Over our Hale garden this afternoon 40 - 50 Black-headed Gulls greedily taking flying ants which are around in huge numbers at present. A little higher approximately 20 Common Swifts were also feeding on the insects.

Some recent records from my Chadderton garden.

After several earlier failures a pair of Collared Doves have fledged 2 young. Dunnocks have been seen collecting food in the last few days - this is a later brood - having already fledged 2 young earlier in the year. The local pair of Magpies fledged a single young and for the first time ever a pair of Jackdaws have been regular visitors to the garden and even brought a single begging juvenile into the garden. That was nice to see although the other birds didn't seem too keen on having them around! House Sparrows have been bringing small numbers of young into the garden for several weeks now, as have Blackbirds.

The only just ripened berries on the Rowan tree are disappearing fast at the moment - Blackbirds and Starlings. It's a shame really - in some years they are gone by the end of July and in other years they are still there in autumn and have attracted Mistle Thrush and even the odd Redwing and Fieldfare.

Cheers,

Bill.

First blackcaps Ive seen in my garden last week going in and out of our holly bush, brings my garden list up to 57

I have been watching a Jay for over an hour visit my garden. It has figured out that each day I place peanuts inside the entrances to both my Hedgehog boxes. The Jay reaches inside and takes a couple of peanuts then flies onto my shed roof then it goes back to the box for more peanuts. It actually climbed into one of the boxes to get some of the peanuts at the back of the box.

God knows what the Hedgehog thinks that is sleeping in one of the boxes

Just at the mother inlaws in Bredbury and she is distraught over a fairly tame Wood Pigeon which has been coming to her bird table.
It was taken yesterday in her garden by the local sparrowhawk.

Oh and consumed on the premisis.

-- Edited by Ken Dunning on Friday 15th of July 2011 11:25:51 PM

Just counted 14 juvenile chaffinches eating seed from the lawn.

Young bullfinches in the garden this morning in Heaton Mersey. One flew into the conservatory and then flew straight at me, I had to duck!

Kingfisher along Mickerbrook this afternoon at bottom of garden.

During the week there has been much activity on feeders again with family parties of Great and Blue Tits with visits by Bullfinches, Greenfinches and House Sparrows daily - the latter making a welcome comeback after a number of very poor years.
Juvenile Robins, Dunnocks and Wrens also plentyful at bottom of garden.

Rick.

7.20pm
2 Ravens heading south over my house in Irlam- quite low too! Presumably commuting back to Carrington from Chat Mosses.
I see Ravens over Irlam fairly regularly - always flying either N or S (never E or W) between the two mosses. Presumably the Carrington pair.

David Winnard wrote:

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There seems to be a bit of an influx at the moment, as Ian says the Wildlife Forum can be found from the link below.

Dave

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thanks ian now joined daves forum

Dipper seen following the line of the stream that runs through the garden, settled briefly two doors up then flew back down stream. Only second time seen in the garden, first was 3 years ago

Just sat in my inlaws conservatory in Bredbury when a Sparrowhawk landed in a tree above her hedge in the back garden.
They feed lots of sparrows and it was a tense few minutes before it flew off empty handed.
Great to see, but only briefly.

3 juv blue tits
1 juv robin
4 juv long tailed tits
on feeders in garden loads of swifts over and 3 black headed gulls

Wythenshawe

Sat out in the garden earlier with my good lady wife enjoying the evening sunshine with a glass of Shiraz when there was a lovely burst of bird song from the adjacent trees.

After several minutes I remarked "That's a Goldfinch" !!

"Oh" she says "I wondered what the din was" !!!!!

Kate Humble she ain't !!

Paul, the vast majority (at least) of those who keep county garden lists on the Manchester Birding website count birds seen from their gardens. I know I do. Get it on your list, it's a cracker!

Common Tern over the garden in Crankwood yesterday afternoon. It was flying low, below the top of the chimney. Could this be a garden tick?

There seems to be a bit of an influx at the moment, as Ian says the Wildlife Forum can be found from the link below.

