A Hobby was briefly over the rucks at 7:55 this morning before heading off north-west.
Comment above by Ian.
What are rucks ? when I was a kid I heard that word and I think it was ex slag heap land? or referring to higher ground in close proximity. But I have never questioned it for all these years. UNTIL NOW !
Is that what it is ? and why the word ruck?
Theres nothing on the net and you are my last hope.
Please help as I won't be able to sleep when I get these obsure questions in my mind.
-- Edited by Pete Astles on Friday 24th of June 2011 01:57:39 PM
Karen Foulkes said
Thu Jun 23 8:42 PM, 2011
JOHN TYMON wrote:
pm pretty quiet againway its going recently,it will be losing its reputation at the top of the mancy premier league-been more like conference recently sparrowhawk-1f redshank-1 ringed plover-1plenty of gadwall 1 male teal lots of bullfinch/chaffinch etc at the bunting hide kestrel-1 common tern-3 not a lot else
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 23rd of June 2011 07:52:27 AM
Afternoon visit today, bumping into John Tymon, who said the birds were pretty much has he had on Wednesday.
The "Yellowpoll" was again present at the Bunting Hide.
I would love to have a single site in Tameside where I don't have to walk for miles and stand a chance of seeing 40+ species of birds almost without trying, and a good variety at that! Don't ask for much do I?
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Jun 23 7:07 PM, 2011
Single Green Sandpiper present in front of Tom Edmondson hide this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Henry Cook said
Thu Jun 23 1:56 PM, 2011
23/06/2011 - 6am, a look around Ramsdale's Ruck and Slag Lane end of the flash:
2 Stock Doves 200+ Swifts - probably much higher numbers when the rain began 50+ Sand Martins 15 Skylarks 2 Meadow Pipits 3 Reed Warblers 2 Tree Sparrows - just off Slag Lane by Critchley House 2 Bullfinches
Mike Passant said
Wed Jun 22 9:49 PM, 2011
It's the time of year John? - Autumn will arrive before you know it.
JOHN TYMON said
Wed Jun 22 8:20 PM, 2011
pm pretty quiet againway its going recently,it will be losing its reputation at the top of the mancy premier league-been more like conference recently sparrowhawk-1f redshank-1 ringed plover-1plenty of gadwall 1 male teal lots of bullfinch/chaffinch etc at the bunting hide kestrel-1 common tern-3 not a lot else
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 23rd of June 2011 07:52:27 AM
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jun 21 6:27 PM, 2011
Green Sandpiper present on Teal scrape this morning and still present at 3pm.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme and Phil Rhodes
Nick Isherwood said
Mon Jun 20 2:48 PM, 2011
Grasshopper warbler reeling up near the canal this afternoon at 1.30.
Ian Aspinall said
Mon Jun 20 1:34 PM, 2011
must have missed it by minutes. darn it
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Jun 18 9:17 PM, 2011
pretty quiet at penny this aft on a mooch wi Charlie Owen Ringed plover-2 mute swan-83 none breeders greylag geese-8 redshank-2 canada geese-200+ lots of young Bullfinch/Chaffinch/Greenfinch stock dove 15 plus the usuals
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Jun 15 10:20 PM, 2011
A Hobby was briefly over the rucks at 7:55 this morning before heading off north-west.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 13 9:26 PM, 2011
Second summer (third calendar year bird) Little Gull on the spit up to 8:47pm, resting with Black-headed Gulls.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Jun 12 10:18 PM, 2011
Strange find that one,a swift stuck in a hawthorn bush,hope it recovered,one of the mites jumped ship as i handled the bird and was dispatched later in the car park as it crawled up my neck,these are not tiny little things but 6 to 10mm spider like insects that move like lightning,
still scratching geoff
james hall said
Sun Jun 12 7:42 PM, 2011
9 greylag geese 200+ swift 46 swallows 6 house martins 2 sand martins
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Jun 12 3:46 PM, 2011
pm-wet swift-hard to estimate-but a guestimate would be 3000+ ringed plover-3 oystercatcher-3 lesser redpoll with yellow poll in bunting feeding station again
one swift was retreived from the bush by horrocks hide by Geoff Hargrieves ,and kept inthe hide for an hour to dry out,first attempt by geoff to re lounch it into the air didn't work and an hour later me and Charlie owen tried again ,but unfortunately it dropped like a stone and crawled under a part horrocks hide were we couldn't retrieve it,so wether it will survive,is anyones guess,but it was riddled with the large swift lice,and in charlies oppinion it was weakness from the lice which braught it downanyway we tried our best and Geoff will still be in the shower washing the lice off that shot all over the place when we picked it up.
