Wallness Lane (adjacent to University of Salford)

24th August

3 Swifts
At least 2 Bullfinch contact calling


23rd August

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Two Peregrines together soaring over Liverpool street and Cross lane this morning at 5.50am.

3 Common Terns were checking out the small fishing pond behind Ellesmere Shopping Centre in Walkden at 1745 today, then flew southeast

2 buzzards soaring the thermals and calling, male sparrowhawk, and 1 raven, ellenbrook area today.

Recently fledged robin in ellenbrook garden this am.

A Buzzard flew high over Liverpool street at 14.20 this afternoon heading West and a Peregrine flew over heading towards Manchester city centre at 15.05.

Peregrine carrying a pigeon carcass flew right in front of me as i was cycling over Centenary bridge at aprox 7.30pm tonight....I nearly fell off my bike as it had me mesmerized instead of concentrating on where i was going

Clowes Park

1 Greylag Goose
2 juv Dunnock
Moorhen & Coot with young



Buile Hill Park

juv Blackcap
4 Bullfinch
Great Spotted Woodpecker
4 Mistle Thrush

Two young Kestrels have been flying together around the Liverpool street and Hope street area for the last two days. This morning at 5.50am they were both sat together above a security light at the Plumb centre next to my works. The nest must have been close by possibly somewhere near to the Cemtex Concrete works nearby as I have watched a pair of adult birds fly around that area for the last couple of months.

On the concrete hardstanding on Ordsall Lane (opp Ordsall Hall) as I past at midday;
Black Headed Gull = 110
Common Gull = 1
Lesser Black backed Gull = 3
Herring Gull = 1
Heron = 4

Many of the gulls (and Herons) from the Salford Quays and Pomona area use this hardstanding to roost up on duriing periods of the day.

Buile Hill Park

Early morning

2 Song Thrush, 1 showing very well at Spring Bank
1 Goldcrest

Raven flying low over ellenbrook, very vocal.

A Willow Tit calling at the entrance of Parrfold Park in Walkden this morning 0745hrs.

8 young ducklings and their mother bobbing along The Irwell this afternoon at The Lowry Hotel

Five Rooks flying over Liverpool street Salford this morning at 5.50am heading West was a bit of a surprise. Its not a bird that I usually see over my workplace.

Hi Ian, there was a Hobby at Weaste ETW on May 5th (see Salford Quays thread), I'm certain your prediction is good & that there might be more sightings this summer, if anyone is looking for Hobby at this site, you might need insect repellant !!

500+ Swifts very low over Weaste ETW and the Broadway extension this morning at 8am. (flying between the cars). Surely its only a matter of time before they attract the attention of a passing Hobby.

As I returned to my car in the Salford Royal hospital car park on Stott lane this evening at 8.10pm I watched a Peregrine dive in and catch a feral pigeon over the playing fields opposite. The falcon ended up sat in the field for about 10 minutes as it removed the feathers while I got great views with my binos The Peregrine flew off towards Trafford park.

Two Sparrowhawks were perched on the same gasometer at Liverpool street, Salford at 3.30pm this afternoon.

two Great spotted woodpecker's in Buile Hill Park this afternoon feeding their very noisy chicks

over a hundred plus Swifts all having a feeding frenzy earlier this afternoon over Broadway adjacent to Weast sewage works.. was quite an impressive sight to witness

Re: Dave I saw that happening about 6,45 am this morning. There was a bird of prey getting seriously mobbed by a load of crows on the very top of the gas pylon but i was too far away to make out the species

However i did spot a Sparrowhawk hunting up and down Seedley Park Rd at aprox 1.30

A Peregrine was mobbed by the two Gasometer Crows at 12.45pm as it tried to return to Manchester. Both Crows dive bombed the Peregrine and chased it down Liverpool street as far as the fire station

4.50pm There was a Kestrel being harassed by a Gull on Broadway just near to the sewage works on the banks of the Ship Canal

A Peregrine carrying small prey item has just flown low over Liverpool street heading towards Manchester

c10 Swift over Weaste ETW @ 10am

A walk round light oaks park whilst letting the baby sleep.
6 mallards and 2 ducklings looking fluffy
1 moorhen
1 nuthatch
1 treecreeper
2 great spotted woodpecker
7 mistle thrush
C12 blackbirds
Plus numbers of blue tit,house sparrows, chaffinch.
2 collared dove

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 26th of April 2012 01:05:12 PM

Weaste ETW & adjacent Manchester Ship Canal

Sunday 22nd April 6:30pm-7:45pm

1-2 Stock Doves
5 Lapwing
4 Tufted Duck (3 drks)
2 Swallow
1 Common Buzzard
2 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Blackcap
1 male Grey Wagtail
1 Grey Heron
20 Starling
5 Jackdaw
1 Cormorant
30 Black-headed Gull
5 Pied Wagtail
7 Mallard

-- Edited by James Walsh on Monday 23rd of April 2012 07:32:28 AM

Sparrowhawk Just now in KFC's car park Regent Road eyeing up the Gulls eating my chips and thinking not a prayer!

Weaste cemetery 12.15pm

3 Great spotted woodpeckers
4 Goldfinch
Sparrowhawk

7th April

Middlewood Locks

2 Lapwing
1 Grey Heron

(No security fences up so easier access to the site, but also more disturbance for the birds)

Saturday 31st March

Wallness Lane (adjacent to University)

singing Chiffchaff
Great Spotted Woodpecker



Irwell Valley Way

3 Goldeneye
4+ Goosander
6 Tufted Duck
Sparrowhawk
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 singing Song Thrush
Grey Wagtail
2 Pipistrelle Bats

A Peregrine was preening itself while perched low down on the Liverpool street Gasometer as I was leaving work at 7pm this evening. Also seen today to add to my post below James, 2 more Buzzards, another Sparrowhawk and a Grey wagtail

7 Common Buzzards in the air together around 3:30pm, viewed from Salford's very own Bosphorous, Buile Hill Park, looking south from the golf course

Also 1 Nuthatch calling & showing by the golf course

Buzzard, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and two Sand Martins seen over my Salford workplace since 6.15am. Birding with the large bay doors open

Harris Hawk circling high over Morrisons in Eccles this morning. Good to see it is still around as I've not seen it for a couple of months.

24th March

Irwell Valley Way/Kersal Dale

2 Chiffchaff
1 Kingfisher
Pair Goosander
1 Grey Heron
5 Mallard
Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Peacock Butterfly


Buile Hill Park

1 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker showing well
2 Goldcrest showing well in ornamental trees on north side of park
2 Dunnock
3 Mistle Thrush
Pair Mallard on the Lion Pit
10 Jackdaw
2 Collared Dove

A Peregrine swooped on to a flock of Pigeons over the Cargills site near the Millenium bridge this afternoon at 15.20. Trying to keep one eye on the Peregrine and one eye on the car in front meant I missed most of the attack but some feathers floating in the air suggested the falcon made a kill.

River Irwell adjacent to Peel Park

15 Tufted Duck
3 Mallard
2 small ducks flying fast, probably Teal (felt like a bingo caller writing that one....2 little ducks!)

A Buzzard flew low over West Hope street at 14.55 this afternoon. It headed over the car showrooms and towards Weaste.

3.55-4.15pm

1 buzzard,flew over as i was about to leave & disturbed everything then landed on lamp-post on far side off the works.
1 kestrel
1 chiffchaff,first sighting off the year
39 pied wagtails
3 grey wagtails
2 lapwings
2 dunnocks
1 blackbird
43 magpies
16 woodpigeons
50+ b h gulls

Buile Hill Park

An hour early afternoon looking at bees

Also

1 Dunnock
2 Mistle Thrush
1 Chaffinch
2 Long-tailed Tit

17th march.

weaste etw...

48 b h gulls
78 pied wagtails
1 grey wagtail
1 dunnock

on adjascent ship canal...

2 coots
2 mute swans
8 lapwings
1 kestrel
1 goldeneye (male) go's by the name off arthur

info thanks to phil kelly.

Common Buzzard over Buile Hill Park c3 weeks ago (forgot to report at the time)

Sparrowhawk in Buile Hill Park 3pm hovering low over Weast Lane then began soaring very high above the golf course until it disappeared off towards Eccles old Road

Two Jays and a Chiffchaff on West Hope street at 12.30pm

A Buzzard was soaring high over the Cross lane area at 12.35 this afternoon.

Barr Hill FC football pitches 10.30am-12.45pm

flock of 14 Siskins over south
flock of 11 Redwings over east

River Irwell adjacent to Peel Park

02/03/12

1730-1845

1 Kingfisher
8 Goldeneye
2 Little Grebe
1 Cormorant
22 Tufted Duck
5 Mallard
c50 Redwing
3 Pipistrelle Bat

7 Sand Martins feeding over Weaste ETW (off Broadway extension) at 4pm this afternoon.