ASTLEY, CHAT, LITTLE WOOLDEN AND ASSOCIATED MOSSES
Andy Isherwood said
Mon Mar 24 7:44 PM, 2014
Brief look along moss lane this evening 4 wheatear in ploughed fields along south of the road, several singing yellowhammer and plenty of tree sparrows all overshadowed by the Green Woodpecker which flew from the trees near west end towards morleys hall, my first record on astley moss.
Kevin Forde said
Mon Mar 24 5:01 PM, 2014
Rindle Wood
Late morning over lunch
Chaffinch Blue tit Great tit Robin Wren Blackbird Song thrush Treecreeper Pheasant Sparrowhawk Nuthatch Meadow pipit
Curlew (heard but not seen to the east of Rindle Road)
Dave Thacker said
Sat Mar 22 6:37 PM, 2014
7.40-11.20 this morning. Astley moss
6 Yellowhammers, 2 male Bullfinch, Reed bunting and Willow tit along the feeding track. Treecreeper, Chiffchaff and 12 Redwings in Rindle woods. 2 Buzzards and 2 singing Chiffchaffs around the SSSI
Croxdens and Chat moss My first Swallow of the year over the peat works heading N/W 5 Sand martins 112 Black headed gulls with 5 Lesser black backed gulls through plenty more were flying in and out. 3 Shelduck 4 Buzzards 2 Goldcrest, 2 Reed buntings, 15 Redwing and 5 Fieldfare along 12 Yards road.
Also watched for 5 minutes two Curlew displaying over the peat works, lots of circling around, wing flicks and calling.
Paul Richardson said
Wed Mar 19 9:59 PM, 2014
13.30 to 15.30 pleasant afternoon but a bit quiet
Moss Lane
100+ Fieldfare feeding in field at end of lane on N side
At 10:15am the Peregrine flushed, and perhaps caught, the Dunlin
Also 5 Fieldfare & 1 Mistle Thrush on fields just south of the Fisheries
-- Edited by James Walsh on Saturday 15th of March 2014 11:36:31 PM
Paul Richardson said
Wed Mar 12 8:13 PM, 2014
13.30-4pm Fabulous weather of course.
My observation today was that the Rindle Road area is suffering a bit through having no freshly ploughed land - and there were far more birds up Moss Lane, especially in the ploughed fields near the far end where there are bushes and trees around the ploughed area.
Moss Lane (wished I'd had more time there - it was an afterthought!!)
Fieldfare - at least 20 Yellowhammer - at least 10 Tree Sparrows Chaffinch Greenfinch - 2 pairs Lapwing - 6 pairs seen
Rindle
Common Buzzard - 7 (definite count, all seen soaring in a group over the fields east of Rindle Cottages.) Lapwing - 1 pair, similar location Kestrel - 2 Black Headed Gulls - 3 or 4 Yellowhammer - 2 Linnet - 3 Meadow Pipit - 2 Reed Bunting - lost count - many pairs flying acrobatically between scrub and bushes both around Rindle Cottages, and in the fields west of Rindle Hedge Goldfinch - many Redwing - impossible to count. Probably about 50 in holly trees on edge of Rindle Wood. Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 Tree Sparrow - 3 on edge of Rindle Woods
Curlew - calling, not seen - probably 2
Plus Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Pheasant.
Steven Nelson said
Sun Mar 9 7:52 PM, 2014
4.00-5.15pm Croxden pools and Dixons Wood 3 Shelduck 1 Curlew over calling loudly c.40 BH Gull 1 LBB Gull + many overhead west c.50 Lapwing 3 Moorhen 9 Mallard - including 1m paired with a white farmyard duck 2 Pied Wagtail 1 Skylark singing 1 Meadow Pipit 1 Bullfinch 1 Coal Tit 2 Long tailed Tits 2 Grey Heron over west
Alan Rowley said
Mon Mar 3 5:51 PM, 2014
Jason said: Is it to early for Whinchat?
By at last 6 weeks.
Jason Dulhanty said
Mon Mar 3 4:28 PM, 2014
Rindle road area 12-14.30 Lots of pheasants Reed buntingx4 Buzzardsx2 Sparrowhawk flying low over the field next to Rindle woods Coal tit Lots of Redwing in the woods next to the SSSI (Very noisy) Mistle thrushx2 Robinx3 all singing Wrenx2 Mallardx3 flushed on the Scrapes Chaffinchxloads Nice to meet Kevin Forde Cheers Jay Don't twitch and drive
Is it to early for Whinchat?
