ASTLEY, CHAT, LITTLE WOOLDEN AND ASSOCIATED MOSSES
John Doherty said
Fri Oct 9 11:34 AM, 2015
Late post for yesterday - Walk from Irlam to Little Woolden Moss and up near airport - 3 Kestrels, 3 Jays, 4 Buzzards and a Willow Tit on the edge of Little Woolden reserve were the 'keepers'
Jason Dulhanty said
Tue Oct 6 4:23 PM, 2015
Little woolden moss This morning a very pale chested Peregrine basking in the sun. Cheers Jay Don't twitch and drive.
James Walsh said
Tue Oct 6 1:02 PM, 2015
Sunday 4th October
White Wagtail with 10 Pied Wagtails on Little Woolden Moss LWT
Steve Judge said
Sat Oct 3 5:43 PM, 2015
Saturday 3rd October 2015 13:30 - 16:00 hrs. Cloudy/misty conditions.
Walk along Twelve Yards Road - Little Woolden Moss - and back via Croxden Peat Fields / Pools
White Wagtail x 1 Pied Wagtail x 4 Buzzard x 2 Mistle Thrush x 2 Great Black-Backed Gull x 3 Long Tailed Tits x 5 Blue Tit x 2 Chaffinch x 30 Goldfinch x 25 Greenfinch x 2 Mallard x 40 Blackbirds x 4 Robin x 7 (lot more heard!) Reed Bunting x 3 Meadow Pipit x 1 Carrion Crow x 10 (one bird had large white patches on both wings) Grey Heron x 4 (in flight over Croxden Pools) Magpies x 10 Starlings x 100 Jay x 2 Pheasants x 7 Woodpigeon x 50
-- Edited by Steve Judge on Saturday 3rd of October 2015 05:45:12 PM
-- Edited by Steve Judge on Saturday 3rd of October 2015 05:48:19 PM
Steven Nelson said
Sat Oct 3 12:52 PM, 2015
3 Swallow in the fog over f40 at 10.30am.
Ian Boote said
Sun Sep 27 5:22 PM, 2015
Not much on either Chat, Caddishead, Little Woolden Moss or Great Woolden Wood
2 Buzzards, Lots of Meadow Pipits Few Skylark, 2 Singing Chiffchaffs, lots of Pied Wagtails Sand Martins Swallows Linnets, Lesser Redpoll and a Grey Partridge.
Steven Nelson said
Sat Sep 26 12:50 PM, 2015
10.00-10.45am Irlam Moss - field 40 2 Raven over south 1 Peregrine - male 1 Skylark
Steven Nelson said
Sun Sep 20 2:35 PM, 2015
12.00-13.15 Croxdens
Rather quiet
70+ Mallard 2 Siskin over 4 Redpoll over 1 Buzzard 1 Kestrel (f) 3 Chiffchaff - 1 singing 1 Pied Wagtail 1 Skylark 2 Meadow Pipit 1 Reed Bunting flock of 17 Carrion Crow - 2 birds had pale patches on the wings
And 1 huge wind turbine that has suddenly appeared in the distance spoiling the panaramic view!
IANMOFFAT1 said
Tue Sep 15 2:29 AM, 2015
Walked the moss lands yesterday afternoon (14th sept) including Barton,Chat,& Astley Moss east.
My annual Partridge count always takes place after harvesting as the birds are feeding in the stubble and are easier to locate. Barton moss had a covey of 7 Grey Partridges, two coveys of 12 (10 juv) & 11(9 juv) were located on Chat moss. Note- field numbers withheld due to hunters. Please post any sightings on Irlam,Cadishead,& Astley mosses for inclusion in my annual survey including any Red-legged. No field numbers required.
A personal record count on the moss lands of 3 species today. 44 Mistle Thrushes feeding around the metal grain barns & the Hawthorn bushes at Bartonmoss farm. Also a nye of 27 Pheasants together in one field was a surprise all but two were females. Then on Astley moss east i inadvertently flushed a flock of 51 Snipe easily my best count in one location on the Moss lands. Also present 41 Teal, 150+ Lapwings, a single Little Grebe, and a very friendly photo obliging female Whitchat.
5 Buzzards were soaring over Black wood and 2 Kestrels hunting in F49 & 2 more Kestrels were sitting on the hay rolls in F9. Cheers Ian
John Williams said
Sun Sep 13 5:27 PM, 2015
10.00-13.00
Walked from Rindle Road to Little Woolden Moss
Between Rindle Road and the Moss
Lots of Swallows were on the overhead wires, and in flight of the farmland. A flock of 20 Starlings were on wires near the level crossing.
Woodpigeons en-masse on the newly cut fields of stubble. A Buzzard was hunting along the edge of Rindle Wood.
Little Woolden Moss
13 juvenile Herring Gulls bathed in one of the pools.
A juvenile Shelduck showed an affinity to the pools, at one point it was flushed by a Buzzard, but after circling the moss a few times, the duck returned to the same pool.
