Saturday 12th February 8.30-10.00

Nice mild morning, and spring seemed to have sprung amongst the birds at Woodford. A very vocal Skylark was a welcome sight, and the first since early summer last year.
The huge flood puddle by the Vicarage had 3 mallards on it.
Another flood puddle on Church lane had 75 Canada Geese along with 4 Greylag Geese plus around 50 Black Headed Gulls.
Other birds around the fields of Old Hall Farm and the surrounding woodlands were:

2 Nuthatch
1 Common Buzzard
6 Mistle Thrush
2 Song Thrush
12 Long Tailed Tit
12 Blue Tit
6 Great Tit
1 Pied Wagtail
5 Goldfinch
12 Blackbird
5 Mallard
2 Canada Geese

A male Merlin was over the airfield this morning

Saturday 29th January 8.30-11.30

Nice cold bright morning which started off quietly but then soon came to life.

4 Common Buzzard
3 Bullfinch
4 Chaffinch
4 Goosander
1 Grey Heron
14 Mallard
1 GSW (lots of drumming)
3 Nuthatch
24 Fieldfare
9 Redwing
3 Song Thrush

Lots and lots of the usual bits and bobs.

Adam

-- Edited by Adam Jones on Saturday 29th of January 2011 09:09:04 PM

Hi-lites of my tetrad visit today(half Gm/half Cheshire):
5 Tree Sparrows
10 Teal on the Bollin
2 Goosander
3 Buzzards
5 Stock Dove
3 Drumming Great Spots
6 Nuthatch
5 Lapwing
Large flocks of Redwings(40/35), and smaller of Fieldfare(15/8)
Lots of Great/Blue tits.
Chris H

Sunday 19th December 1.00-2.00

2 Common Buzzard sat about 20 metres apart carefully surveying the snow covered ground.
1 Kestrel
12 Fieldfare
1 Redwing
1 Song Thrush
1 Cormorant (over)
5 Lapwing (over)
3 Goldfinch

Saturday 18th December 10.30-11.00

A brisk walk down Old Hall Lane this morning. About 1 inch of snow on the ground.
Main birds were:

1 Common Buzzard
1 Sparrowhwk on Chester Road
2 Bullfinch m & f
24 Fieldfare
5 Song Thrush
5 Goldfinch
2 Pied Wagtail
10 Blackbird
c100 unidentified Geese flying South East

Old Hall Lane and Farm

9 Lapwing
1 Buzzard
1 Merlin (female)
c30 Fieldfare
c10 Redwing
8 Goldfinch - but a noticable lack of other small passerines.

Cheers, John

Late report for yesterday (14th). Macclesfield RSPB report c20 Waxwings on Avro Golf Course at 10 am yesterday.

Sunday 12th December 8.15-10.00am

Apologies for the late posting, but it appears that between us all we have covered all hours of daylight except for a couple, and I too saw no sightings of the SEO, sadly. I will not be detered though, and when time permits I will be back.
Extremely cold morning, a lot of it spent in a field with sheep for company and the frost on my boots never melting. However, the joy of birding keeps me going and never knowing what's going to fly past you next is all I need.
Today's highlights were;

2 Common Buzzard
1 Raven (over)
1 Cormorant (over)
1 Bullfinch
24 Fieldfare
4 Wren
1 Song Thrush
2 Mallard
1 Pied Wagtail
All the usuals too

12.30 - 16.15

A long vigil this afternoon with Mark Rigby, Mike Chorley and (belatedly) Iain Johnson failed to produce any SEO sightings.

c30 Fieldfare
c10 Redwing
2 Mistle Thrushes
1 Song Thrush
2 Buzzards
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Great spotted Woodpecker
2 Cormorants over
An evening roost of c80 Carrion Crows near the main runway

Cheers, John

He's emailing me every day he sees it - 2nd, 9th, 10th. I asked him to confirm in GM and it is - presumably hunts all over the airfield?

Judith Smith wrote:

---

Jack Canovan reported the Short-eared Owl over the GMC part of the airfield for the 2nd day, today.

---

Hi Judith,

Jack had a SEO on the Adlington (Cheshire) side of the airfield on 2nd Dec and again at Old Hall lane, Woodford (GM side) on 9th. I don't think it was seen on 2 consecutive days was it? But it's sticking around that area and that's good.

No sign of it 08.30 - 09.30 this morning though.

Cheers, John

That's great news Judith. Certainly something for me to look out for. I've yet to see an owl over there. Will try to be more vigilant from now on.

Jack Canovan reported the Short-eared Owl over the GMC part of the airfield for the 2nd day, today.

