The basell site is the shell compound no public access at all sorry

Phil,

where is the Basell site?

cheers
V


-- Edited by Vaughan Evans at 08:23, 2008-04-18

this evening 5-7pm, cold and windy. from Brookheys end of the Moss to Fields 1 &2, via Dark Lane.

best of the action was on newly disturbed soil at N end of Field 1:
CORN BUNTING 2
Yellowhammer - at least 30
Stock Dove - 24
Lapwing - 6
Wheatear - 1
Skylark - 1
Jackdaw - c50
Rook - c40
Carrion Crow - c20
Jay - 2
Song Thrush - 4
Mistle Thrush - 2
Mallard - 2
Chaffinch - c20

Field 2:
Yellowhammer - 6
Reed Bunting - 2
Stock Dove - 4
Skylark - 2
Jackdaw - c50
Rook - c20
Carrion Crow - c20
Woodpigeon - c40

Field 25
Oystercatcher - 2 on small flood
Lapwing - 4
Skylark - 1
Buzzard - 1
c30 Linnet over
Swallow - 4

Dark Lane
Blackcap 2 singing
Chiffhcaff 2 singing
Goldcrest 1

Brookheys Covert
G S Woodpecker 1
Nuthatch 1
2 Yellowhammer close by.

Thought i heard a Yellow Wagtail flying over field 2 but couldn't get bins on it in time, so can't be 100% sure.






-- Edited by declan savage at 20:28, 2008-04-17

Also Sunday afternoon walk from Isherwood Road to fields 8/9 and return via orchard.

Chiffchaff 2 singing.
Fieldfare 3
Missel Thrush 2
Chaffinch 4 singing
Skylark 3 singing
Lapwing 8
Willow Warbler 2 singing
Wheatear 5m 3f fields 8/4/5
Linnet 1
Yellowhammer 3 singing plus 14
Pied Wagtail 1
Stock Dove 8
Rook 50+
Jackdaw 150+
BH Gulls
Mallard 1m 1f on field 4
Canada Geese 2 on field 4
Oystercatcher 2 over
Ringed Plover 2 on Basell site
Buzzard 1 over field 12/13
Sand Martin 2 over field 2 heading North
Redwing 3
Willow Tit 2
Reed Bunting 2 Orchard
Grey Partridge 2 field 4
Starling 1
Crow/robin/blackbird/blue tit/gt. tit/greenfinch/Magpie/Wren/Dunnock/LT Tit.

Very good lunchtime walk around the moss today began with a disappointing showing at the ETW - just the one pied wagtail.
8 Gadwall on the pond to the SE of Danewell Wood and 2 in the flooded field/paddock just to the NE of the ETW. ((Just what has that soil company done to the scrubby area to the north of the ETW - are they going to repair this???? - this was a good Sedge Warbler area.....))
1 Wheatear on Field 17 which flew off east
1 Yellowhammer on the track between Field 17 and MUFC
Upto 10 Mistle Thrush on Fields 5 and 4
Skylark singing over Field 4
5 Wheatear on Field 5
GSW between Fields 2 and 4
10 Linnet on Field 15
1 Oystercatcher roving from Fields 14/15 to Fields 12/13
Fantastic bright Male Yellow Wagtail on Field 14/15 - viewed from the grey railings by Birchmoss Covert - flew towards the ETW at 13.20
10 Yellowhammer in Field 33
2 Willow Warblers at the north end of MUFC
Swallow at Woodcote Stables and 2 over Field 5
Sparrowhawk in Birchmoss Covert
Kestrel in Field 33
Little Owl in the right hand Oak Tree in Field 32 (the first time I have managed to see it - was beginning to think it was a hoax)
Still haven't found a partridge this year

Also had a Redpoll and a Willow Warbler in the garden this morning


-- Edited by Vaughan Evans at 08:45, 2008-04-14

-- Edited by Vaughan Evans at 08:47, 2008-04-14

A good afternoon on the moss with highlights...

2 wheatear, fields 11 & 4
6 buzzards circling over field 4 at about 1600hrs
gorgeous yellowhammers
3 pied and one white wagtail bathing in puddles near pylons in field 12

a ruddy duck (wearing a tin hat!) and good grebes

and all the usual stuff

Hope so too, Henry. Certainly no sign or sound this morning, but i only covered one small area of the Moss.

You notched up a pretty good species list there Declan. It's not just me that can't find any Corn Buntings then. Hope they've not become extinct in the area.
Thanks. Henry.

40 minute walk in mixture of squalid showers and sunshine this morning, from Brookheys Covert to field 1 (edge of Shell complex) via Dark Lane.

