All reservoirs are now frozen over with just a few patches remaining ice free at the inlets. For the first time during this bad weather spell there were very few birds about. Even the large number of blackbirds, partricularly up around Piethorn, look to have moved on.

5 teal on a few yards of water on Kitcliffe were the only ducks/geese seen in the valley above the mill. (8 mallards in the brook below it - plus 1 Dipper also in that same stretch.)
There were 4 pheasants, a couple of Carrion Crows and Magpies where the farmer has been feeding sheep above Kitcliffe farm. (+ 1 iffy Raven or another Crow). And that was about it but for a couple of Common Gulls flying over and one Black-headed gull on Ogden ice.
Note that I didn't check the bird-feeders at the various houses along the road stretch of my circuit around the three main reservoirs but they are probably going to provide the best return for the effort of going around the valley until some of the ice thaws. (Besides a quick look at the traditional valley Christmas Tree on the north side of Ogden that has started to take on messages and decorations for you that is.)

River pollution - ring the EA Hotline on 0800 807060.

Last night when I came down by the dieworks the brook had a lot of foam in it. This afternoon I see it is running a dirty grey/brown at Peppermint Bridge but I did not have time to go and check the source.
Let's hope its not as bad as it looks. We did have 3 dippers on that stretch!

The best of today were the two large flocks of fieldfares. One around the few trees between Hanging Lees and Piethorn was numbered about 80 with half a dozen starlings, 2 Mistle thrushes and one blackbird. The second on the northern slopes above Kitcliffe and Ogden was a bigger flock with 7 blackbirds in close attendance, at least 1 mistle thrush and around 20 starlings . . . and at one point a great spotted woodpecker.

Immature Black Redstart reported on Piethorne Reservoir at 13:50 today, on the dam wall above the pumping station.

Info thanks to Birdnet Information.

Very windy again today but no rain while I was out. The fieldfares were mostly up at the far end of Piethorn reservoir and taking to the Old House Ground NR (Bluebell Wood) when desturbed from the blackthorn tress they favoured around the building on the PBW track. They are skittish and difficult to count but probably around 100 minimum.
In complete contrast Raghole Clough was so sheltered and relatively warm that the gnats were out. Long-tailed tits seemed to be everywhere - sometimes only a few feet away. The most I counted in view at any one time was 13 but that number should only be used to try and imagine just how many there actually were scattered throughout the trees.
Despite the wind a Buzzard was seen crusing effortlessly over Rough Bank and heading west into it. Another good day.

November 11

Not a lot on a very brief visit, the Cormorant still on Ogden, a handful of Fieldfare by Gate House and a marauding female Sparrowhawk about it.

I felt I ought to pop in after seeing the Grebe, doubt any other local (ok, ex local) birders have travelled quite as far (from Norfolk in my case) to see it, and if the grebe vacates Hollingworth Lake and appears in this thread I'll be back for the patch tick!!

Neil

Very blustery up there this morning. Comorants feeding on Ogden reservoir amongst the white horses looked almost costal. A better day for just walking rather than birdwatching but the reward for effort was a stunning view of a peregrine using the wind in an almost horizontal stoop into a flock of fieldfares. (Lower end of PBW up to the Rams Head) It missed.
Nothing else avian particularly noteworthy seen.

I was up at Rooden this morning - coming in from the south side. There were large numbers of common gulls on the rough pastures along each side of the approach path. Loose dogs from the last house were giving me a bad time so I didn't give them the time I would like to have done but I would have thought there was around a 100. About 20 starlings up there also . . . and a soliatry meadow pipit along the catchwater drain as I left. Very little else seen up there today except a large skein (100+) of geese flying high and northeast that I couldn't positively identify - but probably pink foot.

2nd November.

7.40 to 10.10 am.

The only sightings even slightly out of the ordinary this morning were - a flock of c15 Siskins in one of the plantations and a gathering of c110 Common Gulls. This is only my second ever three-figure count of this species here and it tends to favour the most elevated of the valleys 6 reservoirs - Rooden Res.

Cheers,

Bill.

Geoff Eldridge wrote:

---

I live at Peppermint Bridge and most days when I am at home I am usually somewhere up or around the valley for a few hours but I'm not one for publishing lists of what I've seen for the sake of it because most people using these sites will have seen more than I'm ever going admit to. (I'm a mountaineer first, wildlife watcher second.) However, I do know my birds, animals and hills so if you ever need someone local to quickly 'check' something, like the recent whooper swans, by all means ask. I retired last year so now I have the time to do it. The only complication that I see is how such a quick communication system could be set up without publically printing phone numbers and e-mails etc., (which I am reluctant to do) if anyone thought it was viable option. Any takers or ideas?

