Another brief view yesterday at 6.15 whilst dashing to catch train home. Female or juv on top of old brick building next to Shudehill tram stop - exactly where Simon J saw one some time ago. Gave chat-like call.
Looked again this morning without success.

Steve

Brief view this morning on High Street, outside entrance to Arndale Market. Bird flew up onto top of building opposite market but disappeared before I could extricate bins from rucksack.
This is close to where Simon Johnson was sure he'd seen one a few weeks back, and where I saw a male a couple of years ago. Is this part of another family? Will have another look round at luchtime.
Steve

sat am ,pied wagtail had me for a minute,dunnock had it,s picture taken, sparrows and pigeons abundant,alas no b/start or warbler to report.

cheers geoff

this morning i saw a juv in the bushes near the pagoda,this evening among the throngs of warbler watchers (my self amongst them)met a birder from this morning who had seen the male and female over the long legs side of the square around 16.00 but i didn,t spot em this evening

cheers geoff.

went again this a m 700 till 8.00 'dipped' will try again in the morning
cheers geoff

I clocked a female or juv at about 2.10pm with another observer. I spent nearly 2 hours at the site this evening but no sign. Tim Wilcox clocked them at around 12.30pm.

Managed to see 2 birds this afternoon at 1.30 around the car park - both juveniles or maybe female (?) - both on ground briefly at one point near to the big Chinese gate despite lots of people around, before flying up onto rooftops in direction of art gallery. No sign after that, but i was pretty chuffed (and surprised) to see them at all considering how busy it was.

Glad you all got the bird ...nice to get a lifer Geoff. Sadly I have not been able to revisit the area with being off sick ...jaw infection. I visited dentist today....very painfull experience and I am on second course of anti-biotics. Slept all day today but hope to be able to see them tomorrow. It won't be long till they eventually journey out so let's hope for a few more sightings .

I think Hammy left at 8:00.

A bird finally appeared at 8:26 and then showed on and off at rooftop level before being lost to view around 8:56.

It started on the chimney above the Wing Yip, quickly moved to above the China Buffet before crossing to the modern building behind the gallery before ending up on chimney pots above Long Legs, where I decided digi-scoping might cause alarm!

It could only be seen there from the next road west, and flew back towards the square where I couldn't re-locate it.

I'm not sure, but I'd guess it was an imm male - I certainly didn't see any wingpatch, but it did appear darker than I'd expect for a female. It was agaist the light a lot, and I could well be mistaken - it was certainly feeding itself, I saw several flycatching forays..

-- Edited by Rob Smallwood at 00:13, 2007-08-01

Paul,

I have been the last two days in my dinner hour and not seen anything, yet on sunday early morning there were showing to a few feet on the ground. Far too many people around in this nice weather during the day. There probably pretty mobile as the young looked pretty well grown.

Spent about hour in and around car park but no show this evening.

Will try again Friday, early doors and again over the weekend if need to

sid ,i returned this morning 7 00 and thougt i,d dipped again so i wandered towards canal street and checked another car park, still blanking i returned to china town and found the male and 2 juv busy feeding on the buildings
so i had great views and an half decent photo,seems best idea is to wait them out in the car park.

cheers geoff

and welcome to the forum sid

Geoff - I too was on the car park a short time after you yesterday at 0750 - 0820. Found the female at once sitting on the aerial of a mini parked there! Latter saw the female again as I sat on a bench in Falconer street - the bird came down to the floor and took food up to the young on the building above. Ditto thanks to Adrian
Sid A

i went to the car park this morning 6 45 7 45 and was rewarded with one sighting of the male high up on a window sill feeding on insect,s no sign of others but the bird flew onto the top of the building out of sight(life tick for me).i also returned this evening and couldn,t find them despite a good long stand in the car park then a tour of the adjent streets (got wooseynecked and hungry so retired birdless @19 30).hate to think that the birdguide reporter saw the juv pecking away behind me as i searched.will try again in the morning.

and thanks to adrian for finding the family and sharing the info with us all.hopfully they won,t be as elusive next year

cheers geoff

According to Birdguides one of the juvs was around the car park this evening.

I'd just like to say, very many thanks to Adrian Dancy, who has put in a lot of work finding these birds this year, as he did last year when he found the nest site. They are not easy to find once they move away from a known nest site, and I know Adrian has put in many hours looking for these birds.

The juv Grey Wagtails were there in the morning too. It might be that the position of the sun has a bearing on where they feed (as they were flycatching this morning) - but you said you were sitting in the sun in your text. They can't be far away - I would say in the area bounded by the canal where it crosses Princess St, and Mosley St.

Nothing doing between 3:15 and 5:45 - two juv Grey Wag and a Peregrine overhead - but no sign of the Redstarts.

Yeah had great views early morning of an adult with two juveniles in the car park and on all adjacent buildings, totally oblivious to us birders they were happily feeding on the ground around the car park down to a few feet

A sucessful morning by Judith, Adrian and 'the Warfords' with adults feeding young being found around the car park near to the junction of Nicholas St and George St in China Town, which is only just behind the art gallery ,early this am at least

Si - Adrian and 1 are going early Sunday - we expect to get there about 0830.

Nice one Adrian, I know where the Art Gallery is, I will have a look early sunday morning, presume they are difficult to see at the moment.

I have located black redstart along Mossley Street Manchester and feel confident they have bred. Please keep an eye out for the birds which are active on the roof tops near the Art Gallery. I located them first by call and have not as yet seen them come to ground to feed. I will be contacting relevant building owners in order to investigate breeding of this schedule 1 bird. I would respectfully request that birders do not attempt to contact building owners or managers to view the birds from any building since this may have implications in my obtaining good-will from building owners and managers who may be concerned or affected by the bird's presence. As some of you might be aware the presence of the birds will affect Town Planning issues.

Many thanks for your cooperation. I sincerely hope those birders who have been longing to see these birds may now get a chance. I have worn out shoes looking for them this year!

Adrian Dancy

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 22:49, 2007-07-27