A walk with my dog today: Heaton Fold bridge to the Station.

Dipper..1
Jay...1
Reed Warbler...1
Willow Warbler...2
Reed Bunting...2
Mallards...c10
Moorhen...1
Canada Goose...1

Today's walk with dog: Lady Bridge to the station.

Dipper...4 ( my highest count on this stretch; 2 at the Lady Bridge/Bank Wood site and the usual 2 at Lostock;
the Lady Bridge Dippers were collecting material)
Grey Wagtail....2
Teal....11 in or around the standing water against the railway.
Moorhen...1 ditto
Mallards....11
Wren...1
As I turned for home I checked the Dam at Rumworth; there were 8 Great Crested Grebe in the Dam channel.
Another highest count.

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 11th of March 2016 02:41:57 PM

Just now:
Peregrine Falcon perched on floodlight tower of the Macron Stadium.
The tower was the one nearest Tesco car park.
Viewed from the cycle trail, just over a brook.
The Falcon flew off towards Horwich, over Middlebrook Retail Park at 10.40
Also this pm 2 DIPPERS by Middlebrook, near the old pub.



-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 24th of January 2016 04:19:08 PM

This am Ladybridge to the Station with dog:

Dipper...1
Mallard...12
Moorhen...5
House Sparrow...1
Wood Pigeon...25 in one tree.

Contractors are presently repairing the flood damage and improving this popular trail.

This morning's dog walk. Bank Wood to the Station.

Dipper...1
Grey Wagtail...1
Jay...1
Mallards...11
Moorhen...2
Great Tit...3

Dipper and Grey Wagtail near Lostock Arms 12.45pm today

This afternoon 1430-1600 2 Chiffchaff 3 Jay 2 Song Thrush 1 Dipper

Jay at Lostock station at 0845

This morning with dog:
Two Kingfisher flying in tandem up the brook between Lady Bridge and Heaton Bridge. My first sighting
for sometime and my first ever double here.
Dipper...1
Grey Wagtail...2
Mallards...14
Moorhen...1
Wren...1
Song Thrush heard in Hawthorn blossom above my head but not seen


-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 9th of June 2015 10:22:42 AM

This evening; Heaton Fold to the station via Lady Bridge with dog.

Dipper....3 in total, between 2 locations.
Grey Wagtail....2 one taking sun on the ridge tiles of a house.
Reed Bunting...1m
Willow Warbler...2
Common Whitethroat...2
Long -tailed Tit...2
Swift ...1
Swallow...1
Wren...2
Song Thrush and Blackcap were loud but heard only.
Mallard brood not seen.

From Deane church to lostock station

1 male and female Bullfinch
1 Willow Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
1 Grey Heron
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Dipper
1 male and 1 female Linnet
1 male Reed Bunting

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 3rd of May 2015 06:49:22 PM

Today; Heaton Fold Bridge to the Station with dog.
Willow Warbler....4
Chiffchaff....2
Reed Bunting...1 singing male
Mallards 7 + one female with a brood of 14; first brood seen this year!
Dipper...1
Grey Wagtail...1
Heard only were Moorhen and a Song thrush.

Today's dog walk. Lady Bridge to the Station.
Sightings:
Dipper....1 showing well despite the high water. eventually flew up into Bessy Brook.
Chiffchaff...1 singing just above me.
Wren...3
Mallard...5
Moorhen 3

This morning's dog walk. Lady Bridge to the Station.

Kingfisher... 1 male, good views, perched up Bessy Brook just before the railway tunnel.
Grey Wagtail...2 on the old pub car park.
Goldfinch ... c14 charm
Mallards...12
Moorhen...3
No sign of the Dippers, but one seen on the Brook last Sunday while cycling.
Checked the Rumworth Dam on the way in, but only 2 Mallards and they flew off.
2.29 mile circuit according to my phone's Runkeeper APP.

Recently:
3 Grey Partridge seen near copse on (empty) Golf course, when walking back from the Green bridge footpath.
Info thanks to Pete Lane.

This morning with my dog, Lady Bridge to the station|:

Kingfisher...1 good views as it made short flights upstream and perched twice a few yards from me,
on the opposite bank; once by the weir. It's bill all black.
Dipper...1
Grey Heron...1
Same walk last Thursday afternoon:
Grey Wagtail...1
Wren...2
Mallard...14
Moorhen....7

Late post : Yesterday while cycling the short stretch from Lady Bridge to the old pub....

