Few hours over Hardy Farm and Barlow Tip this afternoon; pretty productive:
4 goldcrest 1 treecreeper 2 nuthatch 20 - 30 lesser redpoll (15 - 25 over on Hardy Farm, heading over the wood, 5 mobile on Barlow Tip) 2 goldfinch 5 chaffinch 6+ bullfinch 1 reed bunting 1+ grey wagtail 2 song thrush 2 mistle thrush 4 - 5 jay 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 mute swan on the river, both 1st winter 1 grey heron (on golf course) 6 common gull (on training pitch) 7 herring gull over 5+ cormorant over (seemed to be heading back and forth between the water parks) 1 kestrel
Also possibly a couple of siskin over, though a single faint call wasn't enough to confirm.
Buzzard in the old cow field on the Ees when heading home.
Chris Sutton said
Thu Nov 22 10:43 PM, 2018
Dusk this evening; Buzzard (1) over Tawny Owl calling Woodcock (1) flew out the old cow field - great view against the night sky Alongside the normal show of Jackdaws going to roost there seems to be a growing roost of Crows in the woods (compared to recent years). Giving the Buzzard and Owl a hard time
Chris
steven burke said
Fri Nov 2 7:22 PM, 2018
Cow field this afternoon.
1 buzzard 10 ring-necked parakeets 3 teal over 12 siskin over 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 grey heron 1 goldcrest with tit flock Nuthatch heard.
Chris Sutton said
Tue Oct 30 6:24 PM, 2018
Hardy Farm quiet this morning.
Chorlton Ees Cow Field:
Snipe (2) Buzzard (2) Plenty of Parakeets Kestrel on Hay Meadow. Heron in Field.
and at dusk: Buzzard Woodcock (1)
Chris
James Richardson said
Mon Oct 29 12:59 PM, 2018
Sunday 28/10, 2 kingfisher on the Mersey between the reedbed pond and Sale WP.
Around the reedbed pond (which was undergoing management), 5 redwing, 1 song thrush, 3 blackbird on the rowan trees. One flock of c.20 redwing over south.
1 kestrel hunting over the rank grassland and willowherbs. Some siskin over (heard only).
Chris Sutton said
Sat Oct 27 10:44 AM, 2018
Stonechat (1) foraging amongst the Creeping Thistle this morning on Hardy Farm.
Other than that quiet apart from a noisy Nuthatch and a few Reed Bunting.
Chris
Chris Sutton said
Thu Oct 25 11:24 AM, 2018
Willow Tit on Hardy Farm this morning
Last night saw a Kestrel hunting the Cow Field around dusk - very few and far between this year in the area. Usual pair of Buzzard present.
Chris
Chris Sutton said
Wed Oct 24 9:50 AM, 2018
Chiffchaff singing away in the Orchard area this morning was a nice surprise. Also a small flock of Fieldfare over.
Yesterday in the Cow Field - 2 buzzard and a large female Sparrowhawk being harassed. Constant movement of noisy Ring-necked Parakeets overhead - one group of around 20.
Chris
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Sep 9 5:30 PM, 2018
Few hours around here today; morning to afternoon:
2 goldcrest 3+ chiffchaff 4+ blackcap 2 coal tit 4 or 5 willow tit (2 Ivy Green, 2 or 3 meadow pond) 3 or 4 nuthatch 2 greenfinch 4+ bullfinch heard 2 house martin 10+ swallow 1 grey wagtail 7+ jay 1 great spotted woodpecker heard 1 stock dove 1 grey heron 1 cormorant over 1 sparrowhawk 2+ buzzard
Chris Sutton said
Mon Aug 20 12:37 PM, 2018
Quick visit to Hardy Farm around mid-day; Raven (2) - flying high south east Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) Buzzard - one adult soaring and fledged young calling from nearby woods Chris
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri Jul 27 10:49 PM, 2018
A few hours this evening; eerily quiet from the Bowling Green entrance to the brook, nary a wren calling. From there, birds came back into evidence a little:
1 chiffchaff heard 5 blackcap 17+ goldfinch, mostly in a flock flitting over the meadow pond field 1 reed bunting 4 swallow 6+ song thrush singing 1 jay 3 swift 1 great spotted woodpecker 1 stock dove 1 grey heron 1 kestrel 1 buzzard
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Jun 20 6:20 PM, 2018
Originally posted today by Simon Cunningham:
At 17.20 on 19june. Adult cuckoo crossed the field twice in 5 minutes taking three different perches 5/6 foot off the ground. No calls. Left field over the gate end. Whitethroat and reed buntings calling. Pigeons, magpies, thrushes about. No interest from other birds.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sat Jun 9 12:15 AM, 2018
Evening mooch:
5 chiffchaff 12 blackcap 8 whitethroat (including two fledglings at Ivy Green) 2 reed warbler heard singing 1 grasshopper warbler (same location as before) 1 greenfinch 7 reed bunting c15 song thrush 3 great spotted woodpecker (including two juvenile) c10 swift 1 grey heron nest at least still active
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sat May 26 6:03 PM, 2018
Few hours around the Ees today:
8 chiffchaff 11+ blackcap 7 whitethroat 3 reed warbler 1 willow tit 2 nuthatch 5+ goldfinch 5 greenfinch 2 chaffinch 2 bullfinch 6 reed bunting 2 swallow 1 grey wagtail 10 song thrush 1 jay 6+ swift 3 great spotted woodpecker (pair around nest-site) Mallard and Canada goose broods on river 1 grey heron on nest 1 black-headed gull 1 buzzard
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Saturday 26th of May 2018 06:04:54 PM
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri May 18 11:57 PM, 2018
Evening wander; 7.20 - gone 10:
4 chiffchaff 12 blackcap 4 whitethroat 3 reed warbler 1 grasshopper warbler heard (from rough grass between path to river and meadow pond; a reed warbler here, too) 6 newly fledged long-tailed tit 4 reed bunting 13+ song thrush 2 swift 1 great spotted woodpecker heard 1 stock dove 1 grey heron 1+ tawny owl
David Morris said
Sun May 13 5:24 PM, 2018
Late post for yesterday- 3:30-5pm. Several Common Whitethroats heard in the Meadow field, two seen (1m, 1f). Two Reed Warblers at the Meadow Pond seen briefly. And I *think* I heard a Grasshopper Warbler- are there any insects round there that would make the same sort of sound?
