MB

 

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Holcombe Moor and environs


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:
RE: Holcombe Moor and environs


A longer morning circuit with some birds of interest:

6 Lapwing and my first returning Curlew.

3 Stock Dove.

2 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

Patch tick in the form of a Mediterranean Gull flying NW over Redisher Wood.

My first Wheatear of the year with 3 birds together, 2 Stonechat.

1 Dipper.

My first returning Linnet. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

First post of the year, and the the main news is the first Skylarks of the year! At least 7 birds were singing on the higher ground.  Also 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Mistle Thrush  and 2 Stonechat.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a morning circuit:

1 Kestrel, 2 Raven

1 Stock Dove

5 Nuthatch, 3 Goldcrest and 3 Treecreeper.

2 Stonechat 

1 Reed Bunting 

And the star bird, my first record for 2023 of a Brambling!



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from my first visit since the school half term:

1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel.

100 Fieldfare SW in 2 flocks.

4 Stonechat.

Decent sized mixed flock that included 4 Tit species, 2 Goldcrest and 2 Treecreeper.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from the same morning circuit as Wednesday:

2 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk and 3 Raven.

1 Mistle Thrush.

8 Stonechat.

1 Chiffchaff 

20+ Meadow Pipit and 2 Reed Bunting again on the east side.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a morning circuit:

2 Canada Geese- unusual at this time of year.

2 Kestrel.

2 Stock Dove.

4 Ring Ouzel on the ground briefly, but flew off west.

1 Stonechat.

Flock of 15 Meadow Pipit, 12 Goldfinch, 2 Reed Bunting and 2 Pied Wagtail on the east side of the moor.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from this morning:

340 Pink-footed Geese east in 3 flocks between 9.25 and 10.00.

2 Kestrel, 4 Raven.

1 Green Woodpecker showed well for a change.

1 Stonechat, unusually on the east side of the Moor.

30+ Meadow Pipit.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 416
Date:

Passage over Holcombe Hill this lunchtime included nearly fifty swallows (and a similar number of red admirals), two house martins and a yellow wagtail. Dozens of meadow pipits about, single figures of skylarks and carrion crows. Also one kestrel and a family of four ravens.

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

4 Mistle Thrush on a short afternoon visit, my first for a good while.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

My first morning circuit for a while and not without interest, with the highlights being:

1 Buzzard and 2 Kestrel.

1 Green Woodpecker.

12+ Swallow, 1 House Martin south.

Still good numbers of Meadow Pipit and a few Skylark.

11 Stonechat, including a group of 7 together.

3, perhaps 4 Spotted Flycatcher, my first record this year.

1 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff.

1 linnet and 1 Reed Bunting.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Flyover Siskin this morning.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlight from 3 visits this week on 20th, 21st and today:

1 Red Kite today circled for a few minutes over the Peel Tower area today, then headed steadily north. Only my 3rd record here. It had a missing central tail feather so the tail looked even more forked than usual! 2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel on 21st.

2 Raven on 21st.

1 Stock Dove on 21st.

1 Curlew on 20th.

3 Wheatear including 2 just fledged juveniles (first breeding record this year) and 3 Stonechat on 21st.

1 Garden Warbler today singing from different bushes so presumably an unmated male, my first record this year. Lots of Willow Warbler including my first family party of 5/6 birds.

1 Dipper and 4 Grey Wagtail on 20th.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a morning circuit:

Mistle Thrush was the bird of the morning with at least 10, and probably 12/13 present in the Red Brook valley. At least 2 and possibly 3 family parties.

1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel.

4 Swift.

3 Stonechat and 3 Wheatear.

8 Linnet.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 356
Date:

5:50pm 

Hobby hunting low on Moor Road chasing meadow pipits, then flew down towards Stubbins.



__________________

One by one the penguins steal my sanity

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salfordmartin/



Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

1 Green Woodpecker this morning, my first since 20 April. Otherwise rather quiet, but some other interest:

1 Stonechat and 2 Wheatear.

1 Mistle Thrush.

First decent post breeding flock of Starling, with 70+ birds.

Whitethroat feeding young.

9 Linnet and 2 Bullfinch.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from 2 visits this week, on Tuesday 25th and today:

4 Stock Dove.

Pair Curlew today.

First singing Grasshopper Warbler (Tues)

12 Wheatear (Tues) with presumed migrant groups east and west of the moor. 5 Today. 3 Stonechat.

The biggest surprise was a flock of 20 Fieldfare this morning that rested briefly on a tree before heading off South East.

