Monday Nov 28. 14.30 - 15.30 hrs.

Very quiet.

Brambling 2 .... in the company of a few Chaffinch in the L/hand hedge on the slope down to Higher Landslow Green Farm.
Treecreeper.

Roger.

12-2pm trek past Arnfield Farm direction and finally over to Swallows Wood (got lost thanks to bad directions!)
Common buzzard
mixed flock of thrushes,
crows
blue tits
flock of long tailed tits,
moorhen,
mallard,
grey wagtail,
grey heron,
blackbirds
Paths in wood quite damage from storm last week.

Thurs April 11th. 06.45 hrs.

Freezing cold and very misty. Not much sign of life apart from a few corvids.

2 Fieldfare.
4 Chaffinch.

Roger.

Monday 18th March. 07.00 hrs.

Hobson Moor Road.

3 Pairs of Lapwing plus a single trying to get in on the act.
Pair of Jays.

Roger.

Sunday 23rd Sept. 06.45 - 08.30 hrs.

Had a walk onto top of Hobson Moor.

Very quiet.

c 23 Meadow Pipit over.
c 5 Grey Wagtail over.
1 Swallow over.

All heading South


Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Sunday 23rd of September 2012 08:50:20 AM

Monday 17th Sept. 06.45 - 07.45 hrs

Hobson Moor Rd.

c 83 Meadow Pipit over. Going through constantly in dribs & drabs.
c 33 Goldfinch.
c 9 Greenfinch.
Large party of Tits ...... Great, Blue & Long-tailed.

Roger

Sunday 19th Aug. 16.45 hrs - 17.15 hrs.

Hobson Moor Rd.

c 17 Rook feeding in the field with Jackdaw.

c 82 Swallow over (3 x 20+ parties and 11 singles).

Roger.

Friday 13th July. 07.00 hrs - 08.00 hrs.

Hobson Moor Rd.

40+ Lapwing.
16 Blackheaded Gull.
9 Starling.
3 Linnet over.

Roger.

Thurs 29th March. 16.00 hrs.

Hobson Moor Rd.

Little Owl.

Roger.

Early pm with Iain Johnson

Hobson Moor Road

Mixed Thrush flock in field included 30 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush, also a couple of Starling

Near Higher Landslow Green Farm
8+ Brambling

Snowed off

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 4th of February 2012 02:24:12 PM

Late morning with Simon Ghilks

Hobson Moor Road

c60 Fieldfare on berries along track on left
6-8 Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
c25 Meadow Pipit
Skylark
1 Buzzard

At least three brambling and one redwing on Hobson moor road this evening

Weds 17th August. 15.30 hrs.

Hobson Moor Rd.

14 Rook feeding in the fields with the Jackdaws (60+).
3 Linnet.
Quite a few Swallow knocking about.

Roger.

Lunchtime

1 Willow Warbler singing opposite quarry, my first of year

Weds 23 March. 07.00 - 08.30 hrs.

Gallows Clough.

7 Meadow Pipits + 16 over.
1 Reed Bunting in field with the pylons and sedges.

Bonuses...... Roebuck & his doe, only 30 yard away, watched for a good 10 minutes 'til vanished over skyline.

Weasel hunting through dry-stone wall. Popped up 3 times to weigh me up.
Only tiny so presume female.

Roger.

Tues 22nd March. 06.30 - 07.00 hrs.

Hobson Moor Rd. Just past the Beech trees.

Two pair of lapwing displaying. One pair in field with the pylons, the other in field with the telegraph poles. Occassional aerial dispute when they met in No Mans Land.

Roger.

8/3/11 am

Hobson Moor Road

Mixed flock of Fieldfare and Starling 60-100
7 unidentified waders flew over already specks when I saw them
1 Lapwing displaying near Hard Times Farm
2 Linnets
Nuthatch

Hollingworth Hall Farm/Cow Lane (top part)

Nuthatches everywhere
Pied Wagtail (pair)
Song Thrush (pair)
Sparrowhawk (female) mobbed by Crow
c100 Fieldfare (different flock to previous)
Mixed flock of Tits, Chaffinches, Nuthatches feeding on the ground in wood, didn't appear to be any Brambling, but couldn't see whole flock

Swallows Wood

2 GS Woodpeckers having a "drum off"
More Nuthatches

Fri 4th March. 06.45 hrs - 07.30 hrs.

Hobson Moor Road.

Greenfinch.
Chaffinch.
Goldfinch.
Little Owl.

Roger.

Weather: Dull overcast and a cold south-easterly wind.

