My visit must have been sandwiched in time between Messrs Williams and Jones. Heady the rapeseed was indeed, and glorious the Skylark song, as I logged the following:
Yellow Wagtail - just the one (m) on the heaped muck alongside the road - great view Wheatear - 4 on the ploughed field Linnet - 3 Common Buzzard - 1 overhead Lapwing - 2 Grey Partridge - 2 flushed on the edge of the rapeseed field Skylark - 2
Model helicopter taking off from just beyond the concrete bollards - 1.
-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Thursday 24th of April 2014 06:31:49 PM
Martyn Jones said
Thu Apr 24 6:07 PM, 2014
Amidst the heady scent of oil seed rape and the wonderful song of the soaring Skylark I only managed two Yellow Wagtails and four White Wagtails at around 4:00pm. I also had a small flock of Linnets, a couple of Corn Buntings, two Swallows and a single Grey Partridge as well as a two Lapwings, two Blackbirds and some Carrion Crows and Pigeons.
Keith Williams said
Thu Apr 24 4:09 PM, 2014
4 yellow wagtails on ploughed field at Barrow Lane with several white wagtails this lunchtime, got quite close to photograph. Skylarks, lapwings, linnets, carrion crow and a common buzzard.
-- Edited by Keith Williams on Thursday 24th of April 2014 04:09:44 PM
Pete Astles said
Thu Apr 24 12:41 PM, 2014
Scott if you click on my website below there some local rambles including barrow lane this time of year you will see yellow wagtails on most of them especially barrow lane and the mosslands.
Scott robinson said
Thu Apr 24 8:11 AM, 2014
Ok thanks very much nick appreciate it.
cheers scott.
Nick Isherwood said
Wed Apr 23 10:10 PM, 2014
Best place to access it is off Parkside Road. It's not actually signposted as it's not a lane that takes traffic as such. It's just a concrete road that runs from Parkside Road at one end to Winwick Lane at the other.
The Parkside Road end has enough parking room for a few cars while the other end has none.
Scott robinson said
Wed Apr 23 9:35 PM, 2014
Quick question is barrow lane just of winwick lane, and if so where abouts on winwick lane is it, would like a mooch around for yellow wagtail.
Cheers scott.
-- Edited by Scott robinson on Wednesday 23rd of April 2014 09:36:49 PM
Jonathan Platt said
Wed Apr 23 7:39 PM, 2014
Barrow Lane
Four White wagtails, three Yellow wagtails, five Wheatears, two Corn buntings and c30 Linnets on the recently drilled field this evening after work.
Jonathan Platt said
Wed Apr 16 7:49 AM, 2014
Barrow Lane
At least four Yellow wagtails (all males) on the plough this morning, plus three Wheatear and five or more Corn Buntings. I heard Tree sparrows calling from Oven Back Cottage at the Cheshire end of the lane on Monday evening, the first I've heard there this year.
This time last year the oil seed rape was hardly covering the ground, this year it's 2˝ feet tall and in full bloom!
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Apr 11 5:21 PM, 2014
Barrow Lane-PM Wheatear-1 Male The field NW of the bollards was being ploughed by the farmer and should be great for wheatears and yellow wags in a few days. :)
Four singing Corn Buntings scattered around various hedges. 300 Woodpigeons on rape and a dozen Linnets on the still-unharvested rape. Yellowhammer singing by Parkside Farm. A female juvenile Peregrine (same one I've been seeing there all winter) flew in and landed just beyond the Gtr. Manchester boundary hedge, scattering a bunch of Lapwings.
Jonathan Platt said
Tue Mar 4 8:53 AM, 2014
Barrow Lane6.45-7.30am
First morning walk of the year down Barrow Lane (with Matt Pitt). Garbage rainy weather, so consequently quiet. A single male Corn Bunting singing from the bisecting hedge, several Skylarks singing (also six flew in together as we walked the lane), four Linnets on the still-uncropped rape and a worming Buzzard on what I'm hoping will be a potato field this year. As we reached our cars a female Peregrine flew over, flushing 100 Woodpigeons from the rape by the Croft roundabout.
