ASTLEY, CHAT, LITTLE WOOLDEN AND ASSOCIATED MOSSES
Ian McKerchar said
Mon May 6 10:15 PM, 2024
Astley Moss East this afternoon:
Single Dunlin
182 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Herring Gulls
Second summer Great Black-backed Gull
Field 67 Astley Moss:
Yellow Wagtail
Moss Lane, Astley Moss:
Four singing Yellowhammers
Yellow Wagtail
Pair of Grey Wagtails
Steven Heywood said
Mon May 6 8:43 PM, 2024
Good to see you Steve. After moaning about seeing no raptors on the walk in to Little Woolden Moss from Glazebrook a buzzard showed well, a male kestrel fairly distant and both the hobby and the female marsh harrier gave stonking views close overhead. Two common terns on the eastern pools with gadwall, oystercatchers, lapwings and the male shoveler. An abundance of willow warblers and plenty of chiffchaffs, whitethroats and mipits. About a dozen young lapwings on the ploughed barley field immediately North of the reserve (though the carrion crows are thinning the numbers down) with skylarks, mipits and half a dozen yellow wagtails. Male Channel wagtail in the field on your left as you walk past the polytunnels towards Moss Road. Also a yellowhammer and a whitethroat singing from the same tree here.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 6th of May 2024 08:47:15 PM
Steve Judge said
Mon May 6 3:52 PM, 2024
Monday 6th May
Highlight was a Hobby above eastern end of Little Wooden Moss NR at 13:30 hrs.
Nice to chat with Steve Heywood; and Laura with the horses.
dave mcintyre said
Sun May 5 9:59 PM, 2024
LWMoss. Sunday early evening quick visit
2 Grasshopper warbler reeling
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Marsh Harrier
Whimbrel along with 4 Snipe & a Curlew flushed out by a Marsh Harrier in field 20
3 Curlew
1 Linnet
1 Whitethroat
3 Reed Bunting
loads of Willow Warbler
9 Stock Dove in ploughed field
4 Grey Partridge on 12 Yards Road along with 2 Kestrels
pete berry said
Sun May 5 2:54 PM, 2024
A cracking morning round Little Woolden area with the highlight being 3 Hobbies catching insects on the wing all morning. At one time had the 3 birds in my bins at same time. Also seen 2 different Marsh Harriers,Whimbrel, 2 Dunlin on the western pool's,lots of Buzzards,couple Kestrels.
Carl Moorhouse said
Wed May 1 9:35 PM, 2024
3 Whimbrel in the field along the driveway to Little Woolden Moss associating with a Curlew this evening. Wheatear fresh in on same field, and at least 6 Grasshopper Warblers across the site. Marsh Harrier, Shoveler, and Gadwall present.
Steven Nelson said
Tue Apr 30 9:44 PM, 2024
Little Woolden Moss NR:
1 Channel Wagtail again - east pools 3 Yellow Wagtail 1 Wheatear 6 Grasshopper Warbler reeling 7 Sedge Warbler singing 1 Water Rail heard 2 Coot 4 Curlew 1 Little Ringed Plover 2 Oystercatcher 1 Redshank
Richard Would said
Tue Apr 30 6:22 PM, 2024
Little Woolden Moss today in strongish wind :
4 Yellow Wagtails
2 Wood Sandpipers
Little Ringed Plover
Curlew
Oystercatcher
Marsh Harrier, including display
Kestrels
Buzzard
Whitethroat
Blackcap
Willow Warblers
Chiffchaffs
Lapwing chicks
Wheatears
-- Edited by Richard Would on Tuesday 30th of April 2024 06:24:26 PM
2 Raven low over reserve but chased off by other corvids 3 Sedge Warbler heard 1 Grasshopper Warbler heard 5 Swift 3 Sand Martin 1 Grey Heron 2 Coot 2 Marsh Harrier 1 Oystercatcher 2 Teal - pair 1 Shoveler 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 29th of April 2024 08:38:07 PM
Steve Judge said
Sun Apr 28 4:36 PM, 2024
Sunday 28th April 2024. Little Woolden Moss NR, Little Woolden Moss and along section of River Glaze. Sightings included:
Hobby (2) above western section of reserve at 15:30 hrs. First of year for me. Yellow Wagtail (2) White Wagtail (1) Pied Wagtail (4) Wheatear (1) Curlew (1) Grey Heron (1) Linnet (5) Shoveler (1) Chiffchaff (2) Willow Warbler (3) Lapwing (25 plus adults, and saw 5 chicks) Skylark (1 in song)
Dave Steel said
Sun Apr 28 12:08 AM, 2024
250424
Chat Moss
11 Willow Warbler in song
2 Blackcap in song
3 Tufted Duck
3 Coot
1 Jay...imitating Buzzard call...
Little Woolden Moss FN64/57/56 with group from U3A Hale
4 Yellow Wagtail
3 White Wagtail
5 Wheatear
4 Grey Partridge
18 Skylark
26 Lapwing
4 Young Lapwing at Field Edge
Farmer now ploughing fields where a number of Lapwing young had just hatched but the farmer(s) working these fields have always worked at their utmost to avoid/move nests and as in this case because the land has been too wet to plough for spring cereals up to now he explained once more that he had added more time to his job due to moving the young away from the plough...if only this working in harmony with nature whilst still making a living from the land had been more widespread in the UK this would have resulted as here this spring in a Harvest of young Lapwing....yet to return to try and count these recent hatchlings...
