Just so the place doesn't disappear from view! A visit this p.m. was largely lacking in drama, but did have (amongst others) 2 ravens, buzzard, 2 kestrels, sparrowhawk, 3 bullfinches, 5 rooks, 10 fieldfare, 1/2 redwings, 2 mistle thrushes. The feeders at Larkhill were deserted and it looked as if some tree work had been taking place. I saw no tree sparrows, which I pray is temporary.
Rather depressingly there was a trail bike event underway in the quarry, organised by 'Manchester 17 Motorcycle Club'. Over 100 people, 48 vehicles including a catering van and 50+ competitors. Nor surprisingly there were few birds around. This list a listed Grade A Site of Biological Importance but in reality that counts for nothing.
3 Greenfinch and 4 Tree Sparrows at Larkhill Kestrel hunting c80 Common Gulls
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 26th of December 2017 02:14:41 PM
A late post for yesterday afternoon, started off at Larkhill and made my way to the Picking Rods and back down via the quarry;
153 Starling in several groups C100 Lapwing (probably Andy's group but I only saw them briefly so no proper count) 35 Goldfinch all in one flock 26 Fieldfare 18 Snipe 8 Tree Sparrow 5 Chaffinch 5 Greenfinch 4 Bullfinch Singles of Kestrel, Goldcrest and Treecreeper
c125 lapwings was decent for up here. Also 50+ starlings , 2 ravens, reed bunting, small numbers of fieldfare (10) and redwing (less) in field at Smithy Lane, but I spotted a larger number of thrushes using the wood at Brown Low when I got back to the parking area. There was a constant passage of gulls in small groups (mostly common/herring) all but a few going south-east.
Did the walk I tend to do most in Winter: Glossop Rd lay-by (nr fishponds), up Sandhill Lane to April Cottage, back to Ernocroft Lane and down there to Glossop Rd - back to car along road (took in a little of Ernocroft Wood).
c50 lapwings, 40 - 50 redwings, 15 - 20 fieldfare, c90 starlings, 5 tree sparrows, 6+ bullfinches, grey wagtail (using Gird Lane as if it was a stream), 3 buzzards. Great Spotted woodpecker one of only three species in Ernocroft Wood. Nice morning though.
2 skiens of Pink-footed Geese SE (c140 and the other unseen) Redwing c60 Fieldfare c10 Tree Sparrow 3 Bullfinch 6 Pheasant 3 under feeders at Larkhill Grey Heron 1 Buzzard 1 Kestrel 1
Cheers John
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 19th of November 2017 05:30:39 PM
What is causing that flood at the Picking Rods Path? Is it ok to drive through?
I stopped on the Mellor side yesterday, and began walking, but turned back as the two flooded sections seemed a "no go" for walking.
Thanks
Geoff
Hi Geoff,
I have driven through it a few times, just keep going and don't stop . It's not as deep as it looks. Main problem is that the off road parking is also under water so I can't park up there.
1 hawfinch at just before 13.55, flew in with flock of redwings. In the bright conditions, it was very obvious in flight even without using binoculars, and helped further when it landed with the flock in the tall tree to the left of the unnamed house opposite Clough End for about 20 seconds. They then all departed back towards the old trout lake (down Smithy Lane), but despite following them I could not relocate any redwings or hawfinches. I had seen Mark Walsh leaving (sorry you missed it) who had seen redwings, but I think this must have been a different flock.
Best of rest:-
33 fieldfare (which flew in just before the redwings), 29 lapwings, 2 ravens, 20+ goldfinch, and green woodpecker seen up path to the quarry.
Glad they are still around, I think Wednesday looks good weather wise so I should hopefully get another chance for a look.
What is causing that flood at the Picking Rods Path? Is it ok to drive through?
I stopped on the Mellor side yesterday, and began walking, but turned back as the two flooded sections seemed a "no go" for walking.
Thanks
Geoff
Hi Geoff,
I have driven through it a few times, just keep going and don't stop . It's not as deep as it looks. Main problem is that the off road parking is also under water so I can't park up there.
1 hawfinch at just before 13.55, flew in with flock of redwings. In the bright conditions, it was very obvious in flight even without using binoculars, and helped further when it landed with the flock in the tall tree to the left of the unnamed house opposite Clough End for about 20 seconds. They then all departed back towards the old trout lake (down Smithy Lane), but despite following them I could not relocate any redwings or hawfinches. I had seen Mark Walsh leaving (sorry you missed it) who had seen redwings, but I think this must have been a different flock.
Best of rest:-
33 fieldfare (which flew in just before the redwings), 29 lapwings, 2 ravens, 20+ goldfinch, and green woodpecker seen up path to the quarry.
~3pm went up v wet path North from junction involving Gird lane and Ernocroft lane. Plenty of finches in trees around nearest house (the one West of Larkhill), though only Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch that I saw. Having got past the house, my wife spotted a lone unfamiliar bird answering to the description flying in from the North (Brown low), which I then failed to relocate, where it had gone down near the other finches. However, a couple of minutes later it flew out (again alone, NW towards Ernocroft farm), revealing itself indeed to be a hawfinch.
We then saw rather few birds for the next hour or so, until coming back through Cloughend, where there seemed good numbers of both redwing and fieldfare going to roost. Walking back past April Cottage towards Larkhill in the gathering gloom a little after 4.30 I then heard a hawfinch flying over and calling, heading East along Sandhill Lane, back towards Cloughend, but never managed to pick it up in binoculars. Even more frustratingly, a second followed it, going the same way, a little further down the hill, and similarly not spotted, about a minute later.
Suffice to say that, while I didn't get great views, they might still be possible.
No Hawfinches for me this morning - looks like I left an hour too early. Still large flock of Fieldfares and Redwings in the Cloughend Farm/April Cottage area
Pink-footed Goose - single skein of 154 SE (photo) Fieldfare 315 Redwing 57 Chaffinch 36 (N) Bullfinch 6 Raven 2-4 Buzzard 2
Got a fine view of a single Hawfinch at around 14.45 together with Pete Hines, Mark Rigby and Andy Bissett. The Fieldfare flock was also very impressive. Many thanks to John Rayner for getting the info out. A great find and a worthy reward for his regular patch work. Good one John.
Echoing Mark's remark, thanks John. I would not have known about them until about now actually! They were still around at 3 o'clockish in the scrubby area opposite Clough End seen by myself and three others. Other than that the fieldfare flock was pretty impressive in the open area between the quarry and the plantation, certainly 200+. Also one raven flew over.
Forgot to add that the hawfinches were with a party of 6 or 7 bullfinches when refound.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Thursday 2nd of November 2017 08:38:22 PM
After a half-hearted attempt at Vis-migging (very slow) decided to check out the thrush flocks around Cloughend Farm. This paid off big time when at 10.28 I found 2 HAWFINCHES loosely associated with a small flock of Redwing and feeding on hawthorn berries. watched for a few minutes then back to the car for my scope but just as I returned they flew. Re-found one, this time with Fieldfares, at 12.15 and managed to get Mark Walsh onto it but again it flew before I could get photos. Worked out where might be the next place they might appear and set up. Up popped 2 in roughly the same area as originally found. This time I managed a few poor, long-range, phone-scoped record shots as they were on view from 12.25 - 13.04.
7:30 - 9:30 spent in the same spot as last time, wrapped up well but still forgot to pack gloves and a hat
Anyway;
885 Woodpigeon - South West 260 Pink-footed Geese - East (in 4 Skeins) 66 Fieldfare - 36 North and 30 South West 34 Starling - West 14 Redwing - South (only one group seen through the two hours) 13 Meadow Pipit - South West 11 Chaffinch - South West 8 Goldfinch - South 4 Siskin - South 3 Green Finch - South West
plus;
45 Fieldfare and 16 Redwing in the trees around Cloughend 21 Meadow Pipits in the fields next to the PR path 8 Chaffinch at Larkhill 3 Bullfinch at Cloughend 2 Green Finch at Brownlow 2 Raven 1 Golden Plover 1 Kestrel
07.30 - 10.45 Vis Mig from Picking Rods/Gunn Road junction (with Mark Walsh)
Hampered by low cloud and poor visibility till 08.00 but poor counts compared with an average Horwich Moor day (and, of course, no Hawfinches). Most birds moving through in the south to west quadrant.
Brambling 2 (1 at Larkhill feeders and another in hawthorns opp. Cloughend) Tree Sparrow 4 minimum Raven 2 Redwing 47 Woodpigeon 91 (flocks of 70 & 13 south plus stragglers) Canada Goose 69 Lapwing 3 Linnet 1
2 stonechats still in top field above the quarry. Seen distantly as I forgot my boots so had to stay on 'dry' ground! Also noted about half a dozen redwings, a chiffchaff, a small party of golden plover (less than 10), buzzards, kestrel, sparrowhawk, common gulls etc...
After a message from Mr Rayner (thanks very much)I journeyed up for a quick look for the Stonechat which turned out to be very obliging. It's a shame were limited to birds passing through and not breeding.
Up for a brief couple of hours this afternoon, Larkhill to the PR and back via the quarry.
16 Meadow Pipit in the area with a couple of single figure groups over South. 14 Swallow South 7 Reed Bunting in the field above the quarry 4 Mistle Thrush 3 Bullfinch 2 Jay 2 Goldcrest Singletons of Snipe, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Kestrel. 1 Largish flock of Tits at April Cottage mostly consisting of Long Tailed Tits with a few Blue and Coal thrown in for good measure.
A quick visit this afternoon for a couple of hours.
Around 200 Jackdaw 18 Meadow Pipits in the area with a few small groups of stragglers moving South. 15 Linnet 11 Starling 10 Snipe 5 Swallow over South 3 Goldcrest 2 Bullfinch 2 Raven Then singles of Golden Plover, Kestrel, Buzzard, Chiffchaff and one lone Wheatear.
Called up again for a couple of hours around midday.
Sizable number of Meadow Pipits for the area with a single flock of around 120 and subsequent smaller groups of between 10-20, in total around 180. 10 Swallow over in a single group SW 4 Skylark 3 Kestrel 2 Snipe 2 Jay 1 Buzzard 1 Sparrowhawk 1 House Martin
3 white wagtail on the field to the left of the track up to picking rods. Pic later
EDIT - update now we're back. Lots of corvids and pipits as expected. 2 swallows, which were unexpected. 2 Kestrel. Goldcrest heard in the trees above the quarry. Flock of circa 20 thrush and a single wheatear around Rocks Farm on the eastern side of Cown Edge rocks
-- Edited by Julian Winstanley on Saturday 23rd of September 2017 02:25:17 PM
-- Edited by Julian Winstanley on Saturday 23rd of September 2017 02:26:33 PM
The tracks through the quarry and above field are a recent addition as they weren't there last Friday when I was up, so most likely from the weekend's session.
Managed a couple of hours this afternoon before the rain came.
Small numbers of Swallow moving through South West with a few House Martins. 38 Meadow Pipit, one small flock of 17 and the rest in smaller groups. 21 Black Headed Gull 4 Mistle Thrush 3 Buzzard 2 Raven 1 Jay 1 Kestrel 1 Chiffchaff 1 Reed Bunting 1 Bullfinch