Approx 1360 Jackdaws over my house at 06.55 with most in one super flock of c1200.
This afternoon Sparrowhawk perched in garden with Cormarant and Buzzard overhead.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sun Nov 3 2:38 AM, 2013
06.44 - 06.50
Fewer Jackdaws today - perhaps some took a slightly different route but so far nowhere near the 3000+ of 2012.
Today 1218 with largest flock c550.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Wed Oct 30 4:17 PM, 2013
06.30-06.35
c2000 Jackdaws flying NE (3 main flocks of 850, 700 and 450)
Cheers John
andrew chapman said
Fri Oct 11 4:24 AM, 2013
17.40 hrs - one high up hirundine against the clear evening sky.
flying above j.sainsburys and heading east -probably a house martin.
andy
John Rayner said
Sat Oct 5 8:27 AM, 2013
65 Pinkfeet heading east.
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Saturday 5th of October 2013 08:28:10 AM
John Rayner said
Mon Sep 9 9:27 PM, 2013
Down Torkington Road
19 Swallow gathered on wires c15 House Sparrows in 1 flock
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sat Aug 10 5:47 AM, 2013
A large juvenile Sparrowhawk was begging for food and dwarfed the nearby male (which had none to offer) Chiffchaff calling, otherwise very quiet.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Wed Jun 5 9:22 PM, 2013
Hazel Grove Golf Club
Male Buzzard carried large worm to nest where female is sitting. When the male left a pair of Crows then set about the female harassing from about 2 feet away, repeatedly calling and threatening mock aggressive bill pecking. I presume trying to drive the female from the nest to predate the young or eggs. Or perhaps just to defend their own territory. The male eventually returned and saw them off.
Also family of Mistle Thrushes (3 full grown young) and Coal Tits and Great Tits carrying food.
Cheers John.
John Rayner said
Wed Jun 5 1:34 AM, 2013
Both Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat singing down Torkington Road/Lane.
Cheers John
Chris Harper said
Sat Apr 13 6:34 PM, 2013
Stockport Golf Club to Broadoak Farm 10.15-11.15
Has Spring sprung? 2 Swallow in and around the farm 6+ Chiffchaff 4 Common Buzzard Kestrel 2 Bullfinch Linnet 2 Meadow Pipit Treecreeper Nuthatch 3 Jay
Possible Willow Warbler trying to sing behind Broadoak fishing pond.
A first for the garden as a Raven called loudly overhead.
It flew towards Doodfield Stores where it nearly landed but was mobbed by a Carrion Crow.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Tue Jan 8 6:35 PM, 2013
27 Waxwings late yesterday afternoon on corner of Aldwyn Drive and Bramhall Moor Road (info from Geoff Lightfoot).
No sign so far this morning.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Wed Jan 2 7:37 PM, 2013
Not a lot but did manage to find 1 Woodcock
Also 14 House Sparrows 2 Coot, 1 Moorhen on fountain pond Flock of Long-tailed Tits 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker A few Bullfinches
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Thu Dec 13 11:38 PM, 2012
Around the Golf Course:
1 Goldcrest 5 Jay 4 Bullfinch 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Grey Heron Plus other common species
Braemar Road:
2 Grey Wagtails on roof top ridge tiles.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Mon Nov 19 6:13 AM, 2012
07.10- 07-20
Large flocks of Jackdaws over - all NE.
The biggest flocks were 1000, 900, 600 and 450. Total 3,025.
I count these flocks in blocks of 100. I might be under-estimating what a 100 looks like but I am uncannily consistent with the totals. 3,025 today; 3,030 on 10th Nov; 3,070 on 27th Oct.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sat Oct 27 7:40 PM, 2012
07.35 - 07.45 Good numbers of Jackdaws leaving the Adlington roost and passing over my house. Total of 3,070 mostly in 2 large flocks.