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun May 6 10:17 AM, 2018
Nice calm sunny morning - ideal for Grasshopper Warbler but none seen
Kingfisher along Mersey
Pheasant
pair of Ring-necked Parakeets at Jacksons Boat
Willow Tit
at least 2 singing Reed warblers
10+ Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Apr 29 8:30 PM, 2018
Morning and early afternoon spent around here today; quite quiet generally (apart from wren and blackcap, most counts came in on the low side):
2 goldcrest heard 6 chiffchaff 12 blackcap 3 whitethroat 1 willow tit heard 3 chaffinch 5 reed bunting 7 song thrush 1 mistle thrush 4 jay 1 great spotted woodpecker 1 goosander flying along the river's course c6 grey heron, with at least two busy nests 1 kestrel 1 sparrowhawk 1 buzzard
10 magpie gathered around a few feathers remaining of one of their fallen comrades by the dry weir pool, acting in a very agitated manner. Heard of this phenomenon, but never seen it before.
Tony Coatsworth said
Sat Apr 28 1:39 PM, 2018
Pheasant
Swallow
Reed Warbler - dipping pond
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 28th of April 2018 02:54:21 PM
Pete Hines said
Tue Apr 24 2:35 PM, 2018
Swift 2 Swallow 1 Grasshopper Warbler 2 reeling briefly, meadow field Common Whitethroat 1, meadow field Willow Tit 1 Buzzard 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Ring-necked Parakeet 5
Chris Sutton said
Sat Apr 21 9:30 AM, 2018
8:00 to 8:30 am - My usual morning walk around Hardy Farm.
Significantly more warblers around today with signing blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff and a pair of whitethroat (first of the year). Kestrel over mobbed by a crow Sparrowhawk over mobbed by 3 crows. Pheasant heard Reed Bunting
No sign today of the pair of Lesser Black Backed Gulls which have been patrolling the training pitch for the last few days.
Chris
Pete Hines said
Thu Apr 19 2:19 PM, 2018
Willow Tit, a pair at Ivy Green flew across Hawthorn Lane into the trees on the Turn Moss side Common Whitethroat 1 singing male in the meadow field Stock Dove 2 Nuthatch 2 singing Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 leaving probable nest hole
Chris Sutton said
Tue Apr 17 9:37 PM, 2018
Grasshopper warbler heard reeling in the cow field this morning. Chris
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Apr 8 8:54 PM, 2018
Very enjoyable day spent around here today. Ees / Ivy Green, 9.20 - 2:
6 chiffchaff 1 willow warbler 7 blackcap 2 treecreeper (one nest-building) 2 nuthatch 11 goldfinch 1 greenfinch heard 2 chaffinch 4 bullfinch 7 reed bunting 1 grey wagtail 10 song thrush 1 mistle thrush 10 - 20 jay (very conspicuous all over, often in groups of 3 or 4, with a pair gathering nesting material) 4 great spotted woodpecker 1 stock dove 1 water rail heard 1 moorhen heard (both at meadow pond) c5 grey heron, at least one occupied nest 1 sparrowhawk 2 buzzard
Hardy Farm, Barlow Tip and habitats in between, from about 2 - 4.30:
12 chiffchaff 6 blackcap 2 coal tit 1 treecreeper 5 goldfinch 2 greenfinch 2 chaffinch 3 bullfinch 1 swallow 2 grey wagtail 2 song thrush 3 jay 1 green woodpecker (female, on Barlow Tip; a patch first for me) 2 ring-necked parakeet 1 pheasant
Pete Hines said
Thu Apr 5 4:20 PM, 2018
Blackcap 1 Chiffchaff 10 Sparrowhawk 2 Buzzard 2 Kestrel 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Jay 8 Nuthatch 1 (visiting nestbox on Ivy Green) Greenfinch 2 Reed Bunting 1
Eugene Dillon-Hooper said
Mon Mar 26 8:02 PM, 2018
Lovely afternoon for a walk around Ees/Hardy farm/barlow tip
Chorlton ees highlights: 1 Kestrel 3 Ring necked Parakeet Lots of Chiffchaffs in the area now, mostly heard singing Grey Heron
Late afternoon walk today highlights:
Hardy Farm area:
2 Meadow pipits, feeding on Hardy farm, a patch tick for me I think
Bullfinches
Chaffinches
Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Grey Heron
Barlow tip:
Great spotted Woodpecker
probable Snipe, very brief sighting
Bullfinch
Redwings
Buzzard
(Also had 1 Woodcock here on 19th March)
Chorlton Water Park:
3 Kingfishers
2 Goldeneye
1 Great crested grebe
Chorlton ees:
30 redwings
2 Grey Heron
C. 300 Jackdaw
Reed bunting
1 Treecreeper
1 Kingfisher flying down river
Chris Sutton said
Tue Mar 20 12:31 PM, 2018
Doing some volunteering work on the meadows this morning after usual dog walk.......
