A Little Egret at 09.00 this morning on the banks of Poise Brook where it passes under Bean Leach Road. Possibly the same bird that was seen in Dec 2010 by the Goyt near Middle Farm, Bredbury.
Info per John Tromans
John Rayner said
Sat Jan 8 1:33 PM, 2011
A Raven calling as it circled over the road to Hazel Grove golf course club house.
Cheers, John
Scott Reid said
Sun Dec 26 1:34 PM, 2010
There was a peregrine flying low over the A6 near sainsburys around 11:30am with an unfortunate jackdaw sized bird struggling in its tallons! Amazing to watch, the peregrines never get boring!
John Rayner said
Thu Dec 9 3:53 PM, 2010
Hazel Grove Golf Course.
No Snipe species today but 1 Woodcock along the stream near Torkington Primary School.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Dec 5 2:55 PM, 2010
Hazel Grove Golf Course.
43 House Sparrows (single flock) 8 Bullfinches Buzzard mobbed by Crow 3 Common Snipe 1 Jack Snipe (The Jack circled in the same binocular view as 1 of the commons allowing suberb direct comparison).
A small flock of Gulls comprised c12 Herring, 1 ad LBB Gull and 2 ad GBB Gulls. The latter are scarce round these parts
Also some Water (or 19-spot) Ladybirds on the dead Typha. I'll put a photo on the Manchester Wildlife website.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Nov 14 9:55 PM, 2010
Mike Passant wrote:
Have you taken to suppressing stuff of late?
To borrow a line from Manuel in Fawlty Towers "I know naarthing"
I have seen both Marsh and Willow Tit there though, but quite some years ago
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 14th of November 2010 09:57:43 PM
Mike Passant said
Sun Nov 14 9:39 PM, 2010
Now Mr. Rayner; you cover the golf course, do you not? Have you taken to suppressing stuff of late?
(Both those Tits would add a touch of quality to many a G M list).
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Nov 14 9:24 PM, 2010
Whilst we've all been watching the grebe, our collective eyes have been diverted from something almost (but not quite) as good within our county, as according to the Stockport Times last week, a nest box scheme has been launched at the golf club to help resident birds like blue, great, coal, crested and bearded tits which have been recorded there.
The good old reliable British media at its finest (yet again).
John Rayner said
Sat Oct 16 2:16 PM, 2010
A walk over HGGC this morning. Only common species but noticeably more birds about, especially blackbirds. Of note was 1 treecreeper and 1 buzzard with grey wagtail heard overhread.
The pool held 5 mallard, 5 moorhen, 2 coot and a little grebe.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Thu Sep 2 6:02 PM, 2010
4 Nuthatches at widely separated locations 4 Bullfinches 1 Buzzard over 2 Jays
Cheers, John
Chris Harper said
Wed Jul 21 2:42 PM, 2010
A short saunter around yesterday: Kestrel mobbed by 6 Swallow and some House Martins Female Mandarin took off from pool (the clay lined one) GS Woodpecker and plenty of Nuthatch, inc. young. Very vocal Chiff Chaff's Chris H
tonywilkinson said
Wed Jun 9 4:46 PM, 2010
Nice one John, in another of my clashes with a local councillor, who had told me with obvious pride that they had refused planning permission for another golf course in the green belt there, I had to express my observation that there was more biodiversity on the existing courses than in the whole of the area between Hazel Grove and High Lane put together. He didn't understand.
Cheers
Tony
John Rayner said
Wed Jun 9 2:37 PM, 2010
11.00 - 13.00.