---

Hi Geoff,

Many thanks for that kind offer. I have sent you a private message via the forum - which I hope is OK?

Best wishes,

Bill.

Speak to Ian McK when he gets back from his latest trip.

I live at Peppermint Bridge and most days when I am at home I am usually somewhere up or around the valley for a few hours but I'm not one for publishing lists of what I've seen for the sake of it because most people using these sites will have seen more than I'm ever going admit to. (I'm a mountaineer first, wildlife watcher second.) However, I do know my birds, animals and hills so if you ever need someone local to quickly 'check' something, like the recent whooper swans, by all means ask. I retired last year so now I have the time to do it. The only complication that I see is how such a quick communication system could be set up without publically printing phone numbers and e-mails etc., (which I am reluctant to do) if anyone thought it was viable option. Any takers or ideas?

28th October.

Had a text from Simon Hitchen advising of 6 Whooper Swans on Hollingworth Lake this morning. Thanks Simon. Aware that Piethorne is sometimes the recipient of Hollingworth Lakes "cast-offs" went up after mid-day and checked but found nothing and came home. Phone call mid-afternoon from Bev (one of the Piethorne residents) told me that there were 6 swans resting in the middle of Piethorne Res. Thanks Bev. Second visit of the day to Piethorne found 6 adult Whooper Swans, what were presumably the Hollingworth Lake birds? - which Simon told me had been flushed by boats from the lake in the morning. They weren't here early afternoon so it looks like they might have dropped in somewhere else in the middle of the day?

A few "fishermens friends" in the valley today - won't say how many.....in case it turns a few anglers faces this colour

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Thursday 28th of October 2010 05:34:58 PM

27th October.

7.30 am to 11.15 am.

Birds on the move included Fieldfare - 7 W, 12 SW and c40W; Redwing 2 W and Starling c15 W. Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Siskin heard calling in flight over the valley. Later a flock of c110 Fieldfare were foraging in the valley.

Also seen/heard - House Sparrows (a very scarce species here!) which were first recorded in the lower valley in mid-August look like they might be staying as they have been seen and/or heard on most visits since. Excellent news! Plus a pair of Stonechats, 1 Little Owl, 1 Raven and 3 Dippers. A pair of Dippers were seen close together and another single bird was singing in a different part of the valley. Dipper is one of our earliest breeding species and some birds might already be "planning" for the early part of next year. Watched this pair for a while and they looked like they might have been involved in some sort of pre-nuptial activities although I didn't actually see one sign any binding agreement! Dipper will be the subject of a "Species in Focus" treatment in the early part of spring 2011 on the "Greater Manchester Breeding Atlas 2008 - 2011" section of the forum. Something to look forward to there then!

By the way, just a quick reminder that the final winter recording season for the Bird Atlas 2007 - 2011 project starts on 1st November 2010. More interesting and useful information will appear shortly in the "Bird Atlas and Bird Surveys" section on the homepage of Ian's website, detailing what has been achieved so far and what still needs to be done. If any GM birders wish to get involved and your assistance is still needed and really will be greatly appreciated, then please contact those persons named in that particular section of the website. Many thanks.

Cheers,


Bill.

15th October.

This morning - 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Goldcrest and a late Curlew at height heard calling and heading east picked out by Steve Atkins.

No sight or sound of any Ring Ouzels either today or 13th. No sign of the Pochard either today.

I received a report of a late Wheatear in the upper valley on 8th October.

Cheers,

Bill.

13th October.

A male Pochard was on Ogden Reservoir this morning in the company of 4 Goosanders. This would appear to be the first record of this species here since a single bird lingered on Kitcliffe Reservoir between 14/10/06 and 1/11/06.

3 Ravens and a Peregrine over.

Cheers,

Bill.

11th October.

The first signs of autumn here, with modest numbers of winter thrushes present this morning - a single loose feeding flock of c70 birds was comprised of approx 40 Redwing and 25 Fieldfare. With them were 3 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Blackbird.

Also 3 Skylarks over, 3+ Siskin, 4 Tufted Duck and a Raven.

Cheers,

Bill.

20th September.

7.30 to 11.00 am.

