Very little in the woods this morning. A few Nuthatches calling and a Sparrowhawk near Smithills Hall the best I could find.

Smithills School :-
2 Mallards, 7 Canada Geese, 28 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Woods above Smithills Croft Road :-
2 Canada Geese, 2 Mallards, 1 Moorhen, 2 Woodpigeons, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, 3 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, Great Tits, Blue Tits, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Magpies, Chaffinches, & Greenfinches.

Dipper on Dean Brook

Only covered area up to Smithills Hall due to ongoing work, which now includes building the new bridge to The Open Farm.

Not much to report until I got to the pond by the hall pond, when a Kingfisher took off from a branch as I looked over the wall.

Heading through the woods between Jesmond Road and Moss Bank Park I came across a couple of Redwings.

After a visit to Moss Bank Park I found a Dipper on Dean Brook between Forest Road & Smithill Dean Road.

8.20am to 10.20am

Brook by Temple Road :-
3 Mallards, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Dipper. At lunchtime another Dipper, or the same one, flew under the bridge at the bottom of Smithills Dean Road.

Woodland & the area around Smithills Hall :-
1 Grey Heron, evidence of a Sparrowhawk kill, Pheasants, Black-headed Gulls passing over, Woodpigeons, 1 Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wrens, Robins (including a juvenile), Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrushes, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, family groups of Long-tailed Tits & Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches, Jays, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, & a Bullfinch.

Hello

I did try to go here the other day but couldn't find it. I have been before and saw lovely Great Spotted Woodpeckers and wanted to go back. This is the place in Bolton with the walk down through woods and stream running through? There is also Smithills Hall there? Please would you be so kind as to give me directions. I am heading North on M61 and come off at marked junction on motorway. Postcode even better.

Many thanks

Vikki

Hi Vikki.
The Phillips Greater Manchester Street atlas Page 24. Squares 5C, 5b and 4C
cover Smithills Wood.
My Phillips is just about Kindle size.
Also a footpath leads through to a large newish wood at Horrocks Hill:well worth a visit.
Take the Bolton Spur off the M61; then the A666 St Peters Way that skirts east of Bolton , continue on the A666;to the A58 junction ;turn left down the A58 and then right at the next major junction up Smithills Dean Road .The entrance to the Hall is on the right.
(Postcode ,BL1 7NP)




-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 4th of May 2013 04:02:56 PM

8.15am to 9.25am.

Pair of Mallards
1 Pheasant
8 Black-headed Gulls at Barlow Park
26 Woodpigeons
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Swallow
16 Wrens
1 Dunnock
15 Robins
8 Blackbirds
1 Song Thrush
2 Mistle Thrushes
2 Chiffchaffs
2 Long-tailed Tits
5 Blue Tits
4 Great Tits
4 Nuthatches
4 Jays
15 Magpies
9 Carrion Crows
3 Chaffinches
3 Greenfinches
10 Goldfinches
1 Siskin

9.25am to 10.30am

1 Grey Heron
68 Black-headed Gulls on Barlow Park
4 Herring Gulls flying over
11 Woodpigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Wren
1 Dunnock
5 Robins
4 Blackbirds
Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, & Great Tits
3 Nuthatches
10 Magpies
20+ Jackdaws
7 Carrion Crows
40+ Starlings
6 Goldfinches
2 Siskins

9.50am to 10.55am.

20+ Redwings & 2 Mistle Thrushes as I walked across Barlow Park.

Not much in the woods. Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Nuthatches, and 4 Bullfinches amongst more common stuff.

8.15am to 9.45am

3 Mallards flying around
44 Black-headed Gulls on Barlow Park & 40+ at Smithills School
3 Common Gulls on Smithills School roof
1 male Sparrowhawk. Small individual doing a good impression of a Merlin as it flashed quickly through the trees
1 Kestrel at the top of the woods
9 Woodpigeons
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
11 Wrens
16 Robins
19 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare on Barlow Park football pitch
1 Redwing in grounds of Thornleigh School
1 Song Thrush
2 Mistle Thrushes
1 Goldcrest
Coal Tits, Blue Tits, & Great Tits
4 Nuthatches
1 Jay
10 Magpies
2 Jackdaws
6 Carrion Crows
4 Chaffinches
2 Goldfinches
1 Siskin
2 Bullfinches

8.45am to 9.55am

1 Grey Heron in a tree at the top end, closely watched by a couple of crows.
21 Black-headed Gulls on Barlow Park.
7 Woodpigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Pied Wagtails
5 Wrens
2 Dunnocks
10 Robins
5 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
2 Redwings
2 Mistle Thrushes
Blue Tits & Great Tits
3 Nuthatches
2 Jays
8 Magpies
4 Jays
10 Carrion Crows
1 Starling
3 Chaffinches
2 Bullfinches

8.25am to 10.10am

Black-headed Gulls. 49 on Barlow Park when I started. 47 at Smithills School when I finished. Probably the same birds.
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull on school roof
1 Moorhen near Smithills Hall
7 Woodpigeons
1 Pied Wagtail at Smithills School
8 Wrens
1 Dunnock
15 Robins
9 Blackbirds
1 Mistle Thrush
Blue Tits & Great Tits
2 Nuthatches
1 Jay
12 Magpies
1 Rook flying over
7 Jackdaws
14 Carrion Crows
2 Goldfinches
1 Siskin
1 Bullfinch

A Snowy Owl was a nice sight, even though it was in a cage at Smithills Open Farm

Last Monday I heard a Green Woodpecker calling from the top of Smithalls wood. I have only ever heard them calling, often in the trees on my street, during April, so was a nice surprise to hear one.

8.50am to 10.05am

57 Black-headed Gulls on school playing fields
10 Woodpigeons
1 Pied Wagtail
5 Wrens
11 Robins
5 Blackbirds
1 Mistle Thrush
Flock of Long-tailed Tits + Coal Tits, Blue Tits, & Great Tits
1 Nuthatch
1 Dipper
2 Jays
18 Magpies, including 14 in one tree in Barlow Park
4 Jackdaws
5 Carrion Crows
1 Chaffinch
1 Greenfinch
2 Siskins
2 Bullfinches

Thursday teatime:

Garden Warbler singing, from cover, at the top of the old, and overgrown, Walled Garden.Heard only.

Sightings:
Long- tailed Tits...5
Nuthatch...1 or 2
Mistle Thrush...1
Great Spotted Woodpecker....2
Plenty Blackbirds and Robins.
Swift...1
Swallow....3
Cormorant...1

am with Simon

Nuthatch 2
Woodcock
Tawny Owl in roost tree
Fox at close quarters
Treecreeper
Jackdaw 80+
Redwing 50

Kingfisher on the small lake at Smithills Hall this pm - the first I have seen here in several years.

Also two noisy nuthatches and a treecreeper amongst a band of blue and great tits in Raveden Woods nearby.

Simon, Myself and Phil Rhodes
9-30 till 11-00

Pair of Ravens
Nuthatch few
G S Woodpecker
9 Fieldfare
Treecreeper
Kestrel

2-45 till 4-30 pm Female Brambling in Larches behind Smithills Hall. 10+ Chaffinch G S Woodpecker Nuthatch 4+ Coal Tits Goldcrest 2 Greenfinch Also last weekendSimon & I had 20+ Siskin near Smithills Open Farm + A few Nuthatch.