More or less same as Ian plus while he went home for his pon o Lobbies,I went moochin and found Gadwall-1 f with 8 ducklings -first of summer with young sparrowhawk-1 lesser redpoll with the yellow poll still present at thr bunting lots of bullfinch,chaffinch-which strangely were in a small flock near lapwing hide,a bit early for flocks of chaffinch,but then again all the mallard are going into eclipse JAY-2 Stock Dove -12 Lots of young Warblers etc 5 common tern later
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 11th of June 2011 04:07:07 PM
Steve Suttill said
Sat Jun 11 10:04 AM, 2011
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Little Stint now re-identified thanks to much closer views as a Sanderling!
Info thanks to Ian Woosey
Still, it gives me an excuse to break out the article on just this subject I've had tucked away for the past two years. Never thought it'd have much use but...
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 5th of June 2011 04:09:27 PM
Not re-identified soon enough to stop someone posting Little Stint on the Atlas website
Break out that article, Ian! Though I believe you're got rather busy at the moment...
Steve
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Jun 9 10:58 PM, 2011
Two Dunlin still present today plus 9 Grey Wagtail (many juveniles).
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Nick Isherwood said
Wed Jun 8 5:10 PM, 2011
Afternoon stroll from 1.30 to 3.00pm. On the spit were:
Also a Sparrowhawk being harried by BH gull over Tom Edmonson hide.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 6 10:04 PM, 2011
This morning:
Green Sandpiper from Teal Scrape Cuckoo calling from the Ramsdales Ruck area
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Nick Isherwood said
Sun Jun 5 8:01 PM, 2011
Sanderling still on spit at 7.30pm.
Also present were:-
c100 Canada Geese 1 Redshank 1 Juv Grey Wagtail 2 Black Necked Grebe c10 Stock Dove
Mike Baron said
Sun Jun 5 5:51 PM, 2011
Pair of Cuckoos flew over Horrocks Hide and over flash then landed in trees on edge of the ruck
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Jun 5 5:27 PM, 2011
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Little Stint now re-identified thanks to much closer views as a Sanderling!
Info thanks to Ian Woosey
Still, it gives me an excuse to break out the article on just this subject I've had tucked away for the past two years. Never thought it'd have much use but...
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 5th of June 2011 04:09:27 PM
Yep think we need itwe thowt it was a temmicks first thing ,but wi lack of a decent scope and it being at the end of the point it could have been owt,Andy arrived to help out,but it still remained at the end of the point,now looking like a little stint as with a bit better light some brown could be barely seen on the wings. Me and Charlie went fer a mooch,and when we got back it was 200 yards closer and the pie eyters were there and between us all we nailed it,a very strange looking Sanderling-Made for a bit of excitement on a wet Sunday,and in the age of your damned if you do, and damned if you don't ,it was better to at least put it out originally as a stint as it could have easily beenat that point.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 5th of June 2011 05:44:56 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jun 5 3:28 PM, 2011
Little Stint now re-identified thanks to much closer views as a Sanderling!
Info thanks to Ian Woosey
Still, it gives me an excuse to break out the article on just this subject I've had tucked away for the past two years. Never thought it'd have much use but...
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 5th of June 2011 04:09:27 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jun 5 2:30 PM, 2011
Also present:
Two Black-necked Grebes and two Dunlin, one of the latter of which the Little Stint was loosely associating with.
Info thanks to John Tymon and Andy Isherwood
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jun 5 1:54 PM, 2011
Little Stint present on the spit this afternoon.
Found by John Tymon and Charlie Owen, identified by Andy Isherwood (thanks for that Andy)
John Carter said
Thu Jun 2 9:39 AM, 2011
Reed Warblers still showing well from Tom Edmondson hide on Wednesday afternoon.
Nick Isherwood said
Tue May 31 6:52 PM, 2011
Not much to report here this afternoon.
Usual culprits on the spit along with the usual warbler activity elsewhere around the park.
2 Bullfinch giving good views from Tom Edmonson hide. 3 Reed Warbler - all fledglings I think flitting around here too.
JOHN TYMON said
Sun May 29 3:09 PM, 2011
11.30-14.30 in awfull weather Sanderling-1 Ringed plover-8 Dunlin-1 redshank-2 Ostercatcher-2 lots of pied wagatail redpoll-1 lots of young warblers,Tits,and Robins about common Tern-2 Lots of Lesser Blacked backed gull through west probably around 50+ in 2 hours sand martin,swift,house martin plus the usualsand the unusual Mr Hargreaves
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun May 29 12:40 PM, 2011
Sanderling still present at 12.00
nice to see mr tymon and mr broome
cheers geoff
Ian McKerchar said
Sun May 29 8:39 AM, 2011
Sanderling present on the spit this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
steven burke said
Sat May 28 7:44 PM, 2011
9.30-4.30 58 species seen. 1 dunlin on spit between 2.45-4.15pm 1 ringed plover 3 redshank 4 oystercatcher 2 common tern 2 shellduck western end plenty off swifts & house martins. small number off swallows & sand martins western end. plenty off whitethroats, chiffchaffs, willow warblers & blackcaps + juveniles + all usual birds
JOHN TYMON said
Sat May 28 6:05 PM, 2011
10.30-15.00 flash unusually quiet for the time of year,everything to me seems a month further on than normal. plenty of young warblers ,which would have been unknown at this time of year 20 years ago-Blackcap,willow warbler,reed warbler,all with fledged young today, redshank-2 ringed plover-2 at least 20 bullfinch at the bunting hide?these should be nesting now which also seems strange. common tern-6 oystercatcher-4 plus the usuals
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 29th of May 2011 08:54:39 AM
Ian McKerchar said
Fri May 27 8:45 AM, 2011
Spoonbill high over this morning, heading roughly south at 08:15.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Fri May 27 6:27 AM, 2011
Two Sanderling on the spit this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
JOHN TYMON said
Thu May 26 5:24 PM, 2011
pm mooch with charlie owen ringed plover-2 redshank-2 plenty of young tits,etc about a lot of swift 2 common tern lesser whitethroat-1 not heard it for 2 weeks until today plus all the usual stuff
james hall said
Thu May 26 3:44 PM, 2011
would not even dream of it john and ok
thanks james
Ian McKerchar said
Thu May 26 12:31 PM, 2011
Single Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Dunlin present this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Wed May 25 11:15 PM, 2011
Greenshank still present up to 9:30pm tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
DAVID KENNEDY said
Wed May 25 10:45 PM, 2011
Greenshank still showing at the waters edge to the right of the spit tonight about 7pm.
Also of note from various hides were willow tit (bunting hide) redshank, shoveler and common terns.
A stressful day at work melted away by a few hours spent with nature, unbeatable.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 25th of May 2011 10:56:23 PM
Shelduck with 14 young at the western end this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Geoff Hargreaves said
Tue May 24 10:35 PM, 2011
Late visit,20.00 21.30
2 dunlin,plus the residents
cheers geoff
Ian McKerchar said
Mon May 23 8:48 PM, 2011
This evening:
Still 3 Dunlin Single Arctic Tern At least 1500 Swifts
Nick Isherwood said
Mon May 23 10:24 AM, 2011
No sign of the Avocet this morning at 9.30. 4 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, 2 Redshank and 4 Common Tern off the spit though.
JOHN TYMON said
Sun May 22 7:52 PM, 2011
james hall wrote:
nice walk round with my dad prodced :
1 avocet-my first ever at penny thank you so much john tymon 5 dunlin loads of swift
No problems James In the end there were Just 4 Dunlin -don't forget the bins next time your on your way back from the rugbyand with the Man of the Match display at leigh east this morning-make sure you sign for Leigh Centurians when your old enough not the pie eyters
Comment above by Ian.
What are rucks ? when I was a kid I heard that word and I think it was ex slag heap land? or referring to higher ground in close proximity. But I have never questioned it for all these years. UNTIL NOW !
Is that what it is ? and why the word ruck?
Theres nothing on the net and you are my last hope.
Please help as I won't be able to sleep when I get these obsure questions in my mind.
-- Edited by Pete Astles on Friday 24th of June 2011 01:57:39 PM
Afternoon visit today, bumping into John Tymon, who said the birds were pretty much has he had on Wednesday.
The "Yellowpoll" was again present at the Bunting Hide.
I would love to have a single site in Tameside where I don't have to walk for miles and stand a chance of seeing 40+ species of birds almost without trying, and a good variety at that!
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
2 Stock Doves
200+ Swifts - probably much higher numbers when the rain began
50+ Sand Martins
15 Skylarks
2 Meadow Pipits
3 Reed Warblers
2 Tree Sparrows - just off Slag Lane by Critchley House
2 Bullfinches
- Autumn will arrive before you know it.
sparrowhawk-1f
redshank-1
ringed plover-1plenty of gadwall
1 male teal
lots of bullfinch/chaffinch etc at the bunting hide
kestrel-1
common tern-3
not a lot else
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 23rd of June 2011 07:52:27 AM
Info thanks to Barry Hulme and Phil Rhodes
Ringed plover-2
mute swan-83 none breeders
greylag geese-8
redshank-2
canada geese-200+
lots of young Bullfinch/Chaffinch/Greenfinch
stock dove 15
plus the usuals
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
still scratching geoff
200+ swift
46 swallows
6 house martins
2 sand martins
swift-hard to estimate-but a guestimate would be 3000+
ringed plover-3
oystercatcher-3
lesser redpoll with yellow poll in bunting feeding station again
one swift was retreived from the bush by horrocks hide by Geoff Hargrieves ,and kept inthe hide for an hour to dry out,first attempt by geoff to re lounch it into the air didn't work and an hour later me and Charlie owen tried again ,but unfortunately it dropped like a stone and crawled under a part horrocks hide were we couldn't retrieve it,so wether it will survive,is anyones guess,but it was riddled with the large swift lice,and in charlies oppinion it was weakness from the lice which braught it down
gave up at 2.30 when the rain stopped play
More or less same as Ian plus while he went home for his pon o Lobbies,I went moochin and found
Gadwall-1 f with 8 ducklings -first of summer with young
sparrowhawk-1
lesser redpoll with the yellow poll still present at thr bunting
lots of bullfinch,chaffinch-which strangely were in a small flock near lapwing hide,a bit early for flocks of chaffinch,but then again all the mallard are going into eclipse
JAY-2
Stock Dove -12
Lots of young Warblers etc
5 common tern later
1 Shelduck
1 Redshank
2 Ringed Plovers
2 Oystercatchers
3 Common Terns
9 Greylag Geese
1 Grey Wagtail
3 Stock Doves
3 Cormorants
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 11th of June 2011 04:07:07 PM
Not re-identified soon enough to stop someone posting Little Stint on the Atlas website
Break out that article, Ian! Though I believe you're got rather busy at the moment...
Steve
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
2 Dunlin
3 Redshank
4 Oystercatcher
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Ringed Plover
Also a Sparrowhawk being harried by BH gull over Tom Edmonson hide.
Green Sandpiper from Teal Scrape
Cuckoo calling from the Ramsdales Ruck area
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Also present were:-
c100 Canada Geese
1 Redshank
1 Juv Grey Wagtail
2 Black Necked Grebe
c10 Stock Dove
Yep think we need it
Me and Charlie went fer a mooch,and when we got back it was 200 yards closer and the pie eyters were there and between us all we nailed it,a very strange looking Sanderling-Made for a bit of excitement on a wet Sunday,and in the age of your damned if you do, and damned if you don't ,it was better to at least put it out originally as a stint as it could have easily been
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 5th of June 2011 05:44:56 PM
Info thanks to Ian Woosey
Still, it gives me an excuse to break out the article on just this subject I've had tucked away for the past two years. Never thought it'd have much use but...
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 5th of June 2011 04:09:27 PM
Two Black-necked Grebes and two Dunlin, one of the latter of which the Little Stint was loosely associating with.
Info thanks to John Tymon and Andy Isherwood
Found by John Tymon and Charlie Owen, identified by Andy Isherwood (thanks for that Andy)
Usual culprits on the spit along with the usual warbler activity elsewhere around the park.
2 Bullfinch giving good views from Tom Edmonson hide.
3 Reed Warbler - all fledglings I think flitting around here too.
Sanderling-1
Ringed plover-8
Dunlin-1
redshank-2
Ostercatcher-2
lots of pied wagatail
redpoll-1
lots of young warblers,Tits,and Robins about
common Tern-2
Lots of Lesser Blacked backed gull through west probably around 50+ in 2 hours
sand martin,swift,house martin
plus the usuals
nice to see mr tymon and mr broome
cheers geoff
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
1 dunlin
1 ringed plover
3 redshank
4 oystercatcher
2 common tern
2 shellduck western end
plenty off swifts & house martins.
small number off swallows & sand martins western end.
plenty off whitethroats, chiffchaffs, willow warblers & blackcaps + juveniles
+ all usual birds
flash unusually quiet for the time of year,everything to me seems a month further on than normal.
plenty of young warblers ,which would have been unknown at this time of year 20 years ago-Blackcap,willow warbler,reed warbler,all with fledged young today,
redshank-2
ringed plover-2
at least 20 bullfinch at the bunting hide?these should be nesting now which also seems strange.
common tern-6
oystercatcher-4
plus the usuals
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 29th of May 2011 08:54:39 AM
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
ringed plover-2
redshank-2
plenty of young tits,etc about
a lot of swift
2 common tern
lesser whitethroat-1 not heard it for 2 weeks until today
plus all the usual stuff
thanks james
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Also of note from various hides were willow tit (bunting hide) redshank, shoveler and common terns.
A stressful day at work melted away by a few hours spent with nature, unbeatable.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 25th of May 2011 10:56:23 PM
Greenshank still present at 3.30-more or less the same as piemon apart from that
1 Greenshank
6 Shelduck
1 Ringed Plover
2 Redshank
1 Common Tern
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
2 dunlin,plus the residents
cheers geoff
Still 3 Dunlin
Single Arctic Tern
At least 1500 Swifts
No problems James
In the end there were Just 4 Dunlin -don't forget the bins next time your on your way back from the rugby