Hopwood Woods LNR

Charles Farrell · Status: Offline

RE: Hopwood Woods LNR

Mike c cooper · Status: Offline

Wander round woods, golf course to Castletown sewage works morning thurs 4/2