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR viewed from North Path before we retreated from the hail laden showers...
4 Curlew along with 2 Oystercatcher...chasing off a Marsh Harrier
Fields north of Little Woolden Moss NR: 1 Channel Wagtail again 4 White Wagtail 4 Yellow Wagtail Plenty of Lapwing chicks
Little Woolden Moss NR 1 Whimbrel 3 Curlew 2 Little Ringed Plover 1 Ringed Plover 2 Oystercatcher 2 Marsh Harrier 2 Mediterranean Gulls - pair in full summer plumage landed for a few minutes before flying off north 4 Swift 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling
Chat Moss: 1 Sedge Warbler singing but not seen 1 Little Grebe 3 Coot 2 Herring Gull 6 Lesser Redpoll 4 Grey Partridge - 2 pairs 8 Swallow 3 Shoveler 4 Gadwall
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 27th of April 2024 10:35:24 PM
Productive morning at LWMoss and some of Twelve Yards Road- 4x Wheatear 3x Grasshopper warbler 2x Whitethroat 1x Marsh Harrier 3x Yellow Wagtail 1x White Wagtail 2x Ringed Plover 1x Little Ringed Plover 1x Shoveler 2x Mediterranean Gull 2x Linnet 2x Curlew 9x Swallow Plus good numbers of Willow Warbler and Lapwings with chicks
Dave Steel said
Fri Apr 26 11:30 PM, 2024
240424
Irlam Moss
8 Lesser Black-Backed Gull taking advantage of recently ploughed field...pity the 'crop' is to be Turf...but at least it's farming of sorts that gives some succour to wildlife albeit transient...
2 Herring Gull
2 Swallow
1 Wheatear
4 Lapwing
1 Skylark in song
1 Shoveler...Male
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR...the start of another year of Breeding Bird Surveys underway since LWT acquisition (in 2012) of this site after its years of Peat Milling destruction...not quite the weather for bird song with the cold North Wind...but it still didn't quite deter them...
5 Lapwing in display
2 Swallow
2 Gadwall...Pair
1 Oystercatcher on nest
3 Teal
34 Willow Warbler in song
21 Meadow Pipit
20 Reed Bunting
2 Sedge Warbler in eclectic song mode---as ever!
1 Wheatear
2 Snipe
1 Redshank
3 Coot...yes the pools are quite extensive to accommodate these 'new' colonisers...
2 Water Rail...calling loud and clear
1 Golden Plover flying over @ 1020
1 Marsh Harrier @ 1242
1 Swift...my first fleeting view of the season...
2 Grasshopper Warbler...testing the 'old' hearing...
A productive couple of hours for migrants late afternoon:
Fields immediately north of LWT reserve: 1 Whinchat - male 2 Wheatear 1 Channel Wagtail - male 5 Yellow Wagtail - all males 2 White Wagtail 1 Pied Wagtail Good numbers of Lapwing chicks running around with protective parents nearby 2 Grey Partridge - pair
LWT reserve: 1 Whimbrel - flew over S constantly calling 3 Curlew - pair + 1 1 Marsh Harrier - constantly harassed by the Curlew pair 2 Oystercatcher 4 Tufted Duck - 2 pairs 3 Shoveler 3 Gadwalll 1 House Martin 5 Swallow 2 Buzzard patrolling low over the reserve
Rindle Road area very quiet with 2 Greenland Wheatesr in the horse field being the the best . Also a single Red Legged Partridge and a .Buzzard struggling to get airborne with prey as it was being mobbed by 2 Crows. Nice to see a few Lapwings holding territory on the horse field and a couple of Yellowhammers calling away.