Over the moss were 3 Kestrels and 6 Buzzards, whilst in birches bordering the moss were 1 Siskin, 1 Willow Warbler and 4 Chiffchaffs.
First foray as far as Little Woolden Moss from Rindle Road in superb weather this morning - there was more happening on the path with butterflies and dragonflies than on the pools with birds, unfortunately. Still a great place to visit!
Plenty seen en route though:
Mistle Thrush - 19 Starling - approx 70 in 3 separate flocks Chiffchaff - 4 Grey Heron - 2 lurking in cut hay fields House Martin - family group of 5 around one of the houses Pied (?Alba) Wagtail - 5 Long Tailed Tit - 5 Kestrel - 3 (2 of them over the reserve being harried by a Raven) Hobby - 1 (Edge of reserve, mobbed by 2 crows) Common Buzzard - 5 (1 north, 4 over reserve, circling beautifully together on the thermals) Lesser Black Backed Gulls - lost count - some Herring Gulls among them Raven - 2
Also Carrion Crow numerous Jay heard Pheasant Blue tits, Robins and Wrens in generous numbers Mixed Finch flock around the road near the Moss - mainly juvenile Goldfinch and Greenfinch Woodpigeon in large numbers on the cut hay fields
-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Monday 7th of September 2015 09:31:34 PM
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Sep 6 6:27 PM, 2015
Day spent here today.
Little Woolden Moss:
3 meadow pipit 1 ruff 2 little ringed plover 1 peregrine 1 kestrel 2 (at least) rook among a larger number of carrion crow on a stubble field adjacent to the reserve.
Irlam Moss:
1 corn bunting 1 yellow wagtail 14 pied wagtail 8 grey partridge (one group of 5, one of 3) 1 kestrel 2 buzzard
Also a flock of hundreds of woodpigeon flying over Irlam Moss seen from Little Woolden Moss; quite a sight!
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 6th of September 2015 06:38:13 PM
Ian Boote said
Mon Aug 31 5:35 PM, 2015
AM Little Woolden and Chatmoss Peat Pools Chatmoss Green sandpiper 6 Siskin
Little Woolden Wood Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover & Ringed Plover in mixed flock of 12, 20 Siskin, Common whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel and Buzzard mobbed by Carrion Crows, Long Tailed Tits, Lesser Redpoll, House Sparrow, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail Juvs, Sand Martins, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Skylarks, 200 Starlings in field.
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Aug 30 11:11 AM, 2015
Wood Sandpiper showing well on pool 11:10
Rob Creek said
Sun Aug 30 10:47 AM, 2015
Saturday evening, 7.00 - 7.45pm. A late visit due to working during the day, getting delayed with the city centre festival blocking my restaurant delivery areas, and then waiting for a tradesman to give me a garden job quote but I was let down!!! (Hint! Hint!)
Little Woolden Moss approached from Moss Road, Cadishead side.
- Wood Sandpiper still present. Great views of the Wood Sandpiper on one of the pools not far from the path. Only other one I've ever seen was a tiny blob out on Wigan Flashes couple of year ago so this was a good sighting for me. Very active constantly feeding the whole time, a dainty little bird that strangely reminded me of the Lesser Yellowlegs I was watching in Cornwall last year, very similar species in this young stage in my opinion.
Other birds of note... - Yellow Wagtail flying over and calling - few Stock Dove - lots of Woodpigeon - Kestrel (1 male) - large Gulls, few 100 at least in ploughed fields near Ring Pitt Farm on Moss Road. Mainly looked to be Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, with lots of juveniles and various stages of immature birds too. Around 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Little Woolden itself with some interesting looking ones.
Mark Burgess said
Sun Aug 30 10:43 AM, 2015
7.30 - 9.45am, Highlights,
Croxden peat pools Green Sandpiper Whinchat A fly through Peregrine put up 30-40 Wood Pigeon
Little Woolden Moss Peregrine Kestrel Buzzard Willow Tit Swallow 50+ Wood Sandpiper still present on the pool
Nice to meet and chat to Dave Steel
John Watson said
Sun Aug 30 9:16 AM, 2015
The police take firearms offences, even by marginally illegal hunters, very seriously. A birder friend reported someone up on the moors for taking pot shots at geese. The police turned up very quickly with the Armed Response Unit & helicopters. The hunter became the hunted, and probably needed new trousers. I think the police used it as a training exercise.
Steven Nelson said
Sat Aug 29 10:23 PM, 2015
Tim Wilcox wrote:
Steven Nelson wrote:
Little Woolden Moss LWT: 1 Wood Sandpiper still present at 17.00 this evening. 2 Kestrels c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 1 Stock Dove c.20 Jackdaw
Croxdens: 1 Hobby showing well hawking dragonflies over the PNR at 16.15 3 Teal c.40 Mallard 2 Moorhen 2 Kestrels 1 Meadow Pipit
Plus 1 Human hiding in a hedge in the field alongside Twelve Yards Rd getting his kicks blasting Woodpigeons out of the sky.