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Mar 2 1:14 PM, 2014
Alan Rowley wrote:
There were 3 Shelduck on the Croxden Pools on Friday. I don't recall seeing Shelduck on the moss for a long time.
They've lingered on and off around Croxdens Pools for the past couple of springs now Alan
Phil White said
Sun Mar 2 12:03 PM, 2014
Have been down to croxden pools this morning and there the 3 shelducks are still there a site first for me also 2 Oystercatchers
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 2nd of March 2014 01:12:50 PM
Alan Rowley said
Sun Mar 2 11:46 AM, 2014
There were 3 Shelduck on the Croxden Pools on Friday. I don't recall seeing Shelduck on the moss for a long time.
-- Edited by James Walsh on Sunday 2nd of March 2014 07:11:17 AM
Steven Nelson said
Tue Feb 18 1:11 PM, 2014
Irlam Moss 11.15am-12.15pm A few early signs of spring and 1 fantastic reminder that it's still winter!
8 Black-headed Gulls back on territory 1 Skylark singing 18 Lapwing + a distant flock of c.70 over Barton Moss 1 Buzzard flock of c.20 Linnet c.30 Lapwing 2 Stock Dove 1 Mallard (f) 1 Meadow Pipit 2 Pied Wagtail 1 Jay
But highlight definately a stunning 'ermine' Stoat hunting along the edge of Croxden pools. It stood out like a sore thumb against the dark peat. First ermine I've ever seen
James Walsh said
Sun Feb 16 9:36 PM, 2014
Chat, Irlam, Barton, Cadishead & Little Woolden Moss
A pair of Shelduck, 3 Reed Bunting & 1 Merlin @ Croxdens
Kestrel 3 Buzzard Pheasant many Reed Bunting 2 Big flock of Starlings c200 Possible Tree Sparrow on the feeding track
Jason Dulhanty said
Fri Feb 14 2:49 PM, 2014
10.30-12.00 Rindle road area Buzzardsx3 Kestrel Pheasantx3 Robinx2 mallardx2 Moss lane area Corvid flock 40+ Thrush flock 20+ Buzzard Kestrel Goldfinchx3 Cheers Jay Don't twitch and drive
-- Edited by Jason Dulhanty on Friday 14th of February 2014 02:52:41 PM
James Walsh said
Tue Feb 11 8:56 AM, 2014
10th February
Chat Moss
1 singing Skylark 1 Sparrowhawk
Croxdens
1 Skylark 4 Lapwing
Alan Warford said
Thu Jan 30 1:50 PM, 2014
Little Woolden Moss am
Common Snipe 10 Woodcock Grey Partridge 5 Skylark 10+ Meadow Pipit 6+ Yellowhammer 1 f Buzzard 3 Lapwing 6
James Walsh said
Mon Jan 27 8:06 PM, 2014
Croxdens
3 Buzzard 1 Song Thrush 2 Goldfinch
Sunday 26th January
Barton Moss
5 Fieldfare
-- Edited by James Walsh on Monday 27th of January 2014 08:07:12 PM
Jason Dulhanty said
Thu Jan 23 3:32 PM, 2014
12 till 2ish Over the level crossing towards Croxden Buzzardx2 Kestrel hunting field 58 Starling flock (40) Mixed Finch flock (20) Redwingx2 Wren Robin Song thrush Carrion crowx10 Magpiesxloads Pheasantx2 Rindle road area Mixed flock of Yellowhammer and Reed bunting(15) Pheasantx2 Then I started to freeze. Cheers Jay Don't twitch and drive
George Warburton said
Tue Jan 21 4:48 PM, 2014
11.00 to 13:30
Rindle Road area
Fieldfare Redwing Yellowhammer Common Buzzard Kestrel Willow Tit Blue Tit Great Tit Coal Tit Long tailed Tit Great Spotted Woodpecker Robin Blackbird Chaffinch Dunnock Bullfinch Wood Pigeon
South of railway - Croxdens to Cadishead Moss - some of the above plus
Mistle Thrush Song Thrush Collared Dove Carrion Crow Starling House Sparrow
North of railway seems, admittedly after only two visits to southern section, to hold more birds at this time of year.
