Male Stonechat last night above Sunnyhurst Hey Reservoir.

Wheatear (3m) this dinner time in field adjacent to Turn Lane.

Teal (16) on Sunnyhurst Hey Res this evening, a rarety here to say the least, Red Grouse (4) above Stepback and another Stonechat (1m) near the top of the diagonal path. A few Skylark up and singing.

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Tuesday 1st of April 2014 07:33:19 PM

Turn Lane - Bold Venture - Bury Fold - Lions Den - Stepback - Wenshead - Home 8.50 to 11.00 - Pleasant sunshine. Amongst others :-

Wheatear (1)
Red Grouse (2)
Meadow Pipit (35+)
Skylark (5)
Oystercatcher (2)
Lapwing
Curlew
Grey Wagtail (2)
Redwing (4)

Nothing much about this morning. Out for one hour in steady rain. Little Owl heard last night at 1810 hrs, moorland edge just above Sunnyhurst.

Turn Lane - Bold Venture - Tower - Lion's Den - Stepback - Wenshead - Home. Cold & sunny, icy underfoot in places. Out 8.30 to 10.30. Amongst others :-

Raven (1)
Red Grouse (c.5)
Meadow Pipit (c.50)
Sparrowhawk (1f)
Nuthatch (c.5)
Jay

Small numbers of Goosander have been roosting on Sunnyhurst Hey Res. Tawny Owl heard each night from the plantation next to the res. Redwing & Fieldfare seem to have dispersed following recent high movements. Occasional sightings of Barn Owl.

Nice views this morning of Whernside, white over, as were the fells north east of Pen Y Ghent.

Same walk as last time out in lovely warm weather, 7.30 to 11.30. A bit on the quiet side, amongst others :-

Skylark (c.8)
Wheatear (5)
Stonechat (3)
Cuckoo (2)
Common Sandpiper (1)
Lapwing
Curlew
Whitethroat
Lesser Redpoll
Reed Bunting (2)
Linnet

One Cuckoo in the valley below Stepback, the other beyond Bury Fold. Possibly the same bird but both locations a fair distance apart. Talking to a local birder who had a fall of nine Ring Ouzel in the fields, north east of the Tower, last month.

First returning Whitethroat this morning on northern edge above Sunnyhurst. Lesser Redpoll out in good numbers. Wheatear continue to pass through the Higher Wenshead area, another 8 tonight, Oystercatcher here also, Common Sandpiper at Sunnyhurst Hey Res.

11.15am to 12.30pm. A walk up from Belmont Reservoir and then down the Cadshaw Valley.

4 Wheatears, a Skylark, and a few Meadow Pipits around Higher Pasture Barn Farm.

2 more Wheatears, a few more Meadow Pipits, and a Kestrel at the top of the valley.

Not much showing in the strong wind as I headed down the valley, just a few Meadow Pipits and a couple of Curlews. No Skylarks though.

Towards the bottom of the valley, 4 Lapwings, a Curlew, and 2 Wheatears.

Swallows (6), and House Martins (2), back at Cadshaw Farm for breeding. Also a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Pied Wagtail, a Mistle Thrush, and 2 Goldfinches.

Turn Lane - Bold Venture - Lions Den - John Smith's - Stepback - Wenshead - Home. Sunny and pleasant, out 7.45 to 10.20. Amongst others :-

Meadow Pipit
Skylark (7)
Red Grouse (2)
Ring Ouzel (1m)
Wheatear (12)
Lapwing (c.15)
Oystercatcher (3)
Curlew (6)
Swallow (c.8)
Willow Warbler (25+)
Kestrel (1)
Lesser Redpoll

Male Ring Ouzel flew through northeast above Bold Venture, calling as it went. Wheatear in five separate spots. First Willow Warbler above Sunnyhurst yesterday.

Higher Wenshead - Stepback - Top Aggie's Staircase - Diagonal Path - Sunnyhurst Hey Reservoir - Home. Sunny and pleasant. Out 9.45 to 11.45. Amongst others :-

Meadow Pipit
Skylark (1)
Curlew (2)
Red Grouse (1pr)
Stonechat (1pr)
Oystercatcher (1)
Lapwing (c.10)
Reed Bunting (1pr)
Goosander (1f)
Shoveler (2pr)
Bullfinch
Coal Tit
Long tailed Tit

Shoveler a site first at the reservoir. (For me that is)





-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Saturday 13th of April 2013 12:11:39 PM

Turn Lane - Bold Venture - Lion's Den - Stepback - John Smith's - Higher Wenshead - Home. Pleasant in the sunshine but bitter out of it. Plenty of snow still around. 07.50 to 10.00

Amongst others :-

Meadow Pipit
Skylark (1)
Curlew
Lapwing
Red Grouse (1)
Raven (2)
Jay (3)
Nuthatch (2)
Lesser Redpoll
Stonechat (pr)
G S Woodpecker (1)

Checked three different spots for Wheatear but nothing through as yet. Plenty of birds displaying.