If anyone sees this happening again notify the Police. It is illegal to discharge a firearm within 50 feet of a public highway be it road, bridleway or footpath. It doesn't matter if the gun is pointed away from the path it is still illegal.
Hi Tim. I don't think he was actually breaking the law. He was about halfway along the eastern edge of f52 in the hedge between f14 and f52 firing into f52. I've measured the distance using google earth and calculated the distance to be approx 450 feet away from Twelve Yards Rd !! He had lures in the field of 'dummy' pigeons including 1 lure on a rotating stick. I have seen this a few times on the moss over the years including one guy who was definitely less than 50ft away from a road a few years ago. However, with other birds such as a Hobby flying around within a few hundred metres of the bloke's gun I hope his ID skills are good. I just don't understand why people want to do it! I'm watching 'em and he's shooting 'em !! Cheers for the information. Worth knowing for the future.
Tim Wilcox said
Sat Aug 29 9:25 PM, 2015
Steven Nelson wrote:
Little Woolden Moss LWT: 1 Wood Sandpiper still present at 17.00 this evening. 2 Kestrels c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 1 Stock Dove c.20 Jackdaw
Croxdens: 1 Hobby showing well hawking dragonflies over the PNR at 16.15 3 Teal c.40 Mallard 2 Moorhen 2 Kestrels 1 Meadow Pipit
Plus 1 Human hiding in a hedge in the field alongside Twelve Yards Rd getting his kicks blasting Woodpigeons out of the sky.
If anyone sees this happening again notify the Police. It is illegal to discharge a firearm within 50 feet of a public highway be it road, bridleway or footpath. It doesn't matter if the gun is pointed away from the path it is still illegal.
Steven Nelson said
Sat Aug 29 7:32 PM, 2015
Little Woolden Moss LWT: 1 Wood Sandpiper still present at 17.00 this evening. 2 Kestrels c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 1 Stock Dove c.20 Jackdaw
Croxdens: 1 Hobby showing well hawking dragonflies over the PNR at 16.15 3 Teal c.40 Mallard 2 Moorhen 2 Kestrels 1 Meadow Pipit
Plus 1 Human hiding in a hedge in the field alongside Twelve Yards Rd getting his kicks blasting Woodpigeons out of the sky.
James Walsh said
Sat Aug 29 7:19 PM, 2015
Little Woolden Moss
Wood Sandpiper
Croxdens
Green Sandpiper
Cadishead Moss
4 Yellow Wagtail
Michael Davis said
Sat Aug 29 2:37 PM, 2015
10:35 - Good, close, views of the Wood Sandpiper this morning on the first patch of water at Little Woolden Moss. Excellent bird.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sat Aug 29 11:01 AM, 2015
Made it! Good views this morning of a juv. Wood Sandpiper on Little Woolden Moss.
Walk down Twelve Yards Road towards Astley Road, cross it, carry on walking down the path straight in front of you, and you're there.
Little Woolden Moss is marked on the field map for the 'Chat Moss' area on the site guides on the Manchester Birding website Phil and the flooded area (where the Wood Sandpiper is) is field 38.
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri Aug 28 7:07 PM, 2015
PHIL GREENWOOD wrote:
I must find out where Little Woolden Moss is!
Walk down Twelve Yards Road towards Astley Road, cross it, carry on walking down the path straight in front of you, and you're there.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Aug 28 6:03 PM, 2015
Late morning visit to Croxden's Pools but no Wood Sandpiper as previously mentioned. I must find out where Little Woolden Moss is! Otherwise...
An enjoyable morning on the mosses between around 8.30 and 12. Walking up Astley Road a lump of mud to my right turned out to be a Grey Partridge, sat still about 25 yards from the road. There were actually 2 and they didn't move at all; I'm used to them flushing or running off so it was nice to have a good look.
No Wood Sandpiper at Croxdens. There was a Green Sandpiper on the mud, showing really well. I think it was a juvenile, it was quite a light brown and showed some speckly markings and a clear white stripe before the eye, but not behind.
Little Woolden Moss was the obvious place to look next for the Wood Sand, and as I walked over I met Dave Steel, who confirmed a bird was in fact over there. Nice to meet you Dave, if you happen to read this.
Also present 7 Ringed Plover, inc. 2 juveniles, 1 Little Ringed Plover juvenile, and 1 Dunlin juvenile, and a growing roost of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, up to around 50 when I left.
I stayed about an hour watching the small waders at pretty close range. They were within 50 yards I think. My best views by far of Wood Sandpiper, it was a smart juvenile and was great to watch, notable for a bobbing similar to Common Sandpiper and a pleasing phlegmatism in the face of lots of flighty Gulls. I could see it feeding on flies and other insects on the top of the water. A GM first too.
On the way back over to Irlam I noticed a big woodpile and thought it was worth a closer look. Far from it containing a Little Owl though, I was quite surprised to see 4 Grey Partridge and a Pheasant perched on various branches. Not sure what was with the Partridges today!
