LUDWORTH MOOR

John Rayner · Status: Offline

RE: LUDWORTH MOOR

John Rayner · Status: Offline

2 Stonechats still
1 Raven
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
1 Buzzard
1 Redwing opp Cloughend

Cheers John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Called in both Friday and today, similar birds on both days, including my first Redwing of the Autumn on Friday;

Friday;

25 Canada Geese
20 Greenfinch
6 Snipe
4 Redwing
2 Raven
2 Stonechat
Single's of Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Bullfinch, Mallard, Skylark and 1 Swallow south.

Today saw 7 Canada geese as well as only one Stonechat, differences from Friday were;

22 Goldfinch
7 Lesser Black Backed Gull over the quarry
4 Reed Bunting
3 Meadow Pipit
and 1 Snipe

Cheers

Mark

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Sunday 15th of October 2017 04:33:28 PM

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

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...

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

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.

Other birds of note were;

7 Snipe
5 Reed Bunting
20 Canada Geese

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

An hour or so around the Quarry and Picking Rods fields:

Highlight were 2 Stonechats (both males). I have been searching for these all year but drawn a blank until today. Also:

Raven 2
Snipe 13
Meadow Pipits 56 (mostly moving SSE)
Lapwing 48
Canada Goose 20
Kestrel 2

And a Great Spotted Woodpecker high over Picking Rods track and migrating W.

Cheers, John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

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.

Cheers

Mark

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

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.

Cheers

Mark

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Could only get up for a short while this morning (half an hour) so concentrated around the PR path and Quarry;

A few small groups of Swallow moving south, 27 in total.
5 Meadow Pipits south
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Snipe

cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

A fairly quiet walk from Gird Lane to Picking Rods and back.

A steady stream of Meadow Pipits moving south but largely in single figure groups.

Meadow Pipit 117 south
Skylark 2 south
Pied Wagtail 5 south
Swallow 3 south
Snipe 6
Wheatear 2
Golden Plover 1
Lapwing 1
Long-tailed Tit 11
Chiffchaff 3

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Wheatear 3
Teal 2
Starling 170
Lapwing 2
Greenfinch 12
Mistle Thrush 4
Jay 2
Sparrowhawk 1

Cheers John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

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

Cheers

Mark

Julian Winstanley · Status: Offline

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

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

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

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Much damage to the areas above and below the quarry since my last visit. Wide tracks created through the rushes by trail bikers.

Birding was quiet:
Ravens 2
Buzzards 3
Kestrel 2
Meadow Pipits 81 (in 2 large flocks of 23 and 58)
Black-headed Gull 72
Greenfinch 9 (single flock)
Chiffchaff 2

Cheers John

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Hardly worth mentioning really, but my personal recording area for the 'moor' has always been from Glossop Rd eastwards, so I have to mention a new bird for the area (as far as I am concerned). A kingfisher was on one of the Fishponds near to the lay-by. Rest of walk up to and along Ernocroft Lane, round back to Glossop Rd had nothing special, apart from 8 or 9 linnets near to Ernocroft farm which are always a bonus these days. Also recorded chiffchaff, grey wagtail, treecreeper, goldcrest, rook and buzzard amongst others.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

A.M. As there seem to be so many Tree Pipits being reported recently I thought I would try the quarry area again this morning. Bad idea as it was crawling with kids with huge backpacks doing Duke of Edinburgh or orienteering or something. So I resorted to a bit of insect photography and saw few birds.

P.M. A text from Mark Walsh (ta!) reported that the Barn Owl was still in the quarry so it must have withstood quite a load of disturbance this morning. I nipped down to photograph it.

Otherwise quiet with a flock of Lapwing (67) this morning and Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk this afternoon.

Cheers, John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Gird Lane to Quarry and back.

A superb Barn Owl roosting in the quarry until I accidentally flushed it.
Goldfinch flock of 71 (flushed from thistle heads by a Kestrel they then perched on wires for an accurate count)
Lapwing 44 (flocks of 25 and 18)
Black-headed Gull 32
Meadow Pipit 9 only
Whitethroat 1
Kestrel 3

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Best today was a distant female/juvenile Merlin that flew over Gun Farm scattering the Meadow Pipit flock.
Meadow Pipit flock size down to c30
Skylark 3
Large Pied Wagtail flock (24) contained a couple of White Wagtails
Swallow flock near kennels c55
Snipe 4
Curlew 2
Blackcap 1

Cheers John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Nice to bump into Andy Bisset while I was up.

