Culcheth

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

RE: Culcheth

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Pink footed Geese - 80 low to east this morning

pete berry · Status: Offline

A check round Glazebury Sewage Works produced at least 1,possibly 2 wintering Chiffchaff in trees adjacent to the filter beds. Also seen Goldcrest,Blue and Great Tit,several male Blackbirds feeding on the filter beds with the usual Pied Wagtails.
A bit quiet really but some cold weather might push a few more birds to feed there,as it's been really mild recently.

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

This am

Pink footed Geese - 150, in 2 skeins heading NW

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Swifts, 30 drifting SW this morning

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

whoops, I believe the previous record should have gone onto Moss Lane, Astley, Chat, Moss/Little Woolden & associated mosses

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

A walk down Moss lane at dusk. Quail calling occasionally from field opp bungalow also Grasshopper warbler reeling within UU site & Tawny Owl calling nearby.

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Repeat walk of last year from Culcheth - Culcheth Carrs - East Lancs etc. Just a few of the usual farmland birds, its dire how populations have changed!

Linnets - 60+

Yellowhammer - 5

Corn Bunting - 2

Chaffinch - 20, all the above in mixed flock

Mistle Thrush - 4, singing birds on the walk

Song Thrush - 4, singing birds

Fieldfare - 80

Redwing - 15

Jackdaw - 250

Rook - 40

Kestrel - 1 male

Great spotted Woodpecker - 1

Stock Dove - 20

-- Edited by Rob Smith on Thursday 2nd of February 2023 06:21:15 PM

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Red kite drifting north over village

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

A pleasant walk from Culcheth to East Lancs via Withington Avenue, Culcheth Carrs & back.

Mistle Thrush - 4

Fieldfare - 60

Redwing - 22

Linnet - 250 in mixed flock on set aside adjacent to East Lancs. Nice to see such impressive numbers, this day & age!

Brambling - 50+ in same flock

Chaffinch - 20+ in same flock

Lapwing - 60

Woodpigeon - 300+ on same set aside

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Quick visit to sewage works. Pied Wagtail 140, 40 on field joined by 100 coming off works in single flock; Grey Wagtail, a really striking male; Goldcrest 2 + usual residents.

pete berry · Status: Offline

An hour round the perimeter of the sewage works in the hope of a wintering Chiffchaff was unsuccessful, no sign of any in the usual places. In fact apart from reasonable numbers of Pied Wagtails on the filter beds there was very little bird wise. Just a couple of Goldcrests and a few Blue Tits. Very disappointing compared to previous winters.

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Mistle Thrush - 2 over part way down Moss Lane

Grey Wagtail - 2, [1 adult male/1 immature] foraging beneath one of the Solar Arrays. Workman nearby so little to see on the usual beds although vegetation is high & obscures the view.

Very little else in the wind & rain

John Watson · Status: Offline

Culcheth, Holcroft Lane - y'day 28th

~500 Lapwing on or near freshly ploughed field at Franks Farm

pete berry · Status: Offline

A quick look round the perimeter of the sewage works on the way to Little Woolden produced at least 8 Reed Buntings feeding on midges in the trees around the perimeter. Still plenty of Pied Wagtails flicking between the fields and filter beds,and approx 30 Black Headed Gulls on the grass inside the works.

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

A stroll alongside the treatment works provided a bit of interest.

Chiffchaff - 1, (collybita) seen & gave a few short notes now & then

Goldcrest - 4,

Long tailed Tit - 12+

Mistle Thrush - 2 in adjacent field

Pied Wagtail - 50+, flying between works & field

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

A pleasant but cool walk down Moss Lane to the farms & back again, snow & ice mostly gone

Kestrel - female was the only raptor seen

Lapwing - 20

Mistle Thrush - 2

Jackdaw - 500+

Starlings - 700+

Tree Sparrow - 30

Greenfinch - 6 among the above flock

Chaffinch - 40+, flitting about the trees

Corn Bunting - 12

Yellowhammer - 6

Treecreeper - 1 on tree beside R. Glaze

+ the usuals

John Watson · Status: Offline

Rob, I've been to the Sewage works several times since Christmas - no sign of the Chiffchaffs. However, more of the birds (Tits, Goldcrests, Bullfinch) seem to be in the denser cover North of the works (warmer?), so they could still be around. Several Lapwing on the fields 3 days ago

Seems like the geese have left the area, though

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Observing the new Tier 4 restrictions, decided on a farmland walk, exit via back gate & along the local footpath network to fields alongside Holcroft Lane and ending up at Glazebury Treatment works. With a noticeable thaw underway a lot of birds out feeding on the fields.

