Two juvs this morning, I couldn't stay long though but as I was walking away I saw what were quite likely these two birds fly from where I had been watching them towards the war memorial. Neither sight nor sound of them this evening, perhaps I saw the last of them this morning.

Cheers Karen

I arrived late into Ashton today and bumped into Adrian who told me it looked like the birds were on the move. He had seen one of the juvs on a rooftop.

We did a quick recce of the area and couldn't hear any Black Reds. We returned to the private area and the birds were around in there, although we didn't see the female. Adrian commented the female would be dead if she were a human!

The young birds are able to feed themselves although they will still beg for food from the male. Hopefully the female is still alive, although when I returned a little later I didn't see her then either.

We think that all four birds we saw today are moving outside of the area now as they disappeared for short periods on an off throughout the few hours we were there, and it probably won't be long before they leave the area completely. The birds were also noticeably quieter today.

Whilst sat there one of the young birds also flew to within about a foot of me

Cheers Karen

Sorry guys

Unfortunately after my posting on Friday evening, and as Sods law dictates, sadly the birds went back into the area which we suspect was probably the nesting area.

This is a private area and permission has had to be sought for entrance, and I don't want to jeopardise the relationship with some of the local residents, as considering I have spent most of the last week in the area and Adrian has also spent a considerable amount of time there, they are very tolerant.

Some of the feedback I am getting from them is that the birds are very noisy, the male does seem to greet everyone with clicks and churrs, but overall they seem pleased that the birds have chosen their area!

As Adrian says the young are very strong and they shouldn't stay in the private area for ever, hopefully they should move into the more public areas where I saw them on Friday.

Cheers Karen

Sunday 29 th Aug 16-55 hrs 17-30 hrs

Managed to grab a quick walk round at 1700 hrs having thawed out from this mornings early visit. This time in blinding sunshine. What a climate we live in.

Only been there 5 minutes when a juvenile landed on the roof of " Roundabout Toys ", it stayed for a few minutes then vanished again.

Kept hearing them calling but could not locate again......had to go as Mother required my chauffering sevices.

Roger.

Had a quickish look (10.00 -10.45 a.m) this morning after attending the August Farmers' Market Regatta!

No sign in ideal habitat but less than ideal conditions

3 Jackdaws, a male Blackbird and a juv Pied Wag were about the best I could find.

No doubt I wasn't looking properly

Well done Karen for keeping up obsevations of these birds throughout the season and so late in the season.

I am happy to say that we have 3 fledged birds and they all look very healthy. The male bird is knocking around the perimeters chasing wagtails away and keeping look out for predators. The chicks are partly able to feed themselves though are still being fed by the female. The female's plumage is very worn.

I dearly wished the Manchester bird bred successfully instead of disappearing or as the case may be, becoming food for kestrel chicks (the probability of which is extremely high given the evidence).

Thanks Karen

Thats great news,
was just wondering the other day whether they'd returned, as i hadn't read anything on here, so assumed not.

Black Redstarts have again bred in Ashton this year

They were very late breeders, but they have now left the nest and this evening I was able to watch the family, consisting of four birds on some of the rooftops. They are in the same area as they were last year, on Wellington and Wood Street, either side of Warrington Street, but they could be anywhere in the area including across the road over Stamford Street.

If you come into Ashton over the weekend, please do not go into any private areas, as with a little patience, you should eventually be able to catch up with them just listen out for them calling.

Don't forget that there are banks in the area, so be careful what you look at through your binoculars!

Cheers Karen

Karen Foulkes wrote:

---

This morning I did a bit of eeny meeny and found myself walking towards the Mastacabs. I saw a bird fly up onto the roof of Domino's Pizzas and saw it was a Black Red, it looked like one of the young, the light was poor though.

Then at lunchtime, I thought I'd give it another go. This time no Black Reds, but a Peregrine flew over (presumably the same as mentioned on previous posts, although I didn't see it well enough to see any rings). Again the light was bad.

Nice to meet Steve Atkins, hope you caught up with one!

---

Hi Karen,

It was nice to meet you as well. Thanks for taking the time to tell James and I the best places to look. Unfortunately we didn't manage to locate any. Although we were a bit pushed for time and didn't spend very long looking. I'll maybe pop down again one lunchtime next week.

Steve

Cheers Karen

I've had no luck with the Black Reds today either, I know there are plenty of yards and alleyways they can hide in that aren't visible to you or I, but I shall continue to search. You can rest assured that if I see any sign I will post it.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Wednesday 5th of August 2009 08:24:37 PM

No sign of the Black Redstarts last night 6.30pm-8.00pm.

Please keep us informed of any (hopefully) further sightings.

This morning I did a bit of eeny meeny and found myself walking towards the Mastacabs. I saw a bird fly up onto the roof of Domino's Pizzas and saw it was a Black Red, it looked like one of the young, the light was poor though.

Then at lunchtime, I thought I'd give it another go. This time no Black Reds, but a Peregrine flew over (presumably the same as mentioned on previous posts, although I didn't see it well enough to see any rings). Again the light was bad.

Nice to meet Steve Atkins, hope you caught up with one!

Just been up looking for redstarts. Finally around middayish briefly saw male at back of block behind old postoffice (from Wellington St), sat preening on rooftop and then flew off luckily showing plumage. Searched for long while afterwards to no avail.
Nice to meet 3 other birders from Stockport that spotted it first
Rae

Yesterday (Sunday) I was just setting out at about 3.10pm and peered round the corner of Wood Street. A female (I think) black redstart was on the pavement opposite the cream Mastacab containers.

For about 10 minutes the bird was on the ground feeding, on the razor wire and roofs on Wood Street and I think it was the same bird I saw in the Prontaprint small car park in Wellington Street.

On Saturday at 6.40am, at the other end of Wood Street (near Molly Molones), I heard singing and then saw the male black redstart briefly on a roof.

A juvenile (I think) was feeding on the waste ground on the right of Wood Street. I watched it for a couple of minutes and then it flew on to a low wall and dropped down on the other side.

Then a male flew up on to the low wall and on to the waste ground. It flew on to/over the wall and back on to the waste ground four times over about 5 minutes and then flew off.

I hadn't seen black redstarts before.

I met up with Steve Suttill this morning and we had an unsuccessful look for the Black Reds.

Never mind you can't win 'em all.

I had to go to Ashton today to do some of the things I hadn't had chance to do in the week.

I decided to walk some of the streets where the birds had been during the week doing a kind of circuit of the area keeping my eyes and ears open.

When the rain stopped, I heard the male and walked along Wellington Street towards Warrington Street. He was perched on the building at the George Street end singing. I watched him for two to three minutes before he dropped over the rooftops and the rain set in again.





-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 2nd of August 2009 11:55:08 AM

Nice to see you this morning, Karen, and thanks again for your advice...I also failed to see /hear any Black Redstarts despite a couple of hours watching.

Dipped again !

I spent three hours looking for the Black Reds today, with no success.

I'm not saying that they aren't still there, but I hunted in their usual haunts and beyond. I am going to look tomorrow, probably in the afternoon (better forecast). Fingers crossed and all that.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Friday 31st of July 2009 08:34:34 PM

Too wet for me this morning, I'm afraid. Still I had a quick look at some of the frequented sites, but no sign of anything.

Lunchtime brought brighter weather and a quick walk towards the end of Wood Street brought brief views of what looked like the female around the back of Dominos Pizzas near the cream Mastacabs. The bird flew over my head towards Old Street and I relocated it on the car park at the back of Ethel Austins. Unfortunately it was at the far side of the car park, but I saw it hopping on and off the tops and bonnets of some of the vehicles there and also flitting around the wheels.

This evening I saw a bird again at the far end of Wood Street, but it flew off before I had chance to get my bins out. Another bird then appeared, but this time it was the male, he perched briefly on one of the roofs, then dropped. Another brief view and he flew further towards the town centre.

A real case of deja vu here as he perched on the roof of the Caledonia pub on Warrington Street and began singing. This is where I first saw Black Red in Ashton some 14 or so years ago. He was perched there for about 15 minutes and this time I managed to get my bins out

Just a note of caution though, some of the areas where the birds are showing well are at the back of the banks, so just be wary of where you focus your bins!

Female Black Redstart 3.45 pm in the private car park on Wood Street , flitting around the parked cars.

06.20 - 07.40

1 Blackbird , 1 House Sparrow, 1 Pied Wag, 2 Starling, 2 Downpours and c.10 Circuits of the area and finally just when I was about to get wet again there he was - the male BX in the small private car park at the Oldham Road end of Wellington Street and Wood Street behind Pizza Pan Express .

He was foraging around in the weeds and then obligingly sat up on telephone wire for me.

P.S. should have said well done to Karen for spotting the birds in the first place.

-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 30th of July 2009 09:06:20 AM

Karen

A grim day indeed - you were not alone - I spent an hour between 13.00 and 14.00 up and down Wood Street, Wellington Street, Stamford Street etc - got a very brief glimpse of female (?) on a chimney at the end of Wood Street just before my parking fee was due to expire. Needless to say I didn't put another £1 in the machine - I don't like birding in the rain

-- Edited by sid ashton on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 07:31:01 PM

A grim day today.

I spent nearly two hours searching for the Black Reds before work and in my lunch hour. No sign even though it wasn't raining.

Even though it started raining when I left the office I decided to go and have a look. I searched all the areas mentioned on this site and found nothing

I walked out towards Lidl in desperation rather than hope and a Black Red flitted over one of the roofs on Wood Street. I walked round to try and find it but by this time the rain had become more persistent so I decided to make my way home. I walked back along Wellington Street and heard a bird singing which I thought might have been on Stamford Street and as I cut through towards Stamford Street over Wood Street, I saw the Black Red drop away again. At this point I gave up as the rain was heavier than ever.

I've posted some photos (or rather Ian has) on the main website, alongside some corkers taken by Adrian.

Had a couple of glimpses over Stamford and Wood Street and followed general direction of where they seemed to be headed. Ended up on Howard Court (A dead end at the back side of Molly Molones). Got to the end of Howard Court and the male and what looked like 3 juveniles were there. Good views of the male getting harassed by the young.

-- Edited by Paul Bambroffe on Tuesday 28th of July 2009 07:47:46 PM

Had male and female Black Red after work this evening in the rain.

The male never seems to stay still for very long and was perching on various buildings along Stamford Street. The female was on a building on the corner of Fleet Street, flitting about amongst the chimney pots and then she flew over the top and disappeared. A search of the area came up with nothing, but it had begun raining rather heavily at this time.

Hi Phil,
As I read the end of the third line of your post you had my pulse racing! I almost thought your directions were going to read ... "cream coloured...
COURSERS."...

.... I was almost half way out towards the car!

Spent about 40 minutes at the site this afternoon.
Managed to get very close views of a male on two occasions at the same spot.

From the Oldham Rd end of Wood St, there is a section of offroad parking behind the shops, with a couple of cream coloured 'Mastercab' portable containers on it.

The bird was foraging amongst the weeds/vegitation growing alongside the wall of the building.
It then flew up onto the razor wire & eventually disappeared over the roof.

It then returned a couple of minutes later, spent about 5 minutes on the ground, flew up on to a green industrial wheelie bin situated near the rear door of the shops, then on to the wire & again over the roof.

Did hear a bird calling further up Wood St, where the car park connects with Wellington St, but was unable to track it down, but did have a nice pair of Goldfinch here.

Day off today.

With being away for the weekend, I decided to go and see if I could find any Black Redstarts. I was delayed for half an hour by a heavy downpour and as I had to be in Manchester by 1.00, didn't hold out much hope.

I walked along Wood Street and got to the small car park between Wellington Street and Wood Street where there was a Pied Wagtail and a Blackbird. A Black Redstart caught my eye, and a female and two juvenile birds flew out of the vegetation. I watched them interacting on the roofs, the youngsters wing flicking, begging for food and making contact calls. Then another bird caught my eye, this bird looked like the same male as the one I had seen previously. This only showed briefly and then flew off.

Apologies for late posting. I had to be in Ashton on Saturday lunchtime so had a look around for half an hour, quickly checking out all the buildings mentioned previously. No Black Redstarts (or any other birdwatchers). Lots of interesting juvenile starling plumages though!

As I returned to the car I heard what I was listening for and found a male BX on the roof at the rear of the old Methodist chapel on Stamford Street. Its behaviour, and other postings that I have just read, made me believe that there may be two pairs in Ashton. Will pm Adrian about this.

Thanks to Karen for finding the birds. I've been checking Ashton town centre for donkey's years without success - but they must have been there!

Cheers, Steve

Male seen @ 17.20 hrs today on rooftops around Warrington Street.

With all this singing from the male are they likely to have another brood?
Cheers Ian

Had them to myself for a couple of hours - great views, lots of singing from the male, but I messed up some great photo ops!

Two adults plus 2 juveniles showing well today at 12:30pm

Info thanks to Rob Smallwood

Rob Smallwood wrote:

---

No sign in about 50 minutes this lunchtime - but it was very busy..

---

Rob

You must have just missed me , or were you avoiding me

I did a couple of hours in Manchester and got nothing...perhaps I should have stayed longer but the call to Ashton was just too great. Did about 10 circuits of the area so my feet are shot to bits. However, I located the former nest site following my speaking with building owners and guess what....?, they had called the local advertiser to say that they had some odd birds nesting in their building. The call or email was not returned. If only we had known!

Though I can only be 100% sure of one juv I do think there are at least two. The male was giving good views in the car parks near wood street.

Best spot to catch the birds are behind Iceland and around Wood Street. The male however will venture much further out.

AD

No sign in about 50 minutes this lunchtime - but it was very busy..

male and female black redstart seen together from office window, 8.15 am 23rd July in area between Wood Street and Stamford Street

Cracking view of the male collecting food at 19.15 tonight on Wood Street. Area completely deserted. Bird came to within about 5m of where I was standing. Easy to locate by calls. Wish I'd taken my camera but I assumed it would be on the rooftops. Thanks for finding them Karen.

Hope I haven't overstepped the mark.

Gary

-- Edited by Gary Marland on Friday 24th of July 2009 07:52:15 PM

male was on the chimney pots above swinton insurance around 2.15pm singing, this was where i saw him last night @ 4ish videoed him with camcorder not looked at results yet

10.30am Male Redstart on Pitt and Nelson, then flew to the Caledonian, heard singing.

Roy Travis went along this morning and saw 2 fledged juveniles flycatching from the roof(s) of buildings near the Pitt and Nelson pub in Wood St, very near Stamford St, and also near the Caledonian, where they bred about 15 years ago. He didn't see or hear the male but his time was limited.

Nice to see you Karen and your dad.

This was a very interesting day. I stuck my leave in in and bolted out the office to catch the train . Found my way onto Stamford Street and immediately heard a male singing but could not see it. Shortly after I saw a peregrine falcon with a red darvic ring, going through moult to adult plumage so may be a bird that Craig Bell ringed last year. Later the male black red appeared and sang a lot but sadly too high up for my lens but it looked like a good handsome male with perhaps a few head feathers missing , but a dashing bird all the same. Later on in the evening the male came down low and close and was joined by the female. No time to adjust camera settings and I just fired about 5 shots but sadly under exposed:( but the bird looked great through the viewfinder :)

Now this is the ground hog day bit. I think there were two males or may be I am just going potty...if I'm not potty already.

If the birds have chicks I did not see them and there are quite a few corvids in the area so may be they just keep low..

Just got in from watching the Black Redstart

I first saw and heard it this morning when on my way to work. Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of time to spare and so had to go to work

I went out in my lunch hour, but no sign

I had a quick look on my way home and again no sign

Me and my dad went to have a look again tonight and connected with a stunning male.

Nice to meet Adrian Dancy there also.

Great stuff

Thebird is a good-looking male and singing on Stamford St near Swinton Insurance and E to E Tameside. Adrian will be there till 5-ish if anyone wants to see it.

Actaully it was Karen Foulkes who saw it...Adrian Dancy has taken some leave and has also seen the bird and photographed it. Awaiting further details.

A Black Redstart was seen today by Bob Foulkes in Ashton under Lyne town centre. The sighting was made along Stamford Street by Dawsons estate agents. Of course there used to be an annual breeding pair in the town centre many years ago and 'reports' of birds since but we need further sightings of this bird and confirmation of any breeding would be excellent. We must rememer however that these are schedule 1 breeding birds and whilst the posting of sightings on here is great we should not post the location of any nest in order to protect their safety.