Pleasant weather for birding - the sunshine is warmer; it might as well be spring! Seen - Redwing flock still present, Mistle Thrush etc; heard - Song Thrushes, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming.

-- Edited by John Doherty on Wednesday 19th of February 2014 02:18:37 PM

A long time away from a local patch, so time to visit again.

This morning in fine sunshine was notable for Redwings. I'd say they were 25+ distributed through the cemetery half of the park. The trees bordering the cem. seemed to be their HQ, like last year.

A Coal Tit called very distantly from beyond the sloped side of the cemetery; a Nuthatch called from in the park itself.

Lots of Goldfinches were around, plus several Mistle Thrush.

A snapshot from Queen's Park this morning for a half hour stroll:

Nuthatch - A pair, more singing
Swifts - 3 then 2 through
Blackcap - 1 unseen singing, plus 1 singing from the vale.
Chiffchaff distant singing from the vale
Great Spotted Woodpecker - heard at close quarters but not seen
Buzzard - heard but not seen

Mistle Thrushes, Blackbirds, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Wren, Goldfinches, Magpies, Wood Pigeon all either seen or heard



-- Edited by John Doherty on Monday 24th of June 2013 09:17:26 AM

16th February.

c60 Redwing having a communal sing-song in Queen's Park on a quite beautiful spring-like morning. Suburban parks and cemeteries appear to be amongst the better locations at this time of year for catching up with these vocal flocks.

Also both Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Mistle Thrushes fighting or in territorial disputes. Even 2 Long-tailed Tits were showing a bit of aggression - it was like watching a couple of marshmallows having a fight! Song Thrush singing, at least 1 pair of Nuthatch and 3 Goldcrest - 1 of which was singing.

2 Grey Wagtails heard near the R.Irk.

Cheers,

Bill.

An hour in fair conditions today. Good to be back out.
Highlights:
Park:
1 singing Blackcap (M) showing well.
Pair of Chaffinch on the ground togther
1 Jay
Lots of Goldfinch through, many Mistle Thrush
2 Swifts over
Nuthatch only heard
At least 2 or three Great Spotted Woodpeckers heard sitewide

2Chiffchaff singing in the vale, plus more singing Blackcaps heard.
Just two mallards on a considerably swollen Irk.

Better than staying in!

4 Swifts, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, all this morning across the site, the Woodpecker and the Nuthatch being in the cemetery (note: I don't spend my time in cemeteries as a rule, as the Philips Park post, we were looking for relatives of a friend, only being successful in one of the seven or eight leads across both sites, that being in Manchester General Cem.) and drawing a blank at Philips for whatever reason.

Walked around without my bins this morning.
Two Buzzards over (thought they were Buzzards, later heard calling above the cloudline)
Blackcaps all over
Chiffchaff x 1 singing
Willow Warbler - 1
2 Canada on the Irk (never seen them here)
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Nuthatch
lots of the usuals.

A quick hour this morning yielded some good highights:

2 F Greenfinch, a Robin pulling worms and three M Blackbirds was a nice Motley Crew in one corner of the park where the grass had been mowed. There were many Chiffchaffs (1 seen) singing and quite a lot of Blackcaps, although none were seen. 4-5 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush doing what it does best, 10 Starling, all the usual Tits.

6 Mallards and a Grey Wagtail on the river Irk, plus a bathing Blackbird , and a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling briefly in the vicinity (but not seen) :

As I returned to the park 1 Female Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen giving great views in a tree. As I was watching her a Nuthatch came into the same tree.

Cheers.


-- Edited by John Doherty on Monday 16th of April 2012 11:36:15 AM

12:30 -2:30, a pleasant afternoon with Bill Myerscough today.

Lots of good stuff seen -

1 Dipper, 2 Grey Wagtails and 3 Teals (2m 1F) on the Irk.

In the woodlands - Lots of usuals, including plenty of Goldfinch and Long Tailed Tit.
1 M Great Spotted Woodpecker sighted with another heard calling very close by.
At least two Coal Tits.
1 Redwing in the park itself.

Bill had some Nuthatches before I arrived.

This morning, around 10am

Two Dippers present at the same location
2 Nuthatches in the park
Redwing flock present in the cemetery

1 Buzzard over Rochdale Road, which flew off over the park towards the city centre at speed.

I am pleased a punch to announce the sighting of two Dippers on my local patch, on the river Irk in Hendham Vale at the Smedley Hotel bridge - finally now after trying hard a species I can finally say I've saw in my short birding career and it was totally unexpected!

I saw one and it sang briefly on a rock before heading up river. I watched it and it was shortly and briefly joined by a less stockier bird I am assuming is the female. I still haven't came down from the experience!

Other sightings:

Treecreeper -1
Redwing - flock of 25ish birds, scattered through the lower reaches of Queens park and all gathering in trees on the cemetery edge.
Minimum 2 Grey Wagtails on the Irk, possibly more (nit sure if the sightings were duplicates)
Plus the usual tits

This place will be a haven in summer and can't wait for the Blackcaps to arrive!

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, tonight 4.30

Usual Grey Wagtail on the Irk (8.45 this morning)

-- Edited by John Doherty on Wednesday 1st of February 2012 04:52:05 PM

Today 2pm: Still November and still warmish.

1 Pied Wagtail
Lots of Goldfinch, Great and Blue Tit, Blackbirds, A single Robin.

On the Irk was one Grey Wagtail.

Queen's park today, early doors -

At least 1 Pied Wagtail
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Cheers

Attempted to go further before the rain.

Luck was in, though, producing 1 Kingfisher Perhaps the same bird as last time?

Kingfisher flashed through the Irk today very quickly.
Also seen in the Park: Great Tits, Long Tailed Tit party, Goldfinch flock (ten at least), few Wren, Blackbirds, Magpies, and a few Wood Pigeon.

First British birdwatch in well over 6 weeks due to my foreign jaunt - a damp squib, really.

Routine birds seen, but still a decent morning and glad to get out.

1 Jay
3 Goldfinch
Blue Great and Long Tailed Tits
Plenty of Woodpigeon feeding
1 Robin

Long time no report (or no birding!) - that's what happens when Footie Manager sucks you in


Today before the rain - 1 F Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff spotted and many more heard.
Wrens, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Wood Pigeons and several strident mistle thrushes; a dozen or so Swifts were tumbling about in the sky above the vale itself. Good to be back birding!

This morning: As Rick mentioned in his post, not easy birding as the wind was up making it hard to discern bird song.

Despite this I had: (nothing unusual but I'm obsessed with what is on my very local patch!)

1 Chiffchaff heard despite the wind.
6+ Great Tit in two flocks plus more single birds.
2 Chaffinch M/F
Party of Long Tailed Tits
1 Wren
1 Robin
1 Goldfinch

and lots of Magpies, Blackbirds and Woodpigeons.

I used it as a base to decide whether to go to the Irwell before turning back.

Seen as though I regularly post sightings from here in the bits and bobs section, and that I go through here on the way to local patches, its own thread is in order:
The Vale forms part of the Irk Valley and Queens Park was laid out in 1848 making it one of the oldest municipal parks in the country!

This morning: Park - several Gtit and 3 Robins; Vale - 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - Female. It was a male the other day in the same vicinity so I suspect a pair exist here.