ASTLEY, CHAT, LITTLE WOOLDEN AND ASSOCIATED MOSSES

Iain Johnson · Status: Offline

RE: ASTLEY, CHAT AND IRLAM MOSSES

Paul Wilson · Status: Offline

Popped in for a quick look round after visiting Pennington this morning. Found it a bit difficult as this was our first visit to the area.

Parked up bhind a blue Punto - with RSPB sticker in the back, but didn't see any birders around. Looked down the track from the metal gate (assumed to be the feeding station area). Not much about but the field on the other side of the road held several tree sparrows and 4 wheatears and a couple of yellowhammers and pied wagtails.

Not knowing exactly where to go, we went up the side road next to where there is some building work going on. Got passed the buildings and checked the fields. Had 4 whimbrel in the recently turned field (field 68?). Also had a couple of grey partridge. Could hear a cuckoo, but couldn't see it anywhere. Even more wheatears in this area. Decided to go back to the car and got a couple of whitethroats in the bushes.

Then drove around to what we think is Moss Lane (?). Managed to find cuckoo sitting on the telegraph wires. Unfortunately, each time I stopped the car and got out to try to take some photos, it flew furthur away and we eventually lost it. Scanned the roadside trees looking for the whinchats, but had no luck there. Did see a few red-legged partridges in the fields and a single skylark.

All-in-all a good 45 minutes of birdwatching. Just wish we knew the area a bit better. Perhaps someone will give us a guided tour sometime of the best areas to check out.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

4 whimbrel in field 68 and 8 wheatear (i post this as i'm watching them) this early afternoon, cuckoo still calling and around half a dozen tree sparrows around the top of rindle area. Also, no rain!

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

3rd May, late evening

2 Whimbrel (again moved to f68 to feed), probably same birds as yesterday
1 Whinchat, male along Moss Lane
6 Wheatear, f68

4th May, early morning

2 Whinchat, both bright males along Moss Lane
Yellow Wagtail, Moss Lane
9 Wheatear, Moss Lane
4 Wheatear, Rindle Road

Info for 4th thanks to Andy Isherwood

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

12.30-2.30 this afternoon
Field 68
2 Wheatear
2 Grey Partridge
Whitethroat

Field 69
2 Cuckoo
2 Buzzards
7 Yellowhammers
Wheatear
2 Yellow wagtails
3 Pied wagtails

Rindle woods
3 Tree sparrows
Lt tit
GS Woodpecker

Astley moss
7 Whitethroat
2 Willow warblers
2 Blackcaps
8 Buzzards
Kestrel
4 Skylarks
Plenty of pipits
5 Reed buntings
4 Tufted duck
2 Mallard
2 Canada geese
Moorhen

No Whimbrel seen today but 6 reported at Pennington this morning

Also had my best ever view of a Astley lizard on the moss today

-- Edited by Dave Thacker at 21:28, 2008-05-03

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

2nd May, 7pm

Whimbrel- 2 on f68 (having been flushed there from Astley Moss East)
Wheatear- 10 in field 68
Cuckoo- 3 off Rindle Road
Yellowhammer- 4 off Rindle Road, 6 off Moss Lane
Mallard- 10 chicks on the fishinf pond off Rindle Road

Ian Woosey · Status: Offline

1/5/08 (12:00-16:00)

2 Cuckoos still present opp. feeding station,
Wheatear over the road,
Redshank in floods off Nook Ln,
2 Grey Partridge,
Buzzard over SSSI,
Treecreeper & 6 Tufted Duck on Bedford Moss,
7 Yellowhammer & 6 Tree Sparrow off Rindle Rd.

declan savage · Status: Offline

Rindle Road area - 9.30 - 11.30

Field 68
WHINCHAT - 1 male on fence and feeding on the ground to 10.30 at least
Whimbrel - 3
Wheatear - 11
Yellow Wagtail - 1 male
White Wagtail - 3 males at least
Lapwing - 6

Peregrine over Railway Line mobbing 4 Buzzards together.
3 more Buzzards over Astley Moss SSSI
male Kestrel, Rindle Wood

Cuckoo - 1 on tel. wire across the railway, near Moss Side Farm; another heard calling from peatworks direction.

