PS The shooter was also present with his gundog just outside Brookheys Covert. Unless the road to the farm is a private road he was discharging shot illegally
Tim Wilcox said
Thu Jul 28 7:48 PM, 2011
Very late post for last Sunday. Tony Darby and I saw an unidentified juv bird outside Brookheys Covert. It had mid-brown uppers, off-white breast with some bold and unevenly distributed black spots on the lower breast, a yellow bill and was constantly calling and flicking it's tail. Tony thought it might be one of the juv flycatchers but there was no streaking on the crown visible and no mustard centres to the coverts. Puzzled. Any ideas?
We also had the Yellow Wagtail pair from the road near Birch Farm feeding a juv and 2 Buzzards there.
Joe Wynn said
Sat Jul 23 8:05 PM, 2011
Just had stunnung views of a pair of Yellow Wags previously unbeknownst to me on the right of Sinderland Lane, just past Birch lane, near to where the Little Owl is. Brilliant views, best i've ever had. Also see, were:
The Spotted Flycatchers in Brookheys Covert have bred successfully. Also Nuthatch and Treecreeper in same tree as the flycatchers.
Little Owl seen in exactly the same spot as Ann.
The first fledged Buzzards of the year are now flying about.
Huge numbers of hirundines over the fields and lots of fledged youngsters of several species in the hedgerows.
Garden Warbler seen in untypical habitat (maybe early sign of movement?)
Ann Ribbands said
Wed Jul 20 1:58 PM, 2011
One little owl present this morning, in the oak tree nearest the Sinderland Lane layby but it disappeared as soon as it saw us.
-- Edited by Ann Ribbands on Wednesday 20th of July 2011 01:58:49 PM
B Benson said
Sat Jul 16 7:56 PM, 2011
Driving through work at carrington last night I came across a bird being mobbed by 3 Lapwings. I stopped the van and got out to take a closer look. The Lapwings all flew off leaving a juvenile Kestrel clinging to a breezeblock wall about 6 feet off the ground. I am assuming it was a juvenile as it didn't appear injured , just unsure as to what the heck the Lapwings were attacking it for. I left it hopping/ flapping around trying to hide. This was near the flare where earlier in the spring I have seen 3 Kestrels on the fence together. I have also driven past one of the Buzzards at 05:30 in the morning sitting on a fence post no more than 6 feet from me. It looked half asleep and it took several seconds before it decided to move along a few fence posts.
Steven Nelson said
Wed Jul 13 8:33 PM, 2011
As I cycled past MUFC training ground today I was disappointed to see they have ripped out a large patch of trees along the perimeter fence near Swiss Cottage. How have they been able to get away with this in the middle of the breeding season? As they sing on the terraces of Old Trafford: "we're the famous Man United and we do what we ******* want". I'm a Red but not impressed by this!
Joe Wynn said
Tue Jul 12 10:37 PM, 2011
No sign of any little owl this evening. In fact, very little about at all. Short(ish) cycle from sewage works down to f13 and up and past the training ground, along sinderland lane and back again. Birds of note:
6 Yellowhammer- all singing/chirping males 1 Kestrel 2 Yellow wag- stubbornly flighty and uncharacteristically un-showy 4 Whitethroat- including 1st juv. of the year for me 1 Swallow 4 Swift
Steve Smith said
Mon Jul 11 9:15 PM, 2011
Bad news, only one Little Owl from now on. Spotted one on the telegraph poles along Sinderland Rd. But, the other was squashed on the roadway. I moved it onto the verge. I can see the other one on the pole right now looking a bit lost.
Tragic.......
SS
(still feeling crappy about this a day later, can't get the sad picture of the dead Owl on the road out of my head)
-- Edited by Steve Smith on Tuesday 12th of July 2011 05:45:04 PM
Nev Wright said
Mon Jul 11 8:08 PM, 2011
Hi Steve Same site as per earlier posts, f32, usually along the telegraph poles along Sinderland Road. No guarantees though Good Luck Nev
Steve Smith said
Mon Jul 11 5:28 PM, 2011
Hi, I've never seen Little Owls in Manchester, could you let me know which field (number) they were they in on the Carrington Moss map?
SS
Nev Wright said
Sun Jul 10 9:10 PM, 2011
2040 hrs Little Owl on fence post, usual site close to Crematorium
Steve Smith said
Sun Jul 10 6:06 PM, 2011
Pair of Yellow Wagtails in the Potato Field (13) by Man Utd training ground this morning.
Lots of Yellowhammers, a skylark (field 5) and Whitethroats everywhere.
2 Oystercatchers flew over, heading towards Alty.
-- Edited by Steve Smith on Monday 11th of July 2011 05:29:47 PM
Rob Smallwood said
Sun Jul 3 12:17 PM, 2011
Steve Smith wrote:
Very vocal and visible Spotted Flycatcher in Brookheys Covert this morning, also Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch.
