I met up with Woosey at Wilderswood around 1pm and it was definately appearing to lift then but it's always touch and go when it's low cloud. Strange atmosphere up there in those conditions though, I love it
Mark Rigby said
Thu Apr 3 4:52 PM, 2008
Ian it got worse. I went up at 1400hrs and you could only see 50-60 yards. No ousel or wheatear but 15 Meadow Pipits, Blackbird and a Pheasant was all I could muster.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Apr 3 3:26 PM, 2008
Thursday 3rd April, visibility down to 100 yards at times due to low cloud, with occasional, temporary clearings then began to lift from aprroximately 1pm.
Male ring Ouzel at the top of Holdens Plantation at 11:15 but was very elusive (typically) and may have 'cleared out' as the visibility improved.
Sand Martin- 5 over and through the gloom
Small flocks of Chaffinches flying north through Holdens Plantation and out across the moors (in extremely poor visibilty)
Wheatear- 1 female
Tom Morton said
Mon Mar 31 8:50 PM, 2008
4 Wheatears (3M1F), at least 12 singing Meadow Pipits, Raven, 4 pairs of Stonechats, 6 singing Skylarks, Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 1 Swallow, Peregrine and 2 Pied Wagtails on 31/3/08
-- Edited by Tom Morton at 21:04, 2008-03-31
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Mar 30 6:25 PM, 2008
30.03.08 -2-5pm-same as jimmy plus 4 stonechat,1 female wheatear,and 2 dipper at barrow bridge
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 19:07, 2008-03-30
Jimmy Meadows said
Sun Mar 30 12:58 PM, 2008
burnt edge 30 /3/08 lots of meadow pipits and skylarks 1 raven curlew calling green woodpecker calling 1 kestrel and thats about it
Ian Woosey said
Mon Mar 17 4:55 PM, 2008
17/3/08 (14.00-16.20)
2 Ravens displaying high overhead. 4 Curlews back on territory. 4 Stonechats (2pr.) by the Dean Brook, below Holden`s. 2 Siskin & 25+ Goldfinch in Walker Fold Wood. 2 Mallard over Smithills Moor.
Ian Woosey said
Sun Feb 10 5:17 PM, 2008
10/2/08 (14.00-16.00)
4 Ravens along Burnt Edge. 5 Reed Bunting. Kestrel.
(Warford & Woosey)
Paul Heaton said
Sat Feb 9 9:19 PM, 2008
5 and a half hours sat on a wall the man deserves a medal, he was there when me and warfy walked passed then we went harrier hunting,after two hours bashing the moors we had seen 2 grouse and a crow,got back to the wall and found he was still there with Mr Woosey , we therefore renamed this spot as the new GM raptor watchpoint, all four of us concentrated hard and tried to re-locate the harrier then warfy declared it was offically dinner so we buggered off to burger king Oh i believe Mr woosey went to a pie shop. it was fun and we had a laugh keep birding
Rob Thorpe said
Sat Feb 9 6:29 PM, 2008
Saturday 09 Feb 08
Burnt Edge
08:30 - 14:00
Five and a half hours at the Burnt Edge "Raptor watch-point" but no sign of any Hen Harriers saw Mr Woosey though and nice to meet Simon W and Paul H.
Hen Harrier (male) hunting between Burnt Edge and the Winter Hill Road at about 12:20. also, possible female Hen Harrier drifted west, quite high over Winter Hill @ 12:00, too far away to confirm though
also on't moors today:
Red Grouse (6) Raven (2) Stonechat (pair) Snipe (3) Grey Heron (4) Skylark Kestrel Magpie C. Crow Reed Bunting
and in the woods:
Sparrowhawk Coal Tit Blue Tit Great Tit Chaffinch Goldfinch Siskin (13) GS Woodpecker Blackbird Robin Wren
but no Crossbills
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 18:01, 2008-02-07
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 18:02, 2008-02-07
Simon Warford said
Sat Feb 2 7:37 PM, 2008
2/2/2008 Mid pm
3 Crossbills (1 male 2 fem) top end of Walker Fold Wood. 75+ Siskin No sign of Hen Harrier in 2 hour search.
Ian Woosey said
Sat Jan 26 3:46 PM, 2008
26/1/07 (13.30-15.00)
male HEN HARRIER quartering the ridge above Gilligant`s Farm. It drifted off NE @ 14.30
pair of Stonechat, Red Grouse, and a Kestrel also in the area.
