This stretch of the Goyt is, in part, the other bank from Chadkirk C.E. (and will be connected if the bridge ever gets built) and it deserves a thread in its own right. Mandarin 2 males Grey Wagtail 2 Lesser Whitethroat 1 Kingfisher - not the best view but I had the impression this was a juv. House Martin 2 C...
Thought you may want to know that there's a digger on Pomona clearing all the shrubs/trees. Apparently the landowners Trafford Centre ie Peel want every tree and bush cleared. This may or may not be a good thing ie could create a more open habitat for lapwings, skylarks etc, though loss of cover may not...
Morning I moved house at the beginning of feb and having the luxury of working from home, my desk overlooks my garden birdfeeders (sunflower hearts, nyger, peanuts, fat cake, kitchen scraps). I moved from near Lowton High School about 1 mile (if that) as the crow flies to Pennington, basically I cros...
Barbara and I were pleased to catch up with the kittiwake on the canal early on Saturday afternoon (March 8th). It did seem at first a bit surreal seeing it quite confiding and seemingly at home there, (it's almost certainly the furthest inland I can recall seeing a live one). However I can see a paralle...
The Following Urban Naturalist events, held at The Manchester Museum are available: Urban Naturalist: Pond Life Sat 29 Mar, 2-4pm Join Rick Parker, chairman of Bolton Conservation Volunteers and find out more about amphibians and other animals which live in ponds, their needs and requirements a...
Three ravens turned up in the paddock halfway up the lane at 5pm this afternoon, to the disgust of the local jackdaws, crows and sheep! Ravens were displaying in flight and landed on the grass before being seen off by the locals. Made a fantastic racket while they were around. The local great spotted wo...
Early morning vist
Great Crested Grebe
Over 12 Coot, Mallard, C. Goose, BH Gull
Very large bruiser feral cross mallard
Over 6 Moorhen, Robin, Magpie.
Dunnock Wren
Blue Tits, GreaT Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch
Carrion Crow, Connorant Flying Over,
They have been clearing the bank of the...
At long last the Acuter DS65 scope has arrived back in stock, now in an updated box, a better stay-on case & re-christened the GrandVista 65!! We have been waiting for the shipment to arrive, but as it has been sent by ship (as shipments always were!!), it has taken some time. Come & have a look at...
A second collared dove has just died in my garden. The first was two weeks ago. The bird looks unwell,dejectedly pecking at its normal food which it cannot swallow. It then wanders off,feathers puffed out,into a corner and dies. Have others experienced this?
Had a site meeting down in Helsby this morning. Unbelievably, I noticed 3 House Martins buzzing around a nearby pub with two of them (the adults) still feeding chicks in a nest under the eaves of the pub.
Focalpoint Optics are pleased to announce that there is a Swarovski In-Store Day at our showroom on Saturday April 5th . Please feel free to pop along & say hi. There will be free food & drink for everyone and a free to enter mystery bird competition with prizes for the winner and all runners-up...
I went to Martin Mere today, first time in ages. I have to say I'm not a member (I choose to support other organisations with my limited income) so went along ready to pay the entrance fee. What surprised me was being asked if I wanted to pay 'gift aid' or 'non gift aid' entry! The former being slightly more...
A quick update to situation outlined of the Surveys section of the main website. Thanks to all who have offered to help with the Heronries Census - now entering its 87th year! All known colonies now have a counter. I still have vacancies for the Waterways Breeding Bird Survey on the Rochdale Canal and t...
Originally posted by Tom Nightingale today: My wife and I are selling our collection of old Bird Books at auction - Bonham's Oxford - on March 25th. Not much on Lancashire I'm afraid (we are from Norfolk) but plenty on historical aspects of British Ornithology. Can be viewed now online Bonham's Oxfor...
After a wait of 2 hours plus this morning had great views of two juvenile, one female and the stunning male Two-barred Crossbills in the larches near the feeders From the waterside parking area at SK255959 follow the track into the wood and turn left after 25m, then after another 100m the feede...
I am a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and I am hoping to carry out some research into why individuals record and report on natural phenomena. I am interested in how we should account for biodiversity and have recently written a chapter in a book edited by Professor Mike Jones entitle...
Seen as though I regularly post sightings from here in the bits and bobs section, and that I go through here on the way to local patches, its own thread is in order: The Vale forms part of the Irk Valley and Queens Park was laid out in 1848 making it one of the oldest municipal parks in the country! This morni...
Have today received my newsletter, with the sad announcement that the group is closing after 40 years. Is this just a sign of things to come, such a shame. Keep Birding.
I have the complete set from Twitching (Volume 1) then Birding World (Volumes 1 - 25). All unbound but in good condition. Buyer to collect or could meet if in the local area. I would prefer not to split the set. Sensible offers please by Private Mail. Cheers, John
Pair of Leica Ultravid BL 8x42 complete with case, strap and eyecup guard. They do have some wear but Optically they perform as well as when I bought them 12 years ago. Reluctant sale £850 ovno.
There were three Goosander on the end water (behind the football ground) this evening. A pair of Great Crested Grebes has also returned.
At the other end, near the entrance to Alexandra Park, there was a flock of about 20 strangely confident Redwing feeding in the leaf litter between the feet of chi...
Hi All, Just for information, we have started a Community Wildlife Garden Project in Chorlton. See our website for more details: www.chorltoncommunitywildlifegarden.org.uk or follow us on Twitter: @WildlifeGarden2 We are looking for more volunteers to help with the project. Thanks Dave
A non birding friend of mine has tried to describe a bird to me. He described it as having:- 'A black cap/head with a white strip, rest of body was brown and grey.' I immediately thought, coal tit, until he said:- And the size of a starling, and was not as agile as the tits around the feeder! I tried to vision...
can anyone recommend a lightweight travel tripod. I've been looking on the web and the swaro version is expensive (~£500!), but I wondered about the velbon carbon fibre from in-focus. Both seem to reduce to 50cm or less in height. Any advise or user comments welcome! Ps I'm looking for 2Kg weight and u...