SS
Used to be guaranteed in Brookheys 30 years ago, great that they might be back.
B Benson said
Sun Jul 3 11:16 AM, 2011
Thanks for the replies everyone. Yes a Cormorant does fit the bill.
Steve Smith said
Sun Jul 3 10:54 AM, 2011
Very vocal and visible Spotted Flycatcher in Brookheys Covert this morning, also Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch.
SS
Ollie Wright said
Sun Jul 3 3:18 AM, 2011
In my Northenden back yard tonight having a barbecue, I had a Cormorant fly over and a non-birding pal thought it looked like a Pterodactyl!
Hope it's useful...
Henry Cook said
Sat Jul 2 9:06 PM, 2011
I agree, Cormorant is likely and can fly pretty high up with regularity over the moss.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 2nd of July 2011 09:07:04 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jul 2 9:01 PM, 2011
Just a thought Brian but could it have been a Cormorant. I have recently seen a surprising number overflying Carrington Moss. They fit your description as large goose like birds with long necks and particularly your description of a long tail.
B Benson said
Sat Jul 2 8:48 PM, 2011
Hi, I wondered if anyone could answer a simple question of identification. My back garden is near the Mersey and whilst lying on my lounger I spotted what appeared to be some kind of Goose. The thing is, it was at a very great height, at least 1000 ft. It had broad wings and a long neck and long tail. It had the same sort of flight pattern as a Buzzard. I would like to know, as it is not a bird of prey then just what was it doing? I hope one of you could kindly shed some light on this.
Brian
Pete Hines said
Wed Jun 29 1:41 PM, 2011
1 Little Owl and 2 Grey Partridge in F32
steven burke said
Wed Jun 22 11:42 PM, 2011
10.05pm buzzard eating dead crow in f13 whilst i was stood watching did hear a distant quail possibly in f11 also a fox on sherwood road on my out.
Paul Heaton said
Mon Jun 20 9:23 PM, 2011
Lesser Whitethroat in the hedge along side the public footpath just off isherwood road today 15.00.
Keep Birding
Dave Cropper said
Mon Jun 20 2:08 PM, 2011
4, possibly 5, pairs of Yellow Wagtail showing well between f5 and f10. Only adults seen but lots of calling and flying between the trees on the track and the adjoining fields suggestive that young birds may have been hiding nearby.
Also Peregrine on pylon, edge of f11 Distant Corn Bunting song along hedgeline f12
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sat Jun 18 5:09 PM, 2011
Isherwood Road to ETW:
Tree Sparrow 1 across path from Swiss Cottage. Yellow Wagtail 1 Yellowhammer 1 singing. Willow Warbler 5 singing. Swallow 1 Blackcap 2 singing. Whitethroats Kestrel 1m Skylark 2 singing. Pied Wagtail 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 end of Isherwood Road. Chaffinch 1 singing. Green/Goldfinches Missel Thrush 2
and a very nice juv Treecreeper precariously climbing a tree alongside path between Danewell Wood and M.U. training ground.
etc.
Tim Wilcox said
Sat Jun 18 5:07 PM, 2011
5pm Quail calling f25 and Yellow Wagtail
Nick Hilton said
Sat Jun 18 9:33 AM, 2011
Quail calling in f25, two Yellow Wagtail in potatoe field opp Utd entrance, also fledged Tawny Owl here, Tree Sparrow entrance to Brookheys rd, 0700 - 0800
Henry Cook said
Fri Jun 17 8:54 AM, 2011
Thought the same about the field crop 25, Mark, so I did a bit of searching for what the crop could be but found nothing as yet... some sort of robust legume perhaps?
Mark Payne said
Fri Jun 17 7:09 AM, 2011
After Twitching the WT Robin with Henry, I followed his advise yesterday evening.
What a great site for an few hours birding after work, had at least three pairs of yellow wag between MUFC and field 25. Does anyone know what the crop is on Field 25, its not the usual habitat I would expect a singing Quail.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jun 14 3:31 PM, 2011
Quail singing in field 25 mid-morning today.
Info thanks to Tony O'Mahony
Nev Wright said
Sun Jun 12 9:15 PM, 2011
No Quails heard this evening 1950-2030ish in f10, 11 or 25 . but... pair of yellow wags 2 pairs of grey partridges 2 hares whitethroat, yellowhammer, skylark etc
Henry Cook said
Sun Jun 12 9:47 AM, 2011
3 Quails singing early morning in fields 25, 10 and 11.
A particularly scruffy Sparrowhawk which had primaries missing and was struggling against the wind 3 Ringed Plover c138 Woodpigeon
Henry Cook said
Sat Jun 11 1:44 PM, 2011
Quail still singing from field 25 at noon, heard with Sid Ashton.
