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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD SIGHTINGS -> Bits & Bobs, Odds & Sods
Post Info TOPIC: Bits & Bobs, Odds & Sods
Ian Woosey


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RE: Bits & Bobs, Odds & Sods
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Geoff, statistically speaking, I reckon I have at least another 35 years left of birding in me, so at 2 new species a year it should bring the Wigan Flashes 200 up. That is, if the council has not built a bloody road through the middle of `em, or made it into a fairground like Pennington ! rofl.gif I`ll call for you in my wheelchair and we can count the Starlings on the Wind-turbines biggrin.gif

Fair point with the GM200. Getting to the 175 marker is very enjoyable and rewarding, because it involves going and finding the common and scarce County species for yourself. After that, it is more about twitching the rarities I`m afraid, and all that does is prematurely age you........ Just take a look at Mr Heaton ! ! ! omfg.gif



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Geoff Hargreaves


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ian,sorry i beg to differ the current gold marker of 200 within gm is not 'easy' it may be achievable in two or three years at the least but once your over the 175 mark a lot of effortcry.gif and luckfurious.gif is required to get the last 25 ,i,ll be happy if i get to silver 175 as i sit here and rue the gems i missed last year,and a few of this years 'tarts ticks' cos i was sulking with broken optics.weirdface.gif as for the wigan flashes 200 clubconfused.gif
you,d better make sure that wheelchair access is improved cos the warranty on your scope will have run out before you get the next 75wink.gif

cheers geoff(statiscallly analyise that)biggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

hobby,glaucous gull there on my flashes listwink.gif

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mm
Paul Cliff


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(am assuming young) peregrine hounded by two goldfich over the northern quarter this lunchtime.

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Kane Brides


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Hobby over Cutacre (Private site) this evening & seen last week chasing insects on the wing.

Kane

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Kane Brides
Ian Woosey


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GM 200 is easily reached with a bit of tear-arsing around phonecall.gif .sprint.gif........Wigan Flashes 200 is the ultimate ! headbang.gif

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Paul Heaton


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Buzzard over garden yesterday and oystercatcher this morning all in Ashton on Mersey Sale not bad and would have been 2 garden ticks if I was a Woosey.biggrin.gif

Well done that man on the Ton at the flashes, nice figure to reach for one patch lets see more of the same on your other lists. Will not be long now till you claim your membership for the 200 club.

Keep Birding.

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Ian McKerchar


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A Lesser Whitethroat is still singing (and has been for some time now) at Pickley Green, Westleigh.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

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Mark Rigby


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Paul,

your HIGHWAY CODE must have a page missing. Im sure mine has a disclaimer at the rear which states,and I quote " please ignore the following 112 pages if the driver is in persuit of a Mega or County tick/rarity- or said Driver is returning from a Mega or County tick/rarity so as not to incur wrath of Mrs" smile.gif

Have a close look-its there, Honest!biggrin.gif(its in the smallprint)

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Paul Heaton


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Now Now Mr Rigby Phyllis Pearsall will be turning in her grave at your sat nav comments, see i have books on other subjects, suggest you read her autobiography Mrs P,s Journey by Sarah Hartley.

As for your speed camera problems there is an excellent little book called the HIGHWAY CODEbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif and i am sure all modern cars are fitted with a speedometer.

keep birding.

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Mark Rigby


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Maps and stuff dont tell you where all the nasty speed camera's are located-get in the modern agebiggrin.gif

You can save all the usual locations in the sat-nav memory and at the press of a button it takes you from Wigan Fashes to Audenshaw in the blink of an eye(if you keep your eyes shut for 20 minutes) Do you remeber that trip Ian?wink.gif

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Ian Woosey


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Further to Mr Heaton`s dissertation on the subject of finding sites within Greater Manchester, besides the `Sites` section of this web-site, the two essential tools for birding in this county are the County Reports and the Greater Manchester A-Z. For more detail once you arrive at a new site, the following OS Explorer Maps are handy : OL1, OL21, 287, 276, 285, 268, & 277. These cover all of the county boundary. It is the A-Z that will prove invaluable though, and you need never get lost, nor need to ask for directions again.......wink.gif

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Paul Heaton


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Birders keep getting lost sat navs do not take you to where you want to go,
wheres binn green, how do I get to Horrocks flash,
The answers are simple use this websitebiggrin.gif

The sites and guide section will get you to most places, in the middle of the legend above you now is a SEARCH SECTION try it out it works.

Binn green like Blackredstart has been made short we did not like BX so Binn Greens full title is YEOMAN HEY RES/ BINN GREEN SE023053 which is to be found in the back of the county report.

maybe in this dark period of little birding and bad weather you could look though all the old reports and map reference so when the biggy turns up you will be there double quick.

have fun

KEEP BIRDING


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Brian Harding


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a relative sent me some pics of an albino starling seen in his garden in rainford. its a couple of miles out of county but thought it might be of interest. he hasnt seen it for a couple of weeks now, so may no longer be with us.