James Walsh said
Mon Jan 20 3:49 PM, 2014
Male Merlin gave superb views on Barton Moss along Twelve Yards Road on field 45
4 Lapwings on Croxdens
Also Sparrowhawk & 2 Buzzards
-- Edited by James Walsh on Monday 20th of January 2014 03:50:26 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jan 18 9:07 PM, 2014
Originally posted today by Tony Davis: -
Astley Road- Prospect Granges over 12 to 15 Yellowhammers. This was a good spot where lots of birds including Tree Sparrow Lots of tits and Thrushes, on the left hand side of the road, before we turned right down 12 Yards Road which was a big disapointment to say the least.
Kevin Forde said
Fri Jan 17 4:59 PM, 2014
Rindle Road and Rindle Wood Lunchtime:
Kestrel x 2 Willow tit x2 Chaffinch Great tit Blue tit Great Spotted Woodpecker Wood pigeon Collard dove Woodcock Buzzard
Paul Richardson said
Wed Jan 15 5:34 PM, 2014
Couple of hours around Croxden's 9.30 - 11.30 in improving weather.
2 Raven heard first then seen over the bare scraped peatland 5 Common Buzzard
4 waders flushed from various locations in the hand-cut peat area.
2 definitely Common Snipe 1 possibly Green Sandpiper
Various tits and finches around the railway and footbridges - quite a bit of activity going on.
Also Jay Dulhanty (lifer) - nice to meet you!
Today penetrated further than I have been, beyond the "Grey Barn" and as far as Twelve Yards Road before time caught up with me. 'Tis a big area! Also was Day 1 with my new Opticron bins - it's like waking up to a New World!!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of January 2014 06:02:35 PM
Jason Dulhanty said
Wed Jan 15 4:47 PM, 2014
Good mooch around Astley moss and the back end of the cottages 10.30 - 13.35 Buzzardx5 Kestrelx2 Pheasantsx10 Small flock of yellowhammer and Reed bunting top end of the feeding track Redpollx2(first for me) Treecreeper Jayx2 Small Long tailed Tit flock Great spotted woodpecker Willow tit Various small Redwing flocks Oh and a Weasel(which was nice) Nice to meet Paul Richardson and another Birder who's name has gone (Rochdale lad) Cheers Jay Don't twitch and drive
-- Edited by Jason Dulhanty on Wednesday 15th of January 2014 04:54:26 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of January 2014 06:03:25 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jan 13 11:20 PM, 2014
Green Sandpiper still out on the bare flooded parts of Croxdens and also using some of the ditches. A pair of Ravens and a single Peregrine were also sat out on the peat, the Peregrine mobbing the Ravens for a short period too.
Paul Richardson said
Sat Jan 11 10:29 PM, 2014
Thanks Dave I will be back there as soon as!!
Dave Thacker said
Sat Jan 11 8:00 PM, 2014
Paul
There have been a couple of Green sandpipers about the mosses in the last couple of weeks. I have seen them at the pools beside the SSSI on Astley moss, in the ditch between Rindle cottages and the rail track and on Croxdens. A good place for Woodcock is in the area just over the 2nd wooden bridge after you have crossed the track on the way to Croxdens. The trees and undergrowth between the track and the path next to the peat works tend to hold one or two Woodcock. Also the small wooded area at the side of Bedford moss next to the rail track has in the past held Woodcock. Best of luck.
Paul Richardson said
Sat Jan 11 5:19 PM, 2014
Ian McKerchar wrote:
See my post on December 18th last year for your likely culprit Paul
Thanks Ian! Had a msg exchange with James Walsh and he suggested the same conclusion - Green Sandpiper. My only hesitation was the call sounded a bit harsh, but a YouTube link he sent me did sound more like what we heard than the RSPB website version. I also listened to the Greenshank call on Xeno Canto and that if anything is sweeter, and definitely won't do.
Great to have seen the bird - certainly a site first for me - but I'm still looking for my first woodcock. If you see somebody stomping around the Rindle/Croxden's area it's just me trying out my woodcock-flushing routine!!
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jan 11 4:08 PM, 2014
Paul Richardson wrote:
Unidentified white-rumped wader flushed from one of the old peat beds in Croxden's! At least there was ONE living creature there!
See my post on December 18th last year for your likely culprit Paul
Paul Richardson said
Sat Jan 11 2:34 PM, 2014
Rindle/ Croxdens 11 - 1.30 - quite quiet until the shooting began!