Snipe (1) - Hardy Farm Kestrel (f) Hardy Farm Buzzard (1 - 2) Cow Field Tawny Owl - calling from the car park at the bottom of the cobbled rod at midday Great Spotted Woodpecker - calling
Chris
Chris Sutton said
Mon Mar 19 12:06 PM, 2018
8:15 to 8:45 Hardy Farm today. Generally quiet.
Grey Wagtail (2) Snipe (1) - came out the same spot as yesterday and recent sightings Willow Tit (1)
Chris
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Mar 18 7:40 PM, 2018
Fantastically productive few hours around Hardy Farm, Barlow Tip and adjacent habitats this afternoon. Patch ticks galore (well, three):
2 goldcrest 1 treecreeper 3+ goldfinch 2 greenfinch heard 1 chaffinch 4+ bullfinch 1 reed bunting 3 stonechat (2m 1f) 10 - 15 meadow pipit 2 grey wagtail c20 redwing 7 song thrush 1 fieldfare 2 mistle thrush 3+ jay heard 2 great spotted woodpecker 1 jack snipe (sitting tight on the river bank in full view; my first one) 2 cormorant 2 herring gull over 1 kestrel 1 sparrowhawk (male, I think, though an extremely fleeting view) 3 buzzard
Matt Gillett said
Sat Mar 17 5:43 PM, 2018
Ride and walk around Barlow Tip, CWP and canal in blizzard conditions yielded, of note;
6 Ringneck Parakeets (huddling low out of the wind on river)
2 Redwing
2 Pochard
4 Common Gull
1 Warbler in with Long Tailed Tits (not the best views so cannot confirm specifics. Most likely the ChiffChaff mentioned below by Steve)
1 Buzzard
Edit to include photo -- Edited by Matt Gillett on Saturday 17th of March 2018 05:44:03 PM
-- Edited by Matt Gillett on Saturday 17th of March 2018 07:15:29 PM
My first chiffchaff of Spring feeding quietly in a flock of long-tailed tits and goldcrests this afternoon.
Strangely, not a single chaffinch to be heard or seen on a walk from Chorlton Water Park back to Stretford.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Mar 11 8:01 PM, 2018
Today, morning through to early afternoon. Lovely day for it, and lost of song to be heard.
4 goldcrest 1 treecreeper 2 nuthatch 3 goldfinch 9+ chaffinch 2 greenfinch 5 bullfinch 5 reed bunting 5 song thrush 4 jay 3 great spotted woodpecker 2+ stock dove 1 water rail heard 2 teal (on flooded wooded area between old cow field and path to river) 3 - 5 grey heron coming and going from their nesting area 1 kestrel 2 buzzard
Sparrowhawk over Stretford Ees, and 2 grey heron on dry weir pool.
3:00 - 4:00 pm around the Ees. Still strong wintery winds. Of note....
Meadow Pipit and redwings showing in small numbers across all the fields
Turn Moss lapwing 4 snipe 1 - sat out in the open and flying from spot to spot - I suspect trying to find some unfrozen ground to feed.
Hay Meadow Lapwing 1 - probably the same bird as yesterday Buzzard - 3 over towards the cow field
River Mersey downstream of Jacksons Boat Grey Wagtail 2 Meadow Pipit ..... feeding at the waters edge Wader - Most probably Dunlin feeding at waters edge but it disappeared as I moved to try and get a better view.
Kingfisher 1 Snipe 1 Lapwing 4 - flew through low Meadow Pipit 5 Buzzard 1 Ring-necked parakeet 10 Redwing c30 Nuthatch 1 - calling Looks like the woodpeckers drumming branch has fallen victim of last nights winds.
