Monday, 31st January 2022. 10:45 - 14:20 hrs. Dry and sunny with cold biting northerly wind.
Linear walk from Cutnook Lane (Irlam) - left at Twelve Yards Road - Little Woolden Moss NR (took anti-clockwise path) - Little Woolden Moss - as far as Whitegate Farm - and return.
This area is predominated with turf & so called ''improved grass'' and has now become sterile and depleted of traditional farmland birds e.g. Yellowhammer Skylark Meadow Pipit Corn Bunting etc etc all gone !! this is the result.... but did get a welcoming boost with the migrant Starling & Thrushes.
14 Blackbird
2 Blue Tit
4 Magpie
8 Carrion Crow
2 Kestrel
2 Kestrel
2 Jackdaw
8 House Sparrow
4 Robin
110 Starling
80 Fieldfare
25 Redwing
2 Pheasant
1 Great Tit
2 Goldcrest
1 Buzzard
8 Goldfinch
1 Song Thrush
70 Woodpigeon
Great Woolden Moss Survey 1Km SJ6894 17-1-2022
This is different from the previous square being mostly Winter Wheat & Barley with some improved grass. There is a similarity to the latter though being bland uninspiring, full of chemicals and few birds....
12 Carrion Crow
221 Black headed Gull
5 Robin
2 Buzzard
151 Fieldfare
29 Redwing
179 Starling
67 Woodpigeon
7 Magpie
91 Canada Geese
7 Teal
16 Chaffinch
5 Great Tit
18 Goldfinch
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Kestrel
6 Blackbird
3 Blue Tit
2 Dunnock
Barton Moss Survey 1KM SJ7296 22-1-2022
This square is an improvement from my previous two, but still down on many of the farmland species....
2 Yellowhammer
8 Great Tit
10 Blue Tit
238 Jackdaw
95 Carrion Crow
106 Woodpigeon
1 Nuthatch
31 Goldfinch
6 Long tailed Tit
161 Pink footed Geese F5 (potato stubble)
14 Blackbird
9 Robin
17 Magpie
3 Dunnock
18 Skylark
64 Feral Pigeon
2 Tree Sparrow
2 Greenfinch
37 Chaffinch
3 Pheasant
12 Stock Dove
2 Buzzard
2 Bullfinch
2 Collared
8 House Sparrow
2 Redpoll
Sorry for the rant folks
Dave Stewart
Steven Nelson said
Sat Jan 22 1:14 PM, 2022
Irlam & Chat Mosses- late am
1 Corn Bunting c.150 Chaffinch 18 Yellowhammer 2 Linnet 2 Stonechat 4 Buzzard 6 Pink-footed Geese over west 2 Fieldfare 28 Redwing 2 Willow Tit 26 Teal 4 Stock Dove
Monday, 17th January 2022. 12:00 - 16:15 hrs. Could see lovely sunset to the west and full moon to south-east at the end of the walk!
Irlam Moss, Chat Moss and Little Woolden Moss
Corn Bunting x 10 (on trees at edge of Field 15 next to Twelve Yards Road) Yellowhammer x 2 (on trees at edge of Field 14 next to Twelve Yards Road) Pink-Footed Geese x 100 plus (Field 5) Buzzard x 3 Kestrel x 1 Reed Bunting x 1 Song Thrush x 2 Redwing x 1 Fieldfare x 15 (Field 20) Lapwing x 50 (Field 17) Bullfinch x 3 Dunnock x 2 Long-Tailed Tits x 5 Collared Dove x 4 Chaffinch x 40 Blue Tit x 3 Great Tit x 5 Robin x 3 Wren x 2 Goldfinch x 5 Woodpigeon x 70 Rook x 30 Carrion Crow x 15 Jay x 1 Magpie x 5 Blackbird x 3 Pheasant x 1 Starling x 50 Black-Headed Gull x 30 House Sparrow x 25
Samglennie said
Sun Jan 16 9:28 PM, 2022
Walk down Twelve Yard Road to LWM and back 10:00-12:15:
1x Corn Bunting 2x Yellowhammer f52,
3x Lesser Redpoll at LWM, 5x Brambling with 7x Chaffinch f15, 2x Buzzard, 2x Kestrel and 4x Grey Heron f16, and at least 2x Willow tit with probable 3rd at (53.4605985, -2.4337342)
Dave Steel said
Sun Jan 16 8:13 PM, 2022
150122 Mid Morn Wander
Irlam Moss
29 Skylark
2 Stonechat
26 Yellowhammer
2 Grey Partridge
Chat Moss
3 Snipe
90 Linnet
200 Chaffinch
2 Brambling
70 Reed Bunting
11 Yellowhammer
50 Stock Dove
450 Woodpigeon
1 Peregrine....Male
36 Skylark.
Dave Steel said
Sun Jan 16 8:10 PM, 2022
140122 am Carbon Landscape Winter Bird Count Little Woolden Moss
2 Snipe
23 Skylark
80 Lapwing
1 Stonechat
70 Pink-Footed Geese flying East @ 1307
41 Starling.
Steve Christmas said
Sat Jan 15 3:52 PM, 2022
Male goosander flew north over White Gate Farm at 11.00
This morning 09.30/11.45 down Moss Lane to White Gate Farm. Light showers but ceased on arrival. 28 species highlights being:
One Nuthatch.
One Buzzard
One Kestrel
Loads of Brambling and Chaffinch by the farm easily a flock of c300 mixed flock, they were very flighty. On arrival there were very few around then all of a sudden they came in from all directions into the trees by the farm buildings .
110 Linnet on the wires by the farm.
Mixed flock of Starling, Redwing and Fieldfare c250 near the sewage works.
Big flock of Sparrow further down Moss Lane but we could only pick out one Tree Sparrow!
Seventeen Pink-footed Geese over sewage works at 11.30
Dave Steel said
Mon Jan 10 9:03 PM, 2022
.Any Chiffchaff in winter ...well whatever they are they will still look good in years to come once recorded in the annals of the GMEU/GMBRG sites...and that's what counts!
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Monday 10th of January 2022 09:04:28 PM
Pete Hines said
Mon Jan 10 8:58 PM, 2022
Steven Nelson wrote:
Pete - one of the Chiffchaffs looks a lot paler than the other. Hints of Siberian?
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 10th of January 2022 07:58:36 PM
They both looked similar in the field, quite bright. I put it down to light in the photo, which are not altered, but maybe one was more distant thus taken in digital rather than optical zoom which could have an effect. Both were silent and neither responded to playback of tristis call.
Dave Steel said
Mon Jan 10 8:42 PM, 2022
After years of using XLS to send in my Moss records Mr Atkins recently got me into inputting using Swift....its an excellent user friendly system!!!!
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Monday 10th of January 2022 09:01:54 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jan 10 8:14 PM, 2022
Dave Steel wrote:
my only concern is that poor old Steve Atkins is to be further inundated with bird records to process for GMEU and GMBRG...input by these visitors....
Don't be Dave, we absolutely need such records and advocate they be submitted but if they are via our new, incredibly user friendly and easy to use on-line Swift recording system, then there is no work for Steve either
Dave Steel said
Mon Jan 10 7:21 PM, 2022
Brief Mid Morn to Midday wander
Irlam Moss
4 Snipe
51 Meadow Pipit
5 Skylark
50 Lapwing overflew heading North
Noted rising from FN20 area...recently part harvested turf...the only time turf production is of ANY wildlife use as it resembles a marsh
600 Lapwing
15 Fieldfare
30 Starling
Also Noted overflying Little Woolden Moss Nature Reserve @ 1205 heading East West
950 Pink-Footed Geese (did a dot to dot count from a photo taken when home)
Cadishead Moss
Winter Wheat...even this winter farmland survival destroyer has some use now and again...
45 Fieldfare
280 Lapwing
20 Starling
22 Black-headed Gull
....on quick return home noted three other birdwatchers along 12 yards enjoying the rarity of such fields not being pounded by Winter Wheat thus is their novel state of Stubble and Fallow were actually supporting an influx of birds grateful for this 'hopeful' (in my aged eyes) glimpse of how ELMS/Re-Wilding might bring in a lifeline for our most declining birds...Farmland...its even brought back the traditional Merlin to one of their favourite field areas...my only concern is that poor old Steve Atkins is to be further inundated with bird records to process for GMEU and GMBRG...input by these visitors....
Steven Nelson said
Mon Jan 10 5:53 PM, 2022
Pete - one of the Chiffchaffs looks a lot paler than the other. Hints of Siberian?
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 10th of January 2022 07:58:36 PM
John Rayner said
Mon Jan 10 4:35 PM, 2022
The male Merlin in F16 was later joined by a female. Both were perched and preening.
