Croft AM

Little Owl preening on ground close to dead tree on horse fields.
Not seen one here for over 2 years so nice spot.

Tried the fishery at 8am - unsuccessful; very busy there; the public footpath goes down the East side from the CP

On entry, the gate chappie didn't mind me going for a walk along the main track, as long as I didn't go near any fishermen (they're nearly always men!); expect abuse if I did! I decided against mentioning what Ospreys eat

Site looks good for a variety of warblers - heard Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler, I'd expect others earlier in the year

In previous years, before the site expanded, I've seen Common Terns arrive from Penn Flash

Osprey - over east to west at 4.30pm

Redwing - a group of 25 heading high to SW calling as they went at midday. Nice surprise & first record for autumn & 2 days earlier than my previous records over past 10 years for Culcheth/Silver Lane.

From yesterday:

Pink footed Geese - 50 flew NW at noon.

From 2 days ago but only now chance to record them:

Hawfinch - 3 flew south at overhead at 10.30am

Croft
pm
Despite drizzle a Little Owl was perched up on tree.

Croft

Little Owl on fence

Croft
Little Owl showing well

on Sunday driving down Kenyon Lane towards the plough i'm about 70% sure i spotted a Red Kite flying over one of the fields.

~130 Pinkfoot Geese flew NW at 11:30 over the centre of Culcheth, must have originated over the border in GM

Almost identical record to 4 days ago !!

~120 Pinkfoot Geese flew WNW at 11:15 just E of Culcheth, must have originated over the border in GM

20+ lapwing in field opposite culcheth primary school early this morning.

Two Hobbies hawking high over Lady Lane at 3.30 this afternoon.

A Swallow back on territory at Eaves Farm, Cross Lane, Croft on my way home from work this evening.

Three Woodcock (a single and two together) over Cross Lane, Croft this morning on my way to work (around 7.40am), all heading south towards the motorway. I see the odd bird occasionally along my route but I've never seen three before.

Spent a couple of hours meaning to check out the Stewardship crop for buntings but couldn't as there was a pigeon shoot (c.3,000 Wood Pigeons so they couldn't miss!)underway, adjacent to the crop. Walked the rest of the area and found:

Grey Partridge 5
Yellowhammer 8
Reed Bunting 2
Kingfisher 1
Buzzard 6
Kestrel 6
Sparrowhawk 2
Grey Heron 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Pied Wagtail 2
Skylark 28
Meadow Pipit 4
Robin 8
Great Tit 2
Blue Tit 3
Redpoll 3
Stock Dove 70
Wood Pigeon c.3,000
Collared Dove 1
Blackbird 1
Swallow 28
House Martin 9
Magpie 9
Carrion Crow 21
Starling 90
Pheasant 1

David

There have been no Little Owls at Lady Lane all summer, a single bird was there for a few months in the spring but had disappeared by May, perhaps it failed to find a mate. However, Bill - one of the Risley Moss regulars - told me yesterday that he'd seen one over the weekend. I checked yesterday on my way home from Silver Lane and a Little Owl was perched on a low, dead branch of the Oak two trees to the left of the usual tree.

This morning I walked along Lady Lane, Croft and found the Little Owl basking in the sunshine,my first this year,and on my first ever visit too!
Thanks to the regulars at Risley Moss who mentioned it to me some time ago and to Jonathon Platt for his excellent Blog.

Large flock of thrushes and starlings on winter wheat opposite The Plough, Heath Lane, Croft this afternoon. Flock consisted of c350 redwings and fieldfare (roughly 50/50 split), c50 starlings and half a dozen mistle thrushes. Oh, and one buzzard!

Found a small colony of tree sparrows yesterday by Leigh Golf Course clubhouse (which is nowhere near Leigh!). Parked up on Broseley Ave. and could hear tree sparrows calling as soon as I got out of the car. Saw three yesterday but could hear more in the gardens. Today at dinner time I went back and walked down Broseley Ave., most of the sparrows seem to be around the gardens where the avenue bends round, by the entrance to a footpath. Watched them foraging in the woodland on the edge of the golf course - they were searching amongst crevices in the trees for insects presumably, more like tits than tree sparrows! Different habitat than I'm used to seeing tree sparrows in locally. Other birds included two nuthatches, lt, great, blue and coal tits, two goldcrests. small flock of goldfinches feeding on sycamore keys and several redwing in a big holly bush. Otherwise, two buzzards on Heath Lane on my way in to work this morning, and a regular little owl in an oak behind a stack of silage bales on Lady Lane at dinner time.