I had originally planned to walk from Larkhill down Girdlane and then cutting over to the quarry due to some success in that area on Friday. Unfortunately I had to change my plans to parking up near the PR path and heading around the quarry. That changed as well when I noticed the trail bikers around the area. In the end I decided that heading over Cown Edge would be best.

There was a reasonable amount just along the Picking Rods path with;

17 Goldfinch
6 Meadow Pipit
7 Linnet
1 Pied Wagtail
and 2 Wheatear stopping off on the way south

All seen in GM.

Other Wildlife in the relevant thread and Cown Edge stuff in the Derbyshire sightings.

Friday turned out to be a decent day;

1 Female Redstart
1 Spotted Flycatcher
230 Lapwing
160 Starling
Around 60 Swallows moving SE in small groups. One larger group of 80 at the Kennels.
72 Goldfinch along the PR path with a further 100 at the Kennels again.
20 Meadow Pipits
6 Chiffchaff
1 Wheatear

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Either side of mid-day there was not a lot happening but I was photographing insects so looking down rather than up. Then the trail bikers arrived and put an end to proceedings:

Bullfinch 2 (Juveniles)
Sparrowhawk 1
Snipe 2
Meadow Pipits c50
Blackcap 1

Cheers, John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

A big flock of Meadow Pipits is gathering. Best counts were:

Meadow Pipits c76 (inc. single flock of c70)
Rook 21
Swallow 28
Curlew 2
Raven 2

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Also:

If anyone finds a SONY lens cap I lost mine today, probably in the quarry area.

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Gird Lane - Picking Rods. Best bits were:

A large Lapwing flock of c230
c100 Starlings feeding with Lapwing
One Sand Martin straight through south
Small passage of 21 Swallows
Fly-over Cormorant
Chiffchaffs 11
Willow Warbler 2
Redpolls 6
Goldfinch c30
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
Only 7 Meadow Pipits

A couple of bits on other wildlife.

Cheers John

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Seemed much quieter than last Sunday. So much for migration! Apart from 'local' warblers and hirundines still around, just one spotted flycatcher as per last week (very similar spot, but as it was not reported since then, I presume a different bird). Good job the sun was shining so that insects could step up to the mark (see other wildlife if interested).

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Best sightings were:

Hobby hunting Goldfinches over Cloughend Farm (still plenty of small passerines in the general area so it may stick around)
Ravens 7 (with gulls and corvids near Gird Lane)
Tree Sparrow 8 (Larkhill)
Redpoll 9
Swift 4
Collared Dove 8
Goldfinch 26
Meadow Pipit 12
Swallow 18

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

A steady build-up of common passerines:

Goldfinch 56 (largest flock 25)
Swallow 33 (largest flock 19)
Willow Warbler 5
Whitethroat 1
Lesser Redpoll 2
Linnet 2
Curlew 1

Cheers John

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

A couple of hours mid-late morning.

1 hobby over 'dip' (just past April Cottage), flew towards Rowarth.

1 spotted flycatcher just a few yards further on in dying tree to north of road.

Other things more or less as expected: 3 redpoll, family of bullfinches (parents & 3 young), sev. tree sparrows best of the rest.

Other 'migrants'. 1 swift, chiffchaffs and willow warblers (2 heard in full song).

John Rayner · Status: Offline

31st July:
Today I finally caught up with Hobby as an adult flew over the quarry. Also:
Kestrel 2
Buzzard 2
Raven 3
Swallow 13
Lapwing 9
Rook c60

Selected highlights from some other recent visits:

27th July:
Tawny Owl

29th July:
Mistle Thrush 11 (including single party of 10)
Swift 10
House Martin 2

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Shower dodging this afternoon. Quite a few family parties seen.

