Steve,

As Phil G has mentioned if you park by the end of the fence (rhs) at the end of Isherwood Rd (just prior to the Man U barrier) you can take the public footpath to the right which runs between a small ditch and the Shell reserve fence (I was down there last week and its clear - although muddy !). Always keeping the fence on your rhs you will eventually walk past the end of the reserve area and then directly behind the plant. If you ignore a path that goes left and carry on about 50yds (the path narrows and the vegetation closes in) you will come to the end of a hedge line. If you walk through the vegetation to the left to the field edge you can view down the hedge line (this is the northern boundary of field 2 on the Carrington Moss map - ref County Birding Sites & Map on the main website). For the last 2 winters Corn Bunt (upto 12 last winter from memory) have congregated in this hedge line with a large mixed flock of other Bunts and Finches. They travel between this hedge line and the hedge line at the rear of the old orchard (which is directly on your left when stood in the position above), again refer map.
Other potential areas (no flock was in the above location last Thursday when I visited) are around the intersection of fields 1,2,10&11 (should also be Stonechat here on the telephone wires) and possibley in the short hedge line between fields 4&12.

Phil P,

If you also refer map above there are plenty of routes from that starting point; you can take the path with fields 68, 67, 25 on your LHS and then drop over the old railway bridge to fields 10 & 11 and then to intersection as mentioned above. You can then either go left or right and work your way back around.

You can walk for a long time on Carrington Moss if you want to !!!!

Keep away from the track to the west of field 8. The one and only time I went down there (on a bike) I was chased by the Farmers Rottweiler - a turn of speed Chris Boardman would have been proud of !!!!

good luck

Thanks for the Info Phil. I'll report on any sightings.
Cheers
Steve

I also fancy covering this area.

Could anybody please give me a route from the entrance opposite Dunham Crem.

I parked here on my only visit and passed what I recall is Brookheys Covert but it was my only visit so need to refresh my memory.

Thanks

Phil

Hi,
Just park at the end of Isherwood Road, before the Man U barrier. Don't park in front of the green gates leading to the Shell Reserve. Despite the barrier, you can walk along any of the paths. The barrier is just to stop none-farm and none-Man U traffic.
The path just along the south boundary of the Shell Reserve is rather overgrown and was fairly impassable last time I tried, so I don't normally bother.

Phil Greenwood.

I fancy a walk around Carrington Moss in the near future looking for corn bunting, which have long since left the Rochdale area along with yellowhammers, but never been before.
Previous reports seem to suggest the area around the north part of the field map from Isherwood road. Is there a favoured parking spot or anywhere on the road and are there any particular do's and don'ts to follow!
Cheers
Steve

22/11/07 1000hrs

2 Willow Tit & 2 Bullfinch on MUFC Concrete Rd
7 Skylark, 2 Jay & 1 Buzzard - fields 12&13
2 Kestrel - field 11
150+ Wood Pigeon - field 2
150+ Starling - field 1 & 2
GS Woodpecker & 2 Jay - field 2
Mixed Chaff, Green, Gold & Bullfinch flock - old orchard
No Buntings or Thrushes located

There is a very pale Buzzard frequenting the area around the Rope & Anchor - could be a potential pitfall for the unwary.

Also 16/11 afternoon walk, starting at Isherwood Road, south to field 13, right between 12/13 and 4 until end of 11. Left between 10 and 11 to old railway line. East along RW line to end of 22. Left between 22 and 23, past Birchmoss Covert, back to Isherwood Road. Most of area is SJ79H.

Kestrel 1m 1f
Song Thrush 5
Crows 20+
Rook 50+
Jackdaw 80+
BH Gull 130+
M Pipit 1
YellowH 50+
Reed Bunting 2
Chaffinch 30+
Woodpigeon 200+
Stock Dove 1
Starling 70+
Fieldfare 7
Greenfinch 2
Goldfinch 3
Bullfinch 4
Jay 1
Willow tit 1
Cormorant 4 over
Mallard 1 over
LBB Gull 1 over
Goldcrest 1
Buzzard 1
Coal Tit 2
Gt Spot Woodpecker 1
etc

16/11/2007
Field 4 (Northern Perimeter) -
2 Willow Tit
2 Long-tailed Tit
1 Coal Tit
2 Yellowhammer
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Reed Bunting

Field 32 -
1 Buzzard
2 Pied Wagtail
200+ Woodpigeon
100+ Rook
c50 Jackdaw
(No sign of the Brookheys Covert Little Owl however)

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 19:21, 2007-11-16

-- Edited by henerz1 at 20:06, 2007-11-16

10/11/07 - Carrington Moss
Field 4 - 34 Canada Geese
Field 2 - very mobile mixed flock of 60+ buntings and finches, mainly Yellowhammer but included at least 2 Corn Bunt. 8 Redwing overhead
Field 1 & 2 boundary - 1 Kestrel, 1 Buzzard, 1 Stonechat
Field 1 & 10 boundary - 54 Fieldfare, 2 Corn Bunt
Field 10 - 1 Buzzard, 30 Wood Pigeon
Field 4 & 2 boundary - Mixed flock Bunts and finches 25+ including at least 2 Corn Bunt
Field 13 - 2 Kestrel

Doing a transect of field 11 flushed 15 individually positioned Skylarks

Scattering of corvids but the large winter flock of these or anything else do not appear to have massed as yet.