Cheers, John
Pete Hines said
Mon Jan 10 4:14 PM, 2022
Irlam Moss, Twelve Yards Road (a selection of 44 species) 3hr 54 min from 09.58
Pink-footed Goose 895 The entire flock of 700 alighted from F62 and flew over Little Woolden Moss at 11.59, another 100 west prior to that, small no's east afterwards. Collared Dove 123 (Flocks arriving from the north) Lapwing 705 several mobile flocks Merlin 1 male preening on a fencepost in F16, prolonged views with John Rayner Peregrine juv hunting a Lapwing F16 Rook 1 Willow Tit 1 at the junction to Woodbarn Farm at 53.460211, -2.434675 Skylark 31 F16 Chiffchaff 2 together on the mounds in the north west corner of F3, initially one in the ditch between there and Birch View Farm Redwing 116 Fieldfare 15 Stonechat pair at Woodbarn Farm Meadow Pipit 2 Chaffinch 53 Bullfinch 1 Linnet 15 Goldfinch 24 Yellowhammer 4 Reed Bunting 5
c200 Brambling at White Gate Farm. A great sight. Also a similar number of Chaffinch here. 1 Brambling with a few Goldfinch and Chaffinch near the poly tunnels at the end of Moss Lane
8 Golden Plover feeding with c.120 Lapwing in the partially harvested turf field f20
500+ Pink-footed Geese milling around having been disturbed from f62 but did eventually return after about 30 mins.
28 Fieldfare 2 Redwing 11 Linnet 1 Meadow Pipit
Pete Hines said
Sun Jan 9 2:55 PM, 2022
Moss Lane / White Gate Farm 12.10-13.31
Brambling 200 together in single flock by White Gate Farm counted carefully through scope Linnet 170 on the wires by White Gate Farm Fieldfare 30 (same field as the Brambling trees)
Dave Steel said
Sun Jan 9 2:35 PM, 2022
070122 am
Irlam Moss
85 Lapwing
25 Yellowhammer
450 Jackdaw
13 Mistle Thrush.
86 Pink-Footed Geese...milling about the area which has a part harvested Potato crop...
Chat Moss
18 Chaffinch
31 Skylark
2 Woodcock
2 Snipe
4 Lesser Redpoll
9 Yellowhammer.
64 Lapwing
pete berry said
Sun Jan 9 11:59 AM, 2022
A wander down Moss Lane to Whitegates Farm was a bit disappointing with much reduces numbers of finches from last year. Still several hundred Chaffinch about together with a few Brambling mixed in with them.Only 2 Linnet were seen and no sign of any other finches. On the farmland either side of Moss Lane a couple of Mistle Thrush, 30 plus Fieldfare and similar number of Redwing, also about 50 Chaffinch feeding in one of the stubble fields. A calling Nuthatch and a few Blue and Great Tits on the county side of the Glaze.
Chat & Irlam Mosses
83 Pink footed Geese over west (09-55hrs)
4 Mistle Thrush in song
7 Song Thrush in song
1 Grey Wagtail
4 Bullfinch
10 Long tailed Tit
2 Coal Tit
1 Brambling
25 Chaffinch
c70 Redwing
25 Starling
125 Lapwing
7 Buzzard
7 Corn Bunting in the treeline between Fields 18 / 52
c60 Stock Dove
10 Skylark
2 Willow Tit
020222 am...a wander with Mr Brewster!
Irlam Moss
5 Grey Partridge
3 Snipe
14 Skylark
28 Starling
37 Meadow Pipit
22 Redwing
Chat Moss
140 Chaffinch
10 Brambling
65 Skylark
1 Lesser Redpoll
26 Stock Dove
24 Yellowhammer.
010222
Astley Moss
24 Redwing
18 Chaffinch
1 Raven
1 Nuthatch
2 Yellowhammer
Chat Moss
260 Lapwing
180 Fieldfare
1 Stonechat
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
2 Wigeon
1 Snipe.
310122 am
Barton Moss
70 Chaffinch
114 Skylark
2 Stonechat....Pair
3 Yellowhammer
2 Snipe
9 Lapwing
Chat Moss
170 Chaffinch
30 Stock Dove
300122 am
Irlam Moss
58 Meadow Pipit
2 Snipe
3 Grey Partridge
118 Lapwing
55 Starling
40 Chaffinch
Cadishead Moss
350 Lapwing
Linear walk from Cutnook Lane (Irlam) - left at Twelve Yards Road - Little Woolden Moss NR (took anti-clockwise path) - Little Woolden Moss - as far as Whitegate Farm - and return.