Dave Steel said
Tue Apr 23 10:39 PM, 2024
210424
Barton Moss including a Carbon Landscape Breeding Bird Survey
5 Coot - 2 pairs plus a single. Considering Coots are not common on the mosses this is a significant count and easily my highest count. 3-4 Little Grebe - pair seen at nest plus and another 1-2 birds seen so probably a second pair. 1 Little Egret 1 Tawny Owl 1 Marsh Harrier 20+ Lesser Redpoll 7 Whitethroat singing 2 Teal - pair 1 Lapwing chick with parents 2 Oystercatcher 2 Curlew 2 Herring Gull 2 Buzzard 2 Grey Heron 2 Yellowhammer 2 Jay
Little Woolden Moss NR: 33 Snipe - flocks of 21 & 12 flew over high east 2 Grasshopper Warbler reeling - 1 seen 2 Water Rail heard 6 Lesser Redpoll 2 Oystercatcher 1 Curlew 2 Gadwall - pair 1 Grey Partridge
Barry Corless said
Sun Apr 21 2:25 PM, 2024
08:00 until c. 11:00 - LWM Nature Reserve + LWM Highlights
Grasshopper Warbler x 2 Corn Bunting x 2 Yellow Wagtail 1m 1f Little Egret (flew E) - first time I've seen one at LWM Teal 2m 1f Gadwall 1m 1f Shoveler 1m Wheatear 1m / 2f followed by 1m Redshank heard Willow Warbler by the boat load! Chiffchaff x 3 Song Thrush Linnet Oystercatcher x 2 Pied Wagtail Reed Bunting
Dave Steel said
Sat Apr 20 11:41 PM, 2024
180424
Chat Moss
29 Willow Warbler in song
1 Curlew in Display
1 Little Grebe
1 Little Egret
5 Gadwall
1 Little Ringed Plover
2 Tufted Duck...Pair
2 Snipe
1 Wheatear
2 Shoveler...Pair
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
2 Oystercatcher
2 Gadwall...Pair
13 Willow Warbler i song
2 Curlew
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Sunday 21st of April 2024 04:00:44 PM
11am-2pm walk. First Hobby of the year for me hawking over the East end of Little Woolden Moss LWT. Sedge Warbler singing from same perch as last year on small pools near the burned out containers.
Other highlights were Whitethroat, Blackcap, Yellowhammer, Marsh Harrier, Curlew, 3 Grasshopper Warblers reeling in the sunshine.
Steven Nelson said
Sat Apr 20 1:22 PM, 2024
Chat Moss - am
10 Brambling 40+ Lesser Redpoll 3 Little Grebe - pair seen together + another heard calling from opposite side 2 Coot - pair 1 Little Egret 1 Swallow 2 Teal 2 Shoveler - pair Mallard female with 3 young
Dave Steel said
Fri Apr 19 11:27 PM, 2024
170424
Chat Moss
2 Kestrel on the ground having a fight!
5 Willow Warbler in song
1 Chiffchaff in song
2 Wheatear
2 Shoveler...Pair
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
4 Willow Warbler in song
2 Curlew
2 Oystercatcher
2 Gadwall...Pair
1 Herring Gull
1 Redshank
Astley Moss LWTNR....LWT BBS 1 of 3
26 Willow Warbler in song
1 Yellowhammer
10 Wren in song
2 Chiffchaff in song
3 Snipe
2 Bullfinch
5 Teal
1 Siskin
1 Willow Tit in song
10 Meadow Pipit
2 Greylag Geese
Each Visit here haunted by musings of my misspent early youth here when Turtle Dove/Curlew/Tree Sparrow/Lesser Redpoll/Woodcock etc all bred here whilst Cuckoo roamed in good number....plus the Winter expected Hen Harrier graced the site ...ALL (and much more gone)...it can be a tad depressing to wander where youth and wildlife (in abundance) are now but ghostly apparitions...
Only a couple of Bramblings left this afternoon (a pal of mine saw 12 there this am) Also an immature Marsh Harrier over,heading towards the SSSI 3 Buzzards up together and a Swallow feeding over the treetops.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Apr 13 5:35 PM, 2024
Astley Moss this afternoon:
3 male Wheatears off Moss Lane, also two Red-legged Partridges (releases for shooting)
Feeding flock of 22+ Bramblings in the hedge by Rindle Wood, also three Red-legged Partridges nearby
Steven Nelson said
Sat Apr 13 12:30 PM, 2024
Chat Moss - am
1 Whitethroat singing 20+ Willow Warbler 5 Chiffchaff 7 Blackcap 2 Coot - pair - not a common bird on the mosses 2 Moorhen 2 Little Grebe - one seen collecting nesting material 1 Little Egret 1 Curlew in display flight 1 Oystercatcher 2 Gadwall - pair 2 Swallow 2 Sparrowhawk - pair in display flight 1 Raven over
.And worryingly still no sign of any Willow Tit in 2024
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 13th of April 2024 12:32:11 PM
Dave Steel said
Fri Apr 12 11:19 PM, 2024
080424
Irlam Moss
5 Lawing
450 Woodpigeon
1 Oystercatcher
2 Lapwing on nests
Chat Moss....ahh the further joy of having two large (Greyhound Type) Dogs chasing through an area which once had no such regular (now daily) disturbance...then again it's ONLY an area that hosts ground nesting birds....
1 Yellowhammer
4 Lapwing in Display
1 Lapwing on nest
400 Woodpigeon
3 Teal
2 Lesser Redpoll
22 Willow Warbler in song
1 Curlew hoping to nest where dogs rule...yeah right...and we wonder why such as Curlew are on the Red Data List....
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR Thursday 11th afternoon until the rain got bad...
Western end first:
Mallard, Teal, Gadwall & Canada Geese on the Glaze (from the bridge)
Sand Martin & Swallows above the river and around
Redshank on the big "puddles" in the field above the Glaze and several also flying about and landing on the "puddle" in the field beyond the western end
1 Oystercatcher
1 Chiffchaff - I didn't see this one
Willow Warbler - lots, I saw some of these
5 Lapwing on the field
Mallard duck with 12 or 13 ducklings - bit difficult to count
1 Snipe - which of course I only saw after it had flushed
Then from the Eastern end - walked most of the southern boundary path and back:
Sparrowhawk - as I drove round, soaring above Glazebrook "village", actually I'd seen 2 soaring above the East Lancs on the way there
Somebody photographing something from the far side of the field next to the track to the Eastern end parking spot - they should have some great photos unless they're totally incompetent
Chiffchaff - in 3 different places - saw 2 of them - so that was 4 overall
Willow Warbler - lots more, again I saw some of these but from the amount singing there must be at least 10 for every Chiffchaff
Curlew - several, lots of calling and flying about - is the bit where they almost stall a display flight?
Gadwall - 2 pairs
Teal - 1 pair
Shoveler - 5, a pair and 3 other males, at one point the male from the pair was getting really aggressive with one of the other males
Tufted Duck - 1 pair
Lapwing - several
Greylag Goose - 2 flying W, landed somewhere in the Western pools
And of course several Mallard, Canada Geese, Crows, etc
I've never seen the water level so high, the ditch next to the track to the Eastern end parking spot was almost overflowing. The rain means that there's loads of water in most of the fields and a lot of birds will be on these "puddles" rather than in the more normal wet spots.
I'd forgotten how uplifting it is to have singing Willow Warblers all around, enhanced by the Curlews calling.
Astley Moss East this afternoon:
Single Dunlin
182 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Herring Gulls
Second summer Great Black-backed Gull
Field 67 Astley Moss:
Yellow Wagtail
Moss Lane, Astley Moss:
Four singing Yellowhammers
Yellow Wagtail
Pair of Grey Wagtails
Good to see you Steve. After moaning about seeing no raptors on the walk in to Little Woolden Moss from Glazebrook a buzzard showed well, a male kestrel fairly distant and both the hobby and the female marsh harrier gave stonking views close overhead. Two common terns on the eastern pools with gadwall, oystercatchers, lapwings and the male shoveler. An abundance of willow warblers and plenty of chiffchaffs, whitethroats and mipits. About a dozen young lapwings on the ploughed barley field immediately North of the reserve (though the carrion crows are thinning the numbers down) with skylarks, mipits and half a dozen yellow wagtails. Male Channel wagtail in the field on your left as you walk past the polytunnels towards Moss Road. Also a yellowhammer and a whitethroat singing from the same tree here.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 6th of May 2024 08:47:15 PM
LWMoss. Sunday early evening quick visit
2 Grasshopper warbler reeling
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Marsh Harrier
Whimbrel along with 4 Snipe & a Curlew flushed out by a Marsh Harrier in field 20
3 Curlew
1 Linnet
1 Whitethroat
3 Reed Bunting
loads of Willow Warbler
9 Stock Dove in ploughed field
4 Grey Partridge on 12 Yards Road along with 2 Kestrels
A cracking morning round Little Woolden area with the highlight being 3 Hobbies catching insects on the wing all morning. At one time had the 3 birds in my bins at same time.
Also seen 2 different Marsh Harriers,Whimbrel, 2 Dunlin on the western pool's,lots of Buzzards,couple Kestrels.
1 Channel Wagtail again - east pools
3 Yellow Wagtail
1 Wheatear
6 Grasshopper Warbler reeling
7 Sedge Warbler singing
1 Water Rail heard
2 Coot
4 Curlew
1 Little Ringed Plover
2 Oystercatcher
1 Redshank
Little Woolden Moss today in strongish wind :
4 Yellow Wagtails
2 Wood Sandpipers
Little Ringed Plover
Curlew
Oystercatcher
Marsh Harrier, including display
Kestrels
Buzzard
Whitethroat
Blackcap
Willow Warblers
Chiffchaffs
Lapwing chicks
Wheatears
-- Edited by Richard Would on Tuesday 30th of April 2024 06:24:26 PM
F24
5 yellow wagtails
8 lapwings
2 swallows
Along Astley Road...
2 blackcaps
3 whitethroats
1 kestrel
2 buzzards
Little woolden moss nr...
Lots of willow warblers
1 whitethroat
3 marsh harriers
2 curlews
2 swifts
1 wheatear
2 grasshopper warblers heard
1 shoveler
2 gadwall
3 Teal
2 snipe
F56
Didn't count the many lapwings & chicks, just lovely to watch.