F 69/ feeeding area
Wheatear - 2
Stock Dove - 2
Lapwing - 9
Yellowhammer - 11
Tree Sparrow - 14
Linnet - 2 (pair)
Reed Bunting - 1 male

total of 6 singing Whitethroats, 8 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap

4 Swift over, plus lots of Swallows and Sand martins around.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

2 male Whinchats on the wire fence of f69 at 11:00 today. (must have moved through quickly though as they weren't seen later on there)

Info thanks to Dave Evans

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

Ian,

The 5 Whimbrel were flushed by ploughing activity.

Also present on field 69 was the Cuckoo and Buzzard perched on posts near to the railway lines.

Moss lane was prety quiet.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

6 Whimbrel still present off Rindle Road this morning, 1 in f69 and 5 in f68

Info thanks to Mark Rigby.

Could only find 2 myself at 2:45pm although they often sit amongst the furrows and are difficlut to see. Plenty Wheatears still present, atleast half a dozen.

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

This evening 18.30 to 21.00
All viewed in or over Field 69
4 possibly 5 Cuckoos in total tonight including 2 which flew in from Chat moss over the railtrack and started feeding on worms in the ploughed area.Great views.
3 Whimbrel, which flew off towards the peat pools at 20.55
2 Grey Partridge
4 Buzzards
2 Skylarks
Kestrel
Whitethroat
Redpoll
5 Yellowhammers
6 Tree Sparrows
Blackcap
4 Herons
LBB Gull
2 Pied Wagtails
Plenty of woodies feeding
Jay
2 Canada geese
2 Mallard
2 Teal

Nice to meet Melanie ,Peter Baron and friends this evening

-- Edited by Dave Thacker at 21:58, 2008-04-28

-- Edited by Dave Thacker at 22:25, 2008-04-28

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

Phil
The Cuckoos were displaying in the same way on Saturday evening. It was the first time that I had seen Cuckoos doing this.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Monday, 28th 3pm-ish

Still 5 Whimbrel and 2 Cuckoo in field 69.
Atleast 6 Wheatear around Astley Moss area.

A frankly awsome 15 Buzzards in the air at once from Moss Lane.

Info thanks to Andy Isherwood

Mike Baron · Status: Offline

Cadishead Moss at lunch

5 Wheatears in field 33 plus Grey Wagtail by the stream
2 Grey Partridges in field 32
2 Oystercatchers in field 53

Alan Rowley · Status: Offline

There were 4 Grey partridge in that field at 3PM today

Phil Owen · Status: Offline

Late afternoon visit - my first to this site resulted in the following:-

Whimbrel
Cuckoo
Willow Warbler
Wheatear
Tree Sparrow
Yellowhammer
Buzzard
Kestrel
Swift
Swallow
+ others

My dog Max also flushed a pair of Partridges in the field with long grass just before the wood after field 69.

Couldn't get a decent view of them, but is it likely they were Grey Partridge just out of interest??

Met Tim Wilcox and we saw a pair of Cuckoos displaying very high in the sky and calling in flight. It was great to see and wondered if anyone else has seen Cuckoos doing this???

Later we walked across the railway line and found yet another Cuckoo perched on a telephone pole giving us great views through the scope.

Thanks to those who helped me with directions etc.

It's a great place.