Chris
Chris Sutton said
Thu Mar 1 4:52 PM, 2018
3:30-4:30 today - around the Ees. Snow on the ground and high gusty freezing winds
Buzzard 1 - sat in the tree in the middle of the cow field - looked like last years juv. Ring-Necked Parakeet 2 - flew across the cow field Fieldfare - feeding among the dead willow herb area on the meadow pond field Redwing 20 - feeding among the pile of cut grasses in the meadow pond field - accompanied by Blackbird, Robin and Song Thrush Lapwing 1 - only 25 feet away from of me on the path - either exhausted or just resting from the winds. A rare site seeing one of these on the deck around the Ees these days. A very handsome bird - made braving the cold worthwhile Bullfinch 3 -meadow pond field Reed Bunting 1 - Hay Meadow
Chris
Chris Sutton said
Thu Mar 1 10:23 AM, 2018
8:40 - 9:10am today on Hardy Farm - blizzardy with snow on the ground. But brightened up by the birds;
Bullfinch 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 - struggling to fly into the wind, and one later drumming on the usual tree Meadow Pipit 1 - not seen many of these around this area for a while Ring-necked Parakeet 4 Grey Heron 1 - looking miserable Kingfisher 1 - looking miserable Reed Bunting 4 Mute Swan 3 - over
Chris
-- Edited by Chris Sutton on Thursday 1st of March 2018 11:01:55 AM
Eugene Dillon-Hooper said
Wed Feb 21 12:27 PM, 2018
Yesterday late afternoon walk highlights:
1 Buzzard 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 3 Treecreepers (Best views i've probably ever had, i.e. not immediately hopping around the other side of the tree as soon as you get yours bins up). 2 Willow Tit 2+ Water Rail heard Reed Buntings 2 Teal over the woodland ponds (probably flushed from there) 5 Ring necked Parakeet 4 Grey Herons 6 Redwing
Lots of the regular stuff
Shannon Llewellyn said
Wed Feb 7 7:55 PM, 2018
Hardy Farm and Barlow Tip, from around 11.30 - 2.20:
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Wednesday 7th of February 2018 07:56:48 PM
Chris Sutton said
Mon Feb 5 11:03 AM, 2018
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) - drumming on the same tree as yesterday on Hardy Farm. Jack Snipe (1) - flushed then landed right by/on the path - was immediately harassed and chased by 2 magpies, landed and took off again before it finally shook them off. Chris
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Feb 4 8:31 PM, 2018
Day around here today. Nice day for it; counts:
Ees:
1 goldcrest 1 nuthatch 15-20 siskin, flew from heronry in flock across river towards Sale Water Park, plus two in alders by brook. 5+ goldfinch 2 greenfinch 3 chaffinch 5 bullfinch 1 reed bunting singing 19+ redwing 6 song thrush (all but one singing) 1 jay heard 2 great spotted woodpecker heard 2 stock dove 1 or 2 water rail heard (very close to me, though I couldn't see them) 131 (or thereabouts) pink-footed geese over, heading se (approx 10.30 - 11) 5 grey heron very active around the heronry 1 cormorant over 1 common gull over 2 kestrel (several sightings) 3 buzzard
Hardy Farm, Barlow Tip, etc, in the afternoon:
2 goldcrest 1 willow tit heard calling in Hardy Farm orchard 6+ lesser redpoll (Barlow Tip) 1 goldfinch 2 chaffinch 9 bullfinch 1 reed bunting 5+ redwing 3 song thrush 3+ jay 2 (or more) great spotted woodpecker heard calling (repeatedly) 1 buzzard (same as one of the above, I'm sure)
Pretty sure I heard a tawny owl call when on Barlow Tip, but over the din of assorted corvids and ring-necked parakeets, I needed it to do it again to be certain; it didn't.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 4th of February 2018 08:35:47 PM
Chris Sutton said
Sun Feb 4 10:46 AM, 2018
Of note this morning.
2 skeins of Pink-Footed Geese heading North at c 9:45 over Hardy Farm - the first c120-150 closely followed by c 30 (I didnt have my bins so hard to count). Great Spotted Woodpecker Drumming (1) Willow Tit (1)
Chris
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri Jan 5 7:18 PM, 2018
Hardy Farm, Barlow Tip and surrounding habitats from approx 10 - 2 today:
1 willow tit heard briefly at the woodland edges of Hardy Farm 2 nuthatch c15 siskin 5+ lesser redpoll c10 goldfinch 4 greenfinch 4 chaffinch 8+ bullfinch 2 reed bunting 1 grey wagtail 10+ redwing 2 or 3 song thrush (one singing) 2 mistle thrush 4+ jay 1 great spotted woodpecker heard 5+ ring-necked parakeet 5 common gull on the football pitches 1 cormorant over 1 kestrel 1 sparrowhawk 1 buzzard
Chris Sutton said
Wed Dec 20 5:29 PM, 2017
Walk around Hardy Farm at just after daybreak;
Snipe (1) - flushed from rough grassland area Goldfinch (10) Reed Bunting (4) Long-tailed Tit (1) Ring-necked parakeet (4) Goosander (1f) on the river Grey Wagtail (1) on the river Siskin (1) over Bullfinch - heard Kestrel (1m) Heron (1) - usual spot on the flooded path by the football field Interestingly no Gulls on the field this morning and very few in the recent week. Plus usual stuff ... Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin etc.
