Sparrowhawk shot over my shoulder to miss something in the hedge before flying on to a neighbour's tree. Was a nice surprise.
Richard Thew said
Wed Oct 16 9:23 PM, 2019
A very distant buzzard gliding over my Radcliffe garden and a very nice visit of 2 Jays too!
It must be almost 10 years since I've had a Jay last seen in my Radcliffe garden, and since Autumn began, I've seen them regularly in the area and now twice seen in my garden. (The 1st was last week)
Ta!
pete berry said
Wed Oct 16 11:58 AM, 2019
Buzzards over my back garden this morning being mobbed by 2 Ravens.
phillipskelly said
Mon Oct 14 10:34 AM, 2019
Late post for Sunday 13.10.19.
On my Stretford backyard feeders at 2:30pm :- Goldfinch - 25. Chaffinch - 1* the first I've seen in the backyard. Later - Cormorant - 2 over probably from Salford Quays.
phillipskelly said
Sat Oct 12 3:37 PM, 2019
Friday 11.10.19 9am. My Stretford backyard feeders - Goldfinch 40 + . Pied wagtail heard several times this week and seen by Sue my neighbour whilst putting her bins out in the alleyway.
Also a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over on Tuesday afternoon.
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Sunday 13th of October 2019 10:32:48 AM
Richard Thew said
Tue Oct 8 9:35 PM, 2019
At least 450 jackdaws passed over very low from my Radcliffe garden this evening at dusk. A very impressive sight. Only once in the last 20 years did some of them actually land around and in my garden numbering about 60 - possibly in 2015? (I didn't log a date with my paperwork for some reason at that time). Ta!
Steven Heywood said
Tue Oct 8 6:47 PM, 2019
Flyovers next to Humphrey Park around 11:30am included a line of five cormorants and two swallows.
Richard Thew said
Sat Oct 5 8:24 PM, 2019
Redwings heard passing over my Radcliffe garden at 8:20pm. Going towards Elton. Ta!
Richard Thew said
Sat Oct 5 5:38 PM, 2019
A chiffchaff was in my Radcliffe garden this afternoon after hearing one sing in the area this morning.
Chiffchaff is a very scarce bird in my Radcliffe garden as some years I don't get any, so this one was a bonus and was "hanging out" with my regular blue tits and coal tits.
Ta!
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Oct 4 8:35 PM, 2019
As I got out of the car at home in Astley, coming in from work at 8pm tonight, I could hear lots of Redwing calls overhead going south.
steven burke said
Wed Oct 2 3:35 PM, 2019
First redwings of the autumn for me this morning, heard only though at 5.30 am over my old trafford garden.
My feeders have been very busy over the last couple of months with upto 70 goldfinch on a daily basis. Other birds.... 40+ house sparrows Upto 15 starlings at one point last week. 2 jackdaws Blue tits Great tits Coal tits And 2 ring-necked parakeets which only tend to come early mornings now. Female sparrowhawk keeps whizzing in but not actually seen it catch anything as yet.
phillipskelly said
Tue Oct 1 2:00 PM, 2019
Late post for Monday 30.09.19. (Wet and windy). On and around my Stretford backyard feeders -
Goldfinch - 58* not seen this many for a while. Starling - c15 over. And earlier nearby a single Greenfinch. Today - Goldfinch - 25 about 11am Greenfinch - 1.
Richard Thew said
Mon Sep 30 1:58 PM, 2019
I've been seeing a couple of times at least 2 jays and a daily sparrowhawk over the last week(s) passing my Radcliffe garden (apologies for missing writing "Radcliffe garden" on a few recent posts as i usually have done in past). Also my feeders are very very busy lately too mostly with goldfinches, then greenfinch, house sparrow and Chaffinch! Ta!
sid ashton said
Sat Sep 28 7:11 PM, 2019
Had a young Grey Wagtail taking insects from the edges of our Hale garden pond at about 18.00 this evening.
phillipskelly said
Fri Sep 27 12:20 PM, 2019
30 Goldfinch on and around my Stretford backyard feeders 10:30am today. When its rough weather they always come. Ps. I've seen them feeding on Sorbus berries on Burleigh rd behind the tree where the feeders used to be sited.
fredford said
Fri Sep 27 8:09 AM, 2019
8a.m., two treecreepers on dead cedar in my Bury garden. Joy !
Steven Nelson said
Thu Sep 26 9:59 PM, 2019
Flock of 12 Meadow Pipits south over my Irlam garden at 7.30am this morning.
Richard Thew said
Sat Sep 14 6:33 PM, 2019
Raven flew over calling this lunchtime, heading towards Elton. (No sign at Elton later so would have passed straight through).