Phil

Alan Rowley · Status: Offline

3PM today, 5 Whimbrel field 69 in ploughed part

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

A qiuck look at field 69 tonight had
3 Whimbrel
3 Cuckoo
6 Grey Partridge
Buzzard
2 Mallard
2 Pied Wagtail

Rindle wood
2 Blackcap
Willow warbler
Treecreeper
Tree Sparrow

Astley moss
2 Buzzard
3 Reed buntings
Barn owl
Cuckoo
pair of Teal, Mallard and 1 Sedge warbler on the scrapes joined by 3 Snipe from Bedford moss.
On the return walk a total of 6 Whimbrels and 1 Wheatear in f69.

It was nice to meet and chat with Ian Moffat tonight while watching the Cuckoos

Robert Adderley · Status: Offline

26.4.08

7 Whimbrel mid/late pm.

Paul Cliff · Status: Offline

caught a fleeting glimpse of a heaton in full working plummage near the feeding station
also
1 steve collins
1 ian woosey
1 paul hammond
1 melanie

pleasure to meet and see you all out in your natural habit!

3 cuckoo
1 whimbrel
chiffchaff
willow warbler
5 yellowhammer
tree sparrow
4 kestrel
1 buzzard
1 sparrowhawk
lt tit
great tit
chaffinch
1 red legged partridge
lots of woodpigeon
reed bunting
blackcap heard but not seen

Alan Rowley · Status: Offline

Tetrad SJ79E 8AM to 10AM today (Boathouse down to Birchwood farm)

Highlights
Willow Warbler 34 males
Chiffchaff 4 males
Kestrel 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Lesser Whitethroat 1 male on Millen; Green
Yellowhammer 7
Skylark 6 males
LBB Gull 4
Whitethroat 8 males
Reed Bunting 2
Coot 4
Blackcap 2 males
Swallow 5
Lapwing 12
Sand Martin 5
Linnet 6
C Buzzard 1
Tufted Duck 2

46 species in all

Iain Johnson · Status: Offline

Paul, I had the same problem on Thursday night, thought it was a male merlin at first till it took off!

cheers e

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

7 whimbrels and 2 cuckoos in ploughed field this afternoon, one cuckoo sat in middle of field had me going for a while never seen one in a ploughed filed before.

one poss two calling on the moss,
keep birding

eddie king · Status: Offline

Friday 25th. Astley SSSI. 9.15am. 3 cuckoos and 2 wheatear adjacent to Astley SSSI.

Iain Johnson · Status: Offline

5.45 pm onwards

started at Moss Lane:

12 + lapwinds
3 wheatear (2M + 1F) in first ploughed field by Allwood Farm (originally only saw two but bagged the 3rd on the way back up) plus two yellowhammer and pair collarded dove.

few stock dove and wood pigeon

reed bunting, chaffinch and mistle thrush at the end of moss field in stubble, whilst there was around 20 BG Gull, a few lapwing, yellowhammer, 2 oystercatcher, 3 male and possibly 1 female wheater and a pair of ringed plover by the manure!

two grey partridge on the way back about 15 mts from the road feeding in the ploughed field. Another two grey partridge were feding on the grassy field with horses where Moss Lane turns off.

Whitethroat, 4 whimbrel, cuckoo, 2 grey partridge, loads of lapwing and several yellowhammer at the bottom of rindle road.

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

Had a quick drive round before work.

Linnets everywere!!

30+ in field13/14
7 in field 22
12 in field 42

also in field 13/14

2 grey partridge
5 yellowhammer
3 chaffinch
kestrel
5 song thrush

Mike Baron · Status: Offline

Had 2 Whimbrels this evening (approx 6pm) in the field behind the Rindle Rd feeding station - they flew round a bit and then headed off towards the peat pools. Also 2 Tree Sparrow and 1 Yellowhammer plus pr of RLP in field next to Moss Bank Farm.

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

Astley moss 16.30- 20.00

Excellent views of a male Cuckoo perched on the fence posts in f69 this evening at 19.15. This time with my scope and witnessed by forum member Melanie Beckford.
The Cuckoo was moving along the posts and flying down to the ground ,then flying back up to the posts until it was disturbed by a train going past.With the scope we could quite clearly see the white underparts with the black barring on.

