Bullfinch is regular in my Radcliffe garden, My pair of Chaffinch must now be nesting close by, as it's only in very recent years they have become daily, and only this year has the male being singing in my garden too!
Also noteworthy yesterday, there was a very distant sparrowhawk circling over too!
Ta!
steven burke said
Mon Apr 6 5:51 PM, 2020
A peregrine falcon was over my old trafford garden this afternoon, looked like a female but it was high up. Female sparrowhawk seen on 2 occasions also & a common buzzard came over very low
Whilst delivering medication to my parents I heard a Blackcap singing in their lower Bredbury garden, l returned home to my Bredbury garden to also see and hear a male singing Blackcap. Quite amazing.
fredford said
Mon Apr 6 8:37 AM, 2020
Bury. The male pheasant is very busy with his harem and chasing away would-be suitors. Pair of bullfinch now regular visitors. A pair of pied wagtails appeared yesterday and, at this moment, are examining the wood-shed. We have had single treecreepers but now a pair has turned up. Pair of mallards fly in each morning, feed under the seed holders, have a paddle and then go for a snooze in the longer grass. The resident carrion crows are keeping the many magpies at bay.
steven burke said
Sun Apr 5 10:07 PM, 2020
a single swallow flew over my old Trafford garden this afternoon heading in an easterly direction, around 10 minutes later a single house martin was overhead, hung around for almost a minute before heading of also in an easterly direction. both firsts for the year. whilst working in the front garden a chiffchaff could be heard singing along the tram line near kings road bridge.
sid ashton said
Sun Apr 5 9:15 PM, 2020
Found a dead Wood Pigeon in our Hale garden this morning, that wasn't there yesterday evening after lights out. The carcass was surrounded by white feathers that had been plucked out rather than bitten off suggesting probably a female Sparrowhawk was responsible. The garden has been unusually quite bird-wise for the last couple of days but I haven't seen any signs of a Sparrowhawk although I have seen one around previously.
PS our neighbour described what was probably a Sparrowhawk in her garden early doors today, Monday 6th.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Monday 6th of April 2020 01:47:11 PM
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sun Apr 5 4:52 PM, 2020
Behind, in and over my Flixton garden.
Peregrine 1 flying south, perhaps to the ex Shell site. Buzzard 2 Cormorant 1 Reed Bunting 1 female. Nuthatch 1 heard from Wellacre Wood.
Singing behind house were 1 each of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Coal Tit. etc.etc.etc.
Mike c cooper said
Sun Apr 5 4:49 PM, 2020
A Swallow has just flown low west over my Hopwood heywood garden, first of year for me
nigel charlesworth said
Sun Apr 5 12:32 PM, 2020
Weekly round up
Firstly the omission from last week Starling easy to miss
Blue great and coal tit
Chaffinch goldfinch
Dunnock house sparrow
Blackbird Mistle thrush robin song thrush heard
Wood and feral pigeon collard dove
Starling magpie jackdaw
Common scoter over
4 common buzzard
Steve Christmas said
Sat Apr 4 10:35 AM, 2020
Jamie Dunning and colleagues are putting together a national summary of nocturnal Common Scoter movements over the past few nights.
Could anyone who has heard any (also including negative sessions) please enter their records by 2pm TODAY at:
What appeared to be a leucistic Carrion Crow was in a Hindley garden yesterday.
Photo and video on the website.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
sid ashton said
Sat Mar 28 5:28 PM, 2020
Had a singing Chiffchaff in our Hale garden this afternoon and watched a Wren that appears interested in a bushy area close to our pond - a possible nest site??
nigel charlesworth said
Sat Mar 28 3:03 PM, 2020
Only going to do one per week unless anything rare turns up
failsworh garden
cormorant 4 buzzards and jay over
herring and lesser black backer gull landing on neighbours roof
blue great and coal tit
house sparrow and dunnock
goldfinch and Chaffinch
grey wagtail robin wood pigeon feral pigeon and collard dove
fredford said
Fri Mar 27 10:52 AM, 2020
Bury. An extremely rowdy gang of eight jays. Pair of mallard has just arrived on the pond, I wonder if they are those from last year. Blue tits eyeing up two of the nest boxes. The resident pheasant has lost three of his harem and is down to four. Where will they nest ? There are foxes around here. Bullfinch pair still visiting,as is greenfinch pair.
