This weekend was the first of Oldham birders' regular bi-annual visits to the Three Swallows. A good weekend with about 110 species between the five of us (self, Riggers and 3 other,non-computer -owning, survivors of Oldham RSPB). Highlights included Riggers emergency stop on the A149 for a mixed...
An afternoon visit to Lincolnshire today started off at 1.00pm at Rosper Road Pools, Immingham for the reported Collared Pratincole. The bird had flown off 10 minutes prior to arriving and as it seemed to be in the habit of feeding mainly in the morning and evening, we decided to head for Tetney Locks t...
The county of Greater Manchester is divided into ten boroughs, each with varying degrees of prime birding habitat. Keeping a borough list is ideal for those birders not wishing to travel too far around the county and instead focus their attention on birding in their more immediate vicinity.Lists c...
Spent the last week on holiday in Suffolk. Very cold and windy but no rain until Friday.
Nice to meet Ian Woosey and Jimmy Meadows again at Minsmere plus two others I didn't know. I realise now that one was Geoff Hargreaves who I'd not met before and the other I'm guessing might have been Rob Thorpe.
Hi...
I am creating a new talk for the Bolton and Bury RSPB to promote local birding, I am also including GM areas in the talk, if you have any stories you feel would be good to include please put them here and I will happily add people's stories to the talk
Late afternoon 1500hrs Overcast but dry. Female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Finally after 6 visits this month had the black capped female high up in the Alder trees giving good views for 20 minutes. At one stage had the Lesser & Great spot in vision on the same branch. The bird was located in the exa...
This little gem of a site was introduced to me by Red Rose Forest on an evening stroll a couple of weeks back. I had heard stories from various sources of gangs maruding around at night and weekend, so up until then it had never crossed my mind to go for a wander. Now having met Mike Savage of Red Rose and upon...
Woke up this morning & looked out to see a small bird sheltering near the front feeding station. At first glance just thought Robin, as the feeders are quite distant & through double glazing, but something made me think it wasn't just a Robin so I went to fetch my bins to get a proper look. I was am...
Delph 4th April
1 white wagtail on river
15 nests in crossroads rookery
2 ringed Dippers battling it out at Delph bridge - male from Delph and one from Slackcote judging by photos. Delph female flew past whilst this was all going on.
Oystercatcher flying over at midnight (heard from house no...
2nd February 2008.
9 Goosander, 8 Tufted Duck, 21 Coot, c80 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose.
5 Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Plenty of birds in song - singles of Song & Mistle Thrush - several of each for Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin and Wren.
Grey Herons occup...
Myself and two friends Nature Reserve Hide Kingfisher GS Woodpecker Dabchick Nuthatch Coal Tit River above weir behind Wheel/pump House 4 Mandarin Duck Shelter at top of Keg Road Road up to the Keg Goldcrest Nutchatch in/around nest box Pied Flycather in/around nest Box River below weir Dipper Mid...
Very strong possible sighting in Canal Street of a female Black Redstart today at 2 o'clock at the End by the courts. Flew off down the Canal. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 22nd of June 2009 12:55:08 PM-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 15th of May 2010 09:00:09 AM
After being fascinated by the sound and size of watching some youtube footage of Great Reed Warblers I took a very early morning detour to Ilkeston today and had brilliant views in the sunshine as the bird moved around the reed bed it is frequenting. To see a thrush sized warbler was very interesting an...
4th-5th June: Popped down with Phil Owen to take in some of the special birds of this region on my first summer trip here. Generally good weather but the wind kept a few species down and therefore not seen. Overall a successful trip to a fab part of the country. Some of the sightings included: Paxton Pits...
7th April - a.m.
4 Sand Martins - it was a really cold morning - hope they were managing to find something to eat over the waters surface!
29 Tufted Duck, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 5 male Mallards circled around and displaying to a rather bored and uninterested looking female!, a pair of Blue Tits mati...
Just back from an eleven night stay on the Riviera Maya in Mexico, approximately fifty miles south of Cancun. There were four hotels on a site covering around two square miles. A variety of habitat including coastline, gardens with shrubs, bushes and trees, a golf course with several pools and final...
Former sand workings NE of the roundabout on the A537. This area mainly consists of 3 large pools and newly planted landscaped area. A very muddy footpath crosses the site. 18:00-20.00 1f Scaup (On largest pool), 1m+1f Mandarin Ducks, 1m+3f Goosanders, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers, 1...
This might be a controversial topic, but it would be interesting to see what other birders think about Ring-Necked Parakeets (=Rose-Ringed Parakeet) There are some 30,000 throughout the UK, with the vast majority in Surrey, but small populations throughout including an expanding population in...
Velbon sherpa Pro,cf531el tripod, boxed as new,carbon fibre and magnesium with ph-157q head and quick release plate, with stone bag and hanging hook,adjustable legs for low level shots, leg warmers, maximum height 1.65m ,removable centre column, clip lock legs .£130
(Can't find another thread specifically for Lymm Dam but felt it worthy of a mention here) Spent a very pleasant hour wandering around the Dam last night and enjoyed some very close and interesting views of several species. The paths around the Dam follow the sides of of the slopes and at some point aff...
10/4/10 AM Ring Ouzel - at least 5, possibly 6 birds between Middle Bank and Lees Hill this am. Brambling - 7 by Hollingworth Hall Farm. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 6th of April 2012 02:21:31 PM
hobby catching dragonflies then taking them onto a lampost on the m6 sliproad to eat.rest for a few minutes then a repeat performance. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 28th of July 2010 11:00:15 PM
After a very long Sunday tiling the mother in laws kitchen, imagine my absolute delight at 9.30pm to see in all it's glory a Barn owl fly gently from the tip across the slip road (next to the tip) and land in the trees next to the motorway! That was the one time in my life i was happy to be stopped by a red traffi...
A Wryneck was present all day today near Knypersley reservoir just N.of Stoke, a bit closer for Greater Manchester birders than the East Coast!! Directions (if it still there tomorrow) are: Just N.of Brown Edge by Sands Lane on gorse covered hill. Drive over the dam at Knypersley Resr and continue to...
Stonechat, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (in Wythenshawe at last !!!!!!) Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker (pair) in Mile Lane. All three Woodpeckers within half a mile of where of where I used to live. Some places, you never forget!!!
