08/02/24 lunchtime, the river in the town centre was too high for dippers or wagtails but a kingfisher shot under the bridge at the bottom of Yorkshire Street, the first I've ever seen on the Roch.
Mike c cooper said
Tue Mar 21 9:01 PM, 2023
30-40 Redwings circling Rochdale golf and rugby clubs this evening just after dusk today
Steven Heywood said
Tue Jan 25 12:26 PM, 2022
Dipper feeding on the river outside The Regal Moon in the town centre this morning.
James Walsh said
Fri Apr 16 12:24 PM, 2021
Thursday 15th April 2021
2 Goosanders at Bridge 61 on the Rochdale Canal
2 Lapwings at Belfield on the River Beal
James Walsh said
Wed Mar 3 3:55 PM, 2021
Tuesday 9th February 2021
Drake Pochard on the Rochdale Canal near the "Blue Pits Highest Lock", however, not present the following day when the canal was frozen!
Information thanks to Patrick Galbraith
James Walsh said
Wed Oct 28 9:28 PM, 2020
Juvenile Goosander on the Rochdale Canal associating with Mallards at Bridge 61
Rob Creek said
Fri May 8 8:07 AM, 2020
Late post for Tuesday morning.
- Blackcap (seen) and Chiffchaff singing in trees opposite Wood Fired pizza near Spotlands Stadium.
- 2 Willow Warbler, a Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing in trees outside Bella Vista restaurant near Hollingworth Lake.
Steve Atkins said
Tue Jul 16 7:45 PM, 2019
Buckley Valley 17:47 hrs
Two Red Kites drifted north over Buckley Hall prison and passed directly overhead as I stood in the field to the north. Their flight line would have probably taken them over Watergrove Reservoir.
Steve Atkins said
Sat Oct 20 7:58 PM, 2018
An extremely bizarre sighting at 8:20am. Just stepped onto the drive outside my house when a Canada Goose flew west down the street at roof top height followed by a Barnacle Goose. Both calling and heading in the direction of Syke.
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Aug 20 10:13 PM, 2018
Little gull (found yesterday by Kevin Lister) still at Spring Mill Reservoir, Whitworth today which is partly in Rochdale (and therefore GM).
Adrian Dancy said
Mon Jul 17 10:15 PM, 2017
steven burke wrote:
Record shot of the marsh harrier that drifted over Rochdale town centre whilst watching the peregrines yesterday 16th at 6.10pm heading in a westerly direction.
-- Edited by steven burke on Monday 17th of July 2017 12:33:16 PM
I put this through as a formal record to Ian who kindly confirmed the bird as a 2CY male. I do not think I will add my images since ithey do not add much. Out of interest this is the second marsh harrier I have seen from a town centre...the other was about 10 years ago when it flew down Market street, Manchester at about 2nd storey height!
-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Monday 17th of July 2017 10:16:18 PM
steven burke said
Mon Jul 17 12:32 PM, 2017
Record shot of the marsh harrier that drifted over Rochdale town centre whilst watching the peregrines yesterday 16th at 6.10pm heading in a westerly direction.
-- Edited by steven burke on Monday 17th of July 2017 12:33:16 PM
I've spent a couple of weeks tracking down where our local Jackdaws roost in Oldham there seems to be two directions they head, one towards Rochdale and the other to the roost at Bardsley/Fitton Hill. I've visited the Fitton Hill roost regularly the last few weeks and as best as I can estimate there are about 600 birds there arriving in groups of about 20-40. Great way to down an hour!
