Cormorant over. Flock of fieldfares, coal tit, two goosanders on river, kingfisher flying down river, dipper hunting for food below main bridge on river.

Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail, Heron, Buzzard Over, and two Goosander this am.

kingfisher on river

rather wet not much
blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff,
jay, fly over oystercatcher swift swallow and grey wagtail.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 10:16:05 PM

8-9am
Dipper
Kingfisher
Pair Goosanders
Bull Chaff Gold Green finch
Lapwings near garsdale
Jay
Jackdaws
LT Tits
Lots of Herons

Saw Kingisher on river. Also 2 Dipper 2 Goosander and heron.

Walked down to Burrs from Rammy along the River and back. 0900 till 1430. Saw the following:
7 x Dipper in total on the walk down to Burrs, ( 3 singing )
Lots of Long Tailed, Coal, Blue and Great Tits
1 x Willow Tit near Nutall Park.
Good numbers of Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
2 x Greenfinch
5 x Bullfinch
1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 x Treecreeper
3 x Nuthatch
9 x Goosander (5 m)
2 x Moorhen
4 x Redwing
2 x Mistle Thrush

On Banks Farm Lodge:
54 Canada Geese, 2 Moorhen, 5 Goosander (2 m) and 1 x Celebrity Barnacle Goose.
(Distinct absence of Goldcrests and Kingfishers.. Burrs is usually a banker for Kingfishers}

Rob Archer

Judith Smith wrote:

---

That's interesting about the Jackdaw roost, Alan, as at dusk or just before, daily in the winter months, large numbers fly south following the Irwell at Summerseat, which is probably only just over a mile from Burrs. I always wondered where they were going - assumed perhaps the old Robinson-Kay Home woods, or along the river somewhere. If any Radcliffe birder can throw light on the location of the roost, that would great.

---

There is a Jackdaw roost in Church on Stand lane, Radcliffe

22nd January.

First visit to this park this morning.

A very nice area and I will certainly visit this park and surrounding areas again during the breeding season.

Surprisingly, the highlight of the visit came in the car park! Whilst putting my boots on I noticed a pair of Woodpigeons close together and canoodling on a tree branch overhanging the car park. Closer inspection through binoculars saw the male apparently courtship feeding the female. He surprisingly gently and daintily regurgitated food on several occasions, which she appeared to swallow. The male climbed on the females back and they copulated. One or both of them then made a short series of unusual sounds, which I haven't heard before, just to round things off nicely!

Also about a flock of c10 Greenfinch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, 2 Song Thrush singing, a pair of Mistle Thrush, 3 Bullfinch (including 2 singing males), 1 Goosander, 1 Cormorant, 2 Jay and 2 Grey Heron.

Whilst driving back towards Bury I noticed a large flock of birds in a tree, which on stopping turned out to be 44 Waxwings. They came down to feed on what looked to be yellow Rowan Berries on a tree outside Truro Close, off Woodhill Road.

Cheers,

Bill.

That's interesting about the Jackdaw roost, Alan, as at dusk or just before, daily in the winter months, large numbers fly south following the Irwell at Summerseat, which is probably only just over a mile from Burrs. I always wondered where they were going - assumed perhaps the old Robinson-Kay Home woods, or along the river somewhere. If any Radcliffe birder can throw light on the location of the roost, that would great.

Just before dusk today, 5 flocks of Jackdaws flew over in south westerly direction.
Estimated 1000+ birds in total. I believe theres a roost in Radcliffe.
Also 5 Goosander over heading towards Elton.

-- Edited by Alan Warford on Saturday 11th of December 2010 06:02:38 PM

AM not much
Grey Watail
Male goosander above weir
4 dippers 1 near site of woodhall mill 1 near visitor centre 2 displaying 100 m down from weir
Gold finchers LT Tits ETC
GS Woody

Large gathering of House Martins over park yesterday evening, possibly 40+.
Looked like family parties getting ready for migration.
Grey Wagtail on river.

One whitethroat
2 Dippers
1 kingfisher
1 heron
1 Grey Wagtail
1 sedgewarbler
2 willow warblers

Always a good place to look for broods of Goosander ducklings on the river, Ian - from mid May onwards.

Very nice stroll up Burrs and further on up the valey along the River Irwell.

1 Dipper around the canal feeder Viaduct flying up stream
1 Dipper 1 willow warbler 1 blackcap 1 mistle thrush below the remains of woodhill mill
2 King fisher chasing each other above and below the weir
Heron on weir
6 Goosander (1 male) 1 GS Woodpecker, 1 Jay, 1 willow warbler pheasant 5 swallow above weir .

cheer

ian

Heron Dipper 2 GS Woodpecker ChiffChaff Bull finch King fisher

Heron
Grey Pied Wagtails
Dipper
Blue Great LTY Coal Tits
Chiff Chaff calling
Gt Spotted Wood pecker

Buzzard circling high at 4pm over Brown Cow pub. Also Kingfisher on River Irwell.