Richard Thew said
Fri Mar 27 10:34 AM, 2020
My sister managed to get a picture of a female bullfinch in my Radcliffe garden whilst I was working (as a cleaner) yesterday.
The house sparrows are slowly becoming more active now.
Nothing else has changed so far.....
Ta!
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Mar 26 2:26 PM, 2020
A magnificent Red Kite flew by just south of the garden today at 11:20, heading west along the route of the East Lancs Road and only just above the roadside lights height, being chased by a Crow!
Kevin Cook said
Thu Mar 26 9:23 AM, 2020
Graham Smith wrote:
Great Spotted woodpecker first in over 6 years in garden
Pair of Blue tits actively taking nesting material into bird box
Pair of Blue Tits started nest building in bird box in my Astley garden on Tuesday.
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Mar 25 8:33 PM, 2020
4 buzzards in a spiral this morning to the east, and a pair of sparrowhawks overhead (Romiley).
Graham Smith said
Wed Mar 25 8:17 PM, 2020
Great Spotted woodpecker first in over 6 years in garden
Pair of Blue tits actively taking nesting material into bird box
Richard Thew said
Wed Mar 25 12:09 PM, 2020
Cormorant flying over my Radcliffe garden yesterday, and I heard a Mediterranean gull the day before passing over.
Other highlights include:
Bullfinch x2 (on and off) Coal tits close (last years brood which came to the feeder without any fear) Dunnocks nesting this year!!! Robin A female blackbird has finally appeared, (but not my usual tame ones that vanished last autumn) and is taking nesting stuff.
Other than this, still getting a few greenfinch, goldfinch, and Chaffinch etc.
Ta!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/135715507@N06
fredford said
Wed Mar 25 5:46 AM, 2020
Bury. At last , the pheasant mating with one of his seven harem. Last couple of days,Brambling, nuthatch, rook on lawn. Lately sparrowhawk has taken a blackbird and a robin; when it zooms into the garden,the birds generally fly into a small, dense yew for shelter. Sparrowhawk has been trying to force his way in, without success. It is almost unbearable to behold. The pair of carrion crows seem to be undecided about their nesting- site. Sometimes they are in last years nest, sometimes carrying twigs to a different tree.
paul shaw said
Tue Mar 24 8:46 PM, 2020
Chiffchaff heard singing from my Bredbury garden again along with great spotted woodpecker drumming and a Buzzard drifting over. Working from home is not all doom and gloom.
paul shaw said
Mon Mar 23 12:48 PM, 2020
Chiffchaff heard singing from my Bredbury garden 7.30am this morning, Brightened up the day.
pete berry said
Sun Mar 22 3:51 PM, 2020
As I'm doing a bit of self isolation for a couple of days due to a common cold I've spent a bit of time in the back garden.Birds seen in the garden in last couple of hours include Willow Tit Nuthatch Pair of Bullfinch Plenty of commoner stuff such as Blue and Great Tit, Goldfinch,Greenfinch,Robin,Blackbird etc,with flyover Sparrowhawk,several Buzzard and a flock of 20ish Jackdaw.
Tony Koziol said
Sat Mar 21 3:50 PM, 2020
Stockport
The female blackcap continues to visit our garden albeit we don't observe her as often but she was showing today.
The four species of tit are still around with a coal tit being very vocal.
House sparrow numbers well down to c15.
Blackbirds still visiting and feeding on apples but numbers down.
A robin and two dunnock are frequent visitors.
Joel Tragen said
Thu Mar 19 5:56 PM, 2020
Female Blackcap and Goldcrest making the most of the suet feeders in my Chorlton garden. Usual garden birds (2 Blue tits, 10 House sparrows, 1m+1f Blackbird)
paul shaw said
Wed Mar 18 8:58 PM, 2020
2 Tawny owls being very vocal this evening, listening from my garden in Bredbury.
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Mar 18 8:55 PM, 2020
Anything bird-wise is a cause for happiness at the moment, so even though it's much the same in the garden (5 redpoll, pair bullfinches, 2/3 greenfinches, 2 nuthatches, low-flying sparrowhawk yesterday, 10+ goldfinches, 3/4 chaffinches, 2 jackdaws, collared dove etc...), the sight of two goldcrests flying over my head and landing in a neighbour's conifer hedge was still a bit of a boost.
David Walsh said
Mon Mar 16 12:27 PM, 2020
A Chiffchaff singing in a hawthorn hedge in my Stalybridge garden this morning was not only my first of the year, but the first ever in the garden.
Simon Warford said
Sun Mar 15 8:43 PM, 2020
Well...well...well.. just when you think you've seen it all this winter, a 2nd female Blackcap has appeared to join the other three in our Bolton garden, perhaps its been visiting a while and we just havent seen the two females together, who knows..either way a record breaking winter!
Female Blackcap has still been a regular visitor to the suet feeder in our garden all week.
House Sparrow numbers now down to c12
Four species of tit Blue, Great, Coal and Long Tailed have all been around every day with the later just three feet away this morning.
Richard Thew said
Sun Mar 15 3:03 PM, 2020
Common buzzard circling over my Radcliffe garden moments ago. My lesser redpolls seem to have moved on now. I have had a few visits of bullfinch however. Ta!
fredford said
Sun Mar 15 7:15 AM, 2020
Bury. Two male, one female bullfinch. Two brambling. One redpoll. Blackbirds, great and blue tit, goldfinch, greenfinch,nuthatch,carrion crow. Curlew, over, calling. Magpie,of which there seems to be many this year. Tawny owl seen. Mistle thrush, blackbird singing. Wren. Male and female pheasant.
Simon Warford said
Sat Mar 14 9:45 PM, 2020
All 3 wintering Blackcaps (2 males) still present in our Bolton garden today. One male has been chasing the other one around for weeks, but this last week both feeding happily from the same fat block.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 14th of March 2020 09:47:25 PM
Male pheasant in my Ashton on Mersey garden this lunchtime.
Andy Bissitt said
Fri Mar 13 8:20 PM, 2020
A peregrine cruised through the estate going south-east (seen close by from my garden) c 4.15 p.m. Who knows, the way things are going, garden birding might be all we have to fall back on in the coming weeks?
Andy Bissitt said
Tue Mar 10 8:33 PM, 2020
An all-time garden high of 10 redpoll yesterday p.m. Brilliant views at just a few feet away (from behind glass, obviously). Only 6 or 7 today, but 4 greenfinch was good for recent weeks.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Mar 9 2:02 PM, 2020
Originally posted today by Craig Bell:
Male Blackcap frequenting a friends garden feeders in Birtle on Sunday 8th March.
Tony Koziol said
Sun Mar 8 8:29 PM, 2020
After a mad dash to Grimsby for the Black Throated Trush we settled down to watch the feeders in our Stockport garden and finally the female Blackcap turned up the first sighting since Thursday.
Other observations of note
2 Coal tit
5 Blackbird 3m 2f
c15 House Sparrow (a large drop in numbers)
Simon Warford said
Sat Mar 7 6:39 PM, 2020
All 3 Blackcaps (2 males) still present in our Bolton garden today.
sid ashton said
Sat Mar 7 5:47 PM, 2020
About 10 minutes ago had a first for our Hale garden in the shape of a very noisy Ring-necked Parakeet.
Simon Warford said
Thu Mar 5 7:38 PM, 2020
2 Blackcaps (1 male, 1 female) still present in our Bolton garden today.
nigel charlesworth said
Thu Mar 5 10:54 AM, 2020
Two new species to my failsworth garden Coal tit and Chaffinch
great add to
30+ Starling
20+ Goldfinch
blue and great tit
robin
dunnock
blackbird
mistle thrush
song thrush
sparrowhawk
house sparrow
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Mar 4 8:18 PM, 2020
A first for the garden this afternoon: Harris's hawk, as the bird that seems to have the freedom of the area paid its first visit to my part of Romiley! One of the local buzzards soon rose to escort it off the site, with another to the south threatening to do the same. Other than that, 6 redpoll, pr of bullfinches, starling and pr jackdaws were different from yesterday.
Tony Koziol said
Wed Mar 4 5:07 PM, 2020
A first for our Stockport garden feeders, lone female Siskin.
Andy Bissitt said
Tue Mar 3 8:42 PM, 2020
An awful, drab day enlivened by the visit of a stonking male sparrowhawk which, if my memory serves me well, is the first in the garden this millennium! Makes all the staring out of the window worthwhile (and the feeding of all the birds which attracted it of course). Best of the rest..3/4 redpoll, song thrush, prob pr of nuthatches, long-tailed tit and greenfinch.
My pair of Chaffinch must now be nesting close by, as it's only in very recent years they have become daily, and only this year has the male being singing in my garden too!
Also noteworthy yesterday, there was a very distant sparrowhawk circling over too!
Ta!
Female sparrowhawk seen on 2 occasions also & a common buzzard came over very low
Found a dead Wood Pigeon in our Hale garden this morning, that wasn't there yesterday evening after lights out. The carcass was surrounded by white feathers that had been plucked out rather than bitten off suggesting probably a female Sparrowhawk was responsible. The garden has been unusually quite bird-wise for the last couple of days but I haven't seen any signs of a Sparrowhawk although I have seen one around previously.
PS our neighbour described what was probably a Sparrowhawk in her garden early doors today, Monday 6th.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Monday 6th of April 2020 01:47:11 PM
Peregrine 1 flying south, perhaps to the ex Shell site.
Buzzard 2
Cormorant 1
Reed Bunting 1 female.
Nuthatch 1 heard from Wellacre Wood.
Singing behind house were 1 each of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Coal Tit.
etc.etc.etc.
Jamie Dunning and colleagues are putting together a national summary of nocturnal Common Scoter movements over the past few nights.
Could anyone who has heard any (also including negative sessions) please enter their records by 2pm TODAY at:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13HxwrtlBLOKFKs_1R8TGZPzBDUWQ8Ew2B9NmXgtqwM4/edit#gid=0
Jamie will then post a summary analysis of the records in a dynamic map format.
Many thanks!
A bit of a (South Irlam as our GMBRG assistant recorder Steve Atkins prefers me to record it) Garden watch Today 0940-1020
14 Goldfinch
2 Blackbird...one in song one in subtle alarm
6 Feral Pigeon overhead
3 House Sparrow having a spat in the 'false' Raspberry Bush
1 Robin
7 Greenfinch
6 Starling in the vicinity
1 Sparrowhawk...male patrolling the sky
3 Lesser Black-Backed Gull attacking a Soaring Buzzard
1 Chaffinch
3 Woodpigeon
2 Canada Geese...Overflying
7 Black-Headed Gull...Overflying
4 Collared Dove...noted from the front garden
and....but ONE jet-plane...to reflect the times we are in...
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Friday 3rd of April 2020 11:22:05 PM
What appeared to be a leucistic Carrion Crow was in a Hindley garden yesterday.
Photo and video on the website.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Had a singing Chiffchaff in our Hale garden this afternoon and watched a Wren that appears interested in a bushy area close to our pond - a possible nest site??
Only going to do one per week unless anything rare turns up
failsworh garden
cormorant 4 buzzards and jay over
herring and lesser black backer gull landing on neighbours roof
blue great and coal tit
house sparrow and dunnock
goldfinch and Chaffinch
grey wagtail robin wood pigeon feral pigeon and collard dove
The house sparrows are slowly becoming more active now.
Nothing else has changed so far.....
Ta!
A magnificent Red Kite flew by just south of the garden today at 11:20, heading west along the route of the East Lancs Road and only just above the roadside lights height, being chased by a Crow!
Pair of Blue Tits started nest building in bird box in my Astley garden on Tuesday.
4 buzzards in a spiral this morning to the east, and a pair of sparrowhawks overhead (Romiley).
Great Spotted woodpecker first in over 6 years in garden
Pair of Blue tits actively taking nesting material into bird box
Other highlights include:
Bullfinch x2 (on and off)
Coal tits close (last years brood which came to the feeder without any fear)
Dunnocks nesting this year!!!
Robin
A female blackbird has finally appeared, (but not my usual tame ones that vanished last autumn) and is taking nesting stuff.
Other than this, still getting a few greenfinch, goldfinch, and Chaffinch etc.
Ta!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/135715507@N06
Chiffchaff heard singing from my Bredbury garden again along with great spotted woodpecker drumming and a Buzzard drifting over. Working from home is not all doom and gloom.
Willow Tit
Nuthatch
Pair of Bullfinch
Plenty of commoner stuff such as Blue and Great Tit, Goldfinch,Greenfinch,Robin,Blackbird etc,with flyover Sparrowhawk,several Buzzard and a flock of 20ish Jackdaw.
Stockport
The female blackcap continues to visit our garden albeit we don't observe her as often but she was showing today.
The four species of tit are still around with a coal tit being very vocal.
House sparrow numbers well down to c15.
Blackbirds still visiting and feeding on apples but numbers down.
A robin and two dunnock are frequent visitors.
Anything bird-wise is a cause for happiness at the moment, so even though it's much the same in the garden (5 redpoll, pair bullfinches, 2/3 greenfinches, 2 nuthatches, low-flying sparrowhawk yesterday, 10+ goldfinches, 3/4 chaffinches, 2 jackdaws, collared dove etc...), the sight of two goldcrests flying over my head and landing in a neighbour's conifer hedge was still a bit of a boost.
Stockport;
Female Blackcap has still been a regular visitor to the suet feeder in our garden all week.
House Sparrow numbers now down to c12
Four species of tit Blue, Great, Coal and Long Tailed have all been around every day with the later just three feet away this morning.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 14th of March 2020 09:47:25 PM
A peregrine cruised through the estate going south-east (seen close by from my garden) c 4.15 p.m. Who knows, the way things are going, garden birding might be all we have to fall back on in the coming weeks?
An all-time garden high of 10 redpoll yesterday p.m. Brilliant views at just a few feet away (from behind glass, obviously). Only 6 or 7 today, but 4 greenfinch was good for recent weeks.
Originally posted today by Craig Bell:
Male Blackcap frequenting a friends garden feeders in Birtle on Sunday 8th March.
After a mad dash to Grimsby for the Black Throated Trush we settled down to watch the feeders in our Stockport garden and finally the female Blackcap turned up the first sighting since Thursday.
Other observations of note
2 Coal tit
5 Blackbird 3m 2f
c15 House Sparrow (a large drop in numbers)
About 10 minutes ago had a first for our Hale garden in the shape of a very noisy Ring-necked Parakeet.
Two new species to my failsworth garden Coal tit and Chaffinch
great add to
30+ Starling
20+ Goldfinch
blue and great tit
robin
dunnock
blackbird
mistle thrush
song thrush
sparrowhawk
house sparrow
A first for the garden this afternoon: Harris's hawk, as the bird that seems to have the freedom of the area paid its first visit to my part of Romiley! One of the local buzzards soon rose to escort it off the site, with another to the south threatening to do the same. Other than that, 6 redpoll, pr of bullfinches, starling and pr jackdaws were different from yesterday.
A first for our Stockport garden feeders, lone female Siskin.
An awful, drab day enlivened by the visit of a stonking male sparrowhawk which, if my memory serves me well, is the first in the garden this millennium! Makes all the staring out of the window worthwhile (and the feeding of all the birds which attracted it of course). Best of the rest..3/4 redpoll, song thrush, prob pr of nuthatches, long-tailed tit and greenfinch.
Female Blackcap in our Stockport garden every day last week from Monday.
Other notables,
House Sparrow numbers back down to c40
Blackbird 5m 2f
Blue 2/Coal 1/Great 2 and Long Tailed Tits 2.
Dunnock 2
Robin 2
First picture on my flickr page....
Ta!