I saw what I can only think was a Downy Emerald in my Swinton garden today. It was a brief view of a darter with rusty coloured wings but I only saw it from underneath and didn't get a good view of the abdomen, although it seemed a bit wider at the tip and not tapering. Do any dragonfly experts know of any recen...
I'm normally pretty good at reporting any gull ring numbers I manage to get. I've manged to collect a few helpful people to assist me via email etc. However I'm struggling to find any scheme that rings common Terns with metal rings with no additional coloured ring ( unless it has fell off) or even work ou...
3 grasshopper warblers reeling below bottom sholver on the edge of the beal valley tip yesterday at 8 pm -- Edited by stuartherring on Friday 8th of May 2015 05:29:11 PM
Tried somewhere abit different this afternoon, Buzzard, Kestrel 2 LRP Lapwing 110 Snipe 6 House Martin 40 Swift 50 Sedge Warbler 6 Whitethroat 10 Gropper Redpoll 5 inc 2 male on territory Water Rail 2 heard Loads of Reed Buntings and Mpipits Si -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 18th of January 2013 1...
Didsbury area of: Fletcher Moss Gardens, Stenner Woods, Millgate Fields, Mersey between Kingsway and Simon's Bridge and Loonts Lake. NB the latter is a private site. This area mostly hosts common species but odd rarities have been found.
Stenner Woods:
Treecreeper 1
Siskin 19 - a good count i...
Filtration pools & Bridgewater Canal Grey Wagtail pair nesting along the canal bank 6 Reed Warbler in song 5 Blackcap in song Song Thrush feeding chicks in the nest Sparrowhawk male with prey 2 Swiift 1 greenfinch in song
Had a fine day out with the Leigh asda gang plenty walking but not many birds about.
2 stonechat
6 wheatear
4 willow warblers
2 chiffchaff
3 swift
6 swallows
and all the common species
no dotterels seen or reported from other birders
A very interesting article today on the BBC website regarding how climate change is affecting Great Tit nesting habits. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61314226I think the link only works if you have the BBC App installed but the story can easily be found on the BBC News websit...
Managed a couple of hours in between jobs this afternoon so I dropped in on the Woodlark that had been showing near to Brereton Country Park. With the help of the other birders present I soon managed to get my lens on the bird but it was really difficult to focus on as it was 150 yards away in a stubble field a...
went with the wigan rspb group on the midweek trip to marshside and then to formby
organised by tom morton at marshside all the usual stuff plos a juv marsh harrier
from the car park then to formby birds seen at least 7 arctic skuas 3 light phase 4 dark phase
4 arctic terns loads of sandwich and common ,7...
Morning walk along the edge of Cut Thorn Hill to Three Shires Head & return via path along the edge of the moor. 2 Ring Ouzels (m+f) seen on Cut Thorn, but then flew across the river into Staffs. 2m+2f Stonechats were also along the edge of Cut Thorn, plus 2m Reed Buntings. 5 Curlews were engaged in dis...
Had a flirt today here 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (views never decent, stuck to the trees bordering the Medlock) 2 x Nuthatch, usual tits and finches, fair few Magpies, Robins, Wrens, Mistle Thrush etc etc. Also, 2 Lesser-black Backed Gulls taking turns to share a streetlight vantage point on the f...
Quick visit on the way to work this morning and not disappointed with 4 Whimbrel on the field beyond the play shed. They should hang around for a while so will continue to visit to see the best of these great birds.
Walking along the canal near Strines near Marple , spotted a Common Sandpiper , really bizarre as it was very busy with boats, walkers and cyclists -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 18th of April 2022 09:08:48 AM
Written by and posted own behalf of Paul Hackett: Justin Carr and myself (Paul Hackett) are working at the Focalpoint Bird Optics Fair at Antrobus Village Hall, Knutsford Road, Antrobus, Cheshire. CW9 6LB on 23rd and 24th April giving talks on Digiscoping/Phonescoping, you get two of the best UK D...
Had a great day at Caelaverock WWT today. Thousands of Barnacle Geese, stunning geese, especially in such large numbers and no doubt about their origin other birds... Whooper Swans Pink footed Geese Teal Wigeon Shoveler Stock dove Golden Plover Hen Harrier Buzzards Tree sparrow Yellowhammers, l...
Just spent the easter break up in the highlands and had a fantastic trip! Stayed in the Aviemore area and caught up with Ospreys, Black Grouse, Caper, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill and breeding plumage Slav Grebe. A trip to Gruniard Bay on the Saturday added Great Northen & Red Thrt Divers, Wil...
Was lucky enough to spend two days in Scotland with Marcus of ebirder fame, to try and improve my birding and photography skills but to be honest the birding was so spectacular the photography moved rapidly down the priorities!
Some of the following are sensitive species so I'll only give approxim...
7.15am - 9.00am Scrubby area between Stoney Brow and Beacon Country Park (my patch) Seems to have been a big arrival overnight - Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Song Thrushes, Robins (slightly dissapointingly nothing unusual) Goldcrest- there seemed to be a continual chorus of Goldcrest calls (where...
Blue Tit in hole in wall - Nothing unusual about that you might say until I tell you that the hole was created by a Kalashnikov AK47 assault rifle. A couple of years ago someone sprayed the front of the building with gun shot, leaving several holes, police having found spent shells, said it was a Kalashni...
Managed a pit stop "home" this afternoon so I went to Fishmoor Reservoir. After 45mins of scanning gulls and getting cold and wet I picked up a first winter Glaucous Gull on the roof of the Walker Steel site opposite the reservoir. Nice big brute of a bird - very impressive. There is a lot more...
Monday 5th July 2021 Drake Goldeneye on the Rochdale Canal near the Canal Trust building at Durn and showing well Information thanks to Stephen Bostock
I have been tasks with fixing a manfrotto tripod for a friend of mine who is hopeless at pretty much everything. He has misplaced the bolt piece that tightens to limit vertical tilting. I purchased what I thought was the correct piece from manfrottospares.com, but when it arrived the thred was too thi...
1 Wheatear in the autumn sunshine, flitting about the rocks ........surely my last acquaintance with this lovely bird until next year.....? Otherwise quiet except for a female reeed bunting and fieldfares near the morside hotel.
