hobby present most of the afternoon, not doing much though, just perched up most of the time very distant though, yellowhammers singing, loads of lesser black backed flying over, also green sandpiper and sparrowhawk made a few appearences, hoping for a good hooby shot but too far away
Ian Moran said
Thu Jul 8 2:38 PM, 2010
Had my first visit in over ten years today and saw some good stuff.
1 Water rail - On the edge of the reeds and occasionally swimming on the small pool to the right of the tower hide. 1/2 Hobbies - Flying and resting in the distant trees, scoped well. 1 Raven 1 Yellowhammer 2 Bullfinch 1 Common tern 1 Whitethroat 1 Lapwing
Jonathan Platt said
Mon Jul 5 3:38 PM, 2010
Hobby arrived around 2.30pm today, there were two kicking about earlier apparently. There's been a bit more hobby activity in the past several days compared to recent weeks, they seemed to disappear around 2nd week in June. I saw two last Thursday and they've been seen over the weekend too. At least three male yellowhammers have been singing on the moss for weeks now. A female was definately there in spring but hasn't been seen for a couple of months, no sign of any juveniles either.
Dennis atherton said
Sat Jun 19 6:34 PM, 2010
No hobbys again today,
buzzards, kestrel, sparrowhawk, also the local yellowhammer in its favorite tree, whitethroats singing, reed bunting, chiffchaff, willow warblers,
quiet day today
Nik Grounds said
Sun Jun 13 1:59 PM, 2010
11am - 1pm 13/6/10
Visit to Tower Hide
2 Buzzards 1 Sparrowhawk 4 Swifts 1 Swallow 2 House Martins 2 Chaffinches 2 Blackcaps singing 1 Yellowhammer singing 1 Chiff Chaff singing Plenty of Whitethroats singing 1 Jay 4 Blackbirds 2 Song Thrushes
No Hobbies
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Jun 5 8:21 PM, 2010
early pm hobby-2 buzzard-2 kestrel-1 yellowhammer-2 family party og greater spotted woodpecker
Dennis atherton said
Mon May 31 5:32 PM, 2010
three hobbies this afternoon hunting dragonflys ont moss, also kestrel, buzzard, sparrowhawk, female marsh harrier, a water rail in the pool to the right front of the tower, also whitethroats, chiffchaff and yellowhammers
-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Monday 31st of May 2010 05:46:58 PM
Jonathan Platt said
Thu May 27 7:55 PM, 2010
A hobby and a female marsh harrier on the moss between 3.30-5.00pm today. Earlier a turtle dove, seen by several observers (though not me unfortunately), flew across the moss. Otherwise, usual buzzards, a couple of sparrowhawks (one mobbing the marsh harrier) and a kestrel.
Dennis atherton said
Sun May 23 10:20 PM, 2010
Nice to meet you Stuart, i am glad you got the hobby, i must of missed Mel B, i always miss the stars when they come to town,
stuartherring said
Sun May 23 7:43 PM, 2010
only one hobby this afternoon but i got one at last , heard yellowhamer and whitethroat plenty of dragonflies around in the sweltering heat nice to meet dennis atherton and as for the question nikon or canon you know what they say "IF ANYONE CAN CANON CAN"
-- Edited by stuartherring on Sunday 23rd of May 2010 07:47:00 PM
Melanie Beckford said
Sun May 23 1:52 PM, 2010
Approx' three Hobby's around today, great sights
Never saw the Dragonfly eating Kestrel though
Raymond Ashcroft said
Tue May 18 4:38 PM, 2010
Tues 18th May
Two Hobbies showing early afternoon - along with 5 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and the Dragonfly chasing Kestrel
Jonathan Platt said
Mon May 17 1:53 PM, 2010
Four hobbies over the moss at dinner time, along with a dragonfly-catching kestrel just to cause a little confusion!
Edit: Make that six - I've just had a text from one of the birders there.
-- Edited by Jonathan Platt on Monday 17th of May 2010 02:17:00 PM
Jonathan Platt said
Sun May 9 7:41 PM, 2010
Female marsh harrier again on the moss at 4.00pm-ish, it was also seen earlier. Two hobbies were seen earlier too apparently.