Dipper...2
Grey Wagtail...1
Mallards...14
Moorhen...2

-- Edited by keith mills on Monday 27th of October 2014 03:42:56 PM

At Heaton Bridge while cycling at 2.01pm today: c250 Pink-footed Geese over west in a double skein.

Late this afternoon , return cycle commute to Bolton.
Kingfisher active on the Brook adjacent to Bank Wood.
It was also observed in the same area on my return trip.
A Dipper and 2 Grey Wagtail on the Brook by the old pub.
At least 13 Moorhen and 6 Mallard present.

This evening, a Kingfisher passed twice flying upstream as I walked with the dog towards Heaton Bridge.
Plenty standing water across the tracks but no Teal yet.

Just a few sightings this evening while cycling from Bolton to Lostock:
Dipper...1
Grey Wagtail....1
Mallards...23
Moorhen...4

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 5th of September 2014 07:20:51 PM

12.40 today;
Pristine Kingfisher at 3 yards perched low by the Brook. Just downstream from the station.
Flew upsteam just after I stopped my cycle to admire.

2 hours around mid-day today, up to 1.45 on the stretch, between Lady Bridge and Heaton Fold Bridge,
which incorporates the Reed Bed.

Common Whitethroat....1
Wren...7
Sedge Warbler...6
Reed Bunting....2
Long-tailed Tit...8
Mallards 2 Females; one with 8 largish Juvs. and one with 4 new chicks
Dipper...1
Swallows...4 Very low over a small section of the brook, often below my feet as I stood on the bank!
Swifts...3 Later replacing the Swallows but a little higher up.
Juvenile Great Tits/Robin/Dunnock
Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying around an area just over the top of the valley near the
newly extended graveyard.
Chiffchaff...1 Heard only.

Also a posse of at least 8 Firemen complete with a noose ,who told me they were on Lady Bridge to
practice a ''Hanging Drill''


-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 28th of June 2014 03:19:15 PM

15 minutes ago: A Buzzard soaring towards Heaton Bridge. Seen from my back garden...
the first seen from my house for a few weeks.

This afternoon with dog. Ox Hey Lane to the Green Bridge and return.
Jay...1
Common Whitethroat....1
Swifts...5
Swallows...6
Kestrel...1
Coot...2 (+brood of 5)
Mallard.. a pair (+1 Juv.)
Moorhen...2 (+ Juv.)
Chiffchaff....1
Reed Buntings....3 all male
Great/Blue Tits/Chaffinch/ Dunnock.

-- Edited by keith mills on Wednesday 4th of June 2014 03:12:08 PM

This evening dog walk; Lady Bridge to Heaton Fold Bridge and then back, and up to the Station.

Sparrowhawk....1
Dipper...2 together at the middle site.
Reed Buntings..3
Jay...2
Swallow...2
Mallard...15 plus 3 broods of 8, 5, and 2
Grey Heron...1
Canada Goose...2
Grey Wagtail...1
Great Tit...1
A local birder had seen a single juvenile Dipper at the upper site tonight and a Kingfisher recently, near the old wood Works.
Has the Buzzard fest turned to famine?... none seen tonight.
2 Song Thrush and a Chiffchaff heard only


-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 15th of May 2014 09:38:03 PM

A Buzzard over the trail, near Heaton Bridge. Being mobbed by a Corvid.
Seen as I drove along Armadale Road, just now... 11am.

Two Swallows flying over Rumworth Mill Bridge at 19.15pm this evening

This morning .
A good tramp, up and down the trail, with the dog; in glorious weather.
As I turned down Ladybridge Lane to the trail, a Sparrowhawk cruised past low;
over the bungalows and across the golf course.
For the first time this year I saw the ''Bank Wood'' Dippers. Twice carrying vegetation. This is a mile from
the usual Dippers site and I have now located the base here.
Nothing much at the standing water, but 2 Buzzards were cruising together above Ravens Wood.
Mallards....12
Jackdaw...15
Carrion Crow...3
Grey Heron... 2 sightings
The third Dipper of the day was seen near the usual bridge, and eventually preening itself on Bessy Brook.
As I turned for home up Junction Road West, a Buzzard (possibly a third) came north off Rumworth Lodge,
and flew along near me for a time, as it ambled towards Ravens Wood.
Some real classy bikes seen on the trail today; An Ellis Briggs and a Raleigh Randonneur






-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 29th of March 2014 05:21:17 PM

Cycling down the trail this afternoon( 2o'clock) I stopped at Rumworth Mill Bridge.
Looked upstream for the usual Dippers but immediately a Kingfisher came off the right bank and flew
upstream, under the road bridge. My first Kingfisher sighting on the brook since winter 2010.