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Aug 28 12:12 PM, 2015
Wood Sandpiper still present on Little Woolden Moss this morning.
Info thanks to Simon Gough
James Walsh said
Thu Aug 27 9:17 PM, 2015
Croxdens
Whinchat Wood Sandpiper Dunlin 5 Teal
Woodstock Farm
2 Yellow Wagtail 2 Swift
Paul Richardson said
Tue Aug 25 8:16 PM, 2015
Steven Nelson wrote:
17.00-18.00 Croxdens
1 Green Sandpiper still present but no sign of the Wood Sandpiper
Dave Steel reported sighting "a" Wood Sandpiper on Little Woolden Moss at 17.00.
Steven Nelson said
Tue Aug 25 6:27 PM, 2015
17.00-18.00 Croxdens
1 Green Sandpiper still present but no sign of the Wood Sandpiper 78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls - mixture of ages 3 Black-headed Gulls - incl 2 juvs 1 Teal 42 Mallard 4 Moorhen 1 Pied Wagtail - juv 1 Swift over S 6 Sand Martins c.20 Swallows - some heading over S 1 Jay family party of c.12 Long-tailed Tits along track by Dixon's Wood 1 Kestrel
Paul Richardson said
Tue Aug 25 4:36 PM, 2015
Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper both present again at Croxden's pools at 14.30 today.
I spent a fruitful half hour our so scoping the Wood Sandpiper - a lifer for me - and although it was fairly mobile along the one pool among various juvenile gulls, it seemed settled. Then for no reason I could see it called, took off, and flew long and high in a NW direction until I lost it. Keep an eye open at Pennington Flash?!
Steven Nelson said
Mon Aug 24 9:35 PM, 2015
19.30-20.30 Croxdens
Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper both still present this evening.
Also: 1 Snipe A few Teal and Mallard 1 Kestrel 1 Meadow Pipit 1 Lapwing c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a few Black-headed Gulls 2 Moorhen
Nice to meet Mark Burgess as well.
Dave Thacker said
Mon Aug 24 9:51 AM, 2015
Wood sandpiper and Green sandpiper still at Croxdens pools at the moment though they have been put to flight once due to a Fox hunting along the edge of the trees. Both sandpipers are currently feeding in the middle of the pools.
Chris Harper said
Sun Aug 23 8:40 PM, 2015
Wood Sandpiper still present at 7.20 Also Green Sandpiper 4 Snipe 7 Lapwing 2+ Kestrel Meadow Pipit 6 Linnet
Make sure if driving your car has good suspension.
James Walsh said
Sun Aug 23 4:01 PM, 2015
Wood Sandpiper Chat Moss on Croxden Pool showing with a Green Sandpiper 2:45pm
Park at Moss Farm on Cutnook Lane, walk north, at the cross-roads continue north for 150 yards then turn left at the old barn for 100 yards to view
Also, 2 Peregrines and 10 Teal
Peregrine and juv Shelduck Little Woolden Moss LWT
-- Edited by James Walsh on Sunday 23rd of August 2015 09:00:33 PM
phillipskelly said
Sun Aug 23 2:44 PM, 2015
Wood sandpiper Chat Moss Croxdens Pool ... Info from James Walsh
Steven Nelson said
Fri Aug 21 6:55 PM, 2015
15.00- 16.00 Irlam Moss
c.400+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls in f21 1 Siskin over Astley Rd near Woodstock Farm 1 Grey Partridge 2 Sparrowhawk (including 1 in a skirmish with a Kestrel) 2 Kestrel 2 Buzzard 1 Pied Wagtail A few Swallow and smaller numbers of House Martin hawking the fields
Steven Nelson said
Thu Aug 20 6:39 PM, 2015
14.15 Cadishead Moss
Estimate of at least 400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in fields south of motorway bridge and around the pig farm. Also a further 12 on Little Woolden Moss NR but very little else.
A Siskin heard in trees by the NR
John Williams said
Mon Aug 17 10:43 PM, 2015
Walk from Rindle Road, through Rindle Wood, along the edge of the moss and scrapes (18.15-19.45)
1 Meadow Pipit seen carrying a damselfly, 3 Jays, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler and 2 Collared Doves.
Woodpigeons on virtually every branch. No raptors to be seen anywhere.
