30/6/08 Evening

Lady Mabels Wood & Sennicar Lane :

2 Grasshopper Warblers,
3 f Mandarin Ducks & Common Tern along canal,
f Kestrel,
family parties of Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, Long-tailed Tits, Mistle Thrushes, Swallows, and Magpies.

16/6/08 late afternoon

Pair of Mandarins on the canal at Basin Quay. The drake in an advanced state of moult.
Green Woodpecker on the Whelley Loop Line.
2 Common Terns mooching along the canal.
Great Spotted Woodpecker with a juv. in Bottling Wood.

A number of recent "goodies" here! On 2/5 during BBS count a Whimbrel flew north at 07.10,while the following day at 15.30 2 Hobbies were engaged in aerial chase over Aspull having come from that direction. Tree Sparrows, Ian, are active in a number of areas near Pendlebury Lane having spread out presumably to breed. Try the areas near the canal bridges. Also in the area last week two displaying Buzzards accompanied by a Raven, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel; a pair of Mandarins on the canal near Shedfield Bridge; Green Woodpecker near there also; Swifts (on 30/4); Sedge Warbler singing near Senacre Bridge (a traditional spot) and Groppers at at least 3 sites. Keep an eye on the reed beds at the sough treatment beds - a possible site for Reed Warblers? Breeding activity from Bullfinches, Great Spotted, Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper and Goldcrest with 116 nests at the Haigh rookery

lady mabels wood am
1 grasshopper warbler
1 sedge warbler
1 garden warbler
3 pr reed bunting
3 pr bullfinch
then the monsoon came

gropper this morn off higher lane new springs ( info tom morton )

22/4/08 (05.30-09.00)

2 female Mandarin Ducks over Thorn Hill viaduct,
Buzzard over Lady Mabels Wood,
5+ Tree Sparrows,
2 Curlew at Rothwells Farm,
2 Swallows,
many Willow Warbs and Chiffs, but nowt else in the bushes......

ian not been for a while but they do move about not exactly sure wher they breed but normally the best counts are in winter because a resident feeds them dont know what tom has been there recently cheers jimmy

2/4/08 early pm

Went to count the small Tree Sparrow `colony` at Pendlebury Lane, but unfortunately could only find one, with about a dozen or so House Sparrows. When I went last year the numbers were roughly reversed ! Wonder what`s happened to them - Tom or Jimmy, have you been lately ?

2 Buzzards ; one low over Haigh Hall, t`other high over Thorn Hill.

male brambling still there this morn all usual stuff as well plus lots of dog walkers

21/3/08 pm

Hall Lane feeding station, viewed from the nice warm comfort of the car ;-

male Brambling (long awaited site tick ).
3 Yellowhammers (2m).
2 G.S.Woodpeckers (m & f).
Nuthatch.
3 Coal Tits.
10+ Reed Buntings.

28/12/07

Just a quick hour this afternoon before the downpour ;

Kingfisher flying downstream on the River Douglas, Lower Plantations.
(Warning, technical ****e ahead !) Carrion Crow with pure white greater coverts & greater primary coverts.
Flock of 11 Long-tailed Tits.
2 Mute Swans (one wearing blue darvic SLI) along the canal.
3 G.S.Woodpeckers flying together over Aspull Sough.

20/9/07 early afternoon

adult Hobby over Sennicar Lane / Rothwell`s Farm.
Snipe over same area.
Kingfisher - River Douglas, Lower Plants.
Nuthatch near Quarry.
male Sparrowhawk - Aspull Sough.

Got to tell you about the Hobby cos it`s the `dogs ********` for this site !
I was watching a group of Swallows perched on wires when all of a sudden they panicked and scattered everywhere. Expecting a Sparrowhawk, I lowered my bins to get the `bigger picture`, then BUSHAK - a Hobby came steaming through, pulled up mid-air and tried honing in on individual Swallows, flashing its red keks at me. It continued chasing but soon gave up, and headed off N.E. towards the direction of Blackrod.
This is the first one I`ve seen in this area, and besides Waxwing, easily my best bird here.

