Unfortunantely I have to agree with you regarding the Buzzard ID I did post a few photos on an ID site I use The consensus there seems to be a Buzzard but again prefixed by ' It could be a' or 'It is difficult to tell from the photos but it may be a'
Other than Kestrels I have no experience of raptors so I won't be ticking it off in my ID book just yet On the positive side however, if Egyptian Geese were in my ID book I would be ticking them off and I will certainly be visiting the lake again as I had a grand day out.
Regards
Dave
Tony Darby said
Sun Sep 18 11:33 PM, 2011
I'm sure all the GM Egyptian Geese are relieved that their welfare is your concern Ian
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Sep 18 10:55 PM, 2011
Awww, good to see they're all fit and well, I think...
Tony Darby said
Sun Sep 18 9:59 PM, 2011
I think the Platt Fields Egyptian Goose is feeling a little left out of this discussion
Steve Christmas said
Sun Sep 18 9:38 PM, 2011
Ian, there was an Egyptian Goose with the mute swan family at Etherow on 10/9/2011 near the weir.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Sep 18 9:27 PM, 2011
Simon, for the sake of Manchester Birding lists at the very least, an Egyptian Goose such as this is countable. As you say, unless proven otherwise it's as good as a Norfolk bird and perhaps better than the 'orrible 'Gippos' at Etherow (although I'm not sure there's any left there now!)
David, from another point of view, your raptor description as stated on your post, far from concludes it's identification as a Buzzard I'm afraid, unless you have further details?
Davidcaron62 said
Sun Sep 18 8:31 PM, 2011
Hi Simon
I got some good photos of the goose and although its not in any of my bird guides I have put it on my list. Its the first one I have seen so am pleased.
It is also the first time I have seen a Sparrowhawk so I was a little unsure with my id. Another poster has confirned my description of the Buzzard and also saw one over Strinesdale later in the day coming from the direction of the lake.
I enjoyed my morning at the the lake. There were lots of people about even so early on a Sunday and therefore not much on the mud. I will definately be going again.
Regards
Dave
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Sep 18 8:10 PM, 2011
Thanks for the post David - you beat me to it posting about the Egyptian Goose which was an unexpected find on my WEBS count this morning. This has sparked some debate amongst Rochdale birders as to whether it's tickable - it's presumably never seen the pyramids and has probably flown over some fence somewhere but is it any less wild than the one at Etherow ( do people count that?) or the Norfolk population for that matter. What's the general consensus?? Anyhow it's a rare bird in Rochdale - there was a previous record of a bird at the lake in 1990 and the only other record appears to have been in Norden in 1911!
Also this morning 2 Wigeon (1 Lake , 1 Akzo Pond), 77 Mallard, 2 teal, 1 Goosander ( seen off by rowing boats at 07:20), 30+ Swallows, 1 Blackcap, 3+ Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests, 4 Lesser Redpoll over, 1 Siskin over, 5 Bullfinch
Also a Yellow Wagtail heard flying over Shaw Moss but couldn't locate it
Yesterday evening there were 2 Ringed Plovers but any wader on the mud soon gets disturbed by dog walkers or rowing boats
PS: There's certainly a female Sparrowhawk hanging around the nature reserve David - I've seen it several times this week and this is by far the commonest raptor on site.
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Sunday 18th of September 2011 08:26:55 PM
Davidcaron62 said
Sun Sep 18 5:22 PM, 2011
18th September 2011
Am (9ish) Dry and warm
1 Egyptian Goose (In amoungst the Canada Geese , Mallard and Gulls near the activity centre)
1 Buzzard (Possibly) circling high above the hide for 5 mins or so (Another birder thought it may have been a Peregrine falcon but the tail was fan shaped and the wings rounded and fingered)
Another falcon type flew lower over the hide heading away from the lake into the trees shortly after. Gliding. It had a straighter tail (Sparrowhawk?)
I don't have much experience of hawks so difficult for me to be sure.
Dave
-- Edited by Davidcaron62 on Monday 19th of September 2011 07:01:18 AM
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Sep 15 10:43 PM, 2011
In search of stranded seabirds - perhaps a Yellow-nosed Albatross - unfortunately no luck this time but did see.. 3 Cormorants 1 Wigeon 2 Teal 3 Tufted Ducks 2 Sparrowhawks covey of at least 14 Grey Partridge near Whittaker 1 Great spotted Woodpecker 200+ Swallows - a lot heading straight through 12 House Martins 40+ Mipits over 4 Skylark south 7 Chiffchaff 3 Goldcrest brief view of a Spotted Flycatcher in the bushes behind Big hedge 8 Siskin over 9 Lesser Redpoll over 23 Linnet
Great to meet you too Rob -you're the first birder I've met here since the Pied-billed Grebe disappeared
Nick Isherwood said
Thu Sep 15 7:31 PM, 2011
Rob W wrote:
Finally, it seems I may unintentionally be in breach of forum rules by not having my full name (which is Rob Willis) as my user name. So if anyone can advise me how to alter this I'd be greatly obliged.
