evening dog walk
C8 cuckoo calling and showing well perched in a small bush watching the meadow pipits, 2 sedge warbler heard and senn, 1 reed warbler heard and seen, 5 grasshopper warbler heard 1 very brief glimpse.
C9 mistle thrush, several blackbird and 2 robin all singing well in fading light.

Morning dog walk
C9 a single common tern feeding on stock pond,2 great crested grebe,2 mute swan,10 black headed gull,6 coot,8 tufted duck, 1 whitethroat,mistle thrush,robin,great tit,blue tit,wood pigeon,plenty of willow warbler.
C8 skylark,reed bunting,good numbers of meadow pipit feeding near side of new road and old farm track, 2 whitethroat,1 lesser whitethroat,magpie,carrion crow,quick fly past from cuckoo but not heard any calling this morning,4 grasshopper warbler.

early afternoon dog walk
C8 cuckoo calling constantly and loudly from C7/C6 near Fir tree car park. 1 lesser whitetroat, 2 common whitethroat, skylark,meadow pipit, reed bunting, willow warbler,wren, grasshopper warbler and pheasant both heard only,
C9 4 great crested grebe, 1 little grebe, 3 mallard, 2 mute swan, 8 tufted duck, 5 coot,3 black headed gull, reed bunting, magpie, wood pigeon, carrion crow, dunnock,robin, blue tit, great tit,willow warbler, chiffchaff, 2 blackcap, 3 whitethroat,
possible wood warbler only got a glimpse and couldn't relocate and didn't hear any song but it looked very green and definitely not a greenfinch.

Walk around fir tree flash this morning.
2 cuckoos, 1 giving good views near to c5 and the other right opposite the other side near c8
3 common whitethroat
1 blackcap
canada geese with 5 young as was mallard with its ducklings
coot and moorhen
1 willow tit
willow warbler and chiffchaff all around c6
1 grasshopper warbler
2 reed bunting
1 sedge warbler
1 grey heron
2 tufted duck
robin and blackbird with the usual tits all in good numbers

Quick hour around C6 and C4.

2 skylark
1 meadow pipit
4 house sparrow
1 goldcrest
2 canada geese
1 cuckoo heard only
2 reed warbler
1 sedge warbler
4 reed bunting
1 willow tit
2 snipe
1 raven

Good numbers of usual birds, robin,blackbird and tits.

Light drizzle and wind for morning dog walk around diggle flash down concrete road to plank lane and back,pretty quiet
C9 12 tufted duck,8 coot,2 mute swan,2 great crested grebe,1 little grebe, 3 reed bunting,blackbird,robin,jay,magpie,carrion crow,great tit,blue tit,willow warbler,chaffinch,chiffchaff,wood pigeon,
C2 skylark,meadow pipit,

18.15-19.15
first visit in over a week after doing back in where's those pain killers gone
http://www.sparkimg.com/emoticons/buggered.gif
C3 only
1 Cuckoo - flew over football field
1 Garden Warbler
3 Blackcap
3 Whitethroat
1 Grasshopper Warbler
5 Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler

Morning dog walk
C9 4 swallow over path, 2 mute swan,14 tufted duck,7 mallard, 9 coot,5 black headed gull,2 reed warbler,2 reed bunting,blackcap,whitethroat,chiffchaff,willow warbler,great tit,dunnock,blue tit,magpie,robin,blackbird,mistle thrush, c20 starling again feeding in field with 2 collared dove And several wood pigeon.
C8 skylark,meadow pipit,reed bunting,carrion crow,very busy just along old farm track at bottom of new road whitethroat,lesser whitethroat,reed warbler and grasshopper warbler all seen from the same vantage point, cuckoo could be heard calling from direction of for tree flash,2 lesser black backed gull over, in all 5 grasshopper warbler heard 3 seen.

morning dog walk
C9 very quiet on water 2 mute swan, 3 black headed gull, 5 tufted duck, 5 coot, reed bunting, willow warbler, chiffchaff,dunnock,robin, blackbird, magpie,blue tit, mistle thrush,great tit.c20 starling feeding in field at top of new road with several wood pigeon, 2 carrion crow a lesser black backed gull and 2 mallard.
C8 cuckoo heard calling and pretty sure i heard the lower more bubbling call of a female as well although i didn't see either, grasshopper warbler and pheasant also heard only, meadow pipit, skylark.3 canada geese over.

