Geoff Hargreaves has just informed me that he's had a Ring Ouzel at Burnt Edge Moor, 9am this morning.

Thanks for the quick call Geoff

Wilderswood
07.55 - 08.55
flock of about 40 birds
consisting mainly of Coal Tits and Goldcrest but also at least 1
Willow Warbler
2 Snipe flying above


09.05 - 12.55 including a 3 hour walk with Andy Makin

Red Grouse 3 plus 1 calling. Obligingly sat on the walls

Smithills moor - low clouds
Male Hen Harrier a short distance the other side of Walkers
Plantation flying east

Walkers Fold
Spotted Flycatcher

Brownstone Quarry
2 Spotted Flycatcher

Coal Pit Road
Sparrowhawk
5 Stonechat
Whinchat

Roscoe Tenement
Green Woodpecker

Mast Road
2 Stonechat

Ian I must have just missed you. I was there in the morning until c.12.30. Saw the female Whinchat, plus 4 Wheatear, but they were difficult to pick out amongst the 300+ Meadow pipits on the moor. No raptors seen however.

Great minds think alike, however not certain mine is so great, I also went on the moors today, but the oldham moors

castle shore hill, then onto Denshaw Moor I also saw a female whinchat ..however that was it oh no I tell a lie 2 crows as well... intense birding on the moors,

3/9/07 mid afternoon

adult fem. Whinchat perched on fence with a juv. male Stonechat close by - Holden`s Farm.
Buzzard flushed from Holden`s Plantation by Crows.
4 Stonechat in low flight near Holden`s Plants.
fem Sparrowhawk tussling with a fem Kestrel along Burnt Edge Lane.
a few Swallows lingering by the farm buildings.

Also I learned something new today ; a horse farting sounds very much like a Raven calling in the distance !

24/8/07 mid afternoon

juv. Whinchat near Holden`s Plantation.
Buzzard heading north over Wilderswood.
3 Ravens over Two Lads hill.
juv. Stonechat near Montcliffe quarry.
3 Wheatear (2 m.) around Smithills Moor.

13/8/07 mid afternoon

3 Stonechats - an adult male on Smithills Moor, and 2 juv males near Holdens Farm.
pair of Wheatear - Burnt Edge.
Green Woodpecker flew up from the edge of the stream that runs into Walker Fold Wood.
2 Kestrels
Sparrowhawk being mobbed by Swallows ! ?
juvenile Linnets, Greenfinches, Meadow Pips, and Swallows round Holdens Farm.

19/7/07 mid afternoon

Two of the Ravens flew in from the north-west over Wilder`s Moor towards the quarry. About an hour later they were off again, heading east, high up, calling. Where had they been....where were they going ?
Kestrel hunting over Smithills Moor and another one over Burnt Edge.
3 Stonechat - 2 males along Mast Road and a juv. up towards Adam Hill.

16/7/07 mid afternoon

3 Ravens & at least 4 Kestrels roaming about all over Burnt Edge, with presumably young involved.
flock of 18 Goldfinch.
4 Linnet.
Swallows going in and out of Holden`s Farm barn.

Thats commitment

Simon, after being cooped up for so long through the weather, and today being my first full day off in seven I thought `Sod It` - I`m going out today even if Noah sails past in his Ark ! And yes, I did get a soaking

You must have good waterproofs Ian

I just got drenched in Manchester at lunch

4/7/07 early afternoon

2 Raven - on walls behind Slack Hall Farm, Burnt Edge (presumably part of the Quarry family)
ad. m. Stonechat - Smithills Moor.
juv. Stonechat - Burnt Edge.
12 Linnet (inc. juvs.) - on wires, Burnt Edge.
Curlews calling.
Kestrel.
lone Lesser Black-backed Gull roaming over Smithills Moor.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 15:25, 2007-07-04

6/6/07 mid morning - mid afternoon

pair of Whinchat - location witheld (this is the first time I`ve seen Whinchat up here in the breeding season, others always being in the autumn)
m & f Stonechat along Mast Rd but long way apart
m Wheatear - Adam Hill
3 Curlew - Smithills Moor
Sparrowhawk chasing a family of Mistle Thrushes, but was itself chased off by a Crow
3 Kestrel - 2 over Horwich Moor
handful of Linnets by Holden`s Farm
f G.S.Woodpecker - Holden`s Plantation. Also here a pair of Reed Bunting
2 Stock Dove on wires along Matchmoor Lane

Considering it`s coming into the `quiet` period, not a bad few hours worth - more than I normally see up here

18/4/07

First of all the Ring Ouzel situation ;

Only counted 4 (and couldn`t sex them - looking into sun and only had bins..... bad skills   )
They were perched in treetops at Newfields Fm. but flew off at 06.40 towards the direction of Smithills Dean / Horrocks Moor. Perhaps this is where they go when they aren`t seen at Burnt Edge ? ?

Also about ;

12 Wheatear (8 males) together on the walls below Adam Hill Plantation
m. Stonechat
Raven
5 Curlew
2 Grey Partridge
Sparrowhawk
several Willow Warbler

10/4/07 Smithills Moor / Mast Rd. ; 2 Wheatear (pr.) 2 Raven 3 Stonechat (2 m.) 2 Red Grouse Curlew 3 Lesser Redpoll - Wilderswood

16/3/07

3 Curlew - Burnt Edge
Raven - Wildersmoor
2 m. Stonechat - Smithills Moor
Kestrel
several Coal Tit - Wilderswood

a Grey Heron over the top of Two Lads Hill had me quivering momentarily ! 

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 14:44, 2007-07-17