Rob, if you click on your name in the right hand side of the screen it'll give you a menu of options. Just go onto 'edit profile' and you should be able to amend your name from there.
Rob Willis said
Thu Sep 15 7:15 PM, 2011
At the Lake and it's environs earlier today (about 12.00 to 15.30) and saw a Tawny Owl, Long Tailed Tits and Goldcrests, all in the nature reserve area. After going a bit further afield up to the Pennine Bridleway saw the usual Meadow Pipits (loads of), Pheasant and more Goldcrests (in the conifers at Whittaker golf course).
After descending through Whitaker wood I met a fellow birder who turned out to be Simon Hitchen, who's reports from the Lake area I've seen many times. In fact I'd previously contacted Simon following his recent sightings of Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart and Lesser Redpoll in the big hedge area of the Lake to see if he could give me any tips on where/when best to look for these. He very kindly responded (thanks Simon, much appreciated!) but I've not been fortunate enough to see them yet. And it's very likely that the Flycatcher and Redstart may have now left for the year so maybe I'll have to wait until next time.
It was great to bump into Simon and put a face to the name.
Finally, it seems I may unintentionally be in breach of forum rules by not having my full name (which is Rob Willis) as my user name. So if anyone can advise me how to alter this I'd be greatly obliged.
Steve Bostock said
Mon Sep 12 1:35 PM, 2011
steven burke wrote:
2.00-6.00pm
1 common sandpiper (with limp) plus all usual birds
monday lunchtime, Snipe right in front of hide. also a pair of sandpiper, the one with the limp has got fishing line wrapper round its foot. plus all usual birds steve
Steve Bostock said
Sun Sep 11 12:43 PM, 2011
pair of snipe ,to right of hide ,on edge of pond, sat morning.
mandarin duck on canal near durn ,sunday afternoon,
steve
-- Edited by Steve Bostock on Sunday 11th of September 2011 03:23:36 PM
steven burke said
Sat Sep 10 9:07 PM, 2011
2.00-6.00pm
1 spotted flycatcher (near nature reserve) 1 common sandpiper (with limp) 1 lapwing 1 moorhen 19 pied wagtails 2 cormorants 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 chiffchaffs 5 siskins 6 meadow pipits 2 grey herons lots off swallows around plus all usual birds
Simon Hitchen said
Sat Sep 3 11:59 PM, 2011
3/9 A Sandwich Tern this afternoon - heard it calling initially and then located it carrying a fish and being pursued by Black-headed Gulls. It later settled on the mud with the gulls.
Otherwise pretty quiet.
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Sep 1 9:35 PM, 2011
4 Cormorant 11 Teal 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Common Sandpiper 1 Green Woodpecker 1 Redstart again in Big Hedge area - elusive at times and best located by call 5+ Willow Warblers 1 Spotted Flycatcher - same area 1 Lesser Redpoll
A Yellow Wagtail flew over calling on 27/8 - my first record here for several years
Simon Hitchen said
Tue Aug 23 10:30 PM, 2011
2 Spotted Flycatchers around Big Hedge area 6 Teal 1 Grey Wagtail
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Aug 21 9:10 PM, 2011
3 Cormorant 5 Teal 1 Oystercatcher 68 Lapwing 1 REDSTART - Big Hedge 20+ Willow Warblers 1 Whitethroat 3 Lesser Redpoll - ad with 2 juvs family party Bullfinches
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Aug 1 10:57 PM, 2011
1/8
Drake Common Scoter
31/7
1 Green Sandpiper
Simon Hitchen said
Tue Jul 26 11:38 PM, 2011
26/7
2 Green Sandpipers 1 LRP 1 Coot female Roe deer with 2 fawns
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Jul 24 10:12 PM, 2011
24/7
8 Oystercatcher 1 LRP 55 Lapwing 1 Curlew over 1 Green Sandpiper 1 Common Sandpiper 1 Coot -local rarity! 1 Green Woodpecker family parties of Blackcap, Wren, Coal Tit & Bullfinch amongst others Treecreeper with recently fledged juv - first time I have recorded this species breeding in this area
23/7
1 Lesser Whitethroat in area behind TSPalatine
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Sunday 24th of July 2011 10:56:55 PM
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Jul 21 10:55 PM, 2011
21/7
8 Oystercatcher 4 LRP 2 Green Sandpipers 2 Common Sandpipers 1 Grey Wagtail
steven burke said
Sun Jul 17 10:52 PM, 2011
Simon Hitchen wrote:
Hi Steven - yes there are a few Roe Deer around and they can sometimes be seen on the nature reserve - they have only appeared in the area in the last 10 years but they seem to be increasing around the moorland fringe in the Littleborough area.