Steven Nelson said
Sun Aug 16 7:23 PM, 2015
15.00-16.30 Croxdens
Family party of 14 Grey Partridge c.150 Lesser Black-backed Gulls c.10 Herring Gulls c.10 Black-headed Gulls 6 Mallard 3 Moorhen 4 Linnet 1 Pied Wagtail 30+ Swift 15+ Swallow
1 dead Canada Goose
Dave Thacker said
Mon Aug 3 2:48 PM, 2015
Croxdens today
Green sandpiper Hobby 62 Lesser black backed gulls and another 253 resting on the peat across the track. 31 Black headed gulls 5 Reed buntings 2 Willow tits Kestrel 8 Buzzards 3 Meadow pipits 7 Yellowhammers 2 Willow warblers Jay Treecreeper Grey wagtail 2 Goldcrest 60+ Sand martins
Shannon Llewellyn said
Mon Aug 3 2:14 PM, 2015
A few records from yesterday; from Irlam, up Astley Road, right and left to take me past Moss Farm, left onto Twelve Yards Road, and then across to Little Woolden Moss:
4 willow warbler (very yellow juveniles) 1 sedge warbler 8 whitethroat 20+ goldfinch 14 greenfinch 4 linnet 7 yellowhammer (including four in song, and one with a beak of food) c100 swallow 30+ house martin 1 sand martin 3 skylark 10+ pied wagtail 50+ swift 300+ lesser black-backed gull c40 black-headed gull Between 4 and 7 kestrel (5 being most likely) 1 buzzard
Also pretty sure there were two grey partridge on Little Woolden Moss; not quite quick enough with the binoculars, though, and when I did get them up, they were out of focus, due to having been previously peering at dragonfly. The impression was of fairly uniformly coloured partridge without the distinctive red-legged's markings, but without a 100% confirmation, they have to go down as one (or two) that got away, I'm afraid.
Steven Nelson said
Sun Jul 26 7:01 PM, 2015
15.30-16.45 Croxdens
1 Common Sandpiper 170+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls 1 Herring Gull 15 Black-headed Gull 1 Lapwing 2 Pied Wagtail 4 Linnet 1 Meadow Pipit c.40 Sand Martin c.30 Swallow c..10 Swift 12 Mallard 3 Moorhen 1 Blackcap (f) 4 Chiffchaff 1 Bullfinch - heard only Mixed family party of c.10 Long Tailed Tits and c.6 Blue Tits -mostly young birds
Steve Judge said
Sat Jul 25 10:30 PM, 2015
Saturday 25th July 11:30 - 15:00 hrs.
Walk along Twelve Yards Road - Little Woolden Moss - and back via Croxden Peat Fields / Pools
White Wagtail (and juvenile) Grey Wagtail (and juvenile) Kestrel x 3 Buzzard x 3 Swallows Swifts House Martins Lesser Black Backed Gulls Black Headed Gulls Herring Gulls Moorhen Long Tailed Tits Wren Blue Tit Chaffinch Mallard Blackbirds Pheasant (Male and Female)
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Jun 28 9:09 PM, 2015
Little Woolden Moss:
1 reed bunting 4 skylark c10 pied wagtail, including several juveniles 3 meadow pipit Several willow warbler singing 5 lapwing 3 curlew 1 oystercatcher c150 lesser black-backed gull 4 herring gull adults c20 black-headed gull (at least half being juvenile) 2 kestrel (both appeared to be female, so one a juvenile?) 2 buzzard off in the distance
Walking through Irlam Moss to get there there were lots of goldfinch, plenty of greenfinch, blackbird, song thrush and mistle thrush, two each of linnet, whitethroat, skylark and lapwing (far fewer lapwing seen today than I normally see here), one buzzard and an oystercatcher flying over.
John Doherty said
Thu Jun 25 6:54 PM, 2015
Good numbers of singing warblers today, no doubt flycatching. Quite a lot of Yellowhammers in song, but undoubted birding highlights were Cuckoo (pursued by Meadow Pipits) and a Willow Tit near the edge of Astley SSSI. Plus Kestrel x 2 and Buzzard x 1
Ian Boote said
Tue Jun 16 7:58 PM, 2015
Little Woolden Circa 40 Gulls Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Black headed, Goldcrest, Oystercatcher, 4 Curlew, 3 Yellowhammer, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Blackcap, Grey Partridge, Common Whitethroat, lots of Lapwing, Swift, Swallow, 2 Tufted Duck and Sky Larks.
Late post for yesterday - Walk from Irlam to Little Woolden Moss and up near airport - 3 Kestrels, 3 Jays, 4 Buzzards and a Willow Tit on the edge of Little Woolden reserve were the 'keepers'
This morning a very pale chested Peregrine basking in the sun.
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive.
White Wagtail with 10 Pied Wagtails on Little Woolden Moss LWT
Walk along Twelve Yards Road - Little Woolden Moss - and back via Croxden Peat Fields / Pools
White Wagtail x 1
Pied Wagtail x 4
Buzzard x 2
Mistle Thrush x 2
Great Black-Backed Gull x 3
Long Tailed Tits x 5
Blue Tit x 2
Chaffinch x 30
Goldfinch x 25
Greenfinch x 2
Mallard x 40
Blackbirds x 4
Robin x 7 (lot more heard!)
Reed Bunting x 3
Meadow Pipit x 1
Carrion Crow x 10 (one bird had large white patches on both wings)
Grey Heron x 4 (in flight over Croxden Pools)
Magpies x 10
Starlings x 100
Jay x 2
Pheasants x 7
Woodpigeon x 50
-- Edited by Steve Judge on Saturday 3rd of October 2015 05:45:12 PM
-- Edited by Steve Judge on Saturday 3rd of October 2015 05:48:19 PM
2 Buzzards, Lots of Meadow Pipits Few Skylark, 2 Singing Chiffchaffs, lots of Pied Wagtails Sand Martins Swallows Linnets, Lesser Redpoll and a Grey Partridge.
