St Mary's Cemetery Wardley
Great views of a young Buzzard on the edge of the Woods
Other Birds
Nuthatch with juv
Pied wagtail
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Magpiex3
carrion crowx2
Goldfinchx5
Swallowx6
wren
Cheers Jay
Dont twitch and drive

1 oystercatcher calling over royal mail building , sheild drive.

Back garden 3-4
swift 10+
Jackdawx2 over
House sparrowsx6
Dunnock
Greenfinch
Female Mallard over
Blue tit
Magpie
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive

While BBQ ing in my back garden bit of an aerial battle between a female Sparrowhawk and a close knit group of 4 pigeons.
Cheers Jay
Dont twitch and drive.

2 Mistle thrush in front of the Town Hall, also a small flock of Starlings
Cheers Jay
Dont twitch and drive

7 Waxwings flew over Hazelhurst road at 11.45 this morning heading down Lambton road

A male Brambling turned up again in my garden today while I was shovelling 2.5 ton of topsoil into my new flower beds. 7 Greenfinch also flew in together and Siskins came throughout the day in 2-3's.

Jason
The 3 Mallard fly around a couple times each day when they are disturbed on Deans pond. They have been there for the last three weeks.

3 Mallards just flew over my back garden
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive

A Woodcock flew over Partington lane at 17.10 heading East.

16 waxwings flew south over my garden in Dales Brow, Swinton at 17.45 today

Flock of carrion crows 60+ behind the Little Buddha Chinese, most I've ever seen together terrific sight.
Cheers Jay
Dont twitch and drive

A male Brambling visited my garden this afternoon. It arrived with two male Chaffinch and spent some time feeding on the dropped seeds under my bird table. Also upto 9 Siskins at a time on my feeders.

Two Oystercatchers over my house this morning at 6am heading South

Pied wagtail on Swinton precinct this morning (on a trip to the bookies)
Cheers Jay
Dont twitch and drive

A Peregrine has just flown over Swinton town centre heading West

A flock of 11 Siskins with 7 Goldfinches perched up in the large Silver birch tree at the back of my garden this afternoon, only two Siskins came to my feeders before the resident Magpies decided to defend their nest site and scared all the smaller birds away.

Eight Siskins together on my feeders this afternoon and a Grey heron stood in the garden watching the frogs and fish through the netting around my pond.

Two Grey Herons were stood beside a frozen Deans pond this afternoon and when I returned home there was another Grey Heron stood in my garden watching my fish through the netting around my pond. I managed to throw a couple of Sardines on to the lawn near it without disturbing the Heron and after 5 minutes it slowly walked over to them. After a couple of minutes of just watching the Sardines it finally tried one then ate the rest.

I hope Aldi sells cheap Sardines as I spend a small fortune on Bird food over the Winter months

Five Grey wagtails visited my Swinton garden this afternoon feeding in and around my two small ice free ponds. Also 2 Siskins, 3 Greenfinch and a max of 19 Goldfinches around the feeders.

The female Sparrowhawk that visits my Swinton garden has been targeting the feral pigeons over Xmas catching 3 and also a Goldfinch which was taken while still on the feeder. I have only seen the male Sparrowhawk catch a Blue tit in the last week. There are still plenty of birds visiting my feeders

This morning
Victoria park

2 fine looking Song thrushes
Mistle thrush
2 Redwing
Wren
Goldcrest
Small flock of 3 Greenfinch, 2 Siskin, Great tit, 4 Goldfinch together
Jay
5 Magpies

At least 30 siskins in a flock feeding on alders at the entrance to the small trading estate on Moorside rd, 1400hrs today

A couple of sightings seen around Swinton in the last couple of days whilst pushing my new Grandson around in his buggy trying to get the little chap asleep.

Sat 22/12
2 Lesser Redpoll in trees next to the Limes home
2 Bullfinch, Tawny owl, Sparrowhawk and a Goldcrest along Chatsworth road.
Sun 23/12
15 Pied wagtails around Swinton town hall
Sparrowhawk [f] eating prey in trees next to Deans pond
Great spotted woodpecker over Lambton road
Mon 24/12
8 Bullfinch [5f,3m] and a male Blackcap in the small dell next to Hazelhurst road
Roe deer seen running out of long grass in the field next to the A580 and into Wardley woods.

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Xmas and a Happy New year



-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Monday 24th of December 2012 09:01:02 PM

-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Monday 24th of December 2012 09:02:15 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 25th of December 2012 07:44:03 AM

Also a flock of 12 Goldfinch in my garden around 15.30
Cheers Jay

Sparrowhawk flying at low level between traffic on the top road near Bilash
Cheers Jay

A pair of vocal Ravens have just flown over my garden heading South west

Flock of geese over Swinton 200 plus 08.50
cheers Jay

Yesterday
14 Pied wagtails around the Town hall gardens and carpark.
2 Jays and a Mistle thrush in the trees behind St Peters church.
Sparrowhawk over

Today,
5 Bullfinches [4m, 1f] in the trees behind the Broadoak garden centre on Worsley road and 2 Great spotted woodpeckers in trees next to the Limes home.

Sparrowhawk on Deans road. Flock of 12 lapwings flying across the east lancs.
Cheers Jay

A Peregrine was perched at the top of St Peters church again at 12.05pm today. It favours the South side of the tower. It flew off 5 minutes later heading East.

Two Siskins in the trees behind St Peters church yesterday afternoon.

I'll keep my eyes peeled Dave
Cheers Jay

The first brambling of the winter over my Swinton garden this morning.

Yesterday afternoon while walking up Partington lane heading towards the precinct I noticed a flock of 45-50 agitated Starlings flying around St Peters church giving out an alarm call. I looked around for a Sparrowhawk but could not find one. There are normally between 50 and 70 Starlings roosting around the church each evening after feeding on the precinct. I waited for 10 minutes to see if I could find what was upsetting the Starlings and I also noticed that the feral pigeons had all disappeared but I could not find any bird of prey.

Thirty minutes later as I was making my way back home a large Peregrine falcon flew up from the top of the church tower heading South west causing the Starlings to panic again. The Peregrine headed towards the very large Cranes which are being used to construct the new Moorside High school on the playing fields next to the East Lancs road. So I went home and got my binoculars and nipped around the corner and found the Peregrine perched near the end of the closest crane to the A580 It stayed for nearly 45 minutes before flying back towards St Peters church.

I have spent sometime today checking out the top of the church tower with my binoculars wondering if the Peregrine was using it for roosting at night. There was no sign of it this afternoon but on later on my 2nd visit the Peregrine flew in at 18.25pm from over the precinct, it circled the church then headed for the Cranes again. I walked down Deans road to get a view of the Cranes but I could not find the Peregrine.

I would be interested if anyone else has a sighting of a Peregrine either on the church tower or around the church area.