Yellowhammer (10)
Redwing (23)
Fieldfare (31)
Brambling (7)
Pink Footed Geese (6)
Lapwing (100)
Buzzard (3)
Kestrel (2)
Coal Tit (1)
Chaffinch (25)
Long-Tailed Tits (8)
Mistle Thrush (1)
Skylark (10)
Wren (1)
Woodpigeon (120)
Carrion Crow (30)
Rook (5)
House Sparrow (25)
Magpie (9)
Great Tit (3)
Robin (1)
Blue Tit (3)
Blackbird (2)
Starling (40)
Collared Dove (1)
Black-Headed Gull (7)
Little Woolden Moss LWT Nature Reserve - 30/01/2022 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Never seen it so "dead" as this afternoon - some Carrion Crows, a Wren, small flock of Teal (almost certainly) flew into centre of reserve.
290122 Midday Visit
Little Woolden Moss LWT Nature Reserve
1 Merlin...Male
16 Pink-Footed Geese...heading West @ 1140
2 Rook
3 Snipe
18 Teal
280122 am
Irlam Moss
120 Pink-Footed Geese
3 Grey Heron Heading to Botany Bay....another breeding season underway!
Barton Moss
8 Tree Sparrow
26 House Sparrow
35 Chaffinch
45 Goldfinch
1 Raven
3 Snipe
8 Meadow Pipit
115 Skylark
5 Grey Heron flying South from Botany Bay
1 Grey Wagtail.
Chat / Irlam mosses late morning / early afternoon
c300 Pink footed Geese flew east at 11-50hrs. with a number breaking off and flying south.
a further 87 flew east at 13-50hrs.
1 Song Thrush in song
1 Mistle in song
1 Nuthatch
2 Corn Bunting 12 Yards Road / Field 52
2 Buzzard
25 Chaffinch
70 Starling
25 Stock Dove
8 Grey Partridge
and a nice catch up with Pete Berry
c280 Lapwing
88 Stock Dove
36 Teal
4 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
9 Skylark
4 Redwing
3 Greenfinch
6 Linnet
c100 Chaffinch
2 Grey Heron
270122 am
Irlam Moss
470 Jackdaw
6 Yellowhammer
4 Snipe
40 Pink-Footed Geese Flying South @ 0855
35 Linnet
1 Woodcock
29 Skylark
50 Lapwing
85 Pink-Footed Geese Flying East @ 0935
17 Stock Dove
Little Woolden Moss
c180 Chaffinch
c 50 Brambling
20 Linnet
30 Fieldfare
10 Redwing
35 House Sparrow
2 Coal Tit
1 Mistle Thrush (in song)
Fn 62, Large mixed flock C300 strong of Chaffinch, Brambling (7), Reed Bunting and Linnet
Fn 15/16, Large mixed flock C150 of Chaffinch, Linnet, Brambling (5) Yellowhammer