Late posting SUN 20/02/2011 11:00- 17:00

Mossley to Hobson Moor via Brushes and Swallows Wood

Abrahams Chair Mossley

Buzzard flew off the moors heading towards the Brushes @ 11:05

Carrbrook ( Old Mill Dam)

2 Gooseander (female) and one pair Mallard

Shireclough

27-30 Goldfinch presant near farm and adjacent field contained
4 Lapwings, Jackdaws and grazing Canada Geese

Higher Swineshaw reservoir

Mallard and Canada Geese present

Swallows Wood

1 Dabchick (Little Grebe), 1 Coot, 2 Moorhen, Mallard and Canada Geese
2 Goldcrest plus Nuthatch, Greenfinch, Blue, Great, Long tailed Tit, Chaffinch,

Thorncliffe Farm

Redwing and Fieldfare present in numbers a round ajoining fields.

Crows ,Robins, Blackbirds etc : present though out

Heads up David

At least 50 to 60 Fieldfare feeding with Starling, one probably two skylarks and one raven.

Bright sunny morning

Hobson Moor Road

Mixed flock of 200-250 Fieldfare and Starling with 1 Redwing

Swallows Wood

Nuthatch
Treecreeper
c80 Fieldfare
Male Sparrowhawk causing havoc with the Fieldfares
Male Peregrine just overhead
Buzzard flew over and into Derbyshire

1 Curlew heard only, probably passing through




-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Wednesday 16th of February 2011 08:07:27 PM

Weather: Cold and sunny with ground frost light cloud and a biteing breeze.

Sat 29/01/2011 11:45 - 17:00

Hollingworth to Millbrook via Swallow Wood, Higher Swineshaw Reservoir and Hobson Moor Trigg Point.

Hollingworth to Swallow Wood

Great Spotted Woodpecker , Long-tailed Tit and Nuthatch.

Swallow Wood: Pond part frozen (Derbyshire side)

Mallard single Coot and Moorhen in Greater Manchester.
Siskin over the boundary just.
Female Bullfinch
Blue Tit, Great Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker calling, Woodpigeon, Magpie Carrion Crow.

Swallow Wood to Swineshaw Reservoir

Jay, Kestrel, Carron Crow: Very quiet but great veiws towards Glossop and the high moors. Nothing appeared to be on any of the reservoir's but, I was veiwing from quite away above them.

Hobson Moor

Distant calls from Grouse and almost nothing except Carron Crows and the setting sun. Twilight was starting to fall as I walked through the Brushes Nature Reserve. Only thing of note were Canada Geese and Mallard on the mainly frozen Pond.

Heads up David

-- Edited by David Bramhall on Sunday 30th of January 2011 10:54:15 AM

-- Edited by David Bramhall on Sunday 30th of January 2011 11:00:07 AM

-- Edited by David Bramhall on Sunday 30th of January 2011 11:01:46 AM

2 Red Grouse by the footpath which runs behind Higher Lanslow Green Farm, a little out of place but did fly back towards the moorland
40 Redwing (checked very carefully)
c8 Nuthatch seen and calling between Mottram Road and Swallows Wood
2 Bullfinch
1 G S Woodpecker
1 Pheasant

This am, between rather heavy showers

Little Owl
Nuthatch - several around, both calling and seen
Fieldfare - 4 at the top of a tree along the road
Bullfinch - 2 male 1 female
2 Pheasant
Plus usual suspects

Quieter than I had hoped

Wildlife sightings on wildlife forum

With my dad this afternoon by Higher Landslow Green Farm

c15 Brambling in a mixed flock with Blue, Long Tailed and Great Tit also 3-4 Chaffinch.

Thurs 11th Nov 14.00hrs - 16.30hrs

c 73 Brambling flying up off the ground plus more in surrounding trees. Definately more than 100 birds altogether.Did not notice any Chaffinches with them.
All in the last stand of Beeches on left-hand side Hobson Moor Rd, past Hollingworth Hall Farm......just before the road runs out and changes into a track over the moor.

Also
5 Greenfinches (Higher Landslow Green Farm).
Coal, Blue & Great Tits.
2 Nuthatches (Landslow Green Farm).
1 Bullfinch.
6 Redwing in the hedges.
1 Jay.

6 Brambling flew from the hedge into the big Beeches at Higher Landslow Green Farm on the way back

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 11th of November 2010 05:34:02 PM

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 11th of November 2010 05:56:49 PM

C10 Brambling possibly more near Higher Landslow Green Farm in trees either side of the road on bend. Birds were in a mixed flock which also contained Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tit. They were feeding on beech mast and after waiting 15 minutes I saw several on the road. I never saw the full flock so was unable to ascertain exactly how many birds there were in total, but I did see 7 Brambling at the same time and then a darker winter male bird

Four flocks of Fieldfare with several Redwing through

Flock 1 25 birds (7 Redwing)
Flock 2 75 birds (all looked like Fieldfare)
Flock 3 approx 100 birds (again all looked like Fieldfare)
Flock 4 at least 70 birds

Also:

Buzzard soaring above Swallows Wood
1 Goldcrest with mixed Tit flock
4 Bullfinch

Also through heard but unseen
Skylark
Redpoll

Could you call this InVisMig?



