Blackstone Edge Reservoir 07:25 - 10:15 hrs Whooper Swan - 16 flew SE at 10:10 hrs Golden Plover - one flew east at 09:15hrs Kestrel - 1 Red Grouse - 1 Stonechat - 1 male Skylark - 4+ flew S/SW, the local breeding birds left in July Meadow Pipit - 6 Rook - one flew SW Reed Bunting - 2 Goldfinch - 10
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Just ten species of bird recorded today at Blackstone Edge Reservoir drake Goldeneye 23 Pink-Footed Geese flew west 1 Kestrel Herring and Black-Headed Gulls over Carrion Crow 1 male Stonechat, 3 Reed Bunting and 4 Wren in the sludge lagoon 1 Skylark
-- Edited by dave broome on Saturday 4th of February 2023 02:29:45 PM
A cream-crown Marsh Harrier flew north over Blackstone Edge Res'r this morning and headed over the moor towards White Holme Reservoir - a long-awaited Rochdale borough tick for me!
Twite - 28 came to feed at the north west corner of Blackstone Edge Res for 5 minutes, 14.35 to 14.40, until they were flushed by a pedestrian. Most sporting a combination a colour rings. Counted from photo of the flock in flight. Rubbish record shots attached.
A single snow bunting seen on the path that runs from the west corner of Blackstone Edge Reservoir to White Holme Reservoir. A few red grouse too (but mostly over the border into Yorkshire).
i refound the bairds sandpiper this morning at about 07.15 on the rocky small island on whiteholme res, i was joined about 08.00 by john raynor and mark rigby, the bird then relocated to the far left hand side of the res but we stayed at the end of the res closest to the manchester border just in case the bird should fly to warland res like it did yesterday, thankfully we saw it fly of the shoreline of whiteholme res and followed it continously has it flew over the moor directly for warland res and only lost it has it dropped down towards warland res, looking at johns map the bird clearly flew through manchester airspace, which if accepted will be a county tick for all 3 of us.
This sighting in GM has recently been accepted by British Birds Rarities Committee
Stunning breeding plumaged Water Pipit on the drain below Blackstone Edge Reservoir this evening.
The bird was on the drain just directly below the White House pub - there is a sludge lagoon next to it there and the bird was perched on one of the fence posts around this. Unfortunately the bird then flew low up the drain but was still thought to be in the area.
Ridiculously good images (and a bit of video) of this bird by its finder Simon Hitchen are now on the Manchester Birding homepage.
Just to add to Brian's post. When Mark and I joined him, viewing from the SW bay of White Holme, he had already seen the bird on the rocky island and it had relocated to the far sandy spit and was working its way left round the shore. At the point marked 'X' on the map it was flushed by a crow and flew, first a little right, but quickly doubled back and made straight for the south end of Warland. It lost elevation and appeared to be landing however, despite a good search it was not re-found.
A repeat performance today for me, several miles walked, hours on site, 1 wheatear and a few meadow pipits to show for the effort. A very difficult bird to connect with.
i refound the bairds sandpiper this morning at about 07.15 on the rocky small island on whiteholme res, i was joined about 08.00 by john raynor and mark rigby, the bird then relocated to the far left hand side of the res but we stayed at the end of the res closest to the manchester border just in case the bird should fly to warland res like it did yesterday, thankfully we saw it fly of the shoreline of whiteholme res and followed it continously has it flew over the moor directly for warland res and only lost it has it dropped down towards warland res, looking at johns map the bird clearly flew through manchester airspace, which if accepted will be a county tick for all 3 of us.
Glad to hear the Baird Sandpiper was still present on White Holme res. this evening , as I left I saw a man get out of his car with a shotgun and dog. Hope it's about tomorrow ( 2nd time lucky ... maybe? ).