Sunday afternoon - a brief walk along the disused railway/cycle path from near the Bay Malton produced highlights of:

Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Tawny Owl (heard only)
Woodcock
Redpoll - 3+
Yellowhammer - 100+ inc 60 - 80 in one field alone
Stonechat
Grey Partridge

"Highlights" of afternoon walk, north of "railway".

Buzzards 4
Kestrels 2
Sparrowhawk 1
Woodpigeons 300+
House Martins 30+
Swallows 30+
Greenfinches 30+
Goldfinches 100+ on thistles in field 1.
Rooks 80+
Stock Doves 3
Grey Wagtail 1
Pied Wagtail 1
Common Gull 1 imm
Yellowhammers 3
Chaffinches 3
Jay 1
Willow Tit 1

Phil Greenwood.

Aug 15. Afternoon walk north of the "railway line".

Greenfinches 30+
Swallows 30+
Goldfinches 40+
Yellowhammers 2 singing + 3 others
Linnets 3
Whitethroat 1
Cormorants 2 overhead
Hs Martin 1
Swift 1
Sand Martin 1 with swallows
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1 female
Stock Doves 2
Jay 1
etc

Phil Greenwood.

Tuesday, 24th July, short walk just covering fields 1/2/4/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15, starting end of Isherwood Road.

Woodpigeons c200+.
Blackcap 1 singing end of Isherwood Road near Man U barrier.
Swallows 60+ around field 4 mainly.
Yellowhammers 4 singing plus another 3.
Linnets 2
Missel Thrush 9 field 13.
Yellow Wagtail 2 potato field 13/15.
Skylark 1 field 13.
Corn Bunting 1 between fields 1 and 2.
Buzzard 1.
Swifts 5+.
Kestrel 1.
Goldfinch 1.
Chaffinch 1.
Greenfinches.
etc.

Late news from 14th July when grey Partridge with young in field 57, also at least one Tree Sparrow with the House Sparrow flock there.

Tonight, Little Owl in usual Field 32, also Grey Partridge there, and at least one Yellow Wagtail in field 61, crossing to 32 to mob the Owl.

Yellowhammers singing everywhere in the late evening sunshine, and a few distant Corn Buntings heard too.

Still no Quail!

44+ Lapwing this evening, aand good numbers of Swift and House Martin, tried a few of last year's sites but no Quail or Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammers noisy, no sign of the Little Owl at its usual spot but always harder to see when trees in leaf.

Long walk around the Moss this morning (17/4) - very quiet and little new. Best of the day was a Cuckoo at Altrincham Sewage Works. Quite a few swallows about, also lots of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, but disappointingly no other warblers found. Green Woodpecker near Sinderland Green, and 20+ Corn Buntings near the flare (Field 1). Just off the Moss there was an adult Med Gull on the playing fields on Manor Avenue in Sale - presumably one of the birds from the Moss.

Sinderland Green Woods area this morning - 145 Fieldfare, 4 Wheatear, Buzzard, 25 Corn Buntings and Partridge.
Also on North side of Carrington Moss (fields 5 and 6) Oystercatcher, Curlew, Willow Warbler.

Someone also had a female Ring Ouzel behind Brookheys - took a look this evening - no sign but still around 150 Fieldfare down Dark Lane and a Peregrine over the Chemical Complex.

30 or so Yellowhammer flew off south presumably to roost.

Apparently 350 Fieldfare later this morning, not sure where but would have been worth checking for Shropshire's Dark-throated Thrush.

Carrington Moss, early morning 8th April - quick walk around field 4:
3 Corn Buntings
2 Curlew
Oystercatcher
Sand Martin
Med Gull
Shoveller
and Swallow on Carrington Lane.
Also yesterday Fieldfare in thick fog at Sinderland Green

Carrington Moss, Afternoon, March 31st.

Yellowhammers  20+
Jackdaws           200+
Lapwings            5+
Chiffchaff            1
Wheatear            1 male
Buzzard              1

Wednesday 2pm Large flock of Fieldfare (100+) in SW corner of CMoss nr Sinderland Brook and Wood pigeon/Stock Dove flock (50+ doves)

Carrington Moss this morning
White Wagtail in field 4
Ad Med Gull feeding in field 16
Green Woodpecker field 17
Oystercatcher 2 on Man United training ground
No Wheatears found - I checked most of the North side of Carrington Moss.

11th March - 2nd summer Med Gull feeding on field 2 (by flare) with about 50 black headed gulls, 2 buzzards in same field. Also Chiffchaff, Treecreeper and Willow tit in the old orchard.