Also in f69 good views of 3 Whimbrels feeding.
Another 2 Whimbrels flew over Astley SSSI which also had 4 soaring Buzzards over

Ian, that Blue-headed wagtail was a cracking find.

-- Edited by Dave Thacker at 21:01, 2008-04-23

-- Edited by Dave Thacker at 18:23, 2008-04-24

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

A Cuckoo was calling yesterday 22nd in a private part of Chat Moss, not far from where Dave saw it. (Info from Tim Booth, knowledgeable local farmer)

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Rapid response to wagtail today but cannot compete with Ian McKerchar on his bike both the bird and Ian had flown by the time I got there, and yes Ian may be right the only way to do the mosses is on the bike. The white van suffered a couple of underneath blows on Twelve yards road, this really is 4x4 country.

nice to met the other Iain at rindle road.
keep birding

-- Edited by Paul Heaton at 17:36, 2008-04-23

-- Edited by Paul Heaton at 17:37, 2008-04-23

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Four Whimbrel in the field just north of Moss Bank Farm off Rindle Road around 3 o'clock.

Info thanks to Mark Rigby

Iain Johnson · Status: Offline

13.00 to 14.30

two whimbrel, one sat down in field 69 with another in the field adjacent to the moss.

Sparrowhawk, 2 buzzard, 2 bullfinch, loads of willow warbler kestrel, linnet, yellowhammer and single RL PARTRIDGE

NO Cuckoo seen or calling

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Dave Thacker wrote:

Astley moss this evening 7-9pm

Possible Cuckoo sat on a fence post at the rear of the horse paddock near the rail track next to the Rindle road feeding area, correct size,shape and colour except for it had mainly all white underparts without any barring seen, I didnt take my scope this evening and it was just a little too far off to be seen positively.

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I recon you were dead right Dave as a Cuckoo was calling loudly and constantly from behind Rindle Wood around dinner time today.

A very thorough mooch around the mosses on my bike (THE way to cover these large areas) produced a great day...

Whitethroat- F67
Willow Warbler- 19 on Chat Moss and 8 on Irlam Moss
BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL- male on the potatoe piles on F3 at 13:00 with 3 male Yellow Wagtails, all flew towards Twelve Yards Road at 13:05 and weren't relocated.
Yellow Wagtail- 6 in total. The 3 mentioned above, a pair in the horse paddock in between Olive Mount Farm and Red Chalis and a very approachable male in the field north of Red Chalis in between Astley Road and the pig paddock.
Merlin- female sat in F17 (obtained the world worst record shot of it using my bins and mobile phone!), then flew into trees along the western edge and stayed there.
Linnet- 16 in F17 (no doubt being eyed up by the Merlin) and 12 in the pig paddock north of Red Chalis
Whinchat- male on the wire fencing around F17

Paul Cliff · Status: Offline

phil - A580 east lancs and turn off left for higher green follow the road all the way along until you see the big white house before the level crossing - it about 200 yards before that down a dirt track on the right behind a gate .

watched a massive rat chasing off the feeding birds (tree sparrows, yellowhammers and chaffinch) this afternoon!

Phil Owen · Status: Offline

What's the best way to get here off the M60 please??

Cheers

Phil

David Benson · Status: Offline

Rindle Road feeding station area this evening - 3 Whimbrel in ploughed field and 2 Whinchat in field with ponies.

Alan Rowley · Status: Offline

I'm down there this weekend (weather permitting) doing my ttv's so hopefully I will bump into your Cuckoo.

Alan

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

Alan, luckily enough I`m picking up my new glasses on Friday

The bird was the right size,shape and colour of a male Cuckoo, it even held its wings drooped down beside its body which I have seen before in a Cuckoo, and even from the distance that I was looking at the bird ,it just seemed too white underneath which put some doubt in my mind.

