Sat April 2nd. 12.45 hrs. River Tame. Tame St. Stalybridge. Pair Grey Wagtails. Roger.

Friday April 1st. 12.10 - 13.15 hrs, Stalybridge. Harrop Edge. Kestrel. Little Owl. Roger.

29th March. 06.45 - 08.00 hrs. Stalybridge/Dukinfield. Early Bank. Chiffchaff, above the Whinberries....... my first of the year. 6 Meadow Pipits feeding + 6 over. 1 Linnet in the Gorse. Roger.

24th March. 15.00 hrs.

7 Sand Martin over Stalybridge train station.

Roger.

Weds 23 March. 06.45 hrs.

River Tame. Stalybridge.

Goosander. Redhead. Just downstream of Tame St Bridge. First time seen on this length.

Roger.

This afternoon:

Chiffchaff singing and flycatching along Peak Forest Canal near Plantation Farm
Chaffinch singing and then making strange churring sound I don't recall hearing before

Lots about but nothing out of the ordinary

Tues 22nd March. 07.00 - 07.45 hrs.

Harrop Edge. Stalybridge.

Buzzard.

Otherwise very quiet.

Roger.

A pair of Grey Wagtail present on the river this morning. Good numbers of birds singing despite the cold.

Sunday March 6th. 07.35 hrs.

R. Tame. Park Rd. Dukinfield.

Dipper back on territory.

Roger

Fri Feb 18th. 14.00 hrs - 15.15 hrs.

Harrop Edge.

Very cold & blustery.

Buzzard. Perched, gave good views for 30 mins or so.

Otherwise pretty quiet.

Roger

Weather: Bright sunny scattered cloud

THR 17/02/2011 13:45-15:45

Portland Basin to Ashton via Plantation Farm and Coopers Ride

Portland Basin (Old Canal Festival Site)

Treecreeper year tick has been unusually elusive for me!

Plantation Farm

Field beside the farm contained 30 Woodpigeon feeding.

Ashton town centre: Starling and Jackdaw both species appear to frequent the more built up areas scavenging. They are less common in out lying areas untill towards dusk when they are enroute to their roost.

Others noted as follows: Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Blue, Great, Long-tailed-Tit, Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Mallard, Canada Geese, Carron Crow, Magpie and Black-headed -Gull.

Coopers Ride: was a little quiet even around the well stocked feeders the pleasant spring like sunshine gave veiws and most species were very vocal.

Heads up David

Sun 13th Feb. 08.30 - 09-00 hrs.

Half hour to kill so parked up at junction of Astley St & Church St to watch the berry trees, drizzling so stayed in car.

No Waxwing turned up but a flock of about 50 birds circled above St Marks Church possible Waxies or maybe Starlings ?

In general vicinity.

4 Goldfinch.
2 Greenfinch.
3 Blackbird 2m 1f.
2 Dunnock.
Robin.
6 Magpie.
Pair C Crow investigating the bins.
6 Woodpigeon.
Singing Mistle Thrush.
Plenty of House Sparrows chirping away.
Two flocks of Starling..... 15 feeding on the grass and 30+ over.

Not bad for town centre.

.....................................................................

10.30 - 11.30. Walk on river-side. Park Rd & Coopers Ride.

7 Goosanders.
1 solitary male just upstream of County Bridge,
1 ~ ~ near the conveyor.
3 males and 2 redheads, these were more towards Alma Bridge end. These 5 were disturbed by a dogwalker and flew off...... could not relocate.

Mistle Thrushes singing on both Park Rd &Coopers Ride.
Plenty of Wrens singing all along the river.
Tits. Great, Blue & L/tail.

Roger.






-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Sunday 13th of February 2011 12:28:15 PM

SUN 06/02/2011 10:30 - 12:30

Weather: Mild overcast and very windy.

Plantation Farm

One pair Goosander floating down river at a few knots due to heavy swollen river and Grey Heron present in field adjacent farm.

Plantation Farm to Portland Basin

Four Goldfinch, Mallard and Canada Geese on canal.

Coopers Ride.

Dipper on river bank poor thing had no stones to feed from! One Siskin only noted and single Collard Dove.

Bank Top

Two male and one female Bullfinch ,Greenfinch and Coal Tit.

Others noted Blue, Great and Long-Tail Tit,, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Carron Crow, Magpie and Black -headed Gull.

Heads up David

simon ghilks wrote:

---

Dukinfield Park 31/1/2011 AM

Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming. Looked like a female (do females drum?), would be nice to have a male locally. A female is a regular visitor to our garden near by.
Also 1 Mistle Thrush.

---

Hi Simon,

My understanding from my admittedly limited observations and readings is that the repertoire of vocalisations and drumming are shared by both sexes in both Great and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. However, it is thought there may be individual variations around their vocalisations and drumming dependent on the sex of the bird. Equally both sexes of Green Woodpecker are known to yaffle.

I've spent quite a bit of time recently looking for Lesser Spotted in a local park and hence have been doing a bit of reading to try and give me a few pointers in helping me locate them..............that's if they are about! No luck as yet!

I'm sure that male Gt Spotted will turn up soon!

Best wishes,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Tuesday 1st of February 2011 04:19:56 PM

Dukinfield Park 31/1/2011 AM

Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming. Looked like a female (do females drum?), would be nice to have a male locally. A female is a regular visitor to our garden near by.
Also 1 Mistle Thrush.

Coopers Ride - Portland Basin - Plantation Farm 26/1/2011 am

Coopers Ride
6 Siskin (including 1 singing male)
2 Goosander (pr)

Portland Basin
86 Canada Geese (12 on river, 74 on canal)
1 Embden Goose on river

1 Siskin over between Portland Basin and Plantation Farm

Plantation Farm area
27 Woodpigeon
20 Magpie
1 Grey Heron
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker calling

Sat 22/01/2011 14:00-15:45

Weather Cold cloudy and gloomy.

Globe Lane Industrial Estate to Ashton via Peak Forest Canal and Coopers Ride.

Great Spotted Woodpecker between Sewerage works and Plantation Farm.
Six Redwings Old Canal Festival Site Portland Basin.

Tulip Foods Roof

Amongst the Black-headed Gulls were noted two Lesser Blackbacked Gulls and a Grey Heron.

Dukinfield Bridge produced a male Goosander on the Tulip Food side and a female near the weir on the opposite side.

Other noted on a relative quite walk home: Canada Geese, Mallard, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon,


Heads up David

Thurs 20th Jan. 14.00 hrs

50+ Waxwings. Cotton St car-park. Ashton-u-Lyne.

Roger B.

1 Treecreeper this am along Coopers Ride, my first record on this patch

Overcast windy with rain 14:00-14:50

Globe Lane Industrial Estate to Ashton via Plantation Farm and Portland Basin.

My first daylight walk home of the year from work, produced the following.

Astley Street: House Sparrow

Plantation Farm: Flock of Woodpigeons disturbed by Buzzard, field between canal and river. Also noted in field on river bank Heron, and Collard Dove present by farm.

Bentick Street : two Mistle Thrush

Others noted: Canada Geese, Mallard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird, Greenfinch, Carrion Crow, Black Headed Gull

Heads up David

Mon 10th Jan. 1500 hrs - 16.45 hrs
Damp & Dismal

R. Tame. Park Rd. County Bridge end.

4 Mallard.
1 Heron
1 Moorhen.

Coopers Ride.

1 Heron.
Great & Blue Tits.
Two parties L/Tail Tits. ( 5 + 7 )
Mallard pair.
Dunnocks, Wrens, Blackbirds & Robins healthy population.

Canal. Whitelands.

Mallard pair.

Walked back over Bank-Top....... going dark by then, but noticed (again) that someone keeps hanging fatballs, bits of fruit and a couple of feeders out. Think it's one of the dog-walkers....... so well done to him/her or them.

Roger.

River Tame, Dukinfield am

70 Siskin opposite Rock Terrace, careful checking revealed all to be Siskin, probably same flock seen in area last weekend
Dipper singing by County Bridge (Dukinfield Bridge)

A long walk around Dukinfield this am

Great Spotted Woodpecker on Crescent Road
4 Rook by swimming baths
9 Common Gull on Blocksages
Plenty of House Sparrows about

Plantation Farm

Mixed flock of finches contained Chaffinch, Goldfinch and at least 5 Siskin
Separate flock of Greenfinch c12 birds
1 Bullfinch
1 Treecreeper
2 Goosander flew over canal towards river
1 imm Cormorant fishing on river, flew down river
Great Spotted Woodpecker
6-8 Redwing

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 3rd of January 2011 12:43:54 PM

Stalybridge along Huddersfield Canal parallel with Printworks Road - Generally few birds around

Cormorant flew from river and perched on pylon
Goosander - drake attempted to land on frozen canal
3 Jays
30-40 Siskin feeding silently, watched for over 10 minutes
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Grey Wagtail on ice on canal
Drake Mandarin present near Tesco on return, definitely wasn't there on way out

Alma Bridge/Coopers Ride

Dipper - don't know how many times I have looked over Alma Bridge and not seen Dipper (always a first time!). Looked from every bridge in Stalybridge town centre and didn't see one.

A large flock of Siskin present on Coopers Ride, seen flying round corner, c20 high in trees, but many more calling lower down, hard to estimate numbers, but I would say at least 50, maybe more in total.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 3rd of January 2011 12:31:56 PM

This morning at 9.50 crossing the river Tame on Melbourne street Staly bridge, a kingfisher flew north in the Mossley direction. First time we have seen one in Stalybridge.

12.20 - 1 river tame behind police station
1 dipper
16 mallard
2 goosander 1 of each sex the male being a tick for me
1 grey heron
1 moorhen
2 grey wagtail
6 black headed gulls
and loads of feral pigeons

Went for a walk this morning along the Tame by Coopers Ride and back along the canal. A big mistake, the paths were treacherous

6 Goosander along Coopers Ride (5 drake)
2 Moorhen
2 Mallard

Portland Basin (in one small patch of water)
32 Mallard
16 Canada Geese

Other than that the usual common species tits, etc

Matley square SJ99T - some of this square encroaches into Hyde, but most sightings were on the Stalybridge side.

This am

2 Raven
1 Stock Dove
100s of Redwing (most I've seen this winter) and 1 Fieldfare
Also lots of Blackbirds
40 House Sparrows, near houses

Small numbers of common stuff, most of it quiet

Still plenty of berries in this area.

A similar walk to Jason's

Highlights

15 Siskin sat in trees at far end of Printworks Road near Heyrod
1 single Lesser Redpoll not associating with any other birds
1 Kingfisher by small ice free patch on canal, flew across to river
1 Goldcrest with large mixed tit flock
1 Treecreeper with large mixed tit flock
1 drake Mandarin on canal very aggressive

A good general selection of common species present, canal still mostly iced over and some dodgy icy footpaths complete with dog mess

Saturday 11/12/2010 11:15

1 Waxwing sat at top of bare tree on King Street, Dukinfield. Opposite flats between the river and Astley Street.

walked out from tesco to springbank road along the canal at lunchtime

40 mallard
1 mandarin
35 canada geese
3 kingfishers
1 dipper
40 odd long tailed tits
1 male bullfinch
2 male goosander
a dozen or so blue and great tits
2 songthrush
10 blackbirds
2 great spotted woodpeckers
1 green woodpecker
5 robins
1 jay

short mooch round cheetham park produced

a couple of tit flocks including double figures of longtailed tits,
a flock of gold finch
a single green finch
and a flock of thrushes c20 birds 1 definite redwing among them eating the holly berries

Roger Baker 3 wrote:

---

Stalybridge

a Harris Hawk over the canal (think it was actually trying to chase the feral pigeons).
It managed to shake them off and landed on Holy Trinity Church for 10 minutes giving good view before taking off in the directon of Herod/Mossley.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 2nd of December 2010 04:34:26 PM

---

i'm glad you wrote that as it flew past my flat window about half an hour later, a couple of hundred yards from where you saw it and i nearly vowed to lay off beer for life

Stalybridge Tescos 12.30 hrs

Called in to replenish snowed in emergency beer supply.

Resident car-park Jackdaws & Blackheads mobbing a Harris Hawk over the canal (think it was actually trying to chase the feral pigeons).
It managed to shake them off and landed on Holy Trinity Church for 10 minutes giving good view before taking off in the directon of Herod/Mossley.
Didn't seem to be wearing any jesses or anything.

Little wander on canal, only Canadas, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch & L/T Tits.
Mandarin seems to have vanished........ it was there on Monday.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 2nd of December 2010 04:34:26 PM

7 Cormorants flying along river towards Denton this am.

24th Nov. 16.10 hrs.

Stamford St. Ashton-u-Lyne

Male Blackbird sat on a chimney-pot singing his head off ??

Roger.

after locking my self out the flat this morning i had a little while to browse the canal nearby.

Stalybridge Between Tescos and Mottram Rd.

37 mallard
24 canada goose.
1 robin
1 wren
14 house sparrow
1 bluetit.

After my search for the Waxwings, I decided to walk along the canal. Most noticeable was the numbers of Blackbirds around. There are literally scores of them in the area, there seems to have been a fall of them in the Dukinfield area only. Having visited other areas in Tameside during the course of the day, numbers seem to be average.

When I was leaving near Plantation Farm, I found 3 Treecreepers, the first time I have ever seen this species in Dukinfield. It seemed they were among a mixed flock of about 150 birds consisting of Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Long Tailed Tit. Quite an amazing morning!

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 14th of November 2010 04:00:22 PM

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 14th of November 2010 04:02:00 PM

A great local record over the end of the close as I walked home Woodcock, my second record in Dukinfield of this species! It was flying towards Astley Street maybe out towards Shepley Industrial Estate.

Also this afternoon in Ashton c400 Starlings in two large flocks and several Pied Wagtails roosting in a tree outside the O2 shop.

Therealso used to be fairly a large flock regularly on the roof of the mill on Dawson Street Hyde former Redferns Works

The Hyde Lapwings used to use B & Q on Manchester Rd......then moved to Morrisons and now seem to have moved their allegiance to Asda.

Fickle little devils aren't they ?

Roger.

Karen Foulkes wrote:

---

30-40 Lapwings flying around Ashton about 0930 Probably Gala Bingo posse.

---

i wonder if these were the ones siting on the roof of hyde asda about 2.30pm

30-40 Lapwings flying around Ashton about 0930. Probably Gala Bingo posse.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Thursday 4th of November 2010 06:49:45 PM

river tame behind police staion 9-9.20
2 dippers
1 heron
around rain water carrbrook 9.30 - 11.30
2 grey wagtail
4 pied wagtail
7 robins
1 nuthatch
3 blue tits
7 great tits
2 goldfinch
4 chaffinch
2 wood pigeon
top of besom lane millbrook and surrounding area 11.45 - 1.45
7 house sparrows .3 grey wagtails. 6 Collared doves
7 redwing .3 mistle thrush . 4 each of blue and great tits . 7 long tailed tits.
7 gold finch . 3 robins. 1 dunnock . 6 blackbirds
c50 canda goose
c30 jackdaw c20 crows in the field around farm
also did the boating lake 2.05 till 3
same as yesterday but with heron and 1 common gull

-- Edited by Lee Griffiths on Sunday 31st of October 2010 05:48:25 PM

Tame St Stalybridge.

Two Tawnies ke-wicking to each other on Park Rd (Stalybrige end) for 30 mins around 01.00 hrs.

Again plenty of Redwings going over from around 01.00 hrs 'til 03.00 hrs.

....................................................

Harrop Edge 08-40 hrs - 09.30 hrs.

Just called to check the berry trees............ very quiet.

c 7 Blackbirds feeding on the Hawthorns.
1 Fieldfare over.

Roger

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Sunday 31st of October 2010 09:54:53 AM

Tame St Stalybridge.

A lot of Redwing passing over between 01.00 hrs & 03.30 hrs judging by the calls.

What was unusual was that the night was rather warm..........it always seems there is more movement on the frostier nights normally.

Roger.

Mon 27th Oct. 15.30-17.15 hrs

Dukinfield to Stalybridge

Top of Yew Tree Lane.......Early Bank Rd.......back over Range Rd.

36 Fieldfares feeding on a Hawthorn top of Y T Lane.
Small groups of Goldfinches.
Odd Greenfinches.......counted 9
Plenty of L/Tail & Blue tits in the Holly bushes.

Early Bank Rd. Quiet.

c 3 Meadow Pipits.
c 9 Blackbirds in a group foraging under the Blackberry bushes.

Range Rd.

7 Goldfinches over.
3 Linnets over.
27 Fieldfares in Rifle Range field........alternating feeding on ground or on the Hawthorns. These were joined by about 20 Starlings on the ground.

Roger




-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 28th of October 2010 04:22:49 PM

friday 22nd

single tree opposite tesco carpark stalybridge by river, held 40 longtailed tits.

2 dippers and grey heron on river.

Monday 25th Oct 16.30 hrs

Stalybridge Between Tescos and Mottram Rd.

Mandarin drake on canal with the Mallards.

Roger

Sunday 24th Oct 17.00hrs-18.30hrs

Harrop Edge

53 Fieldfare over (32+21)
1 Redwing over.
2 Grey Wagtails over seperately.
1 Jay over..........pretty high up....... dropped down into Longlands.

Roger