Morning dog walk
C8 17 starling feeding in field, cuckoo heard @07-50, meadow pipit,skylark,reed bunting,kestrel,pheasant,trees at bottom of new road quite busy,3 willow warbler,2 chiffchaff,1 whitethroat,1 blackcap,1 reed warbler, 4 grasshopper warbler heard,
C9 11 black headed gull,12 tufted duck,1 little grebe,1 great crested grebe,8 coot,2 mute swan,blue tit,great tit,chiffchaff,willow warbler,whitethroat,mistle thrush,wood pigeon,magpie,carrion crow,robin,dunnock,wren,blackbird,goldfinch.

late post for yesterday.

grasshopper warbler c5,c6,c8,
reed warbler c6
common whitethroat c6,c8
lesser whitethroat c6
1 buzzard c8
6 linnet c8
2 cuckoo c8,c6
1 sedge warbler

Good numbers of willow warbler, chiffchaff, skylark and meadow pipit and all the usual birds.

morning dog walk full perimiter
usual blue tit,great tit, willow warbler,blackbird,robin,wood pigeon,reed bunting,magpie, skylark,carrion crow,wren,pheasant,meadow pipit seen in most if not all areas,
cuckoo seen and heard in C7 and later in C8 possibly same bird but i definitely heard 2 calling towards the end of my walk one in C8 one in C10, grasshopper warbler heard in C3,C5,C6,C8,C9, but only one seen very briefly,whitethroat C9,C3, 5-6 reed warbler heard in C3 only 2 seen, kestrel seen in various locations probably same bird, sparrowhawk C6, very little on fir tree flash probably due to fishing match + dogs in water near bottom end, 2 mute swan, 1 canada goose, 2 mallard, 1 coot, jay in trees, 2 swallow over diggle flash + 2 mute swan, 2 canada geese, 12 tufted duck, moorhen, little grebe,great crested grebe,coot, mallard, chiffchaff and chaffinch in trees,

Morning visit 06.30 - 08.45

Of note

Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Cuckoo x2

Karl

Evening dog walk
Cuckoo first seen in trees around back of diggle flash then flying across field and landing in a small bush near choked pond before flying back to diggle flash still calling when I left at 20-25, 1 whitethroat, mistle thrush, blackbird, robin, dunnock and willow warbler all singing in the evening sun.

Quick visit 12 - 1pm with Stephen Ellison

Male Cuckoo showing well bit flighty between Fir Tree Flash and Diggle Flash / Smith's Lane.
Landing on different fence posts every few minutes.

Other birds :
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Sedge Warbler 2
Skylark 4
Jay

...forgot to mention Reed Buntings, 2 in reeds near the car park then a flock of 4 further round Fir Tree Flash.

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Saturday 26th of April 2014 02:46:54 PM

Morning dog walk
Pretty quiet this morning most of the usuals showing just not in the usual numbers,
C9 cuckoo seen and heard between 08-30--09-00 in trees just south of diggle flash, 11 tufted duck,7 coot,1 moorhen,1 great crested grebe, 9 black headed gull, 2 mallard,reed bunting,blue tit,willow warbler, 1 chiffchaff,great tit, mistle thrush,blackbird,robin,
C8 reed bunting,skylark,meadow pipit,wood pigeon,magpie,carrion crow,4 grasshopper warbler heard,

Cuckoo calling from trees behind stock pond, calling constantly for the hour I was walking dog despite pretty heavy rain, 2 mistle thrush and several blackbird and robin also singing in the rain,2 grasshopper warbler reeling,

Morning dog walk
C9 15 tufted duck, 8 coot, 11 black headed gull, 2 great crested grebe, 2 little grebe + 1 heard,6 mallard + 4 duckling, 1 whitethroat,blue tit, great tit,blackbird,mistle thrush,blackbird,wren,robin,wood pigeon,magpie,carrion crow,willow warbler,chiffchaff,
C8 reed bunting,kestrel,skylark,pheasant,meadow pipit,4 grasshopper warbler heard 1 seen briefly,

