LUDWORTH MOOR

Stephen Fuentes · Status: Offline

RE: LUDWORTH MOOR

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Late post for Monday 21st, just in case people think we miss out on all the action. A hobby was over the quarry at c2.40 p.m. First noticed when 125 lapwing rose above the ridge in panic, an odd starling was within the flock and then the hobby was spotted in the midst of all this. It appeared to pick off a couple of insects, but then turned West and saw the flock of swallows I'd passed earlier (c30), and zoomed off towards them like an arrow. I agree with John that there could have been 3 whinchats, but I could never see them all at the same time.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

I was up there before lunch today.

There was a mixed party of chats below the quarry:
2 (possibly 3) Whinchats
5 Stonechats
4 Reed Buntings ( looked like a family party)
1 Raven

Cheers John

Stephen Fuentes · Status: Offline

A couple of hours in lovely sunshine this afternoon, 4pm - 6pm.

Sparrowhawk (April cottage)

Goldfinch 7

Around the quarry:

Kestrel

Stonechat 5

Reed Bunting 3

A tit flock by the pool contained Blue,Great,Coal,Long-tailed and a warbler sp.

In the top field with the pool above the quarry along Gun Road:

Whinchat (m) close views along the fence posts.

Lapwing 3

Moorhen 2

Canada Goose 5

Pied Wagtail

Along the path to the Picking Rods:

Meadow Pipits.

Nice to meet Andy Bissitt up there.

Cheers,

Steve.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Snipe 32
Skylark 7
Meadow Pipit 137 (all grounded)
Stonechat 5
Wheatear
Swallow 3

Cheers John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 20th of September 2020 02:02:34 PM

Ray Scally · Status: Offline

40 Species this morning, quiet on bird movement, highlights:
Lapwing - 108
Stock Dove - 2
Snipe - 1
Buzzard - 1
G S Wood - 1
Kestrel 2
Raven - 2
Swallow - 6
Chiffchaff - 3
Blackcap - 2
Mistle Thrush - 9
Stonechat - 4

John Rayner · Status: Offline

A small (silent) skein of 11 Pink-footed Geese flew E.
Stonechat 4
Whitethroat 1
Willow Warbler 4
Common Gull 13
Pied Wagtail 15
Buzzard 2
Starling 125-150

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Combined sightings today from Steve Collins, Mark Walsh and myself. Whinchat 2 Stonechat 6 Wheatear 1 Linnet - flock of c60 Raven 2 Pied Wagtail - flock of 15 Swift 2 Treecreeper Goldcrest Buzzard Kestrel 2 Swallow 7 Meadow Pipits - a handful.

Bill Beckwith · Status: Offline

Saw whinchats and wheatears at new place and pair of stonechats and one young at quarry.Also saw
two kestrels,a buzzard,jey,heron,chaffinch and meadow pipits and a heron.

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A similar list to John's on Saturday though the Whinchat's had moved up above Gun Farm (over the style along the PR path), no Stonechat though.

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Monday 31st of August 2020 02:14:18 PM

John Rayner · Status: Offline

It may be August but distinctly autumnal today at Ludworth. 7 Ravens were notable (A pair followed by flock of 5) The chat flock is still near the quarry. Whinchat (ad +juv), Stonechat (m, f, 3 juvs) plus the attendant Whitethroat. Another Stonechat along Picking Rods path. Blackcap and Willow Warblers calling. Reed Buntings (2) Kestrels (fem + juv) c50 Meadow Pipits c200 Starlings Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Couple of hours before the rain came (then got soaked)

Whinchat family of at least 4 below quarry (1 adult and 3 f/imm types)
Stonechat family of 6 (m, f, 4 juvs)
Whitethroat family (adult and at least 1 juv. Probably more)

All the above difficult to count as mixed together at times.

Redstart male opp. April Cottage
A few Mipits
Buzzard
Willow Warbler in full song
Reed Bunting
65 Rooks flock.

Cheers, John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

2 Hours in the Sunshine from 10:30 onwards,

73 Rook in one foraging flock
13 Goldfinch
11 Meadow Pipit
7 Swallow
6 Willow Warbler
6 Stonechat in the braken (1m, 1f and then 4 Juvenile in the same view, I'm quite certain there are more than 4 though)
3 Chiffchaff
2 Whitethorat
Singles of Kestrel, Goldcrest and Restart.

Cheers

Mark

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Early morning visit from 6:30 - 9am concentrating around Cloughend, the quarry and Picking Rods path.

Lots of Willow Warbler in song with more moving through the Cloughend - Hillside valley in small feeding parties, the odd Chiffchaff as well.
A small flock of about 25 Meadow Pipit in the Derbyshire Pool field alongside Gun Road.
23 Rook in teh same field.
6 Curlew again in the same vicinity.
5 Redpoll, best number I've seen for a while normally it's just 1 overhead.
2 Raven
2 Buzzard
A few small finch flocks around Cloughend Bungalow and April Cottage.

Cheers

Mark

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Not a bad morning really. Plenty of family parties or juveniles around. Highlights were a 2nd brood of Stonechats and a fem/imm Redstart. Hard to count the Stonechats as they were mixed up with a family of Whitethroats, all hiding in bracken. I think male, female and 2-3 juvs. Linnet family party of 4. Lots of Willow Warblers some still singing. Swallow flock of c20. Redpolls calling overhead. F/imm Redstart in April Cottage garden. Young Buzzard begging food. Meadow Pipit 24. Rook single flock of 54. Cheers John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Saturday 1st of August 2020 05:01:01 PM

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A quiet but worthwhile midday walk with lesser whitethroat near the quarry pool and Juvenile Redstart opposite April cottage.

Cheers

Mark

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Mark Walsh wrote:
A bit of a different walk than usual today, parked up near Larkhill and headed down Gird Lane - Lakeside - Chatterton lane - Moorfield Arms (or what used to be) - Pistol Farm - over the fields behind Gun farm - PR Path - Quarry and back.

Very glad I did as I had a rather memorable encounter with a Marsh Harrier. Crossed the Stile into the boggy rushy field behind Gun Farm, walked up a slight raise and came almost eye level with the Harrier about 10-15 meters away as it flew away, eventually it turned so I got the cream crown. It flew just beyond the PR path in derbyshire eventually heading towards Cown edge, however it returned about 10 minutes later again hunting over the same field before heading over to Far Slack Farm.

The rest of the walk produced;

21 Meadow Pipit
9 Swallow
8 Swift
5 Whitethroat
2 Chiffchaff, Kestrel and Skylark
and singles of Blackcap, Buzzard, Snipe and Linnet.

Cheers

Mark

Met Mark on his way off-site. Didn't see the harrier, but did find a RED KITE in virtually the same spot (over Cown Edge). It circled on the thermals, gained height, and flew almost overhead on the Picking Rods path - not quite in Greater Manchester, but it was heading in the right direction!

Best of rest:- a flock of 9 curlew was the most I remember seeing up here for 25+ years. The pair of stonechats was back at the quarry, 2 lesser redpoll, and raven heard (prob 3 seen). Better than for some time up here.

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A bit of a different walk than usual today, parked up near Larkhill and headed down Gird Lane - Lakeside - Chatterton lane - Moorfield Arms (or what used to be) - Pistol Farm - over the fields behind Gun farm - PR Path - Quarry and back.

Very glad I did as I had a rather memorable encounter with a Marsh Harrier. Crossed the Stile into the boggy rushy field behind Gun Farm, walked up a slight raise and came almost eye level with the Harrier about 10-15 meters away as it flew away, eventually it turned so I got the cream crown. It flew just beyond the PR path in derbyshire eventually heading towards Cown edge, however it returned about 10 minutes later again hunting over the same field before heading over to Far Slack Farm.

The rest of the walk produced;

21 Meadow Pipit
9 Swallow
8 Swift
5 Whitethroat
2 Chiffchaff, Kestrel and Skylark
and singles of Blackcap, Buzzard, Snipe and Linnet.

Cheers

Mark

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

2 Hours from Larkhill - Hillside - PR - Quarry and back.

I'd not seen the Golden Plover flock recently so it was nice to find a small flock of 11 between Gun Farm and Far Bradshaw, besdies that;

82 Starling
48 Lapwing
10 Goldfinch
9 Swift
5 Curlew
5 Green Finch
4 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaff
3 Swallow
2 Chaffinch
2 Meadow Pipit
Single's of - Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Skylark and Whitethroat

Cheers

Mark

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Mid-morning walk from Larkhill - Cloughend - Kennels - Quarry and back.

54 Lapwing with 17 Starling mixed in
11 Swallow
8 Swift
5 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaff
3 Whitethroat
2 Grey Wagtail
2 Pied Wagtail
2 Buzzard
2 Stonechat
1 Male Redstart just past April Cottage
1 Garden Warler Just past Cloughend

Cheers

Mark

Geoff Walton · Status: Offline

2.30-3.30

Quick walk up the Picking Rods and back down the track to the Pond and back.

A Curlew took off from the pond and flew in front of me into our territory.

Heard a few Skylark and saw a Meadow Pipit on the ground, and heard others.

Also heard a Lapwing, but did not see any.

I noticed that the gate by the path to the pond/quarry has been "repaired"

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A late post for yesterday, parked up on Gun Road and mainly focused on the quarry area and Cloughend up to Hill Side.

About 30 Swift in grous of 5-10
Similar numbers of Swallow
14 Lapwigs
8 Skylark
6 Pied Wagtail
5 Meadow Pipit
5 Willow Warbler
4 Reed Bunting
1 Kestrel
1 Garden Warbler

Cheers

Mark

Tony Koziol · Status: Offline

First time visit today (6.45 to 10.15 am). Weather conditions very blustery S.W. wind with odd showers, occasionally heavy.

Very interesting area with various habitats. After reading lots of previous reviews we were really looking forward to visiting the area and we certainly were not disappointed.

We parked up on Gun Road and the first walk we did was towards Robin Hood's Picking Rods. We headed up towards Coombes Tor then back via Pistol Farm, up Gun Road, down to Cloughend, up Sandhill Lane and then back along Gun Road.

A total of 29 species sighted with the most notable being a Whimbrel with 3 Curlew and a single Snipe.

All in all a very productive morning in a great location.

David Wilkinson · Status: Offline

Hi John,

Thanks! I think the partridges were grey partridges - they flew over quite quickly. Yep, the ring ouzel was indeed near Coombes.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

I visited Ludworth again early this morning but this time with a camera.

A Garden Warbler was singing and the Grasshopper Warbler put on a show, no playback necessary. There are now a pair of Stonechats and they have not bred here for a few years now. Amazing what wildlife moves in when people move out.

Cheers, John

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A call in to Ludworth from about 10am yesterday gave most of the same species John had, however I chanced upon a Garden Warbler (opposite Hillside farm) as well as 2 Ravens up along the PR path. I could also hear Golden Plover locally but didn't actually locate them.

Worth mentioning that after messages to John R it appears I had a different Grasshopper Warbler, so there are most likely 2 about at the moment.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Hi Dave,
I often park on Gun Rd at the start of the track to the Picking Rods. As well as the bridle path towards the Picking Rods cross the road and try the footpath opposite which leads down by a small disused quarry and a brackish pool (both good areas). You eventually come out on Sandhill Lane at Cloughend Farm. Walk right uphill here along a productive area we have called Cloughend Valley. This leads up to Hillside Farm and beyond, to some kennels. This is the start of Gun Rd. Turn right at the kennels and you are back to your car. There are many footpaths you will see on an OS map but the area designated as the SBI (site of biological interest) is shown on the attached map.

Hope this helps, John.

David Pierce · Status: Offline

Is it on the west side of Gun Road towards Mill Brow that you see these things, John. I walked on the Picking Rods side a little later and a single wheatear was the only hoped for sighting though the large numbers of lapwings, skylarks and meadow pipits was nice.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

First car journey for 7 weeks and it had to be Ludworth Moor. Went early and only saw 1 runner so easily distanced.

Found a reeling Grasshopper Warbler,
lots of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs,
2 Blackcaps,
2 Whitethroats,
a stonking male Stonechat,
2 Linnets,
2 Swifts,
1 Curlew,
Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk
plus all the usual breeding species (Lapwings, Meadow Pipits, Reed Buntings etc)

Cheers John

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Hi David and welcome to the forum.

Ludworth Moor area is my local patch stomping ground but I can't get up there at the moment due to current driving restrictions.

Both Red-legged and Grey Partridges were recorded last year. Did you get enough on them to identify yours? I presume the Ring Ouzel was up near Coombes Rocks.

Cheers John

David Wilkinson · Status: Offline

Hi all,

New to the forum - hope you're all ok and look forward to contributing more. Ludworth Moor is very local to me so I've been lucky enough to be able to go up there for my permitted exercise.

On Saturday I spent a couple of hours or so along Sandhill Lane, round the quarry and up to Coombes Tor via the Picking Rods path. I was lucky enough to encounter the following of note:

Numerous skylarks

Curlews (heard but not seen)

Snipe

2 x Buzzards

Sparrowhawk

Kestrel

Blackcap

Pied wagtail

Linnet

Numerous lapwings

Ring ouzel

Pheasants (heard but not seen)

2 Partridges

Chiffchaff

White wagtail

Mandarin duck pair

Black headed gull

Julian Winstanley · Status: Offline

our daily exercise cycle ride takes us over Ludworth Moor and we always keep an eye out for anything worth spotting. no sign of Ring Ouzel as yet, but the highlight of todays ride was a white (leucistic?) pheasant on Sandhill Lane

Geoff Walton · Status: Offline

Sunday 22nd 3-4pm

Very quiet, but a few more cars

C15 Lapwing in the pool field

1 Curlew flying

That was all. saw nothing else, and heard nothing.