Common Buzzard 2, Goldfinch/Chaffinch/Linnet flock very mobile in field and Rindle Hedge, Bullfinch pair, Willow Tit 1, Jay 1, Reed Bunting 1.
Unidentified white-rumped wader flushed from one of the old peat beds in Croxden's! At least there was ONE living creature there!
George Warburton said
Sat Jan 4 4:47 PM, 2014
Rindle Road, Astley Moss 13:00 - 14:45 Sat 4 Jan 2014
Buzzard -2
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Yellowhammer - 10+
Bullfinch - m&f
Willow Tit - 3
Treecreeper - 1
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Also Carrion Crow, Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird in various numbers
George Warburton said
Sat Jan 4 4:37 PM, 2014
Rindle Road, Astley Moss 13:00 - 14:45 Sat 4 Jan 2014
Buzzard -2
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Yellowhammer - 10+
Bullfinch - m&f
Willow Tit - 3
Treecreeper - 1
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Also Carrion Crow, Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird in various numbers
8am till 1pm this morning mainly around Croxdens, Chat and Cadishead moss
Not much about but a good walk turned up The 3 adult Peregrines together on Croxdens as my previous post, also a juvenile Peregrine flew low over Astley road and 12 Yards road about an hour later. Moorhen and Mallard[f] on the pools at Croxdens Roosting Tawny owl nearby and a Snipe over 2 Sparrowhawks Kestrel 12 Linnits 30+ Goldfinch, small tit flock of 15 birds mainly Long tailed along 12 yards road Treecreeper near 4 Lanes house Lesser black backed gull feeding on something dead on Cadishead moss 2 Goldcrests Buzzard Little owl Song thrush An escaped Helmeted guinea fowl was creeping about in the ditch near the end of 12 yards road
Nice to meet the other 3 birders today.
Dave Thacker said
Thu Dec 19 10:11 AM, 2013
Three adult Peregrines sat on Croxdens peat works at the moment. One is feeding on a fresh kill while the other two are watching about 60m away
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Dec 18 10:18 PM, 2013
Yesterday, a lone Green Sandpiper was on a small flooded area of bare milled peat on Croxdens and a Woodcock was flushed off the footpath between Rindle Cottages and the railway.
Ditto with Fieldfare and Redwing - very mobile, and hard to know when you're re-counting. About 30 Redwing, 10 or so Fieldfare. 3 Mistle Thrush 1 Common Buzzard 2 Kestrel 1 Willow Tit 5 Yellowhammer 1 Dunnock 5 Wren 6 Long Tailed Tits 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker in the air
Gave up counting Pheasant at 30 - there were more! (also would have hoped to give up being startled by them when they flush - that also continued!!)
Also Blackbirds Blue tits aplenty Great Tits Carrion Crows Woodpigeons Mallards on the fishing pond
By far the most productive areas at present seem to be Rindle Woods, and the hedgerows bordering Rindle Road near the level crossing. The mosses themselves are pretty quiet, even along the margins, though that was where I saw the 2 Kestrel.
munsworth said
Sun Dec 8 3:32 PM, 2013
Rindle Road and SSSI 1-2pm
Lots of Fieldfare and Redwing impossible to count as they were very mobile and flighty but an estimate would be 40+ of each species. Mistle Thrush Blackbird Buzzard Kestrel Willow Tit Blue Tit Chaffinch Goldfinch Wood Pigeon Collared Dove
Mike
Phil White said
Sun Dec 8 3:09 PM, 2013
Had an hour walking the dogs 09:30 10:30 was fairly quiet but had a site first for me 1 Buzzard field 5 1 Sparrowhawk F field 13 1 Peregrine field 11 over low towards field 61
John Williams said
Sat Dec 7 4:00 PM, 2013
10.30-13.00
Rindle Road
A flock of 30 Pheaseants flew across the road near the horse paddocks, presumably newly released birds.
A single group of 40 Collared Doves near the cottages. A Buzzard flushed 40+ Fieldfares with lesser numbers of Redwings from hawthornes near the level crossing.
Just 2 Mistle Thrushes and 6 Redwings by the former feeding track, although there were lots of Goldfinches at the woodland end.
Rindle Woods held lots of Blue & Great Tits, 2 Chaffinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a single Yellowhammer.
The bushes along the South side of the Moss held a single Willow Tit. The Moss itself produced 2 overflying Mistle Thrushes and 6 Fieldfares that were perched on a Rowan.
The Scrapes
1 Kestrel and 1 Buzzard
The birch woodland bordering the railway and Bedford Moss
2 Goldcrests, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a pair of Willow Tits, that apart from sparring with each other were incessantly finding titbits beneath the flaps of bark on the birches.
This behaviour appeared unique to the Willow Tits, the Blue and Great Tits thereabouts showed no interest in birch bark.
Bedford Moss appeared lifeless.
A male Sparrowhawk low along Rindle Hedge flushed around 20 Redwings, but he did'nt even try and catch one.
The hawthornes along Morleys Lane were full of Redwings throughout.
Paul Richardson said
Sat Nov 30 4:04 PM, 2013
Rindle Road area 0830 to 1130 in brilliant weather
Rindle Wood, Rindle Hedge and the adjoining fields as well as the bushes either side of the road to the level crossing were alive with birds.
Mixed finch flock of about 100 was mobile around Rindle Hedge and the adjoining field. Included Redpoll Linnet Yellowhammer Greenfinch
and one striking Leucistic bird which had me thinking Snow Bunting for a bit - Ian is working on its ID!
c200 winter thrushes were highly mobile, and looked very handsome in the morning light c 30 Starling
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Common Buzzard on a fencepost 2 Jays heard in Rindle Wood
Numerous pheasant, some of which were the target of some sport further towards Astley!
4 wheatear in ploughed fields along south of the road, several singing yellowhammer and plenty of tree sparrows all overshadowed by the Green Woodpecker which flew from the trees near west end towards morleys hall, my first record on astley moss.
Late morning over lunch
Chaffinch
Blue tit
Great tit
Robin
Wren
Blackbird
Song thrush
Treecreeper
Pheasant
Sparrowhawk
Nuthatch
Meadow pipit
Curlew (heard but not seen to the east of Rindle Road)
Astley moss
6 Yellowhammers, 2 male Bullfinch, Reed bunting and Willow tit along the feeding track.
Treecreeper, Chiffchaff and 12 Redwings in Rindle woods.
2 Buzzards and 2 singing Chiffchaffs around the SSSI
Croxdens and Chat moss
My first Swallow of the year over the peat works heading N/W
5 Sand martins
112 Black headed gulls with 5 Lesser black backed gulls through plenty more were flying in and out.
3 Shelduck
4 Buzzards
2 Goldcrest, 2 Reed buntings, 15 Redwing and 5 Fieldfare along 12 Yards road.
Also watched for 5 minutes two Curlew displaying over the peat works, lots of circling around, wing flicks and calling.
Moss Lane
100+ Fieldfare feeding in field at end of lane on N side
Tree Sparrow 5
Wren 2
Goldfinch 4
Lapwing 4
Buzzard 1
Rindle
Redwing approx 20
Common Buzzard 4
1 Dunlin
3 Oystercatcher
c60 Lapwing
5 Buzzard
Chat Moss
1 singing Skylark
Little Woolden Moss
1 singing male Yellowhammer
1 Dunlin
1 Curlew
2 Shelduck
8 Lapwing
1 singing Skylark
1 Peregrine
1 Buzzard
25 Black-headed Gull
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Meadow Pipit
At 10:15am the Peregrine flushed, and perhaps caught, the Dunlin
Also 5 Fieldfare & 1 Mistle Thrush on fields just south of the Fisheries
-- Edited by James Walsh on Saturday 15th of March 2014 11:36:31 PM
My observation today was that the Rindle Road area is suffering a bit through having no freshly ploughed land - and there were far more birds up Moss Lane, especially in the ploughed fields near the far end where there are bushes and trees around the ploughed area.
Moss Lane (wished I'd had more time there - it was an afterthought!!)
Fieldfare - at least 20
Yellowhammer - at least 10
Tree Sparrows
Chaffinch
Greenfinch - 2 pairs
Lapwing - 6 pairs seen
Rindle
Common Buzzard - 7 (definite count, all seen soaring in a group over the fields east of Rindle Cottages.)
