Two Ring-necked Parakeets being chased by Black-headed gulls at 5.50am this morning over Liverpool Street, Salford. Also Peregrine falcon carrying prey over at 12.05pm

A pair of Common Kestrels are mating at an undisclosed location in Salford. They have been seen mating on three different days. Such behaviour in November is abnormal and most likely to end in failure... but, nature has a habbit of providing many surprises. I have requested the comments from an author on Common Kestrels. I attach here a few recent images. The images of the mating birds were taken today.

-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Monday 14th of November 2022 06:09:41 PM

At Clewes Park, Broughton this afternoon, one pair of Coot had at least one young whilst another pair were still on the nest. A Moorhen was also on a nest and around the woodland a Chiffchaff and Nuthatch were singing.

Please note that there is a thread titled RE: RIVER IRWELL, SALFORD, INCLUDING KERSAL WETLANDS

I think maybe some of the posts on here would have been more helpfully placed in that thread.

16 goldeneye on the Irwell between Broughton Bridge and Adelphi Bridge this lunchtime.

Salford Kersal Wetlands 2 x Little Egret (one on scrapes, the second on the Irwell bank itself) Plus 1 Parakeet 5 heron 2 little grebe

10,15am 

Kestrel hovering over the waste land next to the Winston pub on Churchill Way. 

6 mile there and back health walk from Gorse Hill Stretford to Weaste ETW.

Bridgewater canal
Whitethroat - 2 heard only.
Blackbird - 2 sunbathing on tarmac footpath.
Dunnock - 1.

Salford quays (media city).
Swallow - 2 only at traditional nesting site.
Mute swan - 16.
Great Crested Grebe - 2.
Cormorant - 4.

Pacific way
Goldfinch - 6
Greenfinch - 2.

Weaste ETW.
Herring gull - 4.
Black- headed gull - 26.
Pied wagtail - 10.
Lapwing - 2.
Blackbird - 4.
Jackdaw - 76.
Goldfinch - 5.
Grey Wagtail - 2.
and just as I left ...
Swallow - 4.
House Martin - 6.
Sand martin - 6.

Ps. there were clouds of insects streaming
from the Lombardy Poplar trees bordering the scrapyard at rear of etw. with no takers.
Also a rabbit on one of the beds , some of which contained large amounts of vegitation.

Europa way ( on the way back).
Whitethroat - 1. Ps. Swift - 200 last Friday . Info Simon Birch (patch birder).

-- Edited by phillipskelly on Friday 8th of May 2020 09:37:06 PM Also forgot to mention 2 Oystercatcher over.

-- Edited by phillipskelly on Friday 8th of May 2020 11:30:21 PM

Originally posted today by Pete Berry:

A look round Eccles Sewage Works from the Ship Canal bank was interesting with over 100 Pied Wagtails feeding on the sewage beds,also at least 150 Black Headed Gulls, a couple of Herring Gulls and a few Jackdaws also feeding on them.On the adjacent Ship Canal 3 Comorants,2 Great Crested Grebes,a single Goosander ,and another 100 Black Headed Gulls .

There are a pair of Ravens resident on Agecroft Commerce Park, also sighted 2 Grey Wagtails there for the first time this week, worth a stroll round this area for any keen birders in Salford - there are also around 200 Lapwings resident 

Two Buzzards high over Liverpool Street, Salford at 4.20pm today.

Again with Ollie Metcalfe - again quiet, but mating Willow Tits (3 in total), 3 Oystercatcher and a Meadow pipit and a few hirundines going through

An hour from around 8 am: Willow warbler 1, sev Chiffchaff and Blackcaps, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Great Crested Grebe on the canal, 5 Sand Martin, 20 or so Swallows, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Reed Bunting

Had a quick look at Weaste ETW as I was passing today
3 Oystercatchers were a pleasant surprise,
Also there about 100 Black Headed Gulls and good numbers of Pied Wagtails
Just across the road on the Ship Canal a flock of 8 Tufted Duck,a female Wigeon,3 Mallard and several Comorants fishing,and another 2 Oystercatchers by the waters edge!!

Dropped Michelle off at work half hour ago so Ive popped over to Buckfield Ave in Ordsall.

No sign of any Waxwings as yet but Im currently watching a group of 21 birds in one of the trees comprised of 8 Fieldfare, 12 Redwing and a Blackbird.

Checked Ryall Avenue and Robert Hall St area just beforehand, no sign of any Waxwings there yet either but saw c30 Starlings and 2 Mistle Thrush

3,45pm, 7 waxwings flew in from Chimney Pot Park to the rowan tree at the back of St Ambros Gardens then flew off in the direction of Seedley.. 

Credible info from a friend: upto 6 waxwings been hanging around chimney top park all day with a flock of redwing. Been feeding in the rowan tree in his garden on Liverpool Street. Will check it out tomorrow for my self. 

Yesterday 16th I drove past Monmouth park & noticed a lot of thrushes there, I parked up nearby & had a nosey around, there are lots of berries in there & nearby. We'll over 100 birds majority of them being redwings, numerous fieldfares, several blackbirds & a small flock of around 15 starlings.

Male wheatear on land just off East Ordsall Lane aka Middlewood locks around 18.30 this evening.

Late one from Saturday 1pm,  escaped Harrishawk on cross lane being harassed by a gang of Gulls and corvids. 

One peregrine falcon sat on allied mills, coronet way at 2.05pm.

A pair of peregrine falcons sat on allied mills, coronet way at 2.05 pm probably the media city pair eyeing up the local feral pigeons.

I've just seen and adult blackbird with a totally black beak and eye ring, it's paired up with another adult with normal colours. They are both hanging around the Working class movement library's side garden on Salford Crescent, I was unable to get a photo as I'm in work and cameraless. Its probably just a late bloomer first year adult yet never seen one in full adult plumage with such a dark beak before. 

-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Saturday 11th of March 2017 02:00:53 PM

Update on Harris hawk. My friend managed to capture it and store it in his old parrot cage,  I then drove it to Green Mount wild bird sanctuary, where it is now being properly looked after and the owners being traced via ring information. It is in good healthy condition, just a bit exhausted and saturated.