Also seen were 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Yellowhammers, 1 Buzzard, 2 Nuthatches, 2 House Martins, 10+ Swallows and 4 Swifts.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 11th of June 2011 01:51:04 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jun 11 9:58 AM, 2011
2 possibly 3 Quail in field 25 this morning.
Info thanks to Phil Kelly and Karen Foulkes
Joe Wynn said
Fri Jun 10 9:04 PM, 2011
A glorious evening out on the moss, went up to black moss road to try f43 for the corn bunting (no such luck) and down past the training ground to f13, then back along Isherwood road past the power substation. Birds of note included:
c.10 Yellowhammer 2 Linnet 4 Lapwing 1 Oystercatcher c.20 swallows c.10 swifts 1 mallard 2 Yellow Wags (f13, male showed brilliantly in dying light) 5 Whitethroat (and what sounded like 3 chicks in a nest!)
Joe Wynn said
Wed Jun 8 9:50 PM, 2011
Henry Cook wrote:
A pair were, yes Joe.
Cheers!
Henry Cook said
Wed Jun 8 9:50 PM, 2011
A pair were, yes Joe.
Joe Wynn said
Wed Jun 8 9:23 PM, 2011
Hi henry, were the yellow wags still in f13?
Henry Cook said
Wed Jun 8 4:39 PM, 2011
08/06/2011 - Walk around the Sewage Works, Man Utd Training Ground, Birchmoss Farm, Sinderland Green and down to Black Moss Road. Some of the stuff seen:
4 Gadwalls - sewage works still 5 Buzzards 2 Grey Partridges 11 Lapwings 1 Oystercatcher 4 Stock Doves 600+ Woodpigeons - in several groups around the moss 14 Mistle Thrushes - in one flock, including independent juvs 5+ Yellow Wagtails - 2 pairs, one with young 2 Sedge Warblers 3 Reed Warblers - including one along Sinderland Brook on territory 4 Tree Sparrows 1 Corn Bunting - f43, haven't foung any other singing birds anywhere on the moss this year 3 Linnets c30 Yellowhammers
Nev Wright said
Mon Jun 6 10:16 PM, 2011
Haven't you seen the telegraph poles on the moss? I mean BIG ! Even so it was still a bit of a squeeze They took some counting too!
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 6 10:00 PM, 2011
Sorry Nev but 2100 Little Owls on a single telegraph pole? Can that be possible? What an incredible sight that must have been
Nick Isherwood said
Mon Jun 6 9:59 PM, 2011
Thats a lot of owls for one telegraph pole.
Nev Wright said
Mon Jun 6 9:44 PM, 2011
2100 Little Owl on telegraph pole Sinderland Road
Henry Cook said
Thu Jun 2 11:17 PM, 2011
02/06/2011 - A search for a freshly arrived Quail drew a blank. Worth it for a territorial Corn Bunting though, one of the last on Carrington possibly?:
5 Gadwalls 1 Ringed Plover - sewage works 1 Oystercatcher 6 Stock Doves 2 Little Owls - field 32 1 Garden Warbler - sewage works 2 Reed Warblers 1 Sedge Warbler 2 Tree Sparrows - f43 2 Linnets 1 Corn Bunting - f43
John Doherty said
Tue May 31 9:41 PM, 2011
A walk round Carrington Moss down to Partington and Irlam but not Irlam Moss produced 4 Buzzard sightings, 1 Female Kestrel, Wren Chiffchaff Great Tit Blue Tit Long Tailed Tit Chaffinch - no Blackcap or Yellowhammer - quite a few Swallows and a few Swift over - elsewhere, but nearby enough, 3 Great Crested Grebe, a Cormorant and several Tufted (c10) on the Manchester Ship Canal.
-- Edited by John Doherty on Tuesday 31st of May 2011 09:45:45 PM
-- Edited by John Doherty on Tuesday 31st of May 2011 10:34:36 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Tue May 31 4:58 PM, 2011
418 Woodpigeon in field 32 around midday today.
Info thanks to Phil Kelly
John Doherty said
Tue May 24 9:29 PM, 2011
Dave Cropper wrote:
Managed to avoid all the photographers looking for a certain footballer.
Rather blustery conditions but did get a lovely singing Garden Warbler in the open (makes a change!) just north of the sewage works. Also a lingering female Wheatear in f12.
You don't have to say 'a certain footballer' now, you can say his proper name!
Dave Cropper said
Tue May 24 3:08 PM, 2011
Managed to avoid all the photographers looking for a certain footballer.
Rather blustery conditions but did get a lovely singing Garden Warbler in the open (makes a change!) just north of the sewage works. Also a lingering female Wheatear in f12.
We also had the Yellow Wagtail pair from the road near Birch Farm feeding a juv and 2 Buzzards there.
