Not sure if they are regular in "the city" or not but dont remember seeing one myself, Jay flew over car parks next to chester road and on over Bridgewater viaduct before landing in trees on west of road. Also good sized mixed tit flock in trees around the car parks here comprising of Blue, Great and Long tailed.
MJKeating said
Wed Sep 3 8:26 AM, 2014
8 Long Tailed Tits on telephone wires over the car park next to Little Peter Street (Off Deansgate).
Rob Creek said
Sat Aug 30 7:49 PM, 2014
Late post : 19 Cormorant flying over Bridge Street near the Marcaddy pub yesterday at 12.15pm in the direction of Salford Quays
Ollie Wright said
Mon Jun 2 12:37 PM, 2014
2 Goldfinches (one singing) were just flitting around the railings and battlements on the roof of Town Hall.
Adam Jones said
Thu May 29 1:42 PM, 2014
Kestrel drifted along Princess Street at lunchtime. Only about 10 foot off the ground. Headed towards China Town.
steven burke said
Thu May 22 8:12 PM, 2014
I first found the spotted flycatcher around 5pm it was high in the canopies of the tallest trees, Norway maples, I think & was typically flycatching, flicking its tail as it landed, it did however come down a little closer at times. as well as being excited about adding another new bird for the area I was also gutted with myself for entering the city centre for a second day running without my binoculars & camera, big mistake, but I was suppose to be shopping the bird proved to be elusive despite there not being a lot of trees in the area of the cathedral, I lost it for 35 mins at one point, it was still present when I left before 7pm.
other birds at the cathedral... 1 grey wagtail 2 dunnocks 2 crows 1 robin 1 blackbird several greenfinches & goldfinches
Ian McKerchar said
Thu May 22 7:01 PM, 2014
Fantastic record of a Spotted Flycatcher around the cathedral, in trees on its north side, at 5:15 today and still present at 7pm.
Info thanks to Steven Burke
steven burke said
Sun May 18 10:44 PM, 2014
a new bird for me today to add to my city centre list 1 jackdaw flew over Urbis/triangle at 11.20am this morning calling heading south/west also 1 swallow over the same area 1 chaffinch on Blackfriars house then flew down into the trees next to the bridge. 2 grey wagtails next to Blackfriars bridge.
steven burke said
Mon May 5 8:53 PM, 2014
on Friday 2nd may I decided to do what Karen did back in November & count the feral pigeons in Piccadilly gardens, I managed 384 with several more moving around
this morning only managed to count 137 feral pigeons. 4 goosanders on the river Irwell from Victoria bridge. goldfinch collecting spiders webb from a lamppost in Piccadilly gardens.
MJKeating said
Wed Apr 16 10:17 AM, 2014
1 very chirpy Mistle Thrush this morning perched high on the top of the lamppost near the Mancunian Way bridge (Chester Road side). What's not to sing about in this sunshine?!
Ollie Wright said
Fri Apr 11 11:16 AM, 2014
Just been shown some terrific close-up pictures of a male Kestrel taking advantage of a roadkilled rat in Chinatown. Taken on a smartphone from within a few feet.
Simon Johnson said
Thu Apr 10 8:24 PM, 2014
On the out skirts of the city centre
Harris Hawk circling over the tram depot 2 Grey wagtail - flew over tram tracks outside Victoria station
David Walsh said
Thu Mar 27 12:21 AM, 2014
Wednesday 26th March 2014, 6.15pm
On an ultimately pointless journey to Anfield, Grey Heron over Oxford Road station
Lynne Webster said
Fri Feb 28 11:31 AM, 2014
A walk along the canal from Oxford Road to the stream at the end of Potato Wharf
As well as the usual Canada geese, mallards and black headed gulls, there was a pair of Goosander on the stream and a pair of grey wagtails on the canal bank.