John Williams said
Sat Mar 1 11:59 AM, 2014
10.00-11.00
Barrow Lane
2 Corn Buntings, 4 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Buzzards, 3 Reed Buntings, 12 Skylarks, 60 Lapwings, 25 Linnets, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Black Headed Gull and a large flock of Woodpigeons.
Oddly, no sign of any Yellowhammers.
DavidBowman said
Thu Feb 20 1:19 PM, 2014
On a Spring-like morning Em and I walked down Barrow Lane, around Highfield Moss and back. The birding was excellent with a male Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and 6 Buzzards hunting the arable fields between the Lane and the Moss. There was plenty of potential prey, too, with 1 Corn Bunting, 5 Grey Partridges, 107 Lapwings, 200 Starlings, 10 Linnets, 2 Tree Sparrows, 20 House Sparrows, 75 Fieldfares, 8 Mistle Thrushes and 1 Song Thrush spread across the fields. Also nice to see were 16 Skylarks, all singing so high they were almost out of sight. Then we ended with little squall and the sight of Winter Hill framed by a rainbow
DavidBowman said
Fri Jan 31 1:21 PM, 2014
The set-aside areas off Waterworks Lane are currently holding plenty of birds. Early yesterday there were 6 Corn Buntings, 19 Yellowhammers, c.400 Linnets and 5 Grey Partridges.
Cheers
David
Jon Bowen said
Sat Jan 18 3:20 PM, 2014
1/2 hour around lunch time on the way back from Moore.
Single Grey Partridge 30 -40 Linnet in a single flock 38 Fieldfare on the ground near the flood Buzzard on the floor catching worms 6 Long-tailed Tit
DavidBowman said
Tue Jan 7 12:43 PM, 2014
Spent this morning doing the BTO Thrush Survey at Arbury and Peel Hall - pretty quiet but turned up a wintering Chiffchaff in Radley Lane, which was nice (definitely not a Siberian!)
Cheers David
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Jan 2 12:44 PM, 2014
Around 150 Pink-footed Geese feeding in one of the fields off Barrow Lane at 9:45 this morning.
DavidBowman said
Wed Jan 1 11:23 AM, 2014
After a late one last night Em had a lie in while I was up early for a bit of garden birding. 60 Pink-footed Geese headed east not long after dawn, while 200 Jackdaws and 50 Rooks moved west to feed on nearby fields. In the garden a few Redwings and Tree Sparrows plus the resident female Blackcap were the best birds, feeding alongside the commoner stuff. In the field behind the house 80 Linnets, 11 Grey Partridges, 2 Common Gulls, 3 Yellowhammers and 6 Skylarks were noteworthy.
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
David
DavidBowman said
Thu Dec 26 11:52 PM, 2013
Managed a couple of hours garden birding between doing Christmassy stuff. Female Blackcap was still at the feeders, along with 3 Tree Sparrows, while a few Redwings and Fieldfares were filtering through. The fields behind the garden held small numbers of Yellowhammers and Skyarks, several hundred Jackdaws, 80 Rooks, 300 Starlings and a single Raven. Cheers David
DavidBowman said
Wed Dec 25 3:35 PM, 2013
A nice start to Christmas with a female Blackcap on the garden feeders, the first since moving to Winwick nearly three years ago. Brings the garden list to 75 species
Cheers David
DavidBowman said
Tue Dec 24 1:51 PM, 2013
In the field to the east of Waterworks lane this morning; 25 Tree Sparrows, 180 Fieldfares, 140 Redwings, 11 Grey Partridges and 300 Starlings.
Cheers David
Jonathan Platt said
Fri Dec 20 7:36 PM, 2013
Barrow Lane 2.15-2.45pm
A Peregrine was sat, Merlin-like, on the field behind Parkside Farm this afternoon, later moving to the field beyond the bottom hedge. Not much else around - 100+ Linnets in the still-uncut oilseed rape, a Common Buzzard, a lone Meadow Pipit, two Grey Partridge by the bisecting hedge and another ten in the growing rape SW of the lane, which flushed and flew over Winwick Lane as I returned to my car.
