Female Marsh Harrier hunting over Chat Moss yesterday afternoon, put up the resident Curlews
their alarm call a loud piercing shrill put me onto the harrier.

Yellow Wagtails 3 m & 2 f on field 8 , plus 8 pairs of Lapwings with 14 day(s) old chicks observed
Also on F8. 3 pairs of Skylarks, pair of partridges flushed, Linnets, & Pied Wagtails.

Croxden PNR, good numbers of Reed Buntings & Meadow Pipits.

Late post due to dashing from the Mosslands to go to work on nights!
Cheers Ian.

Three Wheatear were present at 07:30am this morning in the field being ploughed behind Rindle Wood.

Since the ploughing stopped in the fields behind Rindle woods at 6.30pm two more wheatear have flown in to join the one which has been here all day. Also a Cuckoo has been feeding on the soil for the last 20 minutes along with 3 Pied wagtails, 6 Lawings, 40 Black headed gulls, 2 Meadow pipits and 3 Yellowhammers. Plenty of Whitethroats have arrived back this weekend.

Saturday pm, quick visit whilst passing. From the Rindle Rd split, down Great Moss Lane to the shooting club and back.

Fairly quiet...
Chaffinches-2
Mistle Thrush 1
Lapwing 2
Wood Pigeon-many
Buzzard 1
Pied Wagtail 2
Swallows-many

Wasn't going to post this next sighting but after consultation and deliberation I think I should. Many thanks for the info on this Ian, very much appreciated.
A Red-legged Partridge ironically in the field near to the driveway of the shooting club. Colourful facial markings and heavy streaking on the body most evident. Couldn't get the camera out fast enough as it ran off quick sharp.

7.00-9.50am

Male Cuckoo calling from Astley Moss SSSI at 8.18am this morning sounded like it was from within the wood that runs alone side the rail line.

Other birds of note was a lone Wheatear on the field that was being ploughed this morning.
2 Curlew on field 67.
Common Whitethroat 5
Willow Warbler 10+

-- Edited by Mark Burgess on Sunday 27th of April 2014 05:08:18 PM

3 Yellow wagtails, Curlew and 2 Grey partridge on Little Woolden moss at the moment. Also Cuckoo calling East of Croxdens peat works at 8.10 am.

John Blundell wrote:

---

... on ploughed field to south of SSSI off Rindless Rd...

---

Is that where they make the bacon John? :)

Rindle Road 11.45am
Distant sound of a Male Cuckoo singing from direction of Bedford moss.

09:00 this morning, White Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Wheatear on ploughed field to south of SSSI off Rindless Rd. Cuckoo calling close to railway in trees west of field & Grasshopper Warbler singing on edge of SSSI.

2 White Wagtail and singing Cuckoo still around Astley Moss SSSI this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Little

Note, the Cuckoo is covering a fairly large area and yesterday afternoon headed across the railway over towards Little Woolden Moss.

12-14.30
Rindle area
Man with Jagx1
wheatearx5
willow warblerx2
willow titx2
Lapwingx12
Stock dovex2
Yellowhammer
grey partridge
wrenx2
chaffinchx2
Reed buntingx2
long tail titx2
Robin
Great spotted woodpecker
Goldfinchx5
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive



-- Edited by Jason Dulhanty on Wednesday 23rd of April 2014 05:29:00 PM

Male Cuckoo singing at 8:30am this morning. Heard at the edge of the SSSI coming from the direction of Bedford Moss. Also, Willow Warblers everywhere, plenty of Meadow Pipits, a few Reed Buntings, Linnets and Wrens and a couple of Buzzards. Nothing at all down the feeding track even two hours after I had put some seed down - guess they don't need it now.

Little Woolden Moss (LWT)

4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears and 2 Oystercatchers seen from the public footpaths around the reserve this morning..

Cuckoo singing along the southern edge of Astley Moss SSSI once again at 07:15 this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Little

Please keep to the recognised paths around the edge of the SSSI.

A quick 45 minutes mid afternoon along Rindle Rd,

In field 67
Wheatear
Yellowhammer 7
Mistle Thrush
White Wagtail
Lapwing 8
Willow Warbler in the hawthorn hedge
1 Swallow over

10.15-11.30am Irlam Moss and Croxdens

1 Common Sandpiper
1 Little Ringed Plover
2 Oystercatcher
7 Lapwing (1 at Croxden)
1 Yellow Wagtail (m)
2 Sand Martin
1 Blackcap
5 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
1 Teal (m)
12 Mallard plus 1 female with a brood of 10 ducklings in a ditch!
2 Canada Geese low over S
1 Kestrel
5 Linnet
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Yellowhammer
1 Stock Dove
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Strangely no Black-headed Gulls at all on Croxden but a few overhead

Two singing Whitethroat on Astley Moss this morning and a White Wagtail in fields behind Rindle Wood.

Cuckoo singing from the edge of Astley Moss SSSI this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Little

Pair of Grey Partridge next to Astley Rd near Prospect Grange Farm at 2.20pm

Single White Wagtail in horse paddock along Rindle Road early afternoon today.

Quick Mooch round the SSSI this aft
only things of note
Swallow-4
Willow Warbler-6
Yellow Wagtail-1 m
Yellowhammer-3
Common Buzzard-1
White Wagtail-3


-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 19th of April 2014 05:42:22 PM

0730 - 0930 today

Rindle woods, Astley Moss SSSI, and a brief look at Moss Lane

Swallows - 4 (Moss Lane)
Willow Warblers - numerous
Blackcap - 2
Grey Partridge - 2
Mistle Thrush - 2
Kestrel - 2
Common Buzzard - 3
Sparrowhawk - 2
Linnet - 5
Meadow Pipits
Reed Bunting - 5
Lapwing - at least 12
Cuckoo - 1 flew out of a clump of trees on edge of SSSI mobbed by a small bird, in direction of the railway.



