Anyone in Stockport checked out Henry St. in Offerton for Waxwings? Came past at 3.45 today on the main rd(in a rush, couldn't stop)and a flock of starling sized birds in tree tops. Probably starlings, but you never know, this has been a good Waxwing sight.
Paul Heaton said
Thu Feb 4 8:10 AM, 2010
A Cormorant sat on the M60 lamppost next to Sale water, yesterday just looked odd, not seen one sat there before.
Keep birding
Neil McCall said
Wed Feb 3 7:52 PM, 2010
Shandon Avenue Wood, Northenden
Usual woodland birds plus Grey Heron, Redwing, Bullfinch (male), GS Woodpecker and Nuthatch (all singles) on short walk Sunday 31st Jan
Dave Thacker said
Mon Feb 1 5:55 PM, 2010
A Raven flew over Lancaster road in Salford at 16.25 this afternoon
Sarfraz Hayat said
Fri Jan 29 11:04 PM, 2010
A Buzzard crossing very low over the M60 going westwards just before junction 15 as I was heading southbound at about 4pm.
gary mills said
Tue Jan 26 9:36 PM, 2010
2 Tawny Owls together at dusk on Worsley Golf Course along with a single Woodcock. The Buzzard that was resident near to the M60 at Ashton over Xmas appears to have moved onto nearby Brookdale Golf Course.
Jimmy Meadows said
Tue Jan 26 9:30 PM, 2010
Raven Over Beech Hill This morning 08:30 west
Bill Myerscough said
Tue Jan 26 7:55 PM, 2010
26th January.
Family party of 4 Woodpigeons - 2 adults and 2 juvenile plumaged birds in fields adjacent to Prestwich Clough this morning - not quite sure when juvs of this species acquire the white neck "slash" but it would seem that these young birds have probably fledged sometime in the last few months of 2009 - or possibly a little earlier and their moult has been suspended in the cold spell?
Also this afternoon - 4 Feral Pigeons sitting on nests below a box girder bridge over the Rochdale Canal in Chadderton - 1 nest had two well grown young in it.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Tuesday 26th of January 2010 07:57:08 PM
Phil Owen said
Sat Jan 23 11:06 PM, 2010
Tawny Owl calling at 7pm last night in woods near Wythenshawe Civic Centre.
Dean Macdonald said
Sat Jan 23 7:41 PM, 2010
2 Tawny Owls calling outside my house this evening
Debs Wallace said
Sat Jan 23 6:37 PM, 2010
Got to admit it is all getting more than a little bizarre! Ive been so lucky to have had such close contact with some great birds recently. It started two weeks ago with the pied wagtail at work which had exhausted itself flying into windows in its attempt to get out and then collapsed unconscious on the corridor before I got called to "do something!". That was the one Paul Heaton posted on "bird in a bag". Watching that little un recover and eat half its body weight in meal worms and then fly off the following day was just magic, then the robin, then the sparrowhawks. They may not be rarities but for me, four totally brilliant birds that made my days special. Arent birds just great.
brandon mulhern said
Sat Jan 23 4:51 PM, 2010
Debs Wallace wrote:
Stunning view of a female sparrowhawk on the Fallowfield Loopline near Princess Parkway late this afternoon. I was cycling and it was flying at just above head height alongside the track through dense trees and shrubs. It was flying quite slowly for a sparrowhawk as it was having to weave and tilt from side to side to dodge its way through the trees. I cycled alongside it for about 50m, it was amazing - just like those great film shots you get on some nature TV programmes. Fantastic bit of flying but it came out empty handed / footed and perched in a tree.
i think it's time we hired a filmcrew for you Debs!! Robins land on your hand, sparrowhawks at your feet and fly along side you! Maybe your the one and only bird god that all birds want to be close too. Keep it up and let us know when they nest ............
-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Saturday 23rd of January 2010 09:37:42 PM
Debs Wallace said
Fri Jan 22 8:56 PM, 2010
Stunning view of a female sparrowhawk on the Fallowfield Loopline near Princess Parkway late this afternoon. I was cycling and it was flying at just above head height alongside the track through dense trees and shrubs. It was flying quite slowly for a sparrowhawk as it was having to weave and tilt from side to side to dodge its way through the trees. I cycled alongside it for about 50m, it was amazing - just like those great film shots you get on some nature TV programmes. Fantastic bit of flying but it came out empty handed / footed and perched in a tree.
Dave Tennant said
Fri Jan 22 8:11 PM, 2010
20-30 barnacle geese flying over standish high school west towards parbold 2030 lastnight.
Paul Dewey said
Fri Jan 22 10:07 AM, 2010
Late for yesterday, heard GT Spotted Woodpecker drumming at Abney Hall.
Also 2 sparrowhawk flying/interacting together.
Paul Dewey said
Wed Jan 20 2:03 PM, 2010
On school run saw 2 jays on Didsbury Road, and a Gt spotted woodpecker nearby.
On monday had 2 LBB gulls low over my house.
Paul Hopkins said
Mon Jan 18 9:20 PM, 2010
Steve Almond wrote:
Today, out running along the Middlebrook near Lostock Arms, a Kingfisher and a Dipper. It beats going to the gym!
My money's on the dipper
Steve Almond said
Mon Jan 18 5:33 PM, 2010
Today, out running along the Middlebrook near Lostock Arms, a Kingfisher and a Dipper. It beats going to the gym!
Paul Heaton said
Fri Jan 15 7:37 AM, 2010
Large flock of finches at Bradley fold trading estate Bolton yesterday,
35 Goldfinch 14 Greenfinch 9 Chaffinch.
6 Redpoll 30 Starling 7 Fieldfare 11 Redwing.
Keep Birding
Joey Eccles said
Thu Jan 14 7:41 PM, 2010
2 goosander (1 m 1 f) and 1 male goldeneye on same stretch of irwell as mentioned below, this morning 8.00am
Dennis atherton said
Thu Jan 14 6:34 PM, 2010
Dave Thacker wrote:
Dennis, I remember seeing the GG Shrike at Pennington, I'm not sure of the year but I did go to a number of LOS meetings at the library between 1977-82 as my local Naturalist club in Swinton closed down . I also remember a bunch of rum looking lads on the back row
That is excellent, a great memory for me, a great looking bird, i also remember my trust tasco 8x35 that i saw it through, probably not a very good pair but im took them everywhere,
Jonathan Platt said
Thu Jan 14 11:17 AM, 2010
A barn owl flew across Kenyon Lane, Lowton around 10.30pm last night, just south of 'Five Acres'.
Joey Eccles said
Wed Jan 13 9:46 PM, 2010
6 golden eye (2M 4F) on river irwell next to the red swing bridge near old trafford at 8.00am yesterday morning also 1 female sparrowhawk flying over ship canal in castlefield today
JOHN TYMON said
Wed Jan 13 9:19 PM, 2010
Dave Thacker wrote:
Dennis, I remember seeing the GG Shrike at Pennington, I'm not sure of the year but I did go to a number of LOS meetings at the library between 1977-82 as my local Naturalist club in Swinton closed down . I also remember a bunch of rum looking lads on the back row
Them rum lads was me,paul brown who won the mystery bird comp and now north rons finest,and patrick baglee illustrator of the birds of pennington flash,and now living very sucsessfully down south,we used the back row as it was closest to the bar at the interval
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 13th of January 2010 09:20:45 PM
gary mills said
Wed Jan 13 9:17 PM, 2010
Sorry to break up the Nightjar discussion. Single Woodcock on Worsley Golf Course yesterday evening. Buzzard again perched in trees next to the hard shoulder M60 anti clockwise between Ashton and Oldham. The bird appears to have taken up residence in this area since before christmas.
Judith Smith said
Wed Jan 13 8:24 PM, 2010
Nightjars died out because a firm came in and illegally started destroying the habitat to create what is now Astley Moss East peatworks. They had no planning permission but got it retrospectively from Salford CC - by which time the habitat was destroyed so proper C106 restoration couldn't be insisted on (or rather SCC was weak!)
Dave Thacker said
Wed Jan 13 7:14 PM, 2010
Henry & Rob
I certainly hope that the Nightjars have not disappeared from the mosses as I have spent quite a bit of my time over the years wandering around in the dark looking for them. Apart from me giving the local insect population something to bite on I have not had any luck in finding any Nightjars.
Except the one which turned up with Mr Heaton and his RSPCA van a couple of years back
Dennis, I remember seeing the GG Shrike at Pennington, I'm not sure of the year but I did go to a number of LOS meetings at the library between 1977-82 as my local Naturalist club in Swinton closed down . I also remember a bunch of rum looking lads on the back row
Dennis atherton said
Tue Jan 12 6:39 PM, 2010
JOHN TYMON wrote:
Dennis atherton wrote:
yep good times, i still remember those talks, slide shows and coach trips away to spurn and leighton moss, we once did a night tour trip to astley moss looking for nightjars
The leigh ornithological society still meets at leigh library every 3rd friday-see links from homepage for details.or go to the LOS website.
Thanks John, i did not know that, i think i will be making a visit along there soon
Rob Thorpe said
Tue Jan 12 10:22 AM, 2010
Henry Cook wrote:
Why did the Astley Nightjars die out?
I presume it was due to loss of habitat as the mosses became farmland... I might be wrong though.
Henry Cook said
Tue Jan 12 9:21 AM, 2010
Why did the Astley Nightjars die out?
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Jan 12 6:54 AM, 2010
Dennis atherton wrote:
yep good times, i still remember those talks, slide shows and coach trips away to spurn and leighton moss, we once did a night tour trip to astley moss looking for nightjars
The leigh ornithological society still meets at leigh library every 3rd friday-see links from homepage for details.or go to the LOS website.
Dennis atherton said
Mon Jan 11 11:27 PM, 2010
yep good times, i still remember those talks, slide shows and coach trips away to spurn and leighton moss, we once did a night tour trip to astley moss looking for nightjars
JOHN TYMON said
Mon Jan 11 8:38 PM, 2010
Dennis atherton wrote:
Does anyone else remember this?
Pennington flash, in the early 80s possibly slightly before, i am not sure of the date, i was only 10 or 11 at the time, i was an avid young bird watcher and member of the YOC (Young Ornithologist club) in Leigh and we had meetings at Leigh library, a very fond memory i have of a bird i will never forget, a county rarity and we from the Leigh ornithologists all went to penny looking for this bird that had stopped there for a short time, it was such a good memory because i actually managed to see it and i had never seen one before, does anyone one else remember this rare occurrence at penny, one of my cherished memories in birding, the bird was a great grey shrike, does any one else here remember this too?
Think you'l find the A team were thereon the back row of the library suppin ale,then dawn ont flash early doors mornin after showing you wippersnappers another top penny bird.Didn't miss an LOS meeting between 1977 and 1992.
Dennis atherton said
Mon Jan 11 6:24 PM, 2010
Does anyone else remember this?
Pennington flash, in the early 80s possibly slightly before, i am not sure of the date, i was only 10 or 11 at the time, i was an avid young bird watcher and member of the YOC (Young Ornithologist club) in Leigh and we had meetings at Leigh library, a very fond memory i have of a bird i will never forget, a county rarity and we from the Leigh ornithologists all went to penny looking for this bird that had stopped there for a short time, it was such a good memory because i actually managed to see it and i had never seen one before, does anyone one else remember this rare occurrence at penny, one of my cherished memories in birding, the bird was a great grey shrike, does any one else here remember this too?
Dennis atherton said
Sun Jan 10 10:03 PM, 2010
Tony Coatsworth wrote:
Harris Hawk - been seen around Whalley Range for the last week
this is probably true, Ian mentioned a missing harris hawk from a local farmer in butts bridge, sounds like could be the same bird
Joey Eccles said
Sun Jan 10 10:01 PM, 2010
1 buzzad scattering pigeons and searching for prey over monton village at 2pm
jomills said
Sun Jan 10 1:13 PM, 2010
Joey Eccles wrote:
forgot to add that i also saw what i thought to be a bh gull in full breeding plumage (with brown/black head). does anyone if this gull is just starting early or maybe its another species? Out of the 500 or so bh gulls i saw yesterday it waas the only one with this plumage.
Also a few of these at chorlton water park. 1 in particular has a full black head already, first spotted in december.