Lapwing - 1 pair, similar location
Kestrel - 2
Black Headed Gulls - 3 or 4
Yellowhammer - 2
Linnet - 3
Meadow Pipit - 2
Reed Bunting - lost count - many pairs flying acrobatically between scrub and bushes both around Rindle Cottages, and in the fields west of Rindle Hedge
Goldfinch - many
Redwing - impossible to count. Probably about 50 in holly trees on edge of Rindle Wood.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Tree Sparrow - 3 on edge of Rindle Woods
Curlew - calling, not seen - probably 2
Plus Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Pheasant.
Croxden pools and Dixons Wood
3 Shelduck
1 Curlew over calling loudly
c.40 BH Gull
1 LBB Gull + many overhead west
c.50 Lapwing
3 Moorhen
9 Mallard - including 1m paired with a white farmyard duck
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Skylark singing
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Bullfinch
1 Coal Tit
2 Long tailed Tits
2 Grey Heron over west
Jason said:
Is it to early for Whinchat?
By at last 6 weeks.
12-14.30
Lots of pheasants
Reed buntingx4
Buzzardsx2
Sparrowhawk flying low over the field next to Rindle woods
Coal tit
Lots of Redwing in the woods next to the SSSI (Very noisy)
Mistle thrushx2
Robinx3 all singing
Wrenx2
Mallardx3 flushed on the Scrapes
Chaffinchxloads
Nice to meet Kevin Forde
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive
Is it to early for Whinchat?
They've lingered on and off around Croxdens Pools for the past couple of springs now Alan
also 2 Oystercatchers
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 2nd of March 2014 01:12:50 PM
Barton, Chat & Irlam Moss
Very Spring-like on the Mosses
1 Peregrine (with prey)
1 singing Yellowhammer
c300 Lapwing
2 Grey Partridge
25 Skylark, many singing
25 Fieldfare
50 Linnet
25 Stock Dove
150 Wood Pigeon
1 Mistle Thrush
7 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
c25 Black-headed Gull (Croxdens)
Also, 1 Brown Hare, 2 Rabbits and a Bumblebee
-- Edited by James Walsh on Sunday 2nd of March 2014 07:11:17 AM
A few early signs of spring and 1 fantastic reminder that it's still winter!
8 Black-headed Gulls back on territory
1 Skylark singing
18 Lapwing + a distant flock of c.70 over Barton Moss
1 Buzzard
flock of c.20 Linnet
c.30 Lapwing
2 Stock Dove
1 Mallard (f)
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Jay
But highlight definately a stunning 'ermine' Stoat hunting along the edge of Croxden pools. It stood out like a sore thumb against the dark peat. First ermine I've ever seen
A pair of Shelduck, 3 Reed Bunting & 1 Merlin @ Croxdens
c200 Lapwings
c100 Fieldfare
c200 Wood Pigeon
5 Stock Dove
c100 Starlings
2 Kestrel
5 Grey Heron
1 Mistle Thrush
Irlam Moss
100 Lapwing
Saturday 15th February
Barton Moss
20 Lapwing
2 Pheasant
c100 Black-headed Gull
Song Thrush
Kestrel 3
Buzzard
Pheasant many
Reed Bunting 2
Big flock of Starlings c200
Possible Tree Sparrow on the feeding track
Buzzardsx3
Kestrel
Pheasantx3
Robinx2
mallardx2
Moss lane area
Corvid flock 40+
Thrush flock 20+
Buzzard
Kestrel
Goldfinchx3
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive
-- Edited by Jason Dulhanty on Friday 14th of February 2014 02:52:41 PM
Chat Moss
1 singing Skylark
1 Sparrowhawk
Croxdens
1 Skylark
4 Lapwing
Common Snipe 10
Woodcock
Grey Partridge 5
Skylark 10+
Meadow Pipit 6+
Yellowhammer 1 f
Buzzard 3
Lapwing 6
3 Buzzard
1 Song Thrush
2 Goldfinch
Sunday 26th January
Barton Moss
5 Fieldfare
-- Edited by James Walsh on Monday 27th of January 2014 08:07:12 PM
Over the level crossing towards Croxden
Buzzardx2
Kestrel hunting field 58
Starling flock (40)
Mixed Finch flock (20)
Redwingx2
Wren
Robin
Song thrush
Carrion crowx10
Magpiesxloads
Pheasantx2
Rindle road area
Mixed flock of
Yellowhammer and Reed bunting(15)
Pheasantx2
Then I started to freeze.
