Pete,welcome to the forum and nice to meet you,as you say the SEO gave distant views this evening my 159th county bird(lifer ect) all thanks to the forum. Anyone looking on the maps won,t find the roads mentioned in earlier posts but it is well signposted off junc 21 a to z page 52 d1.
cheers geoff
brian fielding said
Sun Jan 4 7:44 PM, 2009
hi pete, i was one of the four others, pity it was out late and distant but thats how it is sometimes.
Pete Stevens said
Sun Jan 4 5:01 PM, 2009
Thanks Bill Had distant views this evening of the SEO. 4 other birders present, thanks to them for keeping up spirits when it looked like a no show. Pete
Bill Myerscough said
Sat Jan 3 8:21 PM, 2009
3rd January.
Short-eared Owl still present late this afternoon (3/01) - showed for a short time but at some distance.
Also present 3 Buzzards in the air together to the west/south-west of the business park, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pheasant, c60 Lapwing & 1 Grey Heron.
Many thanks to the other 6 birders there, who braved the cold conditions and were all really good company.
Bill.
Steve Collins said
Sat Jan 3 12:28 AM, 2009
The Short-eared Owl was there again tonight (friday) sat on a fence post when I arrived at 3.30pm, giving great views. It then hunted the whole area until 3.45pm. Lovely to watch close at hand. No Camera as on way home from work. It reappeared again & still present at 4.00pm when I left. Surprised only 2 other birders were there at an easy accessible spot just 1-2 minutes off the motorway! Steve
-- Edited by Steve Collins at 00:30, 2009-01-03
Steve Atkins said
Thu Jan 1 5:13 PM, 2009
The Short-eared Owl was hunting the same area of rough grassland and Juncus at the bottom of John Milne Avenue between approx. 15:30 and 16:00 hrs. At one point it stood on a fence post only 100 yards from the road and gave stunning views through the scope, as it looked straight at us with its piercing yellow eyes. A great way to start the New Year.
Steve Atkins said
Tue Dec 30 5:35 PM, 2008
A Short-eared Owl was seen briefly at 14:30 hrs, intially standing on a fence post. It then took flight and circled over an area of Juncus before disappearing into a gully. The bird was seen again several times by Dave Ousey between 15:40 and 16:00 hrs. It was viewed from the roundabout at the top end of John Milne Avenue where the new industrial units have been built. If coming off the M62 at jct 21, turn onto Sir Isaac Newton Way heading west towards Kingsway and take the first exit off the first mini-roundabout. Coming from Kingsway it is the last exit off the 3rd mini-rdbt.
Bill Myerscough said
Thu Dec 18 3:07 PM, 2008
18th December.
Chatting with one of the workmen today who told me that he witnessed a Peregrine killing a Lapwing here last week. He also reported a single Great Black-backed Gull on the mud here on a few dates in the last week.
I had a GBB Gull here on 5/12 and also 1 Herring Gull on same date.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Fri Nov 21 11:26 AM, 2008
21st November.
Shelduck still present this morning!
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Nov 17 3:48 PM, 2008
17th November.
The Shelduck was still present this morning - ignoring the presence of earth-moving machinery and vehicles that were trundling across the mudflats!
Nice to think that it won't ever be forgotten and will enter the record books as a "dot on the map" for tetrad SD91B (Newbold) for the ongoing BTO Bird Atlas 2007 - 2011 project!! Currently the only winter record in the eastern part of our recording area........... at the moment!
Cheers,
Bill.
Judith Smith said
Sun Nov 16 10:05 PM, 2008
Called in here on my way to Hollingworth Lake. On the pond near the boarded up house - just 3 Teal. On the huge expanse of mud with partial floods at the 2nd roundabout, lots of gulls - and a Shelduck.
Bill Myerscough said
Wed Nov 12 6:42 PM, 2008
12th November.
Single female Wigeon amongst the 56 Mallards early this afternoon.
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Sun Nov 9 11:53 AM, 2008
9th November.
1 Dunlin - presumably the same bird that Steve Atkins and Alan Nuttall saw here last Saturday (1/11).
Have visited several times since 29th hoping for a re-sighting of the Mandarin but with no luck . However, Simon Hitchen has informed me that a Mandarin has been reported at Hollingworth Lake on 28th October - I would guess that it must still be about somewhere - but where?
