Saturday 11th July 2015, 4.30pm

Moss Lane. 20 minutes early for a staff member's do at the nearby "leisure" park, so rather than hang around a plastic bar, I decided to wander around an area I haven't visited since before the motorway was built. Still some good habitat here, despite the "progress" all around.

2 Blackcap singing
1 Whitethroat singing, plus 2 begging juveniles
1 Reed Bunting singing
20+ Swallows
2 House Martins
12+ Linnet, including begging juveniles - didn't expect to return home with a breeding code when I left the house

-- Edited by David Walsh on Saturday 11th of July 2015 11:58:51 PM

22/6/2015

4 cygnets were back with the adults, sitting on the grass next to the hard standing by the usual pond at noon today.

Hi Karen,
all 4 mute swan cygnets were there yesterday (Saturday, 2pm) on bank near road opposite the car park.
There was a bloke waiting there, presumably for a lift, who gave me odd look when I checked on swans.

I'll try & check on them tomorrow. They were far to young to have left naturally.

Pm quite blustery

The Mute Swans now have four cygnets

One young Coot seen with single adult and Willow Warbler singing

Late morning today

Mute Swan, 5 cygnets visible with the pen, although I believe there were/are 8. The cob was spending his time seeing off Canada Geese
3 adult Coot, 2 Coot chicks seen also (3 on Friday)
Grey Heron
Blackcap singing and showed well although briefly
Willow Warbler singing
2 Swallow
Skylark singing

Little Grebe present this afternoon
Also seen from the tram today
Mute Swan
Moorhen
Coot
3 Mallard

Webs count 10.40-10.50am
2 mute swans
4 mallard
4 moorhen
3 coot
2 tufted ducks
2 black headed gulls

plus great tit, magpie and a skylark singing

This afternoon

3 Tufted Duck (2 drake)
2 Mute Swan
2 Coot
20 Black-headed Gull
Mallard
Moorhen

14.10
2 mute swans (adult, no juvenile)- checked leg rings and they are our original pair
6 moorhen
7 mallard
2 coot
6 canada geese
plus black headed gulls (approx 20)

WEBS count 10.50-11.00am
2 mute swan (1 adult, 1 juvenile)
8 canada geese
5 moorhen
1 coot
7 mallard
40 black headed gulls

60% ice, 80% visability

Two Mute Swan only today, one adult and one juv
6 Canada Geese flew off towards Audenshaw
3 Coot
Moorhen
Mallard (drake)
Grey Heron flew over
A Song Thrush sang briefly when it had gone dark

Webs count 18/1/15 10.50-11.10 50% ice

2 adult, 3 juvenile mute swans
6 canada geese
1 coot
4 mallard
1 lapwing
46 black headed gulls

A drake Tufted Duck was present on the pool nearest the tram stop this afternoon.

10th Nov 2014 9.30am
Sheldon pool today had:
2 adult mute swans, 4 juveniles (2 juveniles gone hopefully fledged, others being shown how to take off by parent, lots of flapping up & down the pool!)
4 coot
3 moorhen
67 canada geese
3 mallard
6 black headed gulls
kestrel, female being mobbed by 3 magpies (had a proper fight and landed right in front of my car )




-- Edited by Rachael Hill on Monday 10th of November 2014 10:37:48 AM

10 Pied Wagtail on the Leisure Park roundabout this afternoon
1 Jay flew high towards Richmond Street
Up to 100 Starling present in small flocks

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Friday 19th of September 2014 07:27:20 PM

10 Sept

Brief visit at 2pm
2 adult and 6 juvenile Mute Swans on the large pond,
2 Common Buzzard circling, appeared to be taking flying insects,
1 Kestrel with prey item,
2 House Martin,
2 Meadow Pipit,
1 Skylark,
All except the swans were on or above the mound that used to be the moss.

Also a few blue type damselflies and a couple of distant dragonfly on the large pond.

1 Swift high over Ashton Moss this afternoon

This afternoon

2+ Juv Willow Warbler
Kestrel
8 Mute Swan
5 Mallard

Not much else around as there were three lads fishing at the pond


-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Friday 15th of August 2014 08:08:57 PM

All eight Mute Swans were on the bank of the main pond this afternoon.

Also seven Blackbirds were feeding by the Travelodge and two juvenile Pied Wagtails flew across the front of the tram.

Rachael Hill wrote:

---

Sat 28 June 2014

7 cygnets still present

-- Edited by Rachael Hill on Sunday 29th of June 2014 09:00:12 AM

---

Since Rachael last posted, one of the juvenile Mute Swans has disappeared.

This evening there were still eight Mute Swans (2 ad, 6 juv) present

All 7 cygnets present with both parents.
Grey Heron
15+ Mallard
Willow Warbler singing
2 Swallow
Skylark singing over the Moss

Two visits to the area today

Grey Heron flying over
2 House Martin near Travelodge
Reed Bunting singing
Willow Warbler, either one very mobile or two birds present
Kestrel hunting

The Mute Swan family was posing for photos

Generally fewer Warblers in the area than last year

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 31st of May 2014 07:59:13 PM

Okay Karen steal my idea....
Went tonight, 7 cygnets happily swimming but with a group of lads skimming stones over their heads.
After lynching them (and I knew them through my voluntary- they must think I'm totally bonkers now!) I tried re-educating them and hopefully they might keep an eye on them or at least leave them alone.

yesterday at 5pm

All 7 cygnets present and correct

Stupid couple allowing one of their dogs to harass the swans . Pen moved cygnets to centre of pool whilst the cob patrolled the water near the bank giving a metaphorical two fingers to the dog!

Coot family on Mockridge pool but no sign of Little Grebes this year.