The 2008 Lancashire Bird Report arrived earlier this week. It's a beltin' thing to dip in to and the colour plates are excellent. I always find it interesting to compare bits from the Lancs report with goings-on in GM. For example, good days of Meadow Pipit passage over Billinge or elsewhere, unsurpr...
I was leading a walk at Urmston Meadows last night and towards the end we came across a large hawker dragonfly in the woods along the bridleway section. It wasn't a Brown Hawker, and having seen Emperor at Sale Water Park on Monday I told everyone that's what is was. But on reflection (and looking at some...
Visited this new managed realignment scheme near Skeffling this morning and it was excellent. Highlights: 2 Common Crane, 2 Merlin, 200+ Avocet, 4 Greenshank, 2 Yellowhammer, Dunlin, 100+ Redshank, 20+ Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Golden Plover, Whimbrel, uncounted Shelduck, Greylag Geese,...
Couldn't find a thread for this, which is unusual as it's a well known birdwatching hotspot. Visited on Friday morning pre Migfest. Highlights: Black Tern, 3 Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 500+ Sand Martin, 4 Swift, 100+ House Martin, 30 Swallow, Marsh Harrier, 2 Hobby.
Great White Egret been present since last Sunday on Holden Wood Red, will fly to Ogden which is next res on north side. Was away on Wednesday and Thursday but came back. Gets a lot of grief from Herons. Bigger than Heron's when standing close. Quite a few Whinchat around at least 10 seen on o e day by 2 diffe...
Didn't expect to see much in the way of fungi but the site was teeming with it especially around the young Silver Birch trees next to New Water & growing out of the old mining rucks also. Identified species in picture order :- Blackening Waxcap Blushing Bracket Common Earthball Crimson Waxcap Fly...
I'm in Argyll at the moment, playing belated Father Christmas for some of my relatives. Had a trip down the Kintyre Peninsular with my mate today, despite poor weather we didn't do too badly. First stop was Rhunahaorine Point, an excellent place to scan the superb Sound of Gigha. On show today were Gre...
A full-on twitch to Musselburgh for the recently split American White-winged Scoter with Paul Greenall (our impeccable driver), Ian Lyth and Roger Baker. Alarm set for a brain-shattering 01.30 and our journey north began inauspiciously with delays due to i-phone updates and motorway closures....
1st September.
A single Black-tailed Godwit.
5 Teal.
Have visited here a few times recently hoping to find Yellow Wagtail amongst the good numbers of Pied Wagtails foraging around the feet of the horses and sheep here. No luck yet!
Other recent records here:-
21/8 - c120 Canada Geese.
26/...
Had a break north of the border but its hard work up there..especially in a caravan with two kids, not a great deal found but had dipper, kingfisher, grey wagtail, buzzard and raven every day.
but had an excellent day out on the Galloway Kite Trail on the A762 near Laurieston take the B795 and a small far...
Possible Siberian Chiffchaff near Bollington, 14th April. Middle wood Way is an old disused railway line - it's now a 'green lane' for bikes and walkers. I have several good detailed photographs attached. It had all the signs of the Siberian race, black legs and bill, no yellow at all on head, breas...
A productive morning and early afternoon walk covering Hey Wood, Hamer Pasture and Brownhouse Wham Reservoirs. Tree Pipit - one circled overhead and called several times over Ring Lows Lane (SD900158) then flew SSW at 09:30. Yellow Wagtail - one flew low calling over Dewhirst Road to the south of Br...
This site lies adjacent to Longford Park, Stretford, but is in Manchester M21, owned by MMU and under threat of development. 07.30 -11.30 (later joined by Phil Kelly & Tony O'Mahony) The most productive area this morning was the corner of Longford Road by the brick building. Redstart 1 male (vid...
Got a phone call from Dave Broome to say he was watching a White-lettered Hairstreak in Tydesley Cemetery. Popped up and after a small wait had nice views of one perched in the treetops. Also saw what was almost certainly another one flying around the Elm tree. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 17t...
Some late sightings I forgot to add from last week! Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Jay, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Swallow, 1 singing Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff - 3 foraging as a loose "flock" and 1 singing, c30 Tufted Duck and 6 Goosanders. Cheers, Bill. -- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 16:06, 2...
4th March.
Visited this area of Oldham for the first time ever today - despite having lived in the area for 20+ years! Really will have to try and get out a bit more
On the upper reservoir - 1 Little Grebe, 2 redhead Goosanders and a pair of Tufted Duck. 170+ Black-headed Gulls, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Lesser...
Had a walk with the family around Monsal Head just a minute walk from the car park and we saw a male Merlin zoom past at our level just skimming over the tree tops heading towards the rocky outcrops to the right hand side of the car park as you look out over the valley. Was great to see and my first ever Merlin....
A fungi foray today around the reservoir, still very few species for the time of the year but a few goodies; Aniseed Toadstool Bell-shaped Mottlegill Birch Knight Birch Polypore Blackening Brittlegill Blackening Waxcap Blusher Butter Cap Clustered Toughshank Conifer Mazegill Dung Roundhead D...
Includes zoom MC11 25-75x and wide angle MC30X eyepieces. Comes complete with case. Body and eyepieces in excellent condition, with all glasses perfect. This is a top notch scope, comparable with Swarovski and Kowa for image quality. Anyone interested will not be disappointed on testing.
A successful trip in the end for myself and Alex Jones this afternoon at Broom Wood, Tiln, Nottinghamshire for the reported Melodious Warbler. The windy weather meant that although the bird was constantly singing, it was keeping very low in the pine plantation. Finally after 3 hours, our persevera...