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

Just over an hour late morning.

1 Singing Chiffchaff
15 Starling
10 Lapwing
4 Pied Wagtail
3 each of Buzzard, Skylark and Goldcrest
2 Raven

I'm fairly certain there will have been more but it was fairly busy by Ludworth's usual standards.

Cheers

Mark

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

John Rayner wrote:
A decent couple of hours tramping round on my own and shunning company (sorry Mark). Best bits were:

c40 Meadow Pipits including a flock of 25
3 Stonechats. A lone male in the quarry and a pair near Far Bradshaw. The male here was in full song so hopefully they may stay to breed.
1 Wheatear male up Picking Rods track.
6 Skylarks
5 Curlews (minimum)
2 Little Owls. A scarce breeder round here so I would prefer not to disclose the location.
1 Chiffchaff calling near Cloughend.
28 Lapwings

Cheers John.

Afternoon edition: New birds or higher numbers seen than those above:-

1 raven, 30 fieldfare, 1 reed bunting male, c4 buzzards, 1 snipe. 72 lapwings when the two separate flocks came together. The most notable thing was the incredible silence, what with there being no wind at first. Unfortunately that also applied to birdsong, but it was the middle of p.m.

-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Thursday 19th of March 2020 08:59:56 PM

John Rayner · Status: Offline

A decent couple of hours tramping round on my own and shunning company (sorry Mark). Best bits were:

c40 Meadow Pipits including a flock of 25
3 Stonechats. A lone male in the quarry and a pair near Far Bradshaw. The male here was in full song so hopefully they may stay to breed.
1 Wheatear male up Picking Rods track.
6 Skylarks
5 Curlews (minimum)
2 Little Owls. A scarce breeder round here so I would prefer not to disclose the location.
1 Chiffchaff calling near Cloughend.
28 Lapwings

Cheers John.

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

A wander round the Picking Rod, Quarry and Cloughend area with John Rayner, decent numbers about;

80+ Lapwings
150 Starling in several flocks
3 Golden plover in amongst the main Lapwing/Starling flock
3 Snipe over along the PR path
15+ Skylark with a good number in song
Several Meadow Pipit with one 'parachuting'
7 Reed Bunting
At least 4 Buzzard in 2 pairs
2 Stonechat (1 male and 1 female) in the area below the quarry
Singles of Raven, Curlew and Kestrel

Cheers

Mark

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Saturday 14th of March 2020 03:32:42 PM

Geoff Walton · Status: Offline

A bit damp underfoot this morning.

3 songthrush

2 fieldfare

C43 lapwing in field opposite the Picking Rods, so enemy territory, but nice to see. A few more in the pond field, again not our patch

2 or 3 skylarks singing

2 robins

Heard a curlew calling which was nice and hopeful for the future

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

I know other site regulars visited today and saw more than I did this afternoon, which was not that much really. Did manage one tree sparrow at Larkhill, my first of the year. There was a smattering of winter thrushes in a mixed flock, c40 lapwings + 5 or 6 pairs in possible breeding habitat; 1 skylark sang. The most striking sighting was of 7-8 buzzards in close proximity over Picking Rods path, with max of 6 in Grt. M/c at one time. Hoping for plenty more action soon.

Mark Walsh · Status: Offline

An afternoon visit 14:30 - 16:15, had to make the most of the good weather after the past few weeks. This makes the third visit in as many days.

c130 Starling (flocks of 80, 20 and 30)
36 Goldfinch
14 Fieldfare
8 Greenfinch
8 Snipe
7 Redwing
3 Lapwing
2 Goldcrest
Single's of Cormorant, Kestrel, Bullfinch, Meadow Pipit

Yesterday's visit (partly with John Rayner) added 2 Raven with Friday's visit adding a single Curlew.

Cheers

Mark

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Sunday 23rd of February 2020 04:40:49 PM

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Blowing the cobwebs away, and avoiding being squashed by falling trees led to me being up here! Plenty of birds to see, the 'drawback' being they were nearly all corvids. c500 birds were mostly jackdaws, but included 40 rooks, the most I've seen for some time. Some small sign of Spring in the sighting of 4 golden plover in breeding plumage, and c50 meadow pipits. Also - male bullfinch, 2 buzzards, fem. kestrel, sparrowhawk best of the rest.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Pair of Stonechats below quarry
1 Roosting Tawny Owl
Fieldfare 52
Redwing 58
Collared Dove 3
Coal Tit 1
Goldcrest 1
Buzzard 1

Cheers John

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

a.m.