Friday 10th December 1.30-2.45pm

A very dull damp afternoon. I took advantage of the golf course being closed and wandered around the woods to the rear. No Snipe, which is what I was really after. The star birds here were 2 Goldcrests and a Treecreeper. Lots of Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits. The latter in a flock of 14.
Other birds today were;

Greenfinch 14 (in one flock)
Fieldfare 25
Blackbird 20
Song Thrush 1
Chaffinch 1
Common Buzzard (heard calling)

John Rayner wrote:

---

Woodford often features on weather reports as a cold place so no surprise this morning that the outside temp read -13 deg at 9.00.

---

That's nothing! According to Wikipedia: "Woodford's Met Office weather station recorded a temperature of 17.6 °C (0 °F) on 8 January 2010".

Woodford often features on weather reports as a cold place so no surprise this morning that the outside temp read -13 deg at 9.00. I wonder what the overnight low was because the River Goyt was icing over even though it is fast flowing here.

Best bits were a flock of c110 Fieldfare plus only 2 Redwing
2 Buzzards
A snipe sp. at some distance. Flying away (so the bill may have been foreshortened) but with shortish rounded wings looked a good candidate for a Jack Snipe.

Yesterday, just 0.5 mile away on the Cheshire side of the airfield a Short-eared Owl was flushed but apparently it never flew over the border.

Cheers, John

Sunday 28th November 8.15-9.45

Nice to meet you Chris, glad you had a productive time, if a little cold.

Not a great deal happening for me this morning, but the highlights were,
1 Buzzard
29 Fieldfare
6 Greenfinch
Plenty of the usual stuff. Just a little too cold at -8 degrees.

Nice to meet you today Adam. Finally thawed out from the tetrad visit.
Highlight was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on track to Newton Hall Fm, just out of the border.
8 Snipe around the farm and the Bollin.
2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk
32 Fieldfare, only 2 Redwings
2 Reed Buntings, Mippit, 6 Linnet
6 Teal around the Bollin(just inside my tetrad).
Tree Sparrow near the Lesser Spot too

Back at the end of Jan with hoefully thawed fields!!
Chris H

Nov 9th (11.15 - 11.30)
I had just found a juv Peregrine (in Cheshire) which then overflew the GM half of the airfield when I got an intriguing call about a funny grebe at Hollinworth. No further sightings from Woodford

Cheers, John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 9th of November 2010 05:19:43 PM

Sunday 7th November 8.15-10.15am

Good numbers again today. Mainly focused on Old Hall Farm.

3 Raven
15 Redwing
35 Fieldfare
1 Buzzard
1 Merlin (Possibly the same as Nigel's. It went wizzing past me at around 10 am)
2 Mistle Thrush
1 Tree Sparrow
7 Greenfinch
9 Goldfinch
2 Dunnock
1 Wren
1 Coal Tit
3 GreY Wagtail
2 Mistle Thrush

Lots of the usuals too, especially plenty of Blackbirds.

This sunny morning:

Two Ravens feeding on the carcass of a sheep, close to the gate overlooking the flooded field on Church Lane, adjacent to Bramhall Cricket Club.

A female Merlin, first seen on the Cheshire side of Woodford airfield. It perched for a while in a small tree by the pool, before sweeping across the fields, and obligingly settling in trees on the GM side of the perimeter fence. It must have thought that I was John Rayner!

Saturday 30th October 8.30-10.30

75 Fieldfare (in several different flocks)
50+ Lapwings on the runway
20 Mallard (spooked from the river by a pesky Jack Russel)
5 Redwing
7 Tree Sparrow
6 Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch
8 Chaffinch
5 Linnet
8 Blue Tit
6 Great Tit
Too many crows and pigeons to count.

14th Oct (16.00 - 17.15)

36 Lapwing roosting on runway
45 BH Gulls feeding in sheep field
4 Stock Doves
Flock of c450 corvids - mostly Jackdaws
Mixed finch/sparrow flock comprised c50 Chaffinch, 12 Greenfinch, 2 Tree Sparrows
2 Skylarks over

Cheers, John

Sunday 24th October 9.00-11.00am

Nice bright cold morning seems to have brought out the birds in good numbers.

A large mixed flock of around 50 Fieldfares and Redwings.
220 Pink footed geese over heading West.
150 Lapwings
200+ Carrion crow
41 Rook
12 Jackdaw
2 Common Buzzard
10 Meadow Pipit
14 Tree Sparrow
2 Mistle Thrush
13 Linnet
12 Chaffinch
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Pied Wagtail
4 Dunnock
8 Great Tit
2 Coal Tit
5 Blue Tit
4 Wren
3 Robin
1 Pheasant
2 Balackbird
1 Jay
12 Magpie
12 Mallard
1 Moorhen
1 unidentifed wader over. Gone before I had a cahnce to focus the bins.

