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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD SIGHTINGS -> Holcombe Moor and environs
Post Info TOPIC: Holcombe Moor and environs
Keith Mills


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Holcombe Moor and environs
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Yesterday afternoon:
Very hot, and thousands of ants on Moorbottom Road,including many flying ( Queen) ants which adhered to
my skin!
Very quiet bird wise:

Linnets ...3 on the gorse
Carrion Crows....12
Kestrel...2
Juv. Wheatear....1
Wren...1
Magpies and Woodpigeon

Some noisy mechanised sheep herding going on, could have explained the lack of bird activity.


-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 11th of August 2012 12:22:10 PM

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rob archer


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Plenty of juv birds around the Ranges yesterday afternoon. 28/6/2012
Green Woodpecker 1 juv
2 pairs of Wheatear both with fledged young
Stonechats with 2 juv ( 2nd brood)
Min of 10 juv Kestrel fledged.
Whitethroat feeding young by the Barracks
2 Grey Partridge by the Cairn on Harcles Hill was unusual

( Also a Common Scotor and a single Common Tern on Wayoh Res Lancs)
Rob Archer

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rob archer


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Cuckoo around the Ranges/Redisher Wood area the last couple of days. Still there this morning.

Rob Archer

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Ian Boote


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quite a few willow warbler and an odd blackcap at the bottom of holcombe hill
Quite a few Wheatear, Skylark, Meadow Pipit with live food.
Swift Swallow House Martin
one Green Woodpecker two Curlew one on the tops
Heard one Stonechat

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Simon Johnson


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evening walk not many bird about - cold and windy

2 Red Grouse flew over red brook
3 Wheatear all females and all on the top - none along moor bottom Road
Rook
several Skylark and Meadow pipit
5 Willow Warbler
Whitethroat

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Melanie Beckford


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Along Moor Bottom Road, with my class tonight, 7-9pm.

Many Linnet,Skylark and Meadow Pipits. One pair of Wheatear,Stockdove, Swallows, some feeding some going North.
Wonderful ,prolonged, close views of a male Green Woodpecker feeding
Second Green Woodpecker, seen lower down in the valley being 'seen off' by a Crow.

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Simon Johnson


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Afternoon

A Cracking male Merlin flew NW up the valley and off over the tops
2 Raven
26 Wheatear
2 Stonechat
6 Redpoll including display flight
14 Fieldfare
11 Swift
House Martin
30+ Willow Warbler
6 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
2 Green Woodpecker
Stock Dove

Also found my first ever long tailed tit nest

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Ian Boote


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trip to see the ring ouzels but sadly at red brook was a group of trial motorbikes on which one heavy headed character tried to repeatedly drive the thing vertically up the hill until he dropped off much to the mirth of his pals.

Some other bits along moor bottom rd holcombbe hill 2f 3/4M Stonechats 10 wheatear lots of meadow pipit skylark fly over buzzard 3 green woodpecker pheasant. Good views of Mottram Church Joderal Bank, Bickerton Hill, Fidlers ferry Liverpool Cathederals, and Welsh Mountains

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Sunday 15th of April 2012 07:24:51 PM

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rob archer


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3 Ring Ouzel above the Ranges this am..2 above Paddys Pond and one on the Red Brook boulder field....12 Wheatear also..

Rob Archer

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Ian Boote


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Reddisher Woods
Two Chiffchaff, One Blackcap, Sparrowhawk, Several Great Spotted Woodpecker Nuthatch
Moor Bottom Road
Two Green Woodpecker, Pheasant, Wheatear, Skylarks - loads, Meadow Pipits, Curlew, Raven,
Bull Hill to Trig Point Down Red Brook then over to Lark View
Two Red Grouse, Skylarks - loads Curlew Low Flying Mallard

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Simon Ladds


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Lovely afternoon walk

2 Wheatear
Skylarks - lots
Meadow Pipits - lots
Kestrel
Buzzard - 1st one up here in a long time that I have seen
Green Woodpecker - first sighting this year despite so many calls!!
2 Stonechat
The mythical White pheasant made an appearance on Moor Bottom Road too!!

