4 days in Hampshire and West Sussex (with a little bit of Bershire/Surrey and Oxfordshire thrown in) produced the following highlights:
Rough-legged Buzzard- 2nd winter male near Andover, Hampshire, showed well with Common BUzzards and Red Kites too.
Farlington Marshes (Hampshire)-...
we've now been here a week of what is essentially a family visit involving socialising, sight seeing, working on the farm, with some birding when the opportunity presents itself. A few common species were frequenting the garden of the Bangkok house, with Pied Fantails zipping around in typical fas...
Vale Royal Locks to Winsford (PM) I was advised by a nature lover from Northwich that this area is a hotspot for Grass Snakes, alas I didn't find any. It's a walk worth doing though, no uncommon birds about, but lots of wildlife, and at this time of year a botanical gem, especially the marshy areas adjoin...
16/3/07 3 Curlew - Burnt Edge Raven - Wildersmoor 2 m. Stonechat - Smithills Moor Kestrel several Coal Tit - Wilderswood a Grey Heron over the top of Two Lads Hill had me quivering momentarily ! -- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 14:44, 2007-07-17
At Marbury today with Henry C looking for the reported Hawfinch - no luck. Nothing at Haydns Pool either except the rangers building a Sand Martin bank. However, on the mere we had excellent views of a couple of Kingfisher, a Raven over and at the end really close sightings of a Water Rail - didn't realis...
Afternoon visit on Thursday the 5th July produced: 3 Green Sands 1 Kingfisher (willow pool) 1 Oystercatcher (flying all over the place) 5 broods of Gadwall 1 brood of Tufted Duck (4 very young birds on the main lake) 3 Mute Swan cygnets (willow pool) 5 Reed Warblers 4 Chiffchaff 2 Willow Warblers 4 Whit...
26/07/2012 - Fermyn, Lady and Souther Woods, Northamptonshire: Thanks to some useful info from John Rayner I headed down to these ancient woods with Mike Duckham. Butterflies were the main draw, including the stunning and sizeable Purple Emperor: 3 Purple Emperors - numbers lower now but some col...
A fishing pool a mile or so south of Sandiway, best accessed from the Nova Scotia Lane/Sandy Lane end (the east end). Redhead Smew fishing at the western end close up against the bank at 1530 today. Been there a couple of days. Another birder there intimated that it had been at Astbury Mere and Westport L...
Late afternoon 1500hrs Overcast but dry. Female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Finally after 6 visits this month had the black capped female high up in the Alder trees giving good views for 20 minutes. At one stage had the Lesser & Great spot in vision on the same branch. The bird was located in the exa...
On River Tame this morning:-
6 Goosander including 5 drakes between Dukinfield and Stalybridge
pr G S Woodpeckers in valley
pr Dipper Bayley Street, Stalybridge near tip from small bridge
5+ Heron on river between Dukinfield and Stalybridge
Pm towards Ashton
7 Goosander including 4 drak...
Great tits have nested in a box in my garden this year, i am waiting with anticipation as to see how many will fledge. Parents have been feeding none stop for a while now and the chicks are getting louder by the day i think they will be off any time now. Also of note over the last few days 2 Jays gs woodpecker 2 n...
Chiffchaff along hedgerow between Flixton E.T.W. and Manchester Ship Canal at 14.10 also Kingfisher flying along ship canal -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 5th of July 2010 02:27:17 PM-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 30th of March 2014 03:51:08 PM
My first visit (approx 3 hours): Kestrel Goldfinch Nuthatch Coot Canada Goose Little Grebe Woodpigeon Carrion Crow Pied Wagtail Swallow Swift Buzzard Although the gardens seem to concentrate on ornamental horticulture, (which attract plenty of pollinators and butterflies), there is plenty o...
Thought it might be an idea to start another thread for future sightings for this site, but maybe continue the Shorelark sightings on the other thread. 30/31 Jan 2010 Shorelark Skylark 6 Meadow Pipit 2 Linnet 3 Buzzard 1 Kestrel 1 Woodcock 1 30th Jan(Mark Rigby) Chaffinch 5 Goldfinch 3 Pheasant 2 Rave...
A Wryneck was present all day today near Knypersley reservoir just N.of Stoke, a bit closer for Greater Manchester birders than the East Coast!! Directions (if it still there tomorrow) are: Just N.of Brown Edge by Sands Lane on gorse covered hill. Drive over the dam at Knypersley Resr and continue to...
Sightings from Shell pool and the Bassell site Sunday 20th March At least six Buzzard either overhead or displaying in the area Sparrowhawk 1 Kestrel 1 Canada Goose 12 Mallard 23 Tufted Duck 30 Coot 8 Moorhen 8 Little Grebe 6 Cormorant 1 over Grey Heron 1 Pheasant 1 Black Headed Gull100+ Lesser Black Ba...
A Short Eared Owl was present from 5pm till dusk hunting the fields behind the colliery and giving views down to 10m,completely unphased by the dogwalkers and dogs.
On Sunday I visited the Wirral for a spot of birding.
Called in at Crosby early am - a lone adult Bar-tailed Godwit was the best find, plenty of Dunlin.
Driving down the M53 mid morning there were 10 Buzzards in the air together, 1m up road of J4. A Hobby was with them briefly. Buzzard 11 was on a fence po...
Had a trudge round Heaton Park this afternoon the Boating lake had:- 5 pochard Pair Shoevelr 2 Gooander 2 GCG Elsewhere in the Park GSW 8 Siskin 2 Bullfinch 2 Treecreeper Jay Sparrowhawk and some very tame squirrels which where follwing me around and at one point thought it was gonna climb up me instead...
