Red Kite around 13:30 being harrassed northwards by a pair of jackdaws over the covered reservoir at the fiveway junction at the top of Moor End / Briargrove / Bogguard.
I was originally heading up to Ludworth but after bumping into Mr Rayner I decided I wasn't really in the mood to watch the local habitat be further destroyed, so I ended up at Mellow Moor.
Not much really, only thing of note was a large flock of Redwing and Fieldfare.
Large numbers of redwing and fieldfare (many hundreds but impossible to count/estimate) generally heading westward but some flocks moving around mainly on hawthorns just inside Greater Manchester.
Flock of about 8-10 redpoll (probably lesser redpoll but not certain) in the trees along the track leading downhill from Mellor Cross, just where the golf course is as we walked past about 11am
RBA report today of 3 Quails singing by Black Lane track - NGR = SJ990874. One still singing this evening.
I've now had 4 trips over the last 10 days touring various grass meadows in this area but no sound of a Quail despite the apparent influx in the country. The 3 individuals reported by Henry on the 8th must have moved through fairly quickly.
Flocks today included 27 non-breeding Lapwings feeding together and 21 Linnets bathing in puddles. Meadow Pipit and Dunnock carrying food. 4 Curlews mooching around and Skylarks singing overhead but they had better get a shift on and hatch any eggs quickly - grass mowing is picking up pace.
Hmmm. My suspicions grow. I was up at the nearby Ludworth Moor last Saturday (insect watching) and am certain I heard a quail call, but it was just the once and with a near gale blowing and tree limbs making strange sounds as they rubbed together, I just thought 'well, maybe'. Might have another listen over the weekend.
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