Chris
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Dec 10 6:47 PM, 2017
Morning through to early afternoon here today; light perfect throughout, although strangely quiet seeming for the first couple of hours. Count:
2 goldcrest 2 or 3 willow tit 1 nuthatch heard 1 siskin c15 goldfinch 3+ chaffinch 1 greenfinch 8 bullfinch 1 grey wagtail 1 redwing (also one in the graveyard on Chorlton Green) 2 song thrush 1 jay 200+ jackdaw coming in to roost late on 2 great spotted woodpecker 1 kingfisher (female, giving beautiful, close views at the meadow pond) 1 water rail heard 1 grey heron 2 cormorant over 23 common gull 1 or 2 buzzard
Little grebe on the river just on from the Metrolink bridge, and 16 siskin flew from Barlow Tip across the river just on from here.
James Richardson said
Tue Dec 5 1:11 PM, 2017
Took some MA Landscape Architecture students on an ecology walk this morning for an hour or so.
Highlights were a snipe flushed from the big stand of rosebay willowherb near the pond with the reedbed, where there was a water rail calling.
Also several redwing, 2 song thrush, 3 grey heron, 2 great spotted woodpecker, 2 bullfinch, goldcrest amongst mixed tit flock.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Dec 3 9:34 PM, 2017
Around here today, from just gone 9 to about 2:
9+ goldcrest 5+ siskin 13+ goldfinch 3 greenfinch 6 chaffinch 9+ bullfinch 2 reed bunting 7 redwing 5 song thrush 5 jay 3 great spotted woodpecker 1 water rail heard 1 goosander over 80+ pink-footed geese over E 1 grey heron 2 cormorant over 1 common gull over 1 herring gull over 1 sparrowhawk 1 kestrel 2 buzzard
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 3rd of December 2017 09:46:49 PM
Chris Sutton said
Sat Nov 18 9:34 AM, 2017
Morning Dog walk; Snipe 1 - flew up from scrubby area on hardy Farm and headed towards Barlow Tip. Heron 1 Parakeet 3 Reed Bunting 3 Long-tailed Tit small flock Kestrel 1 Common Gull 3
4 goldcrest
1 treecreeper
2 nuthatch
20 - 30 lesser redpoll (15 - 25 over on Hardy Farm, heading over the wood, 5 mobile on Barlow Tip)
2 goldfinch
5 chaffinch
6+ bullfinch
1 reed bunting
1+ grey wagtail
2 song thrush
2 mistle thrush
4 - 5 jay
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 mute swan on the river, both 1st winter
1 grey heron (on golf course)
6 common gull (on training pitch)
7 herring gull over
5+ cormorant over (seemed to be heading back and forth between the water parks)
1 kestrel
Also possibly a couple of siskin over, though a single faint call wasn't enough to confirm.
Buzzard in the old cow field on the Ees when heading home.
Buzzard (1) over
Tawny Owl calling
Woodcock (1) flew out the old cow field - great view against the night sky
Alongside the normal show of Jackdaws going to roost there seems to be a growing roost of Crows in the woods (compared to recent years). Giving the Buzzard and Owl a hard time
Chris
1 buzzard
10 ring-necked parakeets
3 teal over
12 siskin over
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 grey heron
1 goldcrest with tit flock
Nuthatch heard.
Chorlton Ees Cow Field:
Snipe (2)
Buzzard (2)
Plenty of Parakeets
Kestrel on Hay Meadow.
Heron in Field.
and at dusk:
Buzzard
Woodcock (1)
Chris
Around the reedbed pond (which was undergoing management), 5 redwing, 1 song thrush, 3 blackbird on the rowan trees. One flock of c.20 redwing over south.
1 kestrel hunting over the rank grassland and willowherbs. Some siskin over (heard only).
Other than that quiet apart from a noisy Nuthatch and a few Reed Bunting.
Chris
Last night saw a Kestrel hunting the Cow Field around dusk - very few and far between this year in the area. Usual pair of Buzzard present.
Chris
Yesterday in the Cow Field - 2 buzzard and a large female Sparrowhawk being harassed. Constant movement of noisy Ring-necked Parakeets overhead - one group of around 20.
Chris
2 goldcrest
3+ chiffchaff
4+ blackcap
2 coal tit
4 or 5 willow tit (2 Ivy Green, 2 or 3 meadow pond)
3 or 4 nuthatch
2 greenfinch
4+ bullfinch heard
2 house martin
10+ swallow
1 grey wagtail
7+ jay
1 great spotted woodpecker heard
1 stock dove
1 grey heron
1 cormorant over
1 sparrowhawk
2+ buzzard
Raven (2) - flying high south east
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
Buzzard - one adult soaring and fledged young calling from nearby woods
Chris
1 chiffchaff heard
5 blackcap
17+ goldfinch, mostly in a flock flitting over the meadow pond field
1 reed bunting
4 swallow
6+ song thrush singing
1 jay
3 swift
1 great spotted woodpecker
1 stock dove
1 grey heron
1 kestrel
1 buzzard
Originally posted today by Simon Cunningham:
At 17.20 on 19june. Adult cuckoo crossed the field twice in 5 minutes taking three different perches 5/6 foot off the ground. No calls. Left field over the gate end. Whitethroat and reed buntings calling. Pigeons, magpies, thrushes about. No interest from other birds.
5 chiffchaff
12 blackcap
8 whitethroat (including two fledglings at Ivy Green)
2 reed warbler heard singing
1 grasshopper warbler (same location as before)
1 greenfinch
7 reed bunting
c15 song thrush
3 great spotted woodpecker (including two juvenile)
c10 swift
1 grey heron nest at least still active
8 chiffchaff
11+ blackcap
7 whitethroat
3 reed warbler
1 willow tit
2 nuthatch
5+ goldfinch
5 greenfinch
2 chaffinch
2 bullfinch
6 reed bunting
2 swallow
1 grey wagtail
10 song thrush
1 jay
6+ swift
3 great spotted woodpecker (pair around nest-site)
Mallard and Canada goose broods on river
1 grey heron on nest
1 black-headed gull
1 buzzard
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Saturday 26th of May 2018 06:04:54 PM
4 chiffchaff
12 blackcap
4 whitethroat
3 reed warbler
1 grasshopper warbler heard (from rough grass between path to river and meadow pond; a reed warbler here, too)
6 newly fledged long-tailed tit
4 reed bunting
13+ song thrush
2 swift
1 great spotted woodpecker heard
1 stock dove
1 grey heron
1+ tawny owl
Nice calm sunny morning - ideal for Grasshopper Warbler but none seen
Kingfisher along Mersey
Pheasant
pair of Ring-necked Parakeets at Jacksons Boat
Willow Tit
at least 2 singing Reed warblers
10+ Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
2 goldcrest heard
6 chiffchaff
12 blackcap
3 whitethroat
1 willow tit heard
3 chaffinch
5 reed bunting
7 song thrush
1 mistle thrush
4 jay
1 great spotted woodpecker
1 goosander flying along the river's course
c6 grey heron, with at least two busy nests
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
1 buzzard
10 magpie gathered around a few feathers remaining of one of their fallen comrades by the dry weir pool, acting in a very agitated manner. Heard of this phenomenon, but never seen it before.
Pheasant
Swallow
Reed Warbler - dipping pond
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 28th of April 2018 02:54:21 PM
Swallow 1
Grasshopper Warbler 2 reeling briefly, meadow field
Common Whitethroat 1, meadow field
Willow Tit 1
Buzzard 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Ring-necked Parakeet 5
Significantly more warblers around today with signing blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff and a pair of whitethroat (first of the year).
Kestrel over mobbed by a crow
Sparrowhawk over mobbed by 3 crows.
Pheasant heard
Reed Bunting
No sign today of the pair of Lesser Black Backed Gulls which have been patrolling the training pitch for the last few days.
Chris
Common Whitethroat 1 singing male in the meadow field
Stock Dove 2
Nuthatch 2 singing
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 leaving probable nest hole
Chris
6 chiffchaff
1 willow warbler
7 blackcap
2 treecreeper (one nest-building)
2 nuthatch
11 goldfinch
1 greenfinch heard
2 chaffinch
4 bullfinch
7 reed bunting
1 grey wagtail
10 song thrush
1 mistle thrush
10 - 20 jay (very conspicuous all over, often in groups of 3 or 4, with a pair gathering nesting material)
4 great spotted woodpecker
1 stock dove
1 water rail heard
1 moorhen heard (both at meadow pond)
c5 grey heron, at least one occupied nest
1 sparrowhawk
2 buzzard
Hardy Farm, Barlow Tip and habitats in between, from about 2 - 4.30:
12 chiffchaff
6 blackcap
2 coal tit
1 treecreeper
5 goldfinch
2 greenfinch
2 chaffinch
3 bullfinch
1 swallow
2 grey wagtail
2 song thrush
3 jay
1 green woodpecker (female, on Barlow Tip; a patch first for me)
2 ring-necked parakeet
1 pheasant
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 10
Sparrowhawk 2
Buzzard 2
Kestrel 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Jay 8
Nuthatch 1 (visiting nestbox on Ivy Green)
Greenfinch 2
Reed Bunting 1
Lovely afternoon for a walk around Ees/Hardy farm/barlow tip
Chorlton ees highlights:
1 Kestrel
3 Ring necked Parakeet
Lots of Chiffchaffs in the area now, mostly heard singing
Grey Heron
Hardy Farm:
Probable pheasant (f)
Chiffchaffs
Bullfinch
Reed bunting
Treecreeper
Great Spotted woodpecker
Barlow Tip:
Woodcock
Common Snipe
Great Spotted woodpecker
Bullfinch
Chiffchaffs
Lots of great tits
still good numbers of redwings
Mistle thrushes
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 28th of March 2018 04:25:16 PM
Had to drop a bike at Velo Times this morning so spent time trying to track down the Chiffchaff heard last week.
Lots of noise and activity, but of note at HF 1045-1215;
Pair of Kestrel (watching F in photo attached who took flight and was joined by M in aerial display)
Carrion Crow with Frog (photo)
Redwing (c.20)
1 or 2 Chiffchaff (photo)
Snipe (1) - Hardy Farm
Kestrel (f) Hardy Farm
Buzzard (1 - 2) Cow Field
Tawny Owl - calling from the car park at the bottom of the cobbled rod at midday
Great Spotted Woodpecker - calling
Chris
Grey Wagtail (2)
Snipe (1) - came out the same spot as yesterday and recent sightings
Willow Tit (1)
Chris
2 goldcrest
1 treecreeper
3+ goldfinch
2 greenfinch heard
1 chaffinch
4+ bullfinch
1 reed bunting
3 stonechat (2m 1f)
10 - 15 meadow pipit
2 grey wagtail
c20 redwing
7 song thrush
1 fieldfare
2 mistle thrush
3+ jay heard
2 great spotted woodpecker
1 jack snipe (sitting tight on the river bank in full view; my first one)
2 cormorant
2 herring gull over
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk (male, I think, though an extremely fleeting view)
3 buzzard
Ride and walk around Barlow Tip, CWP and canal in blizzard conditions yielded, of note;
6 Ringneck Parakeets (huddling low out of the wind on river)
2 Redwing
2 Pochard
4 Common Gull
1 Warbler in with Long Tailed Tits (not the best views so cannot confirm specifics. Most likely the ChiffChaff mentioned below by Steve)
1 Buzzard
Edit to include photo
-- Edited by Matt Gillett on Saturday 17th of March 2018 05:44:03 PM
-- Edited by Matt Gillett on Saturday 17th of March 2018 07:15:29 PM
My first chiffchaff of Spring feeding quietly in a flock of long-tailed tits and goldcrests this afternoon.
Strangely, not a single chaffinch to be heard or seen on a walk from Chorlton Water Park back to Stretford.
4 goldcrest
1 treecreeper
2 nuthatch
3 goldfinch
9+ chaffinch
2 greenfinch
5 bullfinch
5 reed bunting
5 song thrush
4 jay
3 great spotted woodpecker
2+ stock dove
1 water rail heard
2 teal (on flooded wooded area between old cow field and path to river)
3 - 5 grey heron coming and going from their nesting area
1 kestrel
2 buzzard
Sparrowhawk over Stretford Ees, and 2 grey heron on dry weir pool.
Snipe 1
Lapwing 1
Kingfisher 1
Teal 1 (m)
Buzzard 1
Fieldfare 6
Pied wagtail 1
Meadow Pipit 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 - drumming in the usual area.
Ring-necked Parakeet 1
Chris
Meadow Pipit and redwings showing in small numbers across all the fields
Turn Moss
lapwing 4
snipe 1 - sat out in the open and flying from spot to spot - I suspect trying to find some unfrozen ground to feed.
Hay Meadow
Lapwing 1 - probably the same bird as yesterday
Buzzard - 3 over towards the cow field
River Mersey downstream of Jacksons Boat
Grey Wagtail 2
Meadow Pipit ..... feeding at the waters edge
Wader - Most probably Dunlin feeding at waters edge but it disappeared as I moved to try and get a better view.
Chris
Kingfisher 1
Snipe 1
Lapwing 4 - flew through low
Meadow Pipit 5
Buzzard 1
Ring-necked parakeet 10
Redwing c30
Nuthatch 1 - calling
Looks like the woodpeckers drumming branch has fallen victim of last nights winds.
Chris
Buzzard 1 - sat in the tree in the middle of the cow field - looked like last years juv.
Ring-Necked Parakeet 2 - flew across the cow field
Fieldfare - feeding among the dead willow herb area on the meadow pond field
Redwing 20 - feeding among the pile of cut grasses in the meadow pond field - accompanied by Blackbird, Robin and Song Thrush
Lapwing 1 - only 25 feet away from of me on the path - either exhausted or just resting from the winds. A rare site seeing one of these on the deck around the Ees these days. A very handsome bird - made braving the cold worthwhile
Bullfinch 3 -meadow pond field
Reed Bunting 1 - Hay Meadow
Chris
Bullfinch 6
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 - struggling to fly into the wind, and one later drumming on the usual tree
Meadow Pipit 1 - not seen many of these around this area for a while
Ring-necked Parakeet 4
Grey Heron 1 - looking miserable
Kingfisher 1 - looking miserable
Reed Bunting 4
Mute Swan 3 - over
Chris
-- Edited by Chris Sutton on Thursday 1st of March 2018 11:01:55 AM
1 Buzzard
3 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Treecreepers (Best views i've probably ever had, i.e. not immediately hopping around the other side of the tree as soon as you get yours bins up).