Corn Bunting 3 in trees bordering Twelve Yrs Rd facing Fn15/16
Skylark 7
Greenfinch 3
Marsh Harrier Fem/Imm
Buzzard 3
Sparrowhawk
Stock Dove C30
60 Pink-footed Geese over North @ 11.00
260122 am
Chat Moss
26 Teal
1Raven
3 Snipe
1 Woodcock
32 Pink-Footed Geese Flying east @ 0937
Astley Moss
190 Redwing
1 Treecreeper
18 Pink-Footed Geese Flying east @ 1200
250122 am
Little Woolden Moss
35 Teal
1 Kingfisher
130 Fieldfare
90 Redwing
60 Starling
75 Chaffinch
9 Tree Sparrow
7 Brambling
55 Lapwing
42 Skylark
2 Grey Partridge.
230122 am
Cadishead Moss
200 Redwing
2 Mistle Thrush
7 Lapwing
6 Fieldfare
120 Starling
Glaze Near Great Woolden Hall
16 Blackbird
10 Teal
Little Woolden Moss
86 Fieldfare
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Lesser Redpoll
Chat & Irlam Mosses
25 Goldfinch
11 Teal
78 Black headed Gull
1 Raven
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
43 Magpie
50 Reed Bunting
3 Snipe
140 Chaffinch
35 Meadow Pipit
c350 Woodpigeon
6 yellowhammer
11 Stock Dove
2 Buzzard
220122 am
Irlam Moss
4 Snipe
68 Meadow Pipit
9 Grey Partridge
4 Stock Dove
Chat Moss
80 Stock Dove
17 Linnet
28 Skylark
5 Yellowhammer
2 Snipe
4 Lesser Redpoll
41 Reed Bunting
200 Chaffinch.
210122 am
Glaze Area
10 Teal
2 Gadwall
2 Nuthatch
1 Treecreeper
Little Woolden Moss
80 Fieldfare
90 Redwing
130 Chaffinch
15 Brambling
20 Linnet
10 Grey Partridge
30 Skylark
60 Lapwing
1 Snipe
24 Rook
5 Tree Sparrow.
21 Tree Sparrow
1 Willow Tit
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Buzzard
1 Snipe
48 Redwing
2 Fieldfare
8 Yellowhammer
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Goldcrest
Carbon Landscape Winter Surveys Cadishead Moss 1KM SJ6994 11-1-2022
This area is predominated with turf & so called ''improved grass'' and has now become sterile and depleted of traditional farmland birds e.g. Yellowhammer Skylark Meadow Pipit Corn Bunting etc etc all gone !! this is the result.... but did get a welcoming boost with the migrant Starling & Thrushes.
14 Blackbird
2 Blue Tit
4 Magpie
8 Carrion Crow
2 Kestrel
2 Kestrel
2 Jackdaw
8 House Sparrow
4 Robin
110 Starling
80 Fieldfare
25 Redwing
2 Pheasant
1 Great Tit
2 Goldcrest
1 Buzzard
8 Goldfinch
1 Song Thrush
70 Woodpigeon
Great Woolden Moss Survey 1Km SJ6894 17-1-2022
This is different from the previous square being mostly Winter Wheat & Barley with some improved grass. There is a similarity to the latter though being bland uninspiring, full of chemicals and few birds....
12 Carrion Crow
221 Black headed Gull
5 Robin
2 Buzzard
151 Fieldfare
29 Redwing
179 Starling
67 Woodpigeon
7 Magpie
91 Canada Geese
7 Teal
16 Chaffinch
5 Great Tit
18 Goldfinch
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Kestrel
6 Blackbird
3 Blue Tit
2 Dunnock
Barton Moss Survey 1KM SJ7296 22-1-2022
This square is an improvement from my previous two, but still down on many of the farmland species....
2 Yellowhammer
8 Great Tit
10 Blue Tit
238 Jackdaw
95 Carrion Crow
106 Woodpigeon
1 Nuthatch
31 Goldfinch
6 Long tailed Tit
161 Pink footed Geese F5 (potato stubble)
14 Blackbird
9 Robin
17 Magpie
3 Dunnock
18 Skylark
64 Feral Pigeon
2 Tree Sparrow
2 Greenfinch
37 Chaffinch
3 Pheasant
12 Stock Dove
2 Buzzard
2 Bullfinch
2 Collared
8 House Sparrow
2 Redpoll
Sorry for the rant folks
Dave Stewart
1 Corn Bunting
c.150 Chaffinch
18 Yellowhammer
2 Linnet
2 Stonechat
4 Buzzard
6 Pink-footed Geese over west
2 Fieldfare
28 Redwing
2 Willow Tit
26 Teal
4 Stock Dove
200122
Chat Moss
3 Grey Partridge
1 Grey Wagtail
146 Lapwing
26 Starling
Irlam Moss
55 Chaffinch
8 Linnet
62 Lapwing
Astley Moss
57 Redwing
1 Raven
4 Siskin
1 Treecreeper
1 Snipe
1 Nuthatch
2 Chiffchaff.
190122 am
Irlam Moss
105 Redwing
2 Fieldfare
90 Pink-Footed Geese
45 Chaffinch
1 Brambling
450 Jackdaw
1 Treecreeper
1 Goldcrest
Chat Moss
1 Peregrine...Male
2 Lesser Redpoll
43 Skylark
2 Snipe
Barton Moss
4 Snipe
750 Jackdaw
50 Chaffinch
15 Tree Sparrow
180122...am...Carbon Landscape Winter Farmland Bird Count...Little Wooden Moss + Glaze
3 Snipe
4 Lesser Redpoll
4 Teal
3 Goosander...2 Male 1 Female
12 Gadwall
19 Mallard
2 Siskin
54 Fieldfare
75 Redwing
45 House Sparrow
8 Tree Sparrow
11 Grey Partridge
46 Skylark
30 Lapwing
1 Stonechat.
160122 am...