Was lucky enough to be on site, albeit at the wrong end of the res, when the bird was re-found around 17:50 feeding in the small bays in the western corner of White Holme Res. Views were good and a small water tank provided shelter from the wind. This is apparently the same area of the res where the bird was initially found yesterday, so despite it apparently venturing over to Light Hazzels and Warlands, it seems to be showing some loyalty to this area of White Holme. Baird's was a long-overdue tick for me and was definitely becoming a bogey-bird after dipping four at various places over the last few years! Brilliant little wader! Happy days!
bairds sandpiper reported has again present on whiteholme res this evening, like colin a made the trip up there twice today and dipped twice, walking well over 10 miles, when the bird is on warland res it is very close to the manchester border although viewing difficult due to main path along warland res being closed which would give better views into the many inlets along the east shore, all in all a very bad dip but thats birding i suppose, nice to see some familiar faces up there today, might have another go tomorrow if my legs have recovered by then!
The creek where Andy saw it IS the GM boundary. Clearly marked on OS Explorer OL21. Nice to see you albeit with nothing to show from all that hiking but sore legs
bairds sandpiper reported has again present on whiteholme res this evening, like colin a made the trip up there twice today and dipped twice, walking well over 10 miles, when the bird is on warland res it is very close to the manchester border although viewing difficult due to main path along warland res being closed which would give better views into the many inlets along the east shore, all in all a very bad dip but thats birding i suppose, nice to see some familiar faces up there today, might have another go tomorrow if my legs have recovered by then!
I spent about 3 hours on site today and walked about 7 miles but the only bird of note was a peregrine over Warland reservoir. I have no doubts that the bird was still present, but it's a big site and very difficult viewing, and nobody present had seen the bird or had any clear idea as to exactly where it had been seen. It wouldn't surprise me if it turns up again on White Holme res.
Baird's Sandpiper on Warland Reservoir (just NW of White Holme Res) at 2:30pm at least today. In the bay on the south eastern side but very difficult to view and probably still in West Yorkshire but very close to the county boundary.
The Long tailed Duck showed quite well at the White House end of Blackstone Edge Reservoir around 2pm. It was seen by others at 5-30pm and finally at 6-15pm in failing light.
Today during hot weather: Yellow wagtail juvenile on dam of Blackstone edge res 2 Common sandpipers - Blackstone edge res 2 Wheatear - Blackstone edge res Peregrine on pylon 2 Red grouse on Moor 2 Skylark Family of Meadow pipits - White Holme res
Today during hot weather:
Yellow wagtail juvenile on dam of Light Hazels
2 Common sandpipers - light hazzles
2 Wheatear - light hazzles
Peregrine on pylon
2 Red grouse on Moor
2 Skylark
Family of Meadow pipits - Warrant reservoir
Spent an hour or so around here today hoping for a Twite or two and, seeing as its not a million miles from Axletree Edge, thought there might be a possibility of Dotterel (although admittedly that's like hoping to find a needle in a haystack in a field of haystacks). Unfortunately it was pretty windy with showers so not a lot moving.
Wheatear 3, Red Grouse 4, Common Sandpiper 1, plus a few Meadow Pipits, Reed bunting, and a Pied Wagtail.
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
A walk this evening with Cath, to Warland Res from the Whitehouse, produced 1 Peg sat on rock between blackstone edge and whiteholme, seen from some distance. 2 Common Sandpiper and approx 8 Wheatear most female/juv type but with 1 male.
-- Edited by Andrew Huyton on Wednesday 20th of August 2014 10:06:46 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 20th of August 2014 10:21:56 PM
Blackstone Edge Reservoir 7.00pm last night, four Twite(2pairs),3 common sand,pair of greylag geese,redshank,golden plover and a pair and a single grey partridge,
one of my better visits and left a good feeling for a change
Thanks Steve, on way back from Marshside Southport after getting my first Baikal Teal. If I can get there before the light goes then I will have a quick look but it sounds like she may have gone. Cheers Rob
I was up there yesterday pm and checked the resr twice with no sign of it. There was very little else about apart from a pair of Ravens along the Pennine Way. However we saw 3 passerines, one showing a lot of white on the wings (so may well have been Snow Buntings). These were along the track which runs north from Blackstone Edge Resr over Byron Edge i.e. parallel but to the east of the Pennine Way. Due to rain and cold our binoculars were so fogged up we didn't get a clear view of the birds and didn't want to hang around looking for them as we were wet and cold
Good luck if you try for them.
Steve
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.