Not much birdwise today :-
Drake Wigeon still present 5 LRPs 6 Oystercatchers 2 Lesser Redpoll over
Sedge Warbler singing at Clegg Hall
Cheers, Simon
thanks simon, been looking at some photos on the web site and yes it was a female roe deer. cheers,steve.
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Jul 17 9:25 PM, 2011
Hi Steven - yes there are a few Roe Deer around and they can sometimes be seen on the nature reserve - they have only appeared in the area in the last 10 years but they seem to be increasing around the moorland fringe in the Littleborough area.
Not much birdwise today :-
Drake Wigeon still present 5 LRPs 6 Oystercatchers 2 Lesser Redpoll over
Sedge Warbler singing at Clegg Hall
Cheers, Simon
steven burke said
Sat Jul 16 9:37 PM, 2011
couple off hours here 5.00-7.00pm 34 species seen
5 little ringed plover 10 oystercatchers 1 common sandpiper 1 wigeon (as simons, drake in eclipse) 1 l-b-b gull plenty off b-h-gulls + juveniles 2 mute swans plenty off canada goose + goslings, + mallards 1 pied wagtail 1 grey heron 1 kestrel swifts, swallows, & sand martins over lake & fields 1 redpoll over 1 meadow pipit blackcaps, chiffchaffs, goldfinch, greenfinch, blue/great/& coal tits dunnocks, blackbirds, starlings, house sparrows magpies, jackdaws, crows wood pigeons,feral pigeons & collard doves.
also what looked like a female roe deer walked off the path into the nature reserve. would i be correct in thinking it was a roe deer?
-- Edited by steven burke on Saturday 16th of July 2011 10:22:33 PM
Simon Hitchen said
Sat Jul 16 2:34 PM, 2011
Drake Wigeon in eclipse 4 Oystercatchers 4 LRPs 1 Green Sandpiper 2 Common Sands 2 juv Blackcaps
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Jul 14 8:36 AM, 2011
1 Black-tailed Godwit 13 Oystercatcher 1 Common Sandpiper
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Jul 7 10:35 PM, 2011
7th July
5 adult summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwits on the small pool at Shaw Moss this afternoon- appeared to be 'islandica' race.
The lake itself is being partially drained to enable some alterations to the overflow so quite a bit of mud around - today there were 14 Oystercatchers (another 2 at Shaw Moss) and 12 Little -ringed Plovers (all post-breeding dispersal birds) - also a Grey Wag and a Lesser Redpoll over.
Simon Hitchen said
Wed May 4 10:43 PM, 2011
Garden Warbler singing this morning at the nature reserve
Simon Hitchen said
Tue May 3 10:35 PM, 2011
A cracking male Whinchat at Clegg Hall this morning - also my first Swift of the year over the Lake
Simon Hitchen said
Mon May 2 9:47 PM, 2011
3 Arctic Tern - 2 flew straight through east at 0710 and another single lingered for a while at 0750 before disappearing east
3 Whimbrel flew on to the small spit at 0740 but only touched down for a few minutes before heading off east
1 Fieldfare - by far the latest I've ever had here
Arctic Tern 4 Common Sandpiper Green Woodpecker Snow Goose enjoying bread
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Simon Hitchen said
Sat Apr 30 10:21 PM, 2011
On my way home from work 8 Arctic Terns flew straight through and off north-east at 7pm this evening - makes you wonder what gets missed here as I'm only around for small periods each day and birds don't tend to linger.
Nearby Alan Nuttall had a Cuckoo at Blackstone Edge - a great Rochdale record these days - it's 20 years since I last saw one in Rochdale!
