31/10/2012 - 1 Raven flew SE towards the airport at 12pm.

Great Spotted Woodpecker this lunch in Hale Park.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 19th of October 2012 07:25:00 PM

18/10/2012 - 9-10am:

2 Common Snipes
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Stock Dove
4 alba Wagtails - over
2 Fieldfares - over SW
c30 Redwings
2 Mistle Thrush
larger numbers of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes than my last visit

2nd visit of the day to Crowland Hill 4.15pm-6pm:

5 Buzzards (enjoying the thermals)
14 Redwings
2 Reed Buntings
1 Mistle Thrush
1 Grey Heron
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker
1 Nuthatch
1 Goldcrest
2 Jays
2 Linnets
amongst others

2 further skeins of Pink-footed Geese, 150+ East at 5.15pm, 70+ South East at 5.40pm.

Fox still around and got within 20 feet, before noticing me and then darted off into the undergrowth.

Late Butterflies in the form of a Meadow Brown and a Small Tortoiseshell.



-- Edited by Phil Owen on Sunday 14th of October 2012 08:26:57 PM

A pleasant walk with the dog on Crowland Hill, Newall Green at 8.15am:

4 seperate skeins of Pink-footed Geese (25+ 8.27am, 40+ 8.30am, 100+ 8.50am , 50+ 8.52am) all heading East

Also over were:
4 Meadow Pipits
2 Siskins
1 Cormorant (tagging just behind one of the Pink-feet skeins)
2 Black headed Gulls
2 Coal Tits
2 Goldfinches
1 Chaffinch
6 Song Thrushes
6 Redwings
1 Rook
1 Jay

1 Sparrowhawk getting harrassed by the local Magpies.
1 Fox
2 Goldcrests (Greenbrow Road)

A very pleasant 2.00pm-4.00pm walk round Crowland Hill, Newall Green fields and Davenport Green fields with the dog.

11 Siskins (over)
5 Redwings
1 Grey Wagtail (heard only overhead)
1 Pied Wagtail
3 Black-headed Gulls
4 Goldcrests
2 Grey Herons
3 Great-spotted Woodpeckers
1 Nuthatch
1 Kestrel
100+ Woodpigeons
20+ Jays
amongst others

1 Speckled Wood Butterfly enjoying the afternoon Sunshine.

Good numbers of roving Tit flocks with Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits and Goldcrests mixed in.

Also, interestingly, the most Jays I've ever seen on this walk, as they widen their search for food due to the reported poor year for Acorn crops or perhaps we have some of the Continental birds?

29/09/2012 - 7.30-10.00am on Crowland Hill and the Newall Green fields with Phil Owen, excellent viz-mig dominated sightings:

Viz-mig sightings -
1 Cormorant
2 Greylag Geese - flew west
3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
3 Collared Doves
80+ Woodpigeons
420+ Meadow Pipits - largely flew south and west, 350+ in the first hour alone, old patch record was 194
15 Swallows
1 Skylark
14 alba Wagtails
2 Grey Wagtails
2 Song Thrushes
6 Mistle Thrushes
24 Goldfinches
9 Greenfinches
1 Chaffinch
2 Siskins
2 Reed Buntings

Non viz-mig sightings -
1 Peregrine - same individual as 27/09, nearly caught a Stock Dove!
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
2 Sparrowhawks
1 Stock Dove - lucky bird
8+ Jays - very visible at the moment as they collect acorns
2 Chiffchaffs

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 29th of September 2012 10:51:05 AM

27/09/2012 - 7.45-8.45am, viz-mig dominated sightings, most stuff heading broadly south:

c170 Pink-footed Geese - c90 over E at 8.40am, and c80 high over SE at 8.42am
1 Black-headed Gull
2 Swallows
11 Pied Wagtails - grounded ahead of a shower, good to check through, all pristine yarrellis
2 Grey Wagtails
c30 Meadow Pipits
c40 Woodpigeons
4 Coal Tits - probably just short distance movement but flew in high from the north and landed in non-typical habitat
2 Siskins
5 Goldfinches

1 Peregrine - male on a pylon, flew off towards Altrincham
2 Chiffchaffs

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Thursday 27th of September 2012 09:00:56 AM

26/09/2012 - 11am-12pm in the Davenport Green sheep fields, temporarily renamed 'the Okovango's northern cousin':

2 Teals
18 Swallows - flew south, not as many as yesterday but it's been good to see such passage here
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Meadow Pipit
4 Blackcaps - 3 fems/juvs and 1 male in a roving flock

25/09/2012 - 8-9am, with all the rain the fields have flooded in large areas, starting to look a bit like Penny down here!:

2 Teals
4 Moorhens
2 Stock Doves
80+ Swallows - a strong flow heading due south
1 Chiffchaff - singing in the rain

22/09/2012 - 8.00-11.30am, a lovely autumnal morning with decent viz-mig on offer, most stuff flying south:

90+ Meadow Pipits
40+ Swallows
12 Buzzards - record local count, a busy few minutes as they all flew south in a long line!
12 Greenfinches
5 Goldfinches
4 Skylarks
4 Grey Wagtails
3 Redpoll sp
3 Black-headed Gulls
2 Common Gulls
1 Linnet


Not on the move were:
1 Grey Heron
4 Buzzards
4 Stock Doves
12 Chiffchaffs

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 22nd of September 2012 11:44:45 AM

19/09/2012 - 1.00-2.30pm:

1 Spotted Flycatcher - at top end of Buttery House Lane, favouring the dead tree, a different individual to 30/08.
2 Stock Doves - taken over the Kestrel nest site and having a late brood
2 Moorhens - plus 2 half-grown young, first successful breeding for years
5 Chiffchaffs - one through the garden and the rest calling from the hedgerows in the fields
2 Grey Wagtails - flew over, decent passage of these the last few days, not just in the early-morning either


-- Edited by Henry Cook on Wednesday 19th of September 2012 02:37:15 PM

13/09/2012 - 1 RED KITE just flew south over my house, the first record for the area as far as I know.

09/09/2012 - 8-10am, more viz-mig this morning and an arrival of warblers:

1 Grey Wagtail - flew west
2 House Martins - flew south
20+ Swallows - some heading south
1 Garden Warbler - feasting on elder berries
3 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Raven

08/09/2012 - 8-9am, the first decent morning of viz-mig this autumn here, most stuff flew south-east/south:

2 Buzzards - very high up, specks in the sky even with bins
5 Black-headed Gulls
1 Stock Dove
c40 Woodpigeons - pretty early for woodpigeons on the move
20+ Meadow Pipits
1 alba Wagtail
40+ Swallows
20+ House Martins
4 Goldfinches

Also around were:

4 Stock Doves
1 Blackcap

05/09/2012 - 11am in the garden:

1 Raven - flew over
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Willow Warbler

30/08/2012 - 12pm in the Davenport Green sheep fields:

1 Spotted Flycatcher
2 Goldcrests
1 Stock Dove

26/07/2012 - 22 Mistle Thrushes in a flock flushed by a Sparrowhawk this evening.

20/07/2012 - 7.45-8.45pm briefly covering Newall Green grasslands and Davenport Green sheep fields:

3 Kestrels - 2 juvs and fem very noisy tonight having left the nest tree
1 Stock Dove
1 Kingfisher - on long pond, presumed post-breeding dispersal
1 Common Whitethroat
6 Song Thrushes - plenty singing still
14 Mistle Thrushes

16/07/2012 - 10.40pm: 3 juvenile Tawny Owls showing well tonight along Shay Lane occasionally in flight against an orange light-polluted night sky.

15/07/2012 - 11.10pm: 1 juvenile Tawny Owl calling along Shay Lane.

10/07/2012 - 7-8.30pm, expectedly quiet but a few notable sightings:

3 Stock Doves - been elusive lately, hopefully been busy breeding
15 Mistle Thrushes
3+ Reed Buntings - at least one juvenile was visible tonight so the pair bred successfully in the awful weather (somehow!)

03/07/2012 - A steady flow of viz-mig Siskins the last few days, presumably heading away from breeding areas now.

29/06/2012 - The Kestrels have fledged 3+ young which were making quite a racket when the parents, or for that matter when anything including Woodpigeons, flew in.

25/06/2012 - 2 Stock Doves in my garden today briefly. This evening James Walsh had a reeling Grasshopper then we checked out the Tawny Owls on Shay Lane. 2+ youngsters were calling and then what looked like an adult flew over us. Lots of calling, on a perfect evening for owling.

22/06/2012 - 1 Hobby over the garden this evening and a Stock Dove on the lawn.

20/06/2012 - 3 Tawny Owls out this evening along Shay Lane, 2 juveniles and an adult. The juvs were pretty noisy and showy around the mature oaks, begging for food in the last embers of daylight.

My good deed for the day!

Henry Cook wrote:

---

19/06/2012 - A juv Tawny Owl was hit by a car along my road this evening as I was out on a walk. It was heavily concussed but nothing broken. After 15 mins in a box to recover it started trying to escape which was a good sign. Back along the road I gave it a helping hand into the night sky and it flew off strongly with both parents calling nearby.

---

Well done Henry

19/06/2012 - A juv Tawny Owl was hit by a car along my road this evening as I was out on a walk. It was heavily concussed but nothing broken. After 15 mins in a box to recover it started trying to escape which was a good sign. Back along the road I gave it a helping hand into the night sky and it flew off strongly with both parents calling nearby.