Mallard - 6 over
Grey Heron - 1 over
Cormorant - 2 over heading S
Buzzard - 2, Brookheys Covert; 1 in Field 10
Kestrel -1 Field 10
Pheasant - 4 in total
Moorhen - 2, Sinderland Brook
Lapwing - 2, Field 67; 2, Field 1
BH Gull - 2 over
Feral Pigeon - c30
Woodpigeon - c90 fields 27/28
Stock Dove - 2, field 25
Great Sp Woodpecker - 1, Brookheys Covert; pair (noisy) Sinderland Brook/ edge of F25
Skylark - 8 singing in total (fields 25, 10, 11 and 1)
Swallow - 4, Brookheys farm
Sand Martin -2, Field 1
Meadow Pipit - 4, Field 1
Pied Wagtail - 2, Field 1
Wren - 6
Dunnock - 3
Robin - 6
Wheatear - 5, Field 1
Song Thrush - 2
Mistle Thrush - 2
Blackbird - 5
Blackcap - 1 singing, Dark Lane
Willow Warbler - 1, Dark Lane
Chiffchaff -6 singing in total - Dark Lane/ Brookheys
Blue Tit - 12
Great Tit - 4
Willow Tit - 1, N edge of Field 1
Long-tailed Tit - 4
Jay - 1, Dark Lane
Magpie - 25+
Jackdaw - 50+
Rook - 50+
Carrion Crow - 30+
Starling - c20
Chaffinch - c20
Goldfinch - 14
Linnet - 2, on bridge, N of Field 25
Bullfinch - 3 males, Dark Lane
Reed Bunting - 1 male, Field 63
Yellowhammer - 16 in total; 4 singing; 8 together in field 11

Went for an sunny afternoon walk from Isherwood road taking in fields 4, 2, 1, 10 and 11. Almost exactly the same as Friday but with my first 2 Willow Warblers of the year in the trees between shell complex and field 4. 8 Stock Doves, c20 Yellowhammers and 2 Reed Buntings still around but seem to be dispersing now to breed. No Corn Buntings were found. 2 Wheatears were running and then scanning like meerkats in field 1. 2 Willow Tits in birches just sout of the old orchard.
A lovely walk and hardly another soul out on the moss.
Thanks. Henry.

Cheers for the info on mileage - I need a rest! Any thoughts on the glowing Kingfisher?

Pretty hardcore there Sid, twice in a day!
I totted it up and we wandered about 10.5km+ this morning which ain't bad (Dunham+Carrington).

Hi Henry

Just got back from Dunham again! - see Dunham thread - oiled the zimmer frame, had a glass of red and contemplated a really good birding day and thanks for the company which would not have been possible without this site - so thanks all round for those responsible for the organisation- Ian Mc that must be you thanks. Henry you worked out yet how far we walked or are you still tired?

Hy Steve, yeah that was me. After that near-death experience we did the sensible thing and crossed the road where the verge was minimally wider!
I met up with Sid Ashton (the Dunham patcher!), and it was a very enjoyable morning on the mosses.

Henry,

Think I saw you, did you have a older guy with you?

You were peering round the corner of the hedge looking into the on coming traffic ( direction prtington - Altrincham) about 12.13ish..If you had peered out any further may have ended up on the bonnet.... Hahaha...

Looks like you had a good morning for it, weather pretty settled at the mo.....

Steve

Friday - 09.30-13.00

A good search of the moss this morning produced some good local birds and some migrants back in.
Partridges seemed fairly common although never plentiful. Both Grey and Red-legged were seen in the southern part of the moss. No Corn Buntings found and the Tree Sparrows weren't around Whitehouse Farm today. Skylarks were almost permenantly heard.

1 Little Owl
2 Grey Partridge - 1 in field 56, and 1 in field 57.
5 Red-legged Partridge - 2 in field 23, 2 in field 116, and 1 in field 56.
5 Buzzards
2 Kestrels - around field 11.
6 Stock Doves - 4 in field 15, and 2 in field 21.
1 Willow Tit - in old orchard.
1 Wheatear - in field 57.
8 Swallows - over field 123.
3 Chiffchaffs - most around the old orchard.
2 Blackcaps - singing males around the old orchard.
21 Yellowhammer - 3 in field 59, 12 in field 1, 4 in field 2, and 2 in field 23.
2 Reed Bunting - in field 4.
4 Lapwings - in fields 52+53.

Thanks. Henry.