08.45 Pinkfeet (260 east)
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Mon Aug 27 1:40 AM, 2012
Hazel Grove Golf Club:
Pond with new fountain:
1 juvenile Little Grebe (didn't see any adults) 1ad, 2 juvenile Moorhens 1 Coot
Cheers, John
Phil Hampson said
Mon Aug 20 12:57 AM, 2012
19 August 1 swift to North from Dean Lane.
Phil
John Rayner said
Sun Aug 19 3:46 AM, 2012
18th August:
2 Swifts over the house flying west.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Fri Aug 10 6:33 PM, 2012
9th August:
9 Swifts over the house flying west.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Mon May 14 1:47 AM, 2012
8 Male Blackcaps singing this evening. 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers.
Cheers, John
Rob Smallwood said
Sat Mar 31 7:29 AM, 2012
Fair shout - but both the odd song and longer wings are features of IC so you can understand my question.
-- Edited by Rob Smallwood on Friday 30th of March 2012 08:36:57 PM
John Rayner said
Fri Mar 30 4:59 AM, 2012
Hazel Grove Golf Course
Most interesting bird was a presumed hybrid Willow Warbler x Chiffchaff.
It was a 'mixed singer' starting with a standard chiff, chaff, chiff, chaff, followed by a weak willow warbler descending trill. A dull individual without yellow tones but with the longer primary extension of a willow warbler.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Mar 18 6:50 PM, 2012
Hazel Grove Golf Course (08.00 - 8.45)
Chiffchaff 1 Song Thrush 5 singing Nuthatch 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 - a pair drumming on an owl nest box.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Tue Dec 13 5:47 PM, 2011
A work party at Hazel Grove Golf Course has just finished inspecting and cleaning out the 100 nest boxes that were erected earlier this year.
6 of these were either lost or stolen.
Of the remaining 94 no less that 68 contained some form of nest (13 of these still contained eggs or dead chicks.
Some of the 26 'empty' boxes still showed some evidence of occupancy, perhaps prospecting or roosting.
The overall occupancy was therefore at least 71.6%, a magnificent effort all round.
The little Egret has recently taken up residence in Torkington Park and can be regularly seen feeding in the brook.It is getting more used to people and dogs and no longer flys off when they walk past.
Since reading this note and as Torkington Park is only 1/2 mile from my house I've checked the brook at least twice a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No sign of Little Egret although every dog walker I speak to has seen it. I've also been checking Darley Road fields without success (I seem to have missed it here by about an hour on Saturday). On top of this I've missed it at Beanleach Road by a couple of hours and also failed just over the border in Poynton. Some things are just not meant to be
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Wed Oct 26 6:06 PM, 2011
(07.30 - 07.40)
Another go at counting the Jackdaws overflying my house.
2485 over in 10 minutes is quite a spectacle. Most in 3 large flocks of approx 1050, 500 and 415.
Estimating these large flocks is quite difficult as they pass over quickly so it was pleasing to arrive at a number quite close to that on 13th Oct (2340)
Cheers, John
flat cap said
Fri Oct 14 11:20 AM, 2011
Flocks of Fieldfares regularly appearing along the freight line in the Grove near Chester Road playing fields for the past couple of days.
John Rayner said
Thu Oct 13 8:42 AM, 2011
13 Oct (07.05 - 07.30)
Large numbers of Jackdaws again overflying my house and heading NE.
Estimated 2340 in 25 minutes with 2 large, noisy flocks each containing approx 700 birds.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Wed Mar 16 7:46 PM, 2011
A late afternoon stroll.
2 Coot on pond (no Moorhens and the only tree that gave nesting cover has been felled) 2 Goldcrests singing, 2 Song Thrushes singing, 5-7 Bullfinches, 1 Woodcock, c12 Goldfinches, lots of Great Tits and Blue Tits but nothing seen using any of the nest boxes.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Mar 6 5:02 PM, 2011
Woodcock 3 Bullfinch 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Song Thrush 1
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Thu Feb 10 2:06 PM, 2011
Andy Bissitt wrote:
... a nest box scheme has been launched at the golf club to help resident birds like blue, great, coal ...