19/6/07 early morning

Little Grebe chick on the `model boat lake`, but no sign of any parents or siblings.

Only one of the Mandarin ducklings present, and this one is missing its right eye and a bit of its face ! It doesn`t seem to be too distressed though, paddling straight towards me to be fed, and occasionally scratching the right side of its head. It is obvious that something has predated them yesterday or during the night - could be a Mink, which are present on the canal system around Wigan.

18/6/07 early morning

2 Dipper - River Douglas, Lower Plantations. No sign of any young, though they did breed here last year.
Green Woodpecker - Aspull Sough
4 fairly well grown Mandarin ducklings, though no sign of any parents - canal @ Hall Ln. Bridge
Common Tern along canal
m. Reed Bunting carrying food - Lady Mabel`s
f. Blackcap with juv. - nr Shedfield Bridge
2 Mute Swans (SLI & SLJ) with 7 cygnets - canal @ Basin Quay

22nd May. mid-afternoon

5 Mandarin Duck - 2 drakes & a duck with 5 very small ducklings on the canal nr. Hall Lane bridge. A pair on the Douglas, Lower Plants.
2 Grey Partridge on Sennicar Lane
5 Linnet
4 Whitethroat
Kestrel over Lady Mabel`s

5/4/07 p.m.

Rather quiet, with a distinct lack of Willow Warblers - where are they ? !

pair Mandarin Duck - coming to bread at the Basin Quay
Green Woodpecker - Lady Mabel`s Wood + one calling nr. Bottling Wood
2 Stock Dove - Bottling Wood
20+ Meadow Pipit - Lady M`s
Sparrowhawk + 2 Kestrel "
5 G.S.Woodpecker - Lower Plantations
2 Nuthatch + many more calling

Highlight of the jaunt was the Sparrowhawk chase a Meadow Pipit about 20 yds. from me at eye level, which, when it clocked me gave up pursuit.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 18:13, 2007-05-01

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 21:43, 2007-05-02

13/3/07 Chiffchaff - upper plantations Kingfisher - canal @ Hall Ln. Br. Little Grebe - `Model boat` Lake Treecreeper Nuthatch 4 Skylark - Aspull Sough field Sparrowhawk

Hi Ian Thanks for the info. Last night at dusk 5 Goosanders flighted along the canal from the Arley area Tom

Hi Tom, I usually see Greens in Lady Mabel`s Wood and roaming round Whelley Loop Line and the Aspull Sough area. Didn`t even hear one today though ! Ian

Ian I was in the area a little later, and came across much the same with at least 5 different Nuthatches, and 3 Treecreepers, 1  of which, in Bottling Wood, had nest material. Kingfisher on canal and several flocks of Redpoll near Top Lock and Shedfield Bridge. Have you come across any Green Woodpeckers? Tom

Thur 8/3/07 07.00 - 10.00 2 Kingfisher - L & L Canal 2 Grey Partridge - Lower House Fm. f. Mandarin - R. Douglas, Lower Plants. 3 Nuthatch - Bottling Wood Treecreeper 3 G.S.Woodpecker 2 Sparrowhawk 3 Sky Lark - Lady Mabels handful of Redwing

Wed. 21st. Feb. p.m 11 Tree Sparrow - Pendlebury Lane pair Goosander - canal nr. Shedfield Bridge Kestrel - being chased over Haigh Hall Golf Club by a Crow 2 Sparrowhawk 18 Meadow Pipit - top of Pendlebury Ln. 55+ Redwing - Lower House Farm male Bullfinch Coal Tit Mute Swan `UNP`

Tue. 6th Feb.

f. Mandarin - River Douglas @ Marylebone Bridge
Grey Partridge - Lady Mabel`s
2 Green Woodpecker - nr. Whelley Loop Line. Also 3 f. Bullfinch.
3 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper & 3 Goldcrest - `Yellow Brook` area.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 18:13, 2007-05-01

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 21:43, 2007-05-02

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 5th of September 2010 08:48:24 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 21st of September 2010 10:45:49 PM