Greenfield

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

RE: Greenfield

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Thanks Roger, but I'll give it a miss

Knew when I typed that last bit that I would regret it and, sure enough, Wrens were singing (and giving me a good ticking off) as I walked up to the station this morning. This was a short while after dawn though

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

Steve, Wrens sing all the year round as well, very early morning and sometimes during the night, same as the Robins.
Difference is the Wrens seem to slow up just before daylight. These observations are all made at sites that have street lighting ..... Another suprise is the height at which they sing, quite often from a tree-top and I know one that uses the top of a telegraph pole. Certainly not the little skulker we normally know.
If you'd like to check out any of these these little pearls of wisdom yourself I'm perfectly willing to give you an early morning call, should we say around 3am ...... for a tour of Heron Lane in your pyjamas. Just give me the word.

Roger

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 20th of November 2012 03:24:33 PM

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Cheers Jamie & Mike,

I've just looked back down this thread and found that I noted the same behaviour by Dippers at this site on 20th Nov last year

Dippers are the only birds I know, other than Robins, that actually sing (rather than just make noises) throughout the winter but, where male and female Robins hold their own territories, Dippers seem to be pairing up and, as Jamie notes, checking out nest sites the previous autumn! Perhaps this is to do with having linear territories - they can't find their own place without trespassing on someone else's patch.

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

The Dippers along Lees Brook (Huddersfield Road to Lees Road) certainly sing in November, Steve.

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

There are two Dipper at DS Steve, both un-ringed that have been showing early pre-breeding behaviour.
they seem to be checking a potential nest spot out already.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

This morning WeBS visits - barely above freezing

Waterside Mill (Tanners) lodge: no ducks, no geese, no gulls

one Kingfisher

plus Grouse heard calling from the moors.

Royal George Mill lodge:

2 Little Grebe (doubling the population in one week!)
3 Goosander (one adult male & two redheads - my first here this winter)
74 Black-headed Gulls
4 Moorhen
27 Mallard
20 Canada Geese

plus 3 Dippers on the river, singing, displaying and posturing in an aggressive manner - presumably 2 males and a female squabbling over the territory. Hang on chaps, it's only November! One was unringed, one just had a metal ring and the other was colour-ringed.

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

Possibly, Steve

Some of the usual seven had already left when I did last month's Webs (or been predated

) Either that or they've clubbed together and bought a submarine

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Morning walk from Mossley to Greenfield and back.

Royal George Lodge:
1 Little Grebe (back for the winter?) perhaps one of the putative Strines sub-species Tachybaptus ruficollis chorleyii

1 Common Gull in small flock of Black-heads
70 Mallard had arrived on the lodge on the return journey.
Dipper (unringed) on the river.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

A very cold and foggy morning for WeBS counts.

Tanners (Waterside Mill) Lodge: 5 worm-drowners - no wildfowl

Royal George Lodge: 19 Mallard, 6 Canada Geese, 1 female Tufted Duck, 4 Moorhen, 1 Heron, 1 Black-headed Gull and 1 Kingfisher

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

No E-list celebrity wildfowl today, unless you count one white Embden goose with 140 Canada Geese in Well-i-hole fields

Field between Royal George lodge and the canal aqueduct had 25 Pied Wagtails and 2 Meadow Pipits.

JSPALDING · Status: Offline

Whistling duck 'showing well' at the Manns today.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

WeBS counts this morning:

Tanner's (Waterside Mill) lodge: 5 anglers admiring their bird-scaring CDs strung across the pond - 2 Mallard

Royal George Lodge (inc Manns pond): never seen so few countable species:
30 Canada Geese, 25 Mallard, 7 Moorhen and 15 Black-headed Gulls...
and no Fulvous Whistling Ducks

10 Pied and 1 Grey Wagtail

Thomas and Bill Jones · Status: Offline

Manns Pool (both sides of the road) 5pm 12/9.
No sign of the celebrity (Fulvous whistling) duck any more, but some 'proper' birds made up for that - Great Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper being the highlights.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Ian McKerchar wrote:

So you think there's a 0.01% chance it's a wild bird Steve

I like to think that nothing's ever certain, Ian

0.01% is one in ten thousand

Maybe 0.001% then...

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Roger Baker 3 wrote:

Could well be if that is the same John who has the catering business.

He was asking me about the strange duck with the blue beak.

Also mentioned that they have had a Kingfisher turning up lately.

I've only seen them on the canal.

Roger

No, it's a different John, Roger. I reckon I see Kingfisher there on half of my WeBS counts - probably more regular in winter.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Steve Suttill wrote:

My view is that it's 99.99% certain to be an escapee and probably a hybrid too.

So you think there's a 0.01% chance it's a wild bird Steve

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

Could well be if that is the same John who has the catering business.

He was asking me about the strange duck with the blue beak.

Also mentioned that they have had a Kingfisher turning up lately.

I've only seen them on the canal.

Roger

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Roger Baker 3 wrote:

I think it's pulling your leg.

