Haigh Hall to Coppull Lane

pair of Goldcrests near feeding station in upper plantations, good views of Nuthatches and Coal tits here too along with the commoner species
single male Bullfinch
male Kestrel
single Tree Creeper
pair of Tawny Owls rrosting together at the roost in the lower plantations , none at the roost in the upper plantations unfortunately though
Raven over the new Dam at Coppull Lane being mobbed by a pair of Crows,
2 Swans flew over about 3 times in ten minutes
4 Manderins on the River Douglas, usually a good area for them down here
male Sparrowhawk over Bottling Wood

Single female type Crossbill (looked adult by brightness of underparts) flew east just over rooftops of Brayford drive, aspull at about 9.40 this morning calling loudly as it went. also noted good numbers of woodpigeon moving too.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 19th of November 2011 02:18:56 PM

19/11/11

There seemed to be a large Woodpigeon movement this morning between 8 and 10am, nearly all going North ; I guess numbers would be around a thousand.
2 Kestrels perched up on the Golf Course preening, and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker gave very close views at Shedfield Bridge. Plenty Coal Tits and Goldcrests roving about the Lower Plantations, and a Sparrowhawk playing cat-and-mouse with the local Starlings at Rothwells Farm was mildly amusing, but all in all things were pretty quiet...

Around Aspull Sough today: Willow Tit, Reed Bunting, 6 Siskin, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25+ Redwing (many small groups moving around between woodland blocks/Lower Plantations/hedgerows) and several Fieldfare

12.30 - 3.30pm

Buzzard showing well
2 Dippers on River Douglas also giving very good views
100 pink feet over heading west 12.35
single G.S. Woodpecker
pair of Bullfinches
two Herons also on Dougy
good numbers of tree Sparrows in with the usuall flock on pennington lane
Raven over being chased by Crows
3 Greenfinches
several Redwings on Golf Course
31 Species in total

3rd Nov: the northern end of the area near Hampson Green was fairly quiet, but there was a decent flock of about 200 Starling on pasture, a male Sparrowhawk and a Yellowhammer near Barker's Cottage off Red Rock Lane

4/11/11 (am)

Red Rock Lodge to Lady Mabels Wood:

1 Raven over Pendlebury House, heading for the town centre
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels
4 Tree Sparrows
9 Skylarks
c55 Herring Gulls, constantly streaming SW in small groups
1 Willow Tit
Pon-fulls of thrushes and Starlings..

30/10/11 (am)

Red Rock Moorings to Sennicar Lane:

1 Woodcock (flying over Bawk House Farm)
3 Buzzards
12+ Tree Sparrows congregating along Pendlebury Lane (with c10 House Sparrows)
1 Willow Tit
1 Treecreeper
1 Goldcrest

at the extreme south end of the Haigh recording area at lunchtime today, Dipper and Grey Wagtail by the new dam on the River Douglas at Coppull Lane - footpaths now open again here as the construction has finished

17/10/11 (am)

1 Ring Ouzel (m) - along hedges between Sennicar Bridge and the rear of Lady Mabels Wood at 10:30, but chased off by a Blackbird shortly afterwards..

2 Ravens in fields off Pendlebury Lane
3 Sparrowhawks
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
2 Goldcrests
70+ Rooks
c15 Jays
Fieldfares & Redwings etc...

A couple of hours late morning to lunchtime. Canal from Crown Hotel and general upper plantations area.

single Grey Heron on canal near Shedfield bridge, second time I've seen this bird along here, it will carry on hunting as you walk past on opposite bank, close enough for good photography, pulled a five inch perch out while I there

Willow tit calling near bridge
pair of Kestrels near higher lane bridge
male Sparrowhawk over
Tawny Owl at last years roost site
pair of Bullfinches
singles of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit and Nuthatch

A couple of hours this evening, just the usual residents about and a few Redwings over, my brother lives on the edge of the woods and has noticed an increase in Tawny Owl's calling just lately.

17/9/11 (am)

1 Stonechat (Sennicar Lane)

1 Kingfisher
8 Meadow Pipits
c25 Linnets
2 Sparrowhawks
2 Mistle Thrushes
1 Cormorant
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
10+ Stock Doves
3 Siskins

3 Roe Deer & 1 Fox

12/9/11:

1 Raven
1 Buzzard
2 Sparrowhawks
2 Kestrels
2 Coal Tits

Siskin at Aspull Sough today

15/8/11 (am)

Red Rock Moorings to Lady Mabels Wood:

1 Hobby (ad) - flew low over Pendlebury Bridge heading West

From a vantage point on Sennicar Lane I counted 9 Buzzards in the air simultaneously - five over WRUFC/Lady Mabels, two over School Coverts, and two over Fairclough Wood..

