Spent the day on the RSPB's information stand at by main car park today, sightings on and around the feeders, in the field opposite and flying over include:

2 nuthatch
12 Long tailed tits
2 brambling
7 fieldfare
2 mistle thrush
8 chaffinch
7 goldfinch
50+ black headed gulls
20 rook
1 jay
several coal,blue,great tit & greenfiches
1 treecreeper
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhaWK
5 pheasant
2 pied wagtail
3 blackbird

Late posting from Weds 22nd:

Chew Piece Plantation very quiet. Buzzard (my first for this site) flew over, mobbed by Crows.

Walked back to Mossley via edge of moors. Whinchat associating with resident Stonechat family at White Lee Farm, Alphin Brow, Greenfield.

Lovely day for a return visit - is it that long since I've been up there? Thought I'd check out Chew Piece plantation to see if I could find anything that Hammy & Woosey were looking for...
All I managed was one Spotted Flycatcher (an adult - no young seen). Also, Treecreeper, Green Woodpecker, Goldcrests, Jay and my first Nuthatch at this site.
Everywhere pretty quiet bird-wise - too hot and everything is lurking in the undergrowth.

Steve

Cheers for that Steve. It looks handy for Crossbill as well, especially round the back (Yeoman Hey Plantation ?) - your very own Kielder Forest ? !

Yes, that is Chew Piece. Found a young Tawny there last summer. I've regularly seen Spot Flys there and, only once, a Tree Pipit. Never Redstarts though. A couple of years ago a pair of Pied Flys bred in the wood below the dam. It's well worth a winter visit as well - the plantation is the best palce I know for Brambling.

Hi Steve,

We did indeed prowl through Chew Piece Plantation (if that`s the one behind the yacht `enclosure`).That`s where the Owl was. We came up to Dovestones specifically to look for Tree Pipits but as you can see we had no joy
The area does look ideal for Flycatchers & Redstart, but yes, I think Bill has attracted all the latter to his patch
It`s the first time I`ve ever been up here (Paul`s been before). Wonderful scenery - great place

I took a quick stroll round there last night and noted:
1 Common Sandpiper on Dovestones Resr
1 Pair CS on Yeoman Hey Resr (water levels very low due to work on dam)
1 CS on Greenfield Resr

Ian, did you and Paul get round to Chew Piece Plantation? I didn't. There should be Spotted Flycatchers there by now and, if you're lucky, Tree Pipit and Redstart - or have they all gone to see Bill at Piethorne?

23rd May. p.m. Tawny Owl 2 Common Sandpiper 2 Red-legged Partridge handful of Lesser Redpoll ( P.Hammond & I.Woosey )