Passed by Harridge on the way to Alphin pike this morning around 10am
c20 lapwing
2 stonechat
3 buzzards
1 ring ouzel
2 Jays
Saw a pair of starlings mating which has to be one of the funniest and most endearing things Ive seen in a long time
Stuart Pike said
Mon Apr 5 7:05 PM, 2021
Only two Chiffchaff, a few Bullfinch and two Long-tailed Tits of note this evening up towards Wild Bank. Cold wind keeping most things quiet.
Isaac Heath said
Sat Apr 3 7:18 PM, 2021
walk from 10.20am onwards
9 lapwing towards Harridge
2 red grouse
2 red legged partridge
1 Reed bunting higher swineshaw
lots of meadow pipits on the dam bank
1 male kestrel in the valley with the female sat watching
1 grey wagtail on walkerwood
Stuart Pike said
Fri Apr 2 6:38 PM, 2021
Couple of Willow Warbler having a sing-off mid afternoon just below the Rifle Ranges. Redpoll the other highlight in the birch wood a little further on.
Blustery walk this morning over Harridge and up past higher swineshaw
3 lapwing
2 buzzard
8 chiffchaff
4 Reed bunting
4 goosander on lower swineshaw
1 kestrel
3 buzzard
3 Jays
Isaac Heath said
Thu Apr 1 1:58 PM, 2021
Wednesday 9.30 am onwards
Round Harridge and across towards Alphin then back through Upper Swineshaw and down to the country park
5 lapwing in the field on the left towards Harridge
4 buzzards hunting on the top of Harridge
5 goosander on higher swineshaw
4 Reed bunting
1 kestrel perched ready to hunt
1 peregrine over higher swineshaw
Stuart Pike said
Wed Mar 31 8:44 PM, 2021
Walk this evening up to the rifle ranges from Stocks Lane, then a circuit of Walkerwood and back.
At least 6 Chiffchaff accounted for the summer migrants, with lots of commoner birds in song in support.
Fleeting or distant views of one each of Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Kestrel.
Isaac Heath said
Tue Mar 30 9:04 PM, 2021
Walk up to higher swineshaw this eve 6.15
6 geeenfinch
20+ pheasant
4 goosander
1 cormorant
3 song thrush
3 kestrel
1 common buzzard
1 grouse
2 Reed bunting
Isaac Heath said
Tue Mar 30 8:48 PM, 2021
Walk round Harridge up to swineshaw and back behind gamekeeper 9.45 this morning
3 lapwing in the field on the left up towards Harridge
9 greenfinch
5 buzzards
3 kestrel
3 gsw
Lots of pheasant today
Isaac Heath said
Tue Mar 30 8:44 PM, 2021
Walk mon 29th up through the country park to upper swineshaw and back from 6pm
2 gsw in the country park
2 kestrel
2 buzzards
Several song thrush near brushes res
2 tawny owls calling
Walk up to higher swineshaw around 10 am -
2 common buzzard
2 kestrel
4 goosander (thanks for the heads up David!)
2 bullfinch in country park
2 Jays
1 great spotted woodpecker
Chris Harper said
Thu Mar 4 10:16 AM, 2021
Oystercatcher twice evaded a stoop by a Peregrine Falcon by diving under Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
Also 4 Goosander, 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Red Grouse, 2 Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, 5 Jay, 6 Bullfinch, Mistle Thrush, 7 Song Thrush
Oakgates and then a circular of Harridge Pike 9:20-11:30
10 Red Grouse, Reed Bunting, Red Legged Partridge, 2 Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 3 Goosander, 5 Bullfinch, 3 Treecreeper, 3 Nuthatch, 7 Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush.
Chris Knight said
Sat Feb 13 9:56 PM, 2021
Up to top of Harridge in a brisk E wind no binoculars (if only to demonstrate that it was exercise not leisure!), but birds still included: Woodcock (in dry gully heading NW towards the top) Meadow pipit Red grouse (including low down below pennine bridleway on far side) Grey wagtail Red-legged partridge Pheasant Grey heron (over) Raven Jay Lapwing
Chris Harper said
Thu Feb 4 10:28 AM, 2021
Oakgates car park to Higher Swineshaw this morning
7 Reed Bunting, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Red Grouse, 9 Red Legged Partridge, 6 Bullfinch, 7 Mistle Thrush, 6 Jay, Common Buzzard.
