Tuesday 16th September 2014, 9.00 - 11.30am

An amble up to Middle Bank - misty at first, clearing to warm sunshine.

2 Buzzards over Boar Flat
1 Sparrowhawk
4 Little Owls
2 Green Woodpeckers heard around Middle Bank, not seen
Nuthatches around Hall Farm
2 Chiffchaffs - Hall Farm
Plenty of Willow Warblers all the way up
c6 Linnets over south
Meadow Pipits out of the rough grass. Noticably fewer on this side of the hill compared to Brushes Valley. A flock of c50 in the newly mown field on Hobson Moor Road
Low numbers of corvids, for this area - no sign of any Rooks today

Late am/early pm with Simon Ghilks

Little Owl
Meadow Pipit, small number flying over
Skylark
2 Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
At least 4 Rook, amongst the Crows and Jackdaws, including a couple of juveniles

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 14th of September 2014 08:20:17 AM

Yesterday walked from Brushes valley up to Swineshaw then down to Swallows wood:

Birds quiet but had

Nuthatch
Chiffchaffs
7+ house martins
Swallows
Raven
Flock of meadow pipits
Linnets
Black-headed gulls and mallard on Swineshaw

Butterflies:

Lots of small heath, peacock, small and large white, meadow browns, gatekeepers
Highlight was first PAINTED LADY of the year above Swallows woods

Friday. 11th July. 22.00 hrs.

Golden Plover.
Lapwing.
Little Owl.

All heard calling at dusk up on Hobson Moor.

Roger.

Yesterday 3 until 5 pm walk from Hobson's Moor up to Swineshaw. Highlights were at least 10 Wheatear in that area and a Sparrowhawk over. A couple each of Curlew and Lapwing, and heard a Greenwoodpecker lower down.

Hollingworth hall fm-Lees Hill-Upper Swineshore Reservoir-Hobson moor
9.15-12.15:
Stonechat
4 Curlew
15 Wheatear
3 Red Grouse
Common Buzzard
2 Common Sandpiper
Jack Snipe
2 Swallow
2 Reed Bunting
6 linnet
Many meadow pipit and willow warbler
Blackcap
Many skylark in song

-- Edited by Chris Harper on Sunday 27th of April 2014 01:44:31 PM

am-pm walk from Walkerswood Reservoir round Lees Hill, down Hobson Moor Road, across Hobson Moor, Shaw Moor and Wild Bank back to Walkerwood Res.

Shaw Moor 2.40pm a splendid male Ring Ouzel I first heard the twanging rubber band call then caught it flying up from the fields to the moor's edge where it perched up but not for long enough to get it in the scope.
Also Shaw Moor 3x Meadow Pipit aerial territorial fights taking place and several more singles
Red Grouse 1 on edge of the moor
Wheatear bright male
Hobson Moor: 6 lapwing 10 Meadow Pipits
Lees Hill Red-legged Partridge


-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Thursday 24th of April 2014 06:09:01 PM

Tiring session walking up from Stalybridge to Hobson Moor Road and on to Swineshaw and back. It was epically windy but wonderful up on the top

Wheatears male and female
Linnet pair, beautiful summer plumage on the male
15 or so Skylarks, got some nice close views
Lapwing bombing about calling
40+ Meadow Pipits, not a surprise!
Red Grouse female (I think)
Curlew pair, on the ground then off
Best for me was 10 Golden Plover on the way back down, flew into the broken up field near the road and started feeding, then a nice flight formation when the farmer and his sheepdog turned up
1 male Ring Ouzel at the same place, probable female flushed too, but wouldn't fly back and play nicely

A couple of hours up here with pal Stephen Ellison.

Hobson Moor Road up to the Swineshaw Res's.
Of note:
1 female Ring Ouzel flushed from 30ft and flew into the treetop facing the moor slope.
Another brief view of a probable-male Ring Ouzel but it disappeared quickly over the hill.
A constant uprising of Meadow Pipit in 10's and 20's.
A lot of Curlew heard, 3 seen ( both in flight and on the moor)
Male Kestrel.
A Buzzard.
...and 2 Grey Partridge flushed whilst on the top looking down onto Swineshaw.

