C Goose c. 20 Lapwing 1 Goosander 1 M C Gull 2 (ad + imm) B hd Gull 27 P wagtail 1 Kestrel 1 Starling 8 --> S [Buckhurst Lodge - Mallard 7 pairs]
Tues 17/11 12:40 - 13;30 Cloudy/sunny spells, gusting S breeze Stonechat M + F/imm (E side wall by run off tower) Kestrel M Mallard 5M + 3F Goosander F C Gull 3 (ad + 2 imm) B hd Gull 28 P wagtail 2+
C Goose c. 30 Mallard 31 (good count for recent years) Goosander 13 F (I'm sure many more would have come in for a dusk roost) Goldeneye 2 F (first record for winter?) Cornmorant 1 (white belly) Lapwing c 30 Goldfinch 14 (4 ad) P Wagtail F + 1 R Buniting 3 + 2 + 2 Mipit 14 + 10 + 1's & 2's G Wagtail 1
Merlin (F) attacking a Lapwimg for c. 1 minute (it seemed with all the flips & somersaults) - the prey got away and the falcon soared off over the moor
All the birds were seen in the first 20 minutes and two hours later I was lucky enough to see the Merlin hunt ....... so the longer you are out looking the luckier you will be
Unless you go at the crack of dawn, or just before the sun sets then there is very little around during the day. Whilst like anywhere it can pull in some good stuff it is not somewhere for a day out, more a calling off stop between sites. Its worth a look in spring but a lot of the birds have moved out now.
If your wanting to come up towards Rochdale I would recommend, Piethorne, Watergrove or Hollingworth Lake - at least they have the commoner birds around during the day (still have not seen Robin or Blue Tit at AMR)
26 Mallard 25 Lapwing 200+ BH Gull 1 Common Gull 1 Kestrel 2 Meadow Pipit 14 Canada Goose 52 Goosander (i did'nt hang around to do a proper count so more will have turned up)
C Goose 34 Mallard 4 M (1 ecl) + 3 F P Wagtail 1 F B hd Gull 1 w.p. + 1 (1st w) Lapwing 110 Goosander 2F Kestrel 1F Starling 30 to West Mipits 1 & 2's to S & W (c. 20 while I was there)
P.S. Does any-one know why new fences are being errected above and below the Res and why a bulldozer is creating a new road ?
A local farmer is repairing a couple of roads/ bridal paths at the moment.
1 Barnacle Goose 73 Canada Goose 93 Goosander 18 Mallard 15 Meadow Pipit - N 1 Little Owl
Wildlife Sightings on the Wildlife Forum
Mike - the fences are to keep sheep in and the road i think you referring to is where they have been using heavy machinery at the tip next to the farm.
C Goose 34 Mallard 4 M (1 ecl) + 3 F P Wagtail 1 F B hd Gull 1 w.p. + 1 (1st w) Lapwing 110 Goosander 2F Kestrel 1F Starling 30 to West Mipits 1 & 2's to S & W (c. 20 while I was there)
P.S. Does any-one know why new fences are being errected above and below the Res and why a bulldozer is creating a new road ?
118 Goosander - highest number i have had in 4 years, wonder if the works at Elton has made this increase? Numbers usually peak late Sept/Early Oct so will be interesting to see what happens.
Oyk 1 C Goose c. 50 LBb Gull c. 50 B hd Gull 9 (ad) + 1 juv Mallard 2 + juv, Mallard + 4 tiny FL Goosander 2 F LRP 1(ad) + 1 juv Pheasant (H) Grasshopper Warbler (Heard reeling from South of Res)
Thurs 25/6 eve 19:30 - 20:45 Lovely sunny clear eve but cold E strong breeze
C Goose c. 40 LBbGull 20 on when arrived and at least another 30 drifted in and off Bhd Gull 25 all adults except 2 2nd Y birds all left in parties from 4 - 6 Mallard 2 F + FL Goosander 7 F Curlew 1+1+1 Kestrel 1 Swallow 3 Swift 3 + 2 Reed Bunting M(s)+M(s)+M(s)
G C Grebe 2 C Goose 43 + gosling Mallard pair + 1 FL Goosander 4 F when I arrived joined by 13 F later Oyk 2 Kestrel imm M Curlew 4 on res + several calling Pheasant L Bb Gull c. 60 in total 1's & 2's in c. 20 washing and then parties of 3 - 5 departing West constantly
Bhd Gull juvenile (first this summer - chocolate brown) begging to constantly calling adult - eventually regurgitating to feed young. Must have bred nearby???
C Goose 52 adults - no sign of gosling Mallard F with 3 tiny FL (another F + 2 M) G C Grebe 2 Curlew at least 7 seen with others calling Oyk 2 Whimbrel 1 heard from fields to East - couldn't find!! Kestrel F / imm M Lapwing c. 30 Bird-in-th' Fields Swift c. 30 eating the masses of midges!!! Goosander 9 F flew in late L Bb Gull c. 30 in and thro' B Hd Gull 1 ad Reed Bunting 4 singing Ms
Mike I do the BBS at Buckhurst which stretches over to Nangreaves. In fact I did it today. For the last three years, I think, I have had sand martins in that area, maybe up to half a dozen. I have had them on the edge of Harden Moor, mid Buckhurst and over a little farm pond on the Nangreaves side. I don't know which colony they come from. The Ashworth Moor birds probably eminate from this direction.
Fri eve 12/6 19:30 - 21:00 C Goose 22 + 1 gosling with another flock of 21 arriving later G C Grebe 2 (they're back) Goosander 13 F flew in late eve Oyk 1 (twice?) Curlew calling in valley below and each side then 16 flew in and roosted on exposed shore Lapwing 2 with flock of 20 flew up from E fields Swallow 2+2 Swift c 20 Sand Martin 2+2+1 (are theybreeding nearby?) L BbGull 20+30 (landing in 2 - 3's and leaving) Bhd Gull 1 ad G Bb Gull 1 3Y Reed Bunting M(s) + (s)+(s)
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 12th of June 2009 11:11:22 PM
Friday 29/5 13:00 - 14:00 BEautiful hot day, light clouds and strengthening SE breeze C Goose 15 Mallard 1 M Lapwing c 15 Curlew 4 Oyk 1 L Bb Gull c. 50 (2 imm & 10 2/3 years) H Gull 1 (ad) B Hd Gull 4 (ad)
S Martin 1 Swallow 3 Swift 4 Reed Bunting 2 singing males Wheatear 1 male
Sat 23/5 08:00 - 09:20 Overcast (mist over moortops), cool S breeze G C GRebe 2 Mallard 4 (M's) Lapwing pair at barn conversion lawn - Display / Territory P wagtail Skylark several singing Reed Bunting at least 2 males singing Swallow 5 Sand Martin 2 Swift 2 Oyk 7 flew in from E and turned S over Res + 3 circling and very nosiy (all adults?) Curlew several bubbling calls heard Pheasant H from valley Linnet 2
Sunny, clear, bright - blustery cold NE wind. C Goose 1 + 2 G C Grebe 2 Mallard 1 Lapwing 4 LBb Gull 2 + 1 Whimbrel 1 (dozing then bathing on exposed shoreline down from Owd Betts)