New Moss Wood
15 Blackbird
50 Siskin
5 Lesser Redpoll
1 Treecreeper
19 Redwing
3 Song Thrush...2 in song
2 Nuthatch
17 Blue Tit
14 Great Tit
Cadishead Moss
240 Redwing
170 Starling
55 Fieldfare
450 Lapwing
Irlam Moss, Chat Moss and Little Woolden Moss
Corn Bunting x 10 (on trees at edge of Field 15 next to Twelve Yards Road)
Yellowhammer x 2 (on trees at edge of Field 14 next to Twelve Yards Road)
Pink-Footed Geese x 100 plus (Field 5)
Buzzard x 3
Kestrel x 1
Reed Bunting x 1
Song Thrush x 2
Redwing x 1
Fieldfare x 15 (Field 20)
Lapwing x 50 (Field 17)
Bullfinch x 3
Dunnock x 2
Long-Tailed Tits x 5
Collared Dove x 4
Chaffinch x 40
Blue Tit x 3
Great Tit x 5
Robin x 3
Wren x 2
Goldfinch x 5
Woodpigeon x 70
Rook x 30
Carrion Crow x 15
Jay x 1
Magpie x 5
Blackbird x 3
Pheasant x 1
Starling x 50
Black-Headed Gull x 30
House Sparrow x 25
150122 Mid Morn Wander
Irlam Moss
29 Skylark
2 Stonechat
26 Yellowhammer
2 Grey Partridge
Chat Moss
3 Snipe
90 Linnet
200 Chaffinch
2 Brambling
70 Reed Bunting
11 Yellowhammer
50 Stock Dove
450 Woodpigeon
1 Peregrine....Male
36 Skylark.
140122 am Carbon Landscape Winter Bird Count Little Woolden Moss
2 Snipe
23 Skylark
80 Lapwing
1 Stonechat
70 Pink-Footed Geese flying East @ 1307
41 Starling.
Male goosander flew north over White Gate Farm at 11.00
1 Marsh Harrier - imm/fem
1 Sparrowhawk - female
6 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
2 Stonechat
18 Grey Partridge
90 Pink-footed Geese over NW
1 Brambling
c120 Fieldfare
16 Mistle Thrush
c100 Linnet
3 Snipe
2 Bullfinch
c30 Stock Dove
130122 Mid Morn Wander
Irlam Moss
4 Lesser Redpoll
250 Pink-Footed Geese...settled but soon disturbed
2 Yellowhammer
Barton Moss
36 Chaffinch
4 Tree Sparrow
90 Fieldfare
19 Redwing
13 Corn bunting
800 Jackdaw
90 Skylark.
2pm to 4.15pm walk down Moss Lane as far as Little Woolden Moss Nature Reserve & Back.
A nice change having to search for Chaffinch amongst the many Bramblings around White Gate Farm, where there
was also Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Willow, Coal & Long Tailed Tits.
C.50 Fieldfare were in the adjacent fields with a further C.100 in trees bordering the nature reserve.
C.50 Redwing were in trees behind Moss Side Farm with 20 more in a field right at the beginning of Moss Lane.
Also seen in various locations :- 3 Jay, Collared Dove, Lapwing, Kestrel, Pheasant & Song Thrush.
This morning 09.30/11.45 down Moss Lane to White Gate Farm. Light showers but ceased on arrival. 28 species highlights being:
One Nuthatch.
One Buzzard
One Kestrel
Loads of Brambling and Chaffinch by the farm easily a flock of c300 mixed flock, they were very flighty. On arrival there were very few around then all of a sudden they came in from all directions into the trees by the farm buildings .
110 Linnet on the wires by the farm.
Mixed flock of Starling, Redwing and Fieldfare c250 near the sewage works.
Big flock of Sparrow further down Moss Lane but we could only pick out one Tree Sparrow!
Seventeen Pink-footed Geese over sewage works at 11.30
.Any Chiffchaff in winter ...well whatever they are they will still look good in years to come once recorded in the annals of the GMEU/GMBRG sites...and that's what counts!
