Male Blackcap on the feeders in my Saddleworth garden this morning. Also a female Brambling, a Siskin and a Nuthatch! Amazing!
Tony Koziol said
Sun Feb 23 7:40 PM, 2020
Blackcap not seen in our Stockport garden for a few days.
House Sparrow numbers up to c60 today. This is the highest number observed in our garden.
phillipskelly said
Sun Feb 23 12:14 PM, 2020
On my Stretford backyard feeders one day this week were 60 Goldfinch and then around 20-30 other days. Today (Sunday) at 12pm - no seed taken,no Goldfinch seen and no pigeons or Magpies about ... Sparrowhawk about maybe ?
Clive Part said
Sun Feb 23 10:52 AM, 2020
Male Blackcap just visited the garden feeder 10:50 in my Timperley garden. It's been approx. 5 weeks since it was last seen when it was a regular in December and over the Christmas and New Year period.
Richard Thew said
Fri Feb 21 3:34 PM, 2020
Both my free days where I was planning on getting out for the day has been cancelled due to persistent rain and wind!
So armchair watching produced ......
Around 6 lesser Redpoll being the most exciting thing seen so far with 3 stunning males. And a few Greenfinch and Goldfinch and my usual Chaffinch.
Ta!
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Friday 21st of February 2020 03:35:00 PM
fredford said
Fri Feb 21 7:40 AM, 2020
Bury. Very busy on the feeders yesterday. Many chaffinch, couple of greenfinch, two nuthatch, tits long- tailed,great,blue, coal. First appearance, this year,of redpoll,ten starlings. Five male, two female blackbird gathering food under the feeders, likewise male pheasant and his harem of seven. Two or three male robins, one male dunnock,six goldfinch. Something is in the air......
Andy Bissitt said
Thu Feb 20 8:40 PM, 2020
Male blackcap visited at least three times today in what was a very busy garden. 5 blackbirds were in the back garden at the same time this p.m. and everything just seemed very keen to eat!
David Pierce said
Thu Feb 20 1:53 PM, 2020
A garden first today as a grey wagtail dropped onto my flooded Marple lawn. It looked confused and left quickly.
Simon Warford said
Wed Feb 19 9:08 PM, 2020
3 Blackcaps (2 males) still present in our Bolton garden today. Interestingly the females last day with us last winter was the 19th Feb, so will be interesting to see if she stays any later this winter.
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Feb 19 8:32 PM, 2020
First blackcap of the year, and first male of the Winter, on front garden feeder this afternoon. Made up for being stuck indoors due to lousy weather. Other stuff... nuthatch, redpolls (4 or 5), pr bullfinches, song thrush (also singing a little in a.m. today) and wren again seen!
fredford said
Wed Feb 19 8:33 AM, 2020
Bury. First nests starting to appear in the rookery. Hurrah ! Started five years ago.
Tony Koziol said
Mon Feb 17 5:24 PM, 2020
The female Blackcap continues to visit our Stockport garden with sightings every day since the last post. She is turning up earlier 07.20 and stays later 16.45ish but disappears elsewhere for long periods of the day.
Other birds; Blue and Coal Tit, c 40 House Sparrow, 8 Blackbird 4m 4f, 12 Magpie, Jackdaw and Wood Pigeon
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Feb 16 9:04 PM, 2020
Redpoll numbers up to 6 this morning. Everything else as you were really (male bullfinch, song thrush and the rarely seen wren were the best of the rest).
steven burke said
Fri Feb 14 11:05 AM, 2020
Male blackcap in my old trafford garden this morning.
Female Blackcap this morning 08.20 in our Stockport garden. She does appear to be an"early bird" very rarely appearing in the afternoon. She only goes on the fatballs despite seed,mealworm and sunflower hearts being available.
Other birds the usual c30 House Sparrows and 4 blackbirds
David Pierce said
Mon Feb 3 10:15 AM, 2020
For several days I've had 3 robins, often close together, in my garden. One often raises its tail like a wren. There's been no aggression between them. I wondered if it was one male trying to impress two females. Can anyone explain?
Simon Warford said
Sun Feb 2 9:44 PM, 2020
Superb weekend in our Bolton garden, both Blackcaps still present and the first time ever that we had a roosting Tawny Owl, the Blackcaps were amongst several species not happy with its presence!