Cuckoo calling from trees behind stock pond first heard 19-55 still calling when I left 20-15

morning dog walk
C9 14 tufted duck, 2 mute swan, 2 moorhen, 4 little grebe, 9 seemed to be the in number this morning 9 each of coot, black headed gull and mallard ( including 5 ducklings) 3 lesser black backed gull, 2 common whitethroat, 1 lesser whitethroat, song thrush singing loudly, willow warbler, chiffchaff,blue tit, great tit, wood pigeon, magpie, carrion crow, jay,reed bunting,wren, dunnock.blackbird,
C8 20+ reed bunting, 1 blackcap, 1 whitethroat, willow warbler, chiffchaff, robin, skylark, meadow pipit, 1 reed warbler,kestrel,2 linnet and 4goldfinch feeding in field, pheasant, at least 6 grasshopper warbler heard 3 seen 1 in particular giving superb views perched on a very small hawthorn singing and reeling, ( rock and reel,) i'll get my coat.

C8 and c6

1 cuckoo c6
7 goldfinch c6
2 reed warbler c6
1 sedge warbler c6
1 common whitethroat c6
A pair of bullfinches, always get excited when I see bullfinches only usually see them at penny.

4 linnet c8
1 kestrel c8
1 buzzard c8

Decent number of willow warbler, chiffchaff, skylark and meadow pipit, plus all the usuals.

Quick gander round c6 in between work.

1 goldcrest
5 redpoll, 3 stunning males
1 cormorant on fir tree flash
2 reed warbler
3 reed bunting
1 kestrel

plus usual suspects

Morning dog walk
Neither sight nor sound of cuckoo, 6 grasshopper warbler heard none actually seen.
C9 15 tufted duck,2 mute swan,4 little grebe, 1 great crested grebe,2 moorhen, small numbers mallard,coot and black headed gull, 1 whitethroat,1 blackcap,willow warbler,chiffchaff,blue tit,reed bunting,great tit,robin,dunnock, wren singing loudly,wood pigeon.
C8 2 pheasant and numerous skylark and meadow pipit put up by lurched dogs running in the fields, reed bunting,magpie,carrion crow,

I think they gave up waiting for rain to stop Scott

Cuckoo calling behind stock pond approx 8-40pm, 2 grasshopper warbler heard near diggle flash.
John there isn't any official map we just tried to divide the area up slightly to help Roy Rhodes with a project.

Is there a map anywhere showing all these locations?c6, c8,c3 etc ?

Evening mooch.

1 lesser whitethroat c8
1 cuckoo c8
1 buzzard c8
2 grasshopper warbler c8

2 reed warbler c6
1 sedge warbler c6

1 great spotted woodpecker c3

plus usual suspects

Gordon migrants must of waited for me to go home this morning didnt see or hear any lol!

10.30-13.30
7 Grasshopper Warbler - 2C3,2C8,1C5,1C6,1C10
2 Sedge Warbler - C3,C8
2 Reed Warbler - C4,NF
3 Whitethroat - C3,C4,C6
5 Blackcap - C3
2 Water Rail - C6,NF
1 Cuckoo - calling in C9
1 Stock Dove - C5
50+ Sand Martin - C3
3 Swallow - C3
Willow Warbler singing from every corner

What a difference a day makes hardly any migrants today other then a couple of willow warblers, cold and wet.
Only a couple to add to bernards sightings.

1 mistle thrush c6
1 sparrowhawk c3
1 raven c3
1 kestrel c3

morning dog walk 07-30--9-00 light rain
C9 singing blackcap giving good views, mistle thrush, dunnock and wren both singing loudly and looked to be enjoying the light rain, blackbird, chaffinch, great tit,blue tit, willow warbler, chiffchaff, wood pigeon, magpie, carrion crow,reed bunting, 2 mute swan, 2 canada geese, 1 little grebe, 2 great crested grebe, 8 coot, 11 tufted duck, 12 mallard including a mother with 5 ducklings,
C8 pretty quiet small numbers skylark and meadow pipit, 2 reed bunting, 1 common whitethroat, neither sight nor sound of cuckoo or grasshopper warbler.

Thanks Bernard, will definitely take you up on that.
Cheers

evening dog walk
cuckoo heard and seen in trees south of diggle flash and trees between south east corner of flash and new road first heard approx 19-50 and could still be heard when i left at 20-30, 5 grasshopper warbler heard one giving a brief but decent view,

Rob if you let me know by pm when you are planning a visit i will make arrangements to meet you and show you the general layout, bear in mind i am usually not available Saturdays due to my rugby commitments,

Scott robinson wrote:

---

Rob In my experience of birding around this area I'd recommend coming early in the morning, in my opinion I think it's the best time although it's pretty decent in summer in the early evening. Also I'd say not bother coming on a Sunday as it's full of motorbikers and 4x4 jeeps which rip the place up. Cheers Scott.

---

Ok thanks Scott, it was a last minute decision really and a bit of a chance trip. Although I know most of GM being a delivery driver, I knew where it was but never been. There were a gang of locals playing football at the back of the club and I could hear the scramblers in the distance so 1) I kind of knew that there wouldn't be too much around because of the disturbance and 2) time was against me.
But you can see that it's a good area with plenty of different habitat for potentially a good haul of birds.

Rob In my experience of birding around this area I'd recommend coming early in the morning, in my opinion I think it's the best time although it's pretty decent in summer in the early evening. Also I'd say not bother coming on a Sunday as it's full of motorbikers and 4x4 jeeps which rip the place up. Cheers Scott.

Quick late visit after the Chorlton Ees Whinchat.
Started at the Fir Tree Flash car park but didn't stray too far as I was pressed for time.

Unfortunately no sign of any Cuckoos or very much else to be honest.

Carrion Crows
Magpies
Robin
Dunnock
Canada Geese

...will be back again though at a better time.

1 cuckoo in c6 this afternoon giving good views till it was disturbed by a motorbikes.
2 sedge warbler, 1 c6 and 1 c4
1 goldcrest c9
Could of swore I heard a tree pipit in c5 while I was in c4.

Cuckoo heard this morning @ 09-10 just off site in childrens play area off Bickershaw/Smiths Lane,
C9 cracking views of a pristine male blackcap singing,lesser whitethroat also showing well first this year for me, single swallow over diggle flash,2 grasshopper warbler in field behind stock pond, buzzard soaring high over,

-- Edited by Bernard McGurrin on Monday 21st of April 2014 12:12:07 PM

Good 3 hour walk this morning, covering all areas in c6, c4, c10, c8, c7

c6
2 common whitethroat
1 blackcap
1 grasshopper warbler, giving cracking views

c4
2 reed warbler
1 reed bunting
4 buzzards
1 grasshopper warbler giving good views

c10
1 common whitethroat
1 grasshopper warbler

c8
1 lesser whitethroat
2 common whitethroat
2 grasshopper warblers
1 kestrel

c7
1 grasshopper warbler heard only

plus good numbers of willow warbler, chiffchaff, skylark and meadow pipit

And all the other usual suspects

No sight or sound of cuckoo this morning, might try my luck this afternoon.

19/04/14

evening walk to see the 'grub' at tinker joes flash

2 grasshopper warbler
7 greylag geese + 1 over
1 buzzard
1 sparrowhawk, dive bombing the grub
9+ willow warbler
1 male porchard landed then flew off
2 herons
no sign of water rail or cuckoo

1000+ sand martins landing and murmerating on tinker joes, with 100+ landing on the new water reed beds, maybe through the sparrowhawk?

nice to meet up with Alan Cargill and Dave Wilson night before.

Morning dog walk 08-00---10-40 around most of perimeter stayed off top rucks as motorbikes arrived about 9ish

Great tit,blue tit,blackbird,willow warbler,robin,wood pigeon,magpie,carrion crow,reed bunting,meadow pipit and skylark seen in almost all areas.
C9 chiffchaff,mistle thrush,chaffinch,dunnock, wren,3 swallow over diggle flash,21 tufted duck,5 black headed gull,7 coot,5 mallard,1 moorhen,2 mute swan,2 great crested grebe,
C8 kestrel,pheasant,little grebe heard only,
C6 9 Canada geese,6mallard,2 mute swan,3 coot,willow warbler and a blackcap seemed to be having a singing contest,jay,long tailed tit
Nevisons flash 1 sedge warbler, at least 4 reed warbler,5 Canada geese flew from flash towards Pennington,4 grey lag geese,5 mallard, water rail heard only, buzzard over,
C10 great spotted woodpecker,chiffchaff,jay.

7:00 to 9:00am

c6
4 skylark
2 house sparrow
blue and great tits
1 cuckoo, this was at the top of c6 looking over to c4
1 reed warbler
3 reed bunting

C4
3 snipe
2 reed bunting over
1 carrion crow, looked liked it had an egg in its mouth
7 long tailed tits
1 wren

C10
2 chaffinch
6 goldfinch
1 carrion crow
2 great tits

C8
1 common whitethroat
2 sedge warbler
1 cuckoo heard only
blue and great tits
5 skylark
3 meadow pipit
2 robin
1 song thrush
DIdnt see or hear any grasshopper warblers this morning.

Still no hirundines over C4 the last few years theres been hundreds feeding around this area.

Cuckoo heard and seen @approx 19-45 near choked pond at bottom of new road, 1 whitethroat a bit further round, sorry I didn't respond to any posts, I am out of commission most of the day on Saturday due to amateur rugby league commitments at Wigan St.Patrick's.

Thanks a lot Dave and Scott for the info. Unfortunately no sign or sound of cuckoo in my brief visit, not much at all apart from 1st willow warbler of the year, 4 skylarks seen (more heard) and a male kestrel.

As per Scott's advice, the Fir Tree Flash car park, accessed around the back of the closed Edna Road Labour Club, is a good central point of access.

From the north end of the site, there's parking in a large lay-by on Smiths Lane opposite Owen's Farm or by the adjacent gated access road. You can then walk down in to the site along the access road, or by walking through the closed car park and along the concrete road which sweeps around the western perimeter of the site (eventually taking you to a point not far from the western end of Pennington Flash).

Closer to Pennington Flash there's access on foot off Plank Lane opposite Common Lane, which takes you on to the site past Nevison's Flash.

Sorry, I don't know about the references for compartments on the site, but I hope this is some help.

-- Edited by dave broome on Saturday 19th of April 2014 03:30:25 PM

Neither sight nor sound of Cuckoo, but 3 Grasshopper Warblers in song (C3, 6 and 10) and 4 Whitethroats present over the eastern half of the site. 2 Reed Warblers in brief song at Tinker Joe's, where also 4 Greylag Geese.

Hi tanmay, the best place to park would be on the fir tree flash car park, drive up wigan road then first left after the shops opposite the royal oak pub then go sraight to the top and go right down the back of the houses and follow the road down to the car park.

Theres usually quite a few cuckoos around but I always see one at the corner of fir tree flash.

Good luck

if anyone still has info about parking and/or where these areas e.g. C6 and C8 are for cuckoo, please can you post on this thread rather than PM me as I can't access PMs on my phone and am leaving now. Thanks :)

C8
2 common whitethroat
1 yellowhammer
1 blackcap
sand martin over
1 sedge warbler
plenty of skylark and meadow pipit

C6
1 cuckoo at the edge of fir tree flash, watched one here last year so could be same one.
2 skylark
1 willow tit

C10
1 common whitethroat
1 buzzard
And some person has decided to tent out right in the middle of c10 odd.

C4
3 snipe
1 reed warbler
4 reed bunting

I too am planning my first trip this afternoon, I'm aiming mainly for cuckoo. As with Anthony I'd like to know where best to park and then where best to go to find cuckoo.

I've found the site below I think I need more info!
http://where2seebirds.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/bickershaw-rucks.html

Cheers in advance

Planning my first trip. Where's the best place to park. I'm especially interested in seeing grasshopper warblers. Cheers