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 11:55, 2008-11-09
Bill Myerscough said
Sun Nov 2 4:28 PM, 2008
2nd November.
1 Peregrine, 1 Reed Bunting.
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Sat Nov 1 5:11 PM, 2008
1st November.
3 Mute Swans - 2 ads & 1 juv on pond all day today. 51 Mallards early morning. 1 Skylark over.
PM - 1 Sparrowhawk hunting along a hedge containing 13 Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 5 Greenfinch , 2 Bullfinch, 5 Chaffinch.
Have been checking regularly the small pond on the business park - hoping for Gadwall, Pochard or Shoveler - all scarce ducks in Rochdale and Oldham.
At 7.20 am was very pleased and astonished to find amongst the 31 Mallards a stunning drake Mandarin Duck! The first time I have seen this species locally. It flew off with the Mallard flock at 7.40.
I know that in some of the previous years one has been reported intermittently residing on the Rochdale Canal - but I am not aware of any recent records? Maybe one has been about and missed? - possibly the canal was frozen today and it was forced away from its regular home?
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Thu Oct 16 8:02 PM, 2008
On a small pond on the business park.
16th October.
2 Tufted Duck.
12th October.
2 Kingfishers in dispute over the pond, 1 Wigeon with the small numbers of Mallards.
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Sep 29 11:28 AM, 2008
28th September.
First light.
A flock of 11 Skylarks on the mudflats, 50+ Woodpigeon over, 1 Kestrel, 1 Reed Bunting, 5 Teal & 8 Moorhens on a small pond on the business park.
Looks like all good things must come to an end! - it would appear that another phase of work is just getting underway - earth being moved and holes and hollows being filled in. There were some good birds here for a building site... while it lasted!
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Sep 22 3:48 PM, 2008
22nd September.
A single juvenile Shelduck was feeding on the wetter parts of the mud flats here early this afternoon.
Also a flock of 6 Mistle Thrush. 1 Swallow.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Wed Sep 17 3:42 PM, 2008
17th September.
A Barnacle Goose was amongst a small flock of Canada Geese that flew in. Presumably a feral bird - but maybe not at this time of year?
c140 gulls - mainly BH but 36 Common and 1 Lesser Black-backed counted.
No sign of any waders - and the pipits, finches and wagtails have all but gone from their usual spot. Maybe in a different, inaccessible part of the "reserve"?
Cheers,
Bill.
Steve Atkins said
Fri Sep 12 3:45 PM, 2008
11:50 to 12:30 hrs Dunlin - 6 Ringed Plover - 1 juv. Lapwing - 104 feeding & roosting on the pools Meadow Pipit - 33 counted but almost certainly more present.
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Sep 7 6:58 PM, 2008
5 pm
1 Whinchat 25+ Linnet 40+ Pied Wags 10+ Mipits
no waders
Bill Myerscough said
Thu Sep 4 2:17 PM, 2008
4th September.
Ringed Plover had increased to 7 birds this a.m - a good count for this area. Dunlin - 3 birds present today.
Also c70 House Martins foraging over the mud flats and c10 Meadow Pipits on the mud.
A flock of c80 Linnet, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 2 Sand Martins.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Fri Aug 22 3:54 PM, 2008
21st August.
1 Kingfisher . 1 Pheasant. c5 Sand Martins.
Still plenty of Pied Wagtails & Lapwings but just small numbers of Linnets today.
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Tue Aug 19 3:49 PM, 2008
19th August.
a.m. - c60 Linnet. - c70 House Martin & 1 Sand Martin. - 1 Great Crested Grebe. - c170 Lapwing.
p.m. - c85 Lapwing on the mud flats here with 1 Golden Plover amongst them. - c230 gulls - c30 Common, 4 LBB and the remainder Black-headed. - plenty of Pied Wagtails still about. Plus Dunlin and Ringed Plover still here.
Spent a time checking through the Pied Wagtails hoping for a Yellow Wagtail and through the Linnet flocks hoping for Twite - but with no luck ........ yet!