Pete Astles said
Fri Nov 22 4:00 AM, 2013
Not quite winwick but driving through Kenyon today and a peregrine flew just over the car
Jonathan Platt said
Sat Nov 16 3:08 AM, 2013
Barrow Lane 2.15-2.45pm
A flock of c50 Linnets on the oil seed rape field - still uncut! A single female Brambling was with a small flock of Chaffinches at the top of Sandy Brow Lane.
Jonathan Platt said
Sat Nov 9 3:33 AM, 2013
Barrow Lane 2-2.30pm
Nine Pink-footed Geese on the potato field, in the dip by the bottom hedge. Flock of 30+ Linnets in the still unharvested oil seed rape by Winwick Lane.
Mike Baron said
Tue Nov 5 3:15 AM, 2013
Late afternoon around Barrow Lane
80+ Fieldfares
Great Spotted Woodpecker
7 Yellowhammers
2 Tree Sparrows
3 Buzzards
2 Kestrels
6 Grey Partridges
DavidBowman said
Thu Oct 17 9:56 PM, 2013
A late morning walk around Peel Hall and Houghton Green Pool. A couple of Willow Tits and a few Bullfinches were in the Radley Plantation. The Pool was better than recently, with 92 Redwings, 285 Lapwings, 7 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 3 Little Grebes, 43 Wigeon, 9 Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Cormorants, 2 Pied Wagtails, 2 Meadow Pipits, 42 Mallards, 30 Linnets, 131 Canada Geese, 152 Black-headed Gulls, 8 Common Gulls and 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. One Large White was the only butterfly out in the warm sunshine.
Cheers David
DavidBowman said
Tue Oct 15 11:00 PM, 2013
A "gardening" day with some birding thrown in, giving some decent sightings. Five Swallows heading south were a late surprise, while 240 Pinkfooted Geese headed west, with small flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare also moving that way. A few Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and Skylarks passed over, 17 Grey Partridges and 20 Stock Doves were in the field behind the garden, while 3 Tree Sparrows were on the feeders with the commontits and finches. Raptors included 1 Peregrine, 7 Buzzards, 3 Sparrowhaks and 2 Kestrels.
Cheers David
DavidBowman said
Tue Oct 15 12:32 AM, 2013
Nice covey of 16 Grey Partridges in the recently ploughed field behind the house (off Waterworks Lane) this afternoon.
Cheers David
John Williams said
Sun Oct 13 2:53 AM, 2013
15.00-17.00
Walk along the old St Helens canal trail from Old Alder Lane and back via Hall Lane, Fiddle ith Bag pub and horse paddocks.
Single Raven over the M62 at about 12.15 today - bizarrely in a low level minor display flight which meant I could clearly see the diagnostic diamond tail - just by the new warehousing so a mile or so west of Winwick. I got the impression it had some scruffy plumage so maybe a juvenile. Cheered up my lunchtime!
Lawrence Hindley said
Tue Oct 1 4:21 AM, 2013
Kenyon Hall Farm 10.00am - 4.30pm
Seen while picking the Onion crop I planted earlier this year.
Shame I missed the other 2 Falcons as that would have been a good raptor day.
Jonathan Platt said
Tue Oct 1 2:51 AM, 2013
Barrow Lane
Merlin on the huge field SW of the lane this evening, an adult Hobby flew over as I was watching it from the barrier by Winwick Lane. Five Yellowhammers perched on the hedgerow behind Parkside Farm.
Pete Astles said
Sun Sep 29 12:12 AM, 2013
Peregrine today in the field opposite winwick church
Jonathan Platt said
Thu Sep 19 7:29 PM, 2013
Barrow Lane
Hobby this morning, first seen north of Parkside Road then later chasing a Meadow Pipit by the bisecting hedge. 100+ Meadow Pipits over. Still a few Yellow Wagtails knocking about. Nine Golden Plover behind Parkside Farm yesterday and a very confiding single on the plough NW of the bisecting hedge. A Wheatear by Parkside Farm on Tuesday.
