Haigh Country Park

Karl Bishop · Status: Offline

RE: Haigh Country Park

Jimmy Meadows · Status: Offline

Early evening stroll round Lady Mabels Wood
2 Grasshopper Warblers
3 Chiffchaff
4 Willow Warblers
4 Song Thrush
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker

Jimmy

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 23rd of April 2014 08:14:19 PM

Karl Bishop · Status: Offline

Tuesday 17.30-19.30

Nuthatch
Coal Tit
Mandarin (pair in plantations near railway bridge)
Jay
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Robin
Common Buzzard
Mallard
Moorhen
Blackbird
Wren
Sparrowhawk
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Jackdaw

Karl

Keith Williams · Status: Offline

Saturday am Lower Plantations, single Tawny Owl in roost, cheers Paul, Treecreeper, 2 Grey Wagtails, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Jay, no sign of Kingfisher or Dippers on river.

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Couple of hours this afternoon in the Douglas valley, nice weather and a definite hint of spring in the air

3 pairs of Mandarins
Pair of Dippers nest building
Single Kingfisher
Nuthatch taking mud up to hole
Long tailed Tit nest building
Pair of Grey Wagtails
Sparrowhawk seen twice hunting
Two possibly three Skylarks in song, a good record for this site
Single Treecreeper
A late record from Thursday, five separate Song Thrushes spotted singing in upper plantations, from mini railway station to canal bridge, even more heard, a species I seldom see unless in song

First frog spawn of the year for me
Dog Fox sneaking through marsh

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Lower Plantations this afternoon, quick mooch

pair of Dippers on Dougy
both Tawny Owls in roost
Goldcrest singing and being mimiced identically by two Great Tits but much deeper in song
leucistic Magpie with around 30 other Magpies in sheep fields

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Few hours this morning in lower and upper plantations, highlights

Grey Wagtail on Dougy
Single Tawny Owl in roost
Pair of Female Sparrowhawks coming to grips in a territorial dispute
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. A couple of others drumming from different locations
Took some food to the elusive feeding station in the upper plantations, no other food there so a bit quieter than expected, apart from the usuals the only highlights were 4 Nuthatches and a single Treecreeper
Kingfisher on the boating pond
Buzzard heard.

Karl wrote "No sign of tawny owl roost or the elusive second feeding station in upper plantations"

Hi Karl, to get to the feeding station in the upper plantations, walk down the tarmac path away from the hall towards the lower plantations, there is a pond on the left next to the mini railway station, the feeding station is almost directly behind this pond off a narrow path that links both the mini railways, there is no truth in any rumours my past directions were rubbish so that I could keep this feeding station to myself

Karl Bishop · Status: Offline

Full tour - pendlebury lane, sennicar lane, lady Mabel's wood, upper and lower plantations.

Goldfinch
Robin
Blackbird
Siskin
Greenfinch
Magpie
Tree sparrow
Black-headed gull
Common gull
Jackdaw
Meadow pipit
Carrion crow
Jay
Moorhen
Canada goose
Mallard
Brambling
Goldcrest
Sparrowhawk
Wren
Long-tailed tit
Song thrush
Nuthatch
Blue tit
Chaffinch
Great tit
Starling
Mistle thrush
Coal tit
Dunnock
Wood pigeon
Common buzzard

No sign of tawny owl roost or the elusive second feeding station in upper plantations

confuse

Cheers

Karl

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

10.30 - 1.30 Pendlebury lane, Sennicar lane, Lady Mabels wood and Aspull sough

2 Grey Heron
single Buzzard on it's usual hunting grounds
good numbers of Tree and House Sparrows on Pendlebury lane
single Cormorant over
female Kestrel
pair of Tawny Owls at roost
leucistic Magpie showing well in the sheep fields, very unusual bird, brown head with goldish coloured nape, this bird was reared from a nest near gardens backing onto the lower plantations, talking to a mate who said he always new when it was around as all the other magpies would try to attack it, he was surprised it was still alive. managed another poor record shot, it's definately a nice challenge for the photographers.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

-- Edited by Paul Risley on Saturday 15th of February 2014 09:28:38 PM

munsworth · Status: Offline

Thank you for that Paul. I will do as you said and take plenty of food with me!

Mike

Paul Risley wrote:

Hi Mike

there are two feeding stations in haigh hall cp, there is one on hall lane at one of the entrances to lady mabels wood, you can actually park near this one and take photos from the comfort of your car. ideal in bad weather. the other feeding station is in the upper plantations and is one of greater manchester's best kept birding secrets you will need to take some food as it goes in no time at all and only a few people stock it. keep a few mealworms back for the little robin who will probably buzz you as you approach if theres no food left. there is a bench to sit on behind a screen, the bench is always wet through so either take something dry to sit on or wear waterproofs. chuck a slice of apple in the undergrowth to the left and you might be lucky enough to see the little bank vole. the screen hide is between the two mini railways just off a narrow path. if you make it there on a weekday you usually get it all to yourself.