Had a walk around the quieter areas of the golf course this lunchtime and recorded everything that moved or sang:
Chaffinch 7 Blue Tit 9 (inc family party) Magpie 6 Wren 8 Chiffchaff 14 (inc 2 family parties) Blackbird 13 Nuthatch 3 Robin 7 Wood Pigeon 14 Bullfinch 2 Great Tit 17 (inc family party) Buzzard 1 LT Tit 15 (inc family party) Blackcap 1 Jay 2 Swallow 6 Willow Warbler 3 Mistle Thrush 3 House Martin 5 Song Thrush 5 Coot 5 (inc 3 young) Kestrel 1 Great Spt Woodpecker 5 (inc family party) Heron 1 Greenfinch 4 Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 7 Collared Dove 1 Starling 12 Carrion Crow 9 LBB Gull 1 Swift 7
So, 190 individuals of 32 species in 2 hours. Not a great return but I suppose it was the quiet time of the day. Best record was probably 2 female or teneral Broad-bodied Chasers so I'll put them on the Manchester Wildlife website.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sat Apr 24 6:39 PM, 2010
17.15 - 18.30
Best bits were a Tawny Owl out in the open being mobbed by angry Blackbirds and a stunning, pristine male Redstart. The latter was a site first after 35 years flogging this area.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Thu Apr 8 1:37 PM, 2010
A nice walk in the morning sunshine produced 34 species the best of which were
Scandalous! Although the proximity to JR's own garden is uncanny!
Mark Rigby said
Tue Mar 23 8:33 PM, 2010
So thats what Mr.Rayner was doing with that cardboard box the other morning! I saw him sneaking back to his house just before daylight.
He will do anything to get a new bird on his Stockport list...............
Rob Smallwood said
Tue Mar 23 6:56 PM, 2010
A colleague emailed me a photo of a small game bird that visited his garden yesterday - which turns out to have been Northern Bobwhite or Bobwhite Quail - an interesting addition to Gtr Mcr's collection of exotics.
I've passed the photo to Ian.
John Rayner said
Mon Mar 22 9:50 AM, 2010
Hazel Grove Golf Course 7.00 - 8.30
31 species the best bits being Buzzard, 4 Treecreepers, Chiffchaff and a White Wagtail
John Rayner said
Mon Feb 22 4:07 PM, 2010
Hazel Grove Golf Course (pm)
A loose flock held c10 Great Tit, c6 Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Treecreper and a single Goldcrest
The pool is still mostly iced over - 5 Moorhen, 3 Mallard only.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Mon Feb 1 9:03 AM, 2010
1st February
A spectacular flock of Jackdaws flying NE at 07.15 over our house. I estimated c2300 in a single elongated flock. Every bird seemed to be calling - so very noisy even through double glazing.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Jan 3 12:41 PM, 2010
Hazel Grove Golf Course a.m.
A beautifully crisp sunny day. As well as the usuals suspects the best birds were Jack Snipe in SJ98N and Woodcock in SJ98i.
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 3rd of January 2010 12:55:12 PM
John Rayner said
Sat Dec 26 2:27 PM, 2009
25th Dec. During a spare hour before the onslaught of food and drink I visited Hazel Grove Golf Course. The primary target, Woodcock, were not at the usual site but the Lesser Redpoll that flew over is uncommon here. A Mistle Thrush tirelessly defended a heavily berried Holly bush from 3 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing and a rival Mistle Thrush with a Great Spot calling nearby. On the small pool by the footpath were 12 Moorhen and 3 Coot. I then flushed a Jack Snipe which I almost trod on, my 116th local (SJ98 10k square) bird of the year, equalling last year's total.
26th Dec. Today a Jack Snipe was flushed from a different pool in a normally inaccessible part of the golf course. Here also was a nice fly-by Woodcock, 25 Goldfinch and 12 Redwing.
A belated Happy Christmas to everyone,
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Dec 13 3:58 PM, 2009
Paul Carroll wrote:
Re the large number of Jackdaws, I play hockey on Wednesday nights at Bramhall High School 7pm - 9pm. Throughout September and October when it was a little lighter I could sometimes see but always hear 100's roosting in the tall trees at the back of the sportsfield. I believe the area is called Ladybrooke?
13th Dec 15.30
This evening a field at Norbury Moor (opp. the junction of Jackson's Lane/Arundel Avenue) held a pre-roost feeding party of at least 650 Jackdaw with another flock of c150 flying in to join them as I left. If Bramhall High School is still a winter roost site in December they are possibly heading there next.
Cheers, John
Paul Carroll said
Tue Dec 8 10:17 PM, 2009
Re the large number of Jackdaws, I play hockey on Wednesday nights at Bramhall High School 7pm - 9pm. Throughout September and October when it was a little lighter I could sometimes see but always hear 100's roosting in the tall trees at the back of the sportsfield. I believe the area is called Ladybrooke?
