1st November - 7-50 a.m.

Eleven female goosanders on Silburn Way lodge.

This is far greater than any single count that I have personally had on the lodges (previous best about five or six), though other regular watchers on the site may well have had more. The sighting is all the more remarkable because Silburn Way lodge is one of the smaller ones on the complex.

Sat 13th 11:00 - 12:50 ish

Quick tour of the woods (which only seemed to hold the usual tits and small passerines) and the lodges. Only bird of note was the Grey Wagtail, which I haven't seen much of this year.

- Grey Wagtail ( alongside the river Irk)
- Jay. 1 seen and several heard.
- Grey Heron
- single Greylag Goose
- 43 Canada Goose
- c20 Tufted Duck
- 9 Mallard
- small numbers of Moorhen and Coot

-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Sunday 14th of October 2012 04:31:01 PM

Sat 1st Sep 11:00-13:15
Around the lodges:
Grey Heron - 1
Mute Swan - 2
Great Crested Grebe pair with 2 chicks
Plus an assortment of eclipse Mallards and Tufted Duck

In the Woods themselves which were very quiet except for the calls of some mixed tit flocks
Nuthatch - 2+ inc 1 feeding with a mixed tit flock
Kestrel

Plus a solitary flyover Swallow

Good long walk around this afternoon (13:30 - 17:30) in decent conditions, if a bit wet underfoot.

Buzzard - 1 following the line of the M60 and disappearing over towards Heaton Park
Sparrowhawk - One drifting off towards North Manchester Golf club
Grey Heron - 1
Mute Swan - 2
Great Crested Grebe pair with 2 chicks
Several Coot with single chicks
One female Mallard with 3 chicks on the Irk
2+ Swift over
3 House Martin

In the Woods themselves
Bullfinch - a pair
Nuthatch - 1
Chiffchaff - 3+
Blackcap - 1

Good Long walk through the woods and around the Lodges (09:20 - 12:30). Surprisingly chilly early on, but getting warmer later on.

On the Lodges
8 Canada Geese
4 Great Crested Grebe
Moorhen
5 Coot
c10 Mallard
1 Mute Swan
3 Black-headed Gulls over

Elsewhere
2+ Nuthatch calling
2 or 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker flying around
pr Bullfinch
1 Treecreeper
3+ Song Thrush
6 Chiffchaff
3 Willow Warbler
7 Blackcap
3 Whitethroat
Reed Bunting
3 Swallow

plus the usual tits, corvids etc



-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Saturday 12th of May 2012 04:48:17 PM

Fri 6th April 06:45 - 08:00

Back in Middleton for the Easter Weekend I sneaked out to the Woods leaving the rest of the family watching a DVD.

Not much moving about but plenty of singing/calling birds including the usual Tits, Robins,Blackbirds etc. In Addition

- lots of woodpigeon settling down to roost
- Song Thrush in full voice
- Mistle Thrush
- Nuthatch

I continued through the centre of the wood and bingo!
- 2 Tawny Owl!

Both male and female birds were calling, but the female was a little further off and appeared to be moving around between the bird sanctuary area and private gardens. The male was close and eventually I got a good look of him perched in a tree and then flying away. A GM lifer!

My sister in law who lives in the area has often reported Tawny Owls calling during the summer, but I was never sure whether the birds had a territory in the area or had been kicked out by their parents and were passing through.

-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Saturday 7th of April 2012 10:47:54 AM

-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Saturday 7th of April 2012 10:50:34 AM

6th April - am.

2 Little Grebes (possibly the first time I have seen this species here?) and 3 Great Crested Grebe.

At least 10, possibly as many as 12 Jays noisily and restlessly moving about in the same general area.