4 Linnet
2 Yellowhammer
1 Phesant
1 fella shooting a shotgun
Little Owl seen in exactly the same spot as Ann.
The first fledged Buzzards of the year are now flying about.
Huge numbers of hirundines over the fields and lots of fledged youngsters of several species in the hedgerows.
Garden Warbler seen in untypical habitat (maybe early sign of movement?)
-- Edited by Ann Ribbands on Wednesday 20th of July 2011 01:58:49 PM
6 Yellowhammer- all singing/chirping males
1 Kestrel
2 Yellow wag- stubbornly flighty and uncharacteristically un-showy
4 Whitethroat- including 1st juv. of the year for me
1 Swallow
4 Swift
Tragic.......
SS
(still feeling crappy about this a day later, can't get the sad picture of the dead Owl on the road out of my head)
-- Edited by Steve Smith on Tuesday 12th of July 2011 05:45:04 PM
Same site as per earlier posts, f32, usually along the telegraph poles along Sinderland Road.
No guarantees though
Good Luck
Nev
SS
Lots of Yellowhammers, a skylark (field 5) and Whitethroats everywhere.
2 Oystercatchers flew over, heading towards Alty.
-- Edited by Steve Smith on Monday 11th of July 2011 05:29:47 PM
Used to be guaranteed in Brookheys 30 years ago, great that they might be back.
SS
Hope it's useful...
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 2nd of July 2011 09:07:04 PM
Brian
whilst i was stood watching did hear a distant quail possibly in f11
also a fox on sherwood road on my out.
Keep Birding
Also
Peregrine on pylon, edge of f11
Distant Corn Bunting song along hedgeline f12
Tree Sparrow 1 across path from Swiss Cottage.
Yellow Wagtail 1
Yellowhammer 1 singing.
Willow Warbler 5 singing.
Swallow 1
Blackcap 2 singing.
Whitethroats
Kestrel 1m
Skylark 2 singing.
Pied Wagtail 1m
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 end of Isherwood Road.
Chaffinch 1 singing.
Green/Goldfinches
Missel Thrush 2
and a very nice juv Treecreeper precariously climbing a tree alongside path between Danewell Wood and M.U. training ground.
etc.
What a great site for an few hours birding after work, had at least three pairs of yellow wag between MUFC and field 25.
Does anyone know what the crop is on Field 25, its not the usual habitat I would expect a singing Quail.
Info thanks to Tony O'Mahony
but...
pair of yellow wags
2 pairs of grey partridges
2 hares
whitethroat, yellowhammer, skylark etc
Also present:
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Skylark
1 Yellowhammer
1 Pheasant
Lots of young birds around
Highlights
Peregrine
2 Grey Partridge
Yellow Wagtail
and previously mentioned Quail (heard only)
Also of note
A particularly scruffy Sparrowhawk which had primaries missing and was struggling against the wind
3 Ringed Plover
c138 Woodpigeon
Also seen were 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Yellowhammers, 1 Buzzard, 2 Nuthatches, 2 House Martins, 10+ Swallows and 4 Swifts.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 11th of June 2011 01:51:04 PM
Info thanks to Phil Kelly and Karen Foulkes
c.10 Yellowhammer
2 Linnet
4 Lapwing
1 Oystercatcher
c.20 swallows
c.10 swifts
1 mallard
2 Yellow Wags (f13, male showed brilliantly in dying light)
5 Whitethroat (and what sounded like 3 chicks in a nest!)
Cheers!
4 Gadwalls - sewage works still
5 Buzzards
2 Grey Partridges
11 Lapwings
1 Oystercatcher
4 Stock Doves
600+ Woodpigeons - in several groups around the moss
14 Mistle Thrushes - in one flock, including independent juvs
5+ Yellow Wagtails - 2 pairs, one with young
2 Sedge Warblers
3 Reed Warblers - including one along Sinderland Brook on territory
4 Tree Sparrows
1 Corn Bunting - f43, haven't foung any other singing birds anywhere on the moss this year
3 Linnets
c30 Yellowhammers
Even so it was still a bit of a squeeze
They took some counting too!
5 Gadwalls
1 Ringed Plover - sewage works
1 Oystercatcher
6 Stock Doves
2 Little Owls - field 32
1 Garden Warbler - sewage works
2 Reed Warblers
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Tree Sparrows - f43
2 Linnets
1 Corn Bunting - f43
-- Edited by John Doherty on Tuesday 31st of May 2011 09:45:45 PM
-- Edited by John Doherty on Tuesday 31st of May 2011 10:34:36 PM
Info thanks to Phil Kelly
You don't have to say 'a certain footballer' now, you can say his proper name!
Rather blustery conditions but did get a lovely singing Garden Warbler in the open (makes a change!) just north of the sewage works. Also a lingering female Wheatear in f12.