2 Raven over south
1 Peregrine - male
1 Skylark
Rather quiet
70+ Mallard
2 Siskin over
4 Redpoll over
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel (f)
3 Chiffchaff - 1 singing
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Skylark
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Reed Bunting
flock of 17 Carrion Crow - 2 birds had pale patches on the wings
And 1 huge wind turbine that has suddenly appeared in the distance spoiling the panaramic view!
My annual Partridge count always takes place after harvesting as the birds are feeding in the stubble and are easier to locate.
Barton moss had a covey of 7 Grey Partridges, two coveys of 12 (10 juv) & 11(9 juv) were located on Chat moss. Note- field numbers withheld due to hunters.
Please post any sightings on Irlam,Cadishead,& Astley mosses for inclusion in my annual survey including any Red-legged. No field numbers required.
A personal record count on the moss lands of 3 species today.
44 Mistle Thrushes feeding around the metal grain barns & the Hawthorn bushes at Bartonmoss farm.
Also a nye of 27 Pheasants together in one field was a surprise all but two were females.
Then on Astley moss east i inadvertently flushed a flock of 51 Snipe easily my best count in one location on the Moss lands.
Also present 41 Teal, 150+ Lapwings, a single Little Grebe, and a very friendly photo obliging female Whitchat.
5 Buzzards were soaring over Black wood and 2 Kestrels hunting in F49 & 2 more Kestrels were sitting on the hay rolls in F9.
Cheers
Ian
Walked from Rindle Road to Little Woolden Moss
Between Rindle Road and the Moss
Lots of Swallows were on the overhead wires, and in flight of the farmland. A flock of 20 Starlings were on wires near the level crossing.
Woodpigeons en-masse on the newly cut fields of stubble. A Buzzard was hunting along the edge of Rindle Wood.
Little Woolden Moss
13 juvenile Herring Gulls bathed in one of the pools.
A juvenile Shelduck showed an affinity to the pools, at one point it was flushed by a Buzzard, but after circling the moss a few times, the duck returned to the same pool.
Over the moss were 3 Kestrels and 6 Buzzards, whilst in birches bordering the moss were 1 Siskin, 1 Willow Warbler and 4 Chiffchaffs.
One of the Chiffchaffs was actually singing.
Plenty seen en route though:
Mistle Thrush - 19
Starling - approx 70 in 3 separate flocks
Chiffchaff - 4
Grey Heron - 2 lurking in cut hay fields
House Martin - family group of 5 around one of the houses
Pied (?Alba) Wagtail - 5
Long Tailed Tit - 5
Kestrel - 3 (2 of them over the reserve being harried by a Raven)
Hobby - 1 (Edge of reserve, mobbed by 2 crows)
Common Buzzard - 5 (1 north, 4 over reserve, circling beautifully together on the thermals)
Lesser Black Backed Gulls - lost count - some Herring Gulls among them
Raven - 2
Also
Carrion Crow numerous
Jay heard
Pheasant
Blue tits, Robins and Wrens in generous numbers
Mixed Finch flock around the road near the Moss - mainly juvenile Goldfinch and Greenfinch
Woodpigeon in large numbers on the cut hay fields
-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Monday 7th of September 2015 09:31:34 PM
Little Woolden Moss:
3 meadow pipit
1 ruff
2 little ringed plover
1 peregrine
1 kestrel
2 (at least) rook among a larger number of carrion crow on a stubble field adjacent to the reserve.
Irlam Moss:
1 corn bunting
1 yellow wagtail
14 pied wagtail
8 grey partridge (one group of 5, one of 3)
1 kestrel
2 buzzard
Also a flock of hundreds of woodpigeon flying over Irlam Moss seen from Little Woolden Moss; quite a sight!
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 6th of September 2015 06:38:13 PM
Chatmoss
Green sandpiper 6 Siskin
Little Woolden
Wood Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover & Ringed Plover in mixed flock of 12, 20 Siskin, Common whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel and Buzzard mobbed by Carrion Crows, Long Tailed Tits, Lesser Redpoll, House Sparrow, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail Juvs, Sand Martins, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Skylarks, 200 Starlings in field.
A late visit due to working during the day, getting delayed with the city centre festival blocking my restaurant delivery areas, and then waiting for a tradesman to give me a garden job quote but I was let down!!! (Hint! Hint!)
Little Woolden Moss approached from Moss Road, Cadishead side.
- Wood Sandpiper still present.
Great views of the Wood Sandpiper on one of the pools not far from the path. Only other one I've ever seen was a tiny blob out on Wigan Flashes couple of year ago so this was a good sighting for me. Very active constantly feeding the whole time, a dainty little bird that strangely reminded me of the Lesser Yellowlegs I was watching in Cornwall last year, very similar species in this young stage in my opinion.