Joey Eccles said
Sun Jan 10 11:15 AM, 2010
forgot to add that i also saw what i thought to be a bh gull in full breeding plumage (with brown/black head). does anyone if this gull is just starting early or maybe its another species? Out of the 500 or so bh gulls i saw yesterday it waas the only one with this plumage.
Joey Eccles said
Sat Jan 9 4:55 PM, 2010
3 sparrowhawks (2 f 1 m) from edge lane in stretford to salford keys following chester road and the bridgewater way
jomills said
Sat Jan 9 3:51 PM, 2010
5 Fieldfare feeding in trees near Withington Hospital - Burton Road 4 Goldcrest and countless Redwings feeding in and around The Woodstock car park (Barlow Moor Road, West Didsbury)
Tony Coatsworth said
Sat Jan 9 3:11 PM, 2010
Harris Hawk - been seen around Whalley Range for the last week
David Craven said
Sat Jan 9 12:36 AM, 2010
Great views of a Dipper on the Croal, just near the (defunct) Lostock Arms yesterday.
gary mills said
Fri Jan 8 11:20 PM, 2010
Single Buzzard seen perched in trees yesterday and today alongside the east bound slip road onto the M60 at Clifton(Robin Hood). Single Woodcock seen at dusk today on Worsley Golf Course.
Joey Eccles said
Fri Jan 8 10:03 PM, 2010
Walking down claude road in chorlton at sunset saw 10 redwings and 2 fieldfares feeding in small 8ft trees. The birds were exceptionally tame and allowed you to walk under them to within a foot or two - the best views i've ever had of either thrush!
Phil Owen said
Wed Jan 6 8:17 PM, 2010
Just seen 16 Whooper Swans flying over Portway in Wythenshawe at 7.55pm.
Not bad when you can still get a tick for the year list in the dark!!
Debs Wallace said
Wed Jan 6 4:18 PM, 2010
A fieldfare at the allotment in Fallowfield today (first I've seen there). Seemed to be eating snow from the branches of my apple tree. A flock of 20+ greenfinches also arrived. This is the most that I have seen at once for a while. Also chaffinch, blue, great, coal and long tailed tits, dunnocks, blackbirds.
Joey Eccles said
Wed Jan 6 11:42 AM, 2010
female blackcap on feeders as i type
Tim Crossley said
Tue Jan 5 4:22 PM, 2010
Strinesdale Country Park 4th Jan 2010 female kestrel male Sparrowhawk Kingfisher GS pecker common gulls black headed gulls mallards white goosey things moorhens coal tits blue tits great tits long tailed tits bullfinch greenfinch dunnock wren song thrush long tailed tits woodpigeons and all the usual stuff lol
-- Edited by Tim Crossley on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 04:33:55 PM
-- Edited by Tim Crossley on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 04:34:38 PM
-- Edited by Tim Crossley on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 04:35:22 PM
Joey Eccles said
Mon Jan 4 12:01 PM, 2010
female sparrowhawk and male goosander both heading towards ship canal from gasmeter in salford (liverpool road) at 11am
Rachael Hill said
Sat Jan 2 3:28 PM, 2010
1 fed up buzzard perced on post by side of M60 between Oldham & Chadderton (nr chadderton slip road).
Keep birding
Usual woodland birds plus Grey Heron, Redwing, Bullfinch (male), GS Woodpecker and Nuthatch (all singles) on short walk Sunday 31st Jan
The Buzzard that was resident near to the M60 at Ashton over Xmas appears to have moved onto nearby Brookdale Golf Course.
Family party of 4 Woodpigeons - 2 adults and 2 juvenile plumaged birds in fields adjacent to Prestwich Clough this morning - not quite sure when juvs of this species acquire the white neck "slash" but it would seem that these young birds have probably fledged sometime in the last few months of 2009 - or possibly a little earlier and their moult has been suspended in the cold spell?
Also this afternoon - 4 Feral Pigeons sitting on nests below a box girder bridge over the Rochdale Canal in Chadderton - 1 nest had two well grown young in it.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Tuesday 26th of January 2010 07:57:08 PM
2 Tawny Owls calling outside my house this evening
Ive been so lucky to have had such close contact with some great birds recently.
It started two weeks ago with the pied wagtail at work which had exhausted itself flying into windows in its attempt to get out and then collapsed unconscious on the corridor before I got called to "do something!". That was the one Paul Heaton posted on "bird in a bag". Watching that little un recover and eat half its body weight in meal worms and then fly off the following day was just magic, then the robin, then the sparrowhawks.
They may not be rarities but for me, four totally brilliant birds that made my days special.
Arent birds just great.
i think it's time we hired a filmcrew for you Debs!! Robins land on your hand, sparrowhawks at your feet and fly along side you! Maybe your the one and only bird god that all birds want to be close too. Keep it up and let us know when they nest ............
-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Saturday 23rd of January 2010 09:37:42 PM
Also 2 sparrowhawk flying/interacting together.
On monday had 2 LBB gulls low over my house.
My money's on the dipper
35 Goldfinch
14 Greenfinch
9 Chaffinch.
6 Redpoll
30 Starling
7 Fieldfare
11 Redwing.
Keep Birding
That is excellent, a great memory for me, a great looking bird, i also remember my trust tasco 8x35 that i saw it through, probably not a very good pair but im took them everywhere,
also 1 female sparrowhawk flying over ship canal in castlefield today
Them rum lads was me,paul brown who won the mystery bird comp and now north rons finest,and patrick baglee illustrator of the birds of pennington flash,and now living very sucsessfully down south,we used the back row as it was closest to the bar at the interval
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 13th of January 2010 09:20:45 PM
Single Woodcock on Worsley Golf Course yesterday evening.
Buzzard again perched in trees next to the hard shoulder M60 anti clockwise between Ashton and Oldham. The bird appears to have taken up residence in this area since before christmas.
I certainly hope that the Nightjars have not disappeared from the mosses as I have spent quite a bit of my time over the years wandering around in the dark looking for them. Apart from me giving the local insect population something to bite on I have not had any luck in finding any Nightjars.
Except the one which turned up with Mr Heaton and his RSPCA van a couple of years back
Dennis, I remember seeing the GG Shrike at Pennington, I'm not sure of the year but I did go to a number of LOS meetings at the library between 1977-82 as my local Naturalist club in Swinton closed down . I also remember a bunch of rum looking lads on the back row
Thanks John, i did not know that, i think i will be making a visit along there soon
I presume it was due to loss of habitat as the mosses became farmland... I might be wrong though.
The leigh ornithological society still meets at leigh library every 3rd friday-see links from homepage for details.or go to the LOS website.
Think you'l find the A team were thereon the back row of the library suppin ale,then dawn ont flash early doors mornin after showing you wippersnappers another top penny bird.Didn't miss an LOS meeting between 1977 and 1992.
Pennington flash, in the early 80s possibly slightly before, i am not sure of the date, i was only 10 or 11 at the time, i was an avid young bird watcher and member of the YOC (Young Ornithologist club) in Leigh and we had meetings at Leigh library, a very fond memory i have of a bird i will never forget, a county rarity and we from the Leigh ornithologists all went to penny looking for this bird that had stopped there for a short time, it was such a good memory because i actually managed to see it and i had never seen one before, does anyone one else remember this rare occurrence at penny, one of my cherished memories in birding, the bird was a great grey shrike, does any one else here remember this too?
this is probably true, Ian mentioned a missing harris hawk from a local farmer in butts bridge, sounds like could be the same bird
Also a few of these at chorlton water park. 1 in particular has a full black head already, first spotted in december.
4 Goldcrest and countless Redwings feeding in and around The Woodstock car park (Barlow Moor Road, West Didsbury)
Single Woodcock seen at dusk today on Worsley Golf Course.
Not bad when you can still get a tick for the year list in the dark!!
female kestrel
male Sparrowhawk
Kingfisher
GS pecker
common gulls
black headed gulls
mallards
white goosey things
moorhens
coal tits
blue tits
great tits
long tailed tits
bullfinch
greenfinch
dunnock
wren
song thrush
long tailed tits
woodpigeons
and all the usual stuff lol
-- Edited by Tim Crossley on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 04:33:55 PM
-- Edited by Tim Crossley on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 04:34:38 PM
-- Edited by Tim Crossley on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 04:35:22 PM