Adam

18th Oct.

Lots of disturbance at Old Hall Farm area where the maize is being harvested. Might be worth searching the stubble when they have finished.

Didn't stop here but moved to Bridle Road where I saw my first local Fieldfares of the winter, a small flock of 7.

Cheers, John

Sunday 17th October 9.00 - 11.00am

Another great morning in Woodford. Cold to start with but then the sun warmed up nicely and so did the bird activity.
Highlights of the morning were a Peregrine sat in the middle of the runway sunning itself. (Hopefully not injured)
A Meadow Pipit, sat on the airfield fence. (First time I'd seen one over here)
6 Whooper Swans flying West noisily.

Other birds included:

2 Buzzard
4 Pheasant
6 Linnet
4 Jay
1 Bullfinch
24 Chaffinch
5 Greenfinch
2 Song Thrush
24 Fieldfare
50 Lapwings
1 Grey Heron
12 Long Tailed Tits
1 Coal Tit

Plus all the usual stuff too.

Sunday 10th October 8.30 - 10.30am

Lots of activity this morning on a warm sunny day. In fact the most species I've seen here for some months.

1 Sparrowhawk
1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker
2 Redwings
3 Mistle Thrush
2 Grey Heron
5 Linnets
3 chaffinch
4 Grenfinch
6 Goldfinch
2 Pied Wagtail
2 Jay
50 Canadian Geese (over towards South East)
100 + Lapwings (over)
1 Stock Dove
Plus all the usual stuff.

A good afternoon for raptors, once the rain had relented.

Two Buzzards were patrolling the runway, one sitting on the tarmac for a while. Nearby, a Sparrowhawk made a few half-hearted passes at the Linnet flocks.

Star of the show was a Hobby, which passed close to Threeways Farm, off Church Lane, before disappearing very rapidly in a SE direction.

Saturday 4th September 7.45-9.30am

A productive morning with lots of activity in the warm sunshine.
Highlights this morning were:

2 Common Buzzard
1 Hobby (over maize, then flying towards Poyton over the runway)
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Treecreeper
1 Goldcrest
1 Grey Heron
2 Mistle Thrush
3 Long Tailed Tit
18 Goldfinch
3 Swallows
1 Woodpecker (heard calling)
Nuthatch (also heard calling)

Adam

Thursday 2nd September 7.30 - 7.45pm

A brief visit this evening on my bike.

200+ Lapwings settled down for the night on the runway.
1 Kestrel
1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker (Old Hall Lane near Church)
12 Swifts (Church lane)
Robins seem to be in song again.

Adam

Sunday 29th August 3.00-4.15pm

Best birds today were a Wheatear close to the runway. (Haven't seen one over here for several months now)
Also a Goldcrest flitting around a tree on the golfcourse. I got within 4-5 feet of it to confirm.

Others around today included:
Goldfinch 20
Pied Wagtail 4
Black Headed Gulls 25 (chilling on the runway)
Swallows 15
Sandmartins 12

No sign of John's juv Cuckoo today, but maybe next time.

Adam

Late evening. Not really Woodford but the Adlington side of Woodford Aerodrome.

A juv Cuckoo was perched on the aerodrome fence that forms the Stockport/Cheshire boundary so, for the purposes of Borough listing, it was in Stockport, of course

Cheers, John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 27th of August 2010 08:49:15 PM

Bridle Road area:

Best bird today was a Raven in heavy moult. A different bird to the one at Old Hall Farm on 29th July.

Cheers, John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 6th of August 2010 11:25:41 PM

See 3 posts down Rob

Or have they been seen 2 days running

-- Edited by John Rayner on Saturday 31st of July 2010 01:19:36 PM

2 Bee-eater reported flying off over the airfield yesterday.....

Friday 30th July 1.30-2.30pm

Had a quick look round this afternoon with very little on show in between the showers.

1 Curlew
10 Lesser Black Backed Gulls
1 Buzzard (heard not seen)
6 Linnets
6 Goldfinch
1 Reed Bunting (heard not seen)
Lots of young Blue Tits

This should probably be in the Out of County folder but...

2 Bee-eaters were reported at 7.30 last night (29th) from Adlington Golf Centre (and submitted to the Cheshire rarities committee). They then flew into Woodford aerodrome. The Cheshire/GM boundary bisects the airfield so, if they carried on in a straight line, it's highly likely they would have entered GM. Eyes to the skies.