Weather made for a great atmosphere; bright, mild, calm. Not quite Winter though. Best of birds seen in 2+ hours:-

Pair of Stonechats, good number of Winter thrushes - certainly 200+ with definite count of 190 birds when they were grounded in a field; c75% fieldfare, at least 4 ravens, 24 lapwings, c125 pink-footed geese were to the far South going SE, kestrel, sparrowhawk, only singles of meadow pipit and reed bunting. Not too bad I suppose.

-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Sunday 29th of December 2019 09:53:57 PM

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Not really the 'moor' area. Circuit from the Glossop Rd lay-by, along the road north (with a slight detour into Ernocroft Wood), up Benches Lane via Ernocroft Ln to Sandhill Ln and back to the lay-by. Pretty ordinary really; siskin was heard in the woods, a buzzard was over Ernocroft with a kestrel in the same area. A flock of 50 fieldfare flew south down the Etherow Valley. A party of redwings (c15) were at the start of Benches Ln, but the rest of that part of the walk was poor (just a few more fieldfare, song thrush). In the distance to the east, a flock of 14 golden plover was spotted. There was nothing special on the Brown Low feeders (a lot of greenfinches though), and activity above was negligible until 3.20 when a straggling band of c300 pink-footed geese arrived over the area going East. At least this provided the sort of Winter experience I had been hoping for.

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Picture quiz time. I saw this small flock of birds at some height this morning and took a photo thinking that they were probably gulls (due to how white they appeared, compact in size and silent). Having used a magnifying glass on the image shown on my camera, I was able to see that they were geese. Is anyone out there so expert as to be able to secure an i.d. from this pretty poor, blown-up image? Note that these geese were on exactly the same flight path as the earlier pink-footed Geese I saw.

Also this a.m. Still lots of fieldfare (300+), largest flock 185 (counted from photo). c20 redwings, 15 siskin at the plantation (with perhaps a redpoll or two), a skein of pink-footed geese went over at 9.43 (WNW) numbering 160 (from another photo). Other 'stuff' included kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, tawny owl hooting continually, c30 goldfinch.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 29th of October 2019 09:35:07 PM

John Rayner · Status: Offline

10.15 - 11.45:

2 skeins of Pink-footed Geese. 153 SE @ 10.00 & 221 SE @ 10.55
Large numbers of Fieldfare. Largest flock c220 but totals probably around 500
Redwing c30
Greenfinch c20
Lapwing 2
Teal 1

Singles of Kestrel, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Jay + the usual common species.

Cheers John

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 29th of October 2019 09:35:59 PM

Steve Collins · Status: Offline

Nice to get out with no rain, 12.00 - 3.00pm. Very enjoyable walk round.
Hillside Farm-April Cottage-Cloughend-Quarry- Picking Stones-Cloughend-Hillside Farm.
Notable birds:

Wheatear 1
Lesser Redpoll 3
Bullfinch 3
Goldcrest 1
Reed Bunting 1
Linnet 6
Jay 3
Kestrel 2
Buzzard 1
Meadow Pipit 12
Goldfinch 10
Chaffinch 4

Looked for the Ring Ouzel but no luck.
Cheers
Steve

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Nothing doing on the firecrest/ring ouzel front in the p.m. (just more rain than in a.m.). Only thing of any note was starling flock of c225. Seeing a butterfly was perhaps more surprising!

John Rayner · Status: Offline

09.00-11.45: A circuit around Hillside Fm-April Cottage-Cloughend-LakesideFm-Smithy Fm-Cloughend-Hillside Fm

A morning attempt to relocate the Firecrest found yesterday by Paul Greenall. Three of us brave the rain (John Ireland, Andrew Emmerson and myself).
No Firecrest for us but did locate a number of roving tit flocks and probably saw a minimum 40 Long-tailed Tits in flocks that included many Blue Tits and fewer Great and Coal Tits.
Other birds carried by these flocks were up to 4 Chiffchaffs and 3 Goldcrests.

Best of the rest:

Ring Ouzel (a fine male)
Redwings 55
Bullfinch 2
Redpoll

Total of 41 Species

Cheers John

Photos courtesy of Andrew.

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

Birdwatching might be depressing at times these days, but at least it gets you out of the house and stops you from going mad.

This p.m. after rain stopped.

1 male stonechat; 1 chiffchaff; 2 raven; 2 kestrel, 1+ buzzard, 2+ reed buntings, c12 redwings feeding on rowans, 4/5 mistle thrush; great spotted woodpecker, 30+ finches about 60/40 spilt gold/green, 1 redpoll, skylark (h), 20+ meadow pipits. Still feel that there is more to come.