Pair of Sparrowhawks at Lostock Train Station yesterday at 09.45am

Earlier at Rumworth Mill Bridge
Dipper x1
Grey Wagtail x2

A good tramp late this afternoon with the dog.

Close views of the 2 Buzzards that I had seen earlier from my back garden. They soared up, twice,
for shorts spells around 4.45pm Returning into Ravens Wood ( just up from the standing water)
At the standing water (''Loch Beaumont'') were:
8 Teal
4 Mallards
4 Pied Wagtails
A Grey Heron flew up, and a pair of Goosander went down, the Valley.
2 Wrens seen, one singing atop a bush
A Long-tailed Tit and Great Tit.
The Dippers did not oblige but as I turned for home at Lostock, 2 Grey Wagtail were feeding
in the Rumworth Lodge outflow channel, just before the tunnel.

Just now:
2 Buzzards soaring together, over Ravens Wood .
Seen from my back garden, across the Middlebrook Valley.

Full count on ''Loch Beaumont'' (standing water) from elevation:
2 Redshank still present at 3.30 pm with 12 Teal, including 6 drakes.
All birds flushed by signal halted train( 5 minutes) Teal only returning!
c180 Woodpigeons in same field, Buzzard over here earlier(nearly a garden tick for me) and over Ravens Wood.
c10 Mallards on the brook, Jay glimpsed and Great Tit singing in Bank Wood.

This morning, a couple of Redshank on the larger body of water on the mire (the opposite side of the rail track)
Also 9+ Teal (more females than males)
Dippers in full song and displaying at Rumworth Mill Bridge for the last couple of mornings
Grey Wagtails also in the area

This morning with my dog.
Teal ...again a minimum count of 9 at the standing water( known by Deane golfers as ''Loch Beaumont'')
Dipper...2
Wren...2
Mistle Thrush...1
Mallards...8
Robins and Chaffinch singing.

Late post with info thanks to a neighbour, Brian Greenhalgh.
While playing golf, 2 weeks ago, on the 5th tee at Deane, 2 Common Snipe rose from the reed bed very close to the tee.
This reed bed is where 2 streams (one the Dean Clough stream) meet Middlebrook and is just upstream from the Heaton Fold Bridge.
Footnote: according to a new Council sign by the bridge: a new local nature reserve... ''Haslam Park Local Nature Reserve'' exists.
The map on the sign shows it to include Haslam Park with a stretch of Middlebrook strangely named ''River Middlebrook'.'
The extensive grounds of Deane Parish Church, Deane Clough and at least part of this reed bed are also included.







-- Edited by keith mills on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 04:54:11 PM

This evening up to 6.10pm. Bank Wood to the Station

9 Teal at the standing water, by the railway, below Ravens Wood.(only part of this water viewable from the path)
Song Thrush singing in Ravens Wood and another by Heaton Bridge. Heard only.
8 Mallards on the Brook.
Grey Wagtail up and down the Brook near the old pub.
The Pair of Dippers together at the usual spot and, after seen mating, sat side by side on a rock in the Brook

C40 Jackdaw over in parties towards Rumworth and 10 Canada Goose over, the other way.
Blackbirds, Robins and a Great Tit, all singing and the usual Wood Pigeons.

-- Edited by keith mills on Monday 3rd of March 2014 06:41:36 PM

A single Dipper at Rumworth Mill Bridge at 8.15 this morn. Watched for 15 minutes bathing and drinking, before it flew
up Bessy Brook.
My first on the brook this year despite many minutes on this bridge!
A Buzzard over Ravens Wood with Corvids in attendance. One of which was a Rook which landed.
A Song thrush in the golf course thicket by Heaton bridge, but heard only.
40 Woodpigeons near the standing water. The water was completely empty of birds once 2 Mallards left.

Yesterday at 8.15am, at Rumworth Mill Bridge

Grey Heron x2
Dipper x2 (have been in full song for some time)
Grey Wagtail x2
Mallards

Late post for yesterday afternoon.
Lady Bridge to the station:
Deafeningly quiet.

Sparrowhawk...1
Mallards....9
Carrion crow...1
Great Tit ...1

Short walk with the dog from Lady Bridge to Heaton bridge, when the rain had stopped.
A stunning Grey Heron in the brook a few feet from the footpath. Hardly moved as we walked by!
Made me wish for a camera. ; a very clean and attractive bird.

This morning with the dog. Ox hey Lane to the Green Bridge
Very Quiet.
Dunnock...2
Robin...4
Blackbird....9
Blue Tit...6
Long-tailed Tit...1
Chaffinch...2
Greenfinch...1
5 Mallards on the private pond and 4 more by the lower pond on the golf course.
On Lostock Mill Dam were 2 Coots and a Moorhen.
4 Cormorants flew twice over the dam but then went off.
Across the Green railway bridge, on the farmland towards Chew Moor, the hedges and trees were loaded with Starling and winter thrush. (As mentioned in my last Chew Moor Post)
Difficult to quantify as into a low sun.

This morning's dog walk.
The Eddie Davies Football Academy to the Green Bridge.

At the Mill Dam Pond:
Coot...2
Moorhen...2
A Kestrel flew, low over the water, and then perched on an adjacent tree. It was a male.
A Bullfinch, also a male, perched in sunshine atop a bush.
A Pair of Mallards on the Private Pond.

Elsewhere on the walk:
Song Thrush....1
Dunnock...1
House Sparrow...5
Long-tailed Tit...c12
Blue Tit...2
Great Tit...1
Greenfinch...1
Goldfinch...1
Blackbirds...7
Robin...1
Feral Pigeon...11
Woodpigeon...8
Across the railway; 25 Black-headed Gulls on grass and a few Fieldfare in hedges and Trees.

This morning ~11.30am-13.30pm

Dipper x2 (have been singing most mornings this week at Rumworth Mill Bridge at ~07.30am)
Grey Heron x2
Moorhen x5
Mallard +12
Teal x5 (on the Mire on opposite side of rail tracks)
Black headed Gull x9
Wood Pigeon
Great Spotted Wodpecker x3
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit x6
Long-tailed Tit +15
Goldcrest x3
Blackbird x4
Mistle Thrush x2
Song Thrush x1
Robin
Dunnock x2
Wren x3
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Magpie
Jay x1

Late this afternoon dog walk:

Bank Wood to the Station:
Dipper...1
Grey Wagtail...2
Grey Heron....1
Great Tit...3
Carrion Crow...2
Jackdaw..3
Otherwise very quiet.

Yesterday around 07.30am

Dippers x2 singing/foraging at Rumworth Mill Bridge
Pink-footed Geese - flock of ~40+ flying south over Lostock

Over last two weeks, various sightings along the trail from train station, mire down to the green bridge, of:

Grey Heron
Teal (difficult to count from the train!)
Moorhen
Canada Geese
Mallard
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long tailed Tit
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Nuthatch
Jay
Buzzard
Tawny Owl (heard)

This afternoon up to 5 o'clock:
Bank Wood to the Station

Sightings similar to the previous post....

Dippers..2, one each at the usual 2 locations.
Grey Heron...1
Grey Wagtail...1
Moorhen ...1 (an adventurous one on the cycle path).
Black-headed Gull....7
Woodpigeon...21 over ..many more in Ravens Wood
Mallard...7
Carrion Crow...8
Jackdaw..4

Back to reality after the Glossy Ibis/Black Redstart super-Saturday....

This morning from 07.30 to 09.00 - Rumworth Mill Bridge to the second stone (green) railway bridge:

Dipper x2
Grey Wagtail x2
Grey Heron x2
Moorhen x4
Mallard
Canada Geese
Wood Pigeon
Starling
Blackbird x1
Carrion Crow
Rook
Jackdaw
Magpie
Robin
Wren
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long tailed Tit
Nuthatch (heard)
Dunnock
Black-headed Gull

This morning/dog walk.

Bank Wood to the Station.

Mallard....23
Moorhen ...5

Grey Wagtail...3
1 perched on the rail main line at Lady Brige, 1 by Heaton Bridge
and 1 at the confluence Bessy Brook/ Middlebrook.

Dipper...1 perched under Rumworth Road Bridge and no vocals.