2 Willow Tit
2+ Water Rail heard
Reed Buntings
2 Teal over the woodland ponds (probably flushed from there)
5 Ring necked Parakeet
4 Grey Herons
6 Redwing
Lots of the regular stuff
8 siskin
3 lesser redpoll
11+ goldfinch
2 greenfinch
2 chaffinch
7 bullfinch
2 reed bunting
6 redwing
4 mistle thrush
1 great spotted woodpecker
1 common gull
1 kestrel
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Wednesday 7th of February 2018 07:56:48 PM
Jack Snipe (1) - flushed then landed right by/on the path - was immediately harassed and chased by 2 magpies, landed and took off again before it finally shook them off.
Chris
Ees:
1 goldcrest
1 nuthatch
15-20 siskin, flew from heronry in flock across river towards Sale Water Park, plus two in alders by brook.
5+ goldfinch
2 greenfinch
3 chaffinch
5 bullfinch
1 reed bunting singing
19+ redwing
6 song thrush (all but one singing)
1 jay heard
2 great spotted woodpecker heard
2 stock dove
1 or 2 water rail heard (very close to me, though I couldn't see them)
131 (or thereabouts) pink-footed geese over, heading se (approx 10.30 - 11)
5 grey heron very active around the heronry
1 cormorant over
1 common gull over
2 kestrel (several sightings)
3 buzzard
Hardy Farm, Barlow Tip, etc, in the afternoon:
2 goldcrest
1 willow tit heard calling in Hardy Farm orchard
6+ lesser redpoll (Barlow Tip)
1 goldfinch
2 chaffinch
9 bullfinch
1 reed bunting
5+ redwing
3 song thrush
3+ jay
2 (or more) great spotted woodpecker heard calling (repeatedly)
1 buzzard (same as one of the above, I'm sure)
Pretty sure I heard a tawny owl call when on Barlow Tip, but over the din of assorted corvids and ring-necked parakeets, I needed it to do it again to be certain; it didn't.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 4th of February 2018 08:35:47 PM
2 skeins of Pink-Footed Geese heading North at c 9:45 over Hardy Farm - the first c120-150 closely followed by c 30 (I didnt have my bins so hard to count).
Great Spotted Woodpecker Drumming (1)
Willow Tit (1)
Chris
1 willow tit heard briefly at the woodland edges of Hardy Farm
2 nuthatch
c15 siskin
5+ lesser redpoll
c10 goldfinch
4 greenfinch
4 chaffinch
8+ bullfinch
2 reed bunting
1 grey wagtail
10+ redwing
2 or 3 song thrush (one singing)
2 mistle thrush
4+ jay
1 great spotted woodpecker heard
5+ ring-necked parakeet
5 common gull on the football pitches
1 cormorant over
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
1 buzzard
Snipe (1) - flushed from rough grassland area
Goldfinch (10)
Reed Bunting (4)
Long-tailed Tit (1)
Ring-necked parakeet (4)
Goosander (1f) on the river
Grey Wagtail (1) on the river
Siskin (1) over
Bullfinch - heard
Kestrel (1m)
Heron (1) - usual spot on the flooded path by the football field
Interestingly no Gulls on the field this morning and very few in the recent week.
Plus usual stuff ... Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin etc.
Chris
2 goldcrest
2 or 3 willow tit
1 nuthatch heard
1 siskin
c15 goldfinch
3+ chaffinch
1 greenfinch
8 bullfinch
1 grey wagtail
1 redwing (also one in the graveyard on Chorlton Green)
2 song thrush
1 jay
200+ jackdaw coming in to roost late on
2 great spotted woodpecker
1 kingfisher (female, giving beautiful, close views at the meadow pond)
1 water rail heard
1 grey heron
2 cormorant over
23 common gull
1 or 2 buzzard
Little grebe on the river just on from the Metrolink bridge, and 16 siskin flew from Barlow Tip across the river just on from here.
Highlights were a snipe flushed from the big stand of rosebay willowherb near the pond with the reedbed, where there was a water rail calling.
Also several redwing, 2 song thrush, 3 grey heron, 2 great spotted woodpecker, 2 bullfinch, goldcrest amongst mixed tit flock.
9+ goldcrest
5+ siskin
13+ goldfinch
3 greenfinch
6 chaffinch
9+ bullfinch
2 reed bunting
7 redwing
5 song thrush
5 jay
3 great spotted woodpecker
1 water rail heard
1 goosander over
80+ pink-footed geese over E
1 grey heron
2 cormorant over
1 common gull over
1 herring gull over
1 sparrowhawk
1 kestrel
2 buzzard
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 3rd of December 2017 09:46:49 PM
Snipe 1 - flew up from scrubby area on hardy Farm and headed towards Barlow Tip.
Heron 1
Parakeet 3
Reed Bunting 3
Long-tailed Tit small flock
Kestrel 1
Common Gull 3
Chris