Cheers, John

First visit to the area today, and strayed across into Cheshire, but some nice paths, and vistas. Birding not too bad:
Kestrel, 2 Buzzard
2 Herons, Raven heard around Dairyhouse wood, didn't see it.
Plenty of Swallows, swifts, a few House and Sand Martins.
Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest roaming
2 GS Woodpeckers,4 Stock Dove
Linnets in a few spots
Undoubted highlight was a fair few Tree Sparrows, but these were over the border in Cheshire, surely they must cross it at points?

I'll attempt a trip report on my return, but don't tell the missus I'm taking my notebook!

No passage migrants but all the usual suspects plus a couple of surprises.

1 Raven flew over Old Hall Farm calling loudly
1 Kingfisher briefly on the River Dane
1 Sparrowhawk carrying prey - looked like a young Blue Tit
2 Buzzards
6 Sand Martins
Otherwise flocks of Goldfinch and Linnets plus larger flocks of juv Blue and Great Tits

Crop spraying in the nearby potato field put an end to mooching.

Nice to meet Chris (Harper) who is taking on SJ88V next winter/summer - enjoy Canada and I look forward to reading a trip report.

Cheers, John

Tuesday 27th 7.30-8.20pm

Having not seen any Lapwings here for a few weeks, suddenly a flock of around 200 have appeared on the runway at the aerodrome.
Others on show tonight:
8 Goldfinch
1 Reed Bunting
1 Pheasant
2 Song Thrush
1 Buzzard

Saturday 24th July 9.00-10.00am

Very little this morning. Lots of young around. Mainly Blue/Great Tits and Dunnocks.

3 Treecreepers
1 Reed Bunting
3 Goldfinch
6 Chaffinch
Numerous Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows

Saturday 17th July 12.45-2.00pm

3 Buzzards
1 Kestral
2 Reed Buntings
1 Willow Warbler
1 Blackcap (F)
3 Wrens
5 Goldfinches
6 Chaffinches
2 Linnets
1 Pied Wagtail
Lots of swifts, Swallows and Sand Martins

Also 1 Sparrowhawk over the gardens to the rear of my house in Cheadle Hulme.



-- Edited by Adam Jones on Saturday 17th of July 2010 04:16:53 PM

Wednesday 14th July 7.15-7.20pm

1 Goldfinch
3 Chaffinch
6 Swifts
1 Buzzard
1 Huge crack of fork lightening and straight home.

Monday 12th July 7.10 - 8.10pm

Lots of midges out tonight, which in turn brought out many Swifts and Sand Martins.

c50 Swifts
c30 Sand Martins
4 Swallows
1 Reed Bunting
2 Buzzard
2 Grey Heron
3 Mistle Thrush
1 Jay
4 Mallards + 5 juveniles
4 Chaffinch
4 Goldfinch
1 Pied Wagtail
12 Magpies

Quite a bit cooler this morning and little bird action:

Only 2 Sand Martins
1 Jay
9 LT Tits
2 Buzzards
Pair Reed Buntings
c15 Chaffinches
c60 Starlings
2 Willow Warblers

Annoyingly a vagrant Reed Warbler (local rarity) was singing just 1/2 mile a way in Cheshire.

Cheers, John

Monday 5th July 7.15-9.00pm

An amazing array of birds on show this evening.

1 Buzzard
2 Bullfinch
2 Reed Buntings (Sorry John, not a Stonechat, but a pleasure to meet you anyway)
4 Long Tailed Tits
1 Grey Heron
1 Coot
1 Curlew
3 Lesser Black Backed Gulls (over)
1 Nuthatch
1 Jay
6 Swifts

Sunday 4th July 8.15-9.15am

Not a lot going on this morning in a strong wind.

2 Buzzards
2 Kestrels
Pied Wagtails c12 (at least)
Grey Heron
Goldfinch 2
Chaffinch 4
Jay
Sand Martins c20
Swallows 2
Swift 5

Saturday 3rd July 2.00-2.45pm

Very little to report on a quiet afternoon.

3 Buzzard (2 over head and 1 in a tree)
2 Red Legged Partridge around a hedge on Old Hall Lane
1 Grey Heron
1 Swift
4 Goldfinch
2 Swallows
2 juvenile Pied Wagtail on the golf course

No sign of any Lapwings today.

Wednesday 30th June 7.15-8.15pm

The Lapwings seem to have dispersed. Only 1 seen tonight.
1 Curlew on the golf course
5 Pied Wagtails (including 3 juvenile)
2 Chiff Chaff singing from opposite sides of the runway.

Not too much else to report apart from the usual stuff.

-- Edited by Adam Jones on Wednesday 30th of June 2010 09:47:47 PM