Judith Smith said
Sat Jan 19 11:03 PM, 2008
Andy said the Twite were on Burnt Edge and flying up onto trees at the edge of Walker Fold.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jan 19 7:52 PM, 2008
that's all folks!
Simon Warford said
Sat Jan 19 5:57 PM, 2008
Twite is a good record up there, any idea where they were seen Ian or were they just flying over?
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jan 19 5:40 PM, 2008
crossbill and 4 twite at burnt edge/wallker fold today
Info thanks to andy makin
Geoff Hargreaves said
Fri Dec 28 8:39 PM, 2007
walker fold wood this am
2 blue tit 2 longtailed 1 tree creeper 2 magpie (no crossbills alas)
burnt edge 1 kestrel 4 crows 6 magpies some sheep
cheers geoff
Dean Macdonald said
Sun Dec 23 6:24 PM, 2007
23/12/07
A couple of hours this pm.
Flock of Fieldfare 20 Buzzard put a pheasant up. Chaffinch,Greenfinch,Goldcrest no Crossbills. Male Sparrowhawk Heron.
A lovely walk on the misty moors
Ian Woosey said
Thu Dec 20 2:12 PM, 2007
20/12/07
Raven over Makinson Moor. Heard several Grouse on Smithills Moor.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Dec 13 5:31 PM, 2007
10 Crossbills today at Walker Fold Wood inlcuding 3 male types and giving very good views.
Info thanks to Andy Makin.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 17:32, 2007-12-13
Steve Collins said
Thu Nov 29 8:31 PM, 2007
6 crossbills this morning about 11 am at the far end of Walker Fold wood. I had walked along the path with nothing to see so went into the wood. Heard them straight away and saw 2 in flight. Luckily I saw where they landed and they seemed to be absorbed into the cones! Had a nice male in view but then off it went and another 5 followed it from the same spot! Steve
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sat Nov 24 9:07 PM, 2007
in search of crossbills and others ,went up to 'the hill' it was raining a 'bit' and the light was poor,went round a corner sideways on black ice just stopped short of a dry stone wall,so please be carefull, it seems the good people of bolton don,t pay to get all the roads gritted.retired early to lick my wounded pride.
cheers geoff
Mark Rigby said
Tue Nov 20 3:50 PM, 2007
Again no sign of any Crossbillsbut Sparrowhawk,kestrel,Fieldfare,Redwing,G.S.Woodpecker(2),Small flock of Brambling and Buzzard on M61 verge on way to Binn Green.
Mark Rigby said
Sun Nov 18 11:16 PM, 2007
No sign of Crossbills this afternoon 1-2.30pm. Not much of anything for that matter. Sparrowhawk,Coal Tit,Blue Tit and Chaffinch the best we could muster.Might have had something to do with the weather conditions !! persisting it down Damn Crossbills-do they really exist???
brian fielding said
Sat Nov 17 8:58 PM, 2007
i agree with warfy, get up there geoff asap, crossbills are not easy to get in gm so dont miss out!
Simon Warford said
Sat Nov 17 8:42 PM, 2007
Geoff, get up there quick and strike while the irons hot, they wont be there all winter, take "moorman" with ya he knows where to look, he loves it up there, in fact Mr Woosey why dont u just move to Bolton?
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sat Nov 17 8:18 PM, 2007
rob.i see i,ve just missed 4 county lifers (finally got good views of a goldcrest at lightshaw)ok you can all stop laughing now,i,ll have to get up there for the crossbills soon,anyone know if their likley to hang around or are the on 'passage'.
cheers geoff
Rob Thorpe said
Sat Nov 17 12:59 PM, 2007
2 Crossbills in Walker Fold wood this morning. Also Redpoll, Siskin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Redwing, Fieldfare, GSWoodpecker, Stonechat, Reed Bunting and hundreds and hundreds of Wood Pigeons (The sky was full of them at one point!)