Dave

All wildlife sightings other than birds should be directed to David Winnards Manchester Wildlife website and forum where they will be very gratefully received

this doesn't quite count but it's in gamesley so not far out of county. hummingbird hawkmoth in the backgarden about 5 minutes ago

In Mickerbrook at bottom of garden this morning :-

1 adult and 1 juvenile Grey Wagtail.
1 Mallard duck with 4 well grown juvs.

Elsewhere in garden :-

Family group of 4 Nuthatches, including at least 2 juveniles.
Many Wrens, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Goldfinches.
Far too many juvenile Magpies with their parents.
1 Collared Dove.
4 Swifts overhead.
2 Carrion Crows.

Rick.

Well saw my first young Robin today.

Unfortunately Archie (Worlds Cutest Dog) had it in his mouth and was running around the garden with it - it was dead I'm afraid.

He'd picked it up from behind the Hosta under the bird table.

A black furry cat normally hides there so we have to assume it was the guilty party.

I hate cats.

A Nuthatch was feeding in my garden in Cheadle Hulme this morning. I have previously only seen one once before in my garden in Eight years.

Beat this combination:

Saturday evening birthday party in the back garden opposite Birchfields Park (Rusholme), first a Ring-necked parakeet flew over very noisily, then a Tawny owl flew over very quietly.

Ken Dunning wrote:

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Hey Melanie,
I have lived in my house in Chapel-en-le-Frith for 24 years and tonight I have seen my first Greater Spotted Woodpecker whilst in my garden. If you think you were chuffed you should see me. whoopee!!!

---

Ha ha Ken, l'm happy for you.

Was yours feeding or just visiting ?

Hey Melanie,
I have lived in my house in Chapel-en-le-Frith for 24 years and tonight I have seen my first Greater Spotted Woodpecker whilst in my garden. If you think you were chuffed you should see me. whoopee!!!

We're getting regular Goldfinch visits in the garden where l work in Heaton Moor, we have had Bullfinch and recently male and female Blackcap. Not terribly interesting l know but for such a small garden l was chuffed

Yesterday two juvenile Robin hopping in following their parent for food, l melted...they were so cute....today a male Woodpecker on our fat ball

l know many guys on here have many more exciting birds visit their garden but l am delighted with my views

-- Edited by Melanie Beckford on Wednesday 29th of June 2011 08:47:27 PM

-- Edited by Melanie Beckford on Wednesday 29th of June 2011 10:11:37 PM

what looked like a curlew flying over my old trafford garden tonight at 7.30pm heading in a westerly direction as if towards salford quays

Great-spotted Woodpecker family, parents and two young in our Hale garden this afternoon on the nut feeders

Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher still showing along Mickerbrook this morning at bottom of garden.
Rick.

Reluctantly now inside after fading light and rain made it impossible to continue watching Kingfisher(s) at bottom of garden. 5 separate sightings including 1 briefly perched on a holly bush on opposite bank of the Mickerbrook. I'm rather hoping that they may be nesting somewhere in the vicinity, especially after seeing one on 15th as well.

Also 3 separate sightings of Grey Wagtail collecting beakfuls of flies from mud along the bank - nesting close by???

Rick.

jason fisher wrote:

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i'm out of county by a couple o hundred yards but the gold finches have increased for us too but these include some of this years juveniles, we're also getting a regular male bullfinch and as of a couple of days ago 2 redpoll

-- Edited by jason fisher on Sunday 19th of June 2011 08:00:55 PM

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Funnily enough we're getting our bullfinches back around now, but no redpolls for us, probably wrong place in the county for 'em.

i'm out of county by a couple o hundred yards but the gold finches have increased for us too but these include some of this years juveniles, we're also getting a regular male bullfinch and as of a couple of days ago 2 redpoll

-- Edited by jason fisher on Sunday 19th of June 2011 08:00:55 PM

Has anyone else noticed an explosion of goldfinches in their garden in the last week or so? They're picking up nesting stuff, foraging and singing. No sign of any young though...

A 'seen from the garden' first this evening when I disturbed a Dipper that was perched on a driftwood log in the middle of the Mickerbrook at the side of my garden.

Also a pair of Mallard and singing Chiffchaff.
1 Jackdaw, Swift and 1 Grey Wagtail overhead.

Rick.