Thursday 17th April 2014, 7.30 - 10.30am

As the forecast rain hadn't arrived, I decided to chance a wander up from Hobson Moor Road to Higher Swineshaw, rather than wait for the better forecast tomorrow and Bank Holiday crowds. What a good decision!

8 Ring Ouzels on Lees Hill. I tried counting them a few times, but they are so mobile, wandering behind marsh grass, flying over walls, that 8 is the total I could be sure of seeing all at once. Not quite Roger's jackpot of Tuesday, but I didn't have a bird scarer to call upon - my dogs are too well-behaved!

4 Wheatear
4+ Skylarks calling over towards Brushes
Plenty of Curlew displaying and calling down in Ogden Clough
Green Woodpecker heard in Clough
Little Owl on a wall near Hall Farm
Several Nuthatches near Hollingworth Hall

And the rain held off

-- Edited by David Walsh on Thursday 17th of April 2014 05:12:53 PM

Ok thanks for that Roger.

Rob,

It is about half way between Arnfield Res and Higher Swineshaw.

Roger

Am I right in thinking this is the area behind the Gun Inn in Mottram leading up to Arnfield Reservoir?
Cheers
Rob

Tues April 15th. 06.30 - 09.15 hrs.

Best local mornings birding I've ever had !

The 6 Ring Ouzels were in the field below the rocks on Lees Hill at 06.45 hrs but had all dispersed by 07.45 hrs.
I then carried on towards Swineshaw, more to have a look at the pylon work .... been told they are renewing all the cables ?

As I was heading back I heard an Ouzel calling from Middle Bank and located (2) at the top of the trees ...... I then noticed a lad walking a dog down the track from Hollingworth Hall Farm direction so hung on a bit ..... he closed the metal gate at Middle Bank with a hell of a bang ... flushing a pile of Ouzels out of the juncus growing in the field .... I counted 11 flying up Lees Hill then the 2 in the tree followed them plus another 2 that I flushed off the ground ... giving a grand total of 15. Magic !

4 Wheatear.
2 singing Skylark.
Plenty of Curlew calling and a few displaying.
6 Jay squabbling at Middle Bank.
Green Woodpecker yaffling but not seen.
Male Brambling (still in winter plumage) in the U.U. drum compound.


Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Wednesday 16th of April 2014 11:15:19 AM

6 Ring Ouzels on Lees Hill this morning (4 males), now dispersed, and 4 Wheatear.

Info thanks to Roger Baker

Hobson Moor Road

2 Willow Warbler
1 Nuthatch
c10 Goldfinch

Lees Hill (south side)

Male Black Redstart
4 Wheatear
13 Curlew
Green Woodpecker 3 seen and 1 heard
Jay
2 Raven

Info thanks to Phil Kelly

A full walk up Cow Lane to Middle Bank this morning.

Just one Ring Ouzel today. Also 1 Wheatear, 7 Sand Martins and a Swallow. Only 1 Brambling left on Cow Lane, a winter plumaged male.

Info thanks to Robert and Sonia Adderley.

10/4/14..late am/early pm....

4 Ring Ouzels and a Wheatear at Middle Bank.

22nd Jan. 10.00 - 12.00 hrs.

Struggled to find any Bramblings in their usual haunts ...... eventually caught up with 7 in the Beeches about 250 yds down Cow Lane.

Roger.

Walk mid afternoon in sunshine

20 approx Brambling on Hobsons Moor Road in beeches
21 Fieldfare over

1 female Sparrowhawk and also 1 Red Grouse heard on tops

Fields and woods around Hollingworth Hall farm:
150 Brambling
200 fieldfare
150 redwing
3 nuthatch
Jay

C20 Bramblings by Higher Landslow Green Farm and another 10 by Hollingworth Hall Farm this am.