Other birds of note...
- Yellow Wagtail flying over and calling
- few Stock Dove
- lots of Woodpigeon
- Kestrel (1 male)
- large Gulls, few 100 at least in ploughed fields near Ring Pitt Farm on Moss Road. Mainly looked to be Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, with lots of juveniles and various stages of immature birds too.
Around 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Little Woolden itself with some interesting looking ones.
Croxden peat pools
Green Sandpiper
Whinchat
A fly through Peregrine put up 30-40 Wood Pigeon
Little Woolden Moss
Peregrine
Kestrel
Buzzard
Willow Tit
Swallow 50+
Wood Sandpiper still present on the pool
Nice to meet and chat to Dave Steel
Hi Tim. I don't think he was actually breaking the law. He was about halfway along the eastern edge of f52 in the hedge between f14 and f52 firing into f52. I've measured the distance using google earth and calculated the distance to be approx 450 feet away from Twelve Yards Rd !! He had lures in the field of 'dummy' pigeons including 1 lure on a rotating stick. I have seen this a few times on the moss over the years including one guy who was definitely less than 50ft away from a road a few years ago. However, with other birds such as a Hobby flying around within a few hundred metres of the bloke's gun I hope his ID skills are good. I just don't understand why people want to do it! I'm watching 'em and he's shooting 'em !! Cheers for the information. Worth knowing for the future.
If anyone sees this happening again notify the Police. It is illegal to discharge a firearm within 50 feet of a public highway be it road, bridleway or footpath. It doesn't matter if the gun is pointed away from the path it is still illegal.
1 Wood Sandpiper still present at 17.00 this evening.
2 Kestrels
c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Stock Dove
c.20 Jackdaw
Croxdens:
1 Hobby showing well hawking dragonflies over the PNR at 16.15
3 Teal
c.40 Mallard
2 Moorhen
2 Kestrels
1 Meadow Pipit
Plus 1 Human hiding in a hedge in the field alongside Twelve Yards Rd getting his kicks blasting Woodpigeons out of the sky.
Wood Sandpiper
Croxdens
Green Sandpiper
Cadishead Moss
4 Yellow Wagtail
Good views this morning of a juv. Wood Sandpiper on Little Woolden Moss.
On a ploughed field along Astley Road were:
Missel Thrush 12
Pied Wagtail 1
Yellow Wagtail 1
Starling 20+
Greenfinch 2
Little Woolden Moss is marked on the field map for the 'Chat Moss' area on the site guides on the Manchester Birding website Phil and the flooded area (where the Wood Sandpiper is) is field 38.
Walk down Twelve Yards Road towards Astley Road, cross it, carry on walking down the path straight in front of you, and you're there.
Otherwise...
Hobby 1 juv.
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Raven 2 lowish, flying South.
Whinchat 1 f/1st W. Not sure which.
Sand Martin 1
BH Gull 3
LBB Gulls
Mallards
Gadwall 1
Missel Thrush 1
Chiffchaff 1 singing.
Swallows
So, not a wasted journey after all.
No Wood Sandpiper at Croxdens. There was a Green Sandpiper on the mud, showing really well. I think it was a juvenile, it was quite a light brown and showed some speckly markings and a clear white stripe before the eye, but not behind.
Little Woolden Moss was the obvious place to look next for the Wood Sand, and as I walked over I met Dave Steel, who confirmed a bird was in fact over there. Nice to meet you Dave, if you happen to read this.
Also present 7 Ringed Plover, inc. 2 juveniles, 1 Little Ringed Plover juvenile, and 1 Dunlin juvenile, and a growing roost of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, up to around 50 when I left.
I stayed about an hour watching the small waders at pretty close range. They were within 50 yards I think. My best views by far of Wood Sandpiper, it was a smart juvenile and was great to watch, notable for a bobbing similar to Common Sandpiper and a pleasing phlegmatism in the face of lots of flighty Gulls. I could see it feeding on flies and other insects on the top of the water. A GM first too.
On the way back over to Irlam I noticed a big woodpile and thought it was worth a closer look. Far from it containing a Little Owl though, I was quite surprised to see 4 Grey Partridge and a Pheasant perched on various branches. Not sure what was with the Partridges today!
Info thanks to Simon Gough
Whinchat
Wood Sandpiper
Dunlin
5 Teal
Woodstock Farm
2 Yellow Wagtail
2 Swift
Dave Steel reported sighting "a" Wood Sandpiper on Little Woolden Moss at 17.00.
1 Green Sandpiper still present but no sign of the Wood Sandpiper
78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls - mixture of ages
3 Black-headed Gulls - incl 2 juvs
1 Teal
42 Mallard
4 Moorhen
1 Pied Wagtail - juv
1 Swift over S
6 Sand Martins
c.20 Swallows - some heading over S
1 Jay
family party of c.12 Long-tailed Tits along track by Dixon's Wood
1 Kestrel
I spent a fruitful half hour our so scoping the Wood Sandpiper - a lifer for me - and although it was fairly mobile along the one pool among various juvenile gulls, it seemed settled. Then for no reason I could see it called, took off, and flew long and high in a NW direction until I lost it.