As the ultimate fair weather birder I would never normally deliberately set out to go birding in the likes of the grotty weather experienced at Piethorne this morning. Thought I would break the habit of a lifetime and was highly optimistic my soaking would be rewarded by the sighting of some forced down Common Scoters or some storm driven Petrels.


No such luck! - but there were 5 Goldcrest (1 adult and 1 juvenile seen clearly), 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Linnet, 1 Kestrel, 2 Little Owls and 5 Goosanders (my first of the autumn here). A family party consisting of a female Pheasant with at least 2 young were seen and heard and may or may not have been the same female seen with 4 young not too far away in the valley on 15/9?

On Kitcliffe Reservoir there were 13 Tufted Duck (a large count for here) and 11 had been seen here 13/9 and 7 on 15/9. 2 Little Grebes were also on the same res and they were also here on 13/9 and 15/9 and presumably might be the same 2 birds that were also seen here on 18/8? It is unusual for Little Grebes to hang around at Piethorne - at best in any year you might get a single bird for a single day...if you're lucky. In the stiff breeze c35 Swallows were foraging low over Kitcliffe Res with a single white rumped bird amongst them - just a House Martin.......or might it have been a petrel?



Cheers,

Bill


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Monday 20th of September 2010 01:51:01 PM

2nd September.

7.30 to 11.30 am.

c25 Greenfinch and c20 Feral Pigeons milling around a garden feeding station in the lower valley were dispersed by a Sparrowhawk. This female Sparrowhawk was later seen tangling with a Carrion Crow. A mixed flock of c50 Linnet and c70 Meadow Pipits were in the upper valley, as was a loose collection of c25 Pied Wagtails. There was a flock of 14 Long-tailed Tits and the only warblers seen were 3 Chiffchaffs and a single Willow Warbler. 5 Stock Doves were in the lower valley and 2 Skylarks in the upper valley.

Other recent sightings have included - 2 House Sparrows (very scarce birds here!) on 13th August, 2 Little Grebes and a Green Sandpiper on 18th August and a Spotted Flycatcher was reported on 21st August.

Just a quick update on SCaMP. For further info - see post on this particular thread dated 24/3/09. The trees planted (Holly, Oak, Rowan, Alder and Hawthorn) to help re-forest the cloughs in the upper valley are doing really well and some are already showing some substantial growth - especially so the Rowans.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Thursday 2nd of September 2010 05:23:29 PM

Originally posted on Tuesday 10th August by Dave Philips:

Tues 10am
On a breezy morning spectacular sight of nine Kestrels in the air together, lots of chasing going on and practice plunges on imaginary prey. Nice to see they've had a good season. Later seven Raven kronking over the valley. Also single Cormorant, Green Woodpecker and Curlew.
Cheers Dave Phillips


__________________
D J Phillips

1 Cormorant
1 Little Owl
1 Stock Dove
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Wheatear
40+ Goldfinches

No Whinchats or Xbills

A male Whinchat seen briefly this p.m. in the south east corner of Piethorne Resr below the track leading to Hanging Lees Resr. It was perched on top of a Marsh Thistle and then disappeared from view. Perhaps just passing though.

25th July.

7.30 to 11.30 am.

First visit to Piethorne for ages and a really good mornings birding.

Highlight came right at the end of the morning when 7 calling Crossbills flew out of the large conifer plantation on the northern side of Ogden Reservoir.

Also in this plantation - 1, probably 2 juvenile Goldcrest almost certainly being fed by adult(s). 1 Treecreeper and 5+ Coal Tits.
Other highlights - juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, cracking views of a Green Woodpecker, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Cormorant.

Plenty of other evidence of breeding activity - 6 young Swallows sat on a barbed wire fence waiting to be fed, family party of 6 Greenfinch, male Pied Wagtail carrying food with plenty of independent juveniles about, a single begging juvenile Chaffinch sat in an unusually exposed location on one of the horizontal beams of an electricity pylon making begging calls and waiting for an adult to return with food, Meadow Pipits carrying food in two separate locations, 2 independent juvenile Stonechats , female Mallard with 5 ducklings and also several small parties of Linnets. 4 Willow Warblers still singing. 2 juvenile Grey Wagtails seen.

Piethorne with large areas of thistles in the upper valley is usually a good site for big post-breeding flocks of Goldfinch. Today just a modest count of c60 - (75%) juveniles although I expect numbers will build to even higher levels than this.

There was a small passage of Swifts first thing - 14 W at 7.40 and a further 6 W at 8.00 am.

Only let down? - No Curlew, Skylark or Wheatears though - probably already left the valley?

