Yes it is of great interest to me! Send grid reference with it then we can atlas it. Thanks.

noticed a buzzard dropping into a nest today - is it of interest? if so drop me a note and i'll send details of location.

Good to see them starting young. A GM Osprey at that age must be some kind of record!! Congratulations Steve, on the Osprey and the new little 'un!!

Excellent sighting Steve, had a Buzzard over Junction 8 today that made me look twice.

A GM Osprey still eludes me, well done .

keep birding

Nowhere else to put this as Castleton isn't a birding hotspot!
Just after 3.00 this afternoon I was just getting the latest addition to my family off to sleep in my arms and stood looking out of the bedroom window towards Tandle Hill area. To the naked eye and not concentrating I initially thought for a split second there was something like a hang glider high in the distance. Soon realised it was a large bird with an enormous wingspan bigger than a buzzard which we get around here somtimes. Having been sure I had the same thing last year but didn't have my bins (as gardening then) to confirm I desperately grabbed my bins from the other room.
Over the moon with bins in one hand and baby in the other to see my first GM Osprey in the most unlikely circumstances! Beautiful white underside and white on the head but what wings!
It was high and after circling it moved south so was hoping it might have been picked up elsewhere. I'm assuming it had probably been circling and changing direction and moved off north. Checked reports and closest was Inner Marsh Farm about 40 minutes earlier but nothing else since. Very quick and distant but an unforgetable moment for me!Steve

This Morn
Yewdale Rd Bryn
2 Willow Warblers
1 Blackcap
2 Song Thrush
Also Willow Warbler at the bottom of Richmond Rd Bryn

Jimmy

-- Edited by j meadows on Thursday 23rd of April 2009 08:48:47 PM

Grasshopper Warbler reeling in Bolton Royal Hospital Grounds monday night and last night.
Behind Ambulance Station near fishing pond.

That's Barlow's Farm, I think, Adam? Aka Scowcroft. At the back of Belmont Ave Bickershaw? Excellent for Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler too - once had a Hen Harrier in May there!

over the rucks in hindley green, stretching from atherton road to bickershaw lane (near the prison) 2 grasshopper warblers reeling then one popped up on some brambles beneath a small tree and sang away for a good minute. seen by me and ryan speakman at around 6:45 this evening.

A male sparrowhawk silently swooped by no more than two feet in front of my face, about 6 feet high and disappeared behind a house this morning as i was walking to the bus stop

Obviously I ought to stay in more often! Peregrine low over the fields and house at Green Avenue, Astley heading west (Leigh/Atherton bound?) at 13:42, doubly brilliant

Oh and not to mention the singing Yellowhammers, Whitethroat (yesterday), Blackcap and Willow Warbler.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 21st of April 2009 12:49:09 PM

Lesser Whitethroat singing away from Hawthorns 50 feet at the back of my house (Green Avenue, Astley) as I type and update the website...brilliant

Barlows Farm Bickershaw 1 Whitethroat
3 Willow Warblers

This Afternoon

Paul Heaton wrote:

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Male Whinchat singing at Leslie Rd Tip today female also present.

info via Phil Kelly

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...also Leslie Rd tip, Stretford, 2 Stonechat and a Grasshopper Warbler at 6pm Sunday 19th. Info from Tony O'Mahoney

-- Edited by Pete Hines on Monday 20th of April 2009 07:53:14 PM

Pr Ravens over Beech Hill 11:45

Cheers Jimmy

Male Whinchat singing at Leslie Rd Tip today female also present.

info via Phil Kelly

there seems to be more skylarks around this year.this morning i walked through the fields around giants hall and there seemed to skylarks in every field.i hope this is true as some years ive hardly see any.
"hail to thee blythe spirit,bird thou never wert"

Cuckoo heard off dicconson lane westhoughton 7 35 am, as you head towards aspull in fields on right hand side about 200 yards from the A6.

Whilst waiting for the 'tip' at ince to open had a wander in the 'rucks'

willow warbler (abundant)
chiff chaff 3
and much to my delight 5 yellowhammer 3 in song then a bit argey bargy
plus other very common birds
cheers geoff

1st ever for me, a Lesser Redpoll feeding for 5mins on Niger seed on a feeder in my garden yesterday at 5.00p.m.
Cheers Ian

buzzard soaring over hindley green

1 Raven in Field at Gidlow this morn 07:05

jimmy

Buzzard soaring over the centre of Swinton at 2pm today.

3 buzzards over Beech Hill tonight
looked to be a pair and 1 interloper

Cheers Jimmy

Pair Ravens low over scholes, 5.30, just up from tesco junction

just been browsing and seen this post i have been going down most evenings and at weekends on to the snipe side of the moss and am listing it as my local patch. this is the third week proper and have seen "passing " kestrels down moss lane to the farm one with a kill but no hunting birds or perching birds judith smith i read suggest nest boxes may be we could look into that, also on the forum i read about a patch near the new ashton firestation and the people are setting up a friends of group do you and anyother readers have any thoughts on that for the moss i feel if there was it woyuld make approach farmers and local business's easier

Okay it appears they are not as common as before so lets make an effort and as Henry says see what the Atlas work throws up.

keep birding

Hi Paul,

I recently started watching Ashton Moss
and Daisy Nook again after many years.
I remember Kestrels being a daily sighting.
Since I have been back I have not seen
1 Kestrel. Sparrowhawks and a Peregrine
but no Kestrel.

What about making a nestbox for them and putting it on a decent sized tree, or in a friendly farmer's yard? Quite a lot of our Barn Owl boxes have been taken by Kestrels.

It's not just you Paul. It is very worrying and something which I hope the atlas work throws up quickly.
My personal sightings have shown up this trend too and I know many others think the same. As a typical example, locally here in Davenport Green there used to be 2 pairs which over the last 5 years have died out. At the same time a big increase in Buzzards has occured in the area. This change coincided with a change in land-use from hay production to lamb production and a big reduction in long grass area. There is hope though as a pair of these falcons have turned up recently and seem to be spending a lot of time in the area.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Wednesday 8th of April 2009 06:19:46 PM

Pair of Buzzard displaying over Barton bridge today at 11.30.

It used to be kestrels by the side of the roads, they are not as common as they used to be, or is it just me?


keep birding.

Swallow over my house in Bolton this morning.

Raven over Beech Hill 05:50 This Morning

Single House Martin at 6:20pm tonight up and down my street in Astley for around 10 minutes!

A bit late but Manchester Central Business Park Sunday 29th March, 4.30 p.m.

At least 34 Golden Plover in field opposite Fujitsu buildings. Looked like all in summer plumage.
Cheers Bill- great find!
Steve

Two swallows over amberswood old railway line 8am.

3 buzzards struggling to get in the air today at 11.30 over the m60 just before barton bridge, worsley end.

Manchester Central Business Park Friday 27 th March, 10.00 a.m.

At least 22 Golden Plover hunkered down among the clods, all but 1 in Summer Plumage

Cheers, Bill

A male Sparrowhawk came into the garden today (Greenfield) and successfully caught a Starling, hopefully he'll become a regular visitor.

friday - 2 long tailed tits collecting nesting material. lime grove manchester uni campus

22nd March.

The ground-roosting flock of Golden Plover still present in the fields of the grounds of the old Monsall Hospital mid-afternoon. See posts 17 & 18/3. Paul Cliff observed 42 in field opposite Fujitsu on 19/3. Today - flock of c120 Starlings in the field opposite Fujitsu.

Cheers,

Bill.

Buzzard over Morrisons This Lunchtime

3 Bullfinches and a Nuthatch in the garden today (Greenfield) plus a Sparrowhawk flew over.

-- Edited by James Minchin on Thursday 19th of March 2009 10:09:38 PM

had 1 male and 3 female skskins in the garden for last week, peaked at 8 last friday.

also 1 male brambling

cheers

Andrew

19th March.

2 calling Siskins flew over my Chadderton home at 7.30 this morning moving south.

had a brief look on way way into town this morning in original field bill described and am certain i had a wheatear on a post on the far side of the rough ground.

got the golden plovers on the way home on the other field, could pick out about a dozen or so with bins only.

Hi Bill

good bit of detective work there. I do not know this site but it sounds like the sort of place where the Lapwings might breed - could you visit later and check for Atlas purposes?

The Lapwing leaning forward thing is part of the display - imitating the making of a nest scrape - though it could also be the actual making of the scrape. Keep your eyes open

Cheers, Steve

-- Edited by Steve Suttill on Wednesday 18th of March 2009 05:21:09 PM

18th March @ 11.30 am.

Hi Steve,

After a little bit of searching managed to re find them.

The flock had re-located slightly birds this morning and were in the large field round the back of the One Manchester Central building - this area I think is the site of the old Monsal Hospital. Approx grid ref. SD865008.

The flock size was slightly larger at c50 birds this morning - many birds appeared to be still in largely winter plumage - there was possibly one bird amongst them that might have been of the northern race - if that is possible? - but most looked to be to my eyes of the "southern race".

Also in the large field at least 19 widely dispersed Lapwings. Some pairs had obviously already teamed up and their was considerable bouts of aerial display and that trick where they appear to lean forward in an exaggerated manner, almost looking like they are going to topple over!, showing off their orangey undertail coverts - which again I presume is a form of display?

Also in the field - pair of Pied Wagtails, c15 Starlings, c25 Woodpigeon and a pair of Mallards!

Cheers,

Bill.

Hi Bill

if you manage to get good views, and if they are developing summer plumage, you might be able to tell whether they are local birds on their way up to the Pennines or the northern race on their way to the arctic.

I'd be interested to know

Steve

Paul Cliff wrote:

---

Bill Myerscough wrote:

---

16th March @ 14.25.

Was driving through Manchester Central Business Park this afternoon and noticed some Lapwings resting in one of the fenced off fields. Stopped the car - got out the binoculars and scanned the field to see if there might be anything else of interest - 68 beady black eyes stared back at me from 34 ground-roosting Golden Plover!! What an unexpected bonus and lovely surprise!

They were in the fenced off field immediately opposite the 3 Fujitsu buildings - don't know what this area of M/cr is called - but approx. grid ref is SD869006 - tetrad SD90Q (Harpurhey).

Cheers,

Bill.

---

bloody hell! i need to get a car with a higher driving position! i drive through this area everyday when i'm working in town can't see anything apart from pavement, low bushes and sky!

---

Hi Paul,

Who wants to keep their eyes on the road when there's more important things to look at!!! " Yes, officer, I can assure you I was concentrating on the road!"
Didn't you stop to see if they were still there today? I'm going back tomorrow (with my scope) to see if they are still about!!! - these fenced off, undeveloped sites on the outskirts of the city centre with shortish grassland look good breeding sites for Lapwings - this was the original reason I stopped to look at them.
Very surprised you can even manage to see road from the fancy sports car you drive!!

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Tuesday 17th of March 2009 06:40:32 PM