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!!!
Tue. 6th Feb. f. Mandarin - River Douglas @ Marylebone Bridge Grey Partridge - Lady Mabel`s 2 Green Woodpecker - nr. Whelley Loop Line. Also 3 f. Bullfinch. 3 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper & 3 Goldcrest - `Yellow Brook` area. -- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 18:13, 2007-05-01-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 2...
Quite a sizeable Starling roost is starting to build up at Rostherne (viewed from behind the church) - not as big as previous years but worth looking at. The early arrivals were met by a Sparrowhawk waiting for dinner
A very smart Mealy Redpoll is currently at Amberswood (near Hindley, Wigan) this early afternoon, in the north-west area of alders with approx 80 Redpoll and 150 Siskin. Info thanks to Andy Makin -- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 2nd of November 2009 10:09:47 PM-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday...
Ahead of our house move we still have the following for sale:- Josep del Hoyo 16 volumes Handbook of the Birds of the World - £400 ono (condition is as new - original cost over £2000). Handbook of the Birds of Africa all 7 volumes by Fry Keith Urban et alia £200 ono (condition is as new). Handbook of the Bir...
Went with the kids on a 'world of wildlife event here today- had a great time orienteering followed by pond dipping (3 newts!). Plan to go back really soon.
1-3pm
5 nuthatch
3 robins
4 woodpigeons
3 magpies
2 longtailed tits
4 great tits
4 mallards
blue tit
grey heron flew over
grey wagtail a...
Not the most inspiring topic header, but I had a Hobby over my garden in A in M today about 4.45pm. Looked like it came from the Three Sisters direction. I thought I saw one yesterday out towards the Three Sisters but it was flying away from me so couldnt say for sure. Cracking garden tick -- Edited by Ian Mc...
went exploring this evening, into the little strip of woodland between Mauldeth Rd, and the police training centre. not been there before. plenty of birds around including:
Grey Wagtail - pair on the stream
Goldcrest -2
GS Woodpecker 1
Treecreeper - 1
Mistle Thrush - 3
Song Thrush - 2
Willow...
Had a trudge round Heaton Park this afternoon the Boating lake had:- 5 pochard Pair Shoevelr 2 Gooander 2 GCG Elsewhere in the Park GSW 8 Siskin 2 Bullfinch 2 Treecreeper Jay Sparrowhawk and some very tame squirrels which where follwing me around and at one point thought it was gonna climb up me instead...
01/10/07 50+ Lapwing on roof of Carpet World-Newton Heath (A62) -- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 23:19, 2007-10-01-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 23:27, 2008-10-29-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 15th of November 2009 09:17:06 PM
Had a nice walk round Anglezarke today. 1 male and 2 female Goldeneye on the top small reservoir (think it's called Yarrow). Male starting to display. A Buzzard over the car park and really close up look at a Treecreeper.
A Little Egret was seen two weeks ago, in the reservoir outflow to the River Yarrow. Seen from the Street by Tom Grimshaw and Jack Farrimond. With thanks for info.
6th May 2016 1 Osprey being mobbed by Lesser Black Gulls as it flew along the Avon valley at Clifton. Also, 1 Peregrine roosting on a newly built high rise building near Bristol Bridge, whilst lots of unwary town pigeons scrounge scraps off the public in the square below. 2 Yellow Legged Herring Gulls w...
4 days in Hampshire and West Sussex (with a little bit of Bershire/Surrey and Oxfordshire thrown in) produced the following highlights:
Rough-legged Buzzard- 2nd winter male near Andover, Hampshire, showed well with Common BUzzards and Red Kites too.
Farlington Marshes (Hampshire)-...
While doing R/O/W Inspections Today Hesketh Meadow Rd 2 Willow Tits 4 Whitethroat at least 2 was feeding young Elliott Ave Golborne Nesting House Martins Ashton Rd nr disused railway nr pond 1 Grey Heron 2 Whitethroat 1 Blackcap 1 Moorhen Nook Lane Footpath to Bridge St 10+Greenfinch looked to be 2 Fa...
Large Falcon Present this morning 8.15am, looks like a Peregrine x Saker or Gyr. Vertical chest bars. Got a couple of long shots. No jesses visable on bird. Attacked a passing Grey Heron at one point. Looked larger than Peregrine. Anyone else seen hybrid type bird in the area, or is missing one. Just pu...
Looking at the pressure charts for next week we should be in for a run of south easterly winds from Monday till Friday.These winds are originating from quite a way across the continent and should produce a few Black Terns from Tuesday onwards,fingers crossed.
Had an hour at Ainsdale Beach the other evening: saw Sandwich Tern roost - circa 15 birds, Dunlin, Knot, Sanderling [in very smart plumage] and Bar Tailed Godwit - some still in breeding plumage and a tick for me. Also possible Grey Plover which would have been a tick but they were too badly lit by the sun...
Sad news this week, as Wigan-based birder Jimmy Meadows passed away after illness. Formerly a major user of this forum he had been less active in the past few years, in part due to failing eyesight. A true gent and one of those people who seemed to know most people in his home town. He played an active role...
Sightings from Shell pool and the Bassell site Sunday 20th March At least six Buzzard either overhead or displaying in the area Sparrowhawk 1 Kestrel 1 Canada Goose 12 Mallard 23 Tufted Duck 30 Coot 8 Moorhen 8 Little Grebe 6 Cormorant 1 over Grey Heron 1 Pheasant 1 Black Headed Gull100+ Lesser Black Ba...
A Short Eared Owl was present from 5pm till dusk hunting the fields behind the colliery and giving views down to 10m,completely unphased by the dogwalkers and dogs.
Quick visit Friday 4.30 - 5.30 Tufted duck Coot Teal Mallard Shoveler Buzzard Short eared owl Barn owl Curlew Common buzzard Kestrel Lapwing Carrion crow Wood pigeon First visit here....will be back Karl
Dialling back to last January one of the surprise birds of 2025 was reported just off the coast of Texel island - a fine male Spectacled Eider keeping loose company with several of its common cousins. After what seemed like ten days of frustrating delay (reduced winter ferry service/bad weather etc....
A really good afternoon. At least 100 martins and swallows around the water treatment works attracted a hunting hobby. This was seen at close range as it didn't see me below the bankside tree canopy and flew directly over at about 15 meters. Buzzard and sparrowhawk seen just after this. The other high...