Over the past few weeks I have been helping a small work party of Hazel Grove Golf Club members with their nest box scheme and today we put up the 100th nest box, 100 because this project forms part of the golf club's 2013 centenary celebratation (although there are still 2 Owl and 2 Kestrel boxes to be made and sited). Blue Tits were already showing an interest in 3 of the boxes almost as soon as they were erected. The boxes are all numbered and mapped so, hopefully, I will be able to monitor them and report on breeding activity.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Feb 6 12:20 PM, 2011
2 Woodcock this morning.
Cheers, John
Karen Foulkes said
Sun Feb 6 12:15 PM, 2011
With Iain Johnson and John Rayner this am about 10ish
Little Egret visible from Brookside Garden Centre in GM.
John Rayner said
Sat Feb 5 2:07 PM, 2011
Karen Foulkes wrote:
With Iain Johnson am
No sign of Little Egret in Hazel Grove this am in very wet conditions
5th Feb One Little Egret at 13.45 in the field behind Darley Rd, Norbury Moor, on the N side of the Norbury Brook which is the county boundary. Might be viewable from Brookside Garden Centre.
4th Feb One was in the same field yesterday (info from Maureen Parker).
Cheers, John
Karen Foulkes said
Sat Feb 5 10:34 AM, 2011
With Iain Johnson am
No sign of Little Egret in Hazel Grove this am in very wet conditions
John Rayner said
Mon Jan 31 11:15 PM, 2011
30th Jan: The Little Egret was again in the trees above Torkington Brook, behind Carlton Close (not seen here since 27th)
31st Jan: Yesterday's 4 Waxwings still in Hawthorn hedgerows behind Cooper Court, Bosden Fold Road
Cheers, John
john tromans said
Fri Jan 28 1:22 PM, 2011
11.30 to 12 45am No sign of Little Egret today BUT Lesser Spotted Woodpecker between the stream and the railway gate/bar on road leading to HG golf course. Watched for 10 mins giving me superb views. It is so much smaller than the Great Spotted (also watched drumming today) Almost the same size as the nuthach feeding next to it. Brilliant! 3 buzzards together over the golf course. Regards John Tro
John Rayner said
Thu Jan 27 12:39 PM, 2011
At 12.15 I accidentally flushed a Little Egret from Torkington Brook (golfers reported 2 together here Monday 24th). Presumably this is the same bird that frequented the brook a little further to the north in Torkington Park.
Cheers, John
Iain Johnson said
Thu Jan 20 12:43 PM, 2011
No sign of John Rayney or his nemisis, the little egret in the gloom of hazel grove this am.
John Rayner said
Tue Jan 18 11:53 AM, 2011
Late news from 17th.
A male Pochard on the old mill pool behind 'Coopers Court' at The Valley, Hazel Grove (local rarity with none in 2010)
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Mon Jan 17 4:03 PM, 2011
One Little Egret (at last ) in field behind Darley Rd, Norbury Moor, on the GM side of the Norbury Brook.
Info thanks to Maureen Parker.
John Rayner said
Sun Jan 16 2:30 PM, 2011
parkie1 wrote:
The little Egret has recently taken up residence in Torkington Park and can be regularly seen feeding in the brook.It is getting more used to people and dogs and no longer flys off when they walk past.
Since reading this note and as Torkington Park is only 1/2 mile from my house I've checked the brook at least twice a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No sign of Little Egret although every dog walker I speak to has seen it. I've also been checking Darley Road fields without success (I seem to have missed it here by about an hour on Saturday). On top of this I've missed it at Beanleach Road by a couple of hours and also failed just over the border in Poynton. Some things are just not meant to be
Cheers, John
Judith Smith said
Sat Jan 15 3:41 PM, 2011
One Little Egret in the field behind Darley Rd, between there and Norbury Brook, around midday (information thanks to Maureen Parker).