This morning there was a very pale tailed Common Buzzard flying towards Parkside Colliery rucks, should get a few hearts racing if it stays till winter!
DavidBowman said
Sun Sep 8 9:07 PM, 2013
A rewarding mid-morning amble across the fields behind the house, visiting both the "set-aside" winter feed crops in Waterworks Lane and Hermitage Green Lane before circling back home. The weather was sunny and pleasant, though you could see rain coming in from far away in the west. Some excellent totals included: Grey Partridge 2, Raven 2, Chiffchaff 3, Yellowhammer 23, Tree Sparrow 39, House Sparrow 155, Linnet 170, Goldfinch 130, Greenfinch 80, Buzzard 5, Kestrel 4, Rook 10, Swallow 66 and Starling 55.
Cheers David
Jonathan Platt said
Sat Sep 7 1:52 AM, 2013
Barrow Lane
Three Golden Plover this afternoon, the first of the autumn, lifted off the now raked-over oat field SW of the lane. One or two Meadow Pipits are starting to trickle through . . . quite literally - I had one this morning and two this afternoon! Skylarks have been noticeable by their absence over the last few weeks but half a dozen flushed from the lane today.
Jonathan Platt said
Thu Sep 5 3:38 PM, 2013
Barrow Lane & Croft
Tree Pipit over the lane this morning, third one in the last few weeks. Drove to work via Main Lane and stopped when I noticed an odd-looking pigeon on a field, which turned into a juvenile Peregrine when it took off! It raced around the farmland bordering Winwick Lane before disappearing off towards Houghton Green Flash.
A few minutes later I was driving down Heath Lane in Croft when I spotted a Great Black-backed Gull in amongst 20+ Lessers on a stubble field. I stopped to take a look and noticed another Peregrine at the back of the field, mantling over a kill (looked like a Starling or thrush). I don't think this was the same bird - although both juveniles this one looked like a male, whereas the earlier one appeared to be a female. Hard to tell male from female when perched however.
DavidBowman said
Wed Sep 4 11:49 PM, 2013
The farmer's just cropped the wheatfield behind the house (over-looking Waterworks Lane in Winwick), so I had a wander round to see what was there. Totals included: 110 House Sparrows, 19 Tree Sparrows, 5 Yellowhammers, 3 Grey Partridges, 50 Wood Pigeons, 7 Stock Doves, 1 Jay, plus single Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk and a few Swallows and House Martins. I'll check it regularly now as the stubble usually becomes good for larks, pipits and Corn Buntings.
Cheers David
Jonathan Platt said
Wed Sep 4 2:50 PM, 2013
Barrow Lane
There is one less Corn Bunting on Barrow Lane this morning, a Sparrowhawk took it over the oil-seed rape. I'm presuming this is the same Sparrowhawk I saw taking a Yellow Wagtail a few weeks ago as one has been hanging around the potatoes and rape since then. Otherwise, the Corn Buntings seem to be doing very well, with up to 15 birds being seen around the small rape field at the southern end of the lane, many of them juveniles.
Matt Pitt and I watched a juvenile Peregrine chase a Magpie on Monday morning at the back of Parkside Farm. The Maggy hit the floor, I've got a feeling the Peregrine may well have turned over and grabbed the bird on the deck if we hadn't been in such close proximity.
There are still a few Yellow Wagtails around, but the majority seem to have moved on now.
Jonathan Platt said
Tue Aug 20 4:49 AM, 2013
Barrow Lane
A Sparrowhawk was hunting the potato field this evening, flying above the vegetation in a slow wingbeat, harrier-like fashion. It accelerated incredibly when a wagtail broke cover, snatching it up before the bird had flown ten yards.