The canalside bushes held many blackbirds, 3 goldfinch, 4 bluetits, 2 great tits, 2 dunnocks and a wren
There were 2 cormorants in the Castlefield canal basin
JamieDunning said
Fri Feb 21 2:05 PM, 2014
C.30 goldeneye on the Irwell just up from Adelphi yesterday afternoon. Almost 50/50 split male and female!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 21st of February 2014 05:01:29 PM
Tony Coatsworth said
Thu Jan 30 8:02 PM, 2014
Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Crow, Peregrine, and Kestrel - all largish birds in this area which perch up high.
Also Wood Pigeons perch up in the town centre miles from decent sized trees ! Feral Pigeons tend to tuck into ledges to avoid the Peregrines.
steven burke said
Thu Jan 30 3:30 PM, 2014
Rob Creek wrote:
MJKeating wrote:
There is a bird which perches on the bell tower of the old Branigans pub on Peter Street. I can't quite work out what it is but believe it is a magpie. Anyone else seen it? I'm wondering if it has a nest up there or just enjoys the look out!
Hi MJ, it should be fairly easy to work out if it's a Magpie or not from a simple enough description, basically a black and white bird (with blue and green shimmers in the black when seen up close) roughly twice the size of a Blackbird and has a long tail. Did you see the bird fly in to where it perches... the long tail will be evident in relation to its body, fairly broad rounded wings and a slow wing beat with gliding in between. Unlikely to be nesting where you say it is (if it is a Magpie) as they usually nest in trees and build large bulky nests made up of a mass of strong twigs. It sounds to me like a favourite observation point as Magpies are intelligent and opportunistic birds, and it gets quite busy near Brannigans with quite a few food outlets so every chance of dropped food and a free meal. Nothing else really looks like a Magpie so I hope my description has been of help to you. Cheers Rob
matt, there is a regular pair of crows in that area, I have seen them around Lloyd street, possibly one of them !
Rob Creek said
Wed Jan 29 2:43 PM, 2014
MJKeating wrote:
There is a bird which perches on the bell tower of the old Branigans pub on Peter Street. I can't quite work out what it is but believe it is a magpie. Anyone else seen it? I'm wondering if it has a nest up there or just enjoys the look out!
Hi MJ, it should be fairly easy to work out if it's a Magpie or not from a simple enough description, basically a black and white bird (with blue and green shimmers in the black when seen up close) roughly twice the size of a Blackbird and has a long tail. Did you see the bird fly in to where it perches... the long tail will be evident in relation to its body, fairly broad rounded wings and a slow wing beat with gliding in between. Unlikely to be nesting where you say it is (if it is a Magpie) as they usually nest in trees and build large bulky nests made up of a mass of strong twigs. It sounds to me like a favourite observation point as Magpies are intelligent and opportunistic birds, and it gets quite busy near Brannigans with quite a few food outlets so every chance of dropped food and a free meal. Nothing else really looks like a Magpie so I hope my description has been of help to you. Cheers Rob
MJKeating said
Tue Jan 28 4:21 PM, 2014
There is a bird which perches on the bell tower of the old Branigans pub on Peter Street. I can't quite work out what it is but believe it is a magpie. Anyone else seen it? I'm wondering if it has a nest up there or just enjoys the look out!
Graham Smith said
Thu Jan 23 7:47 PM, 2014
My work mate left work ,crossed the carpark and came across a male Kestral feeding on a rat.He managed to get within 2 feet of the bird and get some great shots on his phone. CIS carpark
Steve Suttill said
Thu Jan 23 1:14 PM, 2014
More like two dozen Redwings on Tib Street today - and plenty of berries left.
Steve Suttill said
Mon Jan 13 1:32 PM, 2014
Approx a dozen very vocal Redwing on Tib Street in the trees that attracted Waxwings the other year
steven burke said
Fri Jan 10 6:01 PM, 2014
80+ mostly greenfinches, several goldfinches in the tree tops at the cathedral.
1 male goosander on the river Irwell at Blackfriars bridge.
Gary Edwards said
Wed Jan 8 7:53 PM, 2014
A decent sized flock of Redwing feeding on the berries outside my office Westminster House. Walk down Aytoun Street and turn right towards the gay village and you may catch sight of them. There's a Mistle Thrush that's been resident for a while who is not happy to share the berry stash.
