Tree sparrow is a great record, do we know where the nearest population is that they may have come from? I've never seen any anywhere near central Manchester.
the only population I know of is probably around Carrington moss, trying to recall if I have had any in the Mersey valley !
there was 4 tree sparrows, 2 were still around until around 6pm when they eventually flew off. hope I see them again also of note was a flyover kestrel & a jay.
James Richardson said
Thu Oct 18 3:34 PM, 2018
Tree sparrow is a great record, do we know where the nearest population is that they may have come from? I've never seen any anywhere near central Manchester.
steven burke said
Thu Oct 18 3:22 PM, 2018
A great new tick for my old trafford garden this afternoon in the shape of 3 tree sparrows Also a male sparrowhawk whizzing around, looks like the same one that I managed to get a photo of yesterday. Great spotted woodpecker also yesterday.
Chiffchaff in my old trafford garden this morning, singing also in the lovely sunshine.
Karen Foulkes said
Sat Oct 6 7:33 PM, 2018
Nuthatch in the garden this morning and Siskin over when I was filling the bird feeders
Steven Nelson said
Sat Oct 6 1:13 PM, 2018
A Jay in my Irlam garden today briefly was a first record.
steven burke said
Sun Sep 30 4:07 PM, 2018
Very busy in my old trafford garden this morning around 11 20am when a roaming flock of tits came in... 12 long tailed tits 5 blue tits 4 great tits 4 coal tits 1 goldcrest was also with them. Plus all the usual birds... 50+ goldfinch 2 greenfinch 30+ house sparrows, 1 unfortunately had a tick on its cheek. 3 starlings 1 Robin 1 dunnock 1 blackbird With the Feral pigeons there would of been over 150 birds in my garden at one point.
steven burke said
Sat Sep 29 12:51 PM, 2018
Common buzzard circling over my old trafford garden this morning.also 1 pied wagtail over. 5 meadow pipit, 2 siskin & 1 swallow over heading south. 40+ goldfinch 1 greenfinch 2 coal tits 2 blue tits 2 great tits 1 Robin 1 dunnock 1 starling 25 house sparrows 2 jackdaws
-- Edited by steven burke on Saturday 29th of September 2018 12:51:52 PM
sid ashton said
Sat Sep 29 10:29 AM, 2018
Two Grey Wagtails on our Hale garden pond this morning. They were happily sharing the facility with two Wood Pigeons but when a Robin appeared they seemed to be alarmed and flew off and didn't come back until the Robin had left. Maybe it was just coincidental but the Robin did seem quite aggressive.
graeme robertson said
Sat Sep 22 7:24 PM, 2018
Grey Wagtail today in Farnworth garden feeding round the pond
Richard Thew said
Sat Sep 22 4:04 PM, 2018
A female tawny owl calling overnight in the area. It's been a while since I've last heard one locally.
Ta!
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Sep 16 8:44 PM, 2018
The roving tit flock hit the (Romiley) garden this afternoon and contained both chiffchaff and goldcrest. As good as it gets at the moment.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sun Sep 16 4:30 PM, 2018
A good count of 16 Mistle Thrush over my Flixton garden this afternoon.
sid ashton said
Thu Sep 13 1:42 PM, 2018
A group of 7 or 8 Long-tailed Tits in our Hale garden just now - a sign that the cold weather is soon to be with us?
steven burke said
Wed Sep 12 11:25 AM, 2018
Male & female blackcap feeding in my old trafford garden this morning. Also siskin heard going over.
Peter Nolan Woolley said
Fri Sep 7 7:19 PM, 2018
Kestrel heading west over our Openshaw garden @ 19:10.
Keith Mills said
Fri Sep 7 5:26 PM, 2018
At 5.17 this evening a Great Spotted Woodpecker was near the
top of our Larch, before diving down into nexts door garden.
Neil Collier said
Fri Sep 7 2:43 PM, 2018
Anyone any ideas what this bird might be? It has appeared in a neighbours garden recently.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 7th of September 2018 02:45:41 PM
After doing the first visits to 2 Tawny Owl survey squares and unsurprisingly given the locations hearing nothing, within an hour of getting home 1 was calling in our garden, considering that the last one I heard in the garden was in early September 2015 this is taking the proverbial I think. Another bird that hasn't been seen in the garden since 2015 turned up yesterday, a Treecreeper. A couple of Nuthatches have appeared recently but otherwise I have never known the feeders be so quiet even at this time of year, I suspect we have had regular visits from a Sparrowhawk that hopefully might explain why the birds are reluctant to come into the garden.
Richard Thew said
Wed Sep 5 2:10 PM, 2018
3 buzzards calling over my Radcliffe garden way up, and just when they moved on, a male sparrowhawk landed casually on top of the main bird feeding station just 12 ft from me. He looked as suprised to see me as I was to see him. I stayed totally still and after about 5 seconds - he casually flew back. He looked like he was halfway through his molt looking a bit tatty. Ta!
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Aug 29 9:04 PM, 2018
Today's star birds were 2 nuthatches which, like yesterday's chiffchaff, were on the ground seeing what I'd left them. After that 'action' at 8.00 a.m., there was nothing else to report whilst I was at home.
Keith Mills said
Wed Aug 29 9:01 AM, 2018
For their breakfast this am; up to 8 juvenile Goldfinch (often nipping each other to get space on the feeders), juvenile Robin, juvenile House Sparrow,
juvenile Dunnocks, Chaffinch and Blue and Great Tits.
Nothing unusual but nice to see this level of activity.
-- Edited by Keith Mills on Wednesday 29th of August 2018 09:25:24 AM
Andy Bissitt said
Tue Aug 28 9:21 PM, 2018
Threw some seeds and brown bread on the ground which attracted the house sparrow flock (25) mid morning. This also got the attention of other birds, including a chiffchaff which actually landed on terra firma whilst it had a look what was on offer. See 'other wildlife - Romiley' for the end piece to this idyllic scene.
Peter Nolan Woolley said
Tue Aug 28 5:46 PM, 2018
Kestrel hovering over our Openshaw garden, being mobbed by the local Magpies.
steven burke said
Tue Aug 21 11:02 PM, 2018
4 curlews over my old trafford garden this evening at 7.25pm calling & heading west. oystercatcher was heard only but could not pick it up as it sounded high up at 8.05pm.
Richard Thew said
Fri Aug 10 11:41 PM, 2018
Just thought I'd share something amuzing in my Radcliffe garden. I have a nest box packed with sawdust in the hope that I may attract willow tits (after my 2016 visit- a long shot but worth an attempt anyway). About last February, a small chamber of about 2 - 2 1/2 inch in diameter was carved out for a 2nd time just at the enterance- but I left it this time to see what would happen. Only recently a juvenile blue tit decided to make himself cosy inside and sleeps there for the night. Ta!
Keith Mills said
Wed Aug 8 7:58 AM, 2018
A Nuthatch by my feeders just now.
Richard Thew said
Tue Aug 7 7:03 PM, 2018
Just thought I'd post an update;
My blackbirds are now back together along with both chicks. So this obviously means I'm seeing the male frequently again. This also proves that when they separated, the parents each rearing a chick in a separate area to prevent both from falling victim if one or the other fell victim to a predator. The female helps herself to some mealworms, the chicks are almost independent now but still need some help. This at their age can be a little messy as mealworms get dropped. A juvenile great tit has cottoned on to this and now follows the female and will help itself to the ones that fall. No doubt that's what the sparrows wait for too as they come out in force out of all the cracks whenever the blackbirds turn up.
Finally, I've finally seen a Robin and a dunnock- but only juveniles. So the original adults must be somewhere.
Ta!
steven burke said
Sun Aug 5 9:31 PM, 2018
2 ravens over my old trafford garden this evening at 5.50pm cronking as they went over & also circled a couple of times heading in a northerly direction. Several house Martins mixed in with the few swifts that are left around.
sid ashton said
Fri Aug 3 7:48 AM, 2018
A male Tawny Owl calling in our Hale garden at 04.55 this morning - an effective alarm clock!!!
steven burke said
Tue Jul 31 6:24 PM, 2018
4 ravens over my old trafford garden this morning at 10.42am heading in a northerly direction then 2 decided to head west.