Carrington Moss 2nd March - Great Spot Woodpecker drumming at four sites, Buzzard 1 - 2 seen throughout the day, Stock Dove 24 in field 25, and 12 in field 1; also in field 1 - 14 Corn Buntings, and about 40 yellowhammer; also 15+ yellowhammer in field 17, and 15 more in field 25. Willow Tit at Dark Lane (field 27) and also in field 26. 1 Chiffchaff singing in Altrincham Sewage Works, also pairs of Gadwall and Tufted. Sinderland Green Woods - 22 Fieldfare and singing Grey Wagtail. Little Owl not in normal tree visible from farm road, but was in another low tree 50 metres further west, visible only from path through Brookheys Covert. 60 species plus Peacock and Comma butterflies.

Talking about Stonechats, I saw a pair on field 33 Cadishead Moss on 21/2.  

Thanks for that Steve, might try and have a wander around the course over the weekend.

The Tree Sparrow's usually found on the Moss are, I think, from the population that summers at Red House Farm, in Dunham (the farm is on the RSPB scheme). I didn't go last summer so am not sure of the numbers that were there so I've been searching for them over the winter period.
>
Steve - thats a very good record for Flixton, is the golf course Flixtons or Willy Wroe ??
>
Jeff - 64 is a very good record for the area.

I havn't seen Tree Sparrows on Carrington Moss for some months - the best place used to be Sinderland Green.

Had quite a long walk around the Moss today - Field 12 - mixed flock of 50+ buntings including 16+ Corn, female Stonechat (present since November), Raven overhead, 100s or corvids panicking around field 12, but no sign of Peregrine; Field 25 - 10 Stock doves and one or two pairs elsewhere around the moss; Brookheys - Fieldfare (5), Little Owl, Buzzard, Field 18 - Buzzard, Shoveller (6), Gadwall, Little Grebe, Curlew overhead; Field 17 - mixed Chaffinches and buntings - maybe 20 Yellowhammers, only one Corn Bunting. Sinderland Green Woods - Nuthatch and Great Spot Woodpecker, also Treecreeper and Nuthatch in Firs Wood (off the edge of the map, far eastern end of the Moss). 64 species in total before lunch - my best day for some time!

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 12:37, 2007-02-27

Nick Hilton wrote:

---

I see from the local rag the Pigs did you by 5 points !

---

Sorry Nick, I seemed to have missed this original post! 'The Pigs'? Nice name and they did indeed win by 5 (I think!), probably the biggest set of lads we've come across and didn't give me any chance to check out overflying gulls or thrushes as has become a rather dangerous distraction of mine

Field 2 / Old Orchard boundary - mixed flock of 60+ Buntings (incl. at least 12 Corn) + 30 Redwing Field 2 = 6 Stock Dove + 2 Singing SkylarkOystercatcher calling within the Shell siteField 1 = 8 Stock Dove, 1 Buzzard, 12 PheasantCrossroads at Fields 1,2,10,11 = 25 Corn BuntingField 10 = 60 FieldfareField 12 = Mixed flock Corvids 200+There were small flocks of Buntings all over the Moss, the large winter flocks look like they have broken up but still no Tree Sparrow (I had a small flock last winter, has anybody seen any this winter ?).

I see from the local rag the Pigs did you by 5 points !

The birds are presumably taking advantage of all the stud marks in the pitch, there was another smaller flock on there this afternoon (thats Redwing and Fieldfare - not Egg chasers !)

"On the rugby pitch at Carrington SJ738927Fieldfare 50+Redwing 25+"

I played against Carrington's first team on there last Saturday but there was nothing of note then, not surprising really considering the 30 blokes rampaging around the field!

Carrington Moss, 27th Jan, 9 -1030am Spread over the area at the back of the Shell plant between SJ735917 & SJ748917Yellowhammer 100+Buzzard 2Redwing 60+Reed Bunting 35+Mixed Corvid (2 seperate) flocks 300+Stock Dove 5Stonechat 1pair

Plus all the usual stuff - 33 species in all.

Construction work is noisely ongoing at the back of the plant so buntings & finches flightly, may account for the lack of the usual 10 or so Corn Bunts that have been in this area.
On the rugby pitch at Carrington SJ738927Fieldfare 50+Redwing 25+

Carrington Moss 24th Jan 07 68+ Skylark, 2 Stonechat (m. & f.), 2 Stock Dove, 1 Yellowhammer, Grey Partridge heard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel.

Hi Martin,

I've been watching Little Owls in the same tree for 30 years at the Sinderland side to 'the moss' near Brookhey's Covert. Turn off Sinderland Lane towards Brookhey's Farm, half way up the lane is a small pull-in spot on the left, stop here and scan the nearest oaks to the left.

Pete

Help! Can anyone tell me where I can find  "the little owl tree" on carrington moss?

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 19:11, 2008-06-13