John Rayner said
Sun Dec 6 9:29 PM, 2009
Forgot to mention I recently heard belated news of a Red Kite overflying Hazel Grove Golf Course on 6th November.
I don't know if the observer has recorded this sighting elsewhere.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sun Dec 6 9:24 PM, 2009
Each evening large numbers of Jackdaw overfly my garden in Hazel Grove. They all fly southwest and seem locked onto a regular flight path which has fairly narrow width of no more than 1-200 metres. They are very noisy as they swirl close overhead and the whole experience is quite Hitchcock-like. I had a go at a count today but as the larger flocks fly low and come into view suddenly I have to count them in blocks of 50.
15.30 - 16.00.
2 large flocks of c550 and c750 plus many smaller groups made a total of 1373 in half an hour.
House Sparrow flocks of 26 & 12 Blackbird 20 Redwing 1 Blue Tit 22 Great Tit 14 Jackdaw 33 Grey Wagtail 2 Robin 11 Jay 2 Wren 5 Goldfinch 17 Moorhen 13 Little Grebe 1 LT Tit 23 Goldcrest 2 Great Spot 2 Nuthatch 2 Bullfinch 1
Cheers, John
tonywilkinson said
Tue Jul 28 6:14 PM, 2009
About 10 years ago the Disley Tunnel spoil tip at SJ947960 was one of those rare spots in Stockport where Linnets still survived, until that is the land owner decided to drag a chain through the gorse. Breeding Linnets were a memory. This morning, fighting the weather, I finished the TTV survey and recorded two Linnets close by the spoil tip! Has anyone seen many Linnets in Stockport in recent times?
Mark Rigby said
Thu Jul 2 2:33 PM, 2009
I thought it meant "courting".
Happen its a confused Hobby.
sid ashton said
Thu Jul 2 11:58 AM, 2009
John
Does "interacting" mean "scaring the hell out of them"?
John Rayner said
Thu Jul 2 11:22 AM, 2009
2 Hobbies circling over the garden at 10.30 whilst interacting with Swifts. Low but sharp 'kik" calls repeated at about 1-5 second intervals first drew attention.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sat May 9 1:49 PM, 2009
Hazel Grove Golf Course
A short walk up to the club house. Nothing special - plenty of warblers
Blackcaps (4) Chiffchaff (2) Willow Warbler Garden Warbler Bullfinch House Martin (2) Swift (2) GS Woodpecker Buzzard low overhead
John Rayner said
Mon Mar 30 3:14 PM, 2009
Hazel Grove Golf Course (SJ98i) 30/03/09
Bullfinch (3m, 3f. They seem to do quite well round here) Great-spotted Woodpecker (2 drumming) Chiffchaff (2 singing) Redwing (7) Buzzard (low overhead circling and calling) Greenfinch (display & carrying nesting material) Grey Wagtails (3 in noisy territorial dispute) + usual Corvids, Tits, Finches and Thrushes
Also Brown Hare - but I'll put that on the Manchester Wildlife forum
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Monday 30th of March 2009 04:03:25 PM
John Rayner said
Sun Jan 11 3:56 PM, 2009
Hazel Grove Golf Course (SJ98i)
A couple of hours round HGGC this afternoon produced not a lot. Best bits were Woodcock (2), Buzzard (2), Jay (2), House Sparrows (c10), Redwing (6), LBB Gull overflying and noisy Jackdaws (296) flying to roost, plus common passerines.
Cheers, John
Richard Gabb said
Sat Jan 3 3:51 PM, 2009
Well said Tony. To put a slighly more specific measure to your unit I'd guess a mean of 2.5 miles return for each of the 106 species seen in 2008 - and not a single one had the temerity to fly out to, or in from, Greater Manchester. Of course a Dipper flying mid-stream on the Lady Brook to breed at Mill Hill Hollow as they did 30 years ago might have resulted in a bit of stringing on my part!!
tonywilkinson said
Fri Jan 2 11:03 AM, 2009
Thanks for the translations chaps, and I don't do demeaning. Might call a spade a bloody shovel though..Yes if anyone wants to see a Dipper close up it can be arranged. South Manchester Ringing Group have chosen to work on Dippers partly because there is a shortage of birds and bird species in Stockport.; any body seen a Acro warbler in recent years for example. Andy Bissett will explain if necessary, but he has vividly expressed his views on a wider forum than this sadly to no avail, SMBC talk a good bird. With the disappearance of the Middlewood Way Yellowhammer about ten years ago sightings have been more or less confined to Watermeetings and Goyt Hall and some years ago a feeding station was set up at Chadkirk in the hope of attracting Yellowhammers and Tree Sparrows. As far as I know this did not achieve its objective.
County boundaries frequently follow rivers or streams and within one Gabb of my home (a unit of measure equal to the radial distance walked by Richard on a birdind session) there is a three county point at Strines and the 'G.M/c' Chashire border on Bollin/Norbury Brook.A recent valuable spot of Dipper near Norbury Hollow is good winter Atlas stuff but sadly arrived too late for recently published Cheshire Atlas. My point is simply that 'listers' should count a boundary bird on both county lists. Simple as that.
Steve Suttill said
Thu Dec 18 10:09 AM, 2008
Thanks for the explanation Andy, it's all perfectly clear now! As a fellow Tyke, I can understand what Tony says without difficulty. However, it's just occurred to me that all you locals probably think I'm talking gibberish (sometimes I am)!
Steve
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Dec 17 8:26 PM, 2008
Ian,
You also have to take into account that Tony is a 'Yorkie' !! His humour is as dry as a stick and everything he does with regards to birds is with nothing but good intentions. I know him well and if people like him (and most of us I think) had his way, birds would be treated like the Supercreatures they are with every other concern relegated into a very distant second place.
So remember to translate everything Tony says into Manc or Lancs speak before you try to work out what he's trying to say!!
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Dec 17 9:39 AM, 2008
Cheers Steve, I see where you're coming from though I wasn't the only one who read that post the wrong way, I even had to look up what esoteric meant
Steve Suttill said
Tue Dec 16 5:51 PM, 2008
Ian McKerchar wrote:
tonywilkinson wrote:
Since birds can fly I don't think that we should be having these esoteric discussions. .
I think you miss the whole original intention of this forum Tony and does your comment really purport to mean that we shouldn't be discussing Dipper sightings because they should be intended for 'people with special knowledge or interest'? If so I find demeaning to both myself and others on this forum.
Ian - I think you have misunderstood Tony's comments. I think he's just saying it doesn't matter (to the birds) whether they are on Greater Manchester side of the river or not!
I can assure everyone that Tony is not an elitist. I've been out and about with him quite a bit this year, helping with the Dipper studies and he (and the rest of the team) are keen to explain what they are doing to passers-by, whether they are birders or not. At Uppermill a few weeks back he showed a Dipper to a local dog walker who was absolutely amazed - he'd walked his dog there everyday for donkey's years and never seen one.
-- Edited by Steve Suttill at 17:53, 2008-12-16
Richard Gabb said
Tue Dec 16 4:39 PM, 2008
A thank you to a 'proper' birder in Disley (Ray Scalley) who has since extracted a Lesser Redpoll (or 2 or 3) from G.M. across the artificial boundary into Cheshire for my 'walking from home' 2008 list. Currently this stands at 106 in Cheshire SJ 98 but if anyone on the other side can shoo a Brambling across which remains fairly static for a minute or two before Dec 31st it would please this 'amateur'.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Dec 16 2:35 PM, 2008
tonywilkinson wrote:
Since birds can fly I don't think that we should be having these esoteric discussions. .
I think you miss the whole original intention of this forum Tony and does your comment really purport to mean that we shouldn't be discussing Dipper sightings because they should be intended for 'people with special knowledge or interest'? If so I find demeaning to both myself and others on this forum.
This forum was set up so county birders could share their sightings and discuss both them and other items relating to county and out of county birding and that is exactly what this and every other thread is doing. The fact that postings within it have been utilised for the county database was not the forum's intention, that has been a sideline of it's popularity, however productive and important it has become.
As for your comments "The records should go to both county recorders, in case heaven forbid, neither of them gets the records", do you not think that seeing as I am Assistant County Recorder for Greater Manchester anyway, that's exactly what I do, not to mention the fact that the vast majority of birders on this forum do the same too?
tonywilkinson said
Tue Dec 16 12:53 PM, 2008
Norbury Brook is upstream from Ladybrook (near Laneside Drive!!) therefore often only ankle deep. Since birds can fly I don't think that we should be having these esoteric discussions. The records should go to both county recorders, in case heaven forbid, neither of them gets the records. Richard Gabb sends his best wishes and would like a Brambling and Lesser Redpoll on his patch at Poynton for Chrismas.
tonywilkinson said
Tue Dec 16 12:41 PM, 2008
Probably for the reasons you state Dippers are not normally seen on Torky Brook but there can be a lot of water in the Goyt at this time of year. The pair here are more likely to be seen on the brook leading past the Chadkirk car park. I've spent too much time looking unsuccessfully for the nest on this territory; perhaps a decent birder could help me out?!
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Nov 29 8:17 PM, 2008
It was posted under the 'bits, bobs, odds and sods' thread John, although I can now appreciate the proximity to Hazel Grove-ish. I've copied the original post below, the sighting was on the 26th of November.
A late post but late yesterday morning I had a Dipper on Torkington Brook near Higher Danbank, Marple. The bird was on the brook just off the A626 Stockport Road, I'm not sure if this is a regular spot for them but the brook was pretty full of sediment and didn't look entirely appetizing!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 20:21, 2008-11-29
John Rayner said
Sat Nov 29 7:30 PM, 2008
Ian,
A while ago you reported a Dipper on Torkington Brook at Higher Danbank but I've just searched and can't hit that particular thread. However, it's loosely in the Hazel Grove area so I've posted here. I've been asking around and it appears this may be the first Dipper record for that area. I'd be interested if other posters have older records from Torkington Brook.
Cheers, John
Mike Passant said
Sun Nov 23 11:11 AM, 2008
Sorry John, I realise "conscience" is not spelt like "concsience".
Mike Passant said
Sun Nov 23 11:09 AM, 2008
Dear esteemed Mr. Rayner, How wide is Norbury Brook? I should respectfully suggest that it is easy to calculate the whereabouts of the mid point at any given spot and then to follow your concsience accordingly. Here in the north east ( which as you know is renowned for the integrity of its observers), if a rare species is found at the mouth of the R. Tees, which is some 100's of metres across, we always try to assess which side of the midpoint is the bird, as a prerequisite for counting it. Many are the times therefore when I have stood in the full blast of a sub zero snowstorm, often in vain, hoping that a diver or rarer grebe will drift towards the north side in order to be admitted to my Durham year list. The situation is mirrored on our northern recording boundary, the R. Tyne when we can see Iceland Gulls etc at the N. Shields fishquay, but cannot count them unless they fly south of the midpoint towards S. Shields. You could of course wear wellies, and jump into the brook and chase your Dipper into GM (without owning up to this of course). The water is too deep in the Tees and the Tyne to do this (damn!).
Judith Smith said
Sat Nov 22 9:18 PM, 2008
Yes, John, Like Geoff I regard any birds on boundary rivers and streams as ours!
Info per John Tromans
Cheers, John
No Snipe species today but 1 Woodcock along the stream near Torkington Primary School.
Cheers, John
43 House Sparrows (single flock)
8 Bullfinches
Buzzard mobbed by Crow
3 Common Snipe
1 Jack Snipe (The Jack circled in the same binocular view as 1 of the commons allowing suberb direct comparison).
A small flock of Gulls comprised c12 Herring, 1 ad LBB Gull and 2 ad GBB Gulls. The latter are scarce round these parts
Also some Water (or 19-spot) Ladybirds on the dead Typha. I'll put a photo on the Manchester Wildlife website.
Cheers, John
To borrow a line from Manuel in Fawlty Towers "I know naarthing"
I have seen both Marsh and Willow Tit there though, but quite some years ago
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 14th of November 2010 09:57:43 PM
(Both those Tits would add a touch of quality to many a G M list).
The good old reliable British media at its finest (yet again).
The pool held 5 mallard, 5 moorhen, 2 coot and a little grebe.
Cheers, John
4 Bullfinches
1 Buzzard over
2 Jays
Cheers, John
Kestrel mobbed by 6 Swallow and some House Martins
Female Mandarin took off from pool (the clay lined one)
GS Woodpecker and plenty of Nuthatch, inc. young.
Very vocal Chiff Chaff's
Chris H
Cheers
Tony
Had a walk around the quieter areas of the golf course this lunchtime and recorded everything that moved or sang:
Chaffinch 7
Blue Tit 9 (inc family party)
Magpie 6
Wren 8
Chiffchaff 14 (inc 2 family parties)
Blackbird 13
Nuthatch 3
Robin 7
Wood Pigeon 14
Bullfinch 2
Great Tit 17 (inc family party)
Buzzard 1
LT Tit 15 (inc family party)
Blackcap 1
Jay 2
Swallow 6
Willow Warbler 3
Mistle Thrush 3
House Martin 5
Song Thrush 5
Coot 5 (inc 3 young)
Kestrel 1
Great Spt Woodpecker 5 (inc family party)
Heron 1
Greenfinch 4
Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 7
Collared Dove 1
Starling 12
Carrion Crow 9
LBB Gull 1
Swift 7
So, 190 individuals of 32 species in 2 hours. Not a great return but I suppose it was the quiet time of the day. Best record was probably 2 female or teneral Broad-bodied Chasers so I'll put them on the Manchester Wildlife website.
Cheers, John
Best bits were a Tawny Owl out in the open being mobbed by angry Blackbirds and a stunning, pristine male Redstart. The latter was a site first after 35 years flogging this area.
Cheers, John
Chiffchaff 11
Nutcatch 5
Blackcap (1 male)
Sparrowhawk (1 display)
Buzzard 4
Swallow 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Cheers, John
He will do anything to get a new bird on his Stockport list...............
I've passed the photo to Ian.
31 species the best bits being Buzzard, 4 Treecreepers, Chiffchaff and a White Wagtail
A loose flock held c10 Great Tit, c6 Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Treecreper and a single Goldcrest
Also:
1 Nuthatch
c15 LT Tit
Buzzard overhead
5 Bullfinch
The pool is still mostly iced over - 5 Moorhen, 3 Mallard only.
Cheers, John
A spectacular flock of Jackdaws flying NE at 07.15 over our house. I estimated c2300 in a single elongated flock. Every bird seemed to be calling - so very noisy even through double glazing.
Cheers, John
A beautifully crisp sunny day. As well as the usuals suspects the best birds were Jack Snipe in SJ98N
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 3rd of January 2010 12:55:12 PM
During a spare hour before the onslaught of food and drink I visited Hazel Grove Golf Course. The primary target, Woodcock, were not at the usual site but the Lesser Redpoll that flew over is uncommon here.
A Mistle Thrush tirelessly defended a heavily berried Holly bush from 3 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing and a rival Mistle Thrush with a Great Spot calling nearby.
On the small pool by the footpath were 12 Moorhen and 3 Coot. I then flushed a Jack Snipe which I almost trod on, my 116th local (SJ98 10k square) bird of the year, equalling last year's total.
26th Dec.
Today a Jack Snipe was flushed from a different pool in a normally inaccessible part of the golf course. Here also was a nice fly-by Woodcock, 25 Goldfinch and 12 Redwing.
A belated Happy Christmas to everyone,
Cheers, John
13th Dec 15.30
This evening a field at Norbury Moor (opp. the junction of Jackson's Lane/Arundel Avenue) held a pre-roost feeding party of at least 650 Jackdaw with another flock of c150 flying in to join them as I left. If Bramhall High School is still a winter roost site in December they are possibly heading there next.
Cheers, John
I don't know if the observer has recorded this sighting elsewhere.
Cheers, John
15.30 - 16.00.
2 large flocks of c550 and c750 plus many smaller groups made a total of 1373 in half an hour.
I believe they roost in the Adlington area.