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Hi Mike

there are two feeding stations in haigh hall cp, there is one on hall lane at one of the entrances to lady mabels wood, you can actually park near this one and take photos from the comfort of your car. ideal in bad weather. the other feeding station is in the upper plantations and is one of greater manchester's best kept birding secrets

you will need to take some food as it goes in no time at all and only a few people stock it. keep a few mealworms back for the little robin who will probably buzz you as you approach if theres no food left. there is a bench to sit on behind a screen, the bench is always wet through so either take something dry to sit on or wear waterproofs. chuck a slice of apple in the undergrowth to the left and you might be lucky enough to see the little bank vole. the screen hide is between the two mini railways just off a narrow path. if you make it there on a weekday you usually get it all to yourself.

munsworth · Status: Offline

Hi Paul could you tell me where the feeding station is?
Thanks Mike

Paul Risley wrote:

9.30 - 12.00 Upper Plantations

Remembered to take some food to the feeding station for once

3 Bullfinch (1 m 2 f)
Pair of Siskins
1 Female Brambling
Single Treecreeper
Goldcrest
Lots of the more common species

Little Bank Vole came through the undergrowth for some apple I left for it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Cheers Matt

MJKeating · Status: Offline

Paul Risley wrote:

9.30 - 12.00 Upper Plantations

Remembered to take some food to the feeding station for once

3 Bullfinch (1 m 2 f)
Pair of Siskins
1 Female Brambling
Single Treecreeper
Goldcrest
Lots of the more common species

Little Bank Vole came through the undergrowth for some apple I left for it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

Amazing photos, Paul!!

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

9.30 - 12.00 Upper Plantations

Remembered to take some food to the feeding station for once

3 Bullfinch (1 m 2 f)
Pair of Siskins
1 Female Brambling
Single Treecreeper
Goldcrest
Lots of the more common species

Little Bank Vole came through the undergrowth for some apple I left for it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

9.30 - 12.30 cracking morning despite getting drenched and frozen

Lower plantations, Male Kingfisher on Dougy showing well
About 300 Wood pigeon flushed and flew straight at me, about 15 feet above my head with Female Sparrowhawk in hot pursuit
Pair of Tawny Owls
Pair of Stock Doves
Goldcrest in song

Upper plantations, Female Brambling with chaffinches,
Another Goldcrest
Treecreeper
At least 3 Nuthatches at feeding station
Kingfisher on Boating lake
Cracking Adult Male Sparrowhawk landed about 30 feet in front of me, clocked me for a couple of seconds before heading off towards the feeding station
Couple of new Mute Swans on canal, both unrung. This is usually SLI and FF6 territory

Also found some fresh Water Vole signs on one of the ponds

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 31st of January 2014 07:33:45 PM

Tom Morton · Status: Offline

Two hours in Douglas Valley and CP this morning - highlights 2 soaring Buzzards, 20+ Tree Sparrows Pendlebury Lane; 2 Dippers and 1Siskin by river in Wingates Road; min. 6 Brambling with Chaffinches and over 200 Wood Pigeons in Lower Plantations, 2 Tawny Owls in roost plus singing Goldcrest, 4 Nuthatches and Great Spotted Woodpecker; 5 Song Thrushes including 1 in song along canal (bridges 60-62) along with 3 Jays and 3 Greenfinches.

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

A few hours late morning to early afternoon in the Douglas Valley, the highlights were

Single Woodcock flushed
Raven over
12 Mandarin
Single Dipper
Grey Heron
Buzzard heard
Very recent Sparrowhawk kill of a Redwing, I probably spooked the Hawk
Good numbers of Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tits

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Lower Plantations 1pm till 3pm

A pair of Tawny Owls roosting together
Small Finch flock mainly Chaffinch but at least 2 male Brambling with them, these were in the woods near to the feeding station.
Single Dipper on the River
Pair of mandarins with a group of Mallard also on River
A large Tit flock mainly Long Tailed Tits and Blue Tits
Singles of Treecreeper, Nuthatch and Coal tit

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 27th of December 2013 04:59:07 PM

dave broome · Status: Offline

Fri 20th: 4 Goosander and 2 Tufted Duck on Meadow Pit Lake

dave broome · Status: Offline

Three drake Tufted Duck on Meadow Pit Lake today

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

A walk along the Canal from the Crown pub to the Bridge in the upper plantations and back at lunchtime.

5 Mistle Thrushes
1 pair of Song Thrushes
Quite a few Redwings going over at regular intervals
Single young Kestrel
2 possibly 3 Buzzards, one juvenile still making lots of noise
Pair of Ravens over, one cronking. Nice to see them again I havent seen them for a while.
A leucistic Magpie was with several others feeding on a sheep carcass in the fields. A very unusual but stunning bird and a first for me, theres a poor record shot on my flickr page hopefully Ill get a chance of a better shot in the non too distant future.
All the regulars in attendance, Moorhen, Mallard, Robin, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Couple of hours in the rain this afternoon in the upper plantations.

Kingfisher on one of the small overgrown ponds
Sparrowhawk flying along the Canal
A couple of Tit flocks
Nuthatch calling from most areas
Small groups of Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Plenty of beech mast and acorns
Plenty of Grey Squirrels

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Couple of hours in the upper plantations

5 Mandarins on one of the ponds
Juvenile Buzzard heard
Adult female Kingfisher on the boating lake
Moorhen with 3 small young
Little Grebe still present but extremely shy
a noisy and large tit flock but still keeping to the tree tops yet so difficult to see

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Spotted Flycatcher on the edge of Brock Wood, off Sennicar Lane at 8:30 this morning.

Info thanks to Ian Woosey

dave broome · Status: Offline

Wheatear this evening on fence posts by Pendlebury Lane nr the canal. Also in vicinity juv Kestrel, 120 Starling, 27 Mistle Thrush and 13 Goldfinch

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Mike Passant wrote " both frogs and toads are particularly fond of worms....."

its pants tucked into socks from now on when I sit down

Mike Passant · Status: Offline

-
Sounds like a close shave that Paul, both frogs and toads are particularly fond of worms..... (did you check things out when you got home?)

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

8.30 to 11 am Pendlebury Lane, Sennicar Lane circular

Common Tern on Canal
Heron on pond on opposite side of canal
Good numbers of both House and Tree Sparrows at the usual place
Juveniles of Bullfinch, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Goldfinch, Swallows and most of the regular species
Willow Warblers and Whitethroats nearly every 60 yards along the canal.

Sat down on a log pile along the River Douglas for a good while just waiting for something to show, pretty sure a Water Vole swam across the river but it was too quick to get binocs on it. Got up and started to walk away when I felt a cold wet patch near my left groin, thinking some water had spilt off the balsam I moved on only to feel a similar patch now on my right groin,

looking down the wet patch moved, I nearly had a heart attack,

I jumped up and down and saw and felt something cold drop down my pants leg, a bloody frog had crawled up my pants, if anyone heard any girly screams it wasnt me honest

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Two Crossbills over south at 7:30pm this evening.

Info thanks to Peter Alker

dave broome · Status: Offline

Monday 24th - three Oystercatcher over Bottling Wood and the dam towards Swinley

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Couple of hours this afternoon in lower Plantations

Fledged Juveniles of Nuthatch and Treecreepers
Great tits, Blue Tits and Blackcaps feeding young in nests
Mandarins on River with 6 young (info thanks to Richard Moore)
Mallards on River with 4 young
Great Spotted woodpeckers feeding young in nest
Female Sparrowhawk bathing in River
Dipper feeding fledged young

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Originally posted by Tim Masin today: -

As a new user I'd like to report a sighting of a Green Woodpecker around two weeks ago in Milton Grove, Wigan. Up to two or three years ago I regularly saw these around the edges of Haigh Country Park but they seem to have all but disappeared. Nice to see one again, unusually in a residential area albeit close to Haigh Country Park.

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Sennicar lane area this afternoon. First time along the lane for a while.

Pair of Curlews
Pair of Linnets
Quite a few Swallows over the fields
2 possibly 3 singing Skylarks, this is good for this area.
Greenfinch singing
Plenty of Rooks and Jackdaws feeding in the fields along with plenty of Starlings flying off with food towards Wigan lane
Female Sparrowhawk through Brock wood with prey
Good numbers of all the usual regulars

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

A few hours this morning, Pendlebury lane area, Lower Plantations and Aspull sough area.

Dipper still around nesting area
Buzzard over
3 separate Goldcrests singing
2 Blackcaps
7 Swallows over
2 Male Mandarins, they seem to be more in the trees now than on the river
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper all at nest sites
Female Sparrowhawk, 1st year bird displaying over Aspull sough, with the tail feather damage I,m pretty sure its the bird displaying over the Dominoes area a few weeks ago.
2 separate Reed Warblers singing in the reed beds
1 Reed Bunting singing in the same area

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Couple of hours this morning.
Still 3 Mandarins on the River Douglas
Single Dipper
Pair of Magpies in a standoff with a Carrion Crow that was about 4 feet away from their nest, the Crow eventually left, another Magpie nest about 150 yards away from the Buzzards nest qualifies as the largest nest I have seen, it is huge.
Sparrowhawks have relocated to the upper Plantations, nest building up nicely
No sign of the Tawny Owl at the roost site, at another of the Owl Roost sites a pellet had the lower jawbone of a brown Rat sticking out of it