Jonathan Platt said
Thu May 6 3:14 PM, 2010
A female marsh harrier was on the moss for the hour I was there this afternoon, though it spent most of the time on the ground. A raven flew west, several buzzards and sparrowhawks on the soar and a yellowhammer was singing.
Jonathan Platt said
Wed May 5 8:56 PM, 2010
sid ashton wrote:
13.30 - 15.15, Overcast
Risley Moss today was a bit like sea-watching without the sea and the birds
No sign of the recent Cuckoo or much else - certainly no raptors - just the usual birders including Jonathan Platt - so at least there was someone to chat to .
Hi Sid,
Just come back from a wander around Silver Lane Pools, perhaps half a mile away from Risley - two cuckoos seen twice flying over the largest pool and the landfill. Typical!
Dennis atherton said
Wed May 5 6:28 PM, 2010
I know what you mean, sometimes risley can be a baron desolate place..............
sid ashton wrote:
13.30 - 15.15, Overcast
Risley Moss today was a bit like sea-watching without the sea and the birds
No sign of the recent Cuckoo or much else - certainly no raptors - just the usual birders including Jonathan Platt - so at least there was someone to chat to .
sid ashton said
Wed May 5 5:22 PM, 2010
13.30 - 15.15, Overcast
Risley Moss today was a bit like sea-watching without the sea and the birds
No sign of the recent Cuckoo or much else - certainly no raptors - just the usual birders including Jonathan Platt - so at least there was someone to chat to .
stuartherring said
Mon May 3 8:46 PM, 2010
first visit in search of a hobby not to be but saw my 1st cuckoo for years ,2 buzzard,2 sparrowhawk,1 whitethroat,1 bullfinch(M) and 2 gsw will visit again when it warms up a bit more
Dennis atherton said
Sat May 1 8:00 PM, 2010
saturday dinner time, mmm
yellowhammers from feeding station plus the usuals, also a quite tame jay,
from tower, red kite flew over this week, seen by the infamous last of the summer wine birdwatchers crew, i think it was brian who came up with that name
also today cuckoo ont moss plus whitethroat and a inquisitive chiffchaff right on the fence near us, also reed bunting and a couple of buzzards,
Dennis atherton said
Sat Apr 24 9:40 PM, 2010
afternoon, buzzard over, water rail from tower hide, nuthatches from feeding station, great pecker drumming, the first hobby was seen this week but none today, also marsh harrier this week too, little ringed plovers over moss
Jonathan Platt said
Wed Apr 14 7:24 PM, 2010
A cuckoo appeared on the moss this afternoon. It was perched in the owl box oak tree around 2.30pm.
Jonathan Platt said
Tue Mar 9 3:41 PM, 2010
Peregrine over the moss and a barn owl showing at the entrance to the owl box this afternoon.
Pete Welch said
Tue Feb 23 7:27 PM, 2010
I thought I saw a distant harrier this afternoon flying low over the last field between the end of the mosses area and the M6. just south of the railway line - but dismissed it as probably a buzzard [which are plentiful] - must get some spare bins to leave at work! Have been lucky enough to see Sprawk, Buzzard, Kestrel and Hobby [the latter hunting over the trees which line the railway last summer] all from the office windows!
Jonathan Platt said
Tue Feb 23 3:51 PM, 2010
2.00-3.00pm
A peregrine was circling over the NE end of the moss this afternoon before drifting off to the SW. Ten minutes before I arrived a female marsh harrier had risen from the moss and also flew off SW. Apparently it had a damaged leg which was visibly hanging as the bird flew by. Three short-eared owls were flushed on Monday morning by someone doing survey work on the moss, and a new barn owl appears to have taken up residency in the owl box - it was seen hunting last Sunday and yesterday.