-- Edited by Henry Cook at 16:27, 2008-04-04

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 19:07, 2008-04-04

Sunday 11.00-13.30

Dark Lane to Shell and back
100+ Yellowhammer - Field 2
50+ Yellowhammer - Field 1 along with a few Reed Buntings
58 Stock Dove - Field 1
Skylarks singing - Fields 2,4,10,11
20+ Meadow Pipit - Field 4
Bullfinch - Field 3
Long Tailed Tits everywhere
At least 5 Kestrels and 4 Buzzards
1 Sparrowhawk soaring above field 25

NO - Corn Buntings, Willow Tit, Partridges or early Wheatear.

2 Grey Patridge seen edge of field 67 from Dark Lane on 17th February this year were the first I'd seen in last 2 years of visiting at least monthly

Short walk yesterday late afternoon along Townsend Farm Lane. Several resplendant Yellowhammers near to the farm, 8 or 9 Fieldfare, a buzzard, a kestrel and a sparrowhawk. Has anyone seen any partridge this year on the moss?

Saturday 15.00-16.00

100+ Pied wags at the ETW
200 Chaffinches - Field 17 stubble (no Bramblings seen)
5 Yellowhammers - Field 17
1 Corn Bunting - Field 17
3 Goldfinch - Field 17
7 M pipit - ETW
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
2 Snipe - ETW
5 Teal - Pool just north of ETW - (getting very overgrown)
The "millenium" loop which fringes Danewell Wood was flooded

PS

Huperade Ltd is a soil supply company based in Altrincham. Have they been given a contract to 'mine' the moss?

Very windy on the Moss

Fields S of Manchester Rd (just off numbering system):

BH Gulls on flooded fields 700
LBB Gull
Common gull 3
Lapwing
Kestrel over

field 5:
Feral Pigeon 146
Woodies 12
Crows 23
Skylarks 2 singing

field 1 - now ploughed:
Mixed flock of corvids
Crows 500
rooks 150
Jackdaws 200

field 11:
another singing Skylark

field 26:
Chaffinch 300
Brambling 8 seen

field 20:
Fieldfare 2

Birch Rd farm:

usual Sparrows
GS Woodpecker
Teal on Sinderland Brook

Altrincham ETW:

Pied Wags 50 visible - probably many more
Meadow Pipit 5

Shame about the donkey field favoured by the Yellow Wags. What is going on? Do these huge concrete drums imply a shift to enclosed processing of waste? In which case bye bye birds. To the north of ETW there are further signs of mechanical disruption by a company called Huperade Ltd. The small pond there had

Gadwall 25 - excellent count
Coot 2
BH Gulls 12
no Ruddy Ducks which used to favour this spot

Had a very quick walk around the sewage farm area on Saturday afternoon - there is a lot of work going on, looks like they are putting up a couple of missile launching sites. The "donkey "paddocks were teeming with pied wagtails, must have been at least two hundred along with a three grey wagtails and a couple of meadow pipits. There are several piles of earth which the wagtails seem to find very much to their liking - hopefully this will remain the same for when migration starts and the yellow wagtails and wheatears find them similarly attractive.

Field 17 near MUFC trainig ground lunch time:-

Chaffinch 300+
Yellowhammer 20+
Reed Bunting 10+
Skylark 7
Stock Dove 2
Redwing 12

Large flock of Yellowhammer,in excess of 100 in field 1 with 1+ Corn Bunting.

Also,

Buzzard
Kestrel
10+ Stock Dove
Mixed flock of Corvids (300+birds)
Lapwing near the flare stack
Reed Bunting

-- Edited by Mark Rigby at 22:36, 2008-02-19

Carrington Moss 11-4.00pm from Isherwood road towards flare stack and around in lovely sunshine
Went looking for corn bunting again today, and was finally rewarded after another 4 hours walk around!
I had decided to call it a day (about 3.00pm) and decided to go back to the car on Isherwood Road. I thought I would sit on the wall by the barrier and watch the redwing and fieldfare in the riding school horse paddock. A few yellowhammer were in the hedge with field 5 and then 6 or 7 corn buntings appeared on the top. They soon took flight over field 4 and there were 16 in total. On scanning the hedge again there were a few more remaining over the next half hour or so and I was joined by 3 other birders.I would say there were 25+ corn buntings and all within 25 yards of the car!.

Other highlights
Willow tit-Path between nature reserve and field 4
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
2 Goldcrest
snipe
75+ yellowhammers-Mainly field 2
100+ chaffinch flock- field 16
30+ fieldfare- field 13
Large mixed flock of redwing and fieldfare in the horse paddock
And all the usual
Many thanks for everyone's help with directions and looking forward to spring migrants!
Cheers
Steve

Seeking some solace in a bit of birding today during a bit of a break after a tough and intense week - my Mum died last Sunday and I'm off down south again for the funeral next week.