Spring (from my experience) is the one of the best times to see decent sized flocks of Jays and in past years I have seen very vocal, restless flocks criss-crossing suitable breeding sites in April and May and pondered as to the purpose of this behaviour, guessing that it was may be something to do with pairing up and possibly looking for suitable nest sites or possibly sorting out territories as a communal pack? I think Kaz Horrocks recently commented on some noisy local flocks of Jays on the County Garden birds thread and also below on this thread too. Puzzled and fascinated by this I did a bit of research on my return and in one reliable source of information this type of communal behaviour is therein described as a "spring gathering" (hereafter referred to as a gathering) and occurs mostly on fine mornings from late February until late April or early May, sometimes even mid-May to early June. Usually any number up to 20 or possibly even more birds may participate. It also seems to suggest that in all gatherings that males might outnumber females and that whilst some birds are passive spectators the main impression of a gathering is of noise and intense excitement despite frequent short lulls in activity. Participants, often including several apparent pairs, which might be spread over several trees and continually change position over a wide area, with one bird taking flight and then the rest following. Display of perched birds is accompanied by a great diversity of vocalizations including mimicry, but mostly their flight and "kraah" calls. Apparently these "kraah" calls are mostly given by females whilst in what's called an "advertising posture"! and that these gatherings apparently start with a single bird giving these "kraah" calls inducing other apparent females to pursue giving "flight-appeal calls" and that these followers display in the leader's vicinity wherever it alights and sometimes includes "mutual advertising-display" between apparent males and females. Brief fights have also been noted in these gatherings.

Finally, the purpose of these gatherings is considered hard to interpret but it is mainly thought to be to bring together unpaired birds and that gatherings can sometimes be stimulated by the killing a member of an established pair (Jays normally have lifelong monogamous pair bonding) and that such gatherings might also mediate re-adjustment of territorial ownership or boundaries.

Cheers,

Bill.


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 6th of April 2012 03:56:38 PM

Today before Heaton Park:

1 Grey Wagtail (brook)

Lodges:

2 Mute Swan
1 Heron
2 Great Crested Grebes together, dozing away.
Mr and Mrs Goosander pair
25 Tufted Ducks

and all the supporting cast.

Dopeycc wrote:

---

Pretty new to these forums..

Photography is my first passion bird watching a close second..!, hasten to admit...

Anyway first time watching on e lodges.. Has anyone seen A pair of Yellow Wagtails here? Only I saw some very briefly but when checking bird books there are several species that look similar., defo wagtail variety.. Can tell rom he jittery behaviour and were very yellow/green..

Saw 2 Crested Grebes on two different ponds so not sure their a pair.?
Lots of turfted ducks
Mallards
Canada geese
MuteSwans
Heard lots of Wren activity
1 blue tit


Black headed gull..

I have some grebe photos and some other pics if you'd like a look check out Dopeycc in Flickr leave a comment if you like a pic :0)

---

your wagtails would be Grey wagtails with yellow underneath -google it if you haven't got a decent book

11th March 2012

9am Mild and bright.

Wren
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Woodpigeon
Magpie
Jay
Robin
Blackbird
Black-headed Gull
Greylag Geese
Canada Geese
Mute Swans
Coot
Tufted Duck
Mallard
Great Crested Grebe
Moorhen

And the crowning glory of an early morning amble was a Song Thrush singing its heart out in the woods. Delightful

Regards

Dave

Sat 28th a quick half hour walk round the edge of the woods around 3pm

Great Spotted Woodpecker - flying into private garden
mixed tit flock inc 1 Coal Tit
m & f Bullfinch

A more extensve walk through the woods and around the lodges inc the other fishing lakes over towards Rochdale Road (11:00 - 14:30)

Plenty of the common tits and finches around. The Lodges were fairly quiet save for the Canada Geese and Black-headed Gull.

Of Note
1+ Jay
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (calling)
c50 Canada Geese
c150 Black-headed Gull
1 Common Gull
3 Goosander (all female) + 2 overhead
and a few manky mallards
m Bullfinch
2+ Nuthatch
2 Redwing
c8 Fieldfare over

33 species in all

-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Tuesday 27th of December 2011 11:37:01 PM

6th November 2011

AM Very bright and very cold. Beautiful morning lots mist rising off the lakes .

