A quick visit to Brookdale Park with the eldest son revealed at least 2 pairs of Mistle Thrushes feeding young at the nest.

Also, Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Woodpigeon
Blackcap
And the highlight was finding 2 Great Spotted woodpecker holes with an almost fleged bird being fed my parents. One hole was obvious as the bird was so loud, but a guy looking at it pointed me to the other nest.

Weds 23rd 18.00 -2 Lapwings on the roof of Carpet Warehouse

6th May.

In the general area this morning.

Grey Wagtail, Collared Dove with young in nest, 2 Blackcap singing, family party of Long-tailed Tits including min of 6 young, 2 Blackcap singing, 1 Whitethroat singing, Grey Heron and Lapwing with young.

Cheers,

Bill.

Osprey north over Clayton/Newton Heath mobbed by 4 LBBGulls at 4:50pm today.

Info thanks to Mark Evans

A single Lapwing displayed aerially over Oldham Road today before landing on the roof of the carpet warehouse.

Cheers for that James, just looked at your photo and don't think they are the same birds, must admit it's hard to tell as mine was wearing a hoodie(it was in Newton Heath).
Cheers Ian

Hi Ian, Just read your post about Yellow-legged Gull, I found an adult YLG on 1st October on Irwell Valley Way, I wonder if it's the same bird you saw, there's only 3 miles between the sites (I've sent a photo to your email)

2.15 p.m. as I walked down Briscoe Lane to the match, on grass in front of the school in front of Phoenix Pub an adult Yellow-legged Gull, my first in GM although I've seen 100's this Summer in Morroco. It was on it's own feeding in the cut grass about 30 feet from the road. I know it needs a rarity report and may not be accepted but I'm posting this so that anyone in the area can keep a look out. Also a Jay over.
Cheers Ian

Flock of Sandwich Terns calling overhead as they headed west at 23:00

2 Pied Wagtails on the Rochdale Canal this afternoon.

Bill's last post caused me to revisit my 1st birdwatching haunt as a child my parents lived near(they still do). This a.m.1Great spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch in abundance, lots of Blue and Great Tits, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush and Magpies. The wooded areas had large numbers of fallen over trees making a fine looking habitat spoilt only by the minimum 60 Grey Squirrels in this area.
Just down the road, in Failsworth visited the Water treatment works with 300+ Swift and 50+ House Martin plus 2 Grey Wagtail.
Cheers Ian

Brookdale Park, Newton Heath.

AM.

2 brief but reasonable views of a Spotted Flycatcher. Spent 20 mins trying to refind the bird but failed.

Also single juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker. From observations - very recently fledged as it appeared quite ungainly when it tried to move about the tree that I finally managed to locate it in after a 15 minute search - but no sign of any parents. Plenty of sightings of Chaffinch breeding activity - a male feeding 2 fledged juveniles and in different parts of the park - a female feeding a single juvenile and another was nest building. Pair of Magpies with a single fledged young. Family party of 4 Mistle Thrush - 2 adults and 2 independently feeding juveniles. Family parties of Blue and Great Tits - some just out of nests and other nestlings ready to fledge soon heard calling loudly from holes in walls, nest boxes etc. Family party of Long-tailed Tits.

Fledged House Sparrows and Starlings. Disappointingly a feeding flock of c110 Starlings appeared to consist of only about 20% juvenile birds. Wonder if the earlier prolonged dry spell has had an effect on this species breeding productivity this year?

Also seen nearby - Wren carrying food, with at least 2 unseen fledged young heard calling and a pair of Bullfinch with a single young bird. Kestrel seen and Whitethroat heard singing.

Cheers,

Bill.

From Failsworth through Brookdale Park as part of one big long walk

Woodpigion
GS Woodpecker
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Song Thrush
Blue Tit
Great Tit

Lapwing displaying over the roof of CarpetRight

Also Kestrel coming off the mill tower at Mac's gym

Brookdale Park, Newton Heath

19th November - am.

5+ Mistle Thrush, one of which was singing in the park. Also 2 Nuthatch, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.


Cheers,

Bill.

21st March.

Min 24 Golden Plover in same field late this morning.

Bill.

7th March.

Have called in several times over the winter months to look for the flock of Golden Plover that were here last winter/spring. But without any luck until today when an exact count of 30 were on the fields where the old Monsall Hospital used to be. Beautifully hidden away amongst the golden coloured grassland - some were just starting to acquire breeding plumage and looked quite gorgeous in the bright sunlight. The other field which the Golden Plovers used last year is currently being built on.

Also 15 widely dispersed Lapwing and assorted gulls, Starlings, Magpies and Woodpigeons.

Cheers,

Bill.

Assorted Juveniles around today, inc. Robin, Dunnock, Long-tailed Tits and Bullfinch. The Goldfinches failed on both attempts (like Bill I'm blaming the local Magpies-who managed 3 young- whether they like it or not) Blackbirds are also feeding young somewhere but no offspring seen yet

Pr of Goldfinches with nesting material on site.

Just to stop Bill worrying......

Single Lapwing on the roof of CarpetRight 10.00 a.m.

Male Blackbird carrying food

Pair of Bullfinch through about 2.00 p.m. hopefully on way to nest nearby again this year

Otherwise just the usual

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Monday 13th of April 2009 11:57:46 PM

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Monday 13th of April 2009 11:58:23 PM

At least 9 Golden Plovers still present this morning, along with 2 Linnets, Skylark, Lapwings etc.

12th April.

Is the Central Business Park actually in Newton Heath? - not sure, still will "drop" my sightings in from there onto this thread - I'm sure Mike won't mind!

Central Business Park - early morning - both single Skylarks and Linnets were singing!
c25 Golden Plover still present.
A Reed Bunting called.
Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls decided to peruse the site from the vantage point of two street lights overlooking the site, sending the Lapwings into a bit of a frenzy.

Rochdale Canal at Newton Heath - 3 Grey Wagtails and a Canada Goose sat on a nest.

At nearby Clayton Vale - double figures of Jays giving some strange vocalisations - some sounding like "mewing" Buzzards! A pair of Bullfinches were nest building. 3 singing Chiffchaff, 3 singing Blackcap and 2 singing Willow Warbler.

Have been trying to add a few roving records for the breeding atlas project for some of the tetrads bordering the north side of the city centre - its interesting and surprising to see what is about. I thought I would visit a series of fishing lodges alongside the industrial works on Grimshaw Lane at Newton Heath but they seem to have gone now?

Keep atlasing!

Bill.


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 12th of April 2009 04:44:15 PM

First Willow Warbler for here, in birches behind the site. Quite vocal, until I got a chance to dig out the 'bins

Also 2 Greenfinch in song/display flight, pair of Goldfinches, single Lapwing over from the Central Business Park and a possible Peregrine low over Jewsons around 10.30 a.m.

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 12th of April 2009 10:41:16 PM

2 Swallows over Central Manchester Business Park 1.00 p.m.

5 redpoll over work today, bringing site total (inc. flyby's) to 50 species.

Ant-swarming day today. Lots of bhg activity all day (up to 75 at peak) and at least double the normal number of swifts. Unfortunately work intruded just as I was about to do a higher altitude scan

also family party of 15 long-tailed tits, pair of blackbirds still feeding young, great tit ditto

Common Buzzard WSW low over work (Oldham Road) 2.30 p.m. Also goldfinch singing there last three days.

-- Edited by Mike Chorley at 17:25, 2008-07-13