4 yellow wagtails
6 white wagtails
3 grey partridge
260424
Irlam Moss
3 Blackcap in song
17 Skylark...9 in song
2 Yellowhammer in song
5 Wheatear
2 Swallow
16 Lapwing...8 agitated---hidden young
3 Yellow Wagtail
90 Starling
2 Grey Partridge
Chat Moss
10 Stock Dove
12 Lapwing
1 Yellowhammer
Little Woolden Moss
FN56
32 Lapwing...most watching out for their young
23 young noted...a joy to behold
1 Yellow Wagtail
3 Wheatear
1 Whinchat
1 Golden Plover which flew rapidly south @ 1315
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
1 Redshank
2 Tufted Duck
1 Gadwall...Male
1 Shoveler...Male
8 Swallow
1 Curlew
3 Buzzard
3 Oystercatcher
2 Marsh Harrier...one sadly with what appears to be an injured leg...although still actively hunting...
2 Raven low over reserve but chased off by other corvids
3 Sedge Warbler heard
1 Grasshopper Warbler heard
5 Swift
3 Sand Martin
1 Grey Heron
2 Coot
2 Marsh Harrier
1 Oystercatcher
2 Teal - pair
1 Shoveler
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 29th of April 2024 08:38:07 PM
Hobby (2) above western section of reserve at 15:30 hrs. First of year for me.
Yellow Wagtail (2)
White Wagtail (1)
Pied Wagtail (4)
Wheatear (1)
Curlew (1)
Grey Heron (1)
Linnet (5)
Shoveler (1)
Chiffchaff (2)
Willow Warbler (3)
Lapwing (25 plus adults, and saw 5 chicks)
Skylark (1 in song)
250424
Chat Moss
11 Willow Warbler in song
2 Blackcap in song
3 Tufted Duck
3 Coot
1 Jay...imitating Buzzard call...
Little Woolden Moss FN64/57/56 with group from U3A Hale
4 Yellow Wagtail
3 White Wagtail
5 Wheatear
4 Grey Partridge
18 Skylark
26 Lapwing
4 Young Lapwing at Field Edge
Farmer now ploughing fields where a number of Lapwing young had just hatched but the farmer(s) working these fields have always worked at their utmost to avoid/move nests and as in this case because the land has been too wet to plough for spring cereals up to now he explained once more that he had added more time to his job due to moving the young away from the plough...if only this working in harmony with nature whilst still making a living from the land had been more widespread in the UK this would have resulted as here this spring in a Harvest of young Lapwing....yet to return to try and count these recent hatchlings...
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR viewed from North Path before we retreated from the hail laden showers...
4 Curlew along with 2 Oystercatcher...chasing off a Marsh Harrier
16 Lapwing
1 Shoveler...Male
1 Whinchat (male)
Fields north of Little Woolden Moss NR:
1 Channel Wagtail again
4 White Wagtail
4 Yellow Wagtail
Plenty of Lapwing chicks
Little Woolden Moss NR
1 Whimbrel
3 Curlew
2 Little Ringed Plover
1 Ringed Plover
2 Oystercatcher
2 Marsh Harrier
2 Mediterranean Gulls - pair in full summer plumage landed for a few minutes before flying off north
4 Swift
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling
Chat Moss:
1 Sedge Warbler singing but not seen
1 Little Grebe
3 Coot
2 Herring Gull
6 Lesser Redpoll
4 Grey Partridge - 2 pairs
8 Swallow
3 Shoveler
4 Gadwall
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 27th of April 2024 10:35:24 PM
Productive morning at LWMoss and some of Twelve Yards Road- 4x Wheatear 3x Grasshopper warbler 2x Whitethroat 1x Marsh Harrier 3x Yellow Wagtail 1x White Wagtail 2x Ringed Plover 1x Little Ringed Plover 1x Shoveler 2x Mediterranean Gull 2x Linnet 2x Curlew 9x Swallow Plus good numbers of Willow Warbler and Lapwings with chicks
240424
Irlam Moss
8 Lesser Black-Backed Gull taking advantage of recently ploughed field...pity the 'crop' is to be Turf...but at least it's farming of sorts that gives some succour to wildlife albeit transient...
2 Herring Gull
2 Swallow
1 Wheatear
4 Lapwing
1 Skylark in song
1 Shoveler...Male
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR...the start of another year of Breeding Bird Surveys underway since LWT acquisition (in 2012) of this site after its years of Peat Milling destruction...not quite the weather for bird song with the cold North Wind...but it still didn't quite deter them...
5 Lapwing in display
2 Swallow
2 Gadwall...Pair
1 Oystercatcher on nest
3 Teal
34 Willow Warbler in song
21 Meadow Pipit
20 Reed Bunting
2 Sedge Warbler in eclectic song mode---as ever!
1 Wheatear
2 Snipe
1 Redshank
3 Coot...yes the pools are quite extensive to accommodate these 'new' colonisers...
2 Water Rail...calling loud and clear
1 Golden Plover flying over @ 1020
1 Marsh Harrier @ 1242
1 Swift...my first fleeting view of the season...
2 Grasshopper Warbler...testing the 'old' hearing...
1 Shoveler...female
Fields immediately north of LWT reserve:
1 Whinchat - male
2 Wheatear
1 Channel Wagtail - male
5 Yellow Wagtail - all males
2 White Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
Good numbers of Lapwing chicks running around with protective parents nearby
2 Grey Partridge - pair
LWT reserve:
1 Whimbrel - flew over S constantly calling
3 Curlew - pair + 1
1 Marsh Harrier - constantly harassed by the Curlew pair
2 Oystercatcher
4 Tufted Duck - 2 pairs
3 Shoveler
3 Gadwalll
1 House Martin
5 Swallow
2 Buzzard patrolling low over the reserve
Irlam Moss:
1 Greenland Wheatear - brightly coloured male
1 Curlew
4 Gadwall
4 Herons
230424
Chat Moss
2 Shoveler...Male
1 Curlew
1 Swallow
Cadishead Moss 4 Lapwing in Display
Carbon Landscape Breeding Bird Survey
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
24 Willow Warbler in song
14 Reed Bunting
1 Grasshopper Warbler in song
24 Meadow Pipit
3 Shoveler
1 Raven
1 Curlew
2 Tufted Duck
1 Wheatear
4 Snipe
Little Woolden Moss
54 Lapwing
3 Wheatear
6 Yellow Wagtail
2 Grey Partridge
1 Golden Plover Flying over @ 1148
220424
Little Woolden Moss
1 Yellow Wagtail
3 Sand Martin
1 Redshank
6 Stock Dove
2 Grey Partridge
4 Gadwall
1 Nuthatch
Carbon Landscape Breeding Bird Survey Little Woolden Moss + Glaze
1 Marsh Harrier
5 Willow Warbler
3 Redshank
2 Gadwall
1 Whitethroat
17 Lapwing
1 Oystercatcher
8 Stock Dove
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR during Carbon Landscape Breeding Bird Survey
26 Willow Warbler in song
10 Reed Bunting
1 Curlew
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Teal
1 Snipe
2 Coot
4 Grasshopper Warbler
Nice to see a few Lapwings holding territory on the horse field and a couple of Yellowhammers calling away.
210424
Barton Moss including a Carbon Landscape Breeding Bird Survey
5 Blackcap in song
23 Skylark 17 in song
72 Jackdaw
6 Chiffchaff in song
17 House Sparrow
3 Gadwall
4 Yellow Wagtail
10 Greenfinch
12 Linnet
1 Willow Warbler in song
4 Swallow
2 Oystercatcher
3 Lapwing...flying over
1 Whitethroat in song
3 Song Thrush
1 Sedge Warbler in song
1 Curlew
200424
Chat Moss
4 Shoveler...2 Pair
1 Oystercatcher
10 Willow Warbler in song
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Swallow
1 Snipe
1 Yellowhammer
1 Whitethroat in song
38 Jackdaw
1 Mistle Thrush in song
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
18 Willow Warbler in song
1 Wheatear
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Tufted Duck
1 Mallard female with 12 young
2 Oystercatcher
1 Grasshopper Warbler in song
2 Moorhen...the more water the Moss holds the more waterfowl we get....bring it on!
190424
Little Woolden Moss
60 Sand Martin...hawking for insects in the lee of a stand of trees in the rain
2 Swallow
12 Linnet
7 Stock Dove
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR West
2 Song Thrush in song
11 Willow Warbler in song
5 Gadwall
1 Marsh Harrier @ 0846
2 Tufted Duck...Pair
3 Swallow
1 Mallard female with 7 young
12 Meadow Pipit
2 Snipe
Little Woolden Moss with a group
2 Goldcrest in song
2 Curlew
1 Kingfisher
7 Sand Martin
5 Yellow Wagtail
6 Grey Partridge
2 Raven
1 Swallow
25 Skylark
3 Wheatear
2 Nuthatch
1 Goosander
22 Lapwing
Chat and Irlam Mosses:
5 Coot - 2 pairs plus a single. Considering Coots are not common on the mosses this is a significant count and easily my highest count.
3-4 Little Grebe - pair seen at nest plus and another 1-2 birds seen so probably a second pair.
1 Little Egret
1 Tawny Owl
1 Marsh Harrier
20+ Lesser Redpoll
7 Whitethroat singing
2 Teal - pair
1 Lapwing chick with parents
2 Oystercatcher
2 Curlew
2 Herring Gull
2 Buzzard
2 Grey Heron
2 Yellowhammer
2 Jay
Little Woolden Moss NR:
33 Snipe - flocks of 21 & 12 flew over high east
2 Grasshopper Warbler reeling - 1 seen
2 Water Rail heard
6 Lesser Redpoll
2 Oystercatcher
1 Curlew
2 Gadwall - pair
1 Grey Partridge
Grasshopper Warbler x 2
Corn Bunting x 2
Yellow Wagtail 1m 1f
Little Egret (flew E) - first time I've seen one at LWM
Teal 2m 1f
Gadwall 1m 1f
Shoveler 1m
Wheatear 1m / 2f followed by 1m
Redshank heard
Willow Warbler by the boat load!