Mallard 12, on local farm pond

Kestrel 1, female

Stock Dove 120, this various sized flock has been around for a few weeks

Fieldfare 150, total of two separate flocks on different fields

Redwing 10+, not seeing much of these birds this winter.

Starling 800+, again in separate flocks

Skylark 150+

House Sparrow 30 in farm hedge

Chaffinch 40+

Greenfinch 10,

Yellowhammer 3

Treatment Works, pretty quiet but workman close by probably disturbing stuff

Goldcrest 1

Grey Wagtail 1, female looking a bit bedraggled

Pied Wagtail 40+

No sign of any chiffchaff

pete berry · Status: Offline

Still 3 Chiffchaffs around the works this morning, unfortunately all looking like collybita. Also 3 Reed Buntings feeding on midges in the trees around the edge of the filter beds and small numbers of Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tits and Blue and Great Tits.
On the winter crop field just west of the works 72 Pied Wagtails, with good numbers still on the filter beds,must be well in excess of 100 of these birds in the area. Also at least 150 Black Headed Gulls feeding around the works and 3 Bullfinch in the nearby trees.

pete berry · Status: Offline

Another visit to Glazebury Sewage Works this morning produced 3 Chiffchaffs all feeding in the same general area ,unfortunately all of which we just collybita ,and no sign of the possible tristis. Also there 3 Reed Buntings, couple of Goldcrest and a party of Long Tailed Tits feeding in the surrounding trees.
Plenty of Pied Wagtails, a single Grey Wagtail and numerous Black Headed Gulls feeding on and around the filter beds.

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

That's to John Watson re partridges

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Cheers John, nice record & good to hear

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

Still 800-1000 Pink Footed Geese just south of the M62 Towards the SE side of Holcroft Moss this morning and early afternoon. They are on private land with little disturbance so seem more settled than previous weeks

pete berry · Status: Offline

Another look around the sewage works this morning was interesting with at least 4 Chiffchaff in the area one of which is a good candidate for tristis. I was watching 2 Chiffchaff one of which was the possible tristis type,the other one which was loosely associating with it was giving a typical collybita call,whereas the possible tristis was completely silent . Whilst I was watching these 2 birds a further 2 Chiffchaff were singing away further behind them !!!. Eventually the 2 Chiffchaff split up and both disappeared into the cover.
Elsewhere around the site the usual good numbers of Pied Wagtails,a few Goldcrest and Long Tailed Tits etc feeding on the masses of midges present.

John Watson · Status: Offline

Rob, I see you lament the loss of Grey Partridge in the area - a few days ago, I forgot to mention a covey of 9 of them at the entrance to Frank's Farm on Holcroft Lane, in the stubble

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

Still 1000-1200 Pink Footed Geese just south of the M62 Towards the SE side of Holcroft Moss this morning and early afternoon.

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Decided to give my local patch at Silver Lane a miss today & take a wander along footpaths leading to Treatment Works near Moss Lane at Fowley Common

Pink footed Geese - 5-600 in fields at Hanging Birch Farm off Holcroft Lane

Starling - 1200 in same area

Yellowhammer - 14 in same area

Mistle Thrush - 2 in same area

Treatment works and surrounds.

Pied Wagtail - 60+, put to flight by workmen & onto fields & then back again a short while later

Grey Wagtail - 1 among flock

Chiffchaff - 2, usual species

Goldcrest - 1

Fieldfare - 35

Kestrel - female sunning itself on edge of field

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

1000 - 1300 Pink Footed Geese over and around the area South and East of Holcroft Lane this morning in several large flocks , I have a feeling the farmers are paying a Helicopter and small plane to buzz the area to get rid of the geese as they were disturbed 6 times today by the Helicopter and headed towards Little Wooldon and attempted to land there , but came back up and split into 6 groups going in all directions when I left. 2000 Starling 1500 Woodpigeon , and 200 Skylark also on the Stubble Fields to the south of Holcroft Lane.

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 12th of December 2020 01:52:21 PM

John Watson · Status: Offline

Y'day (Friday) at Glazebury sewage works

1 Chiffchaff (collybita) near orange gate

That's about all

pete berry · Status: Offline

Had another look round sewage works in the hope of seeing the Chiffchaffs better,heard at least one calling but unable to licate it. The call was a typical bog standard "sweet" used by collybita.

John Watson · Status: Offline

Glazebury sewage works - counted 90+ Pied Wagtails, 1+ Grey Wagtail

At 15:30 about 160 Pinks flew due E, seemed to be landing distantly near E end of Little Woolden Moss (GM); too distant to see anything else in the flock

Just 2 Blue Tits, no other Parus or Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest - all very quiet

18 Fieldfare in the field with 2 Mistle Thrush

pete berry · Status: Offline

At least 3 Chiffchaff around Glazebury Sewage Works this morning, unfortunately none were calling and as I was looking into the sun it was impossible to determine if they were all ordinary Chiffchaff or not.
Also large numbers of Pied Wagtails feeding on the beds and a further 41 feeding in the winter crop field just west of the works.2 Grey Wagtails and at least 100 Black Headed Gulls also in the area,and 3 Goldcrest and several Blue,Great and Long Tailed Tits feeding in the adjacent trees.

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

No sign today of the Greenland White Fronted Goose only 30 pink footed Geese in the whole area ,change of weather I think moved them to easier feeding

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

Greenland white-fronted goose in field with 250 pink-footed geese just SW of Holcroft lane 400 yards North of Frank's Farm

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 3rd of December 2020 12:27:43 PM

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

I Found a Greenland White- Fronted Goose among a roving flock of 100 Pink Footed Geese between Silver Lane and Holcroft Lane to the west of Holcroft Lane early this afternoon, the flock was disturbed by a farmers car and flew east and over Little Wooldon moss until they could barely be seen then they turned turned and came back and landed between Holcroft Lane and Little Woolden Moss on fields out of my view.

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 2nd of December 2020 02:32:08 PM

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 2nd of December 2020 06:03:05 PM

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

From my Vis Mig perch on my patch at 11.00 am, a massive flock of Starlings moved SE over Culcheth ,over Holcroft Moss and off towards Stockport between 7000 and 10000 strong some forming murmurations as they went.
Picture just a small section of a flock that was half a mile long. :)

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Monday 23rd of November 2020 03:03:26 PM

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Pink footed Geese - 600+ flew high to the east at around 9.30am. Also heard more doing same pm but south of garden & out of sight

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Pink footed Goose - 200 flew east this morning, coming round and landing in the east fields a while later

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Pink footed Goose - 900+ flew high, west to east in multiple skeins around 9.30 this morning, love the sound and sight of this goose!

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

60+ Skylark in a single flock in fields just to the west of Holcroft Lane this early afternoon.

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

Wed 14th Oct - Withington Ave to Chat Moss Railway, including Hitchfield & Old Woods - 13:45 to 16:15

Usually guaranteed to see a small flock of Bramblings here but none seen.

Few Tree Sparrows & Yellowhammers along field hedges with Nuthatch, Treecreeper, G S Woodpecker & Goldcrest of note in woods.

Also seen Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Long Tailed, Great & Blue Tits, Pheasant, Buzzard & Sparrowhawk.

John Watson · Status: Offline

Glazebury Sewage Works, Tues 13th, pm

Huge flock of Long-Tailed Tits (30+) with a few Blue Tits, 1 Great Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Goldcrest

Tried hard for anything with a yellow brow, but nothing called. It was rather breezy, so not ideal for picking up movement, could easily have missed stuff

Numbers of Pied Wagtails picking up on the beds

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Pink footed geese - 90 flying east then back again west this morning

Greylag Goose - 16 flew NW

Raven - 2 flew east

pete berry · Status: Offline

Thought I'd try Glazebury Sewage Works in the forlorn hope of a Yellow Browed Warbler, no joy on that front,at least 5 Chiffchaff in the general area around the works,several Jays collecting acorns and a couple of Grey Wagtails on the sewage beds.
On a more disturbing note the large area of set a side that has been left for a number of years and held large nos. of finches in the winter has been ploughed over and sown with a winter cereal crop.

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

Mid afternoon quick walk down Moss Lane to edge of Little Woolden Moss & back.

Song Thrush

Female Blackcap

Corn Bunting

Pied Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Tree Sparrow

Common Whitethroat

Yellowhammer

Skylark

Kestrel

The walk back was very uncomfortable as my new walking boots caused blisters on both feet so

I got a few strange looks walking back in socks!

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Have been out & about on local footpaths most days, so thought it was time for a BBS update on part of local patch, as of yesterday. Most expected warblers in and setting up territories including:

Chiffchaff - 14 singing males

Willow Warbler - 18

Blackcap - 10

Whitethroat - 6

Grasshopper Warbler - 3

Garden Warbler - 1

Reed Warbler - 7

Sedge Warbler - 3

But also:
Yellow Wagtail - 2 pair

And on passage:
Lesser Whitethroat
Wheatear
Whinchat

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Daily self isolating walk across local countryside was very rewarding this morning albeit single records!

Red Kite - flew west to NW at 8am, a real & unexpected surprise

Ring Ouzel - male

White Wagtail - dropped onto ploughed field

Swallow - 1 flew west

And 4 days ago:

Willow Warbler - 6
Blackcap - 3

Rob Smith · Status: Offline

Single Woodcock on edge of Hitchfield Wood this morning

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

4 Corn Bunting on wires along Holcroft Lane this afternoon, including at least a couple of them in song.