Heard today that there was a Turnstone here on 19th July. Same day that the Sanderlings and Black Tailed Godwits passed through.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 15:50, 2008-08-19
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 15:52, 2008-08-19
Judith Smith said
Mon Aug 18 8:04 PM, 2008
You could ask Steve Atkins at GMEU if he could get one of the staff to liaise with Rochdale - Fran Comyn at Rochdale would be the person to contact first, or Barry Simons. I don't know what Section 106 conditions were laid down when the planning permission was given - as it wasn't destroying a site of interest, there may not have been any. I haven't seen this site yet so difficult to give an opinion.
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Aug 17 9:11 PM, 2008
Sunday 17th August
MED GULL - juv moulting into 1st winter plumage - flew off east at 1840 Dunlin 4 Ringed Plover 2 Teal 23 Linnet 25+ Pied Wagtail 30+ Sparrowhawk 1 - chasing wagtails and sitting on the mud for long periods
Med Gull is still a major rarity in Rockerdale - slightly disappointed it's not worth any tournament points
Judith - is there no way we can get Rochdale council to preserve this small area for wildlife rather than turning into yet more industrial warehousing??
Bill Myerscough said
Sat Aug 16 1:47 PM, 2008
16th August.
4 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 40+ Pied Wagtail, c15 Linnet, c130 gulls - numbers of gulls has been much higher than this recently - today mostly Black-headed - but 4 Common and 3 Lesser Black-backed also present. c220 Lapwing, 30 House Martin, Begging juveniles of both Greenfinch and Goldfinch.
I have been told this morning that the work that has been on-going in the main area of this building site and which is the location where all the waders have been seen this year has now been completed for the time being. This area has also recently had - Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Black Tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover and Sanderling. Lets hope for some rain and some more "good" birds!
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 15th of May 2009 07:00:17 PM
Anyone looking on the maps won,t find the roads mentioned in earlier posts but it is well signposted off junc 21 a to z page 52 d1.
cheers geoff
Had distant views this evening of the SEO.
4 other birders present, thanks to them for keeping up spirits when it looked like a no show.
Pete
Short-eared Owl still present late this afternoon (3/01) - showed for a short time but at some distance.
Also present 3 Buzzards in the air together to the west/south-west of the business park, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pheasant, c60 Lapwing & 1 Grey Heron.
Many thanks to the other 6 birders there, who braved the cold conditions and were all really good company.
Bill.
Steve
-- Edited by Steve Collins at 00:30, 2009-01-03
Chatting with one of the workmen today who told me that he witnessed a Peregrine killing a Lapwing here last week. He also reported a single Great Black-backed Gull on the mud here on a few dates in the last week.
I had a GBB Gull here on 5/12 and also 1 Herring Gull on same date.
Cheers,
Bill.
Shelduck still present this morning!
The Shelduck was still present this morning - ignoring the presence of earth-moving machinery and vehicles that were trundling across the mudflats!
Nice to think that it won't ever be forgotten and will enter the record books as a "dot on the map" for tetrad SD91B (Newbold) for the ongoing BTO Bird Atlas 2007 - 2011 project!! Currently the only winter record in the eastern part of our recording area........... at the moment!
Cheers,
Bill.
Single female Wigeon amongst the 56 Mallards early this afternoon.
Bill.
1 Dunlin - presumably the same bird that Steve Atkins and Alan Nuttall saw here last Saturday (1/11).
Also - 4 Linnet, 8 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing & 1 Cormorant flying over.
Have visited several times since 29th hoping for a re-sighting of the Mandarin but with no luck . However, Simon Hitchen has informed me that a Mandarin has been reported at Hollingworth Lake on 28th October - I would guess that it must still be about somewhere - but where?
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 11:55, 2008-11-09
1 Peregrine,
1 Reed Bunting.
Bill.
3 Mute Swans - 2 ads & 1 juv on pond all day today. 51 Mallards early morning. 1 Skylark over.
PM - 1 Sparrowhawk hunting along a hedge containing 13 Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 5 Greenfinch , 2 Bullfinch, 5 Chaffinch.
Also 1 Kestrel, 1 Pheasant, c15 Pied Wagtails, 4 Meadow Pipits.
Bill.
Have been checking regularly the small pond on the business park - hoping for Gadwall, Pochard or Shoveler - all scarce ducks in Rochdale and Oldham.
At 7.20 am was very pleased and astonished to find amongst the 31 Mallards a stunning drake Mandarin Duck! The first time I have seen this species locally. It flew off with the Mallard flock at 7.40.
