Pennine Bridleway, from Shireclough to Brushes, and back.
2 Buzzards, one perched up in the fields, the other, a ragged, pale bird, with white on the base of its tail, was hunting low over the moor. Both definitely Common Buzzard, though. The pale bird is a fairly regular sighting around the Swineshaws. 1 Little Owl 12 immature / female Pheasant feeding in the fields 4 Mistle Thrush 2 Fieldfare 6 Redwing 3 Goldfinch 6 Red Grouse on the moor
1 pair of Goosander on Printworks Road pond, Heyrod, on a rare visit these days, due to there being no through road following last month's floods. I used to be able to pass each morning en route to work.
Also good numbers of House Sparrows on the feeders at Huddersfield Road, up to about 30 birds, which is around twice the number of the past couple of winters. The colony seems to be flourishing.
Raven. Pair displaying. Put on a great show, spiralling for a good 20 minutes .... eventually headed off in direction of Carrbrook then changed tack and I lost sight off them somewhere over Mossley.
Roger.
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
1 female Blackcap was on top of a berry laden tree where 5 or 6 Blackbirds and 3 Mistle Thrush have been feeding. 10 minutes later a Male Blackcap popped up in our garden briefly.
Just as I reached the junction of Delamere and Stamford Street, a call overhead made me look up to see a Peregrine at roof top height being pursued by a Black-headed Gull. Both birds flew NE down Stamford Street and were lost to view.
There are only 3 previous records of Peregrine from Ashton-under-Lyne town centre in the GMBRG database. The last being in Feb 2013.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
6+ Sand Martin along Coopers Ride Pair of Grey Wagtail, mobbing Magpie, hopefully with young tucked away out of sight Female Mallard with 7 well-grown ducklings Bullfinch calling Still a fair amount of song including at least 7 Wrens singing along this short stretch
1 male Whitethroat, with at least 4 fledglings, plus one other singing male 1 Blackcap singing 20+ Great Tits, at least four groups of fledglings 15+ House Martins Several Swallows
Pennine Bridleway, from Shireclough to Millbrook border
Lapwings. At least four territories with noisy, agitated behaviour. Also, an adult with one downy juvenile just over into Millbrook. Brilliant. 1 Lesser Redpoll 2 Linnet singing 1 Willow Warbler singing 4 Greenfinch 1 Chaffinch 6+ Meadow Pipits
Pennine Bridleway between Carrbrook and Besom Lane, Millbrook. Cold and windy.
3 Lapwing, with two displaying 6 Meadow Pipits, one parachuting 1 Skylark singing further up the moor 4 Redwing 1 Mistle Thrush 1 Song Thrush 2 Dunnock singing 2 Chaffinch singing 3 Goldfinch 3 House Sparrows 1 Long-tailed Tit
Monday 21st, 7pm - good views of a perched Tawny Owl at Shireclough which flew off in the direction of Cowbury Dale. Also 2 Little Owls calling after dark.
Pennine Bridleway, from Carrbrook to Higher Hyde Green, and a wander up onto Harridge, with two species in mind, and both seen.
12 Lapwings, two or three calling and starting to display 1 Little Owl 6 Goldfinch, some singing 2 singing Chaffinch 2 singing Greenfinch 6 Dunnock 1 Skylark singing up on the moor 2 Mistle Thrush 4 Red Grouse Ominous numbers of Magpies and Carrion Crows in the fields with the Lapwing