Reynard Spiess said
Mon Jul 30 9:22 AM, 2018
Huge cloud of sparrows -30+ on the feeder/lawn/bushes. No idea where they've all come from or why they decided to descend en mass to my garden. Didn't stay long either. and 11 pigeons later in the day.
(And a bonus male stonechat hunting a butterfly whilst out walking Derwent/river ashop)
Andy Bissitt said
Tue Jul 24 9:33 PM, 2018
Today appeared to be the day to 'take the kids for their first dip in the bird bath' (not long before the Heavens opened!). Both juvenile blue and long-tailed tits had a decent splash, but best was a young jay which contented itself with just drinking the water. Very bold though as the bath is just ten feet from the house. Other birds about the garden included coal tit and goldfinch, this being the most activity for some time.
marvin lewis said
Sun Jul 22 10:51 PM, 2018
A female Blackcap showed vert well in my Prestwich garden this afternoon "chack-chacking" away for a few minutes, and was quite restless. It soon flew off.
Richard Thew said
Thu Jul 19 10:29 PM, 2018
Mixed news in my Radcliffe garden.
The blackbirds fledged within a week of my last post. The male isn't seen often now but I still get the female. I suspect that this is because each parent is rearing a chick each on their own in a separate spot as I have observed that behaviour before. The one with my female is staying in the dense shrubbery at the back. The youngster had its life flash before it as a local cat tried to grab it from the fence. Luckily it was in a protected spot!
Other news is the house sparrow visitors are doing very well and are cheeky and bold enough to grab and run any mealworms thrown for my blackbirds - even snatching one from the poor birds beak!! The blackbird was left bewildered wondering what on earth happened!! This is the 3rd time I've seen the sparrows pull this stunt.
Sadly, I miss our dunnocks and robins- they seem to have totally vanished since early spring. This is especially a shame with the robins because I had two in paticular that were hand tame from late winter of 2016/7 and is the 1st time they are missing (though last summer was a bumper year for them).
Ta!
steven burke said
Thu Jul 19 11:47 AM, 2018
Common buzzard over my old trafford garden this morning being harassed by a crow. All the usual birds on the feeders... Goldfinch Greenfinch Bullfinch Coal tit Blue tit Great tit House sparrow Starling Robin A brief visit from a jay on Tuesday morning & 1 house martin over. Upto 70 swifts whizzing around most days.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Mon Jul 16 11:46 AM, 2018
Fledgling blue tit, great tits and robins all on my feeder (together) this morning. Then a collared dove a bit later, a new garden bird for me.
Steven Nelson said
Sat Jul 14 11:31 PM, 2018
A very surreal sight of a large flock of Starlings (est. 500+) streaming over my Irlam garden heading North at c21.00 this evening.
Keith Mills said
Tue Jul 10 10:21 AM, 2018
A juvenile and two adult Goldfinch on my feeders this am.
Greenfinch and House Sparrow also.
Keith Mills said
Sat Jul 7 12:29 PM, 2018
This am:
A juvenile Coal Tit
Juvenile Dunnocks
Juvenile Robin (yesterday)
Greenfinch
Goldfinches
and first time, 2 juvenile Pied Wagtail.
Richard Thew said
Fri Jul 6 6:30 PM, 2018
The jackdaw has been paying regular visits to my Radcliffe garden on most days, the young blue tits and house sparrows are feeding from the suet I've put inside their caged feeder to give them chance to get some before the starlings gobble the lot! This has also attracted the juvenile great tits and coal tits. The best news though is my blackbirds have nested in our garden and will be another week before they fledge!!! As I type, a jackdaw family is patrolling the area.. ta!
Steven Nelson said
Mon Jul 2 11:47 PM, 2018
2 Oystercatchers over my Irlam garden at 9.30pm tonight calling noisily. Also an adult and young Wood Pigeon feeding on the lawn.
Ken Dunning said
Sun Jul 1 7:58 PM, 2018
Not in my garden, but in the front of a garden on my walk along Pemberton road just now. Red legged partridge taking a nap.
Maximumm of 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers in my Horwich garden this weeks suggests a successful brood raised in the woods behind the house
Andy Bissitt said
Fri Jun 29 10:01 PM, 2018
A screaming party of 14 swifts over garden this morning (adding to the Summer idyll). Too early for young yet (?), so I presume it was all the local pairs coming together (seemed to drift off in twos).
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jun 26 9:12 AM, 2018
Ring-necked Parakeet over a Hindley Green grden yesterday.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Richard Thew said
Mon Jun 25 9:32 AM, 2018
I was sorting out some of the food in my Radcliffe garden when a jackdaw flew in very close (10ft?). I was quite suprised not only do I only occasionally see them in summer around our estate - but more to the fact that it's only their 2nd recorded garden visit in 18 years!! (Officially- the 19th year starts in about a weeks time). Ta!
Reynard Spiess said
Mon Jun 25 9:12 AM, 2018
The highlight of Chorlton Open Gardens was an juvenile heron landing in a pond in chorltonville, catching a frog, posing for photos and making it's way off to the neighbours. It seemed oblivious or unconcerned about the dozen or so people admiring it's abilities.
And I didn't do very well at the quiz featuring 42 species that another resident had observed in their garden. It's about twice that which I've seen.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jun 24 10:25 AM, 2018
Originally posted today by Robin Parker:
Ring Ouzel seen in a garden on the Langley Estate, Middleton, Rochdale Borough. Any other local urban sightings
the only population I know of is probably around Carrington moss, trying to recall if I have had any in the Mersey valley !
there was 4 tree sparrows, 2 were still around until around 6pm when they eventually flew off. hope I see them again
also of note was a flyover kestrel & a jay.
Also a male sparrowhawk whizzing around, looks like the same one that I managed to get a photo of yesterday.
Great spotted woodpecker also yesterday.
Kestrel over our Openshaw garden at 17:00
12 long tailed tits
5 blue tits
4 great tits
4 coal tits
1 goldcrest was also with them.
Plus all the usual birds...
50+ goldfinch
2 greenfinch
30+ house sparrows, 1 unfortunately had a tick on its cheek.
3 starlings
1 Robin
1 dunnock
1 blackbird
With the Feral pigeons there would of been over 150 birds in my garden at one point.
5 meadow pipit, 2 siskin & 1 swallow over heading south.
40+ goldfinch
1 greenfinch
2 coal tits
2 blue tits
2 great tits
1 Robin
1 dunnock
1 starling
25 house sparrows
2 jackdaws
-- Edited by steven burke on Saturday 29th of September 2018 12:51:52 PM
Two Grey Wagtails on our Hale garden pond this morning. They were happily sharing the facility with two Wood Pigeons but when a Robin appeared they seemed to be alarmed and flew off and didn't come back until the Robin had left. Maybe it was just coincidental but the Robin did seem quite aggressive.
Grey Wagtail today in Farnworth garden feeding round the pond
It's been a while since I've last heard one locally.
Ta!
The roving tit flock hit the (Romiley) garden this afternoon and contained both chiffchaff and goldcrest. As good as it gets at the moment.
A group of 7 or 8 Long-tailed Tits in our Hale garden just now - a sign that the cold weather is soon to be with us?
Kestrel heading west over our Openshaw garden @ 19:10.
At 5.17 this evening a Great Spotted Woodpecker was near the
top of our Larch, before diving down into nexts door garden.
Anyone any ideas what this bird might be? It has appeared in a neighbours garden recently.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 7th of September 2018 02:45:41 PM
After doing the first visits to 2 Tawny Owl survey squares and unsurprisingly given the locations hearing nothing, within an hour of getting home 1 was calling in our garden, considering that the last one I heard in the garden was in early September 2015 this is taking the proverbial I think.
Another bird that hasn't been seen in the garden since 2015 turned up yesterday, a Treecreeper.
A couple of Nuthatches have appeared recently but otherwise I have never known the feeders be so quiet even at this time of year, I suspect we have had regular visits from a Sparrowhawk that hopefully might explain why the birds are reluctant to come into the garden.