Ta!
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Sep 12 1:19 PM, 2019
60 House Martin feeding over fields behind my Astley garden this morning.
Peter Nolan Woolley said
Tue Sep 10 6:56 PM, 2019
Technically not in our Openshaw garden, but viewed from one of our back bedroom windows onto the building site behind our home.
A pair of aberrant Carrion Crow, with white feathered collars.
Two blue tits and a great tit (that I could see), an hour or so ago.
-- Edited by DAtkins on Monday 9th of September 2019 07:23:06 PM
Andy Bissitt said
Sat Sep 7 10:59 PM, 2019
Tawny owl just now, calling from the bottom of the garden (Romiley), then flew away calling. Have heard it twice during the night in last week or so; sounds like a young bird.
Steven Nelson said
Sat Sep 7 9:11 PM, 2019
Went into my Irlam back garden at about 19.30 this evening and could hear Swifts screeching high above. Couldnt see them though.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 7th of September 2019 09:11:31 PM
Richard Thew said
Fri Sep 6 8:37 PM, 2019
2 male sparrowhawks both seen together in the air very low down. A slight threat was made between them because of and one therefore moved away afterwards. Ta!
phillipskelly said
Fri Sep 6 12:36 PM, 2019
On and around my Stretford backyard feeders at 9:30am today 06.09.19 were at least 46 Goldfinch, mainly juveniles with one begging for food. Generally large numbers are turning up whenever the weather turns wet/windy and when its sunny for several days I'm lucky to get 10 (at any one time) so do the flock's move nearer to water ?
fredford said
Mon Sep 2 9:59 PM, 2019
Male blackbird collecting worms, seeds etcetera and flying off with them. No female.Looks like a fourth clutch. Is this possible?
Also, one of the three carrion crow chicks still with its parents. They are a team of three, eating from below the feeders, plus bits we put out for them. How long do chicks remain with parents? In my Bury garden.
Richard Thew said
Mon Sep 2 9:27 PM, 2019
A few things noteworthy:
A female Tawny owl was calling from a near- by tree last night and was briefly seen flying across. A buzzard passed over both yesterday and the day before
And may as well add the following other bits whilst posting this....
A successful brood of 3 young blackbirds from a nest which all fledged in July. One juvenile is still hanging around in my garden. Feeders are very busy with the usual greenfinch, goldfinch, house sparrows, chaffinch and the ususal tits. Not seen the bullfinches though since July.
Ta!
Nev Wright said
Mon Aug 26 12:08 PM, 2019
Amazingly 2 Spotted Flycatchers just through the garden.
First in 25 years !
sid ashton said
Sat Aug 24 8:07 PM, 2019
About half an hour ago, 19.30 I noticed a lot of aerial feeding activity over Hale cemetery, looking through the trees at the bottom of our garden. The birds appeared to be mostly Black headed Gulls but the sun was setting in that direction so viewing was not the best. I was wondering if this could have been a swarm of flying ants in the air after such a hot day and the birds were feasting on them. but not sure if it's a bit late in the year - anyone any thoughts please?
phillipskelly said
Thu Aug 22 3:43 PM, 2019
On my Stretforfd backyard feeders : Quite a few Goldfinch,mainly young being fed and juvenile's beginning to attain deeper brown colours on the back and chest with one or two showing dark eyes and. black head bands forming. Also nice to see a tatty Blue tit paying a brief visit. Yesterday a Grey Squirrel turned up so I chucked a pan of water at it as it sat watching me.... should've cobbed the pan as well ,cos it'll be back !!!
phillipskelly said
Sun Aug 18 11:39 PM, 2019
44 Goldfinch on and around my Stretford backyard feeders today (mainly juveniles). Earlier in the week a Greenfinch made a couple of appearances with several Swift over.
Common Whitethroat exploring the bushes in my garden this morning.
Cheers
phillipskelly said
Sat Aug 10 10:47 AM, 2019
Again bad weather and again around 30 Goldfinch on my Stretford backyard feeders, mainly young ones.
phillipskelly said
Fri Aug 9 6:13 PM, 2019
29 Goldfinch and 1 Greenfinch on my feeders and the BT wires above, seen by my neighbour Sue while I was out earlier today.
phillipskelly said
Sat Aug 3 10:13 AM, 2019
Late post for Friday 02.08.19
Common Buzzard flying low and being mobbed by gulls over my backyard feeders in Stretford, drifting South towards Stretford meadows/tip. around 2pm ish.
steven burke said
Wed Jul 31 10:35 AM, 2019
Just 15 minutes ago around 10.15 am I went into my old trafford garden to top up the feeders & an OSPREY flew low over, I quickly ran back into the house to get my camera from upstairs & got a couple of distant flying away shots, it was heading in a southerly direction.