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Quick couple of hours this morning

Great Spotted Woodpecker excavating nest hole
Treecreeper nest building
Tawny Owl pellets under an old roost site one with a Rats lower jaw bone sticking out, first time I've come across Rats as a prey item in Haigh Hall

Lapwings in fields past Aspull sough
Also a pair of Crows squabbling over the contents of a Mallards egg, other Mallard egg shells nearby

-- Edited by Paul Risley on Monday 22nd of April 2013 08:42:35 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 22nd of April 2013 08:47:32 PM

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Dippers feeding young in nest in Lower plantations
2 pairs of Tawny Owls calling tonight in upper plantations

no signs of any roding woodcock though

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/

dave broome · Status: Offline

Two male Wheatear in field along Sennicar Lane between Rothwell's Farm and canal this afternoon

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

dave broome wrote:

Hi Mike, I'm sure I remember a report of Hawfinch at Haigh from the local press, from the early 1980's, but don't know if it's in any county report without digging them out. Might have been from around the same time that they bred in Billinge. Don't think there's any mention in the Collins New Naturalist book 'The Hawfinch' but can't remember how much local detail there is in there. I'm sure somebody else can give a less vague response to your question!!

Single accepted record, 20th Jan 1982.

dave broome · Status: Offline

Hi Mike, I'm sure I remember a report of Hawfinch at Haigh from the local press, from the early 1980's, but don't know if it's in any county report without digging them out. Might have been from around the same time that they bred in Billinge. Don't think there's any mention in the Collins New Naturalist book 'The Hawfinch' but can't remember how much local detail there is in there. I'm sure somebody else can give a less vague response to your question!!

dave broome · Status: Offline

6 Wheatear at Rothwell's Farm, Sennicar Lane early pm, also at least 8 Meadow Pipit and 2 Swallow

Mike Passant · Status: Offline

6.30am to 8.15 am

Only my second visit here; -had a nice wonder from the top car park down to river and back.
37 species noted; - the regular stuff; included were 1 Buzzard, a Woodcock, and 2 male Great Spotted Woodpeckers having a "set to" with at least 1 female also interacting, (there could have been two, but I couldn't easily keep up with the action).

Some superb habitat here, (should be pretty good for Hawfinch, so why aren't they here?) Are there any historic records from here?

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 16th of April 2013 08:28:47 PM

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Red Kite SE over Lady Mabel's Wood at 3:15pm.

Infi thanks to Ian Woosey

Allan Rimmer · Status: Offline

A pair of Mandarins on the banks of the Douglas in the Lower Plants. this morning, feeding on a patch of grass. Never seen them wandering around like that before. May have been one of the two pairs we saw upstream of the Coppull Lane dam last Saturday, our first record for so far down the valley.
Only other signs of Spring were four drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers and six calling Nuthatches.
There was also a Peregrine - unusual for this site - flying over towards the canal.

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

9-15 - 12-30 pm Lower plantations

single Kingfisher on Dougy. exact location as last time it snowed heavy
pair of Dippers, one flew into nest site without re appearing
a Meadow Pipit feeding along the banks of the River, deep in the woods was a massive surprise

late post for thursday, both Tawny Owls still at roost site together in upper Plantations and a pair of Sparrowhawks calling. no signs of the pair in the lower plantations, could they have been ousted by the Buzzards?

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

Glad you found them Jon, they can at times be very difficult to spot, my girlfriend couldnt make them out on friday while on thursday early morning one was sunning itself on the outer branches, which is now my avatar

the upper plantations can be brilliant at times but there are too many visitors for me to feel comfortable just sitting down somewhere and waiting to see what turns up.
in the lower plantations today a wren was nest building on the banks of the River Douglas, a single Dipper was present and a Buzzard flushed for the second time in as many weeks from the Sparrowhawk nesting area, no sign of the Sparrowhawks.

Jon Bowen · Status: Offline

Visited this morning in the hope of getting a GM Life Tick in Tawny Owl

Thanks to Paul Risley's excellent directions soon found the roost site and both Tawny's were visible.

On a wider tour of the park saw
3 Nuthatch
male Sparrowhawk
Lots of tit flocks comprising Great Tit / Blue Tit / Long Tailed Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming

dave broome · Status: Offline

Curlew calling overhead at Aspull Sough/Alexandra this morning, also 8 Waxwing over from the Cale Lane flock

Paul Risley · Status: Offline

late post for yesterday.

upper plantations
Male Kingfisher showing well on Canal
pair of Tawny Owls back at roost
Little Grebe on large boating lake, caught a small fish while I was watching it but very secretive
Long Tailed Tits with nesting material

today's sightings, lower plantations
single Dipper
3 Grey Wagtails, 2 males fighting
single Buzzard over
usual gang of 3 Mandarins and another group of 6.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrisley/