Sunday 23rd March 2014, 8.45 - 10.15am

From Walkerwood Dam to Wild Bank Moor, over to Flaxfield, and back past the Ranges

Dry and blustery, but cold out of the sun

1 pair of Grey Wagtails in dam overflow
1 male Stonechat at Flaxfield
c15 Meadow Pipits, many displaying, and a few pairs
2 Grey Herons over together, south-east
2 Chiffchaff singing strongly in country park
2 Song Thrush singing
6+ Blackbirds
6+ Robins
6+ Wrens
6+ Dunnocks, singing in the gorse, after a quiet week
No sign of the Skylarks today, but it was cold and windy up on the moor

Otherwise a quiet morning

Saturday 22nd March 2014, 7.45 - 9.30am, bright but very cold.

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor, over to Flaxfield, and back past the ranges

Good to meet Stuart Pike on Walkerwood Dam - a nice change to speak to someone other than dogs on my morning birdwalks. I hope you had more luck with the chats than me, Stuart. After describing to you where to look for them, I missed them today!

Walkerwood Dam Area

1 pair of Grey Wagtails
1 pair of Moorhen - I've only ever previously seen single birds here
1 pair of Pheasant on the dam overflow
3 Goldfinch
3 Chiffchaffs singing, 2 in the country park and one in Cock Wood
1 male Bullfinch
1 pair of Wren - at least 3 others singing
1 Song Thrush on the dam wall
6+ Blackbirds
6+ Great Tits
6+ Blue Tits
2 Long-tailed Tits
2 Jays in Cock Wood
2 Chaffinch
4 Robins
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in country park

Wild Bank Moor, up to 1000 feet

3 Skylarks singing over the moor
12+ Meadow pipits, many displaying
1 Red Grouse
2 Dunnocks
6+ Blackbirds
4 Long-tailed Tits in the new birch growth

Flaxfield

1 pair of Chaffinch
2 Song Thrushes singing against each other
6+ Blackbirds
Bullfinch heard
6+ Wrens
1 pair of Dunnock
6+ Robins
3 male Pheasants at the farm
6+ Blue Tits


-- Edited by David Walsh on Saturday 22nd of March 2014 11:30:24 AM

Thursday 20th March 2014, 8.00 - 9.45am

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor over to Flaxfield, and back past the ranges, dry but very breezy and cold.

Wild Bank

At least 4 Skylarks singing and displaying
15+ Meadow Pipits, some displaying. Another high count for the year.
6+ Dunnock singing
2 Wren
4+ Blackbirds

Elsewhere

1 male Stonechat, very active feeding around the hedges at Flaxfield, no sight or sound of the female today
1 female Bullfinch
10+ Blackbirds
2 Song Thrushes singing
4 Jays in Cock Wood, looked like 2 pairs
6+ Wrens, including a pair nesting
1 pair of Grey Wagtail in Dam overflow
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in Country Park
1 pair of Buzzards performing aerobatics over Harridge
First singing Chiffchaff in Country Park
2 Long-tailed Tits
6+ Great Tits
6+ Blue Tits

12+ Robins, several pairs

Wednesday 19th March 2014, 7.00am

Walkerwood Dam

1 Cormorant down Brushes Valley
1 Buzzard over Harridge
1 Mistle thrush singing on Harridge
Jays in the woods

Tuesday 18th March 2014, 6.30 - 7.15am

Walkerwood Dam

Pair of grey wagtails flying around the dam overflow. They seemed to be passing food to each other in mid-air, which I assume to be some sort of mating routine? I wondered if anyone else has noticed this before?
1 Lapwing over from Harridge flew south west
At least 4 pairs of wren
1 pair of coal tits
Dunnock
Great spotted woodpecker drumming in country park

Monday 17th March 2014, 6.45 - 7.15am

Walkerwood Dam

Cormorant diving on reservoir
Sparrowhawk over Cock Wood, then back down to country park
Moorhen in dam overflow

Sunday 16th March 2014, 8.30 - 10.00am

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor to Flaxfield, then back past the ranges

Wild Bank Moor

1 buzzard circled the moor then flew over to Harridge, where it stayed for over half an hour, hanging in the breeze
1 male kestrel
3 or 4 skylarks singing
10+ meadow pipits - the highest count for some time

Elsewhere

10+ blackbirds
1 song thrush
10+ robins
4 wrens
1 pair of grey wagtails in the dam overflow
great spotted woodpecker drumming in country park

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 16th of March 2014 06:08:21 PM

Saturday 15th March 2014, 7.45 - 9.00am

From Walkerwood Dam up onto Wild Bank Moor to Flaxfield, then back past the ranges

Wild Bank Moor

1 snipe flushed from the moor
2 skylarks in song flight
3 meadow pipits

Flaxfield

1 pair of stonechat
1 pair of bullfinch
1 male kestrel
3 wren
6+ robins
6+ blackbirds
dunnock singing

Walkerwood Dam

1 pair of grey wagtail in dam overflow
1 pair of bullfinch

plus
blue tits
great tits

Monday 10th March 2014, 6.30am

Walkerwood Dam

2 grey herons flew up the valley over reservoir, circled, then flew back and over towards Flaxfield. The rear of the pair called continuously, like a demented corvid. Can't say I've heard herons calling before.
Pair of grey wagtails in the dam overflow
Mistle thrush singing on Harridge

Sunday 9th March 2014, 8.30 - 10.30am

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor overto Flaxfield, and back past the ranges

At last - a fantastic spring morning, augmented by the singing of the first skylarks of the year over Wild Bank Moor.
4 birds in total, with 2 in continuous song-flight above the heather
6+ meadow pipit flushed
12+ dunnocks, singing everywhere
12+ robins
15+ blackbirds, mainly singing males visible
small group of 4 bullfinches through the hedges at Flaxfield (2m, 2f)
1 pair of chaffinch
4 goldfinch
6+ wrens, including two picking through the moss on the walls of the dam overflow
2 long-tailed tits
great tits
blue tits
1 mistle thrush singing
song thrushes singing
1 male grey wagtail in the dam overflow channel stunning in breeding plumage

Despite the lack of anything unusual, an uplifting couple of hours of sunshine and birdsong

Saturday 8th March 2014, 8.45 - 10.30am

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor to Flaxfield, and back past the rifle ranges

Dry and bright, but windy. Quiet, bird-wise.

Wild Bank Moor

1 red grouse
4 meadow pipits
several dunnocks singing below in the gorse
wren

Elsewhere

3 bullfinch
10+blackbirds
2 song thrush
mistle thrush singing at bottom of Harridge
2 jays
2 long-tailed tits
10+ robins
6 starlings
2 cormorants diving in Walkerwood Reservoir, then a third flew in
great tits and blue tits

Wednesday 5th March 2014, 6.30 - 7.15am

From Walkerwood Dam

1 sparrowhawk up from country park, over reservoir, and into Cock Wood
2 mistle thrushes singing at Cote Farm, bottom of Harridge
1 song thrush
2m, 2f bullfinch
1 pair of grey wagtails in dam overflow
1 moorhen in overflow
c4 long-tailed tits

Tuesday 4th March 2014, 6.25 - 7.05am

Along Walkerwood Dam

It's nice to be able to exchange the torch for a pair of binoculars on the first dogwalk of the day.

2 buzzards, one over the country park, one high up the valley over Harridge
1 male grey wagtail in dam overflow
1 moorhen in overflow
1 cormorant up Brushes Valley at 6.45, then down the valley (presumed it to be the same bird) ten minutes later



-- Edited by David Walsh on Tuesday 4th of March 2014 07:44:55 AM

Monday 3rd March 2014, 6.00pm, Walkerwood Dam

Tawny owl hooting in Cock Wood at dusk

Monday 3rd March 2014, 8.30 - 10.30 am

From Walkerwood Dam, past the rifle ranges to Flaxfield and back, a sunny spring morning.

Wild Bank
1 pair of stonechat
1 pair of reed buntings
6+ dunnock
4+ wren
1 raven south east over Wild Bank Moor
1 red grouse

Flaxfield
1 pair of bullfinch
1 pair of chaffinch
1 long-tailed tit
10+ blackbirds
4+ wrens
6+ robins
3 dunnock

Brushes Road

1 female kestrel
Lots of birdsong again today, with dunnocks and wren in particular, everywhere




-- Edited by David Walsh on Monday 3rd of March 2014 01:06:45 PM

Thursday 27th February 2014, 8.45 - 10.30 am

Usual route up from Walkerwood Dam to Flaxfield and back. Dry and bright after heavy overnight rain.

pair of stonechat in the gorse at Wild Bank
at least 6 dunnocks singing in the gorse. The male stonechat appeared to be mobbing the singing dunnocks
1 pair of grey wagtails in the overflow at Walkerwood Reservoir
1 moorhen along the Cock Wood shore of the reservoir

Again, the following birds singing:
blackbird
song thrush
mistle thrush
dunnock
wren
robin
blue and great tits

David , There were maintenance crews up on those Swineshaw pylons when I was up there on the 25th Nov ..... if they have had 3 months of breathing that air up there over winter they'll be healthiest lads in Greater Manchester.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 04:05:02 PM

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 24th of February 2014 07:10:10 AM

Sunday 23rd February 2014, 8.45 - 10.00am

From Walkerwood Dam up onto Wild Bank Moor over to Flaxfield, and back.

Another dry, bright morning, but very windy. Quiet again, bird-wise, but lots of singing going on, and pairs of blackbirds, robins, and dunnock very evident.

1 pair of grey wagtails calling and flying around the overflow channel at Walkerwood Dam.
1 buzzard over Harridge, the first I have seen for weeks. Co-incidentally, the pylon maintenance work seems to have been completed on Harridge, and moved further up towards the Swineshaws.
At least 4 dunnocks singing in the gorse on Wild Bank
10+ blackbirds
10+ robins
1 song thrush
1 mistle thrush by Brushes Road

Saturday 22nd February 2014, 8.15 - 9.30am

A feeling of spring in the air today, after three or four desperately quiet weeks. The Country Park was filled with birdsong, in particular blackbirds, song thrush, dunnock, robins, and mixed tits. Meadow pipits have also been displaying over the past couple of weeks, weather permitting!

From Walkerwood Dam up onto Wild Bank Moor to Flaxfield, and back. A dry, bright morning.

Wild Bank Moor

2 red grouse
3 meadow pipits flushed from moor

Flaxfield

1 pair of stonechat around the field edges, the male singing and the female following him around
1 pair of chaffinch
1 f bullfinch
2 greenfinch
10+ blackbirds
1 song thrush
6+ robins
2 dunnock, more singing in gorse
1 male pheasant at the farm
blue and great tits

Walkerwood Dam

male sparrowhawk perched above dam run-off channel
1 grey wagtail on dam wall


-- Edited by David Walsh on Saturday 22nd of February 2014 11:06:56 AM

Saturday 1st February 2014, 8.15 - 9.45am, dry and frosty.

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor and over to Flaxfield, and back. Yet another very quiet morning.

Wild Bank Moor

3 red grouse
2 meadow pipits

Elsewhere

c10 redwings at Flaxfield
1 sparrowhawk over the moor, above Cock Wood
2 fieldfares in field next to Brushes Road
c6 blackbirds
1 wren
4 jays
bullfinch heard, not seen

Saturday 25th January 2014, 7.45 - 9.30am

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor and over to Flaxfield, and back. Dry and bright.

On Wild Bank Moor

3 red grouse
3 meadow pipit
3 or 4 dunnocks singing in the gorse.

Flaxfield

40+ redwings together moving around the bushes, dropping into the fields to feed.
1 single fieldfare with the above
10+ blackbirds, some singing, some harrassing the redwing
2 wrens
6+ robins
bullfinch heard but not seen
1 jay

Walkerwood Reservoir

2 cormorant diving
1 male goosander flew in as I was leaving. It always puzzles me why this species doesn't use this reservoir, as it used to be be a trout fishery, so there is food in there. They are reasonably common on the River Tame, less than a mile away, at this time of year. The previous manager used various methods to deter cormorant, but it has been closed for over 6 months now, with no-one on or around the reservoir at all.
20+ Canada geese
4 mallard

Sunday 12th January 2014, 9.00 - 10.30am

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor and over to Flaxfield, then back past Rifle Ranges. Very frosty.

Wild Bank Moor

1 red grouse
2 meadow pipits
1 jack snipe flushed from low on the moor just above rifle ranges. I say jack snipe, despite the location, because of its size, lack of any noise, and flight, like a badly thrown frisbee, low down the hill, for a distance of only about 50 yards.

Elsewhere

1 female sparrowhawk alighted on a holly tree, and flushed 8 redwings, one at a time, from the tree
10+ blackbirds
3 bullfinches
1 wren
1 dunnock
6+ robins
6+ great tits
6+ blue tits

otherwise quiet

Sunday 5th January 2014, 9.00 - 10.45am

From Walkerwood Dam, up onto Wild Bank Moor and over to Flaxfield, then back past the rifle ranges.

Wild Bank Moor

2 red grouse
6 meadow pipits
2 pheasant
1 kestrel over

Elsewhere

1 male stonechat at Flaxfield Farm, feeding in the fields. First sighting for almost 2 months.
8 bullfinch, including a very active flock of 6 near the Cock Wood corner of Walkerwood Dam
10+ blackbirds
1 solitary redwing
6+ robins
2 juv cormorants over Walkerwood Reservoir
c30 black-headed gulls roosting on reservoir
c40 Canada Geese on reservoir
10+ mallards
200+ woodpigeons, both perched in groups and flying - seemed to everywhere this morning


-- Edited by David Walsh on Sunday 5th of January 2014 12:09:33 PM

-- Edited by David Walsh on Sunday 5th of January 2014 12:11:11 PM

Saturday 4th January 2014, 8.00 - 9.45am

From Walkerwood Dam, past the rifle ranges, then up onto Wild Bank Moor

Very quiet around Flaxfield early on, so decided to return via the high moor, back over to Cock Wood

5 red grouse
4 pheasant
4 meadow pipits
all of the above high up on the moor, credit for the sightings goes to the springer spaniel

Elsewhere:
2 dunnock
2 bullfinch
2 wrens
6+ robins
4 goldfinch
3 blackbirds

Otherwise quiet

Thursday 2nd Jan - 2.30-4pm (first visit, unfortunately brief)

Just a short walk from Oakgates to Walkerwood Reservoir and back;

1 treecreeper
1 coal tit
1 goldcrest
plenty of great tit and blue tit
1 buzzard (flying over small reservoir in lower brushes - 'the dam'?)
1 great spotted woodpecker (flying)
3 robin
2 wren
4 blackbird

Will definitely go back for an early morning walk...

Thursday 2nd January 2014, 10.45 - 12.30pm

BTO Winter Thrush Survey for SJ9898

9 blackbirds
8 redwings, all at Flaxfield

Typically low counts for the thrush survey. I have been seeing at least 20, and sometimes more than 40, redwings regularly around Flaxfield, but on the day of the Thrush Walk, hardly anything. The BTO advise conducting the survey late morning, to optimise number of birds feeding, but I seem to see more during my early morning dogwalks.

Other non-thrush sightings:

1 male great spotted woodpecker feeding on apples in the Country Park
5 bullfinch
1 chaffinch
4 jays
6+ robins
2 wrens
3 meadow pipits

Sunday 29th December 2013, 8.00 - 9.30am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the rifle ranges to Flaxfield, and back

c40 redwings at Flaxfield, including one group of 25 moving through the hedges. Some also picking through the fields.
20+ blackbirds
7 bullfinch, mainly females. Present in good numbers at present, both around Flaxfield and in the country park
2 chaffinch
5 goldfinch
3 greenfinch
7 jays
4 wrens
1 male kestrel over Wild Bank. Report of a kestrel found on Thursday with an injured wing, down in Cloggers Hollow
10+ robins
1 dunnock
1 meadow pipit
28 Canada Geese on Walkerwood Reservoir at 8.00am
blue tits and great tits
not as many woodpigeon today - groups of fours and fives flying around
30+ magpies perched in trees everywhere
30+ back-headed gulls west down Brushes Valley

Thursday 26th December 2013, 9.00 10.30am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the rifle ranges to Flaxfield, and back - with 23 year old daughter in tow, so not much time for lingering!

20+ redwings around the hedges at the south of Flaxfield Farm, also 10+ picking through the fields
2 fieldfares
15+ blackbirds
1 reed bunting at Flaxfield
1 kestrel
6+ robins
3 meadow pipits on Wild Bank
1 m bullfinch
2 chaffinches
3 goldfinches
1 dunnock
1 wren
6 jays in Cock Wood, near Walkerwood Dam
blue and great tits

-- Edited by David Walsh on Thursday 26th of December 2013 02:30:36 PM

Sunday 22nd December 2013, 8.15 - 9.45am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the ranges to Flaxfield, and back, in dry, bright conditions, following overnight rain and a downpour at 8am. Very wet and boggy underfoot.

A pleasant hour and a half, though, with more about than of late.

1 green woodpecker showing well on 3 occasions, flying down into the fields of Flaxfield Farm picking through the mud and molehills
2 large flocks of woodpigeons, one of c200 flying west over the Tame Valley at 8.15, and one of at least 350 birds, south-east over Brushes Valley at 9.45
9 fieldfares on the hawthorn and holly at Flaxfield, before flying off west
7 redwings with the fieldfare, but didn't fly off, continuing to move along the hedges
1 song thrush
10+ blackbirds
3 wrens
6+ robins
4 meadow pipits "tseeping" in the heather of Wild Bank
1 dunnock
1 bullfinch heard from Walkerwood Dam
1 kestrel over Wild Bank
6+ great tits
6+ blue tits

Thursday 19th December 2013, 8.45 - 10.15am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the ranges to Flaxfield, and back, on a crisp, bright morning.

c40 redwings around the hedges of Flaxfield Farm, including one group of c25 working through hawthorn and holly
10+ blackbirds
3 meadow pipits flushed out of long grass, another 6 flying over towards Harridge
great and blue tits
2 robins
1 wren in gorse
several small flocks of woodpigeon, plus one larger one of c50 flying up Brushes Valley
2 f pheasants
a lot of squabbling going on between magpies, jackdaws, and carrion crows

Otherwise, once more, very quiet

Walk along Walkerwood this afternoon , like a mill pond with very little wind , male & female Sparrowhawk chasing birds around a bush just off roadside , 2 Ravens and 1 Buzzard up above , pleasant walk in clear conditions .

-- Edited by Julian Barnes on Tuesday 17th of December 2013 02:45:23 PM

Sunday 15th December 2013, 9.00 - 10.30am

Walkerwood Dam, up past the ranges to Flaxfield, and back

8 redwings in the hedges at Flaxfield
6 blackbirds on hawthorn
10 meadow pipits flying over the moor - first I've seen for three weeks
4 robins
1 wren
bullfinch heard near Walkerwood Dam
several flocks of 10-20 woodpigeons flying over
20+ black-headed gulls in field next to Mottram Old Road

Jackdaws, carrion crows, and a lot of magpies today

Otherwise still very quiet

Saturday 14th December 2013, 7.45 - 9.15am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the ranges to Flaxfield, and back

1 tawny owl hooting from Cock Wood, approx 100 yards along from dam, at 7.45 (still dark)

Then almost nothing for the hour to Flaxfield and back!

1 blackbird
1 robin
great and blue tits heard only!
goldfinch over
1 red grouse on Wild Bank Moor
low numbers of jackdaw, magpies, and woodpigeon flying around

Then as I was loading the dogs into the car on the dam, a buzzard flew down over the reservoir and circled low over the country park for 5 minutes, before heading over towards Harridge
1 pair of bullfinch next to the dam

1 pied wagtail feeding outside the newsagent on Brushes Road as I stopped to pay the newspaper bill!

Never known it so quiet, in decent weather. Perhaps I need to go out later at this time of year.

Saturday 23rd November 2013

BTO Winter Thrush Survey, 10.30am - 1.15pm

Early dog walk produced c25 fieldfare flying west low over Wild Bank Moor at 7.20am. Typically, the highest count of the day, and not part of the survey.

The Thrush Walk itself, for SJ9898, produced:

29 blackbirds
7 redwings
6 fieldfares
1 song thrush

Other sightings

1 little owl, in the hawthorn at Flaxfield
a flock of 3m, 3f bullfinches around the hedges of Flaxfield - very vocal and active
4 chaffinches
several groups of goldfinch over
6+ great tits
6+ blue tits
4 long-tailed tits
6 meadow pipits on Wild Bank Moor
1 f kestrel in hawthorn hedge at Flaxfield
10+ robins
3 jays
1 wren

Friday 22nd November 2013, 6.50am - very breezy over the reservoir.

Walkerwood Dam - Tawny Owl flew from country park, over the corner of the dam, and into the trees on the Harridge side of the reservoir, about 10 feet above my head. No hooting or calling today.

Wednesday 20th November 2013, 9.15 - 10.00am

Woodcock flushed from my garden, Huddersfield Road, up and over towards Brushes and the country park

From Walkerwood Dam - 2 sparrowhawks over from River Tame direction, flew over reservoir and into Cock Wood

Tuesday 19th November 2013, 6.40 - 7.15am

Along Walkerwood Dam, before dawn.

At least 2, and probably 3, tawny owls hooting this morning before first light. One from the woods on the northern (Harridge) side of Walkerwood Reservoir (only 100 yards or so down from the contractors' hut and machinery), and at least one on the southern shore, in Cock Wood. I was fairly confident that there were 2 in this wood, one 100 yards or so along from the dam, and one up near Brushes Reservoir, which hooted once only. Just then the Canada Geese started honking, and drowned the possible third bird out. Then it started to get light, the owls went quiet, and the geese took over.

These are my first male hoots of the season, only having calls up to now, and I believe that the two hooting against each other gives me a code T for territory on the Excel recording form, as possible breeding behaviour?

Sunday 17th November 2013, 8.30 - 11.00am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the rifle ranges, to Flaxfield and back - very misty, but mild

As has been usual of late, most sightings at the southern end of Flaxfield.

1 little owl in its usual spot in the hawthorn at Flaxfield
1 male stonechat on the fences between Flaxfield Farm and the gorse of Wild Bank
12 redwing on holly and hawthorn at Flaxfield
6 fieldfares with the redwing
1 song thrush
10+ blackbirds
2m, 1f bullfinch in the hedges of Flaxfield
1 greenfinch
6+ goldfinch over
1f chaffinch
2 dunnocks
1 red grouse on Wild Bank Moor



10

Sunday 17th November 2013, 8.30 - 110.00am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the rifle ranges, to Flaxfield and back - very misty, but mild

As has been usual of late, most sightings at the southern end of Flaxfield.

1 little owl in its usual spot in the hawthorn at Flaxfield
1 male stonechat on the fences between Flaxfield Farm and the gorse of Wild Bank
12 redwing on holly and hawthorn at Flaxfield
6 fieldfares with the redwing
1 song thrush
10+ blackbirds
2m, 1f bullfinch in the hedges of Flaxfield
1 greenfinch
6+ goldfinch over
1f chaffinch
2 dunnocks
1 red grouse on Wild Bank Moor



10

David Walsh wrote:

---

I know these last few paragraphs aren't bird sightings, but they were further information to yesterday's posts. If you want to move them, Ian, feel free to do so,

David

---

All absolutely revlevant and really important information David

Saturday 16th November 2013, 7.20 - 9.30am

Up from Walkerwood Dam, past the rifle ranges, to Flaxfield and back. Dry but dull morning.

1 f kestrel hunting over Wild Bank
1 green woodpecker flying around the tall hedges south of Flaxfield Farm
2 fieldfares in field at Flaxfield Farm
12+ blackbirds, mainly on hawthorn
redwing heard at Flaxfield, but not seen
2 bullfinch, one in the gorse at Wild Bank, one in the country park
1 f chaffinch
6 meadow pipit on Wild Bank Moor
10+ robins
1 wren
2m, 1f pheasant at Flaxfield
4 blue tits
1 dunnock

With regards to the contractors on Harridge, I have spoken to the contractors themselves, and Audrey at Cote Farm, on whose land some of the work is being carried out. It is, as suspected, pylon maintenance work. The work being carried out now is preparatory groundwork, that is making good the access routes to the pylons, before work on the pylons themselves can start. It involves improving the tracks and rough lanes (some are very rough!), and clearing obstructing vegetation (hence the chainsaws at dawn this week on the hawthorns).

As can be seen from any decent map af the area, the pylons themselves run in a line roughly from Cote Farm straight up to the dam of Higher Swineshaw Reservoir, where they cross Swineshaw Brook, and continue past Lees Hill before turning south east towards Tintwistle. I must stress that I have no idea how far the work on the pylons is to extend, and the above is simply a description of the route of the pylons.

The groundwork is expected to finished by January, when work on the pylons will begin, and the work itself is expected to last until June 2014.

From a birding point of view, most of the above route of the pylons is over rough heather moor, but there is one section to the north of Walkerwood Reservoir which runs through woodland, from where I regularly hear tawny owls calling. I have no idea whether any breeding goes on in that wood, because it is on the opposite side of the valley from my usual walk, and as far as I know, no-one else watches over there (or at least they don't post on this forum), so there are unlikely to be any breeding records. Having said that, I don't know that power companies carrying out maintenance work need to liase with the ecology unit in the same way that local councils are required to, when considering planning applications?

So Roger, if you're wandering under any pylons on Harridge in the new year, you may need "yer owd tin 'at" after all!

I know these last few paragraphs aren't bird sightings, but they were further information to yesterday's posts. If you want to move them, Ian, feel free to do so,

David

OK Lads ....... I'd been whetting mi bayonet all afternoon ..... I'll stick it back under't stairs, along wi mi tin 'at..

Roger

I came across a couple of groups this morning in the Turton area working on pylons. It looks like routine maintenance work may be going on across our area.

I think it's to do with the National Grid - a lot of pylons decorate Harridge, as you know. There have been a couple of 4x4s going up at 6.30ish all week, but this morning there were diggers, trailers etc, wending their way up there.

They were lopping hawthorn trees lining the bridleway over towards Carrbrook on Wednesday, but there were 2 buzzards wandering around a field 150 yards away completely unfazed. No sign of them this morning though.

I am buying poultry food from Cote Farm tomorrow morning, and intend asking there. Hopefully it's a bit of routine maintenance. If I find out I will let you know.

Friday 15th November 2013, 6.40am

Before first light - 1 tawny owl calling persistently from the corner of the country park next to Brushes Road and Walkerwood Dam.

1 raptor flying very high and fast south east from Harridge over towards Boar Flats and Tintwistle, but light was still poor and it was a long way up

A lot of contractors' vehicles on the side of Harridge, with orange lights flashing, so no buzzards in the fields of Cote Farm today!

Blackbirds out in force before and just after first light. By 7.15, it had been light for ten minutes and I saw 10+ flying around hawthorn bushes

A lot of contractors' vehicles on the side of Harridge, with orange lights flashing, so no buzzards in the fields of Cote Farm today!

What are they up to David ...... any idea ??

Roger.



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 22nd of November 2013 08:01:33 AM

Thursday 14th November, 8.30 - 10.10am

Walkerwood Dam, up past the rifle ranges, to Flaxfield, and back.

1 buzzard soaring over Harridge
1 sparrowhawk over Cock Wood and Wild Bank Moor
2 peregrines from Lees Hill direction, flying high, then sweeping down together over moor and valley, saw off the above sparrowhawk
1 kestrel over Wild Bank Moor, down from Cock Knarr. Drifted over towards Hobson Moor
1 solitary meadow pipit - but who could blame them, with all of the above lurking around
2 ravens over Flaxfield, heading east up the Tame Valley
1 pair of bullfinch into the country park, near Walkerwood Dam
4 blackbirds, mainly on holly
redwing heard at Flaxfield, but not seen
6+ robins
3 male pheasant around Flaxfield Farm
3 dunnock
jays in Cock Wood

Wednesday 13th November 2013, 6·55AM

First dog walk along Walkerwood Dam.

Buzzard over Harridge, landed on a fence post low down. After ten minutes it flew into the grass to be joined by a second, darker bird, and they spent the next half hour picking through the grass and old cow pats. Were still there when I left

Sunday 10th November 2013, 8.30 - 10.00am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past the rifle ranges, to Flaxfield and back. Clear and icy.

1 pair of stonechat in the usual area of fencing between Flaxfield Farm and Wild Bank. After five minutes of dropping into the field, they flew off high up the moor into the gorse.
20+ blackbirds - very active on the berries this morning, mainly hawthorn.
6 redwings, flying around Flaxfield in ones and twos
10+ robins
c60 black-headed gulls in field between Mottram Old Road and Sidebottom Fold
6 jays
2 male pheasant sat on a wall at Flaxfield Farm
2 dunnocks
8 house sparrows
1 wren
only finches this morning were a few goldfinches over
c50 woodpigeons dropping into trees on Harridge

otherwise fairly quiet

Saturday 9th November 2013, 7.30 - 9.15am

From Walkerwood Dam, up past rifle ranges to Flaxfield, and back. A clear, frosty morning.

c50 fieldfares flying noisily around the woods on the southern side of Walkerwood Reservoir, before alighting on rowan and hawthorn
12 redwing over field adjacent to Brushes Road, alighting just up the hill from the fieldfare
4m, 2f bullfinch feeding in hedges at Flaxfield, plus 1 male over Walkerwood Dam into the country park
1 male reed bunting around hawthorn bushes next to Brushes Road, before flying over Flaxfield Farm
1 raven over Wild Bank Moor towards Hobson Moor
10 goldfinch
1 greenfinch
1 chaffinch
3 dunnocks
10 blackbirds
3 meadow pipits only
10+ robins
3 great tits
2 blue tits
3 jays, plus the usual racket in the woods
2 skeins of pink-footed geese, 25 east over Brushes Valley at 7.30am, c45 south-east over Stalybridge direction at 8.50am