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 13:00, 2007-11-17
Dean Macdonald said
Fri Nov 16 9:42 PM, 2007
A couple of hours around Walker Fold Wood/Burnt Edge this afternoon. 2 Ravens, 2 G S Woodpecker, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Linnet, Goldfinch, several Coal Tits feeding on the cones(no Crossbills) flock of 10 or so Redwing, large flock of Finches moved through very quickly,about 100 birds, mainly Greenfinch, Chaffinch and a few Goldfinches couldn't pick anything else out.
Dean
Alan Warford said
Thu Nov 15 2:50 PM, 2007
Hi Paul
Correct, best to either take cobbled path from Walker Fold road alond south west side of wood, then take path up hillside from Burnt Edge to view over wood, alternatively, park on Burnt Edge Lane accessible from Edge Lane, and walk down hill opposite Matchmoor Lane passed barking dogs (cant be missed).
-- Edited by Alan Warford at 14:51, 2007-11-15
Paul Cliff said
Wed Nov 14 7:11 PM, 2007
i popped along there for a couple of hours this afternoon, thinking, after seeing only a single coal tit and a (fabulous) female sparrowhawk perched in a tree that i was in the wrong bit...
entered from the tight s-bend on walker fold lane is that the east end?
lovely wood though, had the soft needles under foot and the sounds of the stream all to myself.
Alan Warford said
Tue Nov 13 4:55 PM, 2007
12 Crossbills still in Walker Fold Wood at 12 noon, seen from the hillside to the west, they were towards the north end of the wood in the area where there is the biggest concentration of cones, then seen to fly deeper into woods and lost to view.
brian fielding said
Tue Nov 13 11:24 AM, 2007
12 crossbills in walker fold wood at 10.15, hooray! phew etc!
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Nov 12 9:30 PM, 2007
Can't say you've not tried then Alan, I hope it pays off soon
Alan Warford said
Mon Nov 12 9:02 PM, 2007
Will be at Walker Fold Woods at some point tomorrow, depending on outcome of Little Auk episode. BTW I have already tried Binn Green once, Gale Brook 3 times and Walker Fold 4 times in the last few weeks.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Nov 12 8:13 PM, 2007
I think you'll find that Richard Else found these birds (although Phil Rhodes had 2 early in October too and Andy Makin has been seeing them on and off for a while), see his thread further down, they just needed time and effort which you all seem to have put in to finally catch up with them, well done to all the X-Crossbill dippers.
P.s. come Alan, pull yer finger out
Simon Warford said
Mon Nov 12 6:51 PM, 2007
Reminds me of the Scillies Paul, a young whippersnapper locating everything for you?
It seems they maybe visiting Wilderswood aswell, with the direction you had them flying off.
brian fielding said
Mon Nov 12 5:38 PM, 2007
having dipped crossbills about has many times as warfy has over the last few years and twice in the last 2 days i am determined to finaly nail these and get them on my gm list. please keep the reports coming in, im on nights this week but will somehow get up there again soon.
Paul Heaton said
Mon Nov 12 2:57 PM, 2007
Crossbill galore at 14.00 hours at least 12, flew all around walker fold wood then headed off back towards slack hall farm, nice to meet you mike harwood, thank you warfy for finding them many thanks mr woosey for keeping an eye out this am, mr warford Senior get your butt up there soon otherwise I will be level pegging with you,
MANCHESTER CROSSBILLS OH YES
brian fielding said
Mon Nov 12 1:52 PM, 2007
dipped the crossbills that ian found , heard green woody call in sheep fields next to walker fold wood.
Simon Warford said
Mon Nov 12 12:11 PM, 2007
I always said that "Dipper Woosey" tag was unjustified
Well done and good numbers of Bramblings too.
Ian Woosey said
Mon Nov 12 10:53 AM, 2007
12/11/07 07.30 - 10.15
Walker Fold Wood ;
6 Crossbills - 3 m. & 3 f. Perched up. In the scope. In the sunshine. Rock On Tommy ! 20+ Brambling - 4 near Newfields Fm. At least 18 on path @ Holdens Plants. 2 Stonechat (pr) @ Holdens Fm. Raven over Holdens Plants. flushed a Snipe near Dean Brook. 27+ Fieldfare nr Newfields Fm.