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive
Rindle Road area
Fieldfare
Redwing
Yellowhammer
Common Buzzard
Kestrel
Willow Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Long tailed Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Robin
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Dunnock
Bullfinch
Wood Pigeon
South of railway - Croxdens to Cadishead Moss - some of the above plus
Mistle Thrush
Song Thrush
Collared Dove
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
North of railway seems, admittedly after only two visits to southern section, to hold more birds at this time of year.
4 Lapwings on Croxdens
Also Sparrowhawk & 2 Buzzards
-- Edited by James Walsh on Monday 20th of January 2014 03:50:26 PM
Astley Road- Prospect Granges over 12 to 15 Yellowhammers.
This was a good spot where lots of birds including Tree Sparrow Lots of tits and Thrushes, on the left hand side of the road, before we turned right down 12 Yards Road which was a big disapointment to say the least.
Kestrel x 2
Willow tit x2
Chaffinch
Great tit
Blue tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Wood pigeon
Collard dove
Woodcock
Buzzard
2 Raven heard first then seen over the bare scraped peatland
5 Common Buzzard
4 waders flushed from various locations in the hand-cut peat area.
2 definitely Common Snipe
1 possibly Green Sandpiper
Various tits and finches around the railway and footbridges - quite a bit of activity going on.
Also Jay Dulhanty (lifer) - nice to meet you!
Today penetrated further than I have been, beyond the "Grey Barn" and as far as Twelve Yards Road before time caught up with me. 'Tis a big area!
Also was Day 1 with my new Opticron bins - it's like waking up to a New World!!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of January 2014 06:02:35 PM
10.30 - 13.35
Buzzardx5
Kestrelx2
Pheasantsx10
Small flock of yellowhammer and Reed bunting top end of the feeding track
Redpollx2(first for me)
Treecreeper
Jayx2
Small Long tailed Tit flock
Great spotted woodpecker
Willow tit
Various small Redwing flocks
Oh and a Weasel(which was nice)
Nice to meet Paul Richardson and another Birder who's name has gone (Rochdale lad)
Cheers Jay
Don't twitch and drive
-- Edited by Jason Dulhanty on Wednesday 15th of January 2014 04:54:26 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of January 2014 06:03:25 PM
Thanks Dave I will be back there as soon as!!
Paul
There have been a couple of Green sandpipers about the mosses in the last couple of weeks. I have seen them at the pools beside the SSSI on Astley moss, in the ditch between Rindle cottages and the rail track and on Croxdens. A good place for Woodcock is in the area just over the 2nd wooden bridge after you have crossed the track on the way to Croxdens. The trees and undergrowth between the track and the path next to the peat works tend to hold one or two Woodcock. Also the small wooded area at the side of Bedford moss next to the rail track has in the past held Woodcock. Best of luck.
See my post on December 18th last year for your likely culprit Paul
Thanks Ian! Had a msg exchange with James Walsh and he suggested the same conclusion - Green Sandpiper. My only hesitation was the call sounded a bit harsh, but a YouTube link he sent me did sound more like what we heard than the RSPB website version. I also listened to the Greenshank call on Xeno Canto and that if anything is sweeter, and definitely won't do.
Great to have seen the bird - certainly a site first for me - but I'm still looking for my first woodcock. If you see somebody stomping around the Rindle/Croxden's area it's just me trying out my woodcock-flushing routine!!
See my post on December 18th last year for your likely culprit Paul
Rindle/ Croxdens 11 - 1.30 - quite quiet until the shooting began!
Common Buzzard 2, Goldfinch/Chaffinch/Linnet flock very mobile in field and Rindle Hedge, Bullfinch pair, Willow Tit 1, Jay 1, Reed Bunting 1.
Unidentified white-rumped wader flushed from one of the old peat beds in Croxden's! At least there was ONE living creature there!
Rindle Road, Astley Moss 13:00 - 14:45 Sat 4 Jan 2014
Buzzard -2
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Yellowhammer - 10+
Bullfinch - m&f
Willow Tit - 3
Treecreeper - 1
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Also Carrion Crow, Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird in various numbers
Rindle Road, Astley Moss 13:00 - 14:45 Sat 4 Jan 2014
Buzzard -2
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Yellowhammer - 10+
Bullfinch - m&f
Willow Tit - 3
Treecreeper - 1
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Also Carrion Crow, Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird in various numbers
Thursday 2nd January
3 Reed Buntings Croxdens
c100 Fieldfare, c200 Redwing & c80 Chaffinch Chat Moss
Female Sparrowhawk Little Woolden Moss
Croxdens Peat Works
2 Ravens
c30 Long-tailed Tits
Astley Moss - field 67
Yellowhammer 2
Buzzard 2
Grey partridge 9
Barton Moss - field 8
Buzzard 1
Raven 1
Fieldfare 66
Redwing 27
Chaffinch c30
Info thanks to Phil Kelly
Not much about but a good walk turned up
The 3 adult Peregrines together on Croxdens as my previous post, also a juvenile Peregrine flew low over Astley road and 12 Yards road about an hour later.
Moorhen and Mallard[f] on the pools at Croxdens
Roosting Tawny owl nearby and a Snipe over
2 Sparrowhawks
Kestrel
12 Linnits
30+ Goldfinch, small tit flock of 15 birds mainly Long tailed along 12 yards road
Treecreeper near 4 Lanes house
Lesser black backed gull feeding on something dead on Cadishead moss
2 Goldcrests
Buzzard
Little owl
Song thrush
An escaped Helmeted guinea fowl was creeping about in the ditch near the end of 12 yards road
Nice to meet the other 3 birders today.
c250 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare & 10 Grey Partridge Barton Moss/Chat Moss on Sunday
Ditto with Fieldfare and Redwing - very mobile, and hard to know when you're re-counting. About 30 Redwing, 10 or so Fieldfare.
3 Mistle Thrush
1 Common Buzzard
2 Kestrel
1 Willow Tit
5 Yellowhammer
1 Dunnock
5 Wren
6 Long Tailed Tits
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker in the air
Gave up counting Pheasant at 30 - there were more! (also would have hoped to give up being startled by them when they flush - that also continued!!)
Also
Blackbirds
Blue tits aplenty
Great Tits
Carrion Crows
Woodpigeons
Mallards on the fishing pond
By far the most productive areas at present seem to be Rindle Woods, and the hedgerows bordering Rindle Road near the level crossing. The mosses themselves are pretty quiet, even along the margins, though that was where I saw the 2 Kestrel.
Lots of Fieldfare and Redwing impossible to count as they were very mobile and flighty but an estimate would be 40+ of each species.
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Buzzard
Kestrel
Willow Tit
Blue Tit
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Mike
1 Buzzard field 5
1 Sparrowhawk F field 13
1 Peregrine field 11 over low towards field 61
Rindle Road
A flock of 30 Pheaseants flew across the road near the horse paddocks, presumably newly released birds.
A single group of 40 Collared Doves near the cottages. A Buzzard flushed 40+ Fieldfares with lesser numbers of Redwings from hawthornes near the level crossing.
Just 2 Mistle Thrushes and 6 Redwings by the former feeding track, although there were lots of Goldfinches at the woodland end.
Rindle Woods held lots of Blue & Great Tits, 2 Chaffinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a single Yellowhammer.
The bushes along the South side of the Moss held a single Willow Tit. The Moss itself produced 2 overflying Mistle Thrushes and 6 Fieldfares that were perched on a Rowan.
The Scrapes
1 Kestrel and 1 Buzzard
The birch woodland bordering the railway and Bedford Moss
2 Goldcrests, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a pair of Willow Tits, that apart from sparring with each other were incessantly finding titbits beneath the flaps of bark on the birches.
This behaviour appeared unique to the Willow Tits, the Blue and Great Tits thereabouts showed no interest in birch bark.
Bedford Moss appeared lifeless.
A male Sparrowhawk low along Rindle Hedge flushed around 20 Redwings, but he did'nt even try and catch one.
The hawthornes along Morleys Lane were full of Redwings throughout.
Rindle Wood, Rindle Hedge and the adjoining fields as well as the bushes either side of the road to the level crossing were alive with birds.
Mixed finch flock of about 100 was mobile around Rindle Hedge and the adjoining field.
Included
Redpoll
Linnet
Yellowhammer
Greenfinch
and one striking Leucistic bird which had me thinking Snow Bunting for a bit - Ian is working on its ID!
c200 winter thrushes were highly mobile, and looked very handsome in the morning light
c 30 Starling
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Common Buzzard on a fencepost
2 Jays heard in Rindle Wood
Numerous pheasant, some of which were the target of some sport further towards Astley!
11 Grey Partridge
10 Goldcrest
c200 Redwing