First time,ever, heard the soft peew,peew call of male bullfinch in my Bury garden. Glorious! Never heard his song.
pete berry said
Fri Jul 26 3:05 PM, 2019
A Tawny Owl calling from Ash tree at bottom of garden from 10pm till 10.30 at least,that's the 2nd time this week, not sure if it's a young bird calling for food??
Steven Nelson said
Wed Jul 24 11:34 PM, 2019
A Common Sandpiper heard noisily flying around above my Irlam garden at 22.15 this evening then headed south.
Also an Oystercatcher heard at 00.10 last night before the thunderstorms.
phillipskelly said
Tue Jul 23 3:40 PM, 2019
50 - 100 Black-headed Gull catching ants high over my backyard feeders , Gorse Hill, Stretford at 3:30pm today.
John Watson said
Mon Jul 22 3:51 PM, 2019
Flying ants were picked up by the weather radar a week ago:
Chiffchaff singing nearby yesterday, and actually in the garden this morning. Sorry chaps, it's Autumn already!
steven burke said
Mon Jul 15 9:47 PM, 2019
pete berry wrote:
Sounds like a big hatching of flying ants,that's usually the attraction for big number of gulls etc
They certainly were flying ants pete & plenty of them
pete berry said
Mon Jul 15 9:20 PM, 2019
Sounds like a big hatching of flying ants,that's usually the attraction for big number of gulls etc
steven burke said
Mon Jul 15 8:31 PM, 2019
Just after 6pm this evening there was a sudden gust of wind whilst I was doing some gardening in my old trafford garden, as I looked up there was a lot of debris flying around including several plastic bags, feral pigeons & woodpigeons seemed to be struggling in flight as they passed over As the wind settled there was suddenly a mass of gulls in the air , they were obviously feeding on the flying insects that I have seen around the garden this afternoon /evening. Hard to count but at a guess I would say well over 400 gulls, mostly black headed, numerous lesser black backed & herring gulls. I also managed to pick up definitely 2 possibly 3 Mediterranean gulls. A couple of distant cropped crappy shots attached but you can see what it is. Around 7.05pm 1 Mediterranean gull went low over my garden but wasn't quite quick enough to get a good shot but one did get it as it flew past a tree As well as all the gulls there must of been a couple of hundred swifts joining them & at least 3 house Martins. To add to this around 8pm there has been a couple of flocks of starlings going over in a south westerly direction a couple of hundred in each flock at least.
A large mixed all juvenile tit flock has just visited my Radcliffe garden. Included several blue tits, coal tits, great tits and the biggest numbered species (about 18?) were the cutest juvenile long tailed tits you've ever seen!! Ta!
fredford said
Fri Jul 12 12:00 PM, 2019
Treecreeper on trees in my Bury garden. First seen last year.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 12th of July 2019 12:59:24 PM
Mike c cooper said
Thu Jul 11 12:02 PM, 2019
Heard a bullfinch in my Hopwood heywood garden yesterday evening. Had a family this time last year so must be breeding in a garden locally.
fredford said
Thu Jul 11 10:37 AM, 2019
Hooray! House sparrers on my Bury lawn, feeding on bread. Last time I saw this happen was in Salford, forty three years ago.
Sparrowhawk shot over my shoulder to miss something in the hedge before flying on to a neighbour's tree. Was a nice surprise.
It must be almost 10 years since I've had a Jay last seen in my Radcliffe garden, and since Autumn began, I've seen them regularly in the area and now twice seen in my garden. (The 1st was last week)
Ta!
On my Stretford backyard feeders at 2:30pm :-
Goldfinch - 25.
Chaffinch - 1* the first I've seen in the backyard.
Later -
Cormorant - 2 over probably from Salford Quays.
My Stretford backyard feeders -
Goldfinch 40 + .
Pied wagtail heard several times this week and seen by Sue my neighbour whilst putting her bins out in the alleyway.
Also a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over on Tuesday afternoon.
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Sunday 13th of October 2019 10:32:48 AM
Flyovers next to Humphrey Park around 11:30am included a line of five cormorants and two swallows.
Chiffchaff is a very scarce bird in my Radcliffe garden as some years I don't get any, so this one was a bonus and was "hanging out" with my regular blue tits and coal tits.
Ta!
As I got out of the car at home in Astley, coming in from work at 8pm tonight, I could hear lots of Redwing calls overhead going south.
My feeders have been very busy over the last couple of months with upto 70 goldfinch on a daily basis.
Other birds....
40+ house sparrows
Upto 15 starlings at one point last week.
2 jackdaws
Blue tits
Great tits
Coal tits
And 2 ring-necked parakeets which only tend to come early mornings now.
Female sparrowhawk keeps whizzing in but not actually seen it catch anything as yet.
(Wet and windy).
On and around my Stretford backyard feeders -
Goldfinch - 58* not seen this many for a while.
Starling - c15 over.
And earlier nearby a single Greenfinch.
Today -
Goldfinch - 25 about 11am
Greenfinch - 1.
Had a young Grey Wagtail taking insects from the edges of our Hale garden pond at about 18.00 this evening.
Ps. I've seen them feeding on Sorbus berries on Burleigh rd behind the tree where the feeders used to be sited.
Ta!
60 House Martin feeding over fields behind my Astley garden this morning.
Technically not in our Openshaw garden, but viewed from one of our back bedroom windows onto the building site behind our home.
A pair of aberrant Carrion Crow, with white feathered collars.
Two blue tits and a great tit (that I could see), an hour or so ago.
-- Edited by DAtkins on Monday 9th of September 2019 07:23:06 PM
Tawny owl just now, calling from the bottom of the garden (Romiley), then flew away calling. Have heard it twice during the night in last week or so; sounds like a young bird.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 7th of September 2019 09:11:31 PM
Generally large numbers are turning up whenever the weather turns wet/windy and when its sunny for several days I'm lucky to get 10 (at any one time) so do the flock's move nearer to water ?
Male blackbird collecting worms, seeds etcetera and flying off with them. No female.Looks like a fourth clutch. Is this possible?
Also, one of the three carrion crow chicks still with its parents. They are a team of three, eating from below the feeders, plus bits we put out for them. How long do chicks remain with parents? In my Bury garden.
A female Tawny owl was calling from a near- by tree last night and was briefly seen flying across.
A buzzard passed over both yesterday and the day before
And may as well add the following other bits whilst posting this....
A successful brood of 3 young blackbirds from a nest which all fledged in July. One juvenile is still hanging around in my garden.
Feeders are very busy with the usual greenfinch, goldfinch, house sparrows, chaffinch and the ususal tits.
Not seen the bullfinches though since July.
Ta!
Amazingly 2 Spotted Flycatchers just through the garden.
First in 25 years !
About half an hour ago, 19.30 I noticed a lot of aerial feeding activity over Hale cemetery, looking through the trees at the bottom of our garden. The birds appeared to be mostly Black headed Gulls but the sun was setting in that direction so viewing was not the best. I was wondering if this could have been a swarm of flying ants in the air after such a hot day and the birds were feasting on them. but not sure if it's a bit late in the year - anyone any thoughts please?
Quite a few Goldfinch,mainly young being fed and juvenile's beginning to attain deeper brown colours on the back and chest with one or two showing dark eyes and. black head bands forming.
Also nice to see a tatty Blue tit paying a brief visit.
Yesterday a Grey Squirrel turned up so I chucked a pan of water at it as it sat watching me.... should've cobbed the pan as well ,cos it'll be back !!!
Earlier in the week a Greenfinch made a couple of appearances with several Swift over.
Had a beautiful Male Sparrowhawk visit my garden feeders in Walshaw, Bury this evening. It even stayed long enough to pose nicely for some photos.
Common Whitethroat exploring the bushes in my garden this morning.
Cheers
Common Buzzard flying low and being mobbed by gulls over my backyard feeders in Stretford, drifting South towards Stretford meadows/tip. around 2pm ish.
Also an Oystercatcher heard at 00.10 last night before the thunderstorms.
https://news.sky.com/story/flying-ant-swarm-in-southern-england-picked-up-by-weather-radar-11765247
Chiffchaff singing nearby yesterday, and actually in the garden this morning. Sorry chaps, it's Autumn already!
They certainly were flying ants pete & plenty of them
As the wind settled there was suddenly a mass of gulls in the air , they were obviously feeding on the flying insects that I have seen around the garden this afternoon /evening. Hard to count but at a guess I would say well over 400 gulls, mostly black headed, numerous lesser black backed & herring gulls. I also managed to pick up definitely 2 possibly 3 Mediterranean gulls. A couple of distant cropped crappy shots attached but you can see what it is. Around 7.05pm 1 Mediterranean gull went low over my garden but wasn't quite quick enough to get a good shot but one did get it as it flew past a tree
As well as all the gulls there must of been a couple of hundred swifts joining them & at least 3 house Martins. To add to this around 8pm there has been a couple of flocks of starlings going over in a south westerly direction a couple of hundred in each flock at least.
Treecreeper on trees in my Bury garden. First seen last year.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 12th of July 2019 12:59:24 PM