Report for Saturday afternoon - delayed due to lack of internet access

Walk along Hobsons Moor Rd, down to woodland below Hollingworth hall and back - Highlights

5 Fieldfare on Hobsons Moor
c 20 Brambling - hard to count as mobile in wood area on lane below 'T' junction down towards Hollingworth
3 Nuthatch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
6 + Jay
3 Goldfinch

Thursday 9th January 2014, 9am

A quick dogwalk to Landslow Green, along Hobson Moor Road

10+ brambling around the beeches of Landslow Green. A lot more heard over towards the area between Moorfield Farm and Hollingworth Hall Farm, but unable to investigate further due to having dogs on leads
mixed group of c20 goldfinch and chaffiinch.

-- Edited by David Walsh on Thursday 9th of January 2014 02:46:42 PM

Monday 25th Nov. 11.30hrs - 14.30 hrs.

Top of Hobson Moor.

Raven kronking away, perched on a pylon.
Meadow Pipit (2).
Grey Heron ..... Bit (lot) of a surprise this ..... was just stood on footpath in middle of the moor ??
Two 50+ flocks of Woodpigeon over heading SE.

Hollingworth Hall Farm area.

Small flock of Brambling, very active plus sun in my eyes made them hard to count but between 12 -20.
Flew up off the ground into the top of the Beech trees in the United Utilities drum compound.
Headed off in the direction of Arnfield.


Nuthatch.
Tits. Coal, Great & Blue.
Greenfinch.
Bullfinch.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 25th of November 2013 03:58:54 PM

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 26th of November 2013 03:47:33 AM

3 Bramblings this morning by Higher Landslow Green Farm. Also c 40 Pink-footed Geese over SE.

Hobson Moor Road this afternoon in bright sunshine , mob of Long Tail Tits/Female Sparrowhawk chasing a small songbird which soon evaded it and a single Raven .

There was a steady passage of over 100+ Meadow Pipits above Hobson Moor on Saturday morning (5th October), mirroring the passage of Meadow Pipits over Horwich Moors.

Plus two chiffchaff at Hollingworth Hall Farm.

Late update for yesterday - 23rd Sept - 2 Blackcaps and 5 Chiffchaffs feeding in Elderberries in Hollingwoth Hall Farmyard in the morning.

Mon 2nd Sept. 06.45 - 07.45 hrs.

Hobson Moor Rd.

Walk (painful hobble) from layby to Moorside Farm.

Kestrel (F). Good close up views as she struggled perching in the wind.
Lapwing. c1 but probably a couple more.
Meadow Pipit. c17
Goldfinch. c10
Bullfinch. Heard but not seen.
Tits. Longtailed, Great and Blue.

Roger.

3+ Ring Ouzel Lees Hill/Middle Bank area as yesterday, very close to footpath. Disturbed by the farmer who released several sheep close to where they were feeding and I was unable to relocate them.
4 Stock Dove in ploughed field on Hobson Moor Road
2 Raven over Hobson Moor Road
3 Willow Warbler singing along Hobson Moor Road
1 Redpoll over
Siskin over calling
Melanistic Pheasant near Higher Landslow Green Farm
2 Lapwing displaying Hobson Moor Road

This morning around Hobson Moor/Lees Hill: -

Whinchat 1
Wheatear 22
Little Owl 1
Curlew 5
Sparrowhawk

Info thanks to Phil Kelly

11.30am - 4.30pm
6 Ring Ouzels (4m 2f), 14 Wheatears (12 on one short stretch of wall) and 1 Reed Bunting (m) at Lees Hill/ Middle Bank area.
Common Sandpiper and several Red Grouse at Swineshaw,
Sadly walking from Hobson Moor Rd - just 1 pair of Lapwings where there used to be lots in the past.
Earlier a birder told me of a melanistic Pheasant on the path down to Middle Bank (there is a pheasant pen in woodland close by)
Swallows and Willow Warblers beginning to come in in numbers, particularly the latter which were everywhere in SwallowsWood nature reserve either side of the Derbys./ GM border.
Nesting well and truly underway with many common birds seen with nesting material.