There are still plenty of wagtails around, last Thursday I had a maximum count of 23 in my scope at the same time as they fed along the surface of the lane first thing in the morning. There are several fledged broods of Corn Buntings around too, some with a slight yellowish wash and subtly darker faces - beautiful birds. Oddly, a Wigeon flew over one morning last week, a site tick I think, and an unusual bird to see here at this time of year. Earlier in the week Matt Pitt and I had five Kestrels, presumably a late brood as Kestrels have been particularly scarce this summer. This evening I flushed seven Grey Partridge from the grass verge on the lane.
DavidBowman said
Thu Aug 15 5:17 AM, 2013
A long garden-watch this morning really paid dividends. Early on, a couple of Chiffchaffs were still present having arrived during yesterday's rains. A Yellow Wagtail then flew over while a few Tree Sparrows were with 35 House Sparrows in the garden, alongside the usual variety of tits, finches etc. Over the wheatfield behind the house 300 Swifts attracted a hunting Hobby, which in turn brought down 2 passing Ravens, which then drove the Hobby away. Two Sparrowhawks, 7 Buzzards and a Kestrel were other raptors present. The hedgerow on the far side of the field was, as always, productive with 2 Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting among a flock of c.120 House/Tree Sparrows. In total 36 bird species were seen. Butterflies were also good, with Brimstone and Small Skipper added to the garden list (which now totals 13 species in two years).
Cheers David
DavidBowman said
Wed Aug 7 11:36 PM, 2013
A day spent gardening, at Winwick, with one eye on the sky - twice nearly cut my leg off with the hedge trimmers as a result. One Hobby drifted through with 60 swifts and a few Swallows. Four Buzzards and single Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were other raptors noted. On the garden feeders were: 9 Tree Sparrows, 14 House Sparrows, 20 Greenfinches, 6 Goldfinches and a few tits. One the ground feed were: 13 Chaffinches, 3 Robins, 3 Blackbirds, 2 Dunnocks, 6 Collared Doves, 4 Wood Pigeons, 1 Jackdaw and a Magpie. Over the wheat field at the end of the garden were: 2 Yellowhammers, 5 Meadow Pipits, 2 Starlings, 50 Woodpigeons, 2 Stock Doves, 8 Collared Doves, 3 Lapwings and the odd Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls. Also masses of Large and Small White and Peacock butterflies were over the wheat field and passing through the garden.
Cheers David
Matt Pitt said
Sat Aug 3 5:47 AM, 2013
Jonathan Platt wrote:
Barrow Lane - 6.30-7.30am
Met a guy called Matt on the lane this morning, a few minutes later we had excellent views of a Hobby chasing a Linnet over the potatoes. The Linnet crashed into the foliage, the Hobby turned and raced back up the lane, attempting to snatch one of the fleeing Yellow Wagtails - again it failed. The Hobby turned again and flew off SW. Five minutes later what I'm sure was a different Hobby flew in from the north and carried on towards Croft in the SE.
Still plenty of Yellow Wagtails around, I had around 30 yesterday evening on the strip of bare earth between the potatoes and rape at the SE end of the lane, I presume there was a hatch of insects as the strip was swarming with birds flycatching and picking inverts off the ground. The first few juvenile Corn Buntings are appearing and last week I had my first autumn Meadow Pipit, another migrant Whitethroat was knocking around the potatoes earlier this week too.
It was nice to meet you Jonathan and thanks for letting me tag along :). Having never seen a Hobby before, I couldn't ask for a better introduction to this beautiful raptor... Superb views!
Cheers Matt
Jonathan Platt said
Fri Aug 2 4:41 PM, 2013
Barrow Lane - 6.30-7.30am
Met a guy called Matt on the lane this morning, a few minutes later we had excellent views of a Hobby chasing a Linnet over the potatoes. The Linnet crashed into the foliage, the Hobby turned and raced back up the lane, attempting to snatch one of the fleeing Yellow Wagtails - again it failed. The Hobby turned again and flew off SW. Five minutes later what I'm sure was a different Hobby flew in from the north and carried on towards Croft in the SE.
