Spent a couple of hours (12-2pm) round Gale Brook Plantation (junction of Scout Rd & Belmont Rd) today, but no luck with any Crossbills despite
there being masses of cones. Did however get 2 Ravens over heading east.

-- Edited by Alan Warford at 17:02, 2007-10-20

spent an hour around Gale Brook Plantation this afternoon but no sign on any Crossbills but a Grasshopper Warbler singing and showing 20 yards from road opposite the small parking area, also a several Redpolls, Goldcrests and Jay in the plantation.

great to hear about the barn owl I used to watch them hunting over the fields down Park rd Abram when i was a lad infact its the only place ive ever seen one.

Judith, went up this morning and looked over the plantation from the footpath that goes up hill from a small parking area. Couldnt locate any Crossbills unfortunately but wasnt bad for a conifer plantation with GS Woodpecker, good numbers of Redpolls, Bullfinches also whitethroat, chiffchaffs, Stock Doves. Also walked round the back of the plantation although this might have been in Lancs but no luck there either but plenty of Redpolls, Goldcrests and Song Thrushes. Oh and 2 Tree rats hiding in a weelie Bin

News from those not on line: Andy Makin had 2 Crossbills on Scout Rd, Bolton 31/5/07 which flew into a pine plantation half in GM and half in Lancs where Scout Moor joins Belmont Rd A675. He went back today and found 7 Crossbills and 2 singing Goldcrests. He was apprehended (nicely) by a gamekeeper who told him it belongs to UU but let him look round. This Plantation, henceforth christened as Gale Brook Plantation for the purposes of recording, is at SD693137. Jake Moot had a female Marsh Harrier at only 20m above Swan Meadow Rd, Wigan yesterday; this is not far from the flashes but it was drifting N. This was at 1000 and it was being mobbed by a crow. Ian Campbell had a Goosander brood on the Irwell near Hagside level crossing, Elton on the metro line on 30th - 4 chicks, were 6 the day before. This is the 4th brood this year on the Irwell. This morning, on my Waterways Breeding Bird Survey (Plank Lane swing bridge along the canal to Bamfurlong Bridge (59 species) I had a Barn Owl hunting the hay meadow at the back of Lightshaw Flash and being attacked by an angry Redshank. A Barn Owl box I checked under licence yesterday had 7 owlets and was stuffed with voles, so looks like it will be a good year for them.