On Harcles Hill 1430hrs 15 Skylark in one flock together was the first of the year for me up here. Also large flock c150 Fieldfare over flying east towards Whittle Pike.. Early signs of Spring movements perhaps?

Rob Archer

Walked over to Hawkshaw Lodge and back above. the Ranges. 1330 till 1700.
Saw the following;
3 x Sparrowhawk circling high together above the Shoulder of Mutton in Holcombe- (Thought this a tad unusual till I remembered how good the Timothy Taylors is in there.)
1 x Kestrel Moorbottom Road
1 x Buzzard over woodland just west of Ranges. Not the same bird I saw a while ago in Two Brooks so there may be a pair.
1 x Little Grebe on Hawkshaw Lodge
2 x Stock Dove near Ranges
Mixed flock of c80 Chaffinch/Greenfinch put up by f Sparrowhawk by Ranges
9 Fieldfare above the Ranges
1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, Saplin Wood

Rob Archer

Walked acros from Rammy to Ashworth Moor Res for last light.. Another great sunset. 1530 to 1800. Saw the following;
1 x f Sparrowhawk over woodland GM side of the quarry.
4 Long Tailed Tits.
2 x Raven
1 x Meadow Pipit ( 1st of the year for me up here)
c100 Pink Footed Geese NW at 1645
16 Goosander ( 6 m ) on Res
Tawny Owl (h) Quarry woodland GM side
Woodcock roding above me above the Brook running down N side of Quarry towards Shuttleworth. (GM Side).

Rob Archer

Bit of a Ramble between Rammy, Ashworth Moor Res, down to White Ash, across to Elton and back up the Irwell. Glorious start above a sea of cloud and a gloomy finish below it. 0800 to 1630.
Flock c30 Lesser Redpoll in Silver Birch at the top of my road in Rammy
Ashworth Moor Res.
1 x f Goosander ( Thats a lot of water for one bird)
White Ash.
1 x f Goosander.
Mallard and Canada Geese.
Green Woodpecker (h)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (h)
Nuthatch (h)
Water Rail (h) by Waters Farm, Heap Bridge
1 x m Teal. River Roch. Heap Bridge
Elton Res
Little Owl (h)
5 Cormorant
3 Great Crested Grebe
2 x Pochard
6 x Teal
1 x Lapwing
Many Coot, Tufted Duck and Canada Geese
1 x Goldcrest
On the Irwell.
1 X Goldcrest
6 x Goosander 2m
3 x Dipper.
c10 Redwing
Good views of Tawny Owl on Nuttall Hall Road.

Rob Archer

Walked over from Rammy to Ranges via Irwell and Reddisher and Two Brooks between 1200 and 1630..Felt like spring today but not too much about. Best being..
1 x Tawny Owl in Reddisher calling away claiming territory at 1330 in the afternoon sunshine!
1 x Stock Dove (heard) Ranges
2 x Raven Harckles Hill
2 x Kestrel on the Ranges
1 x Grey Heron Hawkshaw Lodge


Rob Archer

Walked over from Rammy to Ashworth Moor Res and back across to The Ranges. and Holcombe Moor. 1015 to 1600hrs.
Peregrine over Knowl Hill
f Sparrowhawk south of the res
Kestrel over the res
1m & 1f Goldeneye on the res
2 x f Goosander
43 Common Gull
11 Fieldfare
1 Redwing
3 Mistle Thrush
Kestrel, Moorbottom Road
1 x Stock Dove over the Ranges
Little Owl


Rob Archer

Saw the (probably)same buzzard on same afternoon. First i`ve seen in two brooks.Saw one about two months ago near Quarlton.

Bit of an error on my last....7th Woodcock this winter not this year.. There seem lots more about than normal.
Rob Archer

Good days walk from Rammy down the Irwell, Holcombe, Reddisher, Ranges. Two Brooks, Hawkshaw and back between 1000 and 1545hrs saw the following.
3 x Dipper( Irwell,Two Brooks, Carr Bank Lodge)
Several good sizes tit flocks with one including 1 Willow Tit seen near Woodhey School
Good regular numbers of Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch and Greenfinch
3 x Goldcrest near Woodhey
2 x Nuthatch Irwell
2 x Great Spotted Woodpecker Two Brooks
1 x Green Woodpecker Two Brooks
2 x Grey Heron Irwell/Two Brooks
1 x Cormorant over Rammy
6 x Goosander 2m 4f
1 x Little Grebe on Hawkshaw Lodge
2 x f Sparrowhawk. 1 near Woodhey. 1 on south side of Ranges
1 x Woodcock flew off footpath on south of ranges(7th of the year for me. Best ever)

Rob Archer.

Good walk from Rammy to Jumbles via the ranges and back via Affetside and Two Brooks Valley between 1045 and 1730 saw the following:
2 x Ravens performing tricks together above Moorbottom Road, Excellent .
1 x Woodcock flushed off the footpath near the small tarn at the north of the ranges.
Jumbles pretty much frozen over with just a few Mallard, Canada Geese and 1 Grey Heron
c40 Fieldfare and 1 Kestrel near to Cromptons, Affetside
1 x Buzzard in woodland above Two Brooks Valley.( Hardly ever seen Buzzards round here at all. )
1 x Dipper
1 x Tawny Owl and 1 x Little Owl going back through the ranges.
Rob Archer

Bit of a wander about the moors( between 1000 and 1515hrs) on a dull damp misty day. Not too much about really, the best being:
m & f Peregrine flying due south together above Walmersly Road at 1045hrs. Perhaps the Elton bird was one of them?
2 x f Sparrowhawk. One in Deeply vale about 1200hrs and one above woodland near Snape Hill, Nangreaves about 1300hrs
1 x Kestrel in Deeply vale
Ashworth Moor Res looked totally frozen over still through the mist
104 Canada Geese in a field in Deeply Vale
1 x Grey Heron
3 x Treecreeper really close up near Nuttall Park. Great views
1 x Dipper singing away on the Irwell
1 x Red grouse in the heather close to Holcombe Tower.

Rob Archer

Originally posted by Mike Horwood today:

Today 4th, Dipper,Kingfisher 3 Goosander (2m ) on Irewell in Rammy

Birds seen around the moors and mostly frozen Irwell the last few days... 23 Goosander,5 Moorhen, lots of BH Gulls, 2 1st winter Common Gulls by the wier in the centre of town, imm Cormorant, lots of Mallard, 1 Woodcock, 1 Snipe,c 20 Fieldfare,3 Redwing, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 GS Woodpecker, regular Jay, Bullfinch,Goldfinch, Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch,4 Nuthatch,1 m Sparrowhawk, 2 Ravens and 8 Red Grouse by Holcombe Tower ..Not seen the Kingfishers on the Old Mill Lodges for a few days now so hope they have not perished..Merry Crimbo to all

Great sight last night about 2230hrs..Large skein of Pink Feets calling flying North West over Ramsbottom Town Centre silhouetted against an almost full moon..Magical sight.

Another stunning but very cold day..Minus 4 at 1200hrs in my back yard.. No wind and a dull silence around the moors and Irwell Valley.The Irwell is well frozen in many places!..It must be tough going for the wildlife just now.. Todays highlights on a 4 hour walk.. Peregrine looking untroubled by it all, 1 Kestrel,2 Jay,2 Raven by the quarry, lots of Jackdaw flying south all day,many LBB and Herring Gulls also flying south am, 1 Moorhen, Lots of Mallard, 12 Goosander, only 3 Dipper( usually double that) 2 Snipe, c75 Fieldfare,c30 Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush, many Blackbird, 3 Heron, regular Dunnock Wren Robin, 6 Brambling,4 Chaffinch,4 Bullfinch,regular Goldfinch,3 Nuthatch, small numbers in tit flocks, certainly seeing less LT Tits than a few weeks ago,3 GS Woodpecker
Rob Archer

plenty of birds about on a proper winters day.. 4 ravens together above my house in Rammy,3 Kestrel, 4 Brambling, lots of Bullfinch Goldfinch,Chaffinch Greenfinch..2 Meadow Pipit, lots of small tit flocks, 1 Redwing, Mistle Thrush,12 Goosander, 3 Dipper, 6 separate Grey Heron, 3 Snipe, 1 Lapwing 3 Cormorant..lots of Robins, Wrens Dunnock Starling..8 cold fingers, 2 cold thumbs

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 4th of January 2011 03:55:16 PM