Fairly low-key, as is the norm these days, this pm. Stonechat pr, 4 ravens, 2 buzzards, 1 flock of 50 fieldfare going S, kestrel, 3 meadow pipits, grey heron.

4:10 p.m. Not quite guaranteed, but expected these days, a Red Kite flew overhead at the junction of Sandhill Ln. and Smithy Ln. It was eyeing the freshly cut fields, and hung around for some time. 4 ravens was the only other notable sighting. It was, however, a sign of the times that the most numerous bird down in the silage cut was lesser black-backed gull (60+). So much for farmland birds!!!

30.04.24 7.00pm-8.30pm Picking rods track area. 5 Wheatear, 13 Curlew including a flock of 9, Minimum of 5 Skylark, a single Golden Plover and numerous Lapwing. Quarry area. 1 Stonechat, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroat around the pond.

A single male Whinchat was along the fence by the quarry pool this afternoon.
Plenty of Wheaters in the area, I counted at least 8 individuals.
Grasshopper Warbler reeling briefly in the field above the quarry.
Whitethroat below the quarry.

Cheers,

Steve.

06.04.23   7.30 - 9.00am

1 Raven 

3 Skylark near the roadside 

2 Curlew 

1 male Stonechat - very mobile around the quarry area,

No sign of any Wheatear or hirundines etc.

Andy

 

p.m.

A red kite was seen from the quarry area in the semi-distance just beyond Gun Farm, probably right on the border. Other than that, it was very low-key stuff, with chiffchaffs the only migrants recorded. Still, when a curlew does a fly-by songflight just 30m in front of you, it's still uplifting.

A fair few birds, but low on variety: 200+ Starlings, c120 lapwings, 100+ Fieldfare, the main body of numbers. Also, 3 buzzards, 1-2 kestrels and the first skylark I've seen up there since Winter began.

16 Oct.
No Crossbills in Hillside conifers. Flock of c350 Fieldfare landed briefly then moved SW. Also c25 Redwinng.
c60 Goldfinches + at least 3 Siskin and 2 Redpoll in conifers. 2 Ravens.
Uncounted flocks of Wood Pigeons moving SW all the time.

Cheers John







-- Edited by John Rayner on Monday 16th of October 2023 01:47:05 PM

A showy and vocal 1st winter sedge warbler was by the small pond above the quarry this afternoon. A really clean, smart bird as I hope the photos show. 4 swallows were the only other migrants that I actually saw (a few chiffchaffs still audible). Otherwise, 2 sparrowhawks, 2 buzzards and a kestrel were all else that caught the eye.

Quarry area this p.m. Family of stonechats inc 2-3 juveniles, 2 whitethroat, 3 ravens over. Numerous chiffchaffs around and a juvenile blackcap was near Clough End. Still seemed rather subdued.

Mid morning trip. Saw 2 male linnets on the lines near top of Smithy Lane. Another 2 linnets, a pair this time, were in the quarry. Also in quarry were 4 whitethroats, 5-7 redpoll, 1 whinchat and 2 stonechats (a pair). 3 skylarks above quarry. 1 whitethroat on Sandhill Lane and 2 buzzards seen in distance.

Parked on Gun Road this morning ( BH monday),and at first walked on the path which goes towards the small pond on the other side of road from the path to the Picking Rods.I did not hear Grasshopper Warbler,but saw 2 Common Whitethroats and several Linnets,and then was surprised to see a Great White Egret take off from the small pond on the right before flying in the New Mills direction!.
I then crossed the Rd and walked towards the P.R and saw 3 + Skylarks and Lapwings displaying,5+Golden Plover in the field over the fence from the PR's ,a Wheater and a Common Buzzard and Raven fly over.

A really good afternoons birding, first by myself and later with John R.

Highlights were a male Ring Ouzel in the quarry vicinity initially before finding it again in the stoney field below Hillside Farm, 3 Whimbrel in the Debyshire field on the other side of Gun Road from the Kennels. A later search with John turned up 5 Whimbrel in the same field.

Other birds included the first Whitethroat of the year below the quarry
2 Grasshopper Warblers
6 Wheatear
13 Golden Plover
and good numbers of Skylark along the PR path

cheers

Mark

A few hours from 10 proved to be quite fruitful.

A male Yellow Wagtail was the best, heard it call as it flew over towards Gun Farm following the line of the road, got the bins on for a nice view
A single female Wheatear up near Derbyshire Pool and then a second by the layby at Hillside farm later on
2 Grasshopper Warblers reeling
1 Oystercatcher just in the fields after the Kennels
A decent sized flock of Fieldfare with some Redwing around the Kennels again
A good number of singing Willow Warblers and a few Chiffchaff
Plus the usual suspects

Cheers

Mark

p.m. An ever-superb male redstart was in the hawthorn dotted field opposite, and just past April Cottage. Not much else was worth the trip: 2 male wheatears were in the big field to the SE of the quarry, and a further 3 (2 f, 1m) were up the hill past Hillside Farm, but outside the County. 1 pair of swallows and a further single were seen at either end my walk. 

-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Wednesday 19th of April 2023 08:20:49 PM

A brief hour before the rain started this morning, 4 Wheatear opposite Hillside farm along the far bank , 2 Reed Bunting in the field above the quarry with 2 Oystercatcher near the Derbyshire Pool. Curlew and Skylark singing up towards the Picking Rods and a Willow Warbler heard back down the road towards Cloughend.

No Ring Ouzel yet.

Cheers

Mark

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Friday 14th of April 2023 12:51:01 PM

A couple of hours watching this p.m. brought the following highlights:- A Red Kite appeared distantly to the SE of the Picking Rods bridleway, but drifted towards me (aided by a buzzard!) until it was almost above the path, before making off to the East, south of Cown Edge. A pair of stonechats was in the quarry area. At least 5 ravens were together, 2-3 in severe moult. 1 each of sand martin and swallow. Everything else was pretty much as expected.

Up early for a quick visit this morning.

3 Brambling at the Kennels area was a surprise, they flew up from the large manure pile into the nearby tree as I approached. Only one female type obliged with a clear view before they flew over the Kennels to the tree's behind.
Also new for me this year was a female Wheatear and a Willow Warbler in song.

In addition;

2 Curlew
1 Oystercatcher
3 Raven
2 Buzzard
5 Chiffchaff
9 Skylarks
6 Meadow Pipit

Cheers

Mark

Just about worth the trip for the flock of lapwings, which was close to 300. Other than those, only 2 ravens, a kestrel, and redwings and fieldfares just about scraping into double figures caught the eye. Our birds need a Christmas miracle.

More Ernocroft than Ludworth, but this is the walk I do more often in 'Winter' when insects have gone out of season. Start at Glossop Rd lay-by - up Sand Hill Ln - turn left at Ernocroft Ln - turn right at Glossop Rd - turn right towards Charlesworth - take footpath uphill South across fields (in Derbyshire) towards Brown Low - pass Brown Low and carry on to rejoin Sand Hill Ln - right turn back towards Glossop Rd lay-by.

I set a target of 30 species, but didn't achieve that! Let down by zero winter thrushes (a pitiful flock of 6 mistle thrushes only), and few finches (gold and bull only). Best sighting was perhaps of 22 golden plover which were mixing with 30-odd lapwings and 20-odd starlings, giving at least an impression of some 'action'. Others included stock dove (11), buzzards (3-4), kestrels (2), lots of 3 species of gull, and a few rooks.

It was a bit deflating to see that at 5 properties where birds used to be fed in the past, nothing but the odd suet fat ball was on offer (at a couple). Consequently, there were no birds. Another nail in the coffin for the 'moor' complex. 

Birds observed this morning included...

C30 Swallows
C70 Meadow Pipits
1 Wheatear
2 Whitethroats
2 Blackcaps
17 Chiffchaffs
1 Spotted Flycatcher
1 Siskin
3 Bullfinches
4 Reed Buntings

Not a lot going on this afternoon, but at least you get away from it all up there. There was this whinchat though, which I wonder is the same one as seen on 25th August (similar area)? Other than the chiffchaffs and a few hirundines, only 2 ravens and c40 lapwings broke the gloom.

Juvenile Whinchat by Derbyshire Pool this afternoon.

2 RED KITE drifted through in the direction of Longdendale this afternoon, also 1 WIGEON, 1 Golden Plover, 4 Buzzard, 3 Oystercatcher.