Thanks very much for letting me join you both this morning.
Only Stonechat to add to your list. In gully between road barrier and Holden's Plantation.
More appropriate footwear required next time!!!
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Sep 25 4:18 PM, 2010
Indeed, mine were heading for the Holdens Farm/northern end of Burnt Edge and weren't flying too high either.
Simon Warford said
Sat Sep 25 2:18 PM, 2010
Some very good visible migration this morning with Andy Makin up at the mast. Also perfect visibility with good views accross to Cumbria, Heysham, Isle of Man, Great Orme, Anglesey & Snowdonia!
Positioned on the county boundary near the hollow east of the mast 8.15am-1pm. It was quiet early on but by 9.30am plenty of birds, mainly meadow pipits, moving through, all birds south or south west, some even too high to see! (probably all different birds to yours Ian)-
Meadow Pipit - 960 (800 through between 10 & 11.30am) Skylark - 29 Crossbill - 7(1 heard high south followed by a group of 6 low south) Twite - 1 in Lancs though Snow Bunting - 1 south low over our heads carried on into GM at 11.35am. Linnet - 15 Unidentified finches - group of 13 small finches flew low fast south(Linnet or twite) Goldfinch - 2 Chaffinch - 4 heard Swallow - 18 Merlin - 1 Buzzard - 2 Sparrowhawk - 1 Mistle Thrush - 3 LBB Gull - 3
Wheatear on wall Peregrine - male and female around smaller masts.
Great morning.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Sep 25 11:57 AM, 2010
Still two, possibly three Black Redstarts on the building next to the mast (and therefore in Lancashire!) at 7am. Also 2 Wheatear along Deans Ditch very early morning and juvenile Peregrine chasing Meadow Pipits to within 50 feet of me!
Just over two and a half hour watch (08:30am onwards) from Georges Lane produced:
5 Crossbill (2 males in trees at the northern edge of Wilderswood then flew north and then a female and two immatures also flew north)
15 Siskin (seemed to be coming into Wilderswood from the north west?)
51 Skylark (heading west)
22 Chaffinch (heading north)
363 Meadow Pipit (heading SE)
1 Wheatear
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 25th of September 2010 04:16:56 PM
Steve Christmas said
Sat Sep 25 10:59 AM, 2010
07.00 - 10.00 between Scout Road and mast: 300 meadow pipit 20 skylark 40 goldfinch 30 linnet 2 redpoll 2 great spotted woodpecker short-eared owl merlin red grouse 6 reed bunting
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Sep 23 4:24 PM, 2010
Todays totals:
2 Golden Plover over (seperately) Juvenile Whinchat at Holdens 400 Meadow Pipit 4 Wheatear 41 Skylark west
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Sep 22 2:55 PM, 2010
No sign of Lapland Bunting this morning.
Four Twite flew west just in Lancashire though
Single Siskin flew south 595 Meadow Pipit around the moors 4 Wheatear included a colour-ringed bird which is currently being follwed up. Single Black Redstart on the buildings around the mast (per Ken Haydock)
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Sep 21 5:27 PM, 2010
Two and a half hour vis-mig early afternoon from Higher Meadows at Georges Lane:
6 Buzzard south 3 Sparrowhawk south 7 Redpoll south 1 Siskin south 31 Skylark mainly east-ish
Also single Willow Warbler and Nuhatch at Higher Meadows and the ringtail (1st calendar year probably) Hen Harrier put in an appearance over Wildersmoor.
Green Woodpecker at Bryan Hey Reservoir
With regards the Lapland Bunting it could indeed be a new bird but personally I favour it being the same. On Friday it followed a similar pattern in the four hours it led me a merry dance and on several occasions flew over half a mile from where it was flushed. On one occasion it flew west towards Smithills Moor and all but disappeared into the distance before suddenly appearing back on the Lancs side of the moor. At one point I felt there must be two birds it was so mobile but I hasten to add that there wasn't. Probably!
In addition to the sightings already posted today I believe the three amigos also had 16 Snipe.
Simon Warford said
Tue Sep 21 4:45 PM, 2010
No further sign of Lapland Bunting. Given the scale of the current influx into the country todays bird could possibly be a new bird as it flew west to east, calling a few times, and dissapeared over smithills moor. We didnt flush it off the moor as it appeared from behind us around 10am just as the mist cleared.
Also today between Andy Makin, Phil & myself.