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Monday 10th of January 2022 09:04:28 PM
They both looked similar in the field, quite bright. I put it down to light in the photo, which are not altered, but maybe one was more distant thus taken in digital rather than optical zoom which could have an effect. Both were silent and neither responded to playback of tristis call.
After years of using XLS to send in my Moss records Mr Atkins recently got me into inputting using Swift....its an excellent user friendly system!!!!
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Monday 10th of January 2022 09:01:54 PM
Don't be Dave, we absolutely need such records and advocate they be submitted but if they are via our new, incredibly user friendly and easy to use on-line Swift recording system, then there is no work for Steve either
Brief Mid Morn to Midday wander
Irlam Moss
4 Snipe
51 Meadow Pipit
5 Skylark
50 Lapwing overflew heading North
Noted rising from FN20 area...recently part harvested turf...the only time turf production is of ANY wildlife use as it resembles a marsh
600 Lapwing
15 Fieldfare
30 Starling
Also Noted overflying Little Woolden Moss Nature Reserve @ 1205 heading East West
950 Pink-Footed Geese (did a dot to dot count from a photo taken when home)
Cadishead Moss
Winter Wheat...even this winter farmland survival destroyer has some use now and again...
45 Fieldfare
280 Lapwing
20 Starling
22 Black-headed Gull
....on quick return home noted three other birdwatchers along 12 yards enjoying the rarity of such fields not being pounded by Winter Wheat thus is their novel state of Stubble and Fallow were actually supporting an influx of birds grateful for this 'hopeful' (in my aged eyes) glimpse of how ELMS/Re-Wilding might bring in a lifeline for our most declining birds...Farmland...its even brought back the traditional Merlin to one of their favourite field areas...my only concern is that poor old Steve Atkins is to be further inundated with bird records to process for GMEU and GMBRG...input by these visitors....
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 10th of January 2022 07:58:36 PM
Cheers, John
Pink-footed Goose 895 The entire flock of 700 alighted from F62 and flew over Little Woolden Moss at 11.59, another 100 west prior to that, small no's east afterwards.
Collared Dove 123 (Flocks arriving from the north)
Lapwing 705 several mobile flocks
Merlin 1 male preening on a fencepost in F16, prolonged views with John Rayner
Peregrine juv hunting a Lapwing F16
Rook 1
Willow Tit 1 at the junction to Woodbarn Farm at 53.460211, -2.434675
Skylark 31 F16
Chiffchaff 2 together on the mounds in the north west corner of F3, initially one in the ditch between there and Birch View Farm
Redwing 116
Fieldfare 15
Stonechat pair at Woodbarn Farm
Meadow Pipit 2
Chaffinch 53
Bullfinch 1
Linnet 15
Goldfinch 24
Yellowhammer 4
Reed Bunting 5
080122 mid-morn
Little Woolden Moss West
42 Teal
26 Mallard
2 Gadwall
130 Fieldfare
45 Starling
20 Redwing
LWMLWTNR...between very heavy downpours
1 Lesser Redpoll
3 Teal
1 Peregrine...male
1 Marsh Harrier...female.
c200 Brambling at White Gate Farm. A great sight.
Also a similar number of Chaffinch here.
1 Brambling with a few Goldfinch and Chaffinch near the poly tunnels at the end of Moss Lane
8 Golden Plover feeding with c.120 Lapwing in the partially harvested turf field f20
500+ Pink-footed Geese milling around having been disturbed from f62 but did eventually return after about 30 mins.
28 Fieldfare
2 Redwing
11 Linnet
1 Meadow Pipit
Brambling 200 together in single flock by White Gate Farm counted carefully through scope
Linnet 170 on the wires by White Gate Farm
Fieldfare 30 (same field as the Brambling trees)
070122 am
Irlam Moss
85 Lapwing
25 Yellowhammer
450 Jackdaw
13 Mistle Thrush.
86 Pink-Footed Geese...milling about the area which has a part harvested Potato crop...
Chat Moss
18 Chaffinch
31 Skylark
2 Woodcock
2 Snipe
4 Lesser Redpoll
9 Yellowhammer.
64 Lapwing
Still several hundred Chaffinch about together with a few Brambling mixed in with them.Only 2 Linnet were seen and no sign of any other finches.
On the farmland either side of Moss Lane a couple of Mistle Thrush, 30 plus Fieldfare and similar number of Redwing, also about 50 Chaffinch feeding in one of the stubble fields. A calling Nuthatch and a few Blue and Great Tits on the county side of the Glaze.