-- Edited by Simon Ladds on Thursday 29th of March 2012 05:00:18 PM

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Keith Mills


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Noon today, until 2.30pm, with John Parkinson.
Moorbottom Road

Little OWL.....1...... Superb view.
Stonechat... a pair.... close views.
Chiffchaff....1
Male Wheatear ...1
Kestrel...pair
Skylark...2
Meadow Pipits....4

John had arrived earlier than me, when there had been more activity.
In addition to the above he had:

10 Wheatear
6 Stonechat
Green Woodpecker/Linnets

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Ian Boote


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Moor Bottom Rd round Bull Hill back along Moor Bottom Rd.
2 Male Wheatear, lots and lots of skylarks and scores of meadow pipits displaying, curlew, stonechat male, Peregrine falcon, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, pheasant, nuthatch, raven, kestrel, and pied wagtail.

and a burnt land cruiser dumped in the middle of the moor

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Sunday 25th of March 2012 08:56:59 PM

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Sunday 25th of March 2012 08:59:10 PM

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Simon Johnson


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Early morning ramble - mainly on the moor

3 male Wheatear
Male Stonechat
3 Green Woodpeckers
80+ Skylark - singing from all over
2 Curlew
Raven
Peregrine
2 Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
4 Reed Bunting

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Ian Boote


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Moor Bottom Rd- Pilgrims Cross north across the moor and back to the tower
Green Woodpecker
2 male stonechat
curlew
kestrel
lots of skylarks and meadow pipits
flushed 2 Red Grouse

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Monday 19th of March 2012 04:12:53 PM

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Ian Boote


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4 Greenwoodpecker, one at the bottom of the valley, two calling out to each other mid valley and one rifle range
Quite a few Curlew
lots of singing skylarks
two flocks of meadow pipits
one male stonechat
one nuthatch and great spotted woodpecker woods
pheasant

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 12th of March 2012 03:40:04 PM

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rob archer


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Its on the MOD land but public footpaths run through it and its a great area for walking and birds.... As long as the flags are not flying !!
Rob

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frank wood


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Thanks Rob. You can't beat local knowledge. From looking at the map, it appears there's no problem getting to it - or is it private?

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F Wood
rob archer


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Hi Frank,
Re your post on Paddys Pond it is marked on the OS at 767171. (Pond Bay)
It was named after Colonel Panton OBE 1st Battalion Queens Regt who was once CO at the Ranges during his time in the Forces.. He was a top man and lover of all things green and outdoors and apparantly spent much of his time by the pond
Rob Archer

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frank wood


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I've seen it mentioned before, Rob, but where is Paddy's Pond? It's not marked on any OS map, so presumably it's a local name or somewhere where Val Doonican grazes his goat.

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F Wood
Keith Holland


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Short eared owl hunting off Watling street, Affetside, at 4pm

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Ian McKerchar


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Originally posted today by Keith Holland:

Short eared owl hunting in fields off Turton Road 7.15am

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rob archer


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Last light walk over to check the Stonechats were hanging on ok.. Pair still present in same loc .. Green Woodpecker near Paddys Pond..

Rob Archer

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Simon Ladds


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Evening walk as the sunset today, great view of the Little Owl at the small quarry. Alas did not get to see the Short Eared Owl. Heard yaffling of Green Woodpecker over Reddisher Woods.

-- Edited by Simon Ladds on Wednesday 18th of January 2012 05:45:54 PM

-- Edited by Simon Ladds on Wednesday 18th of January 2012 05:46:14 PM

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rob archer


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Afternoon walk over saw the Red Brook Stonechats still in situ and a Short Eared Owl below Harcles Hill..

Rob Archer

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Simon Johnson


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2 Raven only birds of note in fact only birds seen!

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Ian Boote


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very windy

Raven, 2 Stonechats, Heard Greater Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch Reddisher wood

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Keith Holland


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Over 100 fieldfare in various flocks of between 5 and 50 in the valley off Moorbottom road plus 4 kestrel.

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Keith Holland


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10 - 11.30am. Flock of 70+ Feildfare foraging in hawthorn bushes and on the ground in the field between Moorbottom Road and Saplin wood. Plus a single Ring Ouzel seen twice in the group. 2 Stonechat in on the slopes above.

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Keith Holland


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8am. Flock of 12 fieldfare in hawthorn bush off Ramsbottom road Hawkshaw plus a 2nd flock of around 30 flying towards Affetside.

4.30pm. Flock of 80+ lapwing flying from jumbles towards Affetside

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Ian Whittaker


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11.30 am - 2.00 pm

Walk along Moor Bottom Rd and up the valley.

3 Flocks of Fieldfare (30ish each) travelling up the valley from the rifle range (S to N)

5 buzzards in the air together over the ridge looking to the west. Trailed off one by one eastwards over Holcombe Moor.