Two hour walk around the northern edge in cold, clear, sunny weather. Home - Bold Venture - Old Aggie's - Higher Wenshead - Home

Barn Owl (2)
Red Grouse (1)
Raven (1)
Great spotted Woodpecker (2)
Jay
Lesser Redpoll
Bullfinch
Goldfinch
Mistle Thrush

Thanks Mark. Very kind of you and will be in touch soon

Hi Stu

If you go on Google Maps and key in Sunnyhurst Hotel (it's a pub) that will give you an idea of where to head for. Post code is BB3 1JX. There's a car park 200 yards past the pub on the right. Directly opposite the pub, there is the path that takes you onto the moors and up to Darwen Tower.

Last weekend I had three Red Grouse 100 yards north east of the tower but they can turn up anywhere on the moors. Once you reach the tower, carry straight on for another quarter of a mile on the plateau like section which can be good for them. Therefter it's just a case of wandering around if you haven't seen any. The farther south you go, the fewer people you will see as most folk just seem to walk to the tower and back.

I think a fair few Red Grouse must have been blasted to smithereens on the (not so) Glorious 12th. Definitely become harder to see them.

Another quieter area of the moors is to walk up Cadshaw Valley from the Cadshaw Farm area on the A666 approaching Darwen from Bolton. It's a long slog but quite scenic and there are definitely a few grouse towards the top. Finally, parking at the Royal Arms in Tockholes and again heading for the tower is a nice walk.

The weather for Saturday is showing heavy rain but Sunday looks quite good. I live opposite the Sunnyhurst Pub so could show you around if you wish and then just leave you to it.

Mark

Hi Stu,

There are lots of footpaths up around Darwen Moor. I find it just a matter of walking these paths doing normal birding and getting lucky with the grouse.
They can be anywhere on Darwen & Turton Moors.

Saturday and Sunday like chalk and cheese weatherwise. Yesterday rain, sleet and snow with today being cold, clear and sunny.

Birdwise fairly quiet with only Little Owl and Buzzard of note, both below Higher Wenshead Farm.

Short-eared Owl tonight in the murk approaching Sunnyhurst Hey Reservoir. Tawny Owls calling in nearby Sunnyhurst Woods.

10.45am to 12.20pm. Cadshaw Valley. Walk up one side of the valley and down the other side to Cadshaw Farm.

7 Mallards
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Red Grouse
3 Black-headed Gulls flying over
3 Woodpigeons
3 Skylarks
34 Meadow Pipits
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Wren
1 Robin
1 Wheatear
2 Mistle Thrushes
1 Magpie
2 Jackdaws
21 Carrion Crows
24 Starlings
2 Chaffinches

Two parties of Crossbill (7 and 9) flew ESE this morning.

Sunnyhurst Hey Res - Stepback - Lions Den - Above Bold Venture, Bury Fold and Whitehall - Whitehall Plantation - Mid Cadshaw Valley - Fingerpost - Lords Hall - Bold Venture - Home.

5.30 - 9.45am Cool and grey, warmed up a bit by 8.30.

Amongst other stuff :-

Meadow Pipit (50+)
Skylark (10+)
Curlew (10+)
Lapwing (15+)
Red Grouse (2)
Buzzard (1)
Kestrel (1)
Cuckoo (2)
Stonechat (1m)
Lesser Redpoll (c.20)
Bullfinch (1)
Common Sandpiper (1)
Swallow
Swift
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Blackcap (3)
Whitethroat (c.8)

Cuckoo (1) heard this morning on moorland edge above Whitehall.

Wheatear (4) in fields around Higher Wenshead Farm.

All other usuals around.

Turn Lane - Bold Venture - Lions Den - Stepback - Wenshead - Home. Cool and overcast, out just over two hours. Best of birds being :-

Wheatear (6)
Meadow Pipit
Skylark (9)
Red Grouse (3)
Lapwing (20+)
Curlew (2)
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail (2)
Reed Bunting (1)
Lesser Redpoll
Willow Warbler (1)
Chiffchaff (1)

Same walk as on 17 March but adding in the area above Bury Fold. Same cast of birds, best being :-

Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Red Grouse, Wheatear (1f), Curlew, Lapwing, Lesser Redpoll, Nuthatch, Jay, Goldfinch.

Spoke to a local retired birder first thing today who told me he had a male Ring Ouzel at Higher Wenshead farm a couple of days ago.

Same walk as last week but added in John Smiths Farm area instead of walking down through Stepback. Weather mild and sunnyish. Out 9.30 to 11.50. Amongst other stuff :-

Wheatear (1)
Meadow Pipit
Skylark (8)
Red Grouse (1)
Lapwing (c.15)
Curlew (3)
Lesser Redpoll (1)
Nuthatch (3)

First Wheatear of 2012, a male in big field above Bold Venture. Two separate sightings of Raven mid week along with a pair of Goosander on Higher Sunnyhurst Res.