Simon Warford said
Sun Nov 11 5:36 PM, 2007
Yes from the height they dropped in at i would put money on it they are commuting between Walker Fold Wood and areas like Delph and Belmont(in Lancs).
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Nov 11 5:22 PM, 2007
Probably all and the same as the ones Richard had on the 6th too
Simon Warford said
Sun Nov 11 4:15 PM, 2007
11/11/2007 11.30-3pm - Finally, after over 10 attempts jammed in on some Crossbills
From the main track up to Burnt Edge at about 1.30pm near the top end of Walker Fold Wood, probably between 7 and 9 Crossbills dropped out of the sky from a northerly direction from a fair height (100 foot up) immediately i thought these looked interesting! They then flew close enough to hear them calling and see the bills, they then dropped into the wood itself. Despite looking in the wood and looking over the wood from the hillside i never saw them again up to when i left at 3pm. I suspect these could well be the ones seen near Belmont a few days ago as they came from that direction.
Simon (No longer a Crossbill dipper)
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Nov 11 2:01 PM, 2007
Simon Warford has just text me (1:38pm) to let me know he's just had 9 Crossbill at Walker Fold today, finally the boy's nailed them
Richard Else said
Tue Nov 6 3:00 PM, 2007
Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum.
This afternoon: 12+ Common Crossbills in Walker Fold Wood. 6 Bramblings near Holden's Farm. 2 Ravens over Burnt Edge. 2 Stoats in Walker Fold Wood. 5 Red Grouse near Mast Road. Also 2 Stonechat, G S Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, several Siskins etc
Male ring Ouzel at the top of Holdens Plantation at 11:15 but was very elusive (typically) and may have 'cleared out' as the visibility improved.
Sand Martin- 5 over and through the gloom
Small flocks of Chaffinches flying north through Holdens Plantation and out across the moors (in extremely poor visibilty)
Wheatear- 1 female
-- Edited by Tom Morton at 21:04, 2008-03-31
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 19:07, 2008-03-30
lots of meadow pipits
and skylarks
1 raven
curlew calling
green woodpecker calling
1 kestrel
and thats about it
2 Ravens displaying high overhead.
4 Curlews back on territory.
4 Stonechats (2pr.) by the Dean Brook, below Holden`s.
2 Siskin & 25+ Goldfinch in Walker Fold Wood.
2 Mallard over Smithills Moor.
4 Ravens along Burnt Edge.
5 Reed Bunting.
Kestrel.
(Warford & Woosey)
it was fun and we had a laugh
keep birding
Burnt Edge
08:30 - 14:00
Five and a half hours at the Burnt Edge "Raptor watch-point" but no sign of any Hen Harriers saw Mr Woosey though and nice to meet Simon W and Paul H.
stuff seen:
Raven (2)
Stonechat (pair)
Siskin (30ish)
Greenfinch
Reed Bunting (6)
Kestrel
Lapwing (5)
Stock Dove (2)
Woodpigeon
Fieldfare (10)
Starling
Skylark (lots)
Meadow Pipit
C. Crow
Magpie
G.S. Woodpecker
Blue Tit
Pheasant
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 18:35, 2008-02-09
Walker Fold/Burnt Edge/Two Lads area
11:00 - 15:00
Hen Harrier (male) hunting between Burnt Edge and the Winter Hill Road at about 12:20.
also, possible female Hen Harrier drifted west, quite high over Winter Hill @ 12:00, too far away to confirm though
also on't moors today:
Red Grouse (6)
Raven (2)
Stonechat (pair)
Snipe (3)
Grey Heron (4)
Skylark
Kestrel
Magpie
C. Crow
Reed Bunting
and in the woods:
Sparrowhawk
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Siskin (13)
GS Woodpecker
Blackbird
Robin
Wren
but no Crossbills
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 18:01, 2008-02-07
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 18:02, 2008-02-07
3 Crossbills (1 male 2 fem) top end of Walker Fold Wood.
75+ Siskin
No sign of Hen Harrier in 2 hour search.
male HEN HARRIER quartering the ridge above Gilligant`s Farm. It drifted off NE @ 14.30
pair of Stonechat, Red Grouse, and a Kestrel also in the area.
Info thanks to andy makin
2 blue tit 2 longtailed
1 tree creeper 2 magpie (no crossbills alas)
burnt edge
1 kestrel 4 crows
6 magpies some sheep
cheers geoff
23/12/07
A couple of hours this pm.
Flock of Fieldfare 20
Buzzard put a pheasant up.
Chaffinch,Greenfinch,Goldcrest no Crossbills.
Male Sparrowhawk
Heron.
A lovely walk on the misty moors
Raven over Makinson Moor.
Heard several Grouse on Smithills Moor.
Info thanks to Andy Makin.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 17:32, 2007-12-13
Steve
cheers geoff
cheers geoff
Also Redpoll, Siskin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Redwing, Fieldfare, GSWoodpecker, Stonechat, Reed Bunting and hundreds and hundreds of Wood Pigeons (The sky was full of them at one point!)
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 13:00, 2007-11-17
A couple of hours around Walker Fold Wood/Burnt Edge this afternoon.
2 Ravens, 2 G S Woodpecker, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Linnet, Goldfinch, several Coal Tits feeding on the cones(no Crossbills) flock of 10 or so Redwing, large flock of Finches moved through very quickly,about 100 birds, mainly Greenfinch, Chaffinch and a few Goldfinches couldn't pick anything else out.
Dean
Correct, best to either take cobbled path from Walker Fold road alond south west side of wood, then take path up hillside from Burnt Edge to view over wood, alternatively, park on Burnt Edge Lane accessible from Edge Lane, and walk down hill opposite Matchmoor Lane passed barking dogs (cant be missed).
-- Edited by Alan Warford at 14:51, 2007-11-15
entered from the tight s-bend on walker fold lane is that the east end?
lovely wood though, had the soft needles under foot and the sounds of the stream all to myself.
BTW I have already tried Binn Green once, Gale Brook 3 times and Walker Fold 4 times in the last few weeks.
P.s. come Alan, pull yer finger out
It seems they maybe visiting Wilderswood aswell, with the direction you had them flying off.
thank you warfy for finding them many thanks mr woosey for keeping an eye out this am,
mr warford Senior get your butt up there soon otherwise I will be level pegging with you,
MANCHESTER CROSSBILLS OH YES
Well done and good numbers of Bramblings too.
Walker Fold Wood ;
6 Crossbills - 3 m. & 3 f. Perched up. In the scope. In the sunshine. Rock On Tommy !
20+ Brambling - 4 near Newfields Fm. At least 18 on path @ Holdens Plants.
2 Stonechat (pr) @ Holdens Fm.
Raven over Holdens Plants.
flushed a Snipe near Dean Brook.
27+ Fieldfare nr Newfields Fm.
From the main track up to Burnt Edge at about 1.30pm near the top end of Walker Fold Wood, probably between 7 and 9 Crossbills dropped out of the sky from a northerly direction from a fair height (100 foot up) immediately i thought these looked interesting! They then flew close enough to hear them calling and see the bills, they then dropped into the wood itself. Despite looking in the wood and looking over the wood from the hillside i never saw them again up to when i left at 3pm. I suspect these could well be the ones seen near Belmont a few days ago as they came from that direction.
Simon (No longer a Crossbill dipper)
This afternoon:
12+ Common Crossbills in Walker Fold Wood.
6 Bramblings near Holden's Farm.
2 Ravens over Burnt Edge.
2 Stoats in Walker Fold Wood.
5 Red Grouse near Mast Road.
Also 2 Stonechat, G S Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, several Siskins etc
Walker Fold Wood ;
Buzzard.
4+ Siskin.
2+ Coal Tit.
Goldcrest.
G.S.Woodpecker.
c18 Fieldfare.
Sparrowhawk.
And before you ask - NO, there weren`t any !
male Brambling with Chaffinches - Walker Fold Wood.