Tues April 16th. 13.00 - 16.00 hrs.

High winds ...... not much knocking about.

2 Wheatear. 1 on Higher Bank ..... 1 on Middle Bank.
7 Meadow Pipits.
1 distant Curlew.

Spent 10 minutes watching a female Chaffinch gathering lichen.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 16th of April 2013 05:55:18 PM

Hollingworth Hall-Lower Bank-Hobson Moor 10.30-12.40

Very windy but plenty about:
1+ Ring Ouzel Female seen well in 3rd field up from Hollingworth Hall Fm. Probable nearer the top of the moor.
3 Swallow
2 Chiffchaff
2 Red Grouse
2 Curlew
Lapwing
5 Skylark
Sparrowhawk
20+ Meadow Pipit
2 Nuthatch

Wheatear in the ploughed field on Hobson Moor Road early afternoon
Little Owl in the usual spot

Thanks for that Oli ... it has moved up from where I found it yesterday .... was in the company of 3 Wheatears, covering plenty of ground.

Roger.

There is a very small quarry or rock face with broken rocks at the bottom on the left as you walk up. The black red start was amongst the broken rocks all the time I was there. Just trying to help people find it.

Regards oli

still present in quarry ...... quarry .......... What quarry ??

Black redstart still present in quarry

Regards Oli

Black Redstart still at Middlebank this morning, also 4 Wheatears present.

Info thanks to Bill Underwood/Steve Bailey

Mon 8th April. 13.30 - 17.30 hrs.

I walked across from Swineshaw Reservoir and settled down for a couple of hours below the rocks on Lees Hill. Very windy.

Had 3 separate brief views of a male Black Redstart on Higher Bank ...... it seemed to be keeping company with the Wheatears in the stones.
11 Wheatears.
1 Raven.
Curlew Displaying.
Few Meadow Pipits over.

Roger.

3.15-4.45 Around Holloingworth Hall Fm
5 Golden Plover
4 Red Grouse
2 Lapwing
2 Meadow Pipit
Kestrel
Jay

2 Hares

No sign of any Ring Ouzels today.

On the plus side though, it was great to see the Meadow Pipits have finally made it back onto territory with many displaying birds seen.
Curlews aplenty, also displaying
Green Woodpecker yaffling down on Middle Bank
2 Raven
Male Kestrel
2 Redpoll over
2 Siskin
11 Crossbill flew over Middle Bank towards Swineshaw Moor
Little Owl on Hobson Moor Road flew unexpectedly from the wall beside the road as I walked past
Buzzard over Hobson Moor Road
1 pair of Lapwing Hobson Moor Road

Cow Lane is now accessible again!

Male Ring Ouzel at Middle Bank this afternoon.

Info thanks to Rob Adderley

Any further info on the kite would be appreciated please, parking and access with the snow etc, still need this for gm.

Red Kite at the junction of Cow Lane and Hollingworth Hall Farm, Hyde at 12:55 today. Please note that Cow Lane is still blocked by snow.

Info thanks to Iain Johnson

This morning, Hobson Moor

2 Snow Bunting - 1 flew from the left side of the footpath deep into field. The other bird was walking around in deep grass close to the footpath. I only saw one of these birds.

Directions to site

Go to trig point on Hobson Moor, take path to right towards Swineshaw/Lees Hill, down steep hill and slightly up hill to where path levels out. I scattered some seed by a frozen puddle on the left hand side. The birds are on the moor behind Hollingworth Hall Farm and can be incredibly hard to see!

I was informed that apparently a bird has been present in the area since at least Thursday.

Thanks to Roger Baker for the initial info, which came via an unknown third party and was well worth checking out!





-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 2nd of December 2012 01:46:15 PM