Barrow Lane 18.30-20.00

1m Yellowhammer (On wires by Parkside Road), 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Corn Buntings, 12+ Skylarks,

2 Kestrels and 4 Linnets (Including a resplendent male).

Barrow Lane ( 09.00-10.00)

3m Yellow Wagtails, 2 Corn Buntings, 6 Linnets, 2 Buzzards, 14 Lesser Black Backed Gulls, 1f Kestrel, 4 Swallows plus around a dozen Skylarks and Lapwings.

Peregrine low over Hollins Park this afternoon, putting up c200 Lapwing by Alder Lane

I had an hour or so down and up Barrow Lane this morning. On arrival I saw plenty (sorry far too many to count) of swifts overhead plus a cacophony (if that's the right word) of skylarks in full voice, so many that the sound of the M6 was momentarily drowned out. Added to this was a good number of linnets and at least three yellow wagtails (my first ever so great tick for me) in the fields near Winwick Lane. I heard something that resembled a corn bunting near to the farm at the top of the lane but I just couldn't see where it came from but as I'm no expert I'm a bit unsure. The last two star birds I got were a yellowhammer on the overhead line near the main road, a kestrel over the fields and a lapwing flying into the fields on the opposite side of the main road. My first visit and now it's on my list of top places to go to.!

Barrow Lane 09.00-10.00

No sign of Yellow Wagtails or Yellowhammers, lots of Skylarks though.

1 Corn Bunting on a nearby hedgerow, also 4 Linnets, 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Swallows, 2 Buzzards and 5 Lapwings.

This morning at 6.00am at first light when just leaving Kenyon Hall Farm on my deliveries I saw a bird flying towards me with very stiff wing beats. My first thought was merlin but when seen from below it looked very like a Nightjar. The tail was very long, thin with a blunt end and the wings seemed to be far forward on the body and it had a small head. No beak was seen and it did not have its mouth open. No colour was seen as it was always in silhouette. I watched from the parked van for about 30 seconds as it flew round me. It landed on a barn and I got out of the van, it then took off again and called. I had not heard the single call before, only the churring in flight. I have seen Nightjar many times in Devon so it was my first thought. I have just checked the Xeno-campo database and confirmed that it was the single call of a Nightjar. I understand that it is very early for Nightjar but it showed well and after confirming the call I would be happy with the Identification.

I would be very interested in any early records in the North West. Obviously not in any recognised breeding habitat as I am sure this is not broadcast. Just a brief note that the barn is in the private area of the farm so not accessible. The bird also flew off in the direction of Croft.

-- Edited by Lawrence Hindley on Friday 8th of April 2016 03:46:46 PM

At least 1000 Starling on wires this afternoon on south side of Hollins Lane by Alder Root Farm

John Watson wrote:

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Barrow Lane, y'day pm (Sat 18 July)

PS - isn't Barrow Lane just inside GM ?

-- Edited by John Watson on Sunday 19th of July 2015 08:21:36 AM

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No, I'm afraid it isn't; be nice if it was though

Jonathan Platt wrote:

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I flushed a brood of six half-grown Grey partridge, plus parents, by the bollards yesterday morning. Oddly, there was a female pheasant with them, she may well have had youngsters with her that didn't flush. The ever-growing muck pile must be like a magnet to them!

There's been a brood of three Yellow wagtails hanging around for a couple of weeks now, last week there was another brood of five very young birds north of the bollards.

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Thanks for this Jonathan - going back to Collins and web images, I conclude that my first little group of small birds were indeed juvenile Grey Partridge as they clearly had the reddish coloured tail feathers as they flew away. The young pheasant were less timid and tended to run between the corn stalks rather than flush up into the air.

Barrow Lane 14.00 - 15.00

Yellow Wagtail very active and juveniles vocal - hard to be certain of number due to mobility but definitely 2 males, probably 2 females and 3-4 juveniles
Corn Bunting - 1
Linnet - 3
Skylark - 2
Swift - 4

Had a brief attack of flushed-small-gamebird excitement near the bollards, but the only definite ID's were on several juvenile Pheasant.

Just in case anyone else picks this up - a friend was attacked by a bird of prey whilst out running on Watery Lane, Winwick and then found five or so other runners who reported issues this week - she thought she was being mugged when she was hit on the back of the head - only minor cuts to her scalp luckily but quite scary for her I think. She reported to the RSPB who couldn't help so I went for a look this evening and found a very vocal Common Buzzard - I had wondered if there was an escaped falconers bird but it looks like its just a territorial buzzard. I've said in five weeks or so I'm sure it will be less stressed whenever any chicks have fledged...

Barrow Lane

Three singing Corn buntings and at least six Yellow wagtails this morning. Singing Whitethroat in the bisecting hedge, a pair of Grey partridge on the lane and a calling Tree pipit flew over.

No Wheatear in evidence 10-11am today. Several Skylark heard or seen, and a couple of lapwing.

Massive "wall" of manure along the track should produce some insect life for the Wagtails eventually but it was too cold and windy today!

Barrow Lane

67 Golden Plover on the winter wheat field behind Parkside Farm this afternoon, and a further 54 on a winter wheat field off Main Lane.

With High Peak RSPB group from 9-10 just North of the village:
2 Corn Bunting
6 Grey Partridge
Yellowhammer
2 Tree Sparrow
30 Skylark
2 Reed Bunting
50 Linnet
2 Common Buzzard

Barrow Lane - 2.15-3.15pm

Something of a raptor-fest at Barrow Lane this afternoon! Firstly, a juvenile Merlin was sat in a field SW of Parkside Farm. Then, as I watched an approaching skein of Pinkfeet, another Merlin flew into my scope view. It planed down and landed on top of a distant oak, this time the bird was an adult male. I looked in the direction of the geese again and found a male Peregrine circling to the north of Parkside Farm. It eventually went into a shallow stoop and disappeared towards the old colliery. Add to this three Kestrels, five Buzzards and a very distant Sparrowhawk, five species of raptor in an hour.

Three skeins of Pinkfeet went over - 100, 100 and 70. Five Grey partridge were on arable to the west of the lane, and a flock of 50+ Linnets were over towards Parkside Road.

Had a wander round Winwick this morning, starting with 9 Tree Sparrows among the House Sparrows in the garden, plus 2 Common Gulls among the score of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the field behind the house. A Sparrowhawk then came into the garden, spooking everything, So I set off for Houghton Green Pool, where the much reduced water levels meant that just 1 Redshank, 44 Mallards and 1 Coot were the on the water. Around the margins, however, masses of seed-bearing plants were attracting lots of passerines, with 115 Linnets, 42 Meadow Pipits and 11 Reed Buntings counted. Then, walking up Highfield Lane, 3 Yellowhammers, 135 Starlings, 5 Skylarks, 10 Linnets and 4 Swallows (still around the farm) were noted. Checking out a boggy copse, looking for Teal, instead produced an early Woodcock. Then homewards along Waterworks Lane to finish with 35 Skylarks, 2 Mistle Thrushes and 2 Redpolls. Then a nice cup of tea!

Cheers David

Just walked out of our back garden onto the stubble field at the rear, which is adjacent to Waterworks Lane. c.100 House Sparrows, 30 Tree Sparrows and 7 Yellowhammers were feeding actively on the stubbles, along with a few Woodpigoens, Starlings and Meadow Pipits. Overhead, a Peregrine and Buzzard were soaring and 4 Swifts and 30 Swallows were feeding at low level.

Cheers David

Kenyon hall Farm 8.00am - 4.30pm

1x Corn Bunting
1x Yellowhammer
2x yellow Wagtail
1x Grey Partridge
1x Buzzard
2x Oystercatcher
4x Lapwing
4x Skylark
20x Starling
4x Mistle Thrush
1x Grey Heron
1x Common Whitethroat

Originally posted by David Shallcross today:

Three Yellow Wagtails (flavissima), one male two females, on farmland off Winwick Road.

Barrow Lane - 7-8.00pm

At least six Yellow wagtails, possibly twice that many on the lane this evening - I actually counted fourteen but some may have been counted twice. Whether these birds are just passing through remains to be seen. Only one Corn bunting singing, by Oven Back Farm. This seems to be the only regularly singing male at the moment, though I did have four singing at widely dispersed areas one morning last week.

PM
Barrow Lane
Yellow Wagtail- 3 (2m1f)
Stock Dove -60 on the ploughed field
Tree Sparrow-6
Common Buzzard-2
Grey Partridge-2

Early morning visit, barrow lane.

3 yellow wagtail
6 linnet
2 corn bunting
1 yellowhammer
Male and female wheatear
2 lapwings
1 buzzard
4 skylark
2 pied wagtail
3 carrion crow

Barrow Lane
3 Yellow Wagtails showing very well in field close to road. 2 m 1 f.