Cheers, John
31 species noted in total including:
House Sparrow flocks of 26 & 12
Blackbird 20
Redwing 1
Blue Tit 22
Great Tit 14
Jackdaw 33
Grey Wagtail 2
Robin 11
Jay 2
Wren 5
Goldfinch 17
Moorhen 13
Little Grebe 1
LT Tit 23
Goldcrest 2
Great Spot 2
Nuthatch 2
Bullfinch 1
Cheers, John
Has anyone seen many Linnets in Stockport in recent times?
Happen its a confused Hobby.
Does "interacting" mean "scaring the hell out of them"?
2 Hobbies circling over the garden at 10.30 whilst interacting with Swifts. Low but sharp 'kik" calls repeated at about 1-5 second intervals first drew attention.
Cheers, John
A short walk up to the club house. Nothing special - plenty of warblers
Blackcaps (4)
Chiffchaff (2)
Willow Warbler
Garden Warbler
Bullfinch
House Martin (2)
Swift (2)
GS Woodpecker
Buzzard low overhead
Bullfinch (3m, 3f. They seem to do quite well round here)
Great-spotted Woodpecker (2 drumming)
Chiffchaff (2 singing)
Redwing (7)
Buzzard (low overhead circling and calling)
Greenfinch (display & carrying nesting material)
Grey Wagtails (3 in noisy territorial dispute)
+ usual Corvids, Tits, Finches and Thrushes
Also Brown Hare - but I'll put that on the Manchester Wildlife forum
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Monday 30th of March 2009 04:03:25 PM
A couple of hours round HGGC this afternoon produced not a lot. Best bits were Woodcock (2), Buzzard (2), Jay (2), House Sparrows (c10), Redwing (6), LBB Gull overflying and noisy Jackdaws (296) flying to roost, plus common passerines.
Cheers, John
County boundaries frequently follow rivers or streams and within one Gabb of my home (a unit of measure equal to the radial distance walked by Richard on a birdind session) there is a three county point at Strines and the 'G.M/c' Chashire border on Bollin/Norbury Brook.A recent valuable spot of Dipper near Norbury Hollow is good winter Atlas stuff but sadly arrived too late for recently published Cheshire Atlas. My point is simply that 'listers' should count a boundary bird on both county lists. Simple as that.
Steve
You also have to take into account that Tony is a 'Yorkie' !! His humour is as dry as a stick and everything he does with regards to birds is with nothing but good intentions.
I know him well and if people like him (and most of us I think) had his way, birds would be treated like the Supercreatures they are with every other concern relegated into a very distant second place.
So remember to translate everything Tony says into Manc or Lancs speak before you try to work out what he's trying to say!!
-- Edited by Steve Suttill at 17:53, 2008-12-16
Richard Gabb sends his best wishes and would like a Brambling and Lesser Redpoll on his patch at Poynton for Chrismas.
A late post but late yesterday morning I had a Dipper on Torkington Brook near Higher Danbank, Marple. The bird was on the brook just off the A626 Stockport Road, I'm not sure if this is a regular spot for them but the brook was pretty full of sediment and didn't look entirely appetizing!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 20:21, 2008-11-29
A while ago you reported a Dipper on Torkington Brook at Higher Danbank but I've just searched and can't hit that particular thread. However, it's loosely in the Hazel Grove area so I've posted here. I've been asking around and it appears this may be the first Dipper record for that area. I'd be interested if other posters have older records from Torkington Brook.
Cheers, John
I realise "conscience" is not spelt like "concsience".
How wide is Norbury Brook? I should respectfully suggest that it is easy to calculate the whereabouts of the mid point at any given spot and then to follow your concsience accordingly.
Here in the north east ( which as you know is renowned for the integrity of its observers), if a rare species is found at the mouth of the R. Tees, which is some 100's of metres across, we always try to assess which side of the midpoint is the bird, as a prerequisite for counting it.
Many are the times therefore when I have stood in the full blast of a sub zero snowstorm, often in vain, hoping that a diver or rarer grebe will drift towards the north side in order to be admitted to my Durham year list. The situation is mirrored on our northern recording boundary, the R. Tyne when we can see Iceland Gulls etc at the N. Shields fishquay, but cannot count them unless they fly south of the midpoint towards S. Shields.
You could of course wear wellies, and jump into the brook and chase your Dipper into GM (without owning up to this of course)