[

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 16:46, 2008-06-15

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Ian Woosey


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14/6/08

2 Buzzards soaring over J2, M61 @ 16.00

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Kane Brides


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You know I was working from home yesterday (Cambridge St, around the corner from Crab Tree Lane) and I swore I heard one on a number of occasions, flying around the Atherton Park area.

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Kane Brides
Jimmy Meadows


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ring n parrakeet over crabtree ln atherton this afternoon

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dave broome


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Lesser Whitethroat singing y/day at the Tree Bank arboretum, Green Lane, Higher Folds, Leigh (former GM Council tree nursery)

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Jimmy Meadows


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today coppull lane wigan
1 garden warbler
2 grey wagtails on the douglas

mort lane tyldersley
1 lesser whitethroat
4 whitethroat
2 reed bunting
also on right hand side of road before bridge bit of flooded area
looks good for the waders

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Jimmy Meadows


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lesser whitethroat at kiwi nurseries arbour lane standish this morning

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Mike Chorley


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Male Bullfinch in the whitebeam outside the office for the second day running. Brings a touch of colour to a fairly scruffy bit of Newton Heath. I hope mrs. b. is now incubating in the little copse of willow nearby where they were courtship-feeding the other week. With Greenfinch breeding in the shrubs by the embankment ( male seen with faecal sac recently) and Goldfinch nearby as well just need Chaffinch for a full house

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Bus pass birdin' great innit?
Geoff Hargreaves


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atlantic st industrial area altrincham,2 oystercatchers flew over very noisely which i remarked on, he replied well whats this then,from an upstairs window in the factory i was treated to crackin views of a roosting tawny 6ft awaybiggrin.gif(lifer) 'its there most days,and its name is robbie???.hours of searching and then one falls in your lapbiggrin.gif

cheers geoffsmile.gifsmile.gif

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Ian Woosey


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21/5/08

The regular summering drake Goldeneye (presuming it`s the same individual) was present this afternoon on High Rid Reservoir. Going off records in past County Reports this will be its 9th year in residence !

One for the "May-hem" listers wink.gif

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dave broome


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Garden Warbler today at Kirkless, Higher Ince, Wigan. Singing in scrub off the north end of Belle Green Lane. Also 6+ Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroats and 2 singing Yellowhammer. Skylark singing on the former landfill.

Oystercatcher calling over Skitters Wood, Ashton-in-Makerfield this morning and yesterday evening

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dave mcintyre


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Red legged partridge - Trentway Kearlsey Bolton I was sent pictures from a friend . Their garden backs onto scrub land near the golf course (pics 26 april)

dave mcintyre

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Judith Smith


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There's been a guy with a Harris Hawk intermittently at the Wigan Flashes for years but haven't seen him for a while. The close season law applies to captive birds of prey - ie you can't fly it at anything that you couldn't legally shoot, which is practically everything at this time of year.

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
Jimmy Meadows


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ian there is one mon who lives on snowden dr who keeps and flys hawks ive seen him on towpath with one

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Mike Chorley


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Perhaps the idiot with the harris hawk has decided to try wigan flshes after frightening everything off at strinesdale upper!

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Bus pass birdin' great innit?
Ian Woosey


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Ellie-birder (my other half) saw a chap walking along Poolstock Lane (behind Scotman`s Flash) this evening carrying a "large bird of prey" on his arm. She said it was dark brown (but she has been known to go temporarily colour-blind when trying to identify birds before disbelief.gif )

Wigan birders beware large raptors on the flashes banned.gif

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Jimmy Meadows


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grey wagtail on r douglas side of old mark williams butcher darlington st east
this morning

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Jimmy Meadows


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2 oystercatchers over gathurst rd this morning

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dave broome


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Raven yesterday evening perched on a pylon at Marus Bridge/Landgate, next to the A49/M6 roundabout with the wonderful(?) Spirit of Wigan sculpture confused.gifon it,

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Dave Thacker


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2 Buzzards soaring over the fields and houses near Wardley woods opposite BOC beside the A580 in Swinton at 12.30pm today.

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Dave Thacker
Mike Chorley


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Interesting. Last year I walked up from C.of M. stadium several times during the summer and saw a lapwing fly out from that end of Phillips Park and land on rough ground opposite. Unfortunately each time I was on the way in to work, laden with goodies from the Farmers' Market at Ashton, so I never had a chance to investigate further. As I feared, the birds that I've seen at Dean Lane for the past 8 years seem to have gone now their favorite building has been demolished so these may prove to be the only "inner city" lapwings in this area. Worth some attention, perhaps?

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Bus pass birdin' great innit?
Ian Campbell


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City of Manchester Stadium.
Post match entertainment, 2 Lapwing displaying at side of Joe Mercer Way. No comments about the match, thank you very much.yawn.gif
Cheers Ian

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Paul Heaton


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what a day to come back into the county avocets reported back on wigan flashes and pager reports of osprey at castleshaw res and moor today at 2.55, could this be a good weekend for GM birders.
keep birding

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Pete Lane


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I could write a bookabout my battle with herons on my pond, but it would not make pleasant reading! The results so far are well in favour of the herons. However so far my large (1.5 lbs +) golden orfe seem heron proof, but I still net it in winter to be on the safe side.

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Dave Thacker


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If anyone finds a Heron with a plastic yellow bath duck ,its my duck and I would like it backbiggrin.gif
A Heron which visits my pond on most days finally got through my defences this evening and caught a rather large grass carp just as I looked out of my window.
As I ran downstairs and opened my back door ,the Heron grabbed a plastic duck which floats around my pond and flew off leaving the carp on the grass.
The plastic ducks are put in the pond to help stop ice forming in winter. Over the years Herons usually take the ducks out of the water and then realise that they are not real and drop them on the grass beside the pond.
But not tonight.

So eyes to the sky please everyonebiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

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Dave Thacker
Mark Rigby


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After approx 9600 journeys(I have just worked that out-sad or what!) yawn.gif to/from Manchester on the A62 Oldham Road in last 20 years, I have seen nothing of note until today. On my way home from work at 1650hrs, 4 Whooper Swans flew North over Newton Heath.

If I delayed your journey home from work,Yes, I was that idiot who jumped out of my car armed with bins and did a little jig in the middle of the road when I realised what I was looking at!!!biggrin.gifbiggrin.gifThen I apologise!!!

Ian can you add my points on please please.gif

-- Edited by Mark Rigby at 17:54, 2008-04-02

-- Edited by Mark Rigby at 17:55, 2008-04-02

-- Edited by Mark Rigby at 17:55, 2008-04-02

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Brian Harding


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pair of buzzards circling at junction 20 M6 and another circling at junction 19. out of county I know (warrington) but thought id mention it.

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Mark Rigby


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Iain,

Be carefull with buzzard sightings near Boundry Park as there has been an escaped Red Tailed Hawk on and off for the last few years-although I havent seen it recently. It used to roost on the mill opposite the football ground. It wont be long till we see them daily on our side of the countysmile.gifBuzzards that is-not the Red Tailedswink.gif

cheers

Riggers

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Iain Johnson


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Mark Rigby wrote:

M 62/A627(M) junction at Oldham.

Common Buzzard over Motorway at 1425hrs-not so common over this side of the county!





i've seen there previously. Also saw one last weekend just south of the Denton junc on the M60

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Andy Isherwood


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green sand flew over atherton town centre this morning calling and a peregrine flew north over m61 just before reebok stadium.

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dave mcintyre


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2 Grey wagtail around the river Irwell , Bridge street M3 , viewed from the bridge .

Dave Mcintyre

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Pete Hines


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To quote a sign pinned to tree on Hewlett Road, Chorlton

LOST
two quails
last seen 21/03/08
If you see our quails
please call
0161 286 2191

Its right across the road from me. If I see 'em I'll grab 'em and release them on Chorlton Ees biggrin.gif

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Paul Heaton


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Bravery award is today given to the one and only Warfy, who rescued a DUNNOCK from the car parks of Manchester, his quick thinking and cheek had the RSPCA there within the hour to collect the said rescued bird.
well done that Warfy.
is that another one to your City centre listsmile.gif
keep Birding.

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Mark Rigby


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M 62/A627(M) junction at Oldham.

Common Buzzard over Motorway at 1425hrs-not so common over this side of the county!

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Tim Wilcox


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Whilst out twtiching the Night Heron I got a text from Bird Guides reporting White Stork over Whalley (N of Accrington) - presumably the same bird tracking S - if it flew in a straight line it will have missed S Manchester.

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Jimmy Meadows


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hi pete a white stork flew east over brockholes y/day at mid day report from there website y /day

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Pete Hines


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An interesting report on Birdguides today

09:56 17/03/08 White Stork Manc'r Rochdale 13:55 16/03/08
flew SW over Spotland Stadium yesterday

also reported today, perhaps unrelated ??

10:48 17/03/08 White Stork Staffs Westport Lake 10:15
25.9 m S flew over

The distance quoted is that from Chorlton

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 20:43, 2008-03-17

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Ian Campbell


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Radcliffe Cemetary, 2p.m. 45/50 Redwings, 4 Fieldfare, G.S.Woodpecker otherwise pretty deadbiggrin.gif
Cheers Ian

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