Keep an eye open at Pennington Flash?!
Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper both still present this evening.
Also:
1 Snipe
A few Teal and Mallard
1 Kestrel
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Lapwing
c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a few Black-headed Gulls
2 Moorhen
Nice to meet Mark Burgess as well.
Also Green Sandpiper
4 Snipe
7 Lapwing
2+ Kestrel
Meadow Pipit
6 Linnet
Make sure if driving your car has good suspension.
Park at Moss Farm on Cutnook Lane, walk north, at the cross-roads continue north for 150 yards then turn left at the old barn for 100 yards to view
Also, 2 Peregrines and 10 Teal
Peregrine and juv Shelduck Little Woolden Moss LWT
-- Edited by James Walsh on Sunday 23rd of August 2015 09:00:33 PM
c.400+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls in f21
1 Siskin over Astley Rd near Woodstock Farm
1 Grey Partridge
2 Sparrowhawk (including 1 in a skirmish with a Kestrel)
2 Kestrel
2 Buzzard
1 Pied Wagtail
A few Swallow and smaller numbers of House Martin hawking the fields
Estimate of at least 400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in fields south of motorway bridge and around the pig farm.
Also a further 12 on Little Woolden Moss NR but very little else.
A Siskin heard in trees by the NR
1 Meadow Pipit seen carrying a damselfly, 3 Jays, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler and 2 Collared Doves.
Woodpigeons on virtually every branch. No raptors to be seen anywhere.
Family party of 14 Grey Partridge
c.150 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.10 Herring Gulls
c.10 Black-headed Gulls
6 Mallard
3 Moorhen
4 Linnet
1 Pied Wagtail
30+ Swift
15+ Swallow
1 dead Canada Goose
Green sandpiper
Hobby
62 Lesser black backed gulls and another 253 resting on the peat across the track.
31 Black headed gulls
5 Reed buntings
2 Willow tits
Kestrel
8 Buzzards
3 Meadow pipits
7 Yellowhammers
2 Willow warblers
Jay
Treecreeper
Grey wagtail
2 Goldcrest
60+ Sand martins
4 willow warbler (very yellow juveniles)
1 sedge warbler
8 whitethroat
20+ goldfinch
14 greenfinch
4 linnet
7 yellowhammer (including four in song, and one with a beak of food)
c100 swallow
30+ house martin
1 sand martin
3 skylark
10+ pied wagtail
50+ swift
300+ lesser black-backed gull
c40 black-headed gull
Between 4 and 7 kestrel (5 being most likely)
1 buzzard
Also pretty sure there were two grey partridge on Little Woolden Moss; not quite quick enough with the binoculars, though, and when I did get them up, they were out of focus, due to having been previously peering at dragonfly. The impression was of fairly uniformly coloured partridge without the distinctive red-legged's markings, but without a 100% confirmation, they have to go down as one (or two) that got away, I'm afraid.
1 Common Sandpiper
170+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Herring Gull
15 Black-headed Gull
1 Lapwing
2 Pied Wagtail
4 Linnet
1 Meadow Pipit
c.40 Sand Martin
c.30 Swallow
c..10 Swift
12 Mallard
3 Moorhen
1 Blackcap (f)
4 Chiffchaff
1 Bullfinch - heard only
Mixed family party of c.10 Long Tailed Tits and c.6 Blue Tits -mostly young birds
Walk along Twelve Yards Road - Little Woolden Moss - and back via Croxden Peat Fields / Pools
White Wagtail (and juvenile)
Grey Wagtail (and juvenile)
Kestrel x 3
Buzzard x 3
Swallows
Swifts
House Martins
Lesser Black Backed Gulls
Black Headed Gulls
Herring Gulls
Moorhen
Long Tailed Tits
Wren
Blue Tit
Chaffinch
Mallard
Blackbirds
Pheasant (Male and Female)
1 reed bunting
4 skylark
c10 pied wagtail, including several juveniles
3 meadow pipit
Several willow warbler singing
5 lapwing
3 curlew
1 oystercatcher
c150 lesser black-backed gull
4 herring gull adults
c20 black-headed gull (at least half being juvenile)
2 kestrel (both appeared to be female, so one a juvenile?)
2 buzzard off in the distance
Walking through Irlam Moss to get there there were lots of goldfinch, plenty of greenfinch, blackbird, song thrush and mistle thrush, two each of linnet, whitethroat, skylark and lapwing (far fewer lapwing seen today than I normally see here), one buzzard and an oystercatcher flying over.
Circa 40 Gulls Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Black headed, Goldcrest, Oystercatcher, 4 Curlew, 3 Yellowhammer, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Blackcap, Grey Partridge, Common Whitethroat, lots of Lapwing, Swift, Swallow, 2 Tufted Duck and Sky Larks.