Hen Harrier being mobbed by 50 mipits as it flew towards Two Lads. Meadow Pipit - 1050 south Wheatear - 9 Swallow - 33 south Buzzard - 13 south (Andy) Skylark - 26 Whinchat Georges lane. No sign of any Black Redstarts
Alan Warford said
Tue Sep 21 11:39 AM, 2010
Lapland Bunting still mid morning along wall 600 yards east of mast. In hollow, flew from GM into Lancs. Also Ring Tailed Hen Harrier over at 11-00am.
Info thanks to Simon and Andy Makin.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Sep 21 11:38 AM, 2010
Lapland Bunting still present in the same location this morning, though elusive.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Sep 18 4:19 PM, 2010
No sign of the Lapland Bunting today.
Two Black Redstarts still present on Winter Hill, on the buildings over the border in Lancashire.
Juvenile Whinchat Still at Holdens and 15 Wheatear on the moors.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Sep 17 8:56 PM, 2010
Forgot about those! There were 31 heading west at 12:30. The Peregrine was in pursuit of the flock as they approached over Smithills Moor and split a group of 10 or so off which veered SW.
Judith Smith said
Fri Sep 17 8:38 PM, 2010
Andy also mentioned 31 Pinkfeet, 1-2 of which broke away as they were being chased by a Peregrine. Not sure what time these were - am I think.
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Sep 17 7:20 PM, 2010
Further sightings from today, a comnbination of myself and Andy:
1690 Meadow Pipits 23 Wheatear 2 juv Whinchat at Holdens 15 Skylark north-west 3 Snipe Female Merlin (Andy only) Female Hen Harrier (headed south, Andy only) 2 Tree Pipits (east over Holdens, later probably the same refound off Dean's Ditch) Two Black Redstarts (inlcuding a male that may have been around for a while now?) on the building next to the space ship like structure on Winter Hill, well into Lancashire though! House Martin- 181 heading north () in approx 50 minutes Swallow- 252 in total, many also heading north?
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Sep 17 5:29 PM, 2010
Immature Lapland Bunting present on Winter Hill from around 11:30 this morning (found by Andy Makin), though spending the vast majority of it's time over the border in Lancashire.
Follow Mast Road up past the mast, continuing on until you come to a metal gate and moor beyond (remember to park back down Mast Road by the first cattle grid). Turn right here and follow the dry stone wall (Dean's Ditch which constitutes the county boundary) and the moor to the east sloping down away from the wall is where the bird has been seen, It has ranged from the track which is the continuation of Mast Road all the way to half a mile or so further south along the moor! It is extremely flighty, very wise ranging and highly elusive.
In four knee knackering hours spent going from one end of the moor to the other I saw the bird in flight six times, though well on occasion it has to be said and despite being only 20 feet away from it on the ground at times it just wouldn't show and seemed to simply run through the grass until it exploded out from somewhere 60 yards away On two occasions it ventured into Greater Manchester. Once when it was found (and was sat on the county boundary) and once when it flew very high and strongly west onto Smithills Moor only to come straight back around and onto the moor in Lancs. On other occasions it flew so far away north and east I was convinced it was never going to come back but it always veered around and came back to it's favoured half mile stretch of moor.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Sep 14 7:20 PM, 2010
Only things of note this afternoon:
Two Wheatears and juvenile Whinchat at Holdens.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Sep 11 4:53 PM, 2010
Quieter again this morning in between showers. Mid- morning to mid- afternoon, the latter half with Andy Makin for company.
Whinchat- 2 Holdens 240 Meadow Pipit 2 Golden Plover over Winter Hill heading north-west Single Snipe heading west 4 Skylark around the moors Tawny Owl calling away from the very northern edge of Wilderswood at 11am!
Further single Tree Pipits at Matchmoor Lane and Bryan Hey Reservoir.
Spotted Flycatcher at Bryan Hey Reservoir.
Fem/imm Redstart still at Lomax Wife's Plantation.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Sep 8 2:19 PM, 2010
Todays sightings up to just after midday:
Black Redstart- a female along Danes (Deans ) Dyke headed towards the rocket ship like mast on Winter Hill and then eventually worked it's way down the stone wall to around the cattle grod on Mast Road.
Hobby- 1 adult
Whinchat- 2, one each at the bottom and top of Mast Road.
Redstart- 1 female/immature at Holdens Farm.
Tree Pipit- 1 Georges Lane
Wheatear- 24
Skylark - 6 over north
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Sep 7 4:14 PM, 2010
Midday to mid-afternoon today.
Amongst the more usual suspects were:
10 Spotted Flycatchers (8 around the first field and big hedge at Higher Meadows, Georges Lane and a further 2 at New Fields Plantation)
3 Tree Pipit (Georges Lane)
1 Whinchat (female at Holdens Farm)
1 Redstart (fem/imm Lomax Wife's Plantation)
23 Wheatear
240 Goldfinch (Georges Lane)
355 Meadow Pipit
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 04:15:46 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 04:16:24 PM
Keith Mills said
Tue Sep 7 4:06 PM, 2010
Pleasant walk with dog this morning 10am- 1.15pm . One short shower.
A pheasant. 4 red grouse ...top of Burnt Edge. (flushed) 6-8 coal tits ...edge of Walker Fold wood 3 or 4 wrens. treepipit and two stonechat(one a juvenile)... at Holden's sparrowhawk Several meadow pipits, robins,crows and magpies. single blackbird and dunnock
-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 04:08:25 PM
-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 08:56:14 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Sep 6 5:28 PM, 2010
2 fem/imm Redstart along the edge of Lomax Wife's Plantation mid afternoon today.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Sep 5 9:03 PM, 2010
Sightings from today:
Single fem/imm Redstart 2 Tree Pipits Juv Yellow Wagtail 8 Wheatear Single Spotted Flycatcher
Info thanks to Andy Makin and Ken Haydock
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Sep 5 11:02 AM, 2010
Judith Smith wrote:
Not sure how Steven Astley and I missed you, John. We had 5+ Stonechats, a Whinchat and a Spot Fly all together on the fence by the ponds a bit earlier than you. Also I saw the Willow Tit at the E end of Bryn Hey Resr and I think there were probably 2.
i was probably lost somewere,didn't see anyone except jeff hurst from atherton,who had come up from barrow bridge and seen nowt down that end ,so i wondered back to wilderswood,and found all the spotted flys in the middle of the right side of the pine wood,which was difficult with shorts on and ive got the scratches to prove it There was 2 groups of stonecahat one heading down towards barrow bridge from holdens and one up tpwards rivvy from holdens
Judith Smith said
Sun Sep 5 9:55 AM, 2010
Not sure how Steven Astley and I missed you, John. We had 5+ Stonechats, a Whinchat and a Spot Fly all together on the fence by the ponds a bit earlier than you. Also I saw the Willow Tit at the E end of Bryn Hey Resr and I think there were probably 2.
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Sep 4 5:40 PM, 2010
2pm- 5pm holdens farm area 10 stonechat-not a lot else,
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 4th of September 2010 09:43:09 PM
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 5th of September 2010 10:58:26 AM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Sep 4 12:28 PM, 2010
This early morning with Andy Makin:
Wheatear- 14 Tree Pipit- 6 (5 showing very well indeed on the wires and fence around the rubber surfaced horse paddock by Holdens Farm, at the end of Coal Pit Lane) Whinchat- 1 (Holdens Farm) Spotted Flycatcher- 3 in the'big hedge' off Georges Lane at Higher Meadows (Andy)
P.s. Andy Makin has also fallen in the same or a very similar 'sink hole' at Roscoes many years ago. Nice to see it's still about then!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 4th of September 2010 12:49:31 PM
Nick Isherwood said
Fri Sep 3 11:30 PM, 2010
There's only you who could do that mate! Ha ha.
Dennis atherton said
Fri Sep 3 11:29 PM, 2010
Done it myself Mark, glad you got out ok, the more you try to pull your self out, the more you seem to sink, your not the only one daft enough to stray from the path now and then, have you not seen American werewolf in london! stick to the path lads and beware the moon
mark cain wrote:
Just a word of warning to birders walking in the Roscow Plantation part of the moors. I decided to wander off the beaten track today to see if there were any flycatchers beside the running stream. What I thought was a small patch of mud was a swamp of sinking slutch. I dropped in to my balls and was stuck in for the longest 20 minutes of my life. Luckily my tripod had wedged across the swamp and I managed to drag myself out with it. Admittedly I weigh more than the average birder but even so, just beware!! I tried my best to place a load of sticks around the swamp as a warning but then again there's probably only me daft enough to stray from the path!
mark cain said
Fri Sep 3 8:59 PM, 2010
Just a word of warning to birders walking in the Roscow Plantation part of the moors. I decided to wander off the beaten track today to see if there were any flycatchers beside the running stream. What I thought was a small patch of mud was a swamp of sinking slutch. I dropped in to my balls and was stuck in for the longest 20 minutes of my life. Luckily my tripod had wedged across the swamp and I managed to drag myself out with it. Admittedly I weigh more than the average birder but even so, just beware!! I tried my best to place a load of sticks around the swamp as a warning but then again there's probably only me daft enough to stray from the path!
Dean Macdonald said
Fri Sep 3 7:28 PM, 2010
Likewise John
2 more Whinchat 1 male and another 8 stonechat near suger loaf plantation on the way back.
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Sep 3 6:48 PM, 2010
3-6pm-with the rocker(Dean Mcdonald) all holdens farm area mainly stonechat-at least 10 winchat-2 redstart-1m+1f lots of meadow pipit 2 raven over west linnet-8 5 tree pipit over se near to the cattle grid parking area pretty quiet anywhere really apart from holdens farm area.
pleasant afternoon-pleasant company
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Sep 3 1:48 PM, 2010
This mornings totals (quieter than recently as much is now moving straight through in this continued weather and a surprising lack of midges/ants and other flying insects which have plagued the area recently seems to have encouraged the Spotted Flycatchers to move on):
2 Whinchat (adult and juv Holdens Farm) 4 Tree Pipit (3 east over Georges Lane and 1 at Holdens Farm) 1 Golden Plover 1 Yellowhammer (heading south over moor) 15 Wheatear 235 Meadow Pipit (loitering on the moors as usual)
Info thanks to Andy Makin
JOHN TYMON said
Thu Sep 2 6:56 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Mid-morning to mid-afternoon today:
17 Spotted Flycatcher (5 Georges Lane, 3 Montcliffe Quarry, 2 at the north end of Holdens Plantation, 2 Sugar Loaf Plantation, 5 New Fields)
2 Redstart (male Georges Lane, fem/imm New Fields)
15 Tree Pipit (!!!) (3 off Georges Lane, 2 Burnt Edge, 10 Holdens Farm area including a remarkable 9 together on telephones wires above the rubber surfaced horse encolosure there, dropping into the fields and back to the wires giving excellent views)
7 Red-legged Partridge (by the county boundary along Georges Lane)
1 female Whinchat (Holdens Farm)
5 Stonechat (Holdens Farm)
Single Siskin and Yellowhammer (west over Holdens Farm area)
Juvenile Yellow Wagtail (by the kennels off Georges Lane)
2 Buzzard over
must say the birds up there at the moment are exceptional-and great work the people doing the moors at the moment-some fantastic numbers well doneif I lived closer,instead of the warrington dead zone-i would be up there with you on my days off-well done Andy,Ian,Simon and all the others putting the moors on the mapgreat stuffshame theres not a photographer among you-but ive had my team up there foggy(J.Tav) and truly (Dennis Ath) this last week,to try to get some shots
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Sep 2 5:47 PM, 2010
Mid-morning to mid-afternoon today:
17 Spotted Flycatcher (5 Georges Lane, 3 Montcliffe Quarry, 2 at the north end of Holdens Plantation, 2 Sugar Loaf Plantation, 5 New Fields)
2 Redstart (male Georges Lane, fem/imm New Fields)
15 Tree Pipit (!!!) (3 off Georges Lane, 2 Burnt Edge, 10 Holdens Farm area including a remarkable 9 together on telephones wires above the rubber surfaced horse encolosure there, dropping into the fields and back to the wires giving excellent views)
7 Red-legged Partridge (by the county boundary along Georges Lane)
1 female Whinchat (Holdens Farm)
5 Stonechat (Holdens Farm)
Single Siskin and Yellowhammer (west over Holdens Farm area)
Juvenile Yellow Wagtail (by the kennels off Georges Lane)
2 Buzzard over
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Sep 2 9:24 AM, 2010
Osprey low S/SE over Georges Lane at 09:10 this morning.
Info thanks to Ken Haydock (via Judith Smith)
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Sep 1 7:11 PM, 2010
A thorough search over the entire area today yielded superb results, most notably with a magnificent 36 Spotted Flycatchers! Undoubtably containing some/all of yesterdays birds this puts the site and indeed our county at perhaps the very best currently in the UK for this species.
Other sightings include 2 Redstart, singles of Tree Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler and Whinchat and a Willow Tit (mega up there) at Bryan Hey Reservoir.
All info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Aug 31 10:32 PM, 2010
Further sightings today:
23 Wheatear along Mast Road and by the mast with 300 Meadow Pipits late evening (info thanks to Andy Makin)
Redstart by the kennels on Georges Lane early am (info thanks to Ken Haydock)
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Aug 31 5:40 PM, 2010
Some sightings from this afternoon. Split between myself and Phil Rhodes (with us both doing different areas):
15 Spotted Flycatchers: 5 Georges Lane, 2 Montcliffe Quarry, 1 Lomax Wife's Plantation (me), 6 New Fields (both of us), 1 Holdens Farm (Phil) 6 Whinchat: 1 male off Georges Lane (me) probably the same bird Phil had later on off Mast Road, 5 Holdens Farm (Phil) 1 fem/imm Redstart: Lomax Wife's Plantation, showing well on the stone wall running up from Coal Pit Lane (me) 1 Hobby: Holdens Farm (Phil) Golden Plover: 3 west over Winter Hill at 3:05 (Phil)
Info thanks to Andy Makin (and his 10 hour session up there today )
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Aug 30 4:34 PM, 2010
Nine Spotted Flycatchers this afternoon in pines at the western end of Walker Fold by Burnt Edge. Also two in Lomax's Wife's Plantation off Coal Pit Lane (possibly the Colliers Row Quarry birds).
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Aug 30 11:12 AM, 2010
Early this morning to 10:45 today, mainly with Andy Makin:
1 Tree Pipit by the pond off Georges Lane 3 Spotted Flycatcher (1 Wilderswood, 2 Colliers Row Quarry) 2 Black Redstart around the main building on Winter Hill, the one with the mast actually on it, of course these are actually in Lancashire 4 Whinchat (3 juv 1 female) Holdens Farm Singles of Golden Plover and Curlew over Plenty of Wheatear which I left Andy to count!
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Aug 28 8:39 PM, 2010
Single Spotted Flycatcher at Bryan Hey Reservoir today.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Dennis atherton said
Sat Aug 28 8:31 PM, 2010
A good hunt around holdens farm today
Still spotted flycatchers around, stonechat, wheatears, loads of pipits, swallows and linnets around,
I did have an bit of over optimistic birding and almost turned a reed bunting into a lapland bunting but failed, very similar birds in certain plumage,
strange site of the day was a swallow sat on a fence post
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Aug 28 5:29 PM, 2010
Late sightings for yesterday (27th)
3 Spotted Flycatcher at Georges Lane 8 Whinchat at Holdens Farm area late afternoon.
Info thanks to Ken Haydock
Simon Warford said
Sat Aug 28 3:50 PM, 2010
Awful conditions this morning only produced,
Whinchat 5 Tree Pipit 3 Spotted Flycatcher 4 A few Wheatear
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 28th of August 2010 03:51:15 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Aug 27 5:41 PM, 2010
Today's sightings from the moors, 8am-1pm Andy Makin and 11:30am-4pm me.
18 Spotted Flycatcher (7 New Fields Plantation, 5 Colliers Row Quarry, 2 Holdens Farm, 1 Georges Lane, 3 Bryan Hey Reservoir) 2 Redstart (adult male above Coal Pit Lane, female New Fields Plantation) 3 Tree Pipit 81 Wheatear 5 Whinchat (singles top and bottom of Mast Road, Coal Pit Lane, Holdens Farm and Georges Lane kennels) 19 Willow Warbler 3 juvenile Yellow Wagtail (Georges Lane- forgot about these hence the edit )
1 Knot! Flew over calling but unseen at 12:30, heading roughly NE but sounded to be wandering about somewhat. We both scratched out heads over the call for a short while, not having heard Knot other than in a flock of thousands, for some time now but we got there in the end with a little help of the thousands of calls in my iPhone
Also, I found a new location which appears to not have been covered for birding purposes before and looks very promising. Indeed when I rang Andy to ask if he knew of the place he didn't but at that very moment was actually looking at it on a map wondering if it would be worth a look! Bryan Hey Reservoir lies directly alongside Scout Road and you can park opposite in the large car park (with a fabulous view) called Horrock's Wood. The area around the small (fishing) reservoir is surrounded by Willows and Hawthorn and is easily covered via a path around the reservoir itself or footpath around the outside. Either way, this first visit produced 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Willow Warbler and 4 Wheatear (all included in the totals above).
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 27th of August 2010 08:32:12 PM
Paul Risley said
Thu Aug 26 7:35 PM, 2010
3pm -6pm mainly in the Holdens Farm area
2 Redstart (m+f) 4 Stonechats, adult pair + 2 Juvs 1 Snipe 3 Wheatear 1 Heron short aerial battle between a kestrel and a couple of crows. also seen 1 Stoat and 1 Roe deer
Thanks very much for letting me join you both this morning.
Only Stonechat to add to your list. In gully between road barrier and Holden's Plantation.
More appropriate footwear required next time!!!
Positioned on the county boundary near the hollow east of the mast 8.15am-1pm. It was quiet early on but by 9.30am plenty of birds, mainly meadow pipits, moving through, all birds south or south west, some even too high to see! (probably all different birds to yours Ian)-
Meadow Pipit - 960 (800 through between 10 & 11.30am)
Skylark - 29
Crossbill - 7(1 heard high south followed by a group of 6 low south)
Twite - 1 in Lancs though
Snow Bunting - 1 south low over our heads carried on into GM at 11.35am.
Linnet - 15
Unidentified finches - group of 13 small finches flew low fast south(Linnet or twite)
Goldfinch - 2
Chaffinch - 4 heard
Swallow - 18
Merlin - 1
Buzzard - 2
Sparrowhawk - 1
Mistle Thrush - 3
LBB Gull - 3
Wheatear on wall
Peregrine - male and female around smaller masts.
Great morning.
Just over two and a half hour watch (08:30am onwards) from Georges Lane produced:
5 Crossbill (2 males in trees at the northern edge of Wilderswood then flew north and then a female and two immatures also flew north)
15 Siskin (seemed to be coming into Wilderswood from the north west?)
51 Skylark (heading west)
22 Chaffinch (heading north)
363 Meadow Pipit (heading SE)
1 Wheatear
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 25th of September 2010 04:16:56 PM
300 meadow pipit
20 skylark
40 goldfinch
30 linnet
2 redpoll
2 great spotted woodpecker
short-eared owl
merlin
red grouse
6 reed bunting
2 Golden Plover over (seperately)
Juvenile Whinchat at Holdens
400 Meadow Pipit
4 Wheatear
41 Skylark west
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Four Twite flew west just in Lancashire though
Single Siskin flew south
595 Meadow Pipit around the moors
4 Wheatear included a colour-ringed bird which is currently being follwed up.
Single Black Redstart on the buildings around the mast (per Ken Haydock)
Info thanks to Andy Makin
6 Buzzard south
3 Sparrowhawk south
7 Redpoll south
1 Siskin south
31 Skylark mainly east-ish
Also single Willow Warbler and Nuhatch at Higher Meadows and the ringtail (1st calendar year probably) Hen Harrier put in an appearance over Wildersmoor.
Green Woodpecker at Bryan Hey Reservoir
With regards the Lapland Bunting it could indeed be a new bird but personally I favour it being the same. On Friday it followed a similar pattern in the four hours it led me a merry dance and on several occasions flew over half a mile from where it was flushed. On one occasion it flew west towards Smithills Moor and all but disappeared into the distance before suddenly appearing back on the Lancs side of the moor. At one point I felt there must be two birds it was so mobile but I hasten to add that there wasn't. Probably!
In addition to the sightings already posted today I believe the three amigos also had 16 Snipe.
Also today between Andy Makin, Phil & myself.
Hen Harrier being mobbed by 50 mipits as it flew towards Two Lads.
Meadow Pipit - 1050 south
Wheatear - 9
Swallow - 33 south
Buzzard - 13 south (Andy)
Skylark - 26
Whinchat Georges lane.
No sign of any Black Redstarts
Also Ring Tailed Hen Harrier over at 11-00am.
Info thanks to Simon and Andy Makin.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Two Black Redstarts still present on Winter Hill, on the buildings over the border in Lancashire.
Juvenile Whinchat Still at Holdens and 15 Wheatear on the moors.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
1690 Meadow Pipits
23 Wheatear
2 juv Whinchat at Holdens
15 Skylark north-west
3 Snipe
Female Merlin (Andy only)
Female Hen Harrier (headed south, Andy only)
2 Tree Pipits (east over Holdens, later probably the same refound off Dean's Ditch)
Two Black Redstarts (inlcuding a male that may have been around for a while now?) on the building next to the space ship like structure on Winter Hill, well into Lancashire though!
House Martin- 181 heading north () in approx 50 minutes
Swallow- 252 in total, many also heading north?
Follow Mast Road up past the mast, continuing on until you come to a metal gate and moor beyond (remember to park back down Mast Road by the first cattle grid). Turn right here and follow the dry stone wall (Dean's Ditch which constitutes the county boundary) and the moor to the east sloping down away from the wall is where the bird has been seen, It has ranged from the track which is the continuation of Mast Road all the way to half a mile or so further south along the moor! It is extremely flighty, very wise ranging and highly elusive.
In four knee knackering hours spent going from one end of the moor to the other I saw the bird in flight six times, though well on occasion it has to be said and despite being only 20 feet away from it on the ground at times it just wouldn't show and seemed to simply run through the grass until it exploded out from somewhere 60 yards away On two occasions it ventured into Greater Manchester. Once when it was found (and was sat on the county boundary) and once when it flew very high and strongly west onto Smithills Moor only to come straight back around and onto the moor in Lancs. On other occasions it flew so far away north and east I was convinced it was never going to come back but it always veered around and came back to it's favoured half mile stretch of moor.
