4 Swifts around all day, and at one point 10 seen from my garden. Also a Common Tern flying over late morning.

2 Swifts around the old police station near the top of Hough Lane as I set off this morning. Increased to 3 as I passed at lunchtime, & then all 3 were seen together over my garden all afternoon.
They had a look at this now empty building last year, but did not breed. Maybe they will breed there this year, especially as they (and House Martins) have been driven away from traditional breeding site along Queen's Avenue by idiots hanging supermarket bags out of their upstairs windows to deter them.

Oh for the good old days when they also nested on Stonesteads Way and just above my office window at Marklands Steelworks on Hardman's Lane.

Swifts also seen around Sharples Avenue as I headed for Smithills Woods this morning.

A cracking start to the day (7am) at Last Drop Village.
A Chiffchaff was calling as I walked up the drive, my first Whitethroat of the year was on bramble at the back of the complex (my usual spot for my first Whitethroat for about the last 5 years), and a female Wheatear was not far away.
Swallows back at Holts Fold Farm.

On my way home in the afternoon I found a Willow Warbler at the top of Hospital Road.

Bramblings still in Tong Clough this morning

Oystercatcher at Turton High School this morning (7.30am).
Also a Canada Goose flying over, a few Black-headed Gulls on the playing fields, a Chiffchaff at Eagley Junior School, and a couple of Nuthatches in Chapeltown Road gardens.

At lunchtime I came across the Bramblings in Tong Clough, with a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff.

A few Bramblings still in Tong Clough at lunchtime, up to half a dozen.

The dozen or so Bramblings still in Tong Clough.

A wander with the dog through Tong Clough on Higher Ridings this morning.

A dozen Bramblings with Chaffinches, Greenfinches, & Goldfinches.
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
6 Redwings
2 Mistle Thrushes
+ the usual commoner species

A Cormorant and a Grey Heron flew over

Lots of Fieldfares/Redwings around Hospital Road/Holts Fold again this morning (80+ today), and again they had all left by about 9.30am. Another c40 thrushes flew over not long after. It sounded like most of them were Fieldfares.

Other birds in this area this morning :-
1 Black-headed Gull, 9 Feral Pigeons, 16 Woodpigeons, 15 Collared Doves, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Meadow Pipits, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Wren, 3 Dunnocks, 5 Robins, 8 Blackbirds, 5 Blue Tits, 1 Nuthatch, 5 Magpies, 13 Jackdaws, 2 Carrion Crows, 7 Starlings, numerous House Sparrows, 10+ Chaffinches, 2 Greenfinches, 10+ Goldfinches.

Another good start to the day around the top of Hospital Road/Last Drop/Holts Fold. 8am to 8.30am.

1 Kestrel
1 Black-headed Gull
2 Feral Pigeons
14 Woodpigeons
20+ Collared Doves
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Wren
6 Dunnocks
3 Robins
9 Blackbirds
50+ Fieldfares/Redwings mixed, mostly Fieldfares
2 Song Thrushes
2 Mistle Thrushes
2 Coal Tits
4 Blue Tits
4 Great Tits
2 Nuthatches
10 Magpies
Only 2 Jackdaws up here, but a flock of 100+ around Darwen Road
2 Carrion Crows
20+ Starlings
20+ House Sparrows
15 Chaffinches
2 Greenfinches
3 Goldfinches

As usual this morning I was delayed on my way to the reservoirs due to the number of birds around the top of Hospital Road/Last Drop Village/Holts Fold Farm.