1 Lesser Redpoll. (Tues)



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Spent a couple of hours on Tuesday 18 April and another couple of hours today visiting all my known Ring Ouzel spots around the Moor. No luck until right at the end of my walk today when 2 females were seen high on the sides of the Red Brook valley. Also:

2 Curlew.

1 Green Woodpecker.

3 Stock Dove.

2 Mistle Thrush.

8 Wheatear including what appeared to be a migrant group of 5, and 3 Stonechat.

8 Linnet, with some singing and display noted.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 356
Date:

X2 Ring Ouzels above Red brook waterfall,  Moorebottom rd, this morning. 

Info Courtesy of Gary Taylor 



__________________

One by one the penguins steal my sanity

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salfordmartin/



Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

An interesting morning circuit with several highlights including a patch tick!

2 Shoveler, the rather surprising patch tick, and 2 Teal.

1 Lapwing, 1 Curlew.

My record count of 72 Black-headed Gull, which were grounded and presumably on their way through.

1 Stock Dove.

1 Buzzard.

6 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest singing.

My first patch Swallow of the year.

Exuberant flock of 8 Lesser Redpoll, with much activity and calling. 2 Bullfinch. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from this morning:

2 Teal, 2 Goosander.

10 Lapwing and pair of calling Curlew.

3 Stock Dove.

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

25+ Redwing.

1 Dipper.

3 Grey Wagtail and my first returning Pied Wagtail.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Modest highlights from a morning circuit:

2 Little Owl.

1 Stock Dove.

Very vocal Green Woodpecker.

2 Skylark and 1 Meadow Pipit.

3 Fieldfare.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from this morning:

2 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

1 Raven.

My first returning Skylark, although possibly a migrant?

10+ Fieldfare.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Nice flock of 40+ Siskin in Redisher Wood this morning.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

A more interesting morning circuit today, with the highlights being:

1 Woodcock.

2 Stock Dove.

2 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

1 Raven.

3 each of Redwing, Fieldfare and Song Thrush, with a single Mistle Thrush.

20+ Siskin. 

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

A quiet morning circuit, with the limited highlights being 3 Stock Dove and 2 Little Owl. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 65
Date:

Jan 6th,

6 species of corvid, which is nice and one meadow pipit

Mike



__________________
G.M.Horwood


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a late morning/early afternoon circuit:

2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and 1 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

4 Raven.

c30 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare.

Still 1 Stonechat and group of 6 Meadow Pipit on the higher ground.

12 Siskin and 5 Bullfinch.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from this morning:

2 Kestrel, 2 Little Owl, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Raven, 3 Fieldfare and 2 Stonechat. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Excellent morning circuit with another patch tick in the form of a Woodcock! I have looked for this species many times in the damp boggy areas, but this bird flushed out of the undergrowth very close to a public footpath! Other birds of interest:

75 Pink Footed Geese over to SW and a record count of 50 Mallard!

5 Stock Dove.

1 Green Woodpecker showed well and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

4 Raven.

1 Little Owl.

Good numbers of Redwing around with a lone Fieldfare and 2 Song Thrush.

2 Dipper.

c20 Siskin and 1 Bullfinch.

 

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Best from this morning:

1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and 1 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

4 Raven.

3 Mistle Thrush and 3 Stonechat.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a short morning circuit round Redisher Wood:

1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

2 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

100+ Redwing over.

Nuthatch were vocal and active with at least 5 birds present.

10+ Siskin moving through with a few Chaffinch mixed in.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 65
Date:

Afternoon saunter.

5 Ravens enjoying sheep carcass.

1 Buzzard.

2 reed bunting.

6 Stonechat.

Grey Wagtail on the brook.

15 +Swallows going homeyawn



__________________
G.M.Horwood


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a morning circuit:

4 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl.

3 Raven.

Green Woodpeckers very vocal and active, with at least 3 birds present.

9 Mistle Thrush.

20+ Swallow , 1 House Martin.

2 singing Chiffchaff.

1 Spotted Flycatcher and 6 Stonechat. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 356
Date:

3 whinchat in the ferns at the red brook waterfall this afternoon (info courtesy of Gary Taylor)



Attachments
__________________

One by one the penguins steal my sanity

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salfordmartin/



Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Best from a short afternoon circuit:

2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

9 Raven.

20 Swallow, 1 House Martin.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 180
Date:

Last couple of days there have been at least 300 swallows around the fields on moorbottom road. Rain on Monday caused them all to gather on telephone wires allowing a rough count. Also yesterday 3 kestrels, sparrowhawk and 10 ravens- presume 2 family groups. Pair of stonechat still feeding young.

