A newly fledged House Martin was on the ground among planters by Ashton library this morning, watched by several people and picked up by one of the librarians, there are a couple of nests on the building. After being photographed in the librarian's hand it flew off
Morning walk to Bryn Station: Blackcap singing at King George Close Blackcap singing at Wigan Road/Alexandra Road Goldcrest singing at Carnegie Drive 2 Chiffchaff singing at Bryn Station
Coot calling in flight over Skitters Wood this evening, in twilight at 19:30 (as I went to the bin!), seemed to be flying west/south-west before turning north
Wed 21st March: Chiffchaff singing in Skitters Wood, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (two females having a prolonged bout of chasing and occasional calling, with a male sitting quietly nearby)
female Sparrowhawk caught a Feral Pigeon in our front garden this afternoon, then started to pluck it, pigeon still struggling, before being spooked by the neighbour's dog. The Sparrowhawk left without the pigeon, which disappeared(!?)
Also 1 Siskin heard flying overhead, direction unknown.
North Ashton this morning: 3 Red-Legged Partridge along public footpath near Cranberry Ley, also along there Buzzard, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Reed Bunting and singing Yellowhammer plus 1 Siskin north; Kestrel, pair of Grey Partridge, singing Yellowhammer and flock of 12 House Sparrow off Soughers Lane
-- Edited by dave broome on Friday 9th of March 2012 08:58:45 PM
5 vocal Grey Partridge were a surprising occurrence in gardens on the edge of the town centre end of Skitters Wood this morning, singing Chiffchaff also present
as per Simon's Warford's Horwich Moors post today, Meadow Pipit passage continued over Skitters Wood right through today, albeit sporadic
6 south as soon as I opened the front door early morning, but no more over the next few minutes; 40+ mid-afternnoon inc a flock of 15; a few heard but not visible just before sunset
Sounds like Skitters Wood is turning into the new birding capital of Wigan Dave. By the way - what is that picture on your avatar??
Mystery Bird: Channel-Billed Toucan, in gardens on the edge of Skitters Wood a few years ago
Probably not identifiable from the world's worst ever bird photograph. It is shown (?) in the fork of a Sycamore, where it was drinking, in our front garden . It's facing to the right, holding its monster bill up at angle of 45 degrees.