44 Collared Doves
2 Woodpigeons
4 Feral Pigeons
5 Meadow Pipits
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Wren
3 Dunnocks
7 Robins
3 Blackbirds
3 Redwings
2 Song Thrushes
1 Mistle Thrush
4 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
11 Magpies
8 Carrion Crows
Numerous House Sparrows
9 Chaffinches
2 Greenfinches

A check of the gulls on the school playing fields at Turton High School this morning revealed 70+ Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Gulls, & 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Other birds around Eagley Junior School/Turton High School/Chapeltown Road :-
5 Woodpigeons
1 Dunnock
2 Robins
7 Blackbirds
1 Song Thrush
A flock of Long-tailed Tits
2 Blue Tits
3 Magpies
6 Jackdaws
5 Carrion Crows
3 House Sparrows
1 Greenfinch
1 Goldfinch

No sign of the Fieldfares this afternoon but I did see 10 Meadow Pipits at Holts Fold and 36 Collared Doves around the top of Hospital Road.

Still about 40 Fieldfares at the top of Hospital Road, this time with about 20 Redwings & 36 Starlings (at least the latter species perched on a telegraph wire to make counting easy). The thrushes were very flighty on both morning & afternoon visits, some going back & forth to Turton Golf Course.

Other birds present :-
1 Kestrel (for once it actually crossed the border into GM)
2 Black-headed Gulls on the horse field
Feral Pigeons, Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrush, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatch, Magpies, Carrion Crows, House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches.

c40 Fieldfares & c70 Starlings on fields between Last Drop & Holts Fold at 8.30am. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into a nearby copse.

(7.45am) A Tawny Owl was calling from a garden on Chapeltown Road.

(10.10am) Turton High School/Eagley Junior School:- 50+ Black-headed Gulls, 3 Common Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

(10.20am to 10.55am) Top of Hospital Road/Holts Fold/Last Drop :-
1 Kestrel
1 Black-headed Gull
21 Feral Pigeons, 6 Woodpigeons in trees & 20+ flying over, 20+ Collared Doves
2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 Robins
4 Blackbirds, 35+ Fieldfares with a few Redwings mixed in, 1 Mistle Thrush
Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 2 Nuthatches, Magpies, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows
30+ Starlings
For a change I approached here along Windy Harbour Lane. I knew there were House Sparrows along here but I was surprised to find as many as 35. A few more were in the middle of The Last Drop Village.
4 Chaffinches, 9 Greenfinches, 2 Goldfinches.

9.30am to 10.30am before the rain got too heavy, around Higher Ridings & Eagley Lodges.

1 Grey Heron
1 Moorhen
10 Black-headed Gulls
14 Collared Doves
8 Woodpigeons
1 Wren
2 Dunnocks
6 Robins
10 Blackbirds
3 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
1 Goldcrest
2 Coal Tits
10+ Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
7 Magpies
20+ Jackdaws
5 Carrion Crows
20+ Starlings
10+ House Sparrows
4 Chaffinches
2 Greenfinches
7 Goldfinches
2 Bullfinches

10.15am to 10.50am. Last Drop/Holts Fold/top of Hospital Road.

1 Black-headed Gull
21 Feral Pigeons
8 Woodpigeons
30+ Collared Doves
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Pied Wagtails
3 Robins
4 Blackbirds
15 Fieldfares
1 Redwing
1 Mistle Thrush
4 Blue Tits
1 Nuthatch
4 Magpies
3 Jackdaws
11 Carrion Crows
20+ Starlings
10+ House Sparrows
2 Chaffinches
3 Greenfinches
5 Goldfinches

Turton High School / Eagley Junior School this morning around 8.30am.

c25 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Common Gull
2 Woodpigeons
2 Collared Doves
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
4 Robins
4 Blackbirds
4 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
1 Magpie
4 Carrion Crows
30+ Starlings
20+ House Sparrows
1 Chaffinch
1 Goldfinch
2 Bullfinches

No Jackdaws here but c75 flew over me as I went to the paper shop on Darwen Road before it became light. Numerous others on Toppings Estate.

Same area as last time around Last Drop/Hospital Road. 8.35am to 9.15am.

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull flying over
2 Herring Gulls flying over
6 Feral Pigeons
7 Woodpigeons
25+ Collared Doves
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Robin
3 Blackbirds
1 Redwing
8 Blue Tits
1 Great Tit
3 Magpies
1 Jackdaw
5 Carrion Crows
c45 Starlings
2 small flocks of House Sparrows
2 Chaffinches
6 Goldfinches

Kestrel as usual on wires just across the border

10.05am to 10.45am. Top of Hospital Road/Holts Fold/Last Drop Village.