Canada Geese
Mallard
Manky Mallard
Tufted Duck
Coot
Blue Tits
Great Tits
Blackbirds
Chaffinch
Robins
Magpie
Grey Heron (Letting people get very close)
2 Greylag Geese in amoungst the Canada Geese

Regards

Dave

Hi Charles

Thats almost the same place where my wife saw it on Sunday . All the years of fishing there as a kid never thought it would be a home to Kingfishers

As for Dippers, I saw one a few month ago in Hopwood Clough . A juvenile female. Was really surprised to see one on my door step. I have only seen them in North Yorkshire previously (Malham). I managed to get a half decent photo which I posted on a site called 'ISpot' for varification.

It was along the stretch of river running from the entrance near the junction of Middleton Road and Stanycliffe Lane to the bridge near the Road to the college. I have only seen it once but as it was a juvenile presume there are others.

Regards

Dave

Hi Adrian

Thanks for the links. I had forgotten how useful the RSPB site is

Its been a while since I've been to Heaton Park. Am really looking forward to having a good roam around there on Sunday. Just hope the rain holds off .

Bury is not somewhere I get to that often . Have visited the market a few times but tend to get dizzy and have a nose bleed if I go further from home than than Heywood. Having looked up Burrs Park on Goggle Earth I think I may give it a go at some point. Looks easy enough to drive to. My youngest daughter was there early in the summer with her school and says its worth a visit.

Cheers

Dave

Hi Ivan

Thanks for the heads up. Am going to have a wander around Heaton Park next Sunday so may have a look along the river near Sainsburys .

This is actually a bit of a sore point with me. I have never seen a Kingfisher in all the many years I have been bird watching . I live close to the Rochdale Canal in Boarshaw and every time I am out with my binoculars (And I am out most days of the week) people stop me and ask 'Have you seen the Kingfisher'? (Aparently there are a few in my area). Dog walkers ask me, families out for a stroll ask me, courting couples ask me, fishermen ask me, teenagers ask me, even children in push chairs ask me. Everyone, it appears, has seen the Kingfishers except me .

My wife saw one a few weeks ago while walking home from work along the canal. My eldest daughter saw one last week while out with me in Hopwood woods. Its gotten to the stage that I think I am destined never to see one

I do however live in hope

Thanks

Dave

9th October 2011

AM Cloudy but fairly warm.

Am ashamed that its been at least nine years since I visited this area . I only live five minutes away and grew up with the woods almost as my back garden. Had a really pleasent nostalgic morning

Canada Geese
Mallard
Manky Mallard
Tufted Duck
Coot
Blue Tits
Great Tits
Blackbirds

And my wife swears she saw a Kingfisher along the side of the lodge near the carpark. Am having none of it myself. By the time I had pulled the binoculars from her grasp what ever it was had well and truely gone.

Regards

Dave

On a visit a couple of weeks ago, I saw what was definitely a possible LSW fly across the path half way between Mainway and the first lodge. Then again yesterday I saw another possible fly over houses on Mainway in the direction of the woods. I can see that Bill Myerscough had a possible in March, and it would be great to find out if there had been any other sightings because this would be a really fantastic record for the woods!

Tom

David wrote:

---

I was there Sunday evening and saw quite a number of swallows

---

errm good point! In fact so did I ... and a few Swift too - I put the details in Birdtrack but don't know why I forgot to post them here ... old age, I suppose. Will amend my post accordingly.

Quick Visit back up north for family birthdays and to support my brother doing the Manchester 10K meant not much time for birding.


Sun 15-May-11 16:15-17:15 Constant Drizzle/Light rain.

On all the lodges

2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Mute Swan
C 10 Mallard
C 10 Canada + 1 Gosling
Handfuls of both Moorhen and Coot. Not much sign of nesting taking place on the rafts.

Quick walk back along the River irk and around Irkside Nature reserve
1 singing Willow Warbler
c5 singing Chiffchaff
2 singing Song Thrush
5+ Blackbird (several singers)
and a few singing robins

-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Sunday 15th of May 2011 09:40:27 PM

22nd April 19:15-20:30
Quick walk around the woods and across the lodges

- 8+ singing Wren
- 10+ Blackbirds (many singing)
- 8 Robins
- 3 Song Thrush
- 3 Chiffchaff (singing)
- 1 Willow Warbler (singing)
- 1 Nuthatch (calling)
- Small numbers of Magpies, Carrion Crows and Woodpigeons

On the Lodges
- 8 Mute Swan
- 12+ Canada Goose
- 6 Tufted Duck
- c20 Mallard
- Embden Goose

Just an additional note. The Enbden goose without wing feathers has been resident for at least five years. Normally on the small feeding pond but he must have waddled over to the big flash where he was today. The greedy Greylag has also been there for some time.

Also forgot to mention a dozen or moe tufties on small feeding pond and some unidentifiiable resident ducks which appear to be mutants or possibly exotics. Put it this way I cant find anything resembling them in my birdbooks!

Bill Myerscough wrote:

---

Hi Charles,

This whole area is generally fairly underwatched and it's unusual to meet other birdwatchers here! You probably didn't pick the best time to visit for birds, with it looking like a bit of a winter wonderland! The 2 Pink-Feet were a surprise and at one stage one was about only 2 foot away from my feet!

Alkrington Woods is a really nice area of mature beech woodland and holds most of the common breeding woodland birds in the summer months and the Grey Wagtails are present all year round along the Irk and the occasional Kingfisher too.

Best wishes,

Bill.

---

I grew up in Alkrington and can't remember seeing much in the woods as a teenager in the 1970s. I didn't really visit the lodges, so I was surprised to get a brief view of a Kingfisher while walking my brother's dog round there in Sep '09.

I saw a Nuthatch in the woods last spring, which I certainly don't remember seeing as a youngster and there appear to be a pair of G S Woodpeckers - which I also don't remember being present 30 years ago. One of my brothers and my sister still live in Alkrington and keep an eye out for birds in their gardens. My brother sometimes gets the woodpeckers on his feeders from time to time and my sister's garden has been visited by 3 Jays in the last week. My other sighting of note over the Christmas period was a flock of 8 Lesser Redpoll on the playing fields near Mainway.

My brother and his wife regularly walk the dog in the woods (at least they did until it was attacked by an alsatian about 3 months ago). They keep a casual eye out for interesting birds in passing, but probably aren't keen enough to record sightings other than for the Big Garden Birdwatch.

I signed one of my nephews up for the RSPB for his Christmas present and I have been trying to persuade him to record his sightings on Birdtrack. There are good birds that visit his garden - including G S Woodpeckers and Redwing and from time to time he hears a (presumably Tawny) Owl - though he's never actually seen it. I do like Birdtrack, but it can be quite time-consuming to use if you are dilligent about recording all the additional details.

-- Edited by chazzyf on Friday 7th of January 2011 06:42:09 PM

Hello, I'm normally resident in NW London, but I was up north for Christmas visiting the folks and was also birding at Alkrington Woods on the 21st.

Bill - I wonder if you were the only other person that I saw with bins that afternoon? If that was the case our paths must have crossed at the lodges where the majority of Canada Geese and Mallards were crowded together on the only bit of open water.

I missed the Pink-Footed Geese and the Lapwing and the Goldcrest and Teal. I didn't see the Grey Wagtails either that day (or on any of my subsequent visits) - I'm glad to hear that they are still around.

I did see 3 Bullfinch though - in the Irkside Nature Reserve and got a very brief view of a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the main wood as it flew off