Peregrine on a neighbours roof in Droylsden this morning.
Lez Fairclough said
Sat Feb 1 11:38 PM, 2020
Whilst observing Blue tits, Great Tits, Long Tailed Tits & a Willow Tit on my Leigh garden feeders this afternoon 2 male Mergansers swam past on the Bridgewater Canal - first time I've seen them in this area.
Pete Hines said
Sat Feb 1 5:09 PM, 2020
M21 today
Ring-necked Parakeet - 80 over north east in 3 groups of 60, 12 and 8
yesterday
Goldcrest - 1 singing in the garden pre-dawn at 07.40
Tony Koziol said
Sat Feb 1 4:41 PM, 2020
Female Blackcap feeding most of the morning on the fat balls in our Stockport garden. This is the first sighting since last weekend due to other commitments.
House Sparrows again in numbers c30
Richard Thew said
Wed Jan 29 3:19 PM, 2020
The big garden birdwatch over weekend in my Radcliffe garden.
Goldcrest 1 House sparrow 3 Bullfinch (f) 1 Lesser Redpoll 7 Goldfinch 15+ Greenfinch 5 Chaffinch 3 Blackbird (m) 2 Coal tit 2 Blue tit 2 Great tit 2 Long tailed tit 4 Dunnock 2 Robin 1 Wood pigeons 3 Collared dove 3 Magpie 1 Crow 2
Passing over so uncounted and excluded from the survey was:
Black headed gull Herring gulls Lesser black backed gulls Cormorant
And just 5 minutes ago:
Sparrowhawk
Ta!
Dave Steel said
Tue Jan 28 3:41 PM, 2020
Largest count of Greenfinch so far this winter with a flock of 12
Also an overflying Peregrine heading south-north @ 1500.
Dave Steel said
Sun Jan 26 5:58 PM, 2020
RSPB big garden Birdwatch with the Grandchildren
22 Goldinch
3 Blackbird
7 Greenfinch
2 Chaffinch
2 House Sparrow
5 Woodpigeon
2 Feral Pigeon
1 Wren
1 Robin
1 Dunnock
and overflying birds noted...
28 Starling
2 Cormorant
2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull
3 Herring Gull
12 Woodpigeon.
Ian Campbell said
Sun Jan 26 8:32 AM, 2020
Male Blackcap in my Radcliffe garden just now. Cheers Ian
Simon Warford said
Sat Jan 25 8:42 PM, 2020
male and female Blackcap still present this morning in our Bolton garden.
Tony Koziol said
Sat Jan 25 4:44 PM, 2020
One hour birdwatch this morning in our Stockport garden between 11.00 and 12.00.
1 female Blackcap. Regular this week.
2 Blue Tit
2 Long Tail Tit
3 Blackbird all males
22 House Sparrows
1 Magpie
1 Robin
2 Carrion Crow
4 Wood Pigeon
1 Dunnock
Gordon Newman said
Tue Jan 21 10:08 PM, 2020
A Coal Tit has been visiting my neighbours garden for the past two days. Don't see too many in the Leigh area.
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Jan 19 8:37 PM, 2020
Things hotting up! 4 redpoll on the feeders today, which is great as there doesn't appear to be any elsewhere nearby. Other highlights: 2 jays, 2 nuthatches, pair of bullfinches, 1 song thrush, pr. collared doves. All between 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Tony Koziol said
Sun Jan 19 12:28 PM, 2020
At 08.55 this morning a female Blackcap was on the fatball feeder in our Stockport garden the first visit this year. She stayed around until we left at 09.30ish.
We departed for a small job.......whilst at this job we observed a male Blackcap on a fatball feeder, this was again in a Stockport garden five hundred yards from us as the crow flies. A first Blackcap observation in this particular garden.
During my recording of this report the female was again on our feeder seemingly more than happy in the company of the House Sparrows c25
A bounty of Blackcaps in Stockport !!
steven burke said
Sat Jan 18 10:20 AM, 2020
In my old trafford garden this morning...
30+ goldfinch 15+ house sparrows 1 great spotted woodpecker 1 ring-necked parakeet 1 blackbird 1 Robin 2 dunnock 1 goldcrest 2 blue tits 2 coal tits 6 starlings Feral pigeons 1 Mistle thrush on neighbouring roof tops. 1 magpie collecting twigs.
