c20 Sand Martins on the River Irwell adjacent to Radcliffe Market

1 Kingfisher 1 Goosander and superb views of Sand Martins at the colony adjacent to Market Hall

Checked Sand Martin nest area at Market Hall this morning but no Martins yet, did see 1 Dipper and a pair of Grey Wagtails.
Cheers Ian

This a.m. the Sand Martins have returned in force to their breeding holes in the wall of the Market Hall.
Cheers Ian

This morning a pair of Goosander on the river by the Market Hall and a pair below the ASDA car park.
Cheers Ian

Driving through Radcliffe yesterday I saw a Mistle Thrush carrying food to a nest near the Asda store !!

This a.m. a Dipper on river at Market Hall but the Sand Martins have not yet returned to their nesting holes.
Cheers Ian

Greater Black-backed Gull & Grey Wagtail this AM.

Dipper pair yesterday, by the Market Hall on the Irwell.

8 Sandmartin at the site in Radcliffe centre today.

Cormorant, 2 Goosander, Dipper, Grey Wagtail this am

Male and female Goosander but of more interest were the 4 Lesser Redpoll in riverside trees near Lockkeeper pub, maybe the same ones seen earlier upriver at Elton or part of a movement of these birds this morning ?.
Cheers Ian

2 Dipper today at 11.20 under bridge by Asda, also 2 Goldcrest in trees by cenotaph as the last post was being performed at 11.00.
Cheers ian

2 Dipper at 10.30 a.m. today

Dipper and Kingfisher early AM centre near market Hall

Just browsing on this thread, I see a mention of the Sailor Brows, which overlooks the R. Irwell just by the side of Radcliffe New Road. I spent many hours here as a youngster fishing on the lodge (and swimming in it) in school holidays, and saw my very first Cuckoo through an old brass telescope (x20) which I had bought off a school friend for 10 shillings (=50p). I'd be about 13 at that time.

Cuckoos were annual on the "Sailors" in the early 1950's, generally heard but not seen, and I was curious as a result and it was a big deal for me to actually see one at last. To this day it's probably the only site in what is now Bury Borough where I ever saw one; do they ever get recorded there these days? - I rather doubt it, as all this was about 60 years ago!

There was also a regular Sand Martin colony at the rear of the garden of a big old house, high above the Sailors and a 150 feet or so above the river; the birds occupying an extensive sand cliff, below which in later years there was extensive tipping of household rubbish. The house stood opposite the bottom of Hollinhurst Rd. not far from the eastern end of Coronation Park; ( potential erosion of the sand cliff very likely became a threat to the garden and even to the house itself).
At least it's nice to know that the Sand Martins still nest in Radcliffe, (in the centre, near the market hall).

Sailor Brow to Radcliffe EEs
Singing Chiffchaff 12 Teal, Female Goosander, 3 little Grebe, Pair of Goldcrest feeding each other flapping wings etc, Kingfisher, Jay, Raven and Cormorants flying over, Long Tailed Tits, Pheasant, Kestrel, and the more usuals

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Wednesday 1st of October 2014 09:27:52 AM

This a.m. at the market hall site 2 Sand Martin nests still with young in the holes, the rest of the colony have departed.
Cheers Ian

10.30 a.m. now 7 Sand Martin, Dipper once more and Canada Goose at a very strange nest site.
Cheers Ian

4 Sand Martin around nest colony, also 2 Grey Wagtail and a single Dipper this morning.
Cheers Ian

No Sand Martin this a.m. but 2 Dipper and the Grey Wagtails present.
Cheers Ian

Single Sand Martin at nesting holes plus pair of Grey Wagtail.
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Saturday 22nd of March 2014 10:18:18 AM

Woodcock flew from river over Asda at 8.00 a.m. this morning.
Cheers Ian

Still one active Sand Martin nest with 3 young at the entrance hole this morning.
Cheers Ian

30 mins this a.m. at the Sand Martin colony, only 2 of the nest holes are still in use from the maximum of 15 earlier in the Summer, also 2 Pied wagtail.
Cheers Ian

9.00 a.m. 95 Canada Geeseon river by Market Hall, 1 Kingfisher flying downriver.
Cheers Ian

9.00 a.m. Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, lots of Sand Martin activity and Mallard with 8 tiny ducklings.
Cheers Ian

Dipper and Grey Heron under the Pilkington Way bridge over the Irwell.
2-3 Grey Wagtail feeding up and down this stretch.
Great to see the Sand Martins flying in and out of their nest holes in the side of the Market Hall (between Pilkington Way and Blackburn St).