Walking up Haydock Lane I estimated an overhead flock of Woodpigeons at about 1,500. Other flocks seen over the next half hour were about 350 & 90. Also about a dozen birds around the various copses.
36 Collared Doves in trees between Haydock House & Ramwells Court.
21 Feral Pigeons at Holts Fold.
1 Kestrel as usual on wires just inside Lancashire
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Wrens
1 Dunnock
8 Robins
4 Blackbirds
3 Blue Tits
1 Great Tit
3 Magpies
4 Jackdaws
5 Carrion Crows
6 Starlings
Numerous House Sparrows
6 Chaffinches
2 Greenfinches
12 Goldfinches

When I was at Jumbles earlier a friend told me a Tawny Owl had been calling outside his house on Hospital Road at 6am this morning.

8.35am to 8.50am. Turton High School/Eagley Junior School.
50+ Black-headed Gulls
4 Common Gulls
5 Woodpigeons
1 Dunnock
3 Robins
7 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
3 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
2 Nuthatches
1 Magpie
5 Jackdaws
2 Carrion Crows
25 Starlings
2 House Sparrows
1 Chaffinch
25 Goldfinches

11.40am. 28 Fieldfares flew from Saxby Avenue estate to Last Drop.

Lunchtime mooch around top of Hospital Road/Last Drop. Quiet like everywhere else.

Meadow Pipit & Mistle Thrush at Holts Fold Farm.

Half a dozen Collared Doves & a few Chaffinches in copse at the allotment at top of Hospital Road. No Bramblings but has been a good spot in recent years.

Skylark was a surprise at Last Drop Village.

No dog walkers around the Turton High School & Eagley Junior School playing fields at 8.30am so I was able to check through the gulls without them being disturbed. 4 Common Gulls were my first here since February. Also 100+ Black-headed Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

A flock of 60+ Woodpigeons flew over
Also present :-
5 Woodpigeons, 23 Feral Pigeons, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Robins, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Jays, 5 Magpies, 1 Jackdaw, 5 Carrion Crows, 15 House Sparrows, 3 Goldfinches.

At 11.30am a Buzzard was soaring above The Last Drop Village, being mobbed by a Carrion Crow and two Jackdaws.

Within a few minutes of leaving home at 8am this morning I saw 40+ Redwings fly over Hospital Road.

From the traffic lights at the bottom of Hospital Road I saw two very low Buzzards soaring around not far above the health centre (30 foot high at the most to start with). It looked like they had risen from in the valley. They worked their way over Hospital Road towards the golf course.
As I turned into Smithy Croft I saw another one soaring above my house.

Numerous Swallows around Last Drop Village late morning, and a flock of 7 Swifts passed over, my first ones locally for a couple of weeks.

During an insect search behind the Last Drop Village I finally got my first Crossbills of the year at Turton Golf Course. They flew from the trees by the boundary footpath (someone reported them here during the Greenish Warbler week) and onto the course. From where I was stood I could not see how many. Also heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling from the middle of the village complex.

1 Oystercatcher with Black-headed Gulls at 7.55am on Turton High School playing fields.

Around 8am this morning at Eagley Junior School / Turton High School

35 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
3 Common Gulls
11 Herring Gulls flying over
12 Feral Pigeons
1 Woodpigeon
2 Wrens
2 Dunnocks
4 Robins
6 Blackbirds
1 Song Thrush
1 Mistle Thrush
3 Blue Tits
1 Nuthatch
1 Magpie
1 Jackdaw
5 Carrion Crows
12 Starlings
House Sparrows singing throughout Toppings Estate
2 Chaffinches
8 Greenfinches

8.40am to 9.10am around Last Drop Village, top of Hospital Road, & and Holts Fold.

