Saddleworth Moor this morning in definitely wintry conditions (-1C and an eye-watering wind)

4 Golden Plover (all in GM this time) some calling and one actually singing!
about 20 Red Grouse

3 Canada Geese, 2 Crows and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over.

No Rough-legged Buzzards.

Juv rough legged buzzard hunting alongside the A635 above Crowthers farm near dovestones at 12.10pm

Juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard seen briefly at 1505hrs on Saddleworth Moor above Dovestones Reservoir with 2 Common Buzzard before heading back towards Holme Moss. Drove back along the A635 into West Yorkshire and picked up a Rough-legged Buzzard high up over the mast on Holme Moss.

Juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard flew over onto Saddleworth Moor in Greater Manchester at 1:50 today. Two juvenile birds are on nearby Holme Moss within Derbyshire and it was one of these birds which flew off into GM and is currently being looked for.

Info thanks to Mark Rigby

Oystercatcher on Dovestone res today. Same as last year early on, using the pontoons.
Cheers
Ken
Oh, forgot, weds pm, 4 Golden Plover on Wessenden, white moss/pennine way north area.............

-- Edited by Ken Gartside on Sunday 15th of February 2015 09:22:46 AM

Monday 9th February 2015, 7.45pm

Wool Road, Dobcross

Female Tawny Owl calling opposite The Navigation Inn

1.30 pm today. Redwing in the back garden of one of the houses on the road leading to the Pool and Leisure Centre in Uppermill.

First walk on Saddleworth Moor this year. Sprinkling of snow overnight and a bitterly-cold wind.

Half a dozen Red Grouse and a hunting Peregrine the only birds on the tops. On the drive up there I had to brake sharply as 4 Red-legged Partridges strolled across the road by Upperwood House. Kestrel hovering nearby. Usual Pheasants everywhere in vicinity of Binn Green.

Saturday 25th October 2014, 3.30pm

High Street, Uppermill

Dipper calling on River Tame, flew upstream under bridge
Grey Wagtail on river

Saturday 30th August 2014, 4.00pm

Male Merlin low over the A635 just over the county boundary

A completely knackering day up on t'moor.

My good lady dropped me off on the county border this morning to do a 3 hour breeding wader survey, which is nearly all just over the county border so I'll spare you the details. However a Golden Plover and its attendant Dunlin page did follow me back to the very edge of Greater Manchester

I then had to walk back home to Mossley . Walking across Little Moss there were a few more Golden Plover, Red Grouse, Skylark and Meadow Pipit. One of the latter flushed from my feet to reveal a nest with four eggs (new GPS activated to enable Nest Record Card to have accurate details!). Then the rain (and some hail) started!

Cutting back to the main road, a Dipper flew over my head - never seen one at this altitude before! And, as I passed Binn Green, a Cuckoo could be heard calling from the valley near Yeoman Hey and Dove Stone.

A hot bath and some Ibuprofen and I've just about recovered!

Wharmton Hill

16 Golden Plover flying around the surrounding fields

First Dunlin of the year back on t'moor this morning

Also, usual Golden Plover, Curlew, Red Grouse & Meadow Pipits, plus Kestrel.

Much quieter this morning, but it was literally freezing with some small patches of snow in sheltered spots.

Raven - 2 by the roadside
Golden Plover - just the one pair on the county boundary
Curlew - 1
Red Grouse - only 3 seen
Meadow Pipit - 2
Skylark - 1

Wouldn't normally be up on the moorland plateau at this time of year, but volunteers blocking drains up by Chew Resr last Monday reported 35-40 Golden Plovers.

Took a look at White Moss & Featherbed Moss, north of the Holmfirth road, after lunch today and spooked 5 Golden Plover on the Yorkshire side of the path. They conveniently flew into Greater Manchester briefly before settling back in Yorks.

Only other birds present were Red Grouse. Not surprising: 2 degrees C (without accounting for the wind chill) and some small patches of snow. Moor is the wettest I've ever seen it. If the volunteers block any more drains they'll need to raise the footpath by six inches!

5.30 this evening, seen on my way home from work

Barn Owl hunting within the central island on the M62.
(2 Owls in 2 days a Tawny Owl in Boothstown yesterday evening, like waiting for a bus wait for ages then 2 turn up.

Uppermill.

A nice plump Dipper heard singing, and then seen, from the bridge at Kenworthy Road.
It's a bit off my patch, but as I'll be working here for a few weeks, hopefully I'll get
a few more views.

50 House Martins passing over Swan Meadow Delph - 12 noon.
3 Grey Wagtails on River Tame in Delph (1 juvenile)

Two singing Dippers along the river in Uppermill this morning - one next to the park and another next to the playing fields towards Greenfield. Also two juvenile Grey Wagtails and a Lesser Redpoll flew over.

Even quieter this morning on the moors.

No Golden Plovers at all and just a couple of juvenile Dunlin. All in all, it seems to have been a good breeding season for most species up on the tops. Plenty of Red Grouse with big families (until mid August anyway!).

Saturday 29th June Midday

Garden Warbler at Dobcross same area as last year
2 Calling Chiffchaff
Good numbers of young Willow Warblers being feed by adults
Family paties of Wrens, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Robins



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 30th of June 2013 09:30:24 AM

Heights, Delph 5th May

Hobby seen flying past Heights Church at 1800 flying south - towards Dovestones

First Dunlin back on the moor this afternoon

Peat restoration team seem to have finished their work just in time.

Saddleworth Moor. Yesterday morning early. Little snow left.

c14 Golden Plover (6 in the county). Mostly paired up. More singing than last week - some display flights noted.
6 Meadow Pipit - also indulging in display flights.
Curlew heard only.
2 Raven flying low heading east.
Usual Red Grouse .