Had a bit of a day around my local area today (well not too far) Initially went to see the redwing to try and photograph them.

Had plenty of sightings of them in phillips Park cemetery a flock of approx 30-40 were foraging on the floor but they are so nervous as soon as you approach even at a distance there off. So no photos
Several individual Mistle thrush
Usual Magpies and Crows
Approx 6-8 Long tail tits.
Great tit
Blue tit

On way home stopped at the large puddle thats behind Sharps just off the roundabout and a large number of Lapwing 20-30 spooked again by gulls, however went back a bit later gulls had disappeared and they settled in the distance. No Golden Plover

Good day seeing as It was just local.

CC

A nice selection of Gulls this morning in Victoria Mill Park with no fewer than four species present!

30+ Black Headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black Backed Gull
1 Common Gull (looked like a juvenile)
Also my first record of Herring Gull in this area (a fourth winter bird)

Also in the area

Mistle Thrush (singing)
4 Goldfinch
Mallard (pr) on the canal
20+ Canada Geese

and the usual selection of Carrion Crows and Magpies

29/1/13 Kestrel flew over Bradford Road

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Wednesday 30th of January 2013 06:32:04 PM

Following my parents sighting of fieldfare in Phillips park cemetery I thought I'd go and check them out myself.

Unfortunately all we had was a pretty large flock which were a bit out of range to identify (very poor eyesight) even with binoculars however got some photos decent enough for identification purposes. To find when i got home were a flock of around 35-45 Redwing. This is a first ever sighting for me so I'm well pleased.

Showed the photos to my parents who are adamant these weren't the birds they saw so its possible there are also fieldfare here too.

Lots of individual Mistle thrush
Magpie
Crows
6 or so long tail tits

There are lots of nest boxes up on here so must be a good spot for birding ?

Also went on hunt for the Lapwing and Golden plover. No success today :0(

CC

A pair of Goosander this morning, seen on the canal from the bridge on Varley Street. Looked as if they were under the office window, but typically were not there when I got up to the office!

Thanks Steve, just had a look but im not familiar with the area mentioned however noticed in Andrews post previous to yours re sightings near the bakery on grimshaw lane which im going to check out.

Steve Suttill wrote:

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Collette Collier wrote:

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Just picking up on this thread, I've seen the odd lapwing for over a year around Newton Heath miles Platting, eventually saw 6 pairs on Sunday on the old sharps building on Oldham rd, just as you turn left at the lights. Heading towards Oldham not manchester.

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Hi Collette

have you seen the thread on Roof-roosting Lapwings and Golden Plover?

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Collette Collier wrote:

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Just picking up on this thread, I've seen the odd lapwing for over a year around Newton Heath miles Platting, eventually saw 6 pairs on Sunday on the old sharps building on Oldham rd, just as you turn left at the lights. Heading towards Oldham not manchester.

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Hi Collette

have you seen the thread on Roof-roosting Lapwings and Golden Plover?

It may just be coincidental but 3 lapwing passed over lord north street in newton heath yesterday (late lunchtime), they appeared to come from the direction of oldham road (miles platting).
These are the first i have seen around these parts for at least a year.
There used to be a decent sized flock of golden plover and lapwings on the brown field site where the new bakery has been built (off grimshaw and briscoe lane - newton heath).

andy

Just picking up on this thread, I've seen the odd lapwing for over a year around Newton Heath miles Platting, eventually saw 6 pairs on Sunday on the old sharps building on Oldham rd, just as you turn left at the lights. Heading towards Oldham not manchester.

Made a point of driving that way to and from work and see them there in various numbers. So assume this is a regular spot for them. Got a couple of great photos on Sunday but they got spooked by a gull.

Hoping to get more photos so going to take my camera with me this next week or so

A Lapwing flew past the office window this morning. I failed to record the direction it flew in

My first record of Lapwing in the "Platting"!

This morning a group of 50+ gulls was feeding on some bread on Varley Street. The group included at least 5 Common Gulls of different ages with the remainder Black Headed Gulls.

A red head Goosander was on the canal, visible from the office, as I was about to leave work this afternoon

Superb views of a female Kingfisher this morning from the office window. She stayed around for at least ten minutes, putting on a superb display, hovering over the canal briefly and perching under the window and I think everybody in the office who wanted to see a Kingfisher managed to see one! A brilliant and showy bird

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Thursday 10th of January 2013 01:32:12 PM

12 Long-tailed Tit over Bradford Rd at 1320hrs near newsagents.

Today's sightings

2 Cormorant flew along the line of the canal and veered off roughly in the direction of the city centre
2 Blackbird (pair)
Grey Wagtail
6+ Long Tailed Tit plus 2 Blue Tit

1615

A pair of Goosander seemed to fly from the canal, circled a couple of times and then flew off towards the city centre

Back to work today and back to the wonderful birdlife of the "Platting"!

Song Thrush singing from top of tree on Oldham Road
Distant Mistle Thrush (heard only)
Charm of 20 Goldfinch
2 Canada Geese flew towards the "grazing field" and more could be heard towards Victoria Mill Park
5+ Magpie
House Sparrows present (heard only)
Good numbers of Black Headed Gulls and Lesser Black Backed Gulls were flying over the area
2 Carrion Crow
2 Robin singing

See from the office
2 Mallard
2 Woodpigeon

This evening, as I left work, both Blackbird and Wren were singing

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Thursday 3rd of January 2013 06:32:13 PM

Holt Town area

Flock of 30 Greenfinch
5 Carrion Crow, 2 displaying
7 Magpie
1 Jay
1 Blue Tit
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Black Headed Gull over
50+ Feral Pigeon

And the purpose of my visit

4 Blackbird!

And no, contrary to what some of you may believe I wasn't twitching Blackbird, I was doing my winter thrush survey!

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Thursday 27th of December 2012 01:15:46 PM

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Thursday 27th of December 2012 05:47:49 PM

A pair of Goosander were present again on the canal this morning at first light.

A Mistle Thrush and a Robin were singing near Victoria Mill also.

Victoria Mill Park lunchtime

3 Starlings on feeders outside apartment windows
15 Canada Geese
2 Mallard
20+ Black Headed Gull
1 Lesser Black Backed Gull
3 Common Gull
40+ Feral Pigeon
1 Blue Tit
6 Goldfinch
4 Magpie
2 Blackbird

Surprisingly, no Carrion Crows present today

10+ Long Tailed Tit viewed from the office on the opposite side of the canal. As I was showing these to a colleague a Kingfisher flashed by. My colleague was delighted as it was the first time he had ever seen a Kingfisher.

Female Goosander on her own today. Also one Moorhen on the canal

A pair of Goosander on the canal from the office window this morning.

A sub adult male bird was present in the same area last Wednesday.

Peregrine flying alongside my train as it passed through Miles Platting this morning

Upper Helena Street

This area lies off Cambrian Street behind one of the gasometers.

A decent sized flock of 10 Bullfinch
1 Redpoll over
1 Goldfinch over
1 Greenfinch calling
2 Great Tit
Robin
Wren

Yesterday's sightings

1 Grey Wagtail flew from the roof of the mill onto the canal towpath and back again
2 Goosander flew past the office window late pm, presumably to roost

This morning

A pair of Goosander were on the canal visible from the office window

A large increase in the number of Blackbirds in the general area today.

2 Grey Wagtail on canal towpath and a Cormorant seen flying along the canal.

70+ Gulls were around most of the afternoon, mainly Black Headed, but at least 8 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 1 Common.

Kestrel also seen in the area on Monday and Tuesday

Kingfisher seen briefly this morning on the canal from Hulme Hall Lane bridge, plus cormorant fishing.

A Kingfisher was perched on a bush just outside the office window this morning by the side of the canal and was visible for 10 minutes.

Also seen in the area today

1 Jay
1 Grey Wagtail

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Friday 19th of October 2012 06:11:42 PM

4 Cormorant flew east following the canal this morning

2 Meadow Pipit
5 Starling
8 Redwing

All flying east this morning

2 Grey Wagtail near Victoria Mill late afternoon
40+ Starling on church roof on Varley Street
20+ Pied Wagtail flew across Bradford Road behind Bradford Inn

3 Grey Wagtail viewed from office window on canal towpath this morning. Also 8 Goldfinch by swimming baths and a small mixed tit flock consisting of at least 5 Long Tailed, 3 Great and 2 Blue.

The last week has seen Pied Wagtails arriving in small numbers on the waterlogged grassy areas where the Canada Geese like to feed.

Fewer Mistle Thrushes around this year

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Thursday 27th of September 2012 06:26:31 PM

A disorientated Meadow Pipit was flying around near Queensbury Court this morning. It then seemed to gain height and fly away, although I'm not sure which direction it finally went.

On my way home this evening I looked over the canal bridge and a Kingfisher was perched on the lock gate, the first I've seen in this area

2 Swifts over Bradford Road late afternoon.

5 Swallows through the area this morning

Family group of Grey Wagtails (2 ad, 1 juv) by side of canal this morning, watched from office window

1 Swift over Victoria Mill at lunchtime, the first I have seen in the area!

Two Swifts over Oldham Road tonight, not far from the car wash.

I too heard a warbler off Oldham Road where the scrap metal place is, sounded like a Whitethroat.

Common Whitethroat present this morning to prove my ears weren't deceiving me on Monday.

Willow Warbler also present

3 Linnet on one of the grassy areas on the corner of Sandal Street and Varley Street this afternoon.

Also 15 Starling feeding under the trees and a Carrion Crow chasing 2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls.

Blackcap and Willow Warbler singing by the canal this morning.

Linnet singing on rough ground when I came out of work this afternoon.

I'm also fairly sure I heard a couple of quick bursts of Whitethroat, but it sounded like it was some distance away.

6th May.

Family party of Greenfinch (at least 2 juveniles ) along the Rochdale Canal this morning. Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Grey Wagtail too. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in trees alongside the canal too but not sure where the boundary between Miles Platting and Newton Heath is!

Cheers,

Bill.

Coming down Oldham Road on the bus I saw what looked like the silhouette of a hunting raptor on scrubland near the railway line and carwash, I'm sure it was a hunting Kestrel but didn't see it it was against the sun, looked hovering and large enough.
Karen saw one a month back local so probably the same one.
Think he was trying to get a good few of the action at the Etihad

The original Willow Warbler seemed to have passed through, not long after I originally saw it. A bird has been singing in suitable habitat most days this week.

Blackcap singing earlier in the week, still to see one in the area.

Chiffchaff still present in the area.

No sign of Blackcap this morning.

Chiffchaff still present.

Willow Warbler singing at side of road opposite Victoria Mill this morning

A Blackcap was a new arrival in the area by the canal this morning, but there now appears to be only one Chiffchaff again.

Now 2 Chiffchaff singing by canal on Varley Street this lunchtime.

Also heard Chiffchaff here, probably the same one, plus 1 Grey Wagtail

Chiffchaff singing opposite Victoria Mill on Varley Street this morning.

A pair of Grey Wagtails near Victoria Mill this week, seen almost daily by the canal.