dean and co thanks for the directions etc 10 ouzels present 19.00 in field,below farm viewed from adam hill marker board, life tick for me.back on sunday for a more relaxed viewing
Concensus amongst the few birders present up to 10:30hrs were 14 Ring Ouzels, inc. 4+ females. Fabulous! - Ouzels were feeding in pasture below Holdens Farm but were flushed by the introduction of two Horses into the field and flew across towards Burnt Edge at c10:30hrs.
Also 2 Fieldfare, a singing male Lesser Whitethroat in the small Hawthorn hedgerow nr Holdens Farm, 5 Wheatear, 1m Stonechat, 2 Tree Pipit over.
The half cobbled track Dean refers to is Burnt Edge Lane, you would need to go to the bottom of Burnt Edge (Rocky slope to side of Burnt Edge Lane) to get better views of Ouzels
There is an easier access road to Burnt Edge. Once you turn onto Walker Fold Lane travel for about a mile(maybe more) but keep an eye out for a left turn into Edge Lane go up here. It's a very narrow road to start with but does open up a bit. There is a turn off to the right on one of the many tight bends, not a road but a half cobbled dirt track. It's right on a 90 degree bend and is obviously driveable. Go down here and park up. Then follow the road past the farm house and you're on the top of Burnt Edge you can see the various paths from here. The Ouzels are on the steep slopes and fields at the bottom.
this will cheer you up,went to burnt edge from matchmoor lane this evening,had a lovely stroll in the hills,was dissapointed not to see ousels but now realise i was in the wrong place might try again tommorow,on the plus side saw a wheatear (life tick,county tick,)well chuffed.
directions to Burnt Edge are as follows: M61 might be best for you (if not you can easily work out the directions otherwise), off at Junction 5 and round the roundabout to the right, coming off at your 2nd exit (Wigan Road). Follow this up and then down the hill (Hunger Hill) to the traffic light where you turn left (at the petrol station) onto Beaumont Road (you will see Rumworth Lodge on your left), follow this until you come to the end of the road, where there is a large set of traffic lights and a T junction, here you want to turn right (but make sure you are in the left hand lane of the 2 to turn right) then turn left almost immediately up the hill (Victoria Road). At the next traffic lights turn left (Old Kiln Lane) to the top where you meet a main road, go straight across the main road onto Walker Fold Road, follow this (mile or so) until you see a sharp right hand bend approaching and there is parking room on the left just before it opposite a small cottage. Park here and follow the well marked track to the left from where you have parked, it climbs slightly and passes alongside a conifer plantation (ear out for Crossbills ). Eventually the track comes out into the open moorland at the bottom of the 'valley' and the area to the left where there is a relatively steep slope with rocks on it is Burnt Edge. The Ouzels have been anywhere around here or following the stream on the right (in a small 'cutting') all the way up to the small area of woodland known as Holdens Plantations, there are plenty of footpaths around here and a good deal of searching may be in order as they can 'get about'.
Andy Makin had the 19 Ring Ousels. When he got there, there were the 6 from yesterday. A flock of 13, with 1 Fieldfare, then flew in from the SE. Ten of these soon departed, leaving 9 there - which is what Jimmy and Allan saw this evening.
Single Swifts were seen at the Wigan Flashes and Elton Resr today.
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Judith Smith
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Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
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). Eventually the track comes out into the open moorland at the bottom of the 'valley' and the area to the left where there is a relatively steep slope with rocks on it is Burnt Edge. The Ouzels have been anywhere around here or following the stream on the right (in a small 'cutting') all the way up to the small area of woodland known as Holdens Plantations, there are plenty of footpaths around here and a good deal of searching may be in order as they can 'get about'.