Tony Darby and I were rewarded with:

Willow Tit w/ LT Tit 6 ride between field 11 and 12
Chaffinch 400 field 25 w/
Brambling 8 (3m 5f) sat up nicely in the trees between field 25 and 27

Starling 20
Jackdaw 200
Crow 100
Stock Dove 5

(all fields 10 and 11)
no flocks of Woodpeigeon

the Stonechat pair were in field 4
Yellowhammer only 3 seen - probably hunkered down out of the wind

Carrington Riding School:
Redwings 100+
Fieldfare 50+
Starlings 100+

v.rough counts as all disturbed by a Sparrowhawk through

Spent a few hours on saturday (10.00-2.00) on a very nice walk around. Saw a good mix of species but still no corn buntings for me!
yellowhammers -spread around but biggest numbers around field 2
Reed bunting
skylark- already starting to sing
goldfinch
chaffinch- just 1 and no brambling (must have been in the wrong place!)
Bullfinch
Mixed tit flock- including a willow tit and noticably a good few long-tailed tits around the orchard
kestrel
Buzzard- favouring field 1
Corvids
Peregrine - flying through the corvids towards the nature reserve without stopping for lunch
Stonechat Male along northern edge of 11
Fieldfare 15+ between 25/27
Redwing mixed with starling field 15
Teal flying.
Cheers
Steve

-- Edited by Steve Collins at 22:19, 2008-01-27

Short afternoon walk from Isherwood Road to between fields 1 and 10.
Friday, 25th January.

Stonechat 1 pair along ride between 4 and 13. Plus a male along northern edge of 10.
Chaffinch 30+
Yellowhammer 10+
Brambling 1
Goldfinch 10+
Reed Bunting 1
Fieldfare 10+
Linnet 30+
Corn Bunting 10+
Corvids 200+
Starling 70+
Cormorant 2 over south.
Kestrel 3, all male.
Buzzard 1 on pylon near fields 12/14.
Peregrine 1 towards field 20.
plus robins, wrens etc.

"Young" Rob was at the Partington end of the Moss later in the afternoon, not much to shout about, other than a rather smart Stonechat, lots of small groups of Yelowhammer (mostly in groups of 6 - 20), about 100 in all, a couple of Buzzards but no Corn Bunting again.

Perhaps we should have a co-ordinated effort at covering the main part of the Moss meeting up in the middle to compare notes!

This was from the week before Ann - but we should get together along with young Rob soon ....

When were you there? We were watching 10.30 - 12.00.

A couple of crappy pictures from the finch flock in fields 2/3

The Moss was almost deserted this morning in the rain when we covered the small area between the football ground and Ash Farm. There were plenty of robins singing but little else until we passed Swiss Cottage and came upon a flock of some 200 birds flying between the hedges and stubble of fields 16/17. There were at least 6 corn buntings, 2 bramblings, 6+ yellowhammer and a few reed buntings, the rest being chaffinch. From the comparatively small number of yellowhammer present, I would guess this is a different flock from the one we found towards Shell last weekend. Aldso present in the same field was a jay and a mistle thrush.

Saturday - 12.00-14.30

Took a walk from the Crem' to Shell Pools and back.

Stock Dove 1 - Field 62
Skylark 7 - Field 10/11
Redwing 4 - Over Field 10
Kestrel 1 - Field 10
Bullfinch 2 - Field 10 and 1 Field 3 Orchard
Goldcrest 1 - Field 3
GSW 1 - Field 3
(2 Willow Tit reported in Field 3 but I didnt see them)
Buzzard 2 - Flare Stack pipes and Field 10
Corn Bunting/Yellowhammer/Reed Bunting - Large mixed flock - Field 2 into Field 3
Stonechat - Field 11 / Field 2 border

A short walk along the (muddy) transpennine trail from Broadheath to School Lane provided plenty of interest. Between 80 and 100 fieldfares with about 20 redwings were feeding in the winter wheat and stubble. A dozen linnets were feeding in set aside. The best sighting was a large flock of about 50 chaffinches, which contained 10 brambling, feeding in the stubble and flying up to the oak trees in field 52. Only 2 yellowhammer were with them, there are usually plenty in the hedges but I suspect most have joined the large flock recently seen towards the Shell complex. A single kestrel was the only raptor.