Judith Smith said
Fri Jan 14 8:20 PM, 2011
Two Little Egrets were in a field behind Darley Rd, Norbury Moor, on the N side of the Norbury Brook which is the county boundary, today, but weren't there later. Info from Maureen Parker.
parkie1 said
Fri Jan 14 12:11 PM, 2011
The little Egret has recently taken up residence in Torkington Park and can be regularly seen feeding in the brook.It is getting more used to people and dogs and no longer flys off when they walk past.
This afternoon Sparrowhawk perched in garden with Cormarant and Buzzard overhead.
Cheers John
Fewer Jackdaws today - perhaps some took a slightly different route but so far nowhere near the 3000+ of 2012.
Today 1218 with largest flock c550.
Cheers, John
c2000 Jackdaws flying NE (3 main flocks of 850, 700 and 450)
Cheers John
17.40 hrs - one high up hirundine against the clear evening sky.
flying above j.sainsburys and heading east -probably a house martin.
andy
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Saturday 5th of October 2013 08:28:10 AM
19 Swallow gathered on wires
c15 House Sparrows in 1 flock
Cheers, John
Chiffchaff calling, otherwise very quiet.
Cheers, John
Male Buzzard carried large worm to nest where female is sitting. When the male left a pair of Crows then set about the female harassing from about 2 feet away, repeatedly calling and threatening mock aggressive bill pecking. I presume trying to drive the female from the nest to predate the young or eggs. Or perhaps just to defend their own territory. The male eventually returned and saw them off.
Also family of Mistle Thrushes (3 full grown young) and Coal Tits and Great Tits carrying food.
Cheers John.
Cheers John
Has Spring sprung?
2 Swallow in and around the farm
6+ Chiffchaff
4 Common Buzzard
Kestrel
2 Bullfinch
Linnet
2 Meadow Pipit
Treecreeper
Nuthatch
3 Jay
Possible Willow Warbler trying to sing behind Broadoak fishing pond.
16 Redwings
4 Mistle Thrushes
1 Song Thrush
1-3 Buzzards
1 Little Grebe
4 Moorhens
1 Woodcock
6 Bullfinches
2 Treecreepers
Cheers John
It flew towards Doodfield Stores where it nearly landed but was mobbed by a Carrion Crow.
Cheers John
No sign so far this morning.
Cheers John
Not a lot but did manage to find 1 Woodcock
Also
14 House Sparrows
2 Coot, 1 Moorhen on fountain pond
Flock of Long-tailed Tits
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker
A few Bullfinches
Cheers, John
1 Goldcrest
5 Jay
4 Bullfinch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Grey Heron
Plus other common species
Braemar Road:
2 Grey Wagtails on roof top ridge tiles.
Cheers, John
Large flocks of Jackdaws over - all NE.
The biggest flocks were 1000, 900, 600 and 450. Total 3,025.
I count these flocks in blocks of 100. I might be under-estimating what a 100 looks like but I am uncannily consistent with the totals. 3,025 today; 3,030 on 10th Nov; 3,070 on 27th Oct.
Cheers, John
Good numbers of Jackdaws leaving the Adlington roost and passing over my house. Total of 3,070 mostly in 2 large flocks.
08.45
Pinkfeet (260 east)
Cheers, John
Pond with new fountain:
1 juvenile Little Grebe (didn't see any adults)
1ad, 2 juvenile Moorhens
1 Coot
Cheers, John
1 swift to North from Dean Lane.
Phil
2 Swifts over the house flying west.
Cheers, John
9 Swifts over the house flying west.
Cheers, John
Cheers, John
Not the easiest bird in the field either way!
Absolutely Rob
Didn't sound right. Didn't look right.