9 Feral Pigeons
8 Woodpigeons
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Wrens
5 Dunnocks
3 Robins
6 Blackbirds
2 Fieldfares
2 Mistle Thrushes
4 Blue Tits
1 Jay
11 Magpies
4 Carrion Crows
3 Starlings
4 House Sparrows
6 Chaffinches
1 Goldfinch

120+ Jacdaws and a couple of Siskins flying around as I went for a paper about 8am
A Mistle Thrush has been singing away for the last few days by the Health Centre
Late morning a Raven flew over. Seen from my garden
Early afternoon a Sparrowhawk was at St John's School

8.45am 40 9.15am around Last Drop and Holts Fold :-
1 Kestrel
13 Feral Pigeons
13 Woodpigeons
2 Pied Wagtails
2 Robins
1 Fieldfare
5 Mistle Thrushes
1 Blue Tit
1 Great Tit
1 Nuthatch
3 Starlings
2 House Sparrows
2 Jays
6 Magpies
5 Carrion Crows
22 Jackdaws
1 Chaffinch

Yesterday morning at Holts Fold :-
2 Fieldfares
30+ Redwings
2 Mistle Thrushes
30+ Starlings
A few Meadow Pipits

This morning at St John's School :-
Great Black-backed Gull with Black-headed Gulls

Up to 40 Fieldfares flew over Toppings Estate just after 8am

2 Common Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull with Black-headed Gulls at Turton High School. 2 Nuthatches at Eagley Junior School.

11am after the rain. Last Drop & Holts Fold. Lots more here than on the golf course.

4 Mallards
1 Moorhen
5 Woodpigeons
2 Collared Doves
1 Pied Wagtail
19 Meadow Pipits
1 Robin
5 Blackbirds
1 Mistle Thrush
1 Nuthatch
33 Starlings
1 Jay
2 Magpies
5 Carrion Crows
7 Chaffinches
1 Greenfinch
2 Goldfinches
1 Siskin

Around 8am this morning there were 16 Fieldfares between Hospital Road and Holts Fold. Soon after another 29 flew over.

At least 15 Meadow Pipits were in the same area.

At 7.20am the passing Rooks increased to 31. Going off their flight direction observed over the last week they seem to be the Edgworth birds heading to the fields below Horrocks Fold Farm where there is normally a decent flock in winter.

At 8am as I was passing Eagley Junior School I was suddenly surrounded by Long-tailed Tits and their mates. I already had a Nuthatch just above my head on a tree, now I had a Treecreeper even nearer, a Goldcrest about the same distance, and Blue Tits, Great Tits, and a Coal Tit.

7.15am on my trip to the paper shop I saw flying over :- 1 Grey Heron, 15 Rooks, 70+ Jackdaws, and a Siskin

8am to 8.30am. Very misty, so I spent some time waiting for it to clear, checking the whole area of Eagley Junior School/Turton High School playing fields. Lots of berries and bird feeders at the school made it an interesting visit.
50+ Black-headed Gulls
3 Common Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Woodpigeon
1 Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Pied Wagtails
1 Wren
3 Robins
21 Blackbirds. Still waiting for something more exotic looking on the berries.
1 Coal Tit
6 Blue Tits
4 Great Tits
1 Jay
2 Magpies
Numerous Jackdaws flying over somewhere in the mist
3 Carrion Crows
6 House Sparrows
4 Chaffinches
4 Greenfinches
4 Goldfinches
4 Lesser Redpolls
1 Siskin
1 Bullfinch

Another good selection of birds as I passed Eagley Junior School this morning, before the dog walkers & kids.

110 Black-headed Gulls
3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Woodpigeons
1 Dunnock
1 Robin
5 Blackbirds
1 Goldcrest
10+ Long-tailed Tits
6 Blue Tits
1 Coal Tit
1 Nuthatch
1 Treecreeper
1 Jay
1 Magpie
3 Jackdaws
6 Carrion Crows
32 Starlings
Numerous House Sparrows
2 Goldfinches

Yesterday morning 7.15am to 7.30am seen from path to Eagley Junior School.