Simon Hitchen said
Fri Apr 29 10:58 PM, 2011
2 Arctic Terns this morning at 0730
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Apr 24 9:02 PM, 2011
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling at nature reserve - another at Clegg Hall 2 Dunlins 1 Common Sandpiper 2 Stock Doves 3 Blackcap 2 Chiffchaff Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler singing at Clegg Hall
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Apr 14 10:12 PM, 2011
Drake Common Scoter dodging the rowing boats today
Nearby at Longden End 1 Buzzard, 1 Curlew, 10 Wheatear, 40+ Sand martins, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Dipper - some great looking habitat for Ring Ouzel here - the only thing missing was the birds themselves.
Simon Hitchen said
Tue Apr 12 10:59 PM, 2011
An adult Kittiwake was on the Lake early this morning.
Very interested to hear about the Tree Sparrow Simon - had a quick look back through my records - this species used to be fairly common in the area when I cut my birding teeth in the eighties and used to breed in Ealees Valley up until the early nineties but the only record I have since 1992 was a bird that came to garden feeders along Milbury Drive in December 2005/January 2006 so this is an excellent local record.
Cheers, Simon
Simon Harris said
Tue Apr 12 5:40 PM, 2011
Had a walk from wildhouse lane to the lake and spotted a tree sparrow on wall beside house above shaw moss. I don't know how if there are records of tree sparrows here but this is the first time I've seen one in the Littleborough area, in fact this was a county first for me.
other sightings today were: 6 teal 1 heron 2 female goosander 2 lesser black backed gulls 2 great crested grebes several willow warblers 4 lapwing swallows
maggie culkin said
Sun Apr 3 9:39 AM, 2011
We went to Rakewood and Longden End yesterday evening (saturday the 2nd) . There were about 6 sand martins near the nest holes and 1 house martin at Rakewood. There was a pair of buzzards in the Longden End valley and a green woodpecker. There were about 8 wheatears around, but no winter thrushes.
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Mar 20 5:09 PM, 2011
20/3
1 Shelduck before scared off by rowing boats at 0730 3 Goosander
19/3
first Chiffchaff of year
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Mar 17 10:01 PM, 2011
A Little ringed Plover this morning was the earliest I have ever seen here
Probably not even that far Jill. They (Kittiwakes) have to fly over somewhere to get to or from Hollingworth
Jill Brown said
Thu Mar 10 10:05 PM, 2011
I was interested to read about the kittiwakes, as I found the remains of one at the Town Hall - a peregrine dropped it from the tower - in March last year. I wondered where it might have gone to get it. Perhaps only as far as Littleborough!
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Mar 10 9:16 PM, 2011
2 Kittiwakes this morning - an adult and a first year - the first I've seen here since 2008. March is always the best month for this species but immature birds are, in my experience, unusual.
Same as Keith, full lake walk in the hope of finding the slav. No sign of it at 1500, either in the reeds or its moved (fingers crossed for sale WP!). Also had a look at visitor centre: 2 goldfinch 2 Bullfinch 4 Blue Tit 2 Coal Tit (one has a cracking beak deformation, a huge upper mandible!) 2 Great Tit 2 Dunnock 1 Robin 2 Blackbird Also apparently a pair of bank voles
Keith Mills said
Tue Feb 22 12:56 PM, 2011
No sign of Slavonian Grebe late this am. Full circuit produced only:
Unfortunantely I have to agree with you regarding the Buzzard ID I did post a few photos on an ID site I use The consensus there seems to be a Buzzard but again prefixed by ' It could be a' or 'It is difficult to tell from the photos but it may be a'
Other than Kestrels I have no experience of raptors so I won't be ticking it off in my ID book just yet On the positive side however, if Egyptian Geese were in my ID book I would be ticking them off and I will certainly be visiting the lake again as I had a grand day out.
Regards
Dave
David, from another point of view, your raptor description as stated on your post, far from concludes it's identification as a Buzzard I'm afraid, unless you have further details?
I got some good photos of the goose and although its not in any of my bird guides I have put it on my list. Its the first one I have seen so am pleased.
It is also the first time I have seen a Sparrowhawk so I was a little unsure with my id. Another poster has confirned my description of the Buzzard and also saw one over Strinesdale later in the day coming from the direction of the lake.
I enjoyed my morning at the the lake. There were lots of people about even so early on a Sunday and therefore not much on the mud. I will definately be going again.