The duck was at the end of the Manns nearest to the cottages, up on the bank, stretching and preening in the sunshine amongst all the resting Mallards & hybrids.

I searched that area thoroughly. I think my friend John who lives at The Manns must keep it in his spare room
My leg is well and truly pulled It's not a ring on the duck's leg - it's an asbo tag!

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Sunday morning 7.45 - 8.45

Whistling Duck missing again but, as it turned up just after I'd left on Saturday, it may have been roosting in a nearby tree waiting for me to leave again?
I don't think the breast and belly were very pale - probably the lighting on that particular photo I took. It's the wing-barring that looks wrong to me which is why I've been trying to have another look at the bird doing something other than resting and occasionally preening. My view is that it's 99.99% certain to be an escapee and probably a hybrid too.

Royal George Lodge: 1 Coot and 3 Tufted drakes coming out of eclipse.
River at Well-i-Hole bridge: Grey Wagtail and (unringed) Dipper.

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

I must have just missed you yesterday Steve ...... I called about 09-00 hrs (couldn't resist when driving past).

I think it's pulling your leg.

The duck was at the end of the Manns nearest to the cottages, up on the bank, stretching and preening in the sunshine amongst all the resting Mallards & hybrids.

It's still a bonnie bird tame as it is.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 10th of September 2012 03:52:31 PM

James Walsh · Status: Offline

Comments from Birdguides on the Whistling Duck

"On structure, long legs etc, it is obviously a Whisting Duck and the blue legs would suggest Fulvous but it just doesn't look quite right. The breast/belly is very pale and I wonder if it could be a hybrid or perhaps even slightly leucistic as a result of inbreeding in captivity ? Certainly an interesting bird !"

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

Iain Johnson wrote:

Mark Rigby wrote:

The Fulvous Whistling Duck was still present at 1700hrs. It is very wary but was able to creep up on it. I was able to read the writing on the purple plastic leg ring which was written in Portuguese.

I have just looked up the translation on the internet and was surprised, it says "If found, please return to Santiago, Chile"

Where they speak Spanish!

-- Edited by Iain Johnson on Saturday 8th of September 2012 07:35:23 PM

Apart from the Portugese duck keepers

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

The Fulvous Whistling Duck was still present at 1700hrs. It is very wary but was able to creep up on it. I was able to read the writing on the purple plastic leg ring which was written in Portuguese.

I have just looked up the translation on the internet and was surprised, it says "If found, please return to Santiago, Chile"

Could be a genuine vagrant-not

James Walsh · Status: Offline

& cheap at £40 a pair

http://www.birds4saleuk.co.uk/3330-fulvous-whistling-ducks-for-sale.htm

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

James, in both the Spanish and French records their respective rarities committed could not decide whether the records related to wild or captive birds due to the abundance of this species in captivity throughout Europe. In these cases, genuine vagrancy could not be proven either way. I believe the species has occurred in a natural state in Morrocco though (not sure where exactly and it's a big place!) so could conceivably occur elsewhere but perhaps not coming to bread on a pond in Greenfield

James Walsh · Status: Offline

Juv Fulvous Whistling Duck @ The Manns Pond @ 0930, bird has purple plastic ring, lower right leg

According to a local resident this bird has been visiting the site for about a month, its feasible that this species is a potential vagrant to the UK (genuine vagrancy has apparently occurred in Spain & France), but I doubt very much that wild bird ringing programmes ring birds this way ! Worth a visit if you're in the area, its a very distinctive bird with a cool call & a quality diving action, also Kingfisher seen recently at this site

Royal George Lodge

Peregrine
Kestrel
75 Canada Geese
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch

Iain Johnson · Status: Offline

Mark Rigby wrote:

The Fulvous Whistling Duck was still present at 1700hrs. It is very wary but was able to creep up on it. I was able to read the writing on the purple plastic leg ring which was written in Portuguese.

I have just looked up the translation on the internet and was surprised, it says "If found, please return to Santiago, Chile"

Where they speak Spanish!

-- Edited by Iain Johnson on Saturday 8th of September 2012 07:35:23 PM

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

No sign of the Whistling Duck this morning, though I did venture a few hundred yards up the canal and find that a pen with goats, chickens and geese also has a pair of Mandarin with its farmyard ducks...

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Pond at The Manns (11.30)

What appears to be a Fulvous Whistling Duck (I'm no expert on exotic "wild"fowl) resting on the bank with the local Mallards.

Before all you county listers dash over, it does have a ring on its right leg

All the same, an interesting find on a rather quiet morning.

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

Tues 19th June. 06.45 - 07.30 hrs.

Walk round Friezland.

Good views of a singing Blackcap.
Pair of Chiffchaff ..... both with beakful of flys.
Song Thrush carrying a worm.
Swift (9) & House Martin (2) over the bowling green.
Numerous singing Wrens.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 19th of June 2012 09:07:35 AM

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Royal George Lodge - 12.00 noon

Common Sandpiper - a first for me at this site

Steve

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

Fri 11th May. 07.15 hrs.

Cuckoo calling from back of Tanners Mill yard (up the hill towards Intake Lane).

Roger.

John Doherty · Status: Offline

Minimum 2 Dippers on the Tame near Tesco this morning - too quick for closer observation, also one likely Kingfisher, two around according to a dog walker.

Heading towards Dove Stone plenty of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.
At the res itself were very strong winds and showers so I refused to go around - feeders were empty bird and seed-wise, save for a few disappointed Blue Tits. I had a sift through the Goldfinches for Brambling but none, so they remain an outstanding lifer, as does, remarkably, Peregrine Falcon, though in better weather this would be the place.
Also some Jackdaws.
Loved seeing the lambs

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

Mon 16th April. 06.45 hrs.

River Tame.

Dipper carrying food.

Roger.

steven burke · Status: Offline

from 2pm a walk along the river tame from the chew valley rd,then rejoining it at waterside onto dovestones produced....

3 dippers
2 bramblings m&f was a nice surprise near the mill.
1 woodcock flushed near the mill also.
1 sparrowhawk
1 grey heron
2 grey wagtails
2 jays
4 nuthatches
2 great spotted woodpeckers
1 treecreeper
blue/great/coal & long tailed tits.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

At least 10 active nests in the heronry

, but no Chiffchaffs yet

.

Also no sign of Dippers

Steve

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

This morning's WeBS count at Royal George/Well-i-hole:

14 Mallard
21 Black-headed Gulls
55 Canada Geese (mostly in pairs and arguing over territory)
5 Tufted Duck (4 males)
2 Coot
3 Moorhen
1 Cormorant (in breeding plumage)

Also visited Tanners (Waterside Mill) lodge, where anglers have strung CDs across the water to deter birds - successfully

, as there were no countable species present. WeBS counts are a waste of time here these days.

Steve

Charles Farrell · Status: Offline

Royal George/Well-i-hole plus walk along the canal to Greenfields Tesco.

very little around on the two bodies of water, but plenty along the canal
30+ Mallard
50+ Canada Goose, plus probably 70+ in the surrounding fields
c10 Coot
1 Moorhen on canal + 3 in surrounding fields
Blue, Great and Long-Tailed Tits in the hedges.
c20 Black-headed Gulls in one of the fields with some Jackdaws
and that was it - of course no sign of a Dipper

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Some signs of Spring this morning.

At the heronry, some birds are clearly sitting on eggs whilst others are still at the early stages of nest building. Pair of Dippers (both colour-ringed local birds) displaying and collecting moss for their nest.

No Brambling, but 4 Lesser Redpoll in the trees by the old station house.

Steve

stuartherring · Status: Offline

aye one down

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Didn't realise I'd been ticked, Stuart

Are you doing a forum members' year list?

Steve

stuartherring · Status: Offline

slightly off the subject of birds i was saddened to see a dead badger on the bridge near the royal george at 8.30 am

and also a lesser spotted suttil on his way to mossley

-- Edited by stuartherring on Monday 20th of February 2012 07:01:37 PM

Derek Ireland · Status: Offline

Did the Canal/Bridlepath circuit this morning, 2 x Fieldfare 4 x Moorhen 2 X Coot 1 x Wren All on the canal then, 6 x grey Heron 40 + Canada geese On the bridlepath then, 1 x Nuthatch Back on the canal.

C Brown · Status: Offline

No sign of the water rail at about half-past two, but only had a brief look from the road. Wasn't sure of the access arrangements here. I was pleased to get little grebe for my year list however.
Incidentally, I drove back home via the Isle o' Skye Road, Meltham, Slaithwaite and Marsden Moor and was thrilled to get a great view of a short-eared owl perched right by the road near the old Buckstones Inn.

C Brown · Status: Offline

Brill', cheers Steve.

Chris

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Yes, spot on. Royal George is the big one, across the road from the pond at The Manns.

This morning's WeBS count at Royal George/Well-i-hole:

90% frozen

10 Mallard
102 Black-headed Gulls
No Canada Geese (there are usually a few injured birds hanging around)
2 Little Grebe
3 Coot
5 Moorhen

No appearance by the Water Rail, but there was a Dipper on the river and 2 Goosander flew over.

Steve

C Brown · Status: Offline

I'm not totally familiar with the Royal George Lodge, but in my mind is it one of the two lodges either side of the road (the road that goes up-brew to the crossroads) near Freizland church?

Cheers, Chris

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

Royal George Lodge area.

Water Rail showing again.

Info thanks to Tony Mather

steven burke · Status: Offline

another short walk along the icy footpath next to the river tame from chew valley rd to the bridge past the t junction in river, 9.00-9.45am...
2 dippers, 1 singing til another showed up & a bit off display going on.
3 grey herons
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 bullfinches
1 sparrowhawk
plus usual birds around.

2 goldcrests at greenfield station whilst waiting for my train home.