Flying over :-
2 Cormorants
20 Fieldfares
Lots of Jackdaws
3 Rooks

Footpath/hawthorns :-
50+ Black-headed Gulls on playing fields
1 Dunnock
2 Robins
12 Blackbirds
3 Goldcrests
Long-tailed Tits
Blue Tits
1 Carrion Crow
4 Chaffinches
1 Greenfinch
2 Goldfinches

7.20am to 7.45am. Last Drop/Holts Fold.

1 Black-headed Gull
3 Woodpigeons
1 Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Pied Wagtails
18 Meadow Pipits
2 Wrens
1 Dunnock
1 Robin
2 Blackbirds
20+ Fieldfares, part of a larger flock over Turton Golf Course which splintered on passage.
A few Blue Tits & Great Tits
1 Nuthatch
2 Starlings
2 Jays
5 Magpies
8 Carrion Crows
3 Jackdaws
5 Chaffinches
1 Greenfinch
1 Goldfinch
1 Siskin

8am this morning on my way to Jumbles I found a number of thrushes in the hawthorn bushes between Lord's Stile Lane & Eagley Jumior School.
14 Blackbirds, 9 Redwings, 1 Song Thrush.
Returning from Jumbles just after 10am at least 12 Redwings flew away from these bushes, and a Mistle Thrush was by the church on The Crescent.

Other species in this area included Black-headed Gull (50+), Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Starling (35+), Chaffinch, Goldfinch, & Bullfinch.

Returning home from today's walk I saw 100+ Jackdaws over the Co-op. I then noticed a Rook on the traffic lights there. It took no notice of anybody walking past as it devoured the contents of a takeaway bag. An unusual species in the village at any time. Only a handfull pass over each year, but this one is obviously an opportunist regarding food.

At first light as I was leaving home about 75 Jackdaws flew low over my house, soon followed by another 25 or so. Someone asked me a couple of days ago if I knew where they are roosting. A lot of them breed in Cox Green Quarry, where Magpies roost overnight, but these came from the direction of Birtenshaw. Another mystery to solve unless someone can let me know.

Black-headed Gulls were moving in towards Turton High School at the same time from the opposite direction. 63 were there as I passed, but still no Common Gulls.

8am to 8.30am Last Drop/Holts Fold

6 Mallards on fields
1 Pheasant
4 Collared Doves
3 Pied Wagtails
25 Meadow Pipits
1 Swallow on wires. Most years I see late ones still at the farm
Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins
1 Blackbird
1 Chiffchaff
A few Blue Tits
2 Nuthatches
4 Carrion Crows
1 Jackdaw
1 Chaffinch
3 Greenfinches
1 Goldfinch
3 Siskins

This morning at Turton High School :-
89 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

This afternoon over the village :-
Approx 80 Jackdaws

8.20am at Holts Fold Farm near Last Drop.

Very misty with visibility sometimes down to 20 yards.

Only really visible birds were about 150 Swallows. I had counted to 120 with birds on the wires by the farmhouse when about 30 flew out from the scaffolding on the farm.

A Grey Wagtail flew into Hollands Garden Centre at 7.50am, some way from Eagley Brook.

20+ House Martins were circling above.

8.20am to 9am

Last Drop Village/Holts Fold area :-
Started here instead of my intended walk over to Winter Hill due to the low cloud. Still in low cloud but able to spot more birds here than usual as they were all grounded.

5 Mallards on field near golf course pond
10 Woodpigeons
39 Swallows on wires by Holts Fold Farm
4 Meadow Pipits
10 Pied Wagtails
2 Dunnocks
3 Robins
1 Blackbird
4 Blue Tits
4 Starlings
3 Magpies
1 Carrion Crow
20+ Chaffinches in one flock. Presumably migrants as I normally only see a couple here.
2 Greenfinches
60+ Goldfinches