Andy Bissitt said
Fri Jan 17 8:44 PM, 2020
Best day of the year so far. A pair of bullfinches turned up for their third day, and two song thrushes (maybe a pair) returned after 5-6 weeks without a sniff of one. Best, though, was the Winter's first redpoll, on a feeder until a *!$8@ **# squirrel scared it off. Also today, jackdaw, magpie, c20 goldfinches, c10 chaffinches, 2 greenfinches, jay and the usual tits (3 species), so not bad - at last.
Tony Koziol said
Thu Jan 16 4:32 PM, 2020
Adult male Sparrowhawk flushed all the birds and a squirrel out of our Stockport garden around 14.00 today.
He sat in the silver birch for ten minutes whilst braving the high winds.
Simon Warford said
Sun Jan 12 8:31 PM, 2020
male and female Blackcaps back in our Bolton garden today again for the 6th consecutive winter!
Dave Steel said
Sat Jan 11 5:46 PM, 2020
Half hour check this am...still bird numbers down on previous years...
1 Coal Tit
2 Great Tit
19 Goldfinch
6 Greenfinch
2 Wood Pigeon
1 Robin
3 Chaffinch
2 Collared Dove
...over flying birds
16 Black-Headed Gull
6 Starling
8 Woodpigeon.
Andy Bissitt said
Fri Jan 10 8:43 PM, 2020
Desperately little to get excited about this Winter, but the sight of jays using my small garden in a way that was once unthought of (see photo) is still a spirit-raiser. That was yesterday. Today, a goldcrest spent a fair while going through the ivy at the bottom of the garden. Also noted a goldfinch which appeared to be suffering one of the finch diseases not normally associated with them. Hardly surprising as chaffinches are particularly badly hit this Winter. Such a pitiful sight.
Of note was that one of them was going through what looked very much like a courtship display which included much fluttering of wings and its tail whilst chasing the other two in a very small area beneath the magnolia.
The other two birds however totally ignored the display or so I think they did ?
Richard Thew said
Thu Jan 9 1:21 PM, 2020
There has been a little disturbance at my Radcliffe garden on Friday and Saturday so only last day or two the birds are becoming regular again with a suprise of 3 bullfinch (1f 2m). Redpoll highest count currently at 5 (which at weekend 2 was the max) Sparrowhawk seen yesterday too. Ta!
fredford said
Wed Jan 8 8:29 AM, 2020
Bury, past two days. Buzzard flying over, chased off by two carrion crows. Long-tailed tits frequent visitors to fat-balls. Treecreeper carefully combing through moss on apple tree with his fine beak. Small flock of sparrows,as yet unidentified, on sunflower seed feeders. Resident rooks becoming frisky. Male bullfinch taking seeds,fallen from feeders,on lawn. Nuthatch, g.s. woodpecker.
steven burke said
Sun Jan 5 10:32 PM, 2020
a snipe was heard going over my old Trafford garden just before 6pm this evening.
pete berry said
Sun Jan 5 9:14 PM, 2020
A Peregrine low over the house this afternoon ,a new bird for the garden list
Dave Steel said
Sun Jan 5 7:43 PM, 2020
Garden Birdwatch with the Grandchildren loosely between 1000-1515
1 Wren
2 Robin
15 Goldfinch
14 Greenfinch
2 Woodpigeon
150 Woodpigeon overflying heading south
2 Blackbird
3 Blue Tit
3 Feral Pigeon
4 Starling
5 Chaffinch
2 Great Tit
1 Sparrowhawk Female overflying
1 Cormorant overflying...this brought about a transfer of ownership of my old and battered Collins Bird Guide (first edition) to these enthusiastic Grandchildren...I have no idea how they became interested in birdwatching....!
Chris Porter said
Sat Jan 4 10:27 AM, 2020
First (male) blackcap of the winter in Firswood garden this morning.
Tony Koziol said
Wed Jan 1 2:07 PM, 2020
At 13.00 whilst having a bite of lunch a Nuthatch made two visits to the sunflower feeder in our Stockport garden a very welcome and rare visitor.
A Coal tit and Long tailed tit also active along with our usual entertainers.
Richard Thew said
Wed Jan 1 11:43 AM, 2020
Still getting a minimum of 4 lesser redpolls in my Radcliffe garden. 7 so far is the max with..
2x males 2x light coloured first winter 3× darker females
Also long tailed tits are almost daily, but usually near dusk.
Ta!
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Wednesday 1st of January 2020 02:28:51 PM
steven burke said
Tue Dec 31 1:29 PM, 2019
A raven flew over my old trafford garden this morning at 11.10am heading north west also c70 pink-footed geese over at 12.22 pm heading north west.
fredford said
Tue Dec 31 4:27 AM, 2019
Bury. Carrion crow checking his nest of last season. Male bullfinch on feeders, not seen him since late summer. Male pheasant busy displaying to his seven ladies, who show no interest. Treecreeper on apple tree. Not seen sparrowhawk for several days.
Male Blackcap on the feeders in my Saddleworth garden this morning. Also a female Brambling, a Siskin and a Nuthatch! Amazing!
Blackcap not seen in our Stockport garden for a few days.
House Sparrow numbers up to c60 today. This is the highest number observed in our garden.
Today (Sunday) at 12pm - no seed taken,no Goldfinch seen and no pigeons or Magpies about ... Sparrowhawk about maybe ?
So armchair watching produced ......
Around 6 lesser Redpoll being the most exciting thing seen so far with 3 stunning males.
And a few Greenfinch and Goldfinch and my usual Chaffinch.
Ta!
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Friday 21st of February 2020 03:35:00 PM
Something is in the air......
Male blackcap visited at least three times today in what was a very busy garden. 5 blackbirds were in the back garden at the same time this p.m. and everything just seemed very keen to eat!
A garden first today as a grey wagtail dropped onto my flooded Marple lawn. It looked confused and left quickly.
First blackcap of the year, and first male of the Winter, on front garden feeder this afternoon. Made up for being stuck indoors due to lousy weather. Other stuff... nuthatch, redpolls (4 or 5), pr bullfinches, song thrush (also singing a little in a.m. today) and wren again seen!
The female Blackcap continues to visit our Stockport garden with sightings every day since the last post. She is turning up earlier 07.20 and stays later 16.45ish but disappears elsewhere for long periods of the day.
Other birds; Blue and Coal Tit, c 40 House Sparrow, 8 Blackbird 4m 4f, 12 Magpie, Jackdaw and Wood Pigeon
Redpoll numbers up to 6 this morning. Everything else as you were really (male bullfinch, song thrush and the rarely seen wren were the best of the rest).
Female Blackcap in our Stockport garden between 14.35 and 16.30 today.
Other birds
Blue Tit 1
Coal Tit 1
Dunnock 2
Jackdaw 2
Wood Pigeon 9
Blackbird 6 (3m 3f)
Female Blackcap in our Stockport garden again today at noon,
Also 3 Blackbirds, c30 House Sparrows, 2 Dunnock and 1 Robin.
Female Blackcap this morning 08.20 in our Stockport garden. She does appear to be an"early bird" very rarely appearing in the afternoon. She only goes on the fatballs despite seed,mealworm and sunflower hearts being available.
Other birds the usual c30 House Sparrows and 4 blackbirds
For several days I've had 3 robins, often close together, in my garden. One often raises its tail like a wren. There's been no aggression between them. I wondered if it was one male trying to impress two females. Can anyone explain?
Whilst observing Blue tits, Great Tits, Long Tailed Tits & a Willow Tit on my Leigh garden feeders this afternoon 2 male Mergansers swam past on the Bridgewater Canal - first time I've seen them in this area.
Ring-necked Parakeet - 80 over north east in 3 groups of 60, 12 and 8
yesterday
Goldcrest - 1 singing in the garden pre-dawn at 07.40
Female Blackcap feeding most of the morning on the fat balls in our Stockport garden. This is the first sighting since last weekend due to other commitments.
House Sparrows again in numbers c30
Goldcrest 1
House sparrow 3
Bullfinch (f) 1
Lesser Redpoll 7
Goldfinch 15+
Greenfinch 5
Chaffinch 3
Blackbird (m) 2
Coal tit 2
Blue tit 2
Great tit 2
Long tailed tit 4
Dunnock 2
Robin 1
Wood pigeons 3
Collared dove 3
Magpie 1
Crow 2
Passing over so uncounted and excluded from the survey was:
Black headed gull
Herring gulls
Lesser black backed gulls
Cormorant
And just 5 minutes ago:
Sparrowhawk
Ta!
