Up there this a.m. with Paul W & Peter J, Wheatears in double figures also many Meadow Pipits, Curlew over, 2 calling Green Woodpeckers, good views of Treecreeper nest building, Red Grouse but no Stonechat. Glad to read that Ian Boote saw them here today. Also did not see any Ring Ouzel Cheers Ian
walk up through redisher wood onto moor and back hrough rifle range Woods 2 GS Wodpecker Nuthatch and heard kestral Moor Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, several Curlew calling, Stonechat, 3 wheatear males singing working back Green wood pecker 2 pheasant No ousels seen so I'm envious of those that have in other areas
Another couple of hours spent up here this morning with Mark Ribgy looking for Ouzels but no joy here.
Little Owl 3 Green Woodpecker 3 Curlew 3 Fieldfare Linnet 10 Redpoll couple heard Wheatear Male and female Grey Partridge 2 Stock Dove 4 Treecreeper 2 Skylark at least 15 birds Kestrel
Simon's lodge, near shooting range 1130am today 2 Canada geese, pair mallard and pair goosander, most birds seen on lodge for ten years, hopefully this means no mink
lol steve! i actually thought about whether that was right or not and convinced myself it was the right way round - in my defense it was early this morning!:D
lots a lovely walks all with a chance of seeing birds. if you take the bridal path from holcombe old road (moor bottom road) but rather than climbing the hill towards the tower go out and along - there are lots of points you can either, turn off to go up onto the top of the hill, or on to pilgrims cross, or round the horseshoe towards edgeworth or drop down into reddisher woods.
often green woodpecker, linnets, stonechat, mipits even raven can be seen and you soon start to pick up little owls if you look carefully - it's been good for passing ring ouzels too...
I live very close to Holcombe Village and would like to get to bird this area alot more. Please could you recommend either a route or a walk which would take me to some of the better spots in the Holcombe moor/hill area. Many thanks.
Along Moor Bottom Moor Rd to Holcombe Head Farm Riuns Pheasant Carrion Crown Rook Kestral Curlew PiedWagtail Blue Great and Coal Tit Chaffinch Dunnocks etc very pleasant hour
3 Goldcrest at Moorbottom Road where first for the year in the Borough and that was about it just a single Meadow Pipit north was the only other bird seen. Think will wait to April till the next visit
myself and phil jennison walked out from holcombe village along the edge of the hill above the firing range and up onto pilgrims cross and bull hill back down harcles hill and around the back of the tower. sadly no snowbunting seen enroute.
chaffinch and goldfinch in village 1 little owl 4 kestrel 1 sparrowhawk 1 peregrine 2 stonechat 8 wren 10 meadow pipit 3 robin lots of magpie and carrion crow
Sadly it seems no Spotted Flycatchers have returned to Holcombe village this year, despite numerous visits none have been seen by either me or Peter Baron, unless anyone knows different. None seen at Barrow Bridge either.
4pm to 7pm myself and mel b - lovely clear warmish late afternoon, light to moderate winds
3 kestrels 3 stonechat (including 1 juv still heavily speckled) 6 meadow pipit a dozen or so crows 2 house martins over the top of the moor 15 or so swallows above the trees in the valley mel pulled a green woodpecker from a fleeting glimpse, we found it on a post further along. absolutely cracking views of a little owl sat on one of the broken down farm houses - didn't even need the bins as the 3 of us sat regarding each other.
Monday 7-10 pm with my birdwatching class headed by Peter Baron. A great warm evening and some lovely sightings,the first was a nesting Spotted F/Catcher,further up on the moor we watched one of three Kestrels hunt successfully.Others seen were Linnets,Stonechat,Meadow Pipit again we heard the Green W/pecker but no sightings same with the Curlew,we saw a very shy Grey Partridge who once realised it had been noticed crept off and hid. The Little Owl couldn't be seen at the begining of our walk or at the end,wasn't there on Sunday either A singing Wheatear made an appearance (L)....beautiful
l went up Holcombe today (3rd visit) and no sooner had l parked up,a Spotted Flycatcher flew into the garden l'd been told it would be...l had several clear views. Also heard a Cuckoo calling,according to a local it's not been around for three years!!!! well chuffed...
Went to Holcombe this evening from 7pm till 9 (ish), treated to some great views of a Little Owl,quite charming,also lots of Stonechats feeding their young,several sightings of Linnets (all lifers for me).A Green Woodpecker could be heard but not seen,l'll go back for the Spotted F/Catchers, cos l know they're there.....
The rifle range (MOD army, watch for red flags flying) is to the west of Holcombe Hill (tower) in valley reached by walking from Holcombe village on Moorbottom Road round south side of Holcombe Hill, a fair walk.
Hi Simon , just moved to the walmersley area of bury , so holcombe is on my doorstep.Was wondering were the rifle range is on Holcombe moor and also were you saw the redpolls.Any information would be much appreciated.Thanks
I'm pleased your efforts have been rewarded and its great that this species which I think normally passes through G.M in spring or autumn in ones or twos (if we are lucky!) has today been seen in separate parts of the area in good numbers by two different observers. My sighting of similar numbers at Piethorne this morning is certainly a record (in recent times anyway!) for the valley.
Had a good look around the rifle range and walked up the valley end with just the following, curlew, 4 stonechat, Green Woodpecker, 6 Redpoll, 6 Wheatear and Linnets. Then as I was half way back down the valley at least 6 RING OUZEL's appeared from nowhere flew past me up the valley side and carried on north towards the moors! persistance does pay off after all.
thats spooky I also visited Holcombe this afternoon, walking to the valley end of moorbottom rd, slighty wet under foot, and no ouzels anywhere to be seen. Best I could manage was 3 pairs of Wheatears and several stonechat.
no Ouzels last weekend either but had 2 Ravens and a Green Woodpecker on the Mod area.
Went up this a.m. with P Johnson looking for Ring Ouzel but no luck. Did see lots of Meadow Pipits, even more Carrion Crow, 4 Pheasant and a Kestrel. Surprisingly no Wheatear, they must all be at Elton!. Also heard singing 1 Willow Warbler. Cheers Ian --------------------------- Forgot the half dozen Curlew
-- Edited by Ian Campbell at 14:56, 2008-04-13
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 15th of May 2011 07:06:00 PM