MJKeating said
Wed Jan 8 1:57 PM, 2014
Occasionally I see a bird soaring around the top of the Hilton Hotel but my office window is too far away to work out what it is. I'm sure it's not a gull but I'm wondering if it's one of the resident peregrines as I'm still waiting to catch a glimpse of one!!
Rob Creek said
Tue Jan 7 2:44 PM, 2014
Rob Creek wrote:
A lone Canada Goose currently stood outside Great Northern cinema entrance near the Hilton on Deansgate, honking away!
I see this Canada Goose made the papers over Christmas!
Mark Whalley said
Mon Jan 6 1:05 PM, 2014
Flock of 20+ Redwings feeding on berry trees on Store Street on Saturday 4th Jan. Very skittish.
steven burke said
Wed Jan 1 7:47 PM, 2014
on the river Irwell this afternoon viewed from Blackfriars bridge..
on the river Irwell at the Victoria & albert hotel...
9 goosanders, 2 kestrels.
200+ redwings at the junction of new elm rd & water st with several goldfinches amongst them.
-- Edited by steven burke on Wednesday 1st of January 2014 07:47:40 PM
Tony Coatsworth said
Tue Dec 31 11:28 AM, 2013
20+ Redwing flying around Bloom St / Canal St area this morning
dave broome said
Sat Dec 28 8:59 PM, 2013
Approx 300 Redwing in total in the vicinity of New Elm Road, feeding on Rowan and thronging bushes along the River Medlock by Potato Wharf 1 Meadow Pipit over the Irwell by Water Street, dropped down to area beyond Trinity Way and the railway (see Salford thread) a Black-Headed Gull on railings outside the Lowry Hotel bore a foreign ring, but I couldn't confirm the country
dave broome said
Sat Dec 28 1:41 PM, 2013
Currently approx 250 Redwing at New Elm Rd, Castlefield
steven burke said
Fri Dec 27 9:15 PM, 2013
this afternoon around the cathedral & chetham school of music area...
this afternoon around the cathedral & chetham school of music area...
1 woodpigeon 3 redwings 3 blackbirds 1 robin 27 goldfinches 3 greenfinches 4 blue tits 1 pied wagtail
Steven Nelson said
Tue Dec 24 5:50 PM, 2013
1.15pm 1 Kingfisher giving great close views in the small canal between Water Street carpark and the V&A Hotel. It then flew out to the R. Irwell .
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Tuesday 24th of December 2013 05:52:06 PM
Rob Creek said
Mon Dec 23 3:10 PM, 2013
Currently approx 15 - 20 Redwings along with a Mistle Thrush and a Blackbird very active around the warehouses on Adair Street not far from Picadilly Rail Station
...and a Peregrine just flown over top end of Adair Street and Great Ancoats Street as I was driving away from a delivery.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 23rd of December 2013 03:20:11 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 23rd of December 2013 04:23:04 PM
steven burke said
Sun Dec 22 7:07 PM, 2013
this afternoon around the cathedral, Urbis & Victoria station area...
2 mistle thrushes 4 blue tits 11 goldfinches 2 dunnocks 1 wren 1 woodpigeon 2 crows 2 pied wagtails 1 grey wagtail 4 Canada geese flew onto the river Irwell.
David Walsh said
Sat Dec 21 12:51 PM, 2013
Saturday 21st December 2013, 9.35am
Several pied wagtails flying around the rooves of the Christmas market stalls in Exchange and St Anne's Squares
Rob Creek said
Fri Dec 20 3:55 PM, 2013
16 Redwings currently active near the Renault garage at Blackfriars junction
Rob Creek said
Thu Dec 19 10:22 AM, 2013
A lone Canada Goose currently stood outside Great Northern cinema entrance near the Hilton on Deansgate, honking away!
Mark Whalley said
Mon Dec 9 1:31 PM, 2013
We ( my partner and I) didn't get a really close look as it was dark and the bird was running along ahead of us but on Friday 6th December at around 10pm there was either a Woodcock or a Snipe running along Houldsworth Street ( behind G Ancoats Street), it ran into Lever Street and was scared by a passer by so took to the wing over Gt Ancoats St. Not a bird We'd expect to see there.