Jonathan Platt said
Tue Jan 26 3:42 PM, 2010
A ring-tailed hen harrier swept across the moss around 3.00pm, from south to north, and appeared to land in the NE corner. Apparently this is the fourth day in succession it's made an appearance, usually between 2-3pm. Also two sparrowhawks, at least three buzzards and a kestrel in the hour I was there. A lesser-spotted woodpecker was seen last week by several of the regular birders.
Dennis atherton said
Tue Jan 5 11:07 AM, 2010
3rd
loads of woodpecker action, the great spotteds were all hammering away around the woods, nuthatch on show all day from the feeding station hide with all the usuals, no bramblings or siskins yet
kestrel, sparrowhawk and buzzards from the tower
John O'Neill said
Sun Jan 3 11:42 PM, 2010
Sat 2nd Jan 4 Woodcocks in air at once, at dusk. Prob 6 seen in all.
Tawny Owl calling.
Gary Gorner said
Sat Dec 19 4:11 PM, 2009
quick visit , enjoyed the hide at the feeding station with nuthatch,willow tit,coal tit,great,blue and long tailed tits all showing very close to the hide.Robins were busy bossing one another and at least 10 blackbirds and 4 magpies. nothing much from the tower hide 2 sparrowhawk and some very distant gulls oh and a read bunting
Jimmy Meadows said
Sat Aug 1 9:43 PM, 2009
Not great weather this afternoon Juv Green Woodpecker 2 Sparrowhawks 1 Kestrel White Winged Carrion Crow
and plenty of rain showers
Cheers Jimmy
Pete Welch said
Wed Jul 8 6:27 PM, 2009
Found three Green Sands at Risley Moss this afternoon on a ridge of exposed peat 150m front and left of the tower hide [quite chuffed to find something on me own as it were!] and then let some other birders know who in return kindly pointed out the Hobby and let me watch it through one of their scopes. A friendly bunch so thanks if you're on here! Peter
Nick Isherwood said
Wed Jun 10 12:57 PM, 2009
Called in at Risley Moss yesterday with the hope of seeing a hobby or two. Unfortunately they didn't put in an appearance while I was there. Did have close views of a very vocal Garden Warbler though at the side of the tower hide.
sid ashton said
Thu Jun 4 3:48 PM, 2009
Risley Moss today 11.45 - 13.00 excellent views of two possibly three Hobby. One of the birds was quite brown - perhaps one of last year's youngsters.
P.S. - Anyone going should remember the strange opening times, 9 - 5 during the week, 10 - 6 at the weekend and closed Fridays - just as well these Hobbys come out in the middle of the day
-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 4th of June 2009 04:36:15 PM
sid ashton said
Wed Jun 3 3:40 PM, 2009
Yep Melanie me too - it was a year to the day that they appeared last year - and if I remember it was always late morning/early afternoon as best viewing times - we shall see.
Phil Owen said
Wed Jun 3 3:09 PM, 2009
Thanks Melanie,
I'll have to give it a visit soon.
Melanie Beckford said
Wed Jun 3 2:29 PM, 2009
Phil Owen wrote:
Anybody know if the Hobbies have returned there yet??
Maybe worth a trip there soon!!
Yeah l saw a couple of Hobbies on Sunday morning the moment l arrived approx 10.30 (ish),literally when l got there one was flying around and stayed all morning till noon.
Phil Owen said
Wed Jun 3 1:27 PM, 2009
Anybody know if the Hobbies have returned there yet??
Maybe worth a trip there soon!!
John O'Neill said
Fri Jan 23 10:37 PM, 2009
If you do visit Risley Moss again at around this time of year, if you wait until it starts to go dark, you have a good chance of seeing Woodcock. They seem to fly over the Moss right in front of the Tower Hide most evenings if the weather is clear.
Beware, though...the gates to the car park are locked at 5pm !!
Geoff Walton said
Thu Jan 22 11:32 PM, 2009
Thanks for that Sid.
Geoff
sid ashton said
Thu Jan 22 6:17 PM, 2009
Geoff you need to visit Risley early June when the Hobys first arrive and then again in August when hopefully the young are around as well.