Made a quick first visit today at 2.30 more to find where it is and very impressed. Followed your advised route Nick to the Flare stack and then back.
More than 100 yellowhammer in field 2 with a few reed bunting. They were continually on the move into the field and the trees and bushes on either side but settled more often as you said in the end of the orchard hedge line. Unfortunately didn't find any corn buntings today but will keep looking.
Along the way had bullllfinch, great spotted woodpecker, mixed tit flock with at least 2 lesser redpoll. Surprised to find a treecreeper on the edge of the orchard.
Looking forward to spendind a long early session there.
Once again thanks for everyones help
Cheers
Steve

Super morning today with around 200 Yellowhammer in Field 2, with at least 1 Reed but no Corn, 6+ Brambling with around 300 Chaffinch in Field 24 then later moving to 26, 3 Bullfinch Birchmoss Covert, then later c15 Siskin and 3+ Redpoll there, the odd Skylark but no Corn Bunting, Lapwing or Meadow Pipit all day.

Finished off with what looked like a distant male Sparrowhawk in the field to the east of Birchmoss Covert near the old railway line which, on closer inspection turned out to be an exquisite male Merlin!

23/12/07 1000hrs
Field 2 = 60+ Skylark, 75+ Mixed Bunting (inc. at least 1 Corn), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 35 Woodpigeon.
Field 2,4,11,12 Jct = 150+ Mixed Bunting (inc. at least 6 Corn) and Finch flock, 6 Snipe, 20+ Skylark.
Field 12 = 120+ Corvid.
Field 13 = Buzzard.

All very flighty as a party of 6 scramblers about !

I've heard from a local birder not yet on this forum that there has been c40-50 Corn Buntings knocking about this winter sometimes with the large finch flock but the Corns can rove qutie a lot. They have been seen nearish the Man Utd training groud just to the east so in the traditional areas.
Thanks. Henerz.

No shopping at Carrington - I think you'll find it's used by the local community - but that doesn't make good tabloid headlines does it?! ;)

It's your best opportunity in 32 years - but you'll have to play betterthanyou did at the Council House to change the record.

Anyway - enough footy banter - good the see The Moss getting good coverage. Still no sign of any decent sized flocks of Corn Bunting yet I see...

Tim, excellent post, especially the last bit.

Good winter action with my mate Tony Darby on the moss today:

Shell pool frozen over 90%+
Gadwall 2
BH Gulls 50+ standing on ice
Tufties 6
Mallards 10+

elsewhere:
Lesser Redpoll 3
Greenfich 2
Linnet 1
Yellowhammer 50+ various locations
Redwings 4
LT tits 12 in 2 parties of 6
Chaffinch 10
Field 10 main action:
Jackdaws 800
Skylarks 150
Crows 100
Starlings 400 + 200 field 13
Fieldfare 51 21 Brookheys Farm 30 field 13
Kestrel 2
Reed Bunting 10
Crows 100 around in other fields
Woodies 100
Buzzard
Stonechat 1f 1m
House Sparrows 32
Collared Dove 3
Grey Wag on grass mowing waste heap opposite Man Utd training grd.
various other common species
Despite cold weather dirt bike riders, horse riders, walkers, bottle diggers and a stream of traffic to and from the Man U training ground. They seemed to be shopping in the middle of the Liverpool v Man U match!

City supporters: 2,000+ birds
Utd supporters: some bags of overpriced tat

I'll stick up for you Ian!!!!!!

You just wait until we play you at your place Rob

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!

Phil

With a motto of "Pride in Battle" you should really know that it's no good winning the battle if you lose the war!!

Actual result:
Last time met: Man City 1 Stretford utd 0
Sorry about this childish post but at least I've got birds on my avitar!!
If not on the training ground.

Birdguides report for 11th Dec. Carrington Moss.

'4 Brambling in stubble fields between the Man Utd training ground and Altrincham Sewage Works plus 600 Pink feet over.

Man U Carrington training ground 604
Man City Carrington training ground 0

( Apologies Mr. Hatton, all this listing is getting to me )

13/12/07 afternoon walk.

corvids 1000+
stonechats 1m 1f
woodpigeons 30+
kestrels 2
fieldfares 20+
starlings 80+
corn buntings 3
chaffinches 6+
greenfinches 5+
reed buntings 3
yellowhammers 50+
skylarks 8+
M. pipit 1
pied wagtail 1
gt.spot.woodpecker 1
missel thrushes 4
song thrush 1
stock doves 6+
willow tit 1
lt. tits 12+ ( 2 parties )
1 common gull, 1 herring gull, 10+ bh gulls over.
plus usual tits, robins etc.

Thanks everybody, that's a fantastic help and a great response
Cheers
Steve

Field 5 behind Swiss Cottage Farm also attracts flocks of Corn Bunting, as does 26/72/73 in some winters depending on field usage.