On the other side of the river from the Market Hall is a small lawn that has been recently cut, with most of the grass cuttings still present. The Martins werre flying to collect these for the nest and occasionally landing for a few seconds. I'm pleased with the photos I got, but someone with a better camera (or a better photographer!) could get some great shots there.

At least 14 nesting holes being used by Sand Martins at the Market Hall, also Dipper under bridge by Asda, just under the bridge, not nesting.
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Sunday 2nd of June 2013 07:57:34 PM

7 Sand Martins arrived together approx 10 a.m. and immediately began entering the nest holes in the wall of the Market Hall.
Cheers Ian

30 Waxwing in trees next to Market Hall also Grey Wagtail on river.
Cheers Ian

This a.m. Goldcrest in conifers near Lockkeeper pub and Goosander on the river.
Cheers Ian

Male Goldeneye centre of Radcliffe am.

Single Goosander on river this morning.
Cheers Ian

4.30 p.m. sitting in traffic near Asda 50 Sand Martin over the river, 13 Swallow, then really surprised to see 2 Swift flying amonst them.
Cheers Ian

In June counted 9 occupied Sand Martin nests, this is well down on previous years (20 in 2010), this a.m. no sign of any holes in use and just a single bird flying around.
Cheers Ian

2 Sand Martins around nest colony at Market hall this a.m. but couldn't see any Wagtails
Cheers Ian

11.30a.m.

Four Sand Martins seen flying up river past St. Peter's school.
Not showing any interest in holes in sandbank.

No sign of any Sand Martins this a.m. after 4 last Sunday, Grey Wagtails still present however.
Cheers Ian

10.45 this a.m. 4 newly returned Sand Martins, immediately inspecting and entering the nest holes. Also pair of Grey Wagtail still present.
Cheers Ian

Had a walk around the old paper mill site can be heavy going.
South of Close Park this is a huge area of waste land wooded to the north, river Irwell running east, birch and scrub along the river, reeds and a lodge to the centre and great mounds of hard core in the south.
Lots of Skylarks and Reed Buntings 6 Jays, Grey Wagtail, Coot, moorhen, Canada Goose, several Goosander, Meadow pipit, Wren, Long Tailed Tits, Grey and Pied Wagtail, Treecreeper, Dipper, Great Spotted Woodpecker on south side of river, Kingfisher, fly over Cormorant, what looked like a fleeting tawny owl 2 chiffchaffs and all the usuals




-- Edited by Ian Boote on Wednesday 21st of March 2012 06:15:30 PM

Quick visit 3.45-4.00 after work, female Sparrowhawk soaring above ASDA but no returning Martins as yet.
Cheers Ian

Grey Wagtails from yesterday still present, plus 1 Pied Wagtail and a female Goosander.
Cheers Ian

This a.m. a pair of Grey Wagtails present this morning for the first time this year.
Cheers Ian

four goosander

Not Radcliffe I know, but couldn't find a better thread! Fantastic views of a dipper on the Irwell at Bury Bridge this afternoon. It's a fairly regular sight as I'm walking to Bury; seeing it at least twice a week as I'm crossing the bridge. With the rush hour traffic crawling past, I often wonder what the drivers must think of me staring into the rushing water below!

3.50 p.m. 2 Buzzards circling above Asda then slowly drifted South, down river. The first Buzzards I've ever seen here.
Cheers Ian

This morning counted minimum of 19 Sand Martin nests in holes in wall on both sides of river, 15 on Market Hall side. Also female Goosander.
Cheers Ian