Opticron ES 80 GA ED / 45 V1 MK11, excellent cond. (rrp was £479). Selling with stay-on case (Ive removed the elastic that connects the eyepiece cover to the case so the cover can be totally removed to avoid it flapping about in strong wind - can still be attached though with the press-stud) plus HDF 52xW...
I noticed that some people were a bit concerned as to whether or not the recent number of Quail sightings are genuine wild birds.Most years the main arrival of Quail in the UK isn't till June. The reason for the lateness of their arrival is that these are birds(and/or their offspring)that have already...
Was out jogging on the canal from Castlefield to Salford Quays last night when I was staggered to see a skylark singing away. Looks like the waste/derelict ground across from the tramline is perfect habitat. Plus whitethroat + willow warbler singing away in the scrub along the canal. Have the skylar...
Opticron IS50 Scope and HDF Zoom Lens giving 12x-36x. Extremely bright and clear up to 25x begins to dim gradually after that. All boxed and in mint condition. £100. Phone or text 07790 868 320 -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 8th of August 2011 03:33:25 PM
im new to site,but have enjoyed birdwatching for years,most people around this area dont really care about our feathered friends ,and most people on this site will probably just roll their eyes ,but i just want to share my excitement and joy at having goldfinches and greenfinches regularly feeding...
Hi all, I appreciate that some of you may not check out the actual Manchester Birding website too frequently but I would ask that if you are a Greater Manchester county birder you check out the website 'County Notice Board' over the coming weeks. Changes are a foot in the county and many of you out there w...
1 swift today back on breeding territory
first time ive ever known swifts back before house martins
any ideas whats happened to the house martins this spring
Regarding Doc Brewsters report from Chat Moss this morning of seeing a car hit a Blackbird and he had to put the poor thing out of its misery. I and many others have probably been in this situation,but for me I could not do it,I know they say its kind,But I could not kill anything.
As I was watching my son in the nets at Bowdon Vale CC this evening I saw a falcon flying in from the south. Ther flight and general shape made me think Hobby rather than the usual Kestrel that I would expect to see there, but as it approached it banked a quickly flew out of sight. I was never closer than abot 2...
Ringed a female in a nest box in Mobberley yesterday, the third new bird recently in the area. The sterling efforts of the local Barn Owl groups are certainly paying off; where are all these unringed birds coming from? The weight 355 gms was that of a bird in breeding condition; expect Barn Owls near you...
28th July -mid morning.
A juv. Whiskered Tern was confirmed this morning on Saltholme Pools (west); - suspected late last evening, though not i/d'd for certain due to fading light.
Although on the RSPB reserve and also seen from the Saltholme Pools (circular) hide today, it was this morning far c...
Tonight in the fenced off area that is a joke
4 Calling Water Rails
1 Wheatear
Pr Mute Swans on little pond
3 Singing Chiff chaffs
also near by
pr Mute Swans on river
pr Kestrels at JJB Stadium
Common Gull over canal
Cheers Jimmy
Hindley Deep Pits SBI (Site of Biological Importance) was surveyed by the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit (GMEU) in 2010. Part of the SBI was originally designated for its bird interest, the area of woodland south of Highfield / Hemfield Roads. Unfortunately there are no recent records from the ar...
As there doesn't seem to be one, I thought I'd start a thread on NestCams for anyone who would like to include links to theirs if they are in Greater Manchester gardens. Please note I checked this out with Ian first who is happy for this to be done. I have a pair of Blue Tits who are looking promising...
Just got back from a month long trek in Nepal, billed as Makalu /Everest it was a month long trek from Tumlingtar to Makalu base camp over the Sherpani Pass, West Coll and Amphu Labtsa high passes and through the Solo Khumbu onto the Everest trail to finish in Lukla. Not a birding trip by any means but here...
Quick smash and grab raid to northern Spain. Travelled on Brittany Ferries Cap Finisterre, Portsmaouth to Bilbao: Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin, Manx Shearwater, Yellow-legged Gull and bizarrely on board, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Turtle Dove and a male 1 Blue-headed type W...
Been collecting for years and hate to throw away. Excellent condition except for a few early issues of Bird Watching showing a little fading around the edges from sunlight and age. Although now out of date, lots of site guides and ID articles will be of interest. Bird Watching - March 1986 (First Issue...
I expected poor results from our Tawny Owl breeding programme this year, due to the bad weather over winter.
The results are much better than anticipated. This year I have 23 pair with 30 young so far. There's still 5 boxes I need to revisit in order to check the status of eggs / young.
I have had 2 pair...
Just bought a new scope second hand for £50. Its a vanguard VSP 85. 80mm 20x-80x bought because the (opicron?) I had years ago broke, and I never replaced it & until I can afford a decent make I wanted something that would do the job. Ive looked around for reviews and comments on the scope but cant seem...
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this picture: Something got stuck in my throat Does this sort of thing happen a lot? I've never seen anything like it! Can anyone identify what the foreign bod...
A day exploring some areas rarely covered with Phil Rhodes and partly with my dad.
An early morning walk from Daisy Hill, Westhoughton into Hulton Park -
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat 10+
Grey Partridge 2
Yellowhammer 15+
House Martin 3
Swift 10+
Blackcap 3
Buzzard 2
A circular wal...
Dear all, Newbie looking for a bit of advice... I'm wanting to buy a telescope, but the prices I've seen people quoting have scared the bejesus out of me. Are there any decent budget range / beginner-type scopes people would recommend? A couple of hundred quid is about as far as I could stretch at the min...
Whilst walking through Mere Clough in Prestwich early this morning,heard a Cuckoo singing from somewhere in Phillips Park.[By the way,it definitely wasn't a Collared Dove,of which there were quite a few about aswell!] Has anyone else heard,or better still,seen the bird?
A Red Kite flying quite low (200ft-250ft) over Hindsford at 12.45pm today. Coming from direction of Tyldesley and heading towards Atherton Town Centre area.