Largest count of Greenfinch so far this winter with a flock of 12
Also an overflying Peregrine heading south-north @ 1500.
RSPB big garden Birdwatch with the Grandchildren
22 Goldinch
3 Blackbird
7 Greenfinch
2 Chaffinch
2 House Sparrow
5 Woodpigeon
2 Feral Pigeon
1 Wren
1 Robin
1 Dunnock
and overflying birds noted...
28 Starling
2 Cormorant
2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull
3 Herring Gull
12 Woodpigeon.
Cheers Ian
One hour birdwatch this morning in our Stockport garden between 11.00 and 12.00.
1 female Blackcap. Regular this week.
2 Blue Tit
2 Long Tail Tit
3 Blackbird all males
22 House Sparrows
1 Magpie
1 Robin
2 Carrion Crow
4 Wood Pigeon
1 Dunnock
Things hotting up! 4 redpoll on the feeders today, which is great as there doesn't appear to be any elsewhere nearby. Other highlights: 2 jays, 2 nuthatches, pair of bullfinches, 1 song thrush, pr. collared doves. All between 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
At 08.55 this morning a female Blackcap was on the fatball feeder in our Stockport garden the first visit this year. She stayed around until we left at 09.30ish.
We departed for a small job.......whilst at this job we observed a male Blackcap on a fatball feeder, this was again in a Stockport garden five hundred yards from us as the crow flies. A first Blackcap observation in this particular garden.
During my recording of this report the female was again on our feeder seemingly more than happy in the company of the House Sparrows c25
A bounty of Blackcaps in Stockport !!
30+ goldfinch
15+ house sparrows
1 great spotted woodpecker
1 ring-necked parakeet
1 blackbird
1 Robin
2 dunnock
1 goldcrest
2 blue tits
2 coal tits
6 starlings
Feral pigeons
1 Mistle thrush on neighbouring roof tops.
1 magpie collecting twigs.
Best day of the year so far. A pair of bullfinches turned up for their third day, and two song thrushes (maybe a pair) returned after 5-6 weeks without a sniff of one. Best, though, was the Winter's first redpoll, on a feeder until a *!$8@ **# squirrel scared it off. Also today, jackdaw, magpie, c20 goldfinches, c10 chaffinches, 2 greenfinches, jay and the usual tits (3 species), so not bad - at last.
Adult male Sparrowhawk flushed all the birds and a squirrel out of our Stockport garden around 14.00 today.
He sat in the silver birch for ten minutes whilst braving the high winds.
Desperately little to get excited about this Winter, but the sight of jays using my small garden in a way that was once unthought of (see photo) is still a spirit-raiser. That was yesterday. Today, a goldcrest spent a fair while going through the ivy at the bottom of the garden. Also noted a goldfinch which appeared to be suffering one of the finch diseases not normally associated with them. Hardly surprising as chaffinches are particularly badly hit this Winter. Such a pitiful sight.
09/01/20 at 13.00
Three Dunnock in our Stockport garden.
Of note was that one of them was going through what looked very much like a courtship display which included much fluttering of wings and its tail whilst chasing the other two in a very small area beneath the magnolia.
The other two birds however totally ignored the display or so I think they did ?
Garden Birdwatch with the Grandchildren loosely between 1000-1515
1 Wren
2 Robin
15 Goldfinch
14 Greenfinch
2 Woodpigeon
150 Woodpigeon overflying heading south
2 Blackbird
3 Blue Tit
3 Feral Pigeon
4 Starling
5 Chaffinch
2 Great Tit
1 Sparrowhawk Female overflying
1 Cormorant overflying...this brought about a transfer of ownership of my old and battered Collins Bird Guide (first edition) to these enthusiastic Grandchildren...I have no idea how they became interested in birdwatching....!
At 13.00 whilst having a bite of lunch a Nuthatch made two visits to the sunflower feeder in our Stockport garden a very welcome and rare visitor.
A Coal tit and Long tailed tit also active along with our usual entertainers.
2x males
2x light coloured first winter
3× darker females
Also long tailed tits are almost daily, but usually near dusk.
Ta!
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Wednesday 1st of January 2020 02:28:51 PM