-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 7th of November 2010 05:00:19 PM

Sunday Oct 31 06.45 - 08.40

Gallows Clough and back of Hobson Moor Quarry.

4 Chaffinches
Bullfinch heard but not seen.
1 hen Pheasant.
5 Fieldfare over.
1 Redwing over.
2 Pied wagtails over.
Small flock (7) of Meadow Pipits on top of moor.

Roger.

Sun Oct 24 16.20 hrs-17.00 hrs

7 Fieldfare feeding under pylons........very skittish...soon left.
3 Mistle Thrush poking about in some mole-hills.
101 Fieldfare over (63+25+13) the 63 actually turned and dropped to join the Mistle Thrushes but a distant bang after about a minute sent them up again. Headed off over moor towards Brushes.

Roger

8.30 to 10 am in cold but very sunny conditions.

12 fieldfare over flying NW
1 redwing, initially in a tree but flew off NW
1 female bullfinch
1 female kestrel
blue tit
great tit
chaffinch
blackbird
dunnock
robin
goldcrest
plenty of carrion crow and wood pigeon
1 jay
magpie
1 little owl

phil - little owl are relatively common in the area. I usually see tem if I walk up to lees hill from hollingworth hall farm. However, the two I have seen recently are on the road between hobson moor quarry and hollingworth hall farm.

Can you tell me where you spotted the little owls much obliged Phil

several hundred fieldfare over plus at least one redwing, jay, two little owl and three black-headed gulls.

no sign of the partridge late evening but two little owls, one jay, one fieldfare and karen's bogey bird (stock dove) were present!

Walked from Mottram Road to Swallows Wood and back again this afternoon.

2 Grey Partridge this afternoon on Hobson Moor Road, a bird which apparently has been scarce in the area in recent years
Over 200 Fieldfare in 3 flocks with a few Redwing thrown in, first of autumn
Nuthatch near Hollingworth Hall Farm and Bullfinch calling
Also GS Woodpecker in the area

Jay and Nuthatch in Swallows Wood.
Huge numbers of Woodpigeon flew from Swallows Wood as I was leaving, someone was shooting in the area.

Sadly my bogey bird is continuing to evade me and contriving to drive me even madder than I already am!

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 16th of October 2010 06:38:23 PM

spent the majority of the day wandering along side Hobson Moor, down into Swallows Wood, up onto Swineshaw Reservoirs and back down through Stalybridge Country Park. Pretty good day.

Usual assortment of finches along side Hobson Moor plus a Nutchatch at Hollingworth Hall Farm.

Swallow Wood held the usual suspects, i.e. woodpecker, blue, great, coal and LT tits. I found a garden warbler and a lesser redpoll by the old mill pond but unfortunately they were both both the wrong side of the boundary by less then 10 metres! fortunately the garden warbler did the decent thing and crossed over for a short time (borough tick) before moving back over! No flycatchers though!

One buzzard over Swallow Wood with another over Upper Swineshaw reservoir, which also held loads of meadow pipits, one or two willow warblers, a pair of reed bunting (another borough tick ), 9 canada geese, 8 mallards. Flushed a little owl on the way up too.

Stalybridge CP held quite a few blackcaps but no whitethroats all day!!

willow warbler, chifchaff, swift and swallow were fairly common throughout the day. Plus sand martin by the recycling centre in Stalybridge.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 12th of May 2010 07:34:20 PM

Hi Steve,

I've bummped into several birders in swallows wood and the adjacent arnfield reservoir. Its quite well watched. I only live in stalybridge/ ashton and head that way occasionally.

Not sure where the boundary lies exactly, hobson moor is defo stalybridge but swallows wood i think is disected by the boundary with the reservoir actually being in derbyshire, which is a shame as I've seen hoopoe there!

cheers e

On Hobson moor today and saw a Cuckoo for the first time. Also on display were 2 Sparrow Hawks, a Buzzard on the ground being worried by a couple of Rooks and great views of a Kestral from above. There was also a Curlew, 4 Lapwing, a pair of Stone Chat, a pair of Wheatear, several Swift, several Swallows and lots of Meadow Pipit. Lower down the hill in Swallows Wood I saw a Green Woodpecker, 4 Tree Creepers, Grey Wagtail, Dipper at Devils Bridge, 4 or 5 Willow Warbler, 2 Little Grebe and general Tits and Finch's. Strangley there were also several other people bird watching, a couple of whom had carried their scopes with them. It's the first time I have seen anyboby else up there bird watching. It must be the weather! Cheers Steve