-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Friday 18th of April 2014 08:37:10 PM

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Friday 18th of April 2014 08:37:43 PM

3 Wheatear now in field 67 and a Cuckoo has just flown over Astley SSSI heading towards Moss lane.

White wagtail croxdens

Originally posted by Ian Boote today:

Nearby on the GM side of the Glazebrook on Little Woolden Moss
15 Lapwing 6 Skylark 3 Reed Bunting, Blackcap, Nuthatch, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sand Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard
and Plant Moschatel, Wood Speedwell, Lesser Stitchwort, Honeysuckle, Wood Sorrrel, Wood Anemone, Common Ramping Fumitary, and Bluebell

Male Wheatear in field 67 which was being ploughed

Mike

Cuckoo calling around field 39 on Woolden moss.

Two Corn buntings in the row of birch trees at the rear of field 14 on Chat moss. Six Wheatears around Croxdens at the moment

Cuckoo singing around Astley Moss SSSI behind Rindle Wood this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Little

Two male Wheatears off Moss Lane, Astley Moss this evening.

Astley and Chat Mosses today:

4 Yellow Wagtail
15 White Wagtail (in one small ploughed field on Little Woolden Moss)
230 Crows in one large flock sat around on the tuft fields at the bottom of Astley Road
19 Buzzard
46 Willow Warbler
6 Chiffchaff
9 Blackcap

Croxdens 2 little ringed plover 1 willow tit 1 curlew 2 redshank 2 oystercatcher 3 reed bunting 2 chiffchaff 1 willow warbler

20 swallow in astley area

Bridgewater canal at astley 2 greylag geese 2 hares 10 skylark 3 reed bunting

Astley grasshopper warbler singing at junction of astley road and moss lane also 3 yellowhammer 5 stock dove

Croxdens. A Ringed plover flew in at 8.05 and departed at 8.26 heading west. Also here this morning, Redshank, 2 Gadwall, 2 Tufted duck, 2 Shelduck, 4 Curlew, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Lesser black backed gulls, 15 Black headed gulls, 3 Reed buntings, 2 Yellowhammers, 3 Pied wagtails and a Peregrine over the peat works.

Croxdens

2 White Wagtail
2 Curlew
2 Oystercatcher


Chat Moss

3 Swallow
5 Willow Warbler


Astley, Moss Lane

1 Red-legged Partridge
2 Swallow
c10 Sand Martin
2 Willow Warbler
2 Stock Dove

2 Swallows north over Irlam High School playing fields and over f27 at 6.25pm & 6.40pm this evening

1 Whimbrel over Rindle Road at 11AM today. Also farmer from Alwood's reported a Swallow on Little Moss Lane.

This afternoon:

11 Willow Warblers around Chat Moss (many areas not covered either)
2 Shelduck and a Curlew on Croxdens Pools
2 White Wagtails on Little Woolden Moss
2 Wheatear off Moss Lane, Astley Moss

Originally posted bt Alan Rowley today:

Willow Warblers everywhere on Astley moss this morning.

Irlam Moss and Croxdens 2.30-3.30pm

1 Wheatear - male
2 Shelduck - pair flew in from west and landed on Croxden pools
2 Curlew flew over east
1 Chiffchaff singing - Dixons Wood
3 Meadow Pipits
1 Skylark
4 Mallard
1 Grey Heron over east
3 LBB Gull
c.30 BH Gull
3 Pied Wagtails - all male
2 Yellowhammer
4 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
8 Lapwing

15.00-17.00

Walk from Rindle Cottages, along edge of Astley & Bedford Moss & back

Rindle Wood

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a pair of Coal Tits plus Chaffinches etc,

Astley Moss

A pair of Canada Geese and a few Mallard.

Bedford Moss

1 large female Sparrowhawk, 1 Yellowhammer,1 Meadow Pipit & 1 Buzzard.

Scrapes

A pair of Reed Buntings & 1 Grey Heron.

Adjoining Farmland

1 Curlew, 5 Stock Doves, 6 Sand Martins (flying West), 7 Lapwings and a pair of Cormorants (flying South).

Pair Gadwall Croxdens until 1050 when flew south

An Osprey drifted high west over Astley Moss at 13:10 today, before gaining even more height and speed as it continued on way beyond Bedford Moss.

2 Wheatear off Moss Lane.

17 Golden Plovers showing well at 2pm Field 52 viewable from Twelve Yards Road c200 yards west of Croxdens

Where were the Golden Plover James?

Chat moss 17 golden plover 4 yellowhammer 30 fieldfare 1 reed bunting 1 kestrel 20 lapwing 5 skylark

Barton moss Pair grey partridge Pair yellowhammer 5 skylark 6 buzzard 1 male reed bunting 15 lapwing 2+ brown hare

Rindle road area early afternoon
Buzzardx4
Grey heron flushed on the SSSI
Reed buntingx3
Single Meadow pipit
Lapwingsx8
Pheasantx5
Treecreeperx4
Wrenx2
Robinx2
Chaffinchx2
Usual tits
Single Kestrel
Carrion crowx4
Curlewx2 in field 68
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive