white Egret at 07.20 in the ditch near Old Moss Farm, Rindle Road. It was pushed up and down the ditches either side of the road by a succession of dog walkers and 1 jogger and ended up in the ditch near the barn development. It flew SW at 08.10.
Feeding Station.
Red-legged Partridge 5
Tree Sparrow 8
Yellow Hammer 6-8
Willow Tit 2
Pinkfeet 37 NW
Sparrowhawk mobbed by Carrion Crow
Scattering of Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrushes.
Then, at 10.00 the Ring-tail Harrier appeared from the left passing behind the feeding station at no more than 75 metres. It angled across the next field, crossed the road and disappeared behind the barn development. I assume this is a juvenile bird because it was strikingly rufous below. (It couldn't be a Northern Harrier could it!! No, stop it!! As Ian says it's overwhelmingly more likely to be the commoner option)
Wow. New county bird Delighted or what
I was surprised to see the GW Egret again before it flew off about 3pm.
I called at the peat pools on the way which was empty but Kestrel, Buzzard, 5 grey partridge and 8 linnet were along the way to it!
No Hen Harrier but enjoyed the wait!
Cheers
Steve
Rindle road feeding area
4 Stonechat
7 Tree sparrows
9 Yellowhammers
4 Chaffinch
2 Sparrowhawks m+f
2 Kestrels
Astley + Bedford moss
Barn owl
2 Willow tits
13 LT tits
Reed bunting
1 Peregrine
2 Buzzards
I found the GW Egret in the ditch behind the new barn development at 14.15pm and followed it up Rindle road as it fished the ditches before it flew SW.
Met a gentleman from Yorkshire who had come to see the Egret and told me that he was positve that he had seen a Juv Marsh harrier earlier in the morning behind Rindle wood.
Watched for the Hen Harrier with Steve Collins but no sighting tonight.
Nice to meet you Steve
-- Edited by Steven Nelson at 11:27, 2008-11-02
Loads of Thrushes around and 500+ Pink-feet over in 6 skiens. Most going SE but 1 flock heading NW. Also Sparrowhawk hunting starlings.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson at 11:26, 2008-11-02
Feeding station,
2 tree sparrows
2 chaffinch
3 great tits
2 robins
2 stonechats(in field left of feeding stn.)
1 greenfinch
still lots of blackbirds, redwings, fieldfares, mistle thrushes in the hawthorn, starlings and pigeons in the fields
1 kestrel hunting
cheers
Mike
Info thanks to ian woosey
the joys of misspent youth, cheers geoff
Peregrine over Peat Pools at 10.30am
-- Edited by pete berry at 15:07, 2008-11-01
Re large raptor: classic V shape of gliding wings- pretty much excludes falcons or goshawk, so it's buzzard or harrier (sp. For either)
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 12:02, 2008-11-01
There was a goshawk a week or so ago that mike baron had at Houghton green pool(see the out of county Houghton green thread),that could easily have ended up at astley,could the raptor have been that?
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 09:17, 2008-11-01
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 09:18, 2008-11-01
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 09:19, 2008-11-01