-- Edited by Mark Whalley on Monday 9th of December 2013 01:32:31 PM
steven burke said
Mon Nov 18 2:55 AM, 2013
a kingfisher flew onto some vegetation on the river Irwell near to the ncp car park bridge before flying off down stream, also 1 grey wagtail, 4 Canada geese.
Paul Heaton said
Sun Nov 17 7:21 PM, 2013
3 Woodcock collect this week in the town centre, all taken into care by RSPCA.
Keep Birding.
Rob Smallwood said
Sun Nov 17 4:13 PM, 2013
Late news from last week where a colleague reported a strange bird grounded in the Market Street area around dusk which from the description was probably a Woodcock.
Ian Coote said
Sun Nov 17 5:50 AM, 2013
Karen Foulkes wrote:
I decided to count the Feral Pigeons in Piccadilly Gardens today, as nobody ever seems to bother and I can't understand why. They are such an attractive species after all!
On this occasion I positively counted 280, but as they were flushed on more than one occasion, there were likely more present.
I'm sure a few of the birders who work in the city centre must count them occasionally, but are too to say!
Excellent! You are quite right, these birds are quite remarkable in their own way and deserve to be studied and recognised!
Karen Foulkes said
Sun Nov 17 2:14 AM, 2013
I decided to count the Feral Pigeons in Piccadilly Gardens today, as nobody ever seems to bother and I can't understand why. They are such an attractive species after all!
On this occasion I positively counted 280, but as they were flushed on more than one occasion, there were likely more present.
I'm sure a few of the birders who work in the city centre must count them occasionally, but are too to say!
steven burke said
Sat Nov 9 3:02 AM, 2013
female goosander on the river Irwell viewed from ncp car park bridge, also 1 grey wagtail, 1 cormorant & 7 Canada geese.
Lynne Webster said
Sun Nov 3 1:29 AM, 2013
A half hour stroll around the old wharves of Potato Wharf, and the nearby riverbank this morning:
An adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker was picked up dead in our office car park this afternoon - in the Bridge Street arae of Manchester :(
Craig Higson said
Sun Oct 27 2:21 AM, 2013
dave broome wrote:
The Jackdaw this morning flew from Spinningfields over the ring road in to Salford with 39 Carrion Crows late morning. 27 species logged this morning, including 2 male Blackcap feeding on a Hawthorn by the River Irwell opposite the Marriot Hotel on Water St, Goldcrest by Water St car park, 2 Meadow Pipit over flying south, Kestrel by the Irwell and a Grey Heron on the Medlock by the Castlefield Youth Hostel
That's more than I saw at Worthington Lakes this afternoon!
dave broome said
Sun Oct 27 2:20 AM, 2013
The Jackdaw this morning flew from Spinningfields over the ring road in to Salford with 39 Carrion Crows late morning. 27 species logged this morning, including 2 male Blackcap feeding on a Hawthorn by the River Irwell opposite the Marriot Hotel on Water St, Goldcrest by Water St car park, 2 Meadow Pipit over flying south, Kestrel by the Irwell and a Grey Heron on the Medlock by the Castlefield Youth Hostel
Also good sized mixed tit flock in trees around the car parks here comprising of Blue, Great and Long tailed.
other birds at the cathedral...
1 grey wagtail
2 dunnocks
2 crows
1 robin
1 blackbird
several greenfinches & goldfinches
Info thanks to Steven Burke
also 1 swallow over the same area
1 chaffinch on Blackfriars house then flew down into the trees next to the bridge.
2 grey wagtails next to Blackfriars bridge.
this morning only managed to count 137 feral pigeons.
4 goosanders on the river Irwell from Victoria bridge.
goldfinch collecting spiders webb from a lamppost in Piccadilly gardens.
