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Post Info TOPIC: Heaton Park (NOT the reservoir)


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RE: Heaton Park


Redstart M & F at back of res this afternoon

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Big Vis Mig watch 2010

all movement south or south west

Arctic tern - 2 Juv
Common Tern ad
Sand Martin 400
House Martin 236
Swift 3
Swallow 153
Buzzard

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Good numbers of hirundines around the BT tower this evening

Sand Martin 250
Swallow 200
House martin 50
Swift 1

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80 House Martin around the BT tower this eve.

Also 59 Swift and 150 Sand Martin NW into the wind this eve

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Yesterday l took my charges to the park and farm, where the Swallows were flying around very low in and out of the cow barn. From the fence you could easily see three young in the nest.

Again we visited and the young have fledged on to the outside of the barn, it was wonderful to see these delightful young birds, being fed and flitting nervously from one barn door to another.

Dunno what the children were doing but the birds were brilliant biggrin.gif

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24th July.

Morning visit - pretty quiet.

Pair of Great Crested Grebes, with 1 almost fully grown young on the boating lake.

2 Stock Dove heard (1 seen) and another single heard in different parts of the park - occupying roughly the same locations as in previous years visits during the breeding season but they seem to be, for me anyway, a difficult species to confirm breeding for.

Song Thrush carrying food in tetrad SD 80H Heaton Park Reservoir.thumbsup.gifbiggrin.gif

I asked some of the staff at the Farm Centre if they could tell me how many pairs of Swallows were breeding there. They told me three pairs - and then let me have a look at them which was nice of them biggrin.gif - 1 adult was seen sitting.

c15 Pied Wagtails - mostly juveniles - on the newly mown grassland.

Cheers,

Bill.

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Curlew flew west late evening

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15 Swallow and 120 Sand Martin this eve.

Also 2 Male Wheatear, 3 Stockdove, Spahawk and GSW

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Greenshank present today -

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an almighty doh! here. got in after sitting on white ash for a couple of hours at 7.15! i'm no that flight path north! blah!

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An Osprey was picked up heading NW from the park this eve at about 19.15 it then carried on up the valley that the M66 runs up

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Some passage over the park this morning

84 Meadow Pipit NW
Skylark 2 west
Sand Martin 3 west
Buzzard North
Lapwing 5 north
Grey Heron 8 south - all high birds circling round on thermals and 1 group of 4.

There was also a dead bird in the middle of the horse paddock with feathers all around it - on closer inspection it was a Great crested grebe - fresh - it had been plucked and part eaten from its back - and assume it must have been a peregrine kill

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105 Feildfare and 50+ Redwing around the horse paddock at the back of the res this morning. 5 Stock Dove and 10 Displaying Lapwing were in the newly ploughed field also.

19th March
80+ Redwing in trees by Heaton Park tram stop singing away amongst themselves.

-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Saturday 20th of March 2010 09:08:22 AM

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11th March.

On and around the boating lake - 4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pochard - 1 male and 1 female, 5 Muscovy Ducks might be recent additions to the motley selection of feral birds here?confuse.gif

2 Nuthatch interchanged calls and songs from different woodlands in this area of the park.

Cheers,

Bill

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Lots of activity in the trees by the St Margarets Road entrance this afternoon

Redwing 30
Blackbird 3
Great Tit 25
Blue Tit 20
Goldfinch 15
Chaffinch 10
and singles of GSW, Nuthatch & Jay

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Afternoon wonder in the snow

Boating lake 95% frozen female tufted only thing of note

in the woods
Coal Tit - c20
Nuthatch 4
GSW 2
Jay 2

About 120 Carrion Crow and 200 Jackdaw into roost.

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On and around the boating lake - 1.00 - 2.00 pm.

A nice assortment of wildfowl:-biggrin.gifsmile.gif

7 Pochard (6 males),
4 Shoveler (2 males),
3 Teal (2 males),
11 Tufted Duck.

No grebes or Goosanders which was a bit of a surprise.

Also 4 Cormorants - 1 caught a decent sized fish and swallowed it but only after a brief skirmish fight.gif with another Cormorant, that looked like it may have been trying to steal it!
1 Grey Wagtail.
1 Herring Gull.
8 typical Greylag Geese along, with 24 Embden types of various hues.

Really pleased biggrin.gifsmile.gifto see a Chiffchaff feeding in silver birch trees with 3 Blue Tits. First time I have seen a wintering Chiffchaff! Strangely enough I had been reading about this species in this mornings section of Nature Notes in The Times. Link if interested is http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article6955074.ece

In the surrounding woodlands - Treecreeper, Jay and Nuthatch.

Cheers,

Bill.


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655 Fieldfare south this morning

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6 Whooper Swan SE @ 8.05

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Big movement of thrushes today

not jotted up exact numbers and wont be able to get figures till later but about 1000 Feildfare flew over heaton park this morning along with 500+ Starling, 500+ Redwing, 100+ Woodpigeon, 5 Siskin, 21 Brambling, 3 Wigeon, female Pintail, 5 Goosander and 250 Pinkfeet

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7.45-11am

Wigeon 3 North (male and 2 female)
Golden Plover south
Lapwing 17 south
Buzzard 2
Redwing 566 SE
Skylark south
Siskin 5 South
Chaffinch 41 SW
Starling 129 W-NW

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7.45-11.20

Redwing 142 south
Fieldfare 132 W-SW
Woodpigeon 33 south
Pied Wag 3 south
Mpipit 13 south
Reed Bunt 6 SW
Redpoll 7 SW
Rook 56 SW
Chaffinch 30 SW
Jay 2 SW
Skylark 3 SW
Pochard 2 Male south
Lapwing 17 south

Whooper Swan 2 SE - 18.10

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Vis mig watch
7.25 - 10am - cold

Redwing 498 NW and 114 south
Fieldfare 90 NW
Starling 120 W-NW
Brambling 2 north
Cormorant 2 SW and 1 SE
Siskin 2 SE
Skylark 2 SE
Goldfinch 7 south

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307 Redwing S-SE
Snipe South - in flock of Redwing
Starling 37 west
Bar-tailed Godwit flew south eventullay
Rock Pipit with 9 mpipits went SW

Good number of Wigeon down

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Sean Sweeney wrote:


Also, I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but Great Crested Grebe numbers have fallen on the boating lake this year. There used to be at least two pairs breeding, but not sure if any were successful this summer? Only two birds seem to be on the water most visits at present, compared to 8-10 in some previous years. They have not moved on to the reservoir either, so not sure if they have moved elsewhere or if a genuine decline in numbers has occurred?




Hi Sean,

I visited Heaton Park and the boating lake and on both 23/6 and on 14/7 of this year. On 23/6 there were two pairs of Great Crested Grebes on the boating lake and one adult from one of the pairs was feeding a single three-quarters grown young on that date. Have only visited twice this year, hoping to add some roving records for the 2007 -2011 BTO (and GM breeding!) Atlas project. No grebes - adults or juvs - were seen on 14/7.

Shameless plug to all GM birders! - don't forget that the third year (of four) of the atlas project starts on 1/11/09. So get stuck in!!! biggrin.gifwink.gif To pinch a catchphrase from one of our largest retailers - every little helps! biggrin.gifwink.gif

Best wishes,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Monday 12th of October 2009 06:49:38 PM

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Was also around the park and reservoir doing my WeBS counts Sunday morning. Only a few additions worth noting, they were a Green Woodpecker, 2 siskin and 2 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Jays plus approx 70 Redwing in the park between boating lake and the reservoir.

Also, I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but Great Crested Grebe numbers have fallen on the boating lake this year. There used to be at least two pairs breeding, but not sure if any were successful this summer? Only two birds seem to be on the water most visits at present, compared to 8-10 in some previous years. They have not moved on to the reservoir either, so not sure if they have moved elsewhere or if a genuine decline in numbers has occurred?

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7.15 - 10.10am
rain stopped play just before 10

Redwing 569 W-SW-S
Fieldfare 5 NW
Song Thrush 2 SW
Mpipit 60 SW
Alba Wag 10 south
Swallow SW
Starling 35 west (several groups seen coming from out east)
Cormorant south
Snipe 2 south
Rook 6 SW (prob local but biggest group have seen here)
Reed Bunt 3 SW
Greenfinch 18 NE
Chaffinch 19 south
Shoveler 2 dropped in before going west

Present in park Peregrine male with prey, 2 spahawk - one chased Grey wag which escaped, flock of 21 Linnet and 13 Mistle Thrush

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7.25 - 8.25 (FOG)

11 Redwing SW

Was hoping to catch the Redwing movement which had been going on over the Pennines last night (Bradford and Halifax area) but the fog put a dampner on things

2nd attempt when fog lifted
2 Redwing, 2 Swallow, 6 Skylark and 11 Mpipit all south


-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Saturday 10th of October 2009 12:35:31 PM

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Vis Mig Watch
6.50 - 12.30 - did leave to go home at 9.15 but things picked up when fog lifted.

Swallow 294 SW
Mpipit 463 SW
Skylark 11 SW
Pinkfeet 37 west
Alba Wag 51 SW-S-SE
Grey Wag 3 south
Lapwing 60 SE
Buzzard 2 SE
Kestrel south - high
Greenfinch 31 NE
Redpoll south

In the Park 50 Swallow and 80 Mpipit blogging about, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 33 Mistle thrush and 35 Linnet


-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Sunday 27th of September 2009 07:17:09 PM

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Vis Mig Watch
8.45-10.50 - late up today

Rock Pipit - calling bird SW was best bird
Mpipit 219 SW
Swallow 69 South
House Martin 14 south
Pinkfeet 8 west
Lapwing 18 south and 20 west
Skylark 2 south
Kestrel south

Present Green Wood, Kestrel 3, Spahawk 2+

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Vis Mig Watch
6.50-10.50am - excellent morning.

Pintail 3 south (eclipse drake & 2 fem/imm)
Meadow Pipit 542 S-SW
Skylark 9 SW (single flock)
Swallow 80 south
House Martin 120+ S-SE
Reed Bunt 16 SW
Grey Wag 2 south
Pied Wag 12 south
Siskin 3 SW
Linnet 13
Goldfinch 25 south
Woodpigeon 29 south
Redpoll 8 NW
Snipe west
Song Thrush 3 soutp

Also good raptor Passage
Hobby (juv) SW, Peregrine SW, Kestrel 2 (together) south + 1 present and a Spahawk South.

Elsewhere in park - Chiffchaff - still singing, Green , 3 GSW, Nuthatch and 40 Goldfinch

-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Friday 25th of September 2009 12:29:34 PM

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Vis Mig watch
6.50- 9.30am

Cormorant 2 SE
Snipe 2 west
Kestrel south
Mpipit 282 S-SW
Swallow 8 SW
Alba Wag 26 SW
Grey Wag 2 south
Song thrush 4 south
Mistle Thrush 14 SW
Jay 3 SW
Reed Bunt 11 south
Siskin 5 SE
Redpoll 2 SW
Linnet 29 south
Goldfinch 24 North

In the park 16 Mistle Thrush, white wag and 2 singing Chiffchaff


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Vis Mig watch 6.30-10am

Meadow Pipit 216 S-SW
Skylark 11 south one flock
Siskin SW
Swallow 28 south
Houe Martin 35 south
Grey Wag 10 south
Pied Wag 15 E-SE
Lawping 10 NW
Rook 2 SW
Linnet 15 south
Goldfinch 12 south
Reed Bunt 3 south
Cormorant 3 SE
Mistle Thrush 11 North
Song Thrush 2 south plus another 3 drop in from the north
Jay 16 SW - these were high birds coming down the valley from near Ramsbottom in flocks of 5,4,3,2 and 2 singles

Also Wheatear, Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, GSW, Nuthatch and Tree Creeper in park

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Vis Mig Watch 6.30-10.30am

Tree Pipit - heard calling south
Meadow Pipit 189 S-SW
Grey Wag 3 west
Pied Wag 11 SE
Swallow 126 SE
House Martin 7 south
Chaffinch 20 SW
Goldfinch 14 south
Reed Bunting 8 SW
Jay 12 SW - these were in 4 groups
Rook 4 SW - scarce birds here
Buzzard 3 SE
Spahawk 2 south
Wigeon 2 SE
Cormorant 2 SE

2 Wheatear present

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Vis Mig Watch 6.30-8am

Mpipit 62 = 38 NW + 24 SW
Swallow 1 East + 5 SW
House Sparrow 3 high NE
Grey Wag 5 west
Reed Bunting 5 south
Siskin SW
Greenfinch 18 north

Kingfisher, 5 Teal, Goldeneye, Garden Warbler and White Wag in Park

-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Friday 11th of September 2009 09:00:50 PM

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Vis Mig watch 6.30am - 9.30am

Not much passing over

Meadow pipit 31 SW
Sand Martin 25 SE
Swallow 46 SW
Reed Bunt 3 west
Cormorant south
Teal 3 SW
Mallard 19 SW

more action around the horse paddock and the bushes at back of res

Tree Pipit one landed in dead tree in corner of horse paddock as I was stood under it calling away was there couple on minutes before going west

In the bushes 10 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler - which sand several times, 2 Blackcap and a Whitethroat. A Juv Green Woodpecker had a lucky escape from a sparrowhawk

Swallows and Sand Martins were feeding over the field and sitting on the wire's 2 Swift were with them and a flock of 30+ Linnet


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visible Migration watch 6.30-8am

Windy, sunshine and showers

Common Tern Juv flew south east @ 7.30am
Dunlin west @ 7.50am
Pied Wag 5 south

Lots of hirundines moving and again this evening being held up by the showers so feeding up and then powering south west when clearing.

Swallow 289 south west + another 100 present
House Martin 31 south west + another 20+ present
Sand Martin 47 south west + another 20+ Present

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visible Migration watch 6.30-9.30am

Hobby 1 SE
Spahawk 2 SW
House Martin 59 S-SW
Swallow 100 South
Sand Martin 5 South
Alba wag 18 S-SW
Grey Wag 2 SE
Mpipit 4 SW
Goldfinch 15 East
Cormorant NE
Mallard 7 high south



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14th July.

The second season of official recording for the BTO and GM breeding atlases is coming to an end on the last day of July cry.gifcry.gif - thought would try and spend at bit of time wandering around the general area to see what was about. Maybe a touch late in the season to pick up much but....

2 separate family parties of Chiffchaffs were the highlight. The fledged young have a very distinctive begging/contact call (not unlike the flight calls of Siskin but shorter, sharper and less nasal and "whiny" in tone - 1 party had at least 3 juvs and the other party a minimum of 1 juv.
Adult male Chaffinch feeding 1 begging juvenile.
Terrific views of a recently fledged young Jay.
Juvenile Goldcrest.

Other confirmed breeders - Wren, Moorhen, Swallow, Greenfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Robin.

On the boating lake - I know they are not the most popular of birds but two pairs of Embden Geese have bred - the first three goslings are now almost full grown but today there was one very cute, small gosling aww.gifaww.gif trailing after all of the adult birds and pleading to be fed - it got all of the attention (if not all of the bread!) from the assorted bread chuckers!

Cheers,

Bill.

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First Swifts for me locally today, some over the house and some in the park. Other than that, just the usual birds calling, nesting and flying around in the park on a lovely sunny spring day biggrin.gif

Swallows a plenty, House Martins back in, Willow Warbler 2, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1, Treecreeper 1, Nuthatch 4, Goldcrest 2, GS Woodpecker 3, Jay 6, two pairs of GC Grebes on the boating lake and the first of probably many Canada Geese chicks swimming around too no.gif.

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GSW 4
Spahawk 3 inc pair displaying
Siskin NE
Mpipit 66 North
Cormorant North

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Was in the park yesterday and had a large flock of Pied Wagtails with a single White Wagtail (in horse/highland cow field near to the tram stop side). Also several Meadow Pipits with them, perhaps a small passage movement.

Also did my WeBS this morning, not too much about, most winter ducks have moved on from both the water bodies in the park and the reservoir. 4 Tufted Duck and a Shoveller still on the Boating Lake, with 2 pairs of GC Grebes nest building, while a couple of Teal are still lurking on the Wildlife Pond, although not much water left in this at present.

Lots of GS Woodpeckers drumming, but not caught up with any LSWs so far this year.

Nice to be out in the sunshine again though!! smile.gif

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RE: Heaton Park - "Mealies"


Heaton Park early am

20+ Redpoll Flock containing what i believe were 1st winter Mealies at least 3 of them.
They were giving cracking views as they fed on the ground.

Would be good for any photographers out there to try and get to grips with them!
They were at the top of the hill were the horse paddock is between the tram stop entrance and the horticultral centre. There was also a noisey 250+ flock of Redwing in this area.



Also caught the back end of a flock of swans fly over heaton Park tram stop betwen 5-6 of them. But they went over the houses before getting a good look,


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RE: Heaton Park


25/01/09

Boating Lake
Shoveler 4 (3m 1F)
Tufted Duck 25
Cormorant

Peregrine over

The woods
Lesser Redpoll mobile flock of 40+
Common "Mealy" Redpoll at least one with the above
Nuthatch 2+
Treecreeper
Jay 5


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Vis Mig Watch 6.45-8am (very cold)

Redwing 311 several high groups sw-w-nw
Fieldfare 168 5 groups sw-w-nw
Chaffinch 18 N
Greenfinch 6 N
Woodpigeon 30 N
Starling 57 w & n
Lawping 76 east
Spahawk 2 s & 1 w

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Heaton Park Vis mig watch 18-10-08 6.50 - 11.30

totals

Redwing 2583 SW W NW
Fieldfare 1351 NW
Song Thrush 2 SW
Brambling 2 SW
Chaffinch 96 SW
Greenfinch 25 SW W
Goldfinch 34 S
Redpoll 2 S
Bullfinch 2 S & 6 W All high
Reed Bunt 4 W (one group)
Woodpigeon 303 S SW
Meadow Pipit 17 SW
Pied Wag 28 S SW
Starling 19 W
Spahawk 5 S
Kestrel W
Cormorant 3 NE & 5 SW
Skylark single S
Lapwing 25 S
Dunlin W
Whooper Swan 1 NW and 18 E with 200 PFG
PFG 585 SE & 38 W

Cracking morning


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Had a quick look tonighht in this monsoon but didnt have much luck as most of the paths in the park were underwater and the roads were even worse. Water was pupming out from some under ground pipes along St Margarets Rd from within Heaton Park res and the raod was under about 10 inch of water and if carried on looked as though it could flood the houses!

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Red Kite NE by the BT tower at 10.40 circled round over the m60 a couple of times before heading on NE.

In the park
Nuthatch 4
Jay 6
Blackcap 2
GSW 2

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150+ Redwing still in the park and probably more over the hill they were on

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250+ Redwing in the field at The Heaton Park tram stop entrance also 15 Goldfinch, Jay, GSW and 44 Filedfare North.

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