1 Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels
4 Willow Tits
1 Kingfisher
3 Grey Herons on the front lawn of Bawk House Farm..

3/8/11 (pm)

Red Rock Lodge to Sennicar Lane:

A leisurely stroll this evening produced a Raven perched on fences near Barkers Cottage, and a Buzzard over School Covert. Female Mandarin and 2 Common Terns along the canal at Pendlebury Lane. Not much else about........the patch is definitely a "morning site"

31/7/11 (am)

Whelley Loop Line to Sennicar Lane:

2 Lesser Whitethroats (Shedfield Bridge)
6 Mandarins
1 Buzzard
1 Kingfisher - flying round the barn at Rothwells Farm
2 Willow Tits
4 Nuthatches (inc juvs)
2 Goldcrests (juvs) - near Basin Quay

Speckled Woods and Gatekeepers in abundance, plus a pristine Red Admiral in Lady Mabels..

2 juv Dippers on river in Lower Plantations.

Cheers Jimmy

A quick mooch this afternoon looking for the Lesser Whitethroats, all 3 still in same location. Nice find Ian, site tick for me also family of Goldcrests, very recently fledged on opp side of Shedfield Bridge

At least three Lesser Whitethroat today (adult and juv), as per Ian's posting for Saturday, along the track from Aspull Sough to the canal/Shedfield Bridge.
At least 2 Willow Tit on Whelley Loopline by Canon Sharples School among a tit flock, plus one between Aspull Sough and Shedfield Bridge

23/7/11 (am)

Whelley Loop Line to Rothwells Farm:

1 Redstart (f/imm) - along the footpath from Sennicar Lane to the rear of Lady Mabels Wood

3 Lesser Whitethroats (ad feeding two juvs) - in the thick Hawthorn hedge along the track to Shedfield Bridge
1 Raven
7 Mandarins (ad F w/6)
5 Buzzards
1 Common Tern
2 Kestrels
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Mute Swans (SLI) w/6 cygnets

Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined Whites, Speckled Wood, and lots of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns...

22/7/11 (am)

Whelley Loop Line to Rothwells Farm:

2 Grasshopper Warblers (one showing well at Aspull Sough, and one reeling in Lady Mabels Wood)
1 Garden Warbler (Aspull Sough)
6 Mandarins at Basin Quay (all juvs)
1 Common Tern
1 Kingfisher
3 Kestrels
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Sedge Warbler

Family parties of Coal Tits, Reed Buntings, Blackcaps, Whitethroats...

A quick hour last night around the water treatment ponds and nearby fields, ponds fairly quiet apart from a couple of Moorhens and some Swallows hunting over the reedbeds, elsewhere
Male Kestrel carrying food back to fledged Juvenile
fledged young also of Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff

11/7/11 (am)

Whelley Loop Line to Sennicar Lane via Lady Mabels Wood:

1 Whinchat (f/imm type) - in field behind Aspull Sough

2 Grasshopper Warblers reeling (Lady Mabels)
2 Common Terns
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
1 Tree Sparrow
16 Mistle Thrushes
1 Treecreeper
4 Nuthatches

Coal Tit, Skylark, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroats, Blackcap, 16 Mallards, House Martins etc

Lots of Meadow Browns on the wing, and small numbers of Small Skippers and Green-veined Whites in Lady Mabels...

30/6/11 (am)

Whelley Loop Line to Rothwells Farm:

1 Mandarin (f) with 7 well-grown ducklings on the Basin Quay this morning,

4 Common Terns
2 Lapwings
2 Kestrels with 3 young perched up
1 Willow Tit
1 Sedge Warbler
5 Reed Buntings
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Coal Tits - juvs
5 Stock Doves
1 Skylark

1 Mink carrying prey under the bridge at Hall Lane..

quick mooch this morning

Buzzards have fledged, lots of noise as I walked past the nest area, sounds like two young
3 Juvenile Kestrels on barn roof at Sennicar lane
Skylark singing
Raven over

20/6/11 (am)

Red Rock Moorings to Sennicar Lane:

1 Hobby - chasing Swallows near Pendlebury Bridge (my last record here was in 2007).

4 Oystercatchers (over NE)
2 Curlews
3 Common Terns (heading N along the canal)
1 Buzzard
10+ Tree Sparrows
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Nuthatches
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
2 Sand Martins
2 Skylarks
2 Reed Buntings
1 Herring Gull (over)

Juvenile Coal Tits, Collared Doves, Greenfinches, Whitethroats, Great Tits, Chaffinches, Starlings, Carrion Crows, Magpies..

A quick hour around Water treatment ponds yesterday evening

Sedge Warbler feeding young
Moorhen with 2 young
2 Reed Buntings singing
plus good numbers young Great, Blue and Long Tailed Tits

14/6/11 (am)

Red Rock Moorings to Rothwells Farm via Pendlebury Lane:

1 Raven
4 Curlews (ads)
3 Buzzards
1 Common Tern
2 Willow Tits
1 Kestrel
2 Skylarks
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (was mooching around bushes at the side of the canal, where I presume it was looking for nests to predate ?)
1 Mistle Thrush

A large loose flock of Tree Sparrows (25+), with a few House Sparrows knocking about near Pendlebury Bridge, and recently fledged Whitethroats. Also, 2 Canada Geese with 2 goslings..

13/6/11 (am)

Whelley Loop Line to Sennicar Lane via Lady Mabels Wood:

Willow Tits with recently fledged young (5 birds in total), and a pair of Lapwings with 3 young in the Shedfield Bridge area.

2 Curlews - could not see any young, but the grass is very tall..
1 Buzzard
2 Common Terns fishing along the canal
1 Kestrel
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Skylarks singing

Fledged Reed Buntings, Whitethroats, Long-tailed Tits, Great Tits, House Sparrows, and the Mute Swan pair (SLI) with 6 cygnets on the Basin Quay..

"Flaming June"? Soaked through and freezing


Adult Buzzard feeding young on nest was a cracking start while it was still reasonably mild
fledged Tree Sparrows
Willow Warbler feeding young
G. S. Woodpecker with fledged young new location
Sedge Warbler singing near canal
3 male Reed Buntings singing
Female Kestrel hunting
2 Skylarks singing

8.45pm-10.15pm

Late evening walk produced two Juvenile Tawny Owls
nice view of Roe Deer in fields also

7/6/11

Lower Plantations, Lady Mabels Wood, Rothwells Farm, Shedfield Bridge, Aspull Sough:

1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Dipper
1 Curlew
3 Ravens
3 Buzzards
1 Common Tern
1 Kestrel
2 Lapwings

Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps, Nuthatches, Reed Buntings, Skylark, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Doves...

3.30pm -4.30pm Aspull Sough Treatment ponds,

Grasshopper Warbler reeling near reedbeds 1 and nearby trees was a first for me in this area
pair of Reed Buntings
pair of Coots
Reed Warblers singing on reedbeds 1 and 2
Blue and Great Tit fledglings in abundance
Willow Warblers singing in 3 locations

Late post for Sunday Morning, Canal walk from Crown Hotel to Basin pond just past Haigh Hall Bridge.
Jackdaws feeding young in Chimneys at the pub.
Mute Swan with 6 Cygnets, 3 hitching a ride on one of the adults back
Mallards, 2 broods one of 9 and one of 5
Blackcaps, Whitethroat and a couple of Herons only other things of note, no signs of any Garden Warblers that were present along here last year unfortunately, I did fancy a challenge of finding them

10.30am-2.30pm

Douglas Valley, Pendlebury Lane and Sennicar Lane area

Manderins, group of 10 Adults plus further along River a pair with 8 recently hatched young
Mallard with 8 young
Whitethroat with 3 fledging young
G.S. Woodpecker with young peering out of nesthole
Great Tits, 2 fledged broods one pair feeding young in nest
Blue Tits feeding young in nest
Swallows feeding young in nest
Canada Geese with 2 young
Juvenile Moorhen on River
House Sparrows and Starlings on Lane with Fledged young
singles of Curlew and Lapwing on suitable territory
singles of Buzzard, Raven, Kestrel, Dipper and Skylark.
nice views of a vixen on opp bank of River rounded off a very enjoyable day

late post for yesterday evening,

Sparrowhawk incubating
Goldcrests have left nest, a male singing in another location
Tawny Owl carrying prey, being mobbed by Jays, Magpie, Blackbirds and others. lost sight and couldnt relocate. will go back at dusk soon to listen for young
Single Treecreeper
G.S. Woodpecker at a couple of locations

18/5/11

2 Mandarins (pr), and a Common Tern fishing along the canal this evening.

1 Buzzard
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Kestrel

1 Curlew over Sennicar Lane on the 14th.

quick hour yesterday evening, both Goldcrests feeding young still in nest , Female Sparrowhawk left side of nest on approach,
G.S. Woodpecker making lots of noise nearby

29/4/11

Also this morning:

1 Curlew
2 Mandarins (drks) along the canal at Hall Lane bridge
2 Sedge Warblers (Lady Mabels)
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
1 House Martin
4 Lapwings and 5 Stock Doves in fields behind Aspull Sough, and a couple of Garden Warblers heard singing in different areas..

Recently, Tom Morton has had singing Lesser Whitethroats at Shedfield and Sennicar Lane bridges.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey on Friday 29th of April 2011 05:15:19 PM

couple of hours this morning

Dippers have fledged a single youngster
Female Sparrowhawk in nest vicinity, what looks like a Goldcrest nest has been built in tree about 20 feet from Sparrowhawk nest tree, single Goldcrest nearby
2 pairs of Lapwings on fields near Aspull sough
Green Woodpecker heard
male Blackcap giving good views
Reed Warblers singing from no 5 and no 6 reedbeds
Reed Buntings singing from 4 and 5
pair of Coots on no 3
Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers in abundance
fledged Robins and House Sparrows, Starlings feeding young

late posting for yesterday, Sunday 24th.
Dippers still not fledged
Female Sparrowhawk nest building
Pair of Stock Doves at usuall nesting site
Goldcrest singing
pair of Kestrels mating, usuall area
Mallards mating
Disturbed a Buzzard that flew off with some difficulty carrying half a Rabbit.

Dippers still feeding young in nest tonight, thought they would have fledged by now until I checked on RSPB website and read they can take up to 24 days to fledge . A third Dipper gatecrashed the territory on Sunday but soon got chased off back downstream, managed to get a few record photo's of the ringed bird which just has what looks like a plain ring on the right leg, this bird has mostly been brooding on my visits so presumably is female.
pair of Manderins flushed as I arrived tonight, Goldcrest singing in nearby trees and pair of Blue tits nest building

Crawfords Wood
Reeling Grasshopper Warbler
Shedfield Bridge
1 Garden Warbler

Cheers Jimmy

Quick visit to the Dippers, both parents now feeding young and a nice fly past by a Kingfisher

8/4/11 (evening):

1 Wheatear (Sennicar Lane)
3 Curlew
8 Sand Martin
4 Swallow

Quick visit after work, Dippers reported nest building on 18th March now feeding young

a few hours around mid-day saturday 1 Goldcrest singing 2 Chiffchaffs pair of Collard Doves nest building 1 agitated Mistle Thrush pair of Coal Tits pair of Tree Creepers Pair of Sparrowhawks back at last years nesting territory and calling to each other numerous pairs of Long Tailed Tits Heron over Nuthatch, Great tit and Blue Tit all very abundant and vocal G.S. Woodpeckers, pair at another site, new hole being excavated and plenty fresh wood chippings under tree

22/3/11

Midday stroll from Whelley Loop Line to Lady Mabels Wood, via the Alms houses:

3 Buzzards
1 Sparrowhawk (displaying)
1 Treecreeper
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Reed Bunting
7 Redwings
1 Raven (heard only)
1 Coot, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Moorhen, 4 Canada Geese & 5 Mallards in the vicinity of Basin Quay.

Also, a bat was flying around over the canal and golf course near Hall Lane Bridge

21/3/11

Red Rock Lodge to the River Douglas, via Sennicar and Pendlebury Lanes:

1 Peregrine - over Barkers Cottage fields, heading SW from the direction of Chorley..

2 Curlews (displaying)
1 Dipper
2 Kingfishers
1 Green Woodpecker
16 Tree Sparrows (one collecting nesting material)
2 Buzzards (displaying)
2 Kestrels (mating)
1 Chiffchaff (singing)
11 Meadow Pipits - over, heading N
2 Skylarks (singing)
23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (with 5 Common Gulls) loafing in fields near Rothwells Farm
3 Pied Wagtails
7 House Sparrows

A Bullfinch, Coal Tits, Mistle Thrushes, Goldfinches, and Long-tailed Tits nest building rounded off a belting morning......