Two Wheatears and juvenile Whinchat at Holdens.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Whinchat- 2 Holdens
240 Meadow Pipit
2 Golden Plover over Winter Hill heading north-west
Single Snipe heading west
4 Skylark around the moors
Tawny Owl calling away from the very northern edge of Wilderswood at 11am!
3 Whinchat
5 Blackcap
15 Chiffchaff
1 Yellow Wagtail
9 Wheatear
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Further single Tree Pipits at Matchmoor Lane and Bryan Hey Reservoir.
Spotted Flycatcher at Bryan Hey Reservoir.
Fem/imm Redstart still at Lomax Wife's Plantation.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Black Redstart- a female along Danes (Deans ) Dyke headed towards the rocket ship like mast on Winter Hill and then eventually worked it's way down the stone wall to around the cattle grod on Mast Road.
Hobby- 1 adult
Whinchat- 2, one each at the bottom and top of Mast Road.
Redstart- 1 female/immature at Holdens Farm.
Tree Pipit- 1 Georges Lane
Wheatear- 24
Skylark - 6 over north
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Amongst the more usual suspects were:
10 Spotted Flycatchers (8 around the first field and big hedge at Higher Meadows, Georges Lane and a further 2 at New Fields Plantation)
3 Tree Pipit (Georges Lane)
1 Whinchat (female at Holdens Farm)
1 Redstart (fem/imm Lomax Wife's Plantation)
23 Wheatear
240 Goldfinch (Georges Lane)
355 Meadow Pipit
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 04:15:46 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 04:16:24 PM
A pheasant.
4 red grouse ...top of Burnt Edge. (flushed)
6-8 coal tits ...edge of Walker Fold wood
3 or 4 wrens.
treepipit and two stonechat(one a juvenile)... at Holden's
sparrowhawk
Several meadow pipits, robins,crows and magpies. single blackbird and dunnock
-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 04:08:25 PM
-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 7th of September 2010 08:56:14 PM
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Single fem/imm Redstart
2 Tree Pipits
Juv Yellow Wagtail
8 Wheatear
Single Spotted Flycatcher
Info thanks to Andy Makin and Ken Haydock
i was probably lost somewere,didn't see anyone except jeff hurst from atherton,who had come up from barrow bridge and seen nowt down that end ,so i wondered back to wilderswood,and found all the spotted flys in the middle of the right side of the pine wood,which was difficult with shorts on and ive got the scratches to prove it
There was 2 groups of stonecahat one heading down towards barrow bridge from holdens and one up tpwards rivvy from holdens
holdens farm area
10 stonechat-not a lot else,
wilderswood-8 spotted flycatchers-4pm
raven-2
kestrel-2
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 4th of September 2010 09:43:09 PM
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 5th of September 2010 10:58:26 AM
Wheatear- 14
Tree Pipit- 6 (5 showing very well indeed on the wires and fence around the rubber surfaced horse paddock by Holdens Farm, at the end of Coal Pit Lane)
Whinchat- 1 (Holdens Farm)
Spotted Flycatcher- 3 in the'big hedge' off Georges Lane at Higher Meadows (Andy)
P.s. Andy Makin has also fallen in the same or a very similar 'sink hole' at Roscoes many years ago. Nice to see it's still about then!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 4th of September 2010 12:49:31 PM
Likewise John
2 more Whinchat 1 male and another 8 stonechat near suger loaf plantation on the way back.
all holdens farm area mainly
stonechat-at least 10
winchat-2
redstart-1m+1f
lots of meadow pipit
2 raven over west
linnet-8
5 tree pipit over se near to the cattle grid parking area
pretty quiet anywhere really apart from holdens farm area.
pleasant afternoon-pleasant company
2 Whinchat (adult and juv Holdens Farm)
4 Tree Pipit (3 east over Georges Lane and 1 at Holdens Farm)
1 Golden Plover
1 Yellowhammer (heading south over moor)
15 Wheatear
235 Meadow Pipit (loitering on the moors as usual)
Info thanks to Andy Makin
must say the birds up there at the moment are exceptional-and great work the people doing the moors at the moment-some fantastic numbers well doneif I lived closer,instead of the warrington dead zone-i would be up there with you on my days off-well done Andy,Ian,Simon and all the others putting the moors on the mapgreat stuffshame theres not a photographer among you-but ive had my team up there foggy(J.Tav) and truly (Dennis Ath) this last week,to try to get some shots
17 Spotted Flycatcher (5 Georges Lane, 3 Montcliffe Quarry, 2 at the north end of Holdens Plantation, 2 Sugar Loaf Plantation, 5 New Fields)
2 Redstart (male Georges Lane, fem/imm New Fields)
15 Tree Pipit (!!!) (3 off Georges Lane, 2 Burnt Edge, 10 Holdens Farm area including a remarkable 9 together on telephones wires above the rubber surfaced horse encolosure there, dropping into the fields and back to the wires giving excellent views)
7 Red-legged Partridge (by the county boundary along Georges Lane)
1 female Whinchat (Holdens Farm)
5 Stonechat (Holdens Farm)
Single Siskin and Yellowhammer (west over Holdens Farm area)
Juvenile Yellow Wagtail (by the kennels off Georges Lane)
2 Buzzard over
Info thanks to Ken Haydock (via Judith Smith)
Other sightings include 2 Redstart, singles of Tree Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler and Whinchat and a Willow Tit (mega up there) at Bryan Hey Reservoir.
All info thanks to Andy Makin
23 Wheatear along Mast Road and by the mast with 300 Meadow Pipits late evening (info thanks to Andy Makin)
Redstart by the kennels on Georges Lane early am (info thanks to Ken Haydock)
15 Spotted Flycatchers: 5 Georges Lane, 2 Montcliffe Quarry, 1 Lomax Wife's Plantation (me), 6 New Fields (both of us), 1 Holdens Farm (Phil)
6 Whinchat: 1 male off Georges Lane (me) probably the same bird Phil had later on off Mast Road, 5 Holdens Farm (Phil)
1 fem/imm Redstart: Lomax Wife's Plantation, showing well on the stone wall running up from Coal Pit Lane (me)
1 Hobby: Holdens Farm (Phil)
Golden Plover: 3 west over Winter Hill at 3:05 (Phil)
61 Wheatear (a McKerchar/Makin combined summary)
593 Meadow Pipit
430 Swallow
5 Raven
2 Buzzard
Info thanks to Andy Makin (and his 10 hour session up there today )
Info thanks to Andy Makin
1 Tree Pipit by the pond off Georges Lane
3 Spotted Flycatcher (1 Wilderswood, 2 Colliers Row Quarry)
2 Black Redstart around the main building on Winter Hill, the one with the mast actually on it, of course these are actually in Lancashire
4 Whinchat (3 juv 1 female) Holdens Farm
Singles of Golden Plover and Curlew over
Plenty of Wheatear which I left Andy to count!
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Still spotted flycatchers around, stonechat, wheatears, loads of pipits, swallows and linnets around,
I did have an bit of over optimistic birding and almost turned a reed bunting into a lapland bunting but failed, very similar birds in certain plumage,
strange site of the day was a swallow sat on a fence post
3 Spotted Flycatcher at Georges Lane
8 Whinchat at Holdens Farm area late afternoon.
Info thanks to Ken Haydock
Whinchat 5
Tree Pipit 3
Spotted Flycatcher 4
A few Wheatear
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 28th of August 2010 03:51:15 PM
18 Spotted Flycatcher (7 New Fields Plantation, 5 Colliers Row Quarry, 2 Holdens Farm, 1 Georges Lane, 3 Bryan Hey Reservoir)
2 Redstart (adult male above Coal Pit Lane, female New Fields Plantation)
3 Tree Pipit
81 Wheatear
5 Whinchat (singles top and bottom of Mast Road, Coal Pit Lane, Holdens Farm and Georges Lane kennels)
19 Willow Warbler
3 juvenile Yellow Wagtail (Georges Lane- forgot about these hence the edit )
1 Knot! Flew over calling but unseen at 12:30, heading roughly NE but sounded to be wandering about somewhat. We both scratched out heads over the call for a short while, not having heard Knot other than in a flock of thousands, for some time now but we got there in the end with a little help of the thousands of calls in my iPhone
Also, I found a new location which appears to not have been covered for birding purposes before and looks very promising. Indeed when I rang Andy to ask if he knew of the place he didn't but at that very moment was actually looking at it on a map wondering if it would be worth a look! Bryan Hey Reservoir lies directly alongside Scout Road and you can park opposite in the large car park (with a fabulous view) called Horrock's Wood. The area around the small (fishing) reservoir is surrounded by Willows and Hawthorn and is easily covered via a path around the reservoir itself or footpath around the outside. Either way, this first visit produced 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Willow Warbler and 4 Wheatear (all included in the totals above).
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 27th of August 2010 08:32:12 PM
2 Redstart (m+f)
4 Stonechats, adult pair + 2 Juvs
1 Snipe
3 Wheatear
1 Heron
short aerial battle between a kestrel and a couple of crows.
also seen 1 Stoat and 1 Roe deer