Chiffchaff x 3
Song Thrush
Linnet
Oystercatcher x 2
Pied Wagtail
Reed Bunting
180424
Chat Moss
29 Willow Warbler in song
1 Curlew in Display
1 Little Grebe
1 Little Egret
5 Gadwall
1 Little Ringed Plover
2 Tufted Duck...Pair
2 Snipe
1 Wheatear
2 Shoveler...Pair
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
2 Oystercatcher
2 Gadwall...Pair
13 Willow Warbler i song
2 Curlew
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Sunday 21st of April 2024 04:00:44 PM
10 Brambling
40+ Lesser Redpoll
3 Little Grebe - pair seen together + another heard calling from opposite side
2 Coot - pair
1 Little Egret
1 Swallow
2 Teal
2 Shoveler - pair
Mallard female with 3 young
170424
Chat Moss
2 Kestrel on the ground having a fight!
5 Willow Warbler in song
1 Chiffchaff in song
2 Wheatear
2 Shoveler...Pair
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
4 Willow Warbler in song
2 Curlew
2 Oystercatcher
2 Gadwall...Pair
1 Herring Gull
1 Redshank
Astley Moss LWTNR....LWT BBS 1 of 3
26 Willow Warbler in song
1 Yellowhammer
10 Wren in song
2 Chiffchaff in song
3 Snipe
2 Bullfinch
5 Teal
1 Siskin
1 Willow Tit in song
10 Meadow Pipit
2 Greylag Geese
Each Visit here haunted by musings of my misspent early youth here when Turtle Dove/Curlew/Tree Sparrow/Lesser Redpoll/Woodcock etc all bred here whilst Cuckoo roamed in good number....plus the Winter expected Hen Harrier graced the site ...ALL (and much more gone)...it can be a tad depressing to wander where youth and wildlife (in abundance) are now but ghostly apparitions...
Male Black Grouse sat on a bund wall for 20mins before flying off.
6 Sand Martin
2 Swallow
4 Grey Partridge
1 Curlew
1 Oystercatcher
Never thought Id see the day when its more likely to see a Black Grouse on the mosses than a Willow Tit!
160424
Irlam Moss
1 Swallow
1 Whitethroat in song
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
4 Grasshopper Warbler in song
5 Redshank
4 Sand Martin
1 Swallow
1 House Martin
10 Linnet
28 Willow Warbler in song
6 Chiffchaff in song
2 Oystercatcher
4 Tufted Duck
1 Black Grouse
11 Lapwing
2 Grey Partridge
Little Woolden Moss
57 Lapwing
8 Wheatear
6 Grey Partridge
6 Yellow Wagtail...Males
26 Skylark
28 Linnet
4 Lapwing...recently hatched...first for year for me...
120424 Brief am Visit
Chat Moss
3 Song Thrush in song
3 Chiffchaff in song
21 Willow Warbler in song
2 Tufted Duck...Pair
2 Gadwall...Pair
1 Little Grebe...in song
2 Bullfinch
2 Grey Partridge
17 Lesser Redpoll
6 Lapwing
1 Whitethroat in song
Irlam Moss
4 Grey Partridge
1 Mallard female with 8 young
3 Willow Warbler in song
1 Yellowhammer.
110424
Irlam Moss
2 Grey Partridge
10 Lapwing
1 Wheatear...Male
13 Skylark
2 Oystercatcher
1 Whitethroat in song
1 Yellowhammer
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
2 Shoveler...Male
12 Lapwing
2 Gadwall...Pair
13 Willow Warbler in Song
2 Tufted Duck...Pair
1 Redshank
5 Buzzard
1 Wheatear
3 Oystercatcher
2 Lesser Redpoll
100424....Heavy Rain for the most parts...
Irlam Moss
4 Stock Dove
9 Grey Partridge
1 Willow Warbler in song
1 Blackcap in song
10 Linnet
2 Corn Bunting
2 Snipe
1 Mistle Thrush Nest
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
16 Willow Warbler in song
5 Curlew
2 Siskin
70 Lesser Redpoll
4 Teal
Little Woolden Moss
1 Wheatear
2 Lesser redpoll
16 Lapwing
090424...brief am visit
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
21 Willow Warbler in song
2 Curlew...Males having an Arial display flight challenge
6 Teal
3 Chiffchaff in song
2 Oystercatcher
3 Redshank
1 Grasshopper Warbler in song
1 Water Rail...on call
4 Gadwall
9 Meadow Pipit
2 Shelduck...pair
2 Snipe
1 Song Thrush in song
6 Reed Bunting
Irlam Moss
2 Grey Partridge
Also an immature Marsh Harrier over,heading towards the SSSI 3 Buzzards up together and a Swallow feeding over the treetops.