Cheers, John
http://www.club300.de/articles/012_iberian_chiffchaff/2008_Ibe_Chiffchaff_British_Birds.pdf
-- Edited by Rob Smallwood on Friday 30th of March 2012 08:36:57 PM
Most interesting bird was a presumed hybrid Willow Warbler x Chiffchaff.
It was a 'mixed singer' starting with a standard chiff, chaff, chiff, chaff, followed by a weak willow warbler descending trill. A dull individual without yellow tones but with the longer primary extension of a willow warbler.
Cheers, John
Chiffchaff 1
Song Thrush 5 singing
Nuthatch 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 - a pair drumming on an owl nest box.
Cheers, John
6 of these were either lost or stolen.
Of the remaining 94 no less that 68 contained some form of nest (13 of these still contained eggs or dead chicks.
Some of the 26 'empty' boxes still showed some evidence of occupancy, perhaps prospecting or roosting.
The overall occupancy was therefore at least 71.6%, a magnificent effort all round.
Cheers, John
A pleasant stroll but quiet. No Woodcock yet.
Goldcrest 1
Lesser Redpoll 5
GS Woodpecker 1
Bullfinch 4
Jay 6
Redwing 6
Mallard 8
Moorhen 9
Coot 2
Little Grebe 1
Numerous Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits
Cheers, John
Another go at counting the Jackdaws overflying my house.
2485 over in 10 minutes is quite a spectacle. Most in 3 large flocks of approx 1050, 500 and 415.
Estimating these large flocks is quite difficult as they pass over quickly so it was pleasing to arrive at a number quite close to that on 13th Oct (2340)
Cheers, John
Large numbers of Jackdaws again overflying my house and heading NE.
Estimated 2340 in 25 minutes with 2 large, noisy flocks each containing approx 700 birds.
Cheers, John
2 Coot on pond (no Moorhens and the only tree that gave nesting cover has been felled)
2 Goldcrests singing,
2 Song Thrushes singing,
5-7 Bullfinches,
1 Woodcock,
c12 Goldfinches,
lots of Great Tits and Blue Tits but nothing seen using any of the nest boxes.
Cheers, John
Bullfinch 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
Song Thrush 1
Cheers, John
Over the past few weeks I have been helping a small work party of Hazel Grove Golf Club members with their nest box scheme and today we put up the 100th nest box, 100 because this project forms part of the golf club's 2013 centenary celebratation (although there are still 2 Owl and 2 Kestrel boxes to be made and sited). Blue Tits were already showing an interest in 3 of the boxes almost as soon as they were erected. The boxes are all numbered and mapped so, hopefully, I will be able to monitor them and report on breeding activity.
Cheers, John
Cheers, John
Little Egret visible from Brookside Garden Centre in GM.
5th Feb
One Little Egret at 13.45 in the field behind Darley Rd, Norbury Moor, on the N side of the Norbury Brook which is the county boundary. Might be viewable from Brookside Garden Centre.
4th Feb
One was in the same field yesterday (info from Maureen Parker).
Cheers, John
No sign of Little Egret in Hazel Grove this am in very wet conditions
The Little Egret was again in the trees above Torkington Brook, behind Carlton Close (not seen here since 27th)
31st Jan:
Yesterday's 4 Waxwings still in Hawthorn hedgerows behind Cooper Court, Bosden Fold Road
Cheers, John
Almost the same size as the nuthach feeding next to it. Brilliant!
3 buzzards together over the golf course.
Regards John Tro
Cheers, John
A male Pochard on the old mill pool behind 'Coopers Court' at The Valley, Hazel Grove (local rarity with none in 2010)
Cheers, John
Info thanks to Maureen Parker.
Since reading this note and as Torkington Park is only 1/2 mile from my house I've checked the brook at least twice a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No sign of Little Egret although every dog walker I speak to has seen it. I've also been checking Darley Road fields without success (I seem to have missed it here by about an hour on Saturday). On top of this I've missed it at Beanleach Road by a couple of hours and also failed just over the border in Poynton. Some things are just not meant to be
Cheers, John