Every time I go on the mosses without my scope I see something which I need a scope for

Good birding Alan

Alan Rowley · Status: Offline

Sounds like a woodpigeon to me. Want my old specs?

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

Astley moss this evening 7-9pm

Possible Cuckoo sat on a fence post at the rear of the horse paddock near the rail track next to the Rindle road feeding area, correct size,shape and colour except for it had mainly all white underparts without any barring seen, I didnt take my scope this evening and it was just a little too far off to be seen positively.

Small numbers of Tree sparrows and Yellowhammers and 1 large Rat at the feeding area.
2 Herons + 1 Whimbrel over f69
Barn Owl hunting over Astley moss
LT Tits nest now with chicks
Pair of Canada geese on the scrapes
A quick view of another owl as it flew behind the new Barn conversions on Rindle road, it was too dark to see clearly
Plenty of Lapwings and Swallows about

It was also nice to meet fellow birders Melanie and friends on my walkabout tonight

Ian Woosey · Status: Offline

20/4/08 early am

f Wheatear and 2 Grey Partridge in the Feeding Station paddock.
Buzzard over the SSSI,
3 Treecreepers in Rindle Wood.

Iain Johnson · Status: Offline

also, white wagtail in the field opposite the anglers pool at about 3.15pm

There was a steady passage of LBBG NE all afternoon

Didn't see the wheatears though

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

moss lane this afternoon still held at least 3 wheatear. 3 whimbrel also flew east over just before 2pm looking like they were headed to the peat pools. the large ploughed field at the west end between moss lane and bedford moss held at least 250 Lbb gulls and several hundred black heads.

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

Astley Moss this evening

1 Wheatear in the horse paddock next to the feeding area,
In Rindle woods
2 Blackcaps both males
3 Tree Sparrows
1 Goldcrest
1 Willow warbler
1 Treecreeper

On the scrapes
2 pair of Mallard
3 pair of Canada geese came to the scrapes while I was watching with 1 pair being chased off which I found later beside the Salford anglers pond next to Rindle road.
7 male Mallard flying over chasing a single female.
2 Willow warblers
1 Chiffchaff

Also a Barn Owl was hunting over the potato fields as I left.

brian fielding · Status: Offline

no sign of ring ouzel this morning but male yellow wagtail and 8 wheatears at the end of moss lane

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

The Ring Ouzel was apparently reported later in the evening on Astley Moss LWT today, anyone's on here?

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Ring Ouzel at the end of Moss Lane at 1:55pm today with 60 or so Fieldfare, although it appeared to have moved on quite quickly. Also there, 2 Wheatear, 2 White Wagtail and 5 Brambling.

Info thanks to Andy Isherwood

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 19:16, 2008-04-12

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

2 male Wheatear along moss lane this afternoon and a singing chiff
also singing chiff along nook lane and 2 near the tyldesley sewage works off morleys lane Where there was also 3 brambling (1 a corking male) and 12+ linnet in with a mixed finch flock in the weedy field just north off the works.
31+ golden plover and another male wheatear in the large field north of the tip access road.
Cheers
Andy

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

This morning 7.30-10.20am
Astley moss
Buzzards 3
Kestrels 2
Sparrowhawks 2
Singing Skylarks 2
Mpipits 10
Reedbuntings 5
Pied wagtails 5
Redwing 20+
Yellowhammers 6
Curlews heard

Rindle woods
Tree sparrows 12 some inspecting birdboxes
Goldcrest 3
LT Tits 12 , I also found a beautifully made LT Tits nest and watched the birds put the finishing touches to it.
GS Woodpeckers 2 both drumming, 1 at either end of the woods.

Due to some shooting further down the moss disturbing the birds I went to Moss lane and found the Wheatear in the Horse paddock. Also 5 Lapwings were chasing off a small hawk in the distance , a possible Merlin.
A Beautiful mornings walk .