Geoff Walton said
Thu Jan 22 5:07 PM, 2009
First ever visit today, and apart from the Woodland Hide, saw nothing at all - Not one bird whilst walking and nothing from the Tower.
The Woodland Hide was the redeeming factor. Bullfinch Chaffinch Robin Sparrow GS Woodpecker on the broken Silver Birch post Jay LT Tit Willow Tit Coal Tit Blue Tit Great Tit Greenfinch Reed Buting
All that was nice, but don't think we will drive there again unless we combine it with pennington or Chat Moss
Steven Nelson said
Wed Aug 27 5:29 PM, 2008
Little Egret on the mossland at about midday today. No sign of hobbies but couldn't stay very long.
Mike Baron said
Mon Aug 25 2:03 PM, 2008
Eric Finch wrote:
Hi Mike - was that you with the border collie then? Thinking of going back today armed with a dragonfly ID book - I think common darters, a few black darters and southern hawkers may have been all on show, but since found out Risley has upto 15 species of dragonfly/damselfly! Definitely need to brush up on ID skills for these.
Hi Eric
That was me - nice meeting you. Haven't a clue on dragonflies - I see plenty around my local patch - Houghton Green Flash - but never take the time to learn to ID them.
Good luck
Mike
Eric Finch said
Mon Aug 25 8:04 AM, 2008
Hi Mike - was that you with the border collie then? Thinking of going back today armed with a dragonfly ID book - I think common darters, a few black darters and southern hawkers may have been all on show, but since found out Risley has upto 15 species of dragonfly/damselfly! Definitely need to brush up on ID skills for these.
Mike Baron said
Sun Aug 24 3:54 PM, 2008
Eric
I suspect I was there at the same time as you this morning late on?
A second Hobby showed later but distant.
Mike
Eric Finch said
Sun Aug 24 2:50 PM, 2008
24.08.08 - Great views of an Hobby - probably just the one today. Generally good for raptors with 2+ buzzards, a kestrel and 4 sparrowhawks visible at the same time. Large amount of dragonflies about too. Not so many hirundines today and no swifts sighted.
Gary Gorner said
Sat Aug 23 6:05 PM, 2008
23.08.08 sunny day and loads of raptors 2 hobby 8 buzzard 3 kestrel 3 sparrowhawk
loads of fodder about ie dragonflies and swallows heard willow warbler and chiff chaff calling
sid ashton said
Sat Aug 16 6:04 PM, 2008
Two Hobby showing this afternoon (14.30ish) - one tatty adult with missing wing feather close to the tower and probable juv far left corner at tip end of moss.
sid ashton said
Wed Aug 6 7:56 PM, 2008
Thought I'd make my 100th posting on the forum a good un - was watching at least two Hobby for about two hours 11.30 - 13.30 catching dragon flies etc - at the same time in discussion with one of the local guys (Pete H) who predicted that this was the best time to view the birds when they first arrived in June. There was also a Water Rail calling but we didn't see it.
PS thanks for the chat Pete - hope that you sorted your video out!!!
Sid
-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:22, 2008-08-06
Rob Smallwood said
Thu Jun 19 9:24 AM, 2008
The kite was reported Sunday morning also - if it is lingering in the area it may be straying on to the Manchester Mosses?
I tried a couple of hours graveyard shift Sunday afternoon - with the inevitable negative results!
1 Water rail - On the edge of the reeds and occasionally swimming on the small pool to the right of the tower hide.
1/2 Hobbies - Flying and resting in the distant trees, scoped well.
1 Raven
1 Yellowhammer
2 Bullfinch
1 Common tern
1 Whitethroat
1 Lapwing
buzzards, kestrel, sparrowhawk, also the local yellowhammer in its favorite tree, whitethroats singing, reed bunting, chiffchaff, willow warblers,
quiet day today
Visit to Tower Hide
2 Buzzards
1 Sparrowhawk
4 Swifts
1 Swallow
2 House Martins
2 Chaffinches
2 Blackcaps singing
1 Yellowhammer singing
1 Chiff Chaff singing
Plenty of Whitethroats singing
1 Jay
4 Blackbirds
2 Song Thrushes
No Hobbies
hobby-2
buzzard-2
kestrel-1
yellowhammer-2
family party og greater spotted woodpecker
-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Monday 31st of May 2010 05:46:58 PM
-- Edited by stuartherring on Sunday 23rd of May 2010 07:47:00 PM
Never saw the Dragonfly eating Kestrel though
Two Hobbies showing early afternoon - along with 5 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and the Dragonfly chasing Kestrel
Edit: Make that six - I've just had a text from one of the birders there.
-- Edited by Jonathan Platt on Monday 17th of May 2010 02:17:00 PM
Hi Sid,
Just come back from a wander around Silver Lane Pools, perhaps half a mile away from Risley - two cuckoos seen twice flying over the largest pool and the landfill. Typical!
Risley Moss today was a bit like sea-watching without the sea and the birds
No sign of the recent Cuckoo or much else - certainly no raptors - just the usual birders including Jonathan Platt - so at least there was someone to chat to .
yellowhammers from feeding station plus the usuals, also a quite tame jay,
from tower, red kite flew over this week, seen by the infamous last of the summer wine birdwatchers crew, i think it was brian who came up with that name
also today cuckoo ont moss plus whitethroat and a inquisitive chiffchaff right on the fence near us, also reed bunting and a couple of buzzards,
afternoon, buzzard over, water rail from tower hide, nuthatches from feeding station, great pecker drumming, the first hobby was seen this week but none today, also marsh harrier this week too, little ringed plovers over moss
A peregrine was circling over the NE end of the moss this afternoon before drifting off to the SW. Ten minutes before I arrived a female marsh harrier had risen from the moss and also flew off SW. Apparently it had a damaged leg which was visibly hanging as the bird flew by. Three short-eared owls were flushed on Monday morning by someone doing survey work on the moss, and a new barn owl appears to have taken up residency in the owl box - it was seen hunting last Sunday and yesterday.
loads of woodpecker action, the great spotteds were all hammering away around the woods, nuthatch on show all day from the feeding station hide with all the usuals, no bramblings or siskins yet
kestrel, sparrowhawk and buzzards from the tower
4 Woodcocks in air at once, at dusk. Prob 6 seen in all.
Tawny Owl calling.
nothing much from the tower hide 2 sparrowhawk and some very distant gulls oh and a read bunting
Juv Green Woodpecker
2 Sparrowhawks
1 Kestrel
White Winged Carrion Crow
and plenty of rain showers
Cheers Jimmy
P.S. - Anyone going should remember the strange opening times, 9 - 5 during the week, 10 - 6 at the weekend and closed Fridays - just as well these Hobbys come out in the middle of the day
-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 4th of June 2009 04:36:15 PM
I'll have to give it a visit soon.
Yeah l saw a couple of Hobbies on Sunday morning the moment l arrived approx 10.30 (ish),literally when l got there one was flying around and stayed all morning till noon.
Maybe worth a trip there soon!!
Beware, though...the gates to the car park are locked at 5pm !!
Geoff
The Woodland Hide was the redeeming factor.
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Robin
Sparrow
GS Woodpecker on the broken Silver Birch post
Jay
LT Tit
Willow Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Greenfinch
Reed Buting
All that was nice, but don't think we will drive there again unless we combine it with pennington or Chat Moss
Hi Eric
That was me - nice meeting you. Haven't a clue on dragonflies - I see plenty around my local patch - Houghton Green Flash - but never take the time to learn to ID them.
Good luck
Mike
I suspect I was there at the same time as you this morning late on?
A second Hobby showed later but distant.
Mike
sunny day and loads of raptors
2 hobby
8 buzzard
3 kestrel
3 sparrowhawk
loads of fodder about ie dragonflies and swallows
heard willow warbler and chiff chaff calling
PS thanks for the chat Pete - hope that you sorted your video out!!!
Sid
-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:22, 2008-08-06
I tried a couple of hours graveyard shift Sunday afternoon - with the inevitable negative results!