Cheers,

Bill.



-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 25th of July 2010 01:29:59 PM

19th May.

A single Dunlin in the valley this morning.

Bill.

7th May.

A Sanderling on the mud on Norman Hill Reservoir was a first ever sighting of this species in the valley.

Also 2 Garden Warblers.

A flock of c180 hirundines foraging over Ogden Reservoir was composed of approximately 80% Sand Martins and 20% Swallows. No House Martins apparent.

Cheers,

Bill.

mooch from the car park - raghole - round the PBW - hanging lees and back
hundreds of sand martin
coal tit 2
great tit 5
goldcrest 1 singing
2 GC grebes on ogden
3 curlew above raghole
4 wheatear 2 above old house 2 hanging lees
1 green woodpecker cracking views of a yaffling male old house
loads of WW, lots of skylark and mipits


-- Edited by Paul Cliff on Sunday 25th of April 2010 03:18:26 PM

2 Little Ringed Plover on Norman Hill Res Wed pm., along with 1 common sandpiper.

Simon - pleased your visit was more than handsomely rewarded with the sighting of a good gaggle of Ouzels! Well done.

My only other noteworthy sighting of late at Piethorne was a Whimbrel seen briefly on 13th April.

Bill.

Bill texted me this afternoon to say he'd had a male Ring Ouzel at Piethorne on the slopes south of the treatment works so I popped in after work to have a look and was treated to a Ring Ouzel fest with at least 7 birds present (at least 4 males) in this area - the birds were favouring the area around the quarry at the top of the slope at the edge of the plantation, and the adjacent rough fields - they were quite flighty but kept heading back to the area around the quarry. There were also 5 Wheatear, 1 Curlew and 4 Pheasants in the same area. Bill also had a Common Sandpiper this afternoon.

Much more going on here than at Hollingworth Lake - might have to change my local patch!

11th April

A quick look, just a pair of Teal and a pair of Great Crested Grebes on Ogden.

12th April

Spring is certainly in the air today. At least 5 Willow Warblers singing around the valley, 1 at Lane Bottom, 2 at Kitcliffe and 2 near Piethorne Resrs. A pair of Wheatear near Hanging Lees and a female Goldeneye on the resr, pair of Reed Buntings and 2 flyover Oystercatcher near Piethorne, pair of Long-tailed Tits by Kitcliffe and 2 Swallows around Springmill. Also usual Chaffinches, Wrens, Dunnocks, Greenfinches and Robins singing around the valley and Curlew bubbling on the moors...magnificent!!

Neil

3rd April

1 Swallow
2 Stock Doves
2 Curlew
2 Great-crested Grebes

2030-2100

2 Tawny Owl

Nice morning in the valley, and things are really getting going now
Birds of note

at least 3 wheatears
a dipper
a coupla skylarks
some meadow pipits
1 little owl
1 kestrel
A sparrowhawk displaying
2 grey wagtails courting
1 pied/white wagtail
2 gc grebes
a curlew circling and calling
a cormorant
a fieldfare or 2
3 goosanders
and all the usual stuff
failed again on the green woodpeckers :cry

Male wheatear and a pair of Stonechat on wall at east end of piethorne res and 2 vocal green woodpeckers in the valley.

16th March.

2 Meadow Pipits this afternoon - in more recent and milder winters a few hardy pipits have spent the winter months at Piethorne but these are the first I have seen/heard since 2/12/09.

In addition to Marks 2 Goosanders this morning there were another 12 (10 males) on Rooden Reservoir this afternoon.

Cheers,

Bill.

1015-1150

2 Green Woodpecker
2 Goosander
3 Mallard
2 Great Crested Grebe
Canada Goose
Treecreeper
Long-tailed Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
3 Reed Bunting
7 Pied Wagtail
3 Curlew
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Blackbird
Magpie

2 Goosanders (drake and redhead) on Piethorne. 2 Teal and 2 Great Crested Grebes on Ogden. Also female Bullfinch in garden with feeders alongside Ogden.

Sat 13th Feb late pm
Pretty birdless, but saw a nice mixed flock of fieldfares and starlings
A pair of treecreepers
A male goosander
A buzzard (and found a few large pellets comprising of rabbit fur too)
The missus thinks she heard an owl hoot
Keep trying, things will improve steadily.

6th Feb 11am to 1.30pm
birds of note.
Poss green woodpecker (at distance and with strong sun behind it, could have been a branch lol)
goosander m
goldcrest
2 cracking buzzards circling and calling over lower valley on a thermal
1 dipper unringed where the river goes alongside the main road to Newhey

4th February.