Isaac Heath said
Thu Feb 4 7:54 AM, 2021
Walk up Harridge and around to Alphin yesterday in the rain - first buzzard of the year hunting. 3 bullfinch, at least 10 long tailed tits all darting through the trees. 6 chaffinch, 2 great spotted woodpecker. 4 Jays.
Chris Harper said
Thu Jan 21 10:14 AM, 2021
Lower part only up to Walkerwood dam
15 Fieldfare, Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, 4 Red Legged Partridge, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goosander.
Stuart Pike said
Sun Jan 17 4:41 PM, 2021
Wildbank this afternoon
Kestrel and single stonechat the highlights
Buzzard in the direction of Cheetham Park
Isaac Heath said
Sat Jan 16 4:31 PM, 2021
Lots of walks over the past weeks Wednesday 13th Lots of grouse/pheasants up Harridge Upper swineshaw was bitter and just a few robins to keep me company. Walkerwood/brushes by the cottages 2 nuthatch 3 great spotted woodpecker 1 bullfinch 2 long tailed tits In the country park 2 great spotted woodpecker 3 bullfinch 4 long tailed tits 5 coal tits
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 16th of January 2021 04:46:38 PM
Stuart Pike said
Sat Jan 9 11:13 AM, 2021
Walk around Wildbank 09:00 - 10:45 ish
Higher I went the more snow underfoot with a bit of ice.
Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit. Mistle Thrush and Blackbird Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch Wren and Robin A few pheasants Lots of Magpies, some crows, and that was about it.
David Walsh said
Sat Jan 2 3:36 PM, 2021
Saturday 2nd January 2021, 7.30 - 10.30am.
Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
3 Teal were a first for me in the valley 52 Black-headed Gulls gave a sense of normality
A bit of singing from the following species, lower down, offered some hope of things to come:
Dunnock Mistle Thrush Greenfinch Great Tit Coal Tit
Stuart Pike said
Sun Dec 20 1:18 PM, 2020
Walk before the rain arrived
Buzzard 2 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush 2 mixed tit flocks; Nuthatch and Treecreeper with the flock down by Walkerwood Reservoir, Goldcrest with the flock up by the Scout Hut. Great Spotted Woodpecker
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 20th of December 2020 01:29:20 PM
Pete Hines said
Tue Dec 1 5:03 PM, 2020
Red-legged Partridge 5 (viewed from 53.491346, -2.026161) Pheasant 47 Red Grouse at least 3 heard Goosander 2 Raven 2 Redwing 17 Stonechat 2 Greenfinch 19 Lesser Redpoll 1
James Richardson said
Mon Nov 30 9:26 AM, 2020
Little egret flew eastwards over walkerwood reservoir yesterday afternoon
Chris Harper said
Sat Nov 7 5:54 PM, 2020
14:30-16:30
Male Stonechat, Red Grouse, 2 Treecreeper, 3 Goldcrest, 10 Redwing, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 3 Nuthatch, 7 Jay, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch
David Walsh said
Sat Nov 7 2:04 PM, 2020
Saturday 7th November 2020, 10.00am.
At least two Chiffchaff loosely associating with a mixed flock of mainly Long-tailed Tits, in the Country Park, this morning.
Single Chiffchaff heard calling on Thursday in Brushes Valley.
Isaac Heath said
Sat Oct 31 8:10 PM, 2020
Sorry I meant 2 ravens not rooks on previous post
Isaac Heath said
Sat Oct 31 8:06 PM, 2020
Walked a few times up to higher swineshaw in the past few weeks - best sights have been
2 rooks near brushes reservoir, very imposing and lovely to watch
14 Jays I counted in one walk - this time of year is great for Jays
1 wren
Walks up to wild bank have been a bit quieter recently.
3 kestrel
1 hobby
2 wrens
Lots of game birds amongst the Heathers
Isaac Heath said
Fri Sep 25 10:44 PM, 2020
Bit of a blustery walk today around wild bank and up to the trig point. A wheatear was the best sighting of the morning. A couple of kestrel trying to hunt.