I know that in some of the previous years one has been reported intermittently residing on the Rochdale Canal - but I am not aware of any recent records? Maybe one has been about and missed? - possibly the canal was frozen today and it was forced away from its regular home?
Cheers,
Bill.
16th October.
2 Tufted Duck.
12th October.
2 Kingfishers in dispute over the pond,
1 Wigeon with the small numbers of Mallards.
Bill.
First light.
A flock of 11 Skylarks on the mudflats,
50+ Woodpigeon over,
1 Kestrel,
1 Reed Bunting,
5 Teal & 8 Moorhens on a small pond on the business park.
Looks like all good things must come to an end! - it would appear that another phase of work is just getting underway - earth being moved and holes and hollows being filled in. There were some good birds here for a building site... while it lasted!
Cheers,
Bill.
A single juvenile Shelduck was feeding on the wetter parts of the mud flats here early this afternoon.
Also a flock of 6 Mistle Thrush.
1 Swallow.
Cheers,
Bill.
A Barnacle Goose was amongst a small flock of Canada Geese that flew in. Presumably a feral bird - but maybe not at this time of year?
c140 gulls - mainly BH but 36 Common and 1 Lesser Black-backed counted.
No sign of any waders - and the pipits, finches and wagtails have all but gone from their usual spot. Maybe in a different, inaccessible part of the "reserve"?
Cheers,
Bill.
Dunlin - 6
Ringed Plover - 1 juv.
Lapwing - 104 feeding & roosting on the pools
Meadow Pipit - 33 counted but almost certainly more present.
1 Whinchat
25+ Linnet
40+ Pied Wags
10+ Mipits
no waders
Ringed Plover had increased to 7 birds this a.m - a good count for this area.
Dunlin - 3 birds present today.
Also c70 House Martins foraging over the mud flats and c10 Meadow Pipits on the mud.
Cheers,
Bill.
Dunlin 2
Ringed Plover 4 (2 Juv)
Wheatear
70+ Linnet
5 sand martin
Info from Mark Rigby.
A flock of c80 Linnet,
4 Ringed Plover,
2 Dunlin,
2 Sand Martins.
Cheers,
Bill.
1 Kingfisher .
1 Pheasant.
c5 Sand Martins.
Still plenty of Pied Wagtails & Lapwings but just small numbers of Linnets today.
Bill.
a.m.
- c60 Linnet.
- c70 House Martin & 1 Sand Martin.
- 1 Great Crested Grebe.
- c170 Lapwing.
p.m.
- c85 Lapwing on the mud flats here with 1 Golden Plover amongst them.
- c230 gulls - c30 Common, 4 LBB and the remainder Black-headed.
- plenty of Pied Wagtails still about. Plus Dunlin and Ringed Plover still here.
Spent a time checking through the Pied Wagtails hoping for a Yellow Wagtail and through the Linnet flocks hoping for Twite - but with no luck ........ yet!
Heard today that there was a Turnstone here on 19th July. Same day that the Sanderlings and Black Tailed Godwits passed through.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 15:50, 2008-08-19
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 15:52, 2008-08-19
MED GULL - juv moulting into 1st winter plumage - flew off east at 1840
Dunlin 4
Ringed Plover 2
Teal 23
Linnet 25+
Pied Wagtail 30+
Sparrowhawk 1 - chasing wagtails and sitting on the mud for long periods
Med Gull is still a major rarity in Rockerdale - slightly disappointed it's not worth any tournament points
Judith - is there no way we can get Rochdale council to preserve this small area for wildlife rather than turning into yet more industrial warehousing??
4 Dunlin,
2 Ringed Plover,
40+ Pied Wagtail,
c15 Linnet,
c130 gulls - numbers of gulls has been much higher than this recently - today mostly Black-headed - but 4 Common and 3 Lesser Black-backed also present.
c220 Lapwing,
30 House Martin,
Begging juveniles of both Greenfinch and Goldfinch.
I have been told this morning that the work that has been on-going in the main area of this building site and which is the location where all the waders have been seen this year has now been completed for the time being. This area has also recently had - Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Black Tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover and Sanderling. Lets hope for some rain and some more "good" birds!
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 15th of May 2009 07:00:17 PM