Yeah, you're right Tony. I don't know for sure, but it was the several Curlews i've had recently (all flyovers at non-breeding sites) that lends some weight to the suggestion. Not seen the Oycs at the airport for a few weeks now, hope all's well.
Cheers.

Henry - There's been a pair of Oystercatchers hanging around the airport / Sunbank Lane area the last few months so it's a bit early to say it's return passage.

However the number of Curlew being reported is disturbing - maybe they've failed to breed in the hills

13/06/2012 - Return wader passage seemingly underway now, today an Oystercatcher flew S. Also a Raven present, getting grief off the other corvids.

10/06/2012 - 9-11am covering the Davenport Green sheep fields:

1 Cormorant - over SW
1 Curlew - over W
1 Siskin - over W

09/06/2012 - 9.30pm with Phil Owen in the Newall Green fields:

1 Grasshopper Warbler - reeling

generally speaking these fields are much quieter than last year with only a peak of 2 reeling birds recently and no recent Lesser Whitethroats, yet the habitat has improved during that time. Just seems they've not come back from winter quarters in such good numbers.

05/06/2012 - 2 Tawny Owls at 8pm tonight, unusual to see the owls flying about during daytime but one was clearly a juv chasing an adult.

26/05/2012 - Quiet but a few House Martins and Swifts about today amongst the usual Swallows. The House Martins were the first of the year here and the Swifts were mating on the wing, incredibly fast flight and a bit more noisy than usual as they whirled around in tandem.

A Whitethroat singing in the garden briefly was a first, and a just reward for not gardening and chopping all the bushes back for a number of years!

23/05/2012 - Beautiful weather, sent the birds a bit quiet though:

4 Canada Geese - hanging around but not breeding
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Bunting

21/05/2012 - 9.30pm:

1 Grasshopper Warbler - Newall Green grasslands
1 Tawny Owl - showed well along Shay Lane
100's corvids to roost

16/05/2012 - 5am: pretty quiet this morning with warbler numbers still on the low side:

2 Grasshopper Warblers
1 Common Whitethroat
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
4 Blackcaps

11/05/2012 - 2pm: A female Redstart was in the Davenport Green sheep fields by 'Redstart corner', moving up and down the hedgerows but generally staying low in the high winds and heavy showers.

02/05/2012 - 8.15-9.15am, warbler fest this morning, at one point seven warbler species could be heard at once:

3 Grey Herons
2 Canada Geese
1 Lapwing
4 Swallows
1 Garden Warbler - not singing, probably just passing through
8 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers - 1 territorial, 2 migrants
2 Grasshopper Warblers
2 Common Whitethroats - back at last
3 Lesser Whitethroats - singing males, including one over on the Davenport Green sheep fields
1 Goldcrest
1 Reed Bunting
1 Linnet

30/04/2012 - Very little on the move recently, this continued today:

4 Cormorants - over
1 Canada Goose
5 Swallows
4 Willow Warblers - small arrival
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Grasshopper Warbler
2 Reed Buntings

Quick half hour today at 4pm. Went looking for Grasshopper Warblers, which I heard but didn't see. Next time.

I did see a lovely Kestrel and a fox though.

27/04/2012 - 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Grasshopper Warbler still present.

07.00 - 09.30. A bit warmer when I arrived Henry, we must have walked in opposite directions to miss each other. However I felt as though Spring was here, for a short time anyway - so singing in the sunshine .......Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat giving good views, Chiffchaffs including the amorous pair doing quite a bit of wing fluttering but best of all were remarkably close up views of a reeling Grasshopper Warbler down to 2m, not a shy bird at all

Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were also seen and there were 3 Swallows chasing insects.

24/04/2012 - 5-7.30am, cloudy, cold and calm. Thought it looked better for viz-mig this morning but was severely disappointed as nothing was on the move, couldn't even muster a mipit. Still, it was a good morning with 44 species seen including more returning migrants and a couple of late winter visitors:

1 Cormorant
2 Grey Herons
8 Canada Geese
1 Moorhen - been scarce this year so far
1 Redwing
1 Fieldfare
1 Wheatear - only the second of the spring here
1 Lesser Whitethroat - first of the spring
2 Grasshopper Warblers
2 Willow Warblers
12 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs - including a mating pair, made a Linnet-like contact call which i've not heard before

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 24th of April 2012 11:32:13 AM

23/04/2012 - 1 Woodcock flushed at top end of Buttery House Lane. A bit late for one of these now unless they are trying to breed locally.

22/04/2012 - 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling this evening in the Newall Green fields. Chased off a male Reed Bunting from the same patch of bramble at one point.

Also paid a quick visit to this site this a.m. at site where Ring Ouzel described at, saw Treecreeper at long pond and Blackcap singing.
Cheers Ian