Still plenty of Yellow Wagtails around, I had around 30 yesterday evening on the strip of bare earth between the potatoes and rape at the SE end of the lane, I presume there was a hatch of insects as the strip was swarming with birds flycatching and picking inverts off the ground. The first few juvenile Corn Buntings are appearing and last week I had my first autumn Meadow Pipit, another migrant Whitethroat was knocking around the potatoes earlier this week too.
DavidBowman said
Wed Jul 31 1:17 AM, 2013
Walked down Barrow Lane, round Highfield Moss and back late this afternoon. A Hobby, hunting through 300 Swifts and 25 Swallows was a good sighting, along with 9 Yellow Wagtails , 3 Corn Buntings, 5 Tree Sparrows, 45 House Sparrows, 5 Grey Partridges, 7 Yellowhammers, 10 Reed Buntings and 40 Meadow Pipits. Butterflies and Dragonflies were plentiful, with 4 Emperor Dragonflies and 3 Black-tailed Skimmers among the scores of Black Darters, Emerald Damselflies, Azure Damselflies, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells, Gatekeepers, Small Whites, Large Whites, Green-veined Whites and Small Heaths.
Cheers David
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Jul 28 9:32 PM, 2013
Barrow lane pm Yellow wagtail 20+Juv+2f mainly in the potato crop beyond the bollards Linnets-c150 along the edge of the potato field kestrel-1 :)
Lawrence Hindley said
Wed Jul 24 11:43 PM, 2013
Kenyon Hall Farm 7.30 to 16.00
Whilst doing farm work including Strawberry field Weeding today I saw the below (no binoculars).
10 pied Wagtail (mixture of adults and fledged young) 1 Corn Bunting 30 - 40 Swift feeding over strawberries 1 Song Thrush 3 Linnet 1 Whitethroat 1 Buzzard 1 Grey heron 1 Kestrel Yellow Wagtail calling Yellowhammer calling Many Goldfinch and young
Yellow Wagtail - just the one (m) on the heaped muck alongside the road - great view
Wheatear - 4 on the ploughed field
Linnet - 3
Common Buzzard - 1 overhead
Lapwing - 2
Grey Partridge - 2 flushed on the edge of the rapeseed field
Skylark - 2
Model helicopter taking off from just beyond the concrete bollards - 1.
-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Thursday 24th of April 2014 06:31:49 PM
Skylarks, lapwings, linnets, carrion crow and a common buzzard.
-- Edited by Keith Williams on Thursday 24th of April 2014 04:09:44 PM
cheers scott.
The Parkside Road end has enough parking room for a few cars while the other end has none.
Cheers scott.
-- Edited by Scott robinson on Wednesday 23rd of April 2014 09:36:49 PM
Four White wagtails, three Yellow wagtails, five Wheatears, two Corn buntings and c30 Linnets on the recently drilled field this evening after work.
At least four Yellow wagtails (all males) on the plough this morning, plus three Wheatear and five or more Corn Buntings. I heard Tree sparrows calling from Oven Back Cottage at the Cheshire end of the lane on Monday evening, the first I've heard there this year.
This time last year the oil seed rape was hardly covering the ground, this year it's 2˝ feet tall and in full bloom!
Wheatear-1 Male
The field NW of the bollards was being ploughed by the farmer and should be great for wheatears and yellow wags in a few days.
:)
2 Corn Buntings
2 Grey Partridge
1 Pied Wagtail
Many Skylarks
4 Buzzards
100+ lapwings
Four singing Corn Buntings scattered around various hedges. 300 Woodpigeons on rape and a dozen Linnets on the still-unharvested rape. Yellowhammer singing by Parkside Farm. A female juvenile Peregrine (same one I've been seeing there all winter) flew in and landed just beyond the Gtr. Manchester boundary hedge, scattering a bunch of Lapwings.
First morning walk of the year down Barrow Lane (with Matt Pitt). Garbage rainy weather, so consequently quiet. A single male Corn Bunting singing from the bisecting hedge, several Skylarks singing (also six flew in together as we walked the lane), four Linnets on the still-uncropped rape and a worming Buzzard on what I'm hoping will be a potato field this year. As we reached our cars a female Peregrine flew over, flushing 100 Woodpigeons from the rape by the Croft roundabout.
Barrow Lane
2 Corn Buntings, 4 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Buzzards, 3 Reed Buntings, 12 Skylarks, 60 Lapwings, 25 Linnets, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Black Headed Gull and a large flock of Woodpigeons.
Oddly, no sign of any Yellowhammers.
Cheers
David
Single Grey Partridge
30 -40 Linnet in a single flock
38 Fieldfare on the ground near the flood
Buzzard on the floor catching worms
6 Long-tailed Tit
Spent this morning doing the BTO Thrush Survey at Arbury and Peel Hall - pretty quiet but turned up a wintering Chiffchaff in Radley Lane, which was nice (definitely not a Siberian!)
Cheers David
After a late one last night Em had a lie in while I was up early for a bit of garden birding. 60 Pink-footed Geese headed east not long after dawn, while 200 Jackdaws and 50 Rooks moved west to feed on nearby fields. In the garden a few Redwings and Tree Sparrows plus the resident female Blackcap were the best birds, feeding alongside the commoner stuff. In the field behind the house 80 Linnets, 11 Grey Partridges, 2 Common Gulls, 3 Yellowhammers and 6 Skylarks were noteworthy.
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
David
Cheers David
Cheers David
Cheers David
A Peregrine was sat, Merlin-like, on the field behind Parkside Farm this afternoon, later moving to the field beyond the bottom hedge. Not much else around - 100+ Linnets in the still-uncut oilseed rape, a Common Buzzard, a lone Meadow Pipit, two Grey Partridge by the bisecting hedge and another ten in the growing rape SW of the lane, which flushed and flew over Winwick Lane as I returned to my car.
A flock of c50 Linnets on the oil seed rape field - still uncut! A single female Brambling was with a small flock of Chaffinches at the top of Sandy Brow Lane.
Nine Pink-footed Geese on the potato field, in the dip by the bottom hedge. Flock of 30+ Linnets in the still unharvested oil seed rape by Winwick Lane.
80+ Fieldfares
Great Spotted Woodpecker
7 Yellowhammers
2 Tree Sparrows
3 Buzzards
2 Kestrels
6 Grey Partridges
Cheers David
Cheers David
Cheers David
Walk along the old St Helens canal trail from Old Alder Lane and back via Hall Lane, Fiddle ith Bag pub and horse paddocks.
1 Redwing, 2 Buzzards, 60 Lapwings, 1 Snipe, 2 Cormorants and 1 Mistle Thrush.
Seen while picking the Onion crop I planted earlier this year.
Buzzard x1
Kestrel x2
Sparrowhawk x1
Grey Wagtail x2
Whitethroat heard
Shame I missed the other 2 Falcons as that would have been a good raptor day.
Merlin on the huge field SW of the lane this evening, an adult Hobby flew over as I was watching it from the barrier by Winwick Lane. Five Yellowhammers perched on the hedgerow behind Parkside Farm.
Hobby this morning, first seen north of Parkside Road then later chasing a Meadow Pipit by the bisecting hedge. 100+ Meadow Pipits over. Still a few Yellow Wagtails knocking about. Nine Golden Plover behind Parkside Farm yesterday and a very confiding single on the plough NW of the bisecting hedge. A Wheatear by Parkside Farm on Tuesday.
This morning there was a very pale tailed Common Buzzard flying towards Parkside Colliery rucks, should get a few hearts racing if it stays till winter!
Cheers David
Three Golden Plover this afternoon, the first of the autumn, lifted off the now raked-over oat field SW of the lane. One or two Meadow Pipits are starting to trickle through . . . quite literally - I had one this morning and two this afternoon! Skylarks have been noticeable by their absence over the last few weeks but half a dozen flushed from the lane today.
Tree Pipit over the lane this morning, third one in the last few weeks. Drove to work via Main Lane and stopped when I noticed an odd-looking pigeon on a field, which turned into a juvenile Peregrine when it took off! It raced around the farmland bordering Winwick Lane before disappearing off towards Houghton Green Flash.
A few minutes later I was driving down Heath Lane in Croft when I spotted a Great Black-backed Gull in amongst 20+ Lessers on a stubble field. I stopped to take a look and noticed another Peregrine at the back of the field, mantling over a kill (looked like a Starling or thrush). I don't think this was the same bird - although both juveniles this one looked like a male, whereas the earlier one appeared to be a female. Hard to tell male from female when perched however.
Cheers David
There is one less Corn Bunting on Barrow Lane this morning, a Sparrowhawk took it over the oil-seed rape. I'm presuming this is the same Sparrowhawk I saw taking a Yellow Wagtail a few weeks ago as one has been hanging around the potatoes and rape since then. Otherwise, the Corn Buntings seem to be doing very well, with up to 15 birds being seen around the small rape field at the southern end of the lane, many of them juveniles.
Matt Pitt and I watched a juvenile Peregrine chase a Magpie on Monday morning at the back of Parkside Farm. The Maggy hit the floor, I've got a feeling the Peregrine may well have turned over and grabbed the bird on the deck if we hadn't been in such close proximity.
There are still a few Yellow Wagtails around, but the majority seem to have moved on now.
A Sparrowhawk was hunting the potato field this evening, flying above the vegetation in a slow wingbeat, harrier-like fashion. It accelerated incredibly when a wagtail broke cover, snatching it up before the bird had flown ten yards.
There are still plenty of wagtails around, last Thursday I had a maximum count of 23 in my scope at the same time as they fed along the surface of the lane first thing in the morning. There are several fledged broods of Corn Buntings around too, some with a slight yellowish wash and subtly darker faces - beautiful birds. Oddly, a Wigeon flew over one morning last week, a site tick I think, and an unusual bird to see here at this time of year. Earlier in the week Matt Pitt and I had five Kestrels, presumably a late brood as Kestrels have been particularly scarce this summer. This evening I flushed seven Grey Partridge from the grass verge on the lane.
Cheers David
Cheers David
It was nice to meet you Jonathan and thanks for letting me tag along :). Having never seen a Hobby before, I couldn't ask for a better introduction to this beautiful raptor... Superb views!
Cheers Matt
Met a guy called Matt on the lane this morning, a few minutes later we had excellent views of a Hobby chasing a Linnet over the potatoes. The Linnet crashed into the foliage, the Hobby turned and raced back up the lane, attempting to snatch one of the fleeing Yellow Wagtails - again it failed. The Hobby turned again and flew off SW. Five minutes later what I'm sure was a different Hobby flew in from the north and carried on towards Croft in the SE.
Still plenty of Yellow Wagtails around, I had around 30 yesterday evening on the strip of bare earth between the potatoes and rape at the SE end of the lane, I presume there was a hatch of insects as the strip was swarming with birds flycatching and picking inverts off the ground. The first few juvenile Corn Buntings are appearing and last week I had my first autumn Meadow Pipit, another migrant Whitethroat was knocking around the potatoes earlier this week too.
Cheers David
Yellow wagtail 20+Juv+2f mainly in the potato crop beyond the bollards
Linnets-c150 along the edge of the potato field
kestrel-1
:)
Whilst doing farm work including Strawberry field Weeding today I saw the below (no binoculars).
10 pied Wagtail (mixture of adults and fledged young)
1 Corn Bunting
30 - 40 Swift feeding over strawberries
1 Song Thrush
3 Linnet
1 Whitethroat
1 Buzzard
1 Grey heron
1 Kestrel
Yellow Wagtail calling
Yellowhammer calling
Many Goldfinch and young