David Walsh said
Thu Sep 24 12:37 PM, 2020
Thursday 24th September 2020, 11.30am,
Flaxfield
Juvenile Wheatear in the fields around Range House. Unusual sighting so low down.
-- Edited by David Walsh on Thursday 24th of September 2020 12:39:42 PM
Isaac Heath said
Tue Sep 22 9:51 PM, 2020
Walk up near the farms and to Hobson moor and back around 10.30am
3 kestrel
5 Chiffchaff
1 buzzard being pestered by a hobby (I think!)
Lots of juvenile goldfinch near the quarry
2 jays near swallows wood
David Walsh said
Wed Aug 26 7:36 AM, 2020
Wednesday 26th August 2020, 6.30 - 7.15am.
Walkerwood Reservoir.
1 Dunlin, flew off west at 6.55am. My first ever record here.
Isaac Heath said
Sun Aug 9 6:27 PM, 2020
walk up to higher swineshaw from the country park. From 10.30 this morning
2 jays
1 bullfinch
4 pied wagtail
2 pheasant
5 canada geese on swineshaw
3 kestrel
4 pied wagtail & 2 willow warblers having a bit of a spat
2 lesser redpoll
Isaac Heath said
Fri Aug 7 9:48 AM, 2020
Walk up wild bank yesterday lunch - 7 kestrel (never seen so many at once) all over the trig point and field beyond
chiffchaff, 2 red grouse,
hoping the bearded vulture may grace us with its presence as its been flying quite close to here!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 7th of August 2020 10:22:15 AM
Chris Harper said
Fri Jul 24 9:13 PM, 2020
Walkerwood reservoir to Higher Swineshaw 18.30-20.30
4 Curlew, 3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Kestrel plus one deceased, Common Buzzard, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 10 Meadow Pipit, 2 Red Legged Partridge, 20 Starling catching flying ants.
Six Oystercatchers flew from an easterly direction, circled Walkerwood Reservoir, and carried on westward, at 7.25am. Four returned a couple of minutes later and dropped onto Brushes Dam, obviously realising this was Tamesides premiere wader site.
-- Edited by David Walsh on Wednesday 10th of June 2020 07:57:07 AM
David Walsh said
Tue Jun 9 7:58 AM, 2020
Tuesday 9th June 2020, 5.45 - 7.15am.
Stalybridge Country Park, top half, by Brushes Road, without seeing another soul. Like the good old days.
1 Goldcrest with 2 fledglings 9 singing Blackcap, and a couple seen food carrying 6 singing Willow Warblers, plus some with food 7 singing Chiffchaff, again a couple collecting insects 4 singing Wren, plus some juveniles buzzing around, and one adult carrying nesting material 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, an adult plus two juveniles together, but in separate area Nuthatch calling Pair of Bullfinch Couple of Lesser Redpoll over Pair of Swift over 4 singing Song Thrush
Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbirds and Mistle Thrush all seen carrying food Pair of Grey Wagtail on Walkerwood Reservoir 2 Cormorant also on Walkerwood Whitethroat singing in the gorse on the northern side of Walkerwood
Chris Harper said
Mon Jun 8 9:29 PM, 2020
Around Higher Swineshaw from 19.30-20.00
2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Reed Bunting, 3 Curlew, 2 Willow Warbler, 7 Meadow Pipit, Common Buzzard.
Chris Harper said
Tue Jun 2 8:15 AM, 2020
Evening walk yesterday
1+ Cuckoo, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Tawny Owl, Reed Bunting, 7 House Martin, 3 Curlew, Red Grouse, Common Buzzard, 4 Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Lesser Redpoll, 8 Meadow Pipit, 3 Swallow, 2 Swift, Lapwing, Kestrel
Walkerwood reservoir to Higher Swineshaw 08:50-11:15
4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Wheatear, 4 Stonechat, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Reed Bunting, 20 Willow Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 3 Nuthatch, 3 Swallow, 4 Curlew, Sand Martin, 2 Common Buzzard, 5 Mistle Thrush, 30+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Bullfinch, 3 Jay, Grey Wagtail, 3 Red Grouse.