john webb said
Fri Nov 6 9:23 PM, 2015
one ringed necked parakeet,seen calling in flight over turf hill rochdale,seen by john webb
john webb said
Fri Oct 2 6:43 PM, 2015
birds seen round buersil head,rochdale,grey heron 1.....,moorhen 2.....,meadow pipit 5.....,robin....,common buzzard 2 birds sat in tree.....,woodpigeon.....,c.crow.....,magpie.....,chaffinch.....,long-tailed tit.....blue tit.....great tit.....,blackbird.....,goldfinch 3 in flight.....,nuthatch 1 calling.....,house sparrow.....,kestrel male in flight......,black-headed gull 7..thanks john
john webb said
Sat Sep 12 6:09 PM, 2015
birds seen around buersil heah,rochdale,,,,,kestrel 2 birds hunting,,,,,.common gull 5 AD,1 JUV,,,,,lesser black-backed gull 7 AD,1 JUV,,,,,herring gull 2 AD,1 JUV,,,,,chaffinch 2,,,,,house martin 9,,,,,,goldfinch 3,,,,,robin calling,,,,,blue tit 2,,,,,woodpigeon 30+,,,,,jackdaw,,,,,magpie,,,,c.crow,,,,,wren,,,,,long-tailed tit,,,,,starling 40 +,,,,,grey wagtail 1 calling in flight,,,,,willow warbler 1 calling,,,,thanks john
john webb said
Tue Aug 11 2:50 PM, 2015
birds seen around buersil head rochdale,common buzzard 1.....,L.B.B.GULL 3....,B.H.GULL30.....,Common GULL 2.....,house martin 25 to 30.....,woodpigeon 17....,moorhen 2......,meadow pipit 1 calling.thanks john
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 11th of August 2015 03:28:32 PM
john webb said
Sat May 23 6:50 PM, 2015
birds seen round buersil head rochdale,,,common buzzard 2 in flight,,,,,.swallow 8,,,,,.house martin 4,,,,,.goldfinch,,,,,.blackbird,,,,,house sparrow 12,,,,,.starling with juvenile,,,. chaffinch 2 mate in song,,,,,.robin,,,,,.wren,,,,,.dunnock,,,,,.woodpigeon,,,,,.blackcap 1 in song,,,,,.linnet 2 in flight,,,,,.swift 5.thanks john
john webb said
Sun Mar 22 9:58 PM, 2015
birds around buersil head,rochdale,common buzzard 2,kestrel 2 mating,skylarks in song,grey partridage pair,redwing 5,curlew1 in flight
steven burke said
Sun Jul 27 9:11 PM, 2014
juvenile dipper on the river in the town centre.
Colin Ramsden said
Tue Apr 1 5:47 PM, 2014
Roch Valley Way Chiffchaff singing a few hundred yards uphill from the sewage works
Colin Ramsden said
Wed Mar 12 3:20 PM, 2014
Shawfield > Fern Hill > Lanehead > Forsyth Brow > Greenbooth > Woodhouse Lane - 11th March Goldfinch - Conspicuous and numerous throughout (except Forsyth Brow) Robin - ditto Greenfinch - x 3 at Shawfield x 1 at Greenbooth Wood Sparrowhawk male x 1 at Fern Hill House Sparrow x 5 near Lanehead. The old cottages there and the farms are good for them so there are many more than this. Skyalrks singing at Forsyth Brow Starlings x 20 at Forysth Brow Skirting the moor, very few pipits and no curlew. Lapwing - two pairs off Woodhouse Lane, as per recent years.
Colin Ramsden said
Wed Mar 5 8:24 PM, 2014
Huge number of jackdaws flying east over Syke in chattering flocks at 6pm. I presume the roost was not too far away.
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Aug 5 8:53 PM, 2013
5th August.
Male Pied Wagtail feeding juveniles(s) in the tree right next to the main entrance to the M62 westbound services at Birch this morning.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Monday 5th of August 2013 09:44:27 PM
Simon Hitchen said
Fri Jul 26 7:07 AM, 2013
25/7
A Crossbill flew NW over Shore, Littleborough at approx 20:00
Colin Ramsden said
Wed Jun 26 5:16 PM, 2013
Old House Brook > Black Dad > Birtle Dene > Deeply Vale (Manchester side) 25th June Whitethroats singing in good numbers throughout the walk - they appear to be at a peak in these parts. Willow Warblers also in good numbers and a few pairs of bullfinches. Buzzard mewing somewhere out of site. Linnets appear to be very down in numbers generally, but a pair that slipped out of some gorse were silent so perhaps I overlooked some.
Colin Ramsden said
Fri Apr 26 10:20 AM, 2013
Smallshaw Wood - 25th April G S Woodpecker drumming Chiffchaff x 1 Blackcap x 1 in fine song Treecreeper x 1 Nuthatch x 1 Jays - very active - groups of 6 and 7 overhead Buzzard 'mewing' closeby
-- Edited by Colin Ramsden on Friday 26th of April 2013 08:10:37 PM
Colin Ramsden said
Sat Apr 6 6:10 PM, 2013
Roch Valley Meadowcroft Wood To Tyrones Bed 5th April
Struck by the number of nuthatches calling on different territories - probably 3 -4 locations in a relatively short walk. They are certainly doing well.
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Jan 14 3:03 PM, 2013
Driving along the M62 yesterday morning (13/1) it was great to look over and see so many Rooks already congregating around the rookery there. Also a pair of Dippers was around their old nest site as well this morning in Middleton and another nearby pair of Dippers was nest building on 6th January '13. Probably more accurate to say doing a bit of nest renovation, as a pair has bred at this same site for each of the last 3 years. Yet another nearby pair but this time just outside Rochdale Borough was in close proximity to their old nest on 26/12/12. One bird was singing, with the other of the pair just a few feet away.
Looks like a new breeding season is just around the corner... don't know about you but I can't wait for it!
Cheers,
Bill.
Sarfraz Hayat said
Sat Nov 17 6:29 AM, 2012
a female Tawny Owl calling from the same area today at abt 5pm.
Sarfraz Hayat said
Thu Nov 15 5:13 AM, 2012
A calling Peregrine, judging by size a female, on the round metal structure near Asda at about 4pm.
Steve Suttill said
Sat Oct 27 5:28 PM, 2012
Bill Myerscough wrote:
Out and about doing a site visit for my Winter Thrushes Survey this morning... A really beautiful autumn morning to be out of doors, enjoying the scenery, weather and birds and trying not to worry too much about getting stuck in or falling over in, above the ankles depth mud! The things we must endure in order to get the BTO the data they require!
Reminded me of the sign in the cafe at Old Moor saying how that eating their cake would help conservation. If it's good for the birds we must grit our teeth and do it - someone has to!
Bill Myerscough said
Sat Oct 27 4:37 AM, 2012
26th October.
Out and about doing a site visit for my Winter Thrushes Survey this morning, covering a nice semi-rural area which includes parts of Bowlee and Birch. A really beautiful autumn morning to be out of doors, enjoying the scenery, weather and birds and trying not to worry too much about getting stuck in or falling over in, above the ankles depth mud! The things we must endure in order to get the BTO the data they require!
A nice reward though was a very large mixed winter thrush flock - c150 Fieldfare and c40 Redwing, down and foraging on horse pasture at Birch. There was also c20 Starling with them but the whole flock was very flighty, possibly due to the presence on an unseen bird of prey? Another smaller mixed thrush flock (possibly some of the same birds?) were feeding nearby on hawthorn berries and rose hips in a hedgerow. Surprisingly few Blackbirds were encountered, no Mistle Thrush at all and with just a single Song Thrush.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Wed Oct 24 1:49 PM, 2012
Late yesterday morning (23/10) there was a gathering of at least 53 Collared Doves together on telephone lines on a farm at Birch. This might possibly be a record count for this species in Rochdale MBC.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Jun 11 2:14 AM, 2012
10th June.
Whilst doing the second leg of my Rochdale Town Centre BBS this morning managed to count a single flock of 47 Long-tailed Tits! It took a while to count as I had to wait whilst the flock moved in dribs and drabs from one copse to another along the edge of Mandale Park.
Also later in the morning in the Falinge area - fledged Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Wren and Goldcrest.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Wed Apr 25 2:07 AM, 2012
The early visit this morning for my Rochdale Town Centre Breeding Birds Survey was generally quiet but there were a few signs of resident birds getting into the swing of things. Mistle Thrush, Collared Dove and Jackdaw all nest building....not the same nest of course! Pair of Long Tailed Tits collecting and carrying food, as was a single Song Thrush seen collecting masses of worms from the moist soil..... the other bird of this pair near the nest, was alarm calling vigorously when a pair of Jays came snooping.
The only migrant species seen/heard were singing 2 Blackcaps and a single singing Chiffchaff.
Cheers,
Bill.
David Winnard said
Thu Jan 26 5:55 AM, 2012
Hollingworth Lake is probably your best bet, heard there were 19 there today.
Dave
Joshua Longinotto said
Thu Jan 26 5:50 AM, 2012
Hi, does anybody know where the best place is to see a Comoront in Rochdale or just around Littleborough, Thankyou, Joshua.
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Jan 16 8:41 PM, 2012
16th January.
This afternoon in St Chads Gardens in the town centre a vocal flock of c30 Goldfinch. No sign of the Peregrines.
There appears to be a small Magpie roost or pre-roost gathering near Rochdale Station. There were about 25 there half an hour before dusk, with birds coming in and then some leaving. There were about 30 in the same location approaching dusk on 13/12/11.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Fri Jun 10 7:08 PM, 2011
10th June - am.
A visit to Rochdale Town Centre this morning for the second instalment of my 2011 Breeding Birds Survey and the challenges and delights of counting Feral Pigeons and corvids! However, the occasional wander off the set course to have a look at the Town Hall Peregrines and quick visits to a couple of the town centre parks produced some decent records.
A family party of Blackcaps seen in the small area of woodland (St Chad's Gardens?) between St Chad's Church and the Town Hall was a really nice sight. The male was seen feeding 1 juvenile, of which there appeared to be at least 3. A male Pied Wagtail was with 2 juveniles near St Chad's and also around the bowling greens of Broadfield Park. Also in the same park, a Greenfinch appeared to be collecting berries (which appeared to be unripe as yet) from an Amelanchier tree.
In Mandale Park - a family party of Wrens and a Song Thrush carrying food. A Willow Warbler and a Bullfinch were singing there too. Fledged Robins, Blue Tits, Dunnocks, Woodpigeons and Magpies were seen/heard as well.
Cheers,
Bill
Steve Atkins said
Sun Jun 5 7:17 PM, 2011
Buckley Valley 16:00 - 17:00 hrs
Reed Warbler still singing here this p.m. Seen with Simon Hitchen and Cameron from Rydings Road in front of the pond by the CCTV camera. The bird showed well at the front of the reeds several times.
A Moorhen with chicks heard calling from reeds. Female Mallard with 3 well grown ducklings Female Sparrowhawk flew over mobbed by House Martins Dipper in Buckley Brook
Steve
Steve Atkins said
Thu Jun 2 11:13 AM, 2011
Buckley Valley 08:00 - 09:30 hrs. Plenty of interest here this a.m.
Highlight was a Reed Warbler singing from the Phragmites on the pond along Rydings Road just by the CCTV camera! The altitude here is 150 M above sea level. Only my 2nd ever Rochdale Reed Warbler. The first was found by Simon Hitchen at Hollingworth lake on 8th June 2008. Ill certainly be going back in a weeks time to see if it's still on territory.
Also seen: a pair of Mute Swans
Family parties of Coal Tit (first time I've confirmed breeding in this area), Blue Tit and Great Tit - adults collecting food and juvs begging to be fed, so clear signs of dependency allowing the breeding code FL to be used.
Linnet 4 flew east
Willow Warbler - 2 singing and 2 calling continuously (a sure sign they have young nearby either in the nest or recently fledged.) Sure enough both calling birds (probably a pair) were carrying insects in their bills.
Whitethroat - 1 singing Blackcap - a pair Kestrel
Yesterday a Dipper was seen in Buckley Brook
Steve
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Thursday 2nd of June 2011 11:14:18 AM
Colin Ramsden said
Sun Apr 24 6:31 PM, 2011
Buzzard x 1 over bottom of Woodhouse Lane / Greenbooth Road mid-day. Soaring high being harried by a crow. One in same spot about three weeks ago.
Chiffchaff x 2 singing in Roch Valley at Midge Hall and quarter mile downstream. Also one singing in one of the larger gardens of Bury Road.
Bill Myerscough said
Wed Mar 2 6:15 PM, 2011
2nd March
Am.
Bowlee Community Park - last time here there were masses of birds on the playing fields...not a single one today!
However there was - 1 Kestrel, 1 Reed Bunting singing, 1 Mistle Thrsuh singing and 1 Moorhen on a small pond.
In the maize stubble fields around Bowlee village - c80 Lapwing, c70 Fieldfare and c130 Starling and 3 Stock Dove. Didn't bother counting the numerous corvids. What were probably 2 separate pairs of Tree Sparrows were seen about half a mile apart.
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill Myerscough said
Fri Feb 4 5:38 PM, 2011
4th February.
Not far short of 1,000 birds foraging on the playing fields at Bowlee early afternoon.
c90 Rook, c130 Jackdaw, c230 Starling, c120 Common Gull, c350 Black Headed Gull, 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Cheers,
Bill.
Simon Harris said
Thu Jan 6 9:07 PM, 2011
Stanney Brook Park area
sightings included
6 teal 1 moorhen 1 song thrush 2 Bullfinch 7 greenfinch 5 goldfinch 1 redwing 3 fieldfare 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 goosander flew over 1 cormorant flew over
Simon Harris said
Mon Dec 20 4:43 PM, 2010
Sunday 19th Littleborough canal from canal street up to Fothergills mill.
30+ redwing 5 blackbird 1 song thrush 14 Fieldfare 5 long tailed tit 1 male mandarin 1 sparrowhawk. + a few flocks of mixed tits
Monday 20th, Ealees area. 4 redwing 1 bullfinch 1 dipper 1 sparrowhawk 16 long tailed tit 4 chaffinch 1 nuthatch 1 cormorant flew over 3 coal tit numerous great and blue tits 1 grey heron 2 Jay
David Winnard said
Sun Dec 12 9:34 PM, 2010
2 Woodcock yesterday in Rochdale Cemetery was a first for me at my old 'patch', a great sight, got such a buzz from seeing them so close to home
Loads of interesting fungi to....though of course all fungi are interesting
Dave
Simon Harris said
Tue Nov 16 3:24 AM, 2010
had a walk from my house up to lake to see 'the grebe'. passed akzo pond. 1 heron 5 teal
lots of tits and finches seen.
on way back a pair of Mandarin at littleboroughs popular duck feeding spot, dont know how long they have been there but i cant believe i haven't spotted them before now.
Simon Harris
Bill Myerscough said
Sun Nov 14 2:47 PM, 2010
14th November.
A flock of 6 Bullfinch in Mandale Park this morning. Mistle Thrushes were defending berried trees in Broadfield Park. A Grey Heron on the fast flowing River Roch, upstream of the Lviv Bridge in the town centre - but today no Grey Wagtails or Dippers.
In Falinge Park - good views of 12 Lesser Redpoll feeding on birch, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Treecreeper, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Nuthatch here and 1 calling loudly from a very exposed location on top of a chimney pot in Falinge Fold, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker - a male in the park and a female in Falinge Fold.
2 Grey Heron on the River Spodden at Shawclough, as were 2 Grey Wagtails but today there were no Dippers. A Little Grebe was on the reservoir near Turner and Newall at Shawclough and flocks of c120 Starlings and 9 Collared Doves were at Spotland Fold. At Shawclough - 1 Goldcrest was seen and 5 Siskins flew over.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 14th of November 2010 02:49:03 PM
2 Goosanders at Bridge 61 on the Rochdale Canal
2 Lapwings at Belfield on the River Beal
Drake Pochard on the Rochdale Canal near the "Blue Pits Highest Lock", however, not present the following day when the canal was frozen!
Information thanks to Patrick Galbraith
- Blackcap (seen) and Chiffchaff singing in trees opposite Wood Fired pizza near Spotlands Stadium.
- 2 Willow Warbler, a Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing in trees outside Bella Vista restaurant near Hollingworth Lake.
Two Red Kites drifted north over Buckley Hall prison and passed directly overhead as I stood in the field to the north. Their flight line would have probably taken them over Watergrove Reservoir.
Little gull (found yesterday by Kevin Lister) still at Spring Mill Reservoir, Whitworth today which is partly in Rochdale (and therefore GM).
I put this through as a formal record to Ian who kindly confirmed the bird as a 2CY male. I do not think I will add my images since ithey do not add much. Out of interest this is the second marsh harrier I have seen from a town centre...the other was about 10 years ago when it flew down Market street, Manchester at about 2nd storey height!
-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Monday 17th of July 2017 10:16:18 PM
-- Edited by steven burke on Monday 17th of July 2017 12:33:16 PM
I've spent a couple of weeks tracking down where our local Jackdaws roost in Oldham there seems to be two directions they head, one towards Rochdale and the other to the roost at Bardsley/Fitton Hill. I've visited the Fitton Hill roost regularly the last few weeks and as best as I can estimate there are about 600 birds there arriving in groups of about 20-40. Great way to down an hour!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 11th of August 2015 03:28:32 PM
Chiffchaff singing a few hundred yards uphill from the sewage works
Goldfinch - Conspicuous and numerous throughout (except Forsyth Brow)
Robin - ditto
Greenfinch - x 3 at Shawfield x 1 at Greenbooth Wood
Sparrowhawk male x 1 at Fern Hill
House Sparrow x 5 near Lanehead. The old cottages there and the farms are good for them so there are many more than this.
Skyalrks singing at Forsyth Brow
Starlings x 20 at Forysth Brow
Skirting the moor, very few pipits and no curlew.
Lapwing - two pairs off Woodhouse Lane, as per recent years.
Male Pied Wagtail feeding juveniles(s) in the tree right next to the main entrance to the M62 westbound services at Birch this morning.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Monday 5th of August 2013 09:44:27 PM
A Crossbill flew NW over Shore, Littleborough at approx 20:00
25th June
Whitethroats singing in good numbers throughout the walk - they appear to be at a peak in these parts.
Willow Warblers also in good numbers and a few pairs of bullfinches.
Buzzard mewing somewhere out of site.
Linnets appear to be very down in numbers generally, but a pair that slipped out of some gorse were silent so perhaps I overlooked some.
G S Woodpecker drumming
Chiffchaff x 1
Blackcap x 1 in fine song
Treecreeper x 1
Nuthatch x 1
Jays - very active - groups of 6 and 7 overhead
Buzzard 'mewing' closeby
-- Edited by Colin Ramsden on Friday 26th of April 2013 08:10:37 PM
Struck by the number of nuthatches calling on different territories - probably 3 -4 locations in a relatively short walk. They are certainly doing well.
Looks like a new breeding season is just around the corner... don't know about you but I can't wait for it!
Cheers,
Bill.
a female Tawny Owl calling from the same area today at abt 5pm.
A calling Peregrine, judging by size a female, on the round metal structure near Asda at about 4pm.
Reminded me of the sign in the cafe at Old Moor saying how that eating their cake would help conservation. If it's good for the birds we must grit our teeth and do it - someone has to!
Out and about doing a site visit for my Winter Thrushes Survey this morning, covering a nice semi-rural area which includes parts of Bowlee and Birch. A really beautiful autumn morning
A nice reward though was a very large mixed winter thrush flock - c150 Fieldfare and c40 Redwing, down and foraging on horse pasture at Birch. There was also c20 Starling with them but the whole flock was very flighty, possibly due to the presence on an unseen bird of prey? Another smaller mixed thrush flock (possibly some of the same birds?) were feeding nearby on hawthorn berries and rose hips in a hedgerow. Surprisingly few Blackbirds were encountered, no Mistle Thrush at all and with just a single Song Thrush.
Cheers,
Bill.
Cheers,
Bill.
Whilst doing the second leg of my Rochdale Town Centre BBS this morning managed to count a single flock of 47 Long-tailed Tits!
Also later in the morning in the Falinge area - fledged Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Wren and Goldcrest.
Cheers,
Bill.
The only migrant species seen/heard were singing 2 Blackcaps and a single singing Chiffchaff.
Cheers,
Bill.
Dave
Thankyou,
Joshua.
This afternoon in St Chads Gardens in the town centre a vocal flock of c30 Goldfinch.
There appears to be a small Magpie roost or pre-roost gathering near Rochdale Station. There were about 25 there half an hour before dusk, with birds coming in and then some leaving. There were about 30 in the same location approaching dusk on 13/12/11.
Cheers,
Bill.
A visit to Rochdale Town Centre this morning for the second instalment of my 2011 Breeding Birds Survey and the challenges and delights of counting Feral Pigeons and corvids!
A family party of Blackcaps seen in the small area of woodland (St Chad's Gardens?) between St Chad's Church and the Town Hall was a really nice sight.
In Mandale Park - a family party of Wrens and a Song Thrush carrying food. A Willow Warbler and a Bullfinch were singing there too. Fledged Robins, Blue Tits, Dunnocks, Woodpigeons and Magpies were seen/heard as well.
Cheers,
Bill
Reed Warbler still singing here this p.m. Seen with Simon Hitchen and Cameron from Rydings Road in front of the pond by the CCTV camera. The bird showed well at the front of the reeds several times.
A Moorhen with chicks heard calling from reeds.
Female Mallard with 3 well grown ducklings
Female Sparrowhawk flew over mobbed by House Martins
Dipper in Buckley Brook
Steve
Highlight was a Reed Warbler singing from the Phragmites on the pond along Rydings Road just by the CCTV camera! The altitude here is 150 M above sea level. Only my 2nd ever Rochdale Reed Warbler. The first was found by Simon Hitchen at Hollingworth lake on 8th June 2008. Ill certainly be going back in a weeks time to see if it's still on territory.
Also seen:
a pair of Mute Swans
Family parties of Coal Tit (first time I've confirmed breeding in this area), Blue Tit and Great Tit - adults collecting food and juvs begging to be fed, so clear signs of dependency allowing the breeding code FL to be used.
Linnet 4 flew east
Willow Warbler - 2 singing and 2 calling continuously (a sure sign they have young nearby either in the nest or recently fledged.) Sure enough both calling birds (probably a pair) were carrying insects in their bills.
Whitethroat - 1 singing
Blackcap - a pair
Kestrel
Yesterday a Dipper was seen in Buckley Brook
Steve
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Thursday 2nd of June 2011 11:14:18 AM
Chiffchaff x 2 singing in Roch Valley at Midge Hall and quarter mile downstream. Also one singing in one of the larger gardens of Bury Road.
Am.
Bowlee Community Park - last time here there were masses of birds on the playing fields...not a single one today!
However there was - 1 Kestrel, 1 Reed Bunting singing, 1 Mistle Thrsuh singing and 1 Moorhen on a small pond.
In the maize stubble fields around Bowlee village - c80 Lapwing, c70 Fieldfare and c130 Starling and 3 Stock Dove. Didn't bother counting the numerous corvids.
Cheers,
Bill.
Not far short of 1,000 birds
c90 Rook,
c130 Jackdaw,
c230 Starling,
c120 Common Gull,
c350 Black Headed Gull,
11 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Cheers,
Bill.
sightings included
6 teal
1 moorhen
1 song thrush
2 Bullfinch
7 greenfinch
5 goldfinch
1 redwing
3 fieldfare
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 goosander flew over
1 cormorant flew over
30+ redwing
5 blackbird
1 song thrush
14 Fieldfare
5 long tailed tit
1 male mandarin
1 sparrowhawk.
+ a few flocks of mixed tits
Monday 20th, Ealees area.
4 redwing
1 bullfinch
1 dipper
1 sparrowhawk
16 long tailed tit
4 chaffinch
1 nuthatch
1 cormorant flew over
3 coal tit
numerous great and blue tits
1 grey heron
2 Jay
Loads of interesting fungi to....though of course all fungi are interesting
Dave
1 heron
5 teal
lots of tits and finches seen.
on way back a pair of Mandarin at littleboroughs popular duck feeding spot, dont know how long they have been there but i cant believe i haven't spotted them before now.
Simon Harris
A flock of 6 Bullfinch in Mandale Park this morning. Mistle Thrushes were defending berried trees in Broadfield Park. A Grey Heron on the fast flowing River Roch, upstream of the Lviv Bridge in the town centre - but today no Grey Wagtails or Dippers.
In Falinge Park - good views of 12 Lesser Redpoll feeding on birch, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Treecreeper, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Nuthatch here and 1 calling loudly from a very exposed location on top of a chimney pot in Falinge Fold, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker - a male in the park and a female in Falinge Fold.
2 Grey Heron on the River Spodden at Shawclough, as were 2 Grey Wagtails but today there were no Dippers. A Little Grebe was on the reservoir near Turner and Newall at Shawclough and flocks of c120 Starlings and 9 Collared Doves were at Spotland Fold. At Shawclough - 1 Goldcrest was seen and 5 Siskins flew over.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 14th of November 2010 02:49:03 PM