Two pairs (m/f) of stonechats quite confident and close to Moor Bottom Road

At least 4 kestrels hunting (successfully) and two sparrowhawks. Spectacular aerial display at one point involving sparrowhawk, kestrel and mobbing crows

Several meadow pipits along the way


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Simon Johnson


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7.30 - 11.30am

Had a go at migration watching from peel tower

Picked up a large skein of distant ducks to my south they were heading west towards winter hill, managed to get the winter hill watchers onto them and they turned out to be Pintail and about 80 in total!!

also
Hen Harrier - ringtail picked up coming over the valley above Ramsbottom went SW and also picked up at winter hill

Ring Ouzel 2 (1 sw at 8.35 and a Male south 10.06)

Woodpigeon 960 sw
Stock Dove sw
Skylark 32 sw
Meadow Pipit 140 sw
Fieldfare 186 sw
Redwing 117 sw
Chaffinch 40 sw
Starling 100 nw
Jackdaw 121 sw


-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Saturday 15th of October 2011 03:17:38 PM

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rob archer


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Fine afternoon for Birds of Prey over the ranges;
2 Juv Peregrine together
8 Buzzards in the air together across towards Quarlton
3 Sparrowhawk
4 Kestrel
2 Little Owl, Harcles Quarry
1 Raven

Rob Archer

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Ian McKerchar


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Originally posted by Mike Horwood today:

inbetween showers 1100 1500 , 50+ mipits 2 stone chat, 6 wheatear, 2 whinchat on footpath below moor bottom road and just above army training ground, not seen anyhere for 15 yrs , green woody, many swallows,10+ house martins, crow with reddish ( !!!) bill

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Simon Johnson


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A very early start on a day spent birding in the Bury Borough.

The moors were quiet to start but picked up as it got warmer

Fem/imm Merlin flew off the moor at peel tower SW
Kestrel 7
Sparrowhawk 3
Peregrine
Buzzard
Tawny owl - paddy's pond
Raven 3

2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel and a Raven were playing about by Peel tower when the Merlin came bombing over chase for a while by the Kestrels it circled round before powering off.

Redstart Male and Female in the minature pony field
Stonechat 3 ad male and 2 just fledged juv red brook
Wheatear 3
Siskin 3 - saplin wood
Goldrest 2 paddys pond
Skylark 2
Meadow Pipit 150+
Goldfinch 15
Green Woodpecker 2

Vis Mig included
Cormorant flock of 6 SE
House Martin 24 SE
Meadow Pipit 15 E
Swallow 211 mainly E SE

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Ivan Ellison


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rob archer wrote:

Ivan,
Stonechats have bred successfully this year in the Holcombe area up near Red Brook . There were at least 2 juv fledged about a month or so up there and the birds are still in the same area ( On a second brood I would imagine)
The same goes for Wheatear up there.. 3 pairs have bred that I know of, of which only one pair are still in the area feeding young (As of yesterday). Another 2 pairs have nested further along Moorbottom Road into Lancs.
The only other GM Stonechats I know of this year were up by Ashworth Moor Res and also in the Naden Valley. Both have nested successfully.

Rob Archer



Cheers Rob, thats good news. I didn't walk as far as that.



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rob archer


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Ivan,
Stonechats have bred successfully this year in the Holcombe area up near Red Brook . There were at least 2 juv fledged about a month or so up there and the birds are still in the same area ( On a second brood I would imagine)
The same goes for Wheatear up there.. 3 pairs have bred that I know of, of which only one pair are still in the area feeding young (As of yesterday). Another 2 pairs have nested further along Moorbottom Road into Lancs.
The only other GM Stonechats I know of this year were up by Ashworth Moor Res and also in the Naden Valley. Both have nested successfully.

Rob Archer



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Ivan Ellison


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Steve Suttill wrote:

Following the last couple of winters, it seems to be bad for Stonechats, fullstop

Haven't seen one all year and I've visited about 10 former breeding sites over in the east of the county. I don't think I saw any last year either.

It's not just round here either. They've disappeared from the place I always go for a holiday on the west coast of Scotland and, being down at sea level, their winters haven't been as cold.

I'm afraid the Stonechat map on the new atlas won't give the full picture and will need some explanatory notes!

Steve



Thanks Steve for this

-- Edited by Ivan Ellison on Tuesday 12th of July 2011 11:08:13 PM

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Steve Suttill


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Following the last couple of winters, it seems to be bad for Stonechats, fullstop

Haven't seen one all year and I've visited about 10 former breeding sites over in the east of the county. I don't think I saw any last year either.