-- Edited by Rick Donkin on Sunday 19th of June 2011 07:56:36 PM

Have noted juv birds now starting to visit the feeders daily
Juv Goldfinches 4 daily possible 5
Juv Great tit 2
Juv Blue tit 3
Juv Coal tit 1 (no sightings of an adult bird since Jan)
Juv Greenfinch 2
Juv Chaffinch 1

Have a male Bulfinch visiting daily but not seen a female since April was hoping for them to breed localy as was getting 5 bullfinches visiting daily until mid April

Nice to see so many young visiting daily feeding for themselfs.

Whilst taking a break from mowing the lawn this morning I sat at the bottom of the garden by the Mickerbrook watching a Mallard with 4 ducklings when a Kingfisher flashed past.

Also plenty of activity with Great and Blue Tits, Robins, Wrens, Nuthatches, Bullfinches, Dunnocks and Blackbirds.

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker also in the woods at the end of the garden.

Rick.

3 young goldfinches on the feeders.

Vaughan, I have sent you a PM!!

the fledgling Redpoll has been joined by another - I've not had young redpolls before (and can't remember seeing any repoorts elsewhere) - is this an indication that they are becoming more garden based, similar to how goldfinches have over the past decade or so? Aslo have had new young from Great/Blue/Coal and LT Tits over the weekend. 2 pairs of Bullfinch daily for past few weeks - presumably as they are appearing as pairs they aren't nesting??

Superb male bullfinch feeding on our nyjer seed on and off all day, first for our garden.

at least 15 house sparrows in my garden today as well as 15 starlings, 5 of which were imature and starting to feed themselves. i only count what i see at 1 time so there maybe more numbers than what im seeing. blue tits gone very quiet, haven't seen them going to the nest box so maybe the young have fledged and i missed them also pair of woodpigeons, robin, dunnock, magpie and collard dove

-- Edited by alex lewis-gough on Thursday 26th of May 2011 06:11:15 PM

I've had (what I think is) a fledgling Lesser Redpoll (no red cap, dark, very streaky, sits still for longish periods) for the past four days. The adult female that had been about has now gone awol.

I have had one of those Sparrow terrace nest boxes on the side of my Chadderton home for many years, which has never, ever been used before .......until this year when a pair of Great Tits took up residence in one of the end terraces.

Pleased to report that they fledged some young from the nest yesterday. The garden will certainly seem quieter now they have gone.

Cheers,

Bill.

Ian Campbell wrote:

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Blue Tits fledging as I type from nest box on my house wall, fantastic.
Cheers Ian

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Must be an awfully big nest box, Ian

Sorry, couldn't resist

Blue Tits fledging as I type from nest box on my house wall, fantastic.
Cheers Ian

busy in my garden this afternoon. counted at least 25 starlings at one time with at least 7 immature birds amongst them. still being fed by parents but starting to feed themselves a little too. also at least 8 house sparrows. never seen so many birds in my garden all at once

I've been quite depressed all day as I saw one of my baby Blue Tit chicks pass away this morning on my NestCam. And then for most of the day the remaining six have not been seen as the female tit has undermined the nest so much that the top part nearest the camera overhangs and hides the chicks from view.

I've not been able to count more than five chicks at any one time and so until just now I thought another had died too. Anyway, the good news is that I've just seen six live chicks and, although they're different sizes and at different stages in their development, they are all feeding and seem OK. Four have quite a few feathers now and have streteched their wings to sow them and at least one is starting to open its eyes.

Have a look for yourself on the link below.

2 young Great Tits being fed by both parents. A busy morning for young birds this morning.

A young Coal Tit on my fence this morning. 2 recently fledged Starlings being fed by the parents on my patio and lots of House Sparrow activity on the feeders. (Cheadle Hulme garden)

Shame about your blue tits :( the ones in my nestbox still havnt fledgd yet. parents back and forwards with caterpillars. Starlings doing well, had 21 in my garden other day. Had 4 young starlings in garden yesterday too, all still being fed by the adults, until a regular magpie swooped in and chashed them off. I was waching from bedroom window and 1 young starling flew into the window right in front of me. It seemed to be ok though as it then flew back into the tree and sat there for a few minutes before returning to my feeders with the adults. Had lots of house sparrow activity too :)