Today's star birds were 2 nuthatches which, like yesterday's chiffchaff, were on the ground seeing what I'd left them. After that 'action' at 8.00 a.m., there was nothing else to report whilst I was at home.
For their breakfast this am; up to 8 juvenile Goldfinch (often nipping each other to get space on the feeders), juvenile Robin, juvenile House Sparrow,
juvenile Dunnocks, Chaffinch and Blue and Great Tits.
Nothing unusual but nice to see this level of activity.
-- Edited by Keith Mills on Wednesday 29th of August 2018 09:25:24 AM
Threw some seeds and brown bread on the ground which attracted the house sparrow flock (25) mid morning. This also got the attention of other birds, including a chiffchaff which actually landed on terra firma whilst it had a look what was on offer. See 'other wildlife - Romiley' for the end piece to this idyllic scene.
Kestrel hovering over our Openshaw garden, being mobbed by the local Magpies.
oystercatcher was heard only but could not pick it up as it sounded high up at 8.05pm.
A Nuthatch by my feeders just now.
Several house Martins mixed in with the few swifts that are left around.
A male Tawny Owl calling in our Hale garden at 04.55 this morning - an effective alarm clock!!!
Huge cloud of sparrows -30+ on the feeder/lawn/bushes. No idea where they've all come from or why they decided to descend en mass to my garden. Didn't stay long either. and 11 pigeons later in the day.
(And a bonus male stonechat hunting a butterfly whilst out walking Derwent/river ashop)
Today appeared to be the day to 'take the kids for their first dip in the bird bath' (not long before the Heavens opened!). Both juvenile blue and long-tailed tits had a decent splash, but best was a young jay which contented itself with just drinking the water. Very bold though as the bath is just ten feet from the house. Other birds about the garden included coal tit and goldfinch, this being the most activity for some time.
The blackbirds fledged within a week of my last post. The male isn't seen often now but I still get the female. I suspect that this is because each parent is rearing a chick each on their own in a separate spot as I have observed that behaviour before. The one with my female is staying in the dense shrubbery at the back. The youngster had its life flash before it as a local cat tried to grab it from the fence. Luckily it was in a protected spot!
Other news is the house sparrow visitors are doing very well and are cheeky and bold enough to grab and run any mealworms thrown for my blackbirds - even snatching one from the poor birds beak!! The blackbird was left bewildered wondering what on earth happened!! This is the 3rd time I've seen the sparrows pull this stunt.
Sadly, I miss our dunnocks and robins- they seem to have totally vanished since early spring. This is especially a shame with the robins because I had two in paticular that were hand tame from late winter of 2016/7 and is the 1st time they are missing (though last summer was a bumper year for them).
Ta!
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Bullfinch
Coal tit
Blue tit
Great tit
House sparrow
Starling
Robin
A brief visit from a jay on Tuesday morning & 1 house martin over.
Upto 70 swifts whizzing around most days.
A juvenile and two adult Goldfinch on my feeders this am.
Greenfinch and House Sparrow also.
This am:
A juvenile Coal Tit
Juvenile Dunnocks
Juvenile Robin (yesterday)
Greenfinch
Goldfinches
and first time, 2 juvenile Pied Wagtail.
Also an adult and young Wood Pigeon feeding on the lawn.
Not in my garden, but in the front of a garden on my walk along Pemberton road just now. Red legged partridge taking a nap.
A screaming party of 14 swifts over garden this morning (adding to the Summer idyll). Too early for young yet (?), so I presume it was all the local pairs coming together (seemed to drift off in twos).
Ring-necked Parakeet over a Hindley Green grden yesterday.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
The highlight of Chorlton Open Gardens was an juvenile heron landing in a pond in chorltonville, catching a frog, posing for photos and making it's way off to the neighbours. It seemed oblivious or unconcerned about the dozen or so people admiring it's abilities.
And I didn't do very well at the quiz featuring 42 species that another resident had observed in their garden. It's about twice that which I've seen.
Originally posted today by Robin Parker:
Ring Ouzel seen in a garden on the Langley Estate, Middleton, Rochdale Borough. Any other local urban sightings