Attachments
__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a short morning circuit around Redisher Wood only:

3 Lapwing.

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

1 Spotted Flycatcher in large mixed tit flock.

1 Treecreeper.

1 Dipper and 1 Grey Wagtail.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 66
Date:

Stonechat
Raven
Magpie
Goldfinch
Linnet
Jackdaw
Wheatear
Buzzard
Meadow pipit
Kestrel
Green woodpecker (heard but not seen)
 
One kestrel has a piece of material attached to its legs. Fortunately it does not appear to be hampering the bird. Possibly debris from the nest site.

 

 

 

 

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a morning circuit:

1 Sparrowhawk and at least 6 Kestrel.

3 Green and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

At least 10 Stock Dove.

2 isolated male Stonechat ( hopefully with second nests?) and a separate group of 6 mixed age young birds.

1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler.

1 lesser Redpoll and a flock of 15+ Linnet.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 356
Date:

8:30am - 12pm 

The juvenile Cuckoo has been hanging around the Red brook  valley for over a week now. It's very elusive, yet today we were lucky to catch up with it. It's feeding well on caterpillars and is managing to stay out of the way from the bullying corvids. 

X 10 Kestrels 

X2 Green Woodpecker

X2 stonechat (m+f)

Had a family group of whitethroat on Moorbottom rd one adult and 3 juveniles.



Attachments
__________________

One by one the penguins steal my sanity

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salfordmartin/



Status: Offline
Posts: 356
Date:

Red kite photographed also along Moorbottom rd at 5pm..by Aaron Wilkinson.  



Attachments
__________________

One by one the penguins steal my sanity

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salfordmartin/



Status: Offline
Posts: 356
Date:

Juvenile Cuckoo hanging around on Moorbottom road this afternoon. Was still there at 7pm before disappearing. 

Photo and info, courtesy of Gary Taylor 



Attachments
__________________

One by one the penguins steal my sanity

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salfordmartin/



Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Same circuit as Monday, and quite a few differences in the species seen, with the following highlights:

1 Hobby, my second record of the year, 3 Kestrel and 1 Raven.

Small numbers of Swift, Swallow and House Martin.

2 Green Woodpecker, with a juvenile bird showing particularly well.

2 Stock Dove.

7 Stonechat and 2 Wheatear.

10+ Linnet, 4 Bullfinch.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a short morning higher level circuit:

1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl, 4 Raven.

1 Green Woodpecker.

1 Stock Dove.

5 Stonechat, 6 Linnet, both probably locally bred families.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

48 species on a longer morning circuit this morning was pretty good for the time of year, with the following highlights:

1 Buzzard, 5 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl and 2 Raven.

1 Green and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

1 Kingfisher, 1 Dipper and 1 Grey Wagtail- all scarce of late.

c70 Swallow around the farms and stables, hopefully a good sign after a poor year for this species locally.

Still the odd Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat singing. 

3 Goldcrest and 1 Treecreeper.

6 finch species including 3 Lesser Redpoll( 2 splendid males), 3 Bullfinch and 3 Linnet.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

This morning:

1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and 1 Little Owl, my first for a good while.

1 Green and 1 juv Great Spotted Woodpecker, presumably bred locally.

3 Stock Dove.

4 Swift.

4 Stonechat.

12+ Linnet in a single flock.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a morning circuit:

2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel.

5 Stock Dove.

2, possibly 3 Green Woodpecker.

2 Lapwing.

1 Garden Warbler singing in yet another new location. Ive never seen/heard more than one on any day so suspect it is an unmated male. 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling and 1 Whitethroat.

1 Treecreeper and 1 Goldcrest.

1 Lesser Redpoll.

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from morning visits over the last three days:

2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and today, 1 Hobby flying south over White Hill.

At least 2 Green Woodpecker showing well for a change .

2 Stock Dove.

5 or so Swift and 10+ Swallow.

5+ Stonechat and 2 Wheatear, including the first Juvenile of the year.

2 Goldcrest.

1 juvenile Siskin(see Ramsbottom post!), 6 Linnet and 1 Bullfinch.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Highlights from a longer morning circuit:

2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and 2 Raven.

2 Swift and 15+ Swallow around the farms.

6 Stonechat, but only 1 Wheatear.

1 Garden Warbler singing in a new location. 

3 Linnet.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 546
Date:

Best from a morning circuit:

1 Tawny Owl, helpfully flushed by some mobbing Blackbirds.

1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel.

Pair of Curlew.

1 Green and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

3 Goldcrest.

 



__________________
1 2 312  >  Last»  | Page of 12  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

RODIS

 

This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.