Harris Hawk circling over the tram depot
2 Grey wagtail - flew over tram tracks outside Victoria station
On an ultimately pointless journey to Anfield, Grey Heron over Oxford Road station
As well as the usual Canada geese, mallards and black headed gulls, there was a pair of Goosander on the stream and a pair of grey wagtails on the canal bank.
The canalside bushes held many blackbirds, 3 goldfinch, 4 bluetits, 2 great tits, 2 dunnocks and a wren
There were 2 cormorants in the Castlefield canal basin
Almost 50/50 split male and female!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 21st of February 2014 05:01:29 PM
Also Wood Pigeons perch up in the town centre miles from decent sized trees !
Feral Pigeons tend to tuck into ledges to avoid the Peregrines.
matt, there is a regular pair of crows in that area, I have seen them around Lloyd street, possibly one of them !
Hi MJ,
it should be fairly easy to work out if it's a Magpie or not from a simple enough description, basically a black and white bird (with blue and green shimmers in the black when seen up close) roughly twice the size of a Blackbird and has a long tail. Did you see the bird fly in to where it perches... the long tail will be evident in relation to its body, fairly broad rounded wings and a slow wing beat with gliding in between.
Unlikely to be nesting where you say it is (if it is a Magpie) as they usually nest in trees and build large bulky nests made up of a mass of strong twigs.
It sounds to me like a favourite observation point as Magpies are intelligent and opportunistic birds, and it gets quite busy near Brannigans with quite a few food outlets so every chance of dropped food and a free meal.
Nothing else really looks like a Magpie so I hope my description has been of help to you.
Cheers
Rob
80+ mostly greenfinches, several goldfinches in the tree tops at the cathedral.
1 male goosander on the river Irwell at Blackfriars bridge.
I see this Canada Goose made the papers over Christmas!
Flock of 20+ Redwings feeding on berry trees on Store Street on Saturday 4th Jan. Very skittish.
on the river Irwell this afternoon viewed from Blackfriars bridge..
1 kingfisher, 1 cormorant, 1 grey heron, 1 grey wagtail.
on the river Irwell at the Victoria & albert hotel...
9 goosanders, 2 kestrels.
200+ redwings at the junction of new elm rd & water st with several goldfinches amongst them.
-- Edited by steven burke on Wednesday 1st of January 2014 07:47:40 PM
1 Meadow Pipit over the Irwell by Water Street, dropped down to area beyond Trinity Way and the railway (see Salford thread)
a Black-Headed Gull on railings outside the Lowry Hotel bore a foreign ring, but I couldn't confirm the country
17 redwings
13 greenfinches
30+ goldfinches
3 pied wagtails
2 blue tits
1 woodpigeon
3 redwings
3 blackbirds
1 robin
27 goldfinches
3 greenfinches
4 blue tits
1 pied wagtail
1 Kingfisher giving great close views in the small canal between Water Street carpark and the V&A Hotel. It then flew out to the R. Irwell .
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Tuesday 24th of December 2013 05:52:06 PM
...and a Peregrine just flown over top end of Adair Street and Great Ancoats Street as I was driving away from a delivery.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 23rd of December 2013 03:20:11 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 23rd of December 2013 04:23:04 PM
2 mistle thrushes
4 blue tits
11 goldfinches
2 dunnocks
1 wren
1 woodpigeon
2 crows
2 pied wagtails
1 grey wagtail
4 Canada geese flew onto the river Irwell.
Several pied wagtails flying around the rooves of the Christmas market stalls in Exchange and St Anne's Squares
-- Edited by Mark Whalley on Monday 9th of December 2013 01:32:31 PM
Keep Birding.
Excellent! You are quite right, these birds are quite remarkable in their own way and deserve to be studied and recognised!
On this occasion I positively counted 280, but as they were flushed on more than one occasion, there were likely more present.
I'm sure a few of the birders who work in the city centre must count them occasionally, but are too
Kingfisher
Grey wagtail
Cormorant
3 grey herons
20 long tailed tits
4 bluetits
2 great tits
4 magpies
4 carrion crows
10 Canada geese
22 black-headed gulls
4 blackbirds
Wren
That's more than I saw at Worthington Lakes this afternoon!