Morning visit - Ogden, Kitcliffe and Piethorne Reservoirs all approx 75% frozen over - the only wildfowl appeared to be just 2 Mallards on Ogden Res.! - not even a Canada Goose in sight!

The valley very quiet ......the only sighting of any particular note was of a small flock of c45 Fieldfare, 8 Starling and 3 Mistle Thrush.

Cheers,

Bill.

30th January.

9.00 - 11.00.

First lengthy visit for a good while - the valley still in the grip of a hard winter....so not a lot about.

4 Teal (2m, 2f) on a half frozen Ogden Reservoir. 2 female Goosander on an unfrozen Piethorne Reservoir. I flushed a flock of c10 Grey Partridge right on one of the top elevations in the upper valley - very surprised they have survived this hard spell of weather! Up near here some of the deep sided green lanes still have drifts of 2 to 3 foot of snow lying about in them - the snow is so hard and frozen you can actually walk on top of it without falling through!! Also on some churned up horse grazed fields right on the top elevations a mixed flock of c70 Starling and c15 Fieldfare.

In the lower valley - a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming and two large trees held 13 Stock Doves (one of which was displaying to another bird) and 11 Woodpigeons.

2 Woodcock, 2 Goldcrest and 1 Treecreeper in the valley on 18th January.

Cheers,

Bill.

I was also at Piethorne on New Year's Day - have almost thawed out now!

The only birds on Piethorne Resr were a pair Mallard, a pair Goosander and a Kingfisher!

Unfortunately the diver hadn't left Hollingworth Lake and moved to Piethorne! The reservoirs were mostly frozen the highlights being a Woodcock by Kitcliffe, 11 Teal on Ogden and 22 Mallards on Piethorne Reservoirs.

Neil

4th December.

Morning visit.

Typically brief but for once unrestricted views of a Woodcock as it made its escape flight.

Also 1 female Wigeon on Ogden Reservoir. At least the eighth record of this species at Piethorne this year - excellent!

At Piethorne at this time of year there is the lovely and touching tradition that a specified conifer tree that borders the footpath that runs along the front of Rough Bank Plantation which is on the northern-western edge of Ogden Reservoir is decked, by visitors to the valley, with cards and christmas decorations etc to celebrate not only the season but also to remember dearly loved ones that have died. Not sure of the origins of this tradition but the tree is again just starting to be "dressed up" as Christmas approaches. Another reason why Piethorne is such a special place to visit.

Cheers,

Bill.



-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 4th of December 2009 05:08:14 PM

2nd December.

7.50 - 11.15 am.

A beautiful winters morning - the valley looked really stunning in the bright sunlight. Chatted with Matt from UU and he told me that the water levels on Ogden Reservoir rose by over 7' over the last weekend! Water levels back to normal on all reservoirs now except Kitcliffe on which the valve is still being tested out after the reservoir was drained earlier this year.

Lots of birds about this morning.

Highlight was a female Gadwall on Ogden Res. Incredibly the second record for Gadwall at Piethorne this year! Also many more Reed Buntings than normal - a flock of c22 in one part of the valley and a flock of c8 in another part.

Plus Green Woodpecker, 3 Teal (2 males), 5 Bullfinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll. Still a few Meadow Pipits hanging on the upper valley - what do they find to eat there in the winter? Presume this is the time of year when part of their diet becomes plant seeds? 36+ Common Gulls lolling about on Ogden Reservoir - more than the number of BH Gulls present which is unusual. Small numbers of Redwings (c4) and Fieldfares (c10) as well.

No sign of the immature Mute Swan - although there was one at Kingsway Business Park which may have been the same bird seen here 30/11?

Cheers,


Bill.

30th November.

An immature Mute Swan on Ogden Reservoir this morning - a Piethorne scarcity! -almost as good as the diver!

Plus 5 Goosander (3 males).

Cheers,

Bill.

Experience Rob, experience...

Ian McKerchar wrote:

---

It is indeed one of the Hollingworth birds (only one there this morning)

---

How do you know that exactly? Following on from the "How do vagrants find each other" topic, I think we are under-estimating the number of GNDs over-flying our county...

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Saturday 28th of November 2009 03:45:39 AM

Mark Rigby wrote:

---

Bill,

when you have finished with the diver, could you please sent it on its way over the hill to Castleshaw.

Cheers.

---

Via Strinesdale of course