Astley Moss this afternoon:
3 male Wheatears off Moss Lane, also two Red-legged Partridges (releases for shooting)
Feeding flock of 22+ Bramblings in the hedge by Rindle Wood, also three Red-legged Partridges nearby
1 Whitethroat singing
20+ Willow Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
7 Blackcap
2 Coot - pair - not a common bird on the mosses
2 Moorhen
2 Little Grebe - one seen collecting nesting material
1 Little Egret
1 Curlew in display flight
1 Oystercatcher
2 Gadwall - pair
2 Swallow
2 Sparrowhawk - pair in display flight
1 Raven over
.And worryingly still no sign of any Willow Tit in 2024
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Saturday 13th of April 2024 12:32:11 PM
080424
Irlam Moss
5 Lawing
450 Woodpigeon
1 Oystercatcher
2 Lapwing on nests
Chat Moss....ahh the further joy of having two large (Greyhound Type) Dogs chasing through an area which once had no such regular (now daily) disturbance...then again it's ONLY an area that hosts ground nesting birds....
1 Yellowhammer
4 Lapwing in Display
1 Lapwing on nest
400 Woodpigeon
3 Teal
2 Lesser Redpoll
22 Willow Warbler in song
1 Curlew hoping to nest where dogs rule...yeah right...and we wonder why such as Curlew are on the Red Data List....
1 Oystercatcher
5 Tufted Duck...Male
Barton Moss
8 Lapwing
1 Peregrine (male) chased off by Lapwing
2 Buzzard
1 Mistle Thrush in song
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
13 Willow Warbler in song
4 Gadwall...2 Pair
1 Marsh Harrier chased by Lapwing
2 Oystercatcher
1 Curlew...in display
1 Lesser Redpoll
2 Grasshopper Warbler reeling
1 Yellow Wagtail - male
2 Swallow
2 Sand Martin
8 Teal - 4 pairs
1 Marsh Harrier
3 Curlew
2 Moorhen - pair
Astley Moss
9 Male & female Summer plumaged Brambling in the hawthorn treelined approach track to LWTNR.
070424
Little Woolden Moss
1 Marsh Harrier
Chat Moss
1 Swallow
8 Willow Warbler in song
2 Blackcap in song
2 Bullfinch
1 Curlew in Display
2 Siskin
5 Meadow Pipit
1 Sparrowhawk
12 House Sparrow
5 Skylark in song
1 Yellowhammer
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
10 Willow Warbler in song
1 Ringed Plover
4 Teal
2 Buzzard
2 Shoveler...Pair
1 Shoveler....a male interloper which was given short shrift by the male of the aforementioned pair...
2 Curlew
2 Oystercatcher
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR Thursday 11th afternoon until the rain got bad...
Western end first:
Then from the Eastern end - walked most of the southern boundary path and back:
I've never seen the water level so high, the ditch next to the track to the Eastern end parking spot was almost overflowing. The rain means that there's loads of water in most of the fields and a lot of birds will be on these "puddles" rather than in the more normal wet spots.
I'd forgotten how uplifting it is to have singing Willow Warblers all around, enhanced by the Curlews calling.
060424
Barton Moss
21 Skylark in song
13 Linnet
2 Yellow Wagtail...first for the year!
16 Lapwing
1 Willow Warbler in song
1 Willow Tit in song
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
3 Curlew
6 Willow Warbler in song
2 Shoveler...Pair
1 Lesser Redpoll
5 Teal
2 Gadwall...Pair
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
Shoveler pair still at west end pools early afternoon.
050424
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
3 Lesser Redpoll
11 Willow Warbler in song
7 Lapwing
3 Oystercatcher
2 Redshank
11 Linnet
1 Shoveler...Male
2 Snipe
12 Meadow Pipit
1 Marsh Harrier....Female @ 0957
2 Curlew in display
Little Woolden Moss
16 Skylark in song
51 Lapwing...4 sat on nests
040424
Chat Moss
11 Lesser Redpoll
12 Willow Warbler in song
4 Teal
1 Little Grebe
1 Curlew in Display
1 Little Egret
2 Tufted Duck...Pair
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
8 Siskin
2 Lesser Redpoll
2 Shoveler...Pair
3 Tufted Duck
2 Gadwall...Pair
1 Redshank...in Display
14 Lapwing
2 Oystercatcher
23 Black-Headed Gull...2 of which followed closely the Tufted Duck...taking food from the disturbed surface when the ducks emerged from a dive...
1 Curlew in Display.
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling this evening
030424
Chat Moss
3 Curlew in display
Cadishead Moss
2 Oystercatcher
2 Lapwing in Display
1 Willow Warbler in song
Little Woolden Moss LWTNR
9 Willow Warbler in song
2 Lesser Redpoll
2 Marsh Harrier
6 Teal
1 Redshank in Display
1 Black Grouse
12 Reed Bunting
16 Meadow Pipit
1 Snipe
1 Curlew
Little Woolden Moss
37 Lapwing
2 Redshank
14 Skylark