Buzzard 2
Kestrel 4
Curlew 1
Raven 1
Jay 5
Linnet 3
Tree Sparrow 1 (April Cottage)
Swift 7
Green Woodpecker (heard)

Cheers, John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

10.30-14.30 in part with Mark Walsh

Sightings included:

Redstart. 1 male in superbly bright plumage.
Tree Sparrow. 4-6 around Smithy Lane Farm. One carrying food.
Raven 1
Collared Dove 7
Lapwing 17
Black-headed Gull 36
Starling c80
Skylark 1
Goldfinch 32. Mostly juveniles
Blackcap 2
Willow Warbler 2
Chiffchaff 5
Meadow Pipit 21
Wren 6
Linnet 2
Reed Bunting 1
Kestrel 1

Cheers John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A bit of an extended walk from Larkhill - Lakeside - Chatterton Ln - Pistol Fm - Picking Rods - Quarry and back along the road to the car.

Highlight was a Hobby as I was almost back to the car, noticed a BoP for a brief moment near Cloughend and cursed my luck as it disappeared behind tree's, luckily it came out again heading my way.

Other than that;

31 Swift with a small number of House Martins mixed in.
17 Swallow
3 Chiffchaff
3 Linnet
Then Singles of Curlew, Buzzard, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit and Lapwing.

I heard Golden Plover once but didn't see any.

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Not a lot happening this morning. The best was a noisy Raven, my first up here for a while.
Also:

Buzzards 2
Rook 14
Golden Plover 20
Swift 12
Juvenile Meadow Pipits and Goldfinches

Cheers John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Just a short walk this afternoon from 15:00 - 17:30;

42 Golden Plover
25 Starling
25 Swift
11 Swallow
7 Meadow Pipit
4 Pied Wagtail
4 Curlew
1 Oystercatcher with the Curlew
1 Snipe
1 Skylark

and 1 Spotted Flycatcher just beyond Cloughend

Cheers

Mark

Chris Harper · Status: Offline

18.40-20.40 highlights:

8 Golden Plover, 2 Common Snipe, 5 Oystercatcher, 6 Curlew, 8 Skylark, 55 Lapwing, 16 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, Linnet, 3 Stock Dove, Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 50 Swift, 10 Swallow, 8 Mistle Thrush, 5 Pied Wagtail.

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

As the weather was so nice I decided to call up to Ludworth for a bit of a circular.

10 Curlew seen throughout the day, though 6 was the largest number seen at any one time.
c120 Lapwing.
Lots of Swallows over the fields.
Only 3 Swift though.
10 Skylark
7 Meadow Pipit
5 Mistle Thrush
4 Pied Wagtail
3 Chiffchaff
3 Nuthatch
2 Tree Sparrow
2 Reed Bunting
2 Linnet

Distinct lack of birds of prey, didn't even hear a Buzzard.

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

A soggy walk in the rain from Larkhill to the Picking Rods and back via the quarry. Into the cloud base at the Picking Rods so visibility was not the best. However...

Curlew 7
Oystercatcher 2
Snipe 4 (a long time since I have heard the 'wicka, wicka, wicka' call up here)
Lapwings c85
Golden Plover c55
Reed Bunting 4
Skylark 6
Meadow Pipits c10
Starling c150
Linnet 1 juvenile
Pied Wagtail 7
Bullfinch 2

Birds singing: Song Thrush, Blackbird, Wren, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch

Birds carrying food for young: Reed Bunting, Skylark, Meadow Pipit,

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Hi Moorendman,

Welcome to the forum, the more the merrier reporting from Ludworth.

I sent you a private message this morning. You need to be logged on in order to read it.

Cheers John

Ted Stockton · Status: Offline

I am not a regular birder anymore , but I like to follow this forum, and especially, the Ludworth topic, and see whats about from time to time.

Monday evening, 26th June:

4 Oystercatchers in the field next to the Picking Rods track.

Keep up the good work.

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Headed over to Coombes edge yesterday afternoon/evening, saw a few birds of note while walking up the Picking Rods path.

2 Oystercatchers and 1 Snipe but no Golden Plovers seen (one heard in the distance)
2 Male Reed Bunting
a few Swift, Skylark and Meadow Pipit.
1 Curlew heard over towards Far Bradshaw.
21 Lapwing

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Good for waders today:

Oystercatcher 3
Curlew 1 feeding then a flock of 19 flew in
Golden Plover 47
Lapwing 87 (minimum)

Skylark 4 (including one carrying food but still singing)
Meadow Pipit 11
Starling c80
Lesser Black-backed Gull 8
Swift 3 (through north)

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Late BB Survey this morning.

Mostly just the expected species (including 4 Curlew) but the undoubted highlight was a male Merlin that shot straight through.

Cheers John

Julian Winstanley · Status: Offline

Little owl and whitethroat from Briargrove road on this afternoon's ride

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Gird Lane/Smithy Lane Farm/Cloughend/Quarry/Sandhill Lane

Green Woodpecker 1 (Off Smithy Lane)
Tree Sparrow 3 (1 Smithy Lane Farm, 2 April Cottage. The latter collecting pine needles as nesting material)
Whitethroat 4
Blackcap 2
Willow Warbler 5
Garden Warbler 1
Chiffchaff 3
Buzzard 4 (1 juvenile with prey with 2 adults overhead. A tail-less 4th was soon seen off the premises)
Swallow 7
Lapwing 14 (inc 3 juvs)
Reed Bunting 3 (carrying food for young)
Bullfinch pair
Swift 4
Curlew and Raven heard

A couple of good butterfly sightings on othevwildlife

Cheers John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A quick hour's search for Lesser Whitethroat proved to be fruitless, however there was still plenty about;

14 Swallow
2 Swift
2 Common Whitethroat
2 Chiffchaff
5 Willow Warbler
1 Curlew
1 Redpoll
1 Flyover Oystercatcher

Lots of bird song

cheers

Mark

Julian Winstanley · Status: Offline

Lovely evening walk round the moor, didn't see any wheatear but in addition to the "expected" birds such as Plover, Curlew, buzzard etc we did have two unusual spots: at the end of the evening we saw a pair of oystercatcher, and at the beginning we saw a pipit the we struggled to identify. It was a lot lighter coloured than a meadow pipit, and was not as heavily speckled on the chest. There was a red blush to the chest, but nothing as heavy as the pictures I've seen of the red throated pipit: more, the red blush was only on the chest, it didn't extend to the head. No pictures sorry. Any suggestions as to what it might have been would be welcome

EDIT - forgot to mention that from Cown Edge overlooking the quarry we heard (but did not see) both cuckoo and tawny owl

-- Edited by Julian Winstanley on Thursday 25th of May 2017 08:58:51 AM

John Rayner · Status: Offline

23rd May: The best bits.

Spotted Flycatcher 1
Willow Warbler 5
Chiffchaff 2
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 1
Stock Dove 2
Reed Bunting 5
Golden Plover 10

Cheers John

Julian Winstanley · Status: Offline

Called in this morning to look for the ring ouzel on my cycle commute, circa 8am. No sign of anything at all in the field - in fact it was fairly quiet in general all the way over from Mill Brow right to Charlesworth. In addition to the corvids and small passerines, I only saw a handful of lapwings and a few gulls (black-headed in the main) and heard a couple of skylark. No sign of curlew at all

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

I was up this afternoon and noticed the ploughed field, what's left of the 'moorland' habitat is dwindling year after year. Considering this is the only moorland habitat in the borough it's a real shame.

I started at Larkhill and moved down Gird Ln heading for Cloughend, once I noticed the ploughed field though I didn't have the heart to go on so missed John's Oystercatcher.

Several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff around.
2 Buzzard
3 Mistle Thrush
8 Swallow
1 House Martin
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Great Spotted woodpecker
1 Blackcap
3 Redpoll
2 Linnet
1 Garden Warbler (this one down Gird Ln)

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

After seeing the Dotterel in with Golden Plovers near Danebower yesterday I thought I would check out our local flock, but after recent 3 figure counts of GPs I could only find low numbers today.

Golden Plover 7
Wheatears 5
Oystercatcher 1 (I think my first up here)
Garden Warbler 1
Whitethroat 1
Redpoll 4
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
Mixed corvids c150

A couple of items of bad news to report.

Another field of rough grass and scattered rush clumps has been ploughed in to make yet another sheep pasture. This was the field that held the large Wheatear flock earlier this year.

Gunshot from the fields above where the Ring Ouzels were caused c150 mixed corvids to take to the air. I could see the shooter in an orange/brown Land Rover type ,pick-up vehicle. Never saw a bird fall to the ground but an immature Lesser Black-backed Gull was fluttering helplessly in the sheep field. The guy got in his vehicle and attempted to dispatch it by driving over it. Missed first time and had to circle round to get it second attempt. Then drove off. Scum!

Cheers John