A walk up through millbrook dam past Roebucks farm then past brushes around 1.15 today
3 common buzzard
2 mistle thrush
15 long tailed tits
2 blackcap
2 common sandpiper on brushes res
4 chiffchaff
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 19th of April 2021 07:55:40 PM
A walk up to brushes yesterday and round the country park
around 6 blackcap in the country park
3 jays
2 common buzzard
4 chiffchaff
1 cormorant
walk up to higher swineshaw and beyond today
7 common buzzard
1 great spotted woodpecker
8 chiffchaff
4 willow warbler
at least 7 lesser redpoll
5 common sandpiper
c20 meadow pipits
2 stonechat
several Reed bunting
2 red grouse
2 grey wagtail
4 pied wagtail
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 17th of April 2021 11:20:52 PM
Around Higher Swineshaw
Little Ringed Plover, 2+ Common Sandpiper, 3 Reed Bunting, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Curlew, 20 Meadow Pipit, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Red Grouse, Grey Wagtail
Quick wander from Walkerwood up to Higher Swineshaw mid morning
3 Stonechat, 5 Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, 2 Kestrel, Common Buzzard
walk from 10.20am onwards
9 lapwing towards Harridge
2 red grouse
2 red legged partridge
1 Reed bunting higher swineshaw
lots of meadow pipits on the dam bank
1 male kestrel in the valley with the female sat watching
1 grey wagtail on walkerwood
Willow Warbler 1
Chiffchaff 12
Blackcap 2
Meadow Pipit 37
Redpoll 2
Red-legged Partridge 5
Red Grouse 1
Goosander 4 - Lower Swineshaw
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
At least 6 Chiffchaff accounted for the summer migrants, with lots of commoner birds in song in support.
Fleeting or distant views of one each of Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Kestrel.
5.15-6.45pm
1+Tawny Owl, 6 Goosander, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Grey Heron, Cormorant, 4 Red Grouse, Curlew, 4 Mistle Thrush.
Oystercatcher twice evaded a stoop by a Peregrine Falcon by diving under Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
Also 4 Goosander, 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Red Grouse, 2 Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, 5 Jay, 6 Bullfinch, Mistle Thrush, 7 Song Thrush
3.45-4.45 just up to Walkerwood dam
4 Red Legged Partridge, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Kestrel, Nuthatch, 3 Greenfinch, Bullfinch
Oakgates and then a circular of Harridge Pike 9:20-11:30
10 Red Grouse, Reed Bunting, Red Legged Partridge, 2 Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 3 Goosander, 5 Bullfinch, 3 Treecreeper, 3 Nuthatch, 7 Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush.
Up to top of Harridge in a brisk E wind no binoculars (if only to demonstrate that it was exercise not leisure!), but birds still included: Woodcock (in dry gully heading NW towards the top) Meadow pipit Red grouse (including low down below pennine bridleway on far side) Grey wagtail Red-legged partridge Pheasant Grey heron (over) Raven Jay Lapwing
Oakgates car park to Higher Swineshaw this morning
7 Reed Bunting, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Red Grouse, 9 Red Legged Partridge, 6 Bullfinch, 7 Mistle Thrush, 6 Jay, Common Buzzard.
Lower part only up to Walkerwood dam
15 Fieldfare, Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, 4 Red Legged Partridge, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goosander.
Kestrel and single stonechat the highlights
Buzzard in the direction of Cheetham Park
Lots of walks over the past weeks Wednesday 13th Lots of grouse/pheasants up Harridge Upper swineshaw was bitter and just a few robins to keep me company. Walkerwood/brushes by the cottages 2 nuthatch 3 great spotted woodpecker 1 bullfinch 2 long tailed tits In the country park 2 great spotted woodpecker 3 bullfinch 4 long tailed tits 5 coal tits
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 16th of January 2021 04:46:38 PM
Higher I went the more snow underfoot with a bit of ice.
Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit.
Mistle Thrush and Blackbird
Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch
Wren and Robin
A few pheasants
Lots of Magpies, some crows, and that was about it.
Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
3 Teal were a first for me in the valley
52 Black-headed Gulls gave a sense of normality
A bit of singing from the following species, lower down, offered some hope of things to come:
Dunnock
Mistle Thrush
Greenfinch
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Walk before the rain arrived
Buzzard
2 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush
2 mixed tit flocks; Nuthatch and Treecreeper with the flock down by Walkerwood Reservoir, Goldcrest with the flock up by the Scout Hut.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 20th of December 2020 01:29:20 PM
Pheasant 47
Red Grouse at least 3 heard
Goosander 2
Raven 2
Redwing 17
Stonechat 2
Greenfinch 19
Lesser Redpoll 1
14:30-16:30
Male Stonechat, Red Grouse, 2 Treecreeper, 3 Goldcrest, 10 Redwing, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 3 Nuthatch, 7 Jay, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch
At least two Chiffchaff loosely associating with a mixed flock of mainly Long-tailed Tits, in the Country Park, this morning.
Single Chiffchaff heard calling on Thursday in Brushes Valley.
Bit of a blustery walk today around wild bank and up to the trig point. A wheatear was the best sighting of the morning. A couple of kestrel trying to hunt.
Juvenile Wheatear in the fields around Range House. Unusual sighting so low down.
-- Edited by David Walsh on Thursday 24th of September 2020 12:39:42 PM
Walkerwood Reservoir.
1 Dunlin, flew off west at 6.55am. My first ever record here.
walk up to higher swineshaw from the country park. From 10.30 this morning
2 jays
1 bullfinch
4 pied wagtail
2 pheasant
5 canada geese on swineshaw
3 kestrel
4 pied wagtail & 2 willow warblers having a bit of a spat
2 lesser redpoll
Walk up wild bank yesterday lunch - 7 kestrel (never seen so many at once) all over the trig point and field beyond
chiffchaff, 2 red grouse,
hoping the bearded vulture may grace us with its presence as its been flying quite close to here!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 7th of August 2020 10:22:15 AM
Walkerwood reservoir to Higher Swineshaw 18.30-20.30
4 Curlew, 3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Kestrel plus one deceased, Common Buzzard, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 10 Meadow Pipit, 2 Red Legged Partridge, 20 Starling catching flying ants.
Evening wander
Siskin, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Common Sandpiper, 3 Stonechat, 2 Reed Bunting, Red Grouse, Curlew, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipit.
18.30-20.20 Walkerwood to Higher Swineshaw
4 Common Sandpiper, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Reed Bunting, 6 Stonechat and many young, Curlew, 2 Linnet, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 6 Swift, 4 Blackcap, 3 Nuthatch, Swallow, 7 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 10 Meadow Pipit.
18.40-20.25 Walkerwood to Higher Swineshaw
2 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Curlew, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Linnet, Reed Bunting, 2 Kestrel, Common Buzzard, 15 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 6 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Swift, Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron.
Six Oystercatchers flew from an easterly direction, circled Walkerwood Reservoir, and carried on westward, at 7.25am. Four returned a couple of minutes later and dropped onto Brushes Dam, obviously realising this was Tamesides premiere wader site.
-- Edited by David Walsh on Wednesday 10th of June 2020 07:57:07 AM
Stalybridge Country Park, top half, by Brushes Road, without seeing another soul. Like the good old days.
1 Goldcrest with 2 fledglings
9 singing Blackcap, and a couple seen food carrying
6 singing Willow Warblers, plus some with food
7 singing Chiffchaff, again a couple collecting insects
4 singing Wren, plus some juveniles buzzing around, and one adult carrying nesting material
3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, an adult plus two juveniles together, but in separate area
Nuthatch calling
Pair of Bullfinch
Couple of Lesser Redpoll over
Pair of Swift over
4 singing Song Thrush
Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbirds and Mistle Thrush all seen carrying food
Pair of Grey Wagtail on Walkerwood Reservoir
2 Cormorant also on Walkerwood
Whitethroat singing in the gorse on the northern side of Walkerwood
Around Higher Swineshaw from 19.30-20.00
2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Reed Bunting, 3 Curlew, 2 Willow Warbler, 7 Meadow Pipit, Common Buzzard.
Evening walk yesterday
1+ Cuckoo, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Tawny Owl, Reed Bunting, 7 House Martin, 3 Curlew, Red Grouse, Common Buzzard, 4 Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Lesser Redpoll, 8 Meadow Pipit, 3 Swallow, 2 Swift, Lapwing, Kestrel