It's not just round here either. They've disappeared from the place I always go for a holiday on the west coast of Scotland and, being down at sea level, their winters haven't been as cold.

I'm afraid the Stonechat map on the new atlas won't give the full picture and will need some explanatory notes!

Steve

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Ivan Ellison


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A couple of hours there this afternoon looking for Stonechats and Wheatears. Didn't see any Stonechats but got a couple of Juv Wheatears on one of the walls, Has it been a bad year for Stonechats breeding in the area.

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rob archer


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Walked over..0530 till 1130..Saw the following of note;
c20 Blackcap through the day
many Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
4 Grasshopper Warbler
2 Whitethroat
1 Garden Warbler
2 Green Woodpecker
2 Curlew on the Ranges with 3 juv
f Sparrowhawk
Lesser Redpoll
m Stonechat
m f Wheatear
Dipper
Spotted Flycatcher on the way home in Lancs

Rob Archer



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marco villa


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went there yesterday afternoon from 4:00 pm till 6:30 pm
2 stone chat (J)
1 little owl near red brook gully
7 wheatear
10 meadow pippit
2 green woodpecker
1 curlew
3 skylarks heard more singing though
1 kesterel
and 1 linnet

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rob archer


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Walked over..0500 till 0930..Saw the following;
Dipper high near Red Brook Gully.
2 Green Woodpecker
c20 Lesser Redpoll
6 Linnet
2 Whitethroat
2 Garden Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
Many Willow Warbler and Blackcap
Cuckoo flying between Ranges/Sapllin Wood.
2 Grey Heron

Rob Archer

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Dennis atherton


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a walk along down from the firing range today were 2 green woodpeckers and 1 little owl, lots of wheatears and meadow pipits, skylarks, 2 peregrines together, 1 calling golden plover, 1 curlew, 1 stonechat, male, though i agree with previous posts there are not many stonechats about recently, cry.gif

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Ian McKerchar


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Originally posted today for Holcombe village by Mike Horwood :

Garden Warbler at old road end of village very visable and a long song in the rain at 15- 30

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Simon Johnson


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Lunch time walk

Male Redstart in gardens off Holcombe Old road
Garden Warbler 2 - bottom Saplin wood
Blackcap - several
Chiffchaff 5
Jay 2
Starling - several squadrons flying up valley to feed - over 100 birds
Kestrel
Spahawk
Wheatear 6
Green Woodpecker 2
GSW 2
Linnet 15 - single flock flew over
Redpoll

No sign of any Kite

-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Monday 2nd of May 2011 02:43:55 PM

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Adrian Dancy


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Another visit yesterday...sadly no ring ouzel. Plenty of Wheatear.

A song thrush taking food to the nest in the morning was seen feeding a chick in the evening on the slope of the hill.

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Adrian Dancy


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Thanks for that Keith

I visited Holcombe Moor today...it's a two buses and tram trip for me plus a long walk lugging gear around.

I only stuck to the main path and got:-

4 Wheatear
4 Ring ouzel
1 Green woodpecker that flew over my head twice
Oddly a tawny owl calling from the wood below at about 1500hrs
1 Kestrel
Plenty of meadow pipits ..not counted
1 Sky lark
1 Curlew calling
Usual corvids
4 Mistle thrush
2 willow warbler

I heard the ring ouzel at the top of the hill and for me going straight up is a hard climb. I managed a shot so I will just have to see how it has turned out. Returned exhausted.



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Keith Mills


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Adrian Dancy wrote:

It seems from recent posts we are without stonechats.




I have not seen one this year and I know that I am not alone over this, as we have been discussing Stonechats in our group. Although a few have been posted they are just not at the usual places.
It was the same story in Norfolk when we visited in March.
Barn Owl deaths last winter have been in the news,but I think that the point you make is correct and Stonechats have been effected too.


-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 24th of April 2011 04:12:49 PM

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Mark Connaughton


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Walk this evening 5-7pm quite windy

1 Ring Ouzel m
2 Kestrel
10+Wheatears
3 Linnet
2 Green woodpecker
Tons of Mipits
3 Swallow

Ouzel flew out of the area behind the sheep pens where they were last year and went up onto the side of the hill. No Stonechats tonight but there's at least a pair right at the bottom end of the valley in the firing range if not 2.

Thanks



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