Regards
Dave
Also this morning 2 Wigeon (1 Lake , 1 Akzo Pond), 77 Mallard, 2 teal, 1 Goosander ( seen off by rowing boats at 07:20), 30+ Swallows, 1 Blackcap, 3+ Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests, 4 Lesser Redpoll over, 1 Siskin over, 5 Bullfinch
Also a Yellow Wagtail heard flying over Shaw Moss but couldn't locate it
Yesterday evening there were 2 Ringed Plovers but any wader on the mud soon gets disturbed by dog walkers or rowing boats
PS: There's certainly a female Sparrowhawk hanging around the nature reserve David - I've seen it several times this week and this is by far the commonest raptor on site.
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Sunday 18th of September 2011 08:26:55 PM
Am (9ish) Dry and warm
1 Egyptian Goose (In amoungst the Canada Geese , Mallard and Gulls near the activity centre)
1 Buzzard (Possibly) circling high above the hide for 5 mins or so (Another birder thought it may have been a Peregrine falcon but the tail was fan shaped and the wings rounded and fingered)
Another falcon type flew lower over the hide heading away from the lake into the trees shortly after. Gliding. It had a straighter tail (Sparrowhawk?)
I don't have much experience of hawks so difficult for me to be sure.
Dave
-- Edited by Davidcaron62 on Monday 19th of September 2011 07:01:18 AM
3 Cormorants
1 Wigeon
2 Teal
3 Tufted Ducks
2 Sparrowhawks
covey of at least 14 Grey Partridge near Whittaker
1 Great spotted Woodpecker
200+ Swallows - a lot heading straight through
12 House Martins
40+ Mipits over
4 Skylark south
7 Chiffchaff
3 Goldcrest
brief view of a Spotted Flycatcher in the bushes behind Big hedge
8 Siskin over
9 Lesser Redpoll over
23 Linnet
Great to meet you too Rob -you're the first birder I've met here since the Pied-billed Grebe disappeared
Rob, if you click on your name in the right hand side of the screen it'll give you a menu of options. Just go onto 'edit profile' and you should be able to amend your name from there.
After descending through Whitaker wood I met a fellow birder who turned out to be Simon Hitchen, who's reports from the Lake area I've seen many times. In fact I'd previously contacted Simon following his recent sightings of Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart and Lesser Redpoll in the big hedge area of the Lake to see if he could give me any tips on where/when best to look for these. He very kindly responded (thanks Simon, much appreciated!) but I've not been fortunate enough to see them yet. And it's very likely that the Flycatcher and Redstart may have now left for the year so maybe I'll have to wait until next time.
It was great to bump into Simon and put a face to the name.
Finally, it seems I may unintentionally be in breach of forum rules by not having my full name (which is Rob Willis) as my user name. So if anyone can advise me how to alter this I'd be greatly obliged.
monday lunchtime, Snipe right in front of hide.
also a pair of sandpiper, the one with the limp has got fishing line wrapper round its foot.
plus all usual birds
steve
mandarin duck on canal near durn ,sunday afternoon,
steve
-- Edited by Steve Bostock on Sunday 11th of September 2011 03:23:36 PM
1 spotted flycatcher (near nature reserve)
1 common sandpiper (with limp)
1 lapwing
1 moorhen
19 pied wagtails
2 cormorants
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 chiffchaffs
5 siskins
6 meadow pipits
2 grey herons
lots off swallows around
plus all usual birds
A Sandwich Tern this afternoon - heard it calling initially and then located it carrying a fish and being pursued by Black-headed Gulls. It later settled on the mud with the gulls.
Otherwise pretty quiet.
11 Teal
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Redstart again in Big Hedge area - elusive at times and best located by call
5+ Willow Warblers
1 Spotted Flycatcher - same area
1 Lesser Redpoll
6 Teal
1 Great spotted Woodpecker
1 Redstart
15+ Willow Warblers
1 Spotted Flycatcher
4 Lesser Redpoll
family Bullfinch
A Yellow Wagtail flew over calling on 27/8 - my first record here for several years
6 Teal
1 Grey Wagtail
5 Teal
1 Oystercatcher
68 Lapwing
1 REDSTART - Big Hedge
20+ Willow Warblers
1 Whitethroat
3 Lesser Redpoll - ad with 2 juvs
family party Bullfinches
Drake Common Scoter
31/7
1 Green Sandpiper
2 Green Sandpipers
1 LRP
1 Coot
female Roe deer with 2 fawns
8 Oystercatcher
1 LRP
55 Lapwing
1 Curlew over
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Coot -local rarity!
1 Green Woodpecker
family parties of Blackcap, Wren, Coal Tit & Bullfinch amongst others
Treecreeper with recently fledged juv - first time I have recorded this species breeding in this area
23/7
1 Lesser Whitethroat in area behind TSPalatine
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Sunday 24th of July 2011 10:56:55 PM
8 Oystercatcher
4 LRP
2 Green Sandpipers
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Grey Wagtail
thanks simon, been looking at some photos on the web site and yes it was a female roe deer. cheers,steve.
Not much birdwise today :-
Drake Wigeon still present
5 LRPs
6 Oystercatchers
2 Lesser Redpoll over
Sedge Warbler singing at Clegg Hall
Cheers, Simon
5 little ringed plover
10 oystercatchers
1 common sandpiper
1 wigeon (as simons, drake in eclipse)
1 l-b-b gull
plenty off b-h-gulls + juveniles
2 mute swans
plenty off canada goose + goslings, + mallards
1 pied wagtail
1 grey heron
1 kestrel
swifts, swallows, & sand martins over lake & fields
1 redpoll over
1 meadow pipit
blackcaps, chiffchaffs, goldfinch, greenfinch,
blue/great/& coal tits
dunnocks, blackbirds, starlings, house sparrows
magpies, jackdaws, crows
wood pigeons,feral pigeons & collard doves.
also what looked like a female roe deer walked off the path into the nature reserve.
would i be correct in thinking it was a roe deer?
-- Edited by steven burke on Saturday 16th of July 2011 10:22:33 PM
4 Oystercatchers
4 LRPs
1 Green Sandpiper
2 Common Sands
2 juv Blackcaps
13 Oystercatcher
1 Common Sandpiper
5 adult summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwits on the small pool at Shaw Moss this afternoon- appeared to be 'islandica' race.
The lake itself is being partially drained to enable some alterations to the overflow so quite a bit of mud around - today there were 14 Oystercatchers (another 2 at Shaw Moss) and 12 Little -ringed Plovers (all post-breeding dispersal birds) - also a Grey Wag and a Lesser Redpoll over.
3 Whimbrel flew on to the small spit at 0740 but only touched down for a few minutes before heading off east
1 Fieldfare - by far the latest I've ever had here
1 Gropper
1 Greylag Goose 1 Cormorant 3 Common Sandpiper 1 Sparrowhawk
Arctic Tern
4 Common Sandpiper
Green Woodpecker
Snow Goose enjoying bread
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Nearby Alan Nuttall had a Cuckoo at Blackstone Edge - a great Rochdale record these days - it's 20 years since I last saw one in Rochdale!
2 Dunlins
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Stock Doves
3 Blackcap 2 Chiffchaff
Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler singing at Clegg Hall
also 1 Tuftie, 1 Cormorant, 4 Great-crested grebe, 2 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 15 + Willow Warblers, 1 Blackcap.
Nearby at Longden End 1 Buzzard, 1 Curlew, 10 Wheatear, 40+ Sand martins, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Dipper - some great looking habitat for Ring Ouzel here - the only thing missing was the birds themselves.
Very interested to hear about the Tree Sparrow Simon - had a quick look back through my records - this species used to be fairly common in the area when I cut my birding teeth in the eighties and used to breed in Ealees Valley up until the early nineties but the only record I have since 1992 was a bird that came to garden feeders along Milbury Drive in December 2005/January 2006 so this is an excellent local record.
Cheers, Simon
other sightings today were:
6 teal
1 heron
2 female goosander
2 lesser black backed gulls
2 great crested grebes
several willow warblers
4 lapwing
swallows
1 Shelduck before scared off by rowing boats at 0730
3 Goosander
19/3
first Chiffchaff of year
Also today 8 Wigeon, 4 Tufted Ducks, 1 Goosander, 1 Coot, 1 Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers
Also 3 Goosander, 3 Cormorant, 1 Coot, 15+ Redwing, 20+ Fieldfare, 1 Siskin
Yesterday (9/3) 3 Wigeon 3 Pochard
Things seem to be starting to move
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Thursday 10th of March 2011 09:18:02 PM
have you seen the stuff about beak deformities on the BTO website?
http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/about/background/projects/bgbw
Steve
2 goldfinch
2 Bullfinch
4 Blue Tit
2 Coal Tit (one has a cracking beak deformation, a huge upper mandible!)
2 Great Tit
2 Dunnock
1 Robin
2 Blackbird
Also apparently a pair of bank voles
Full circuit produced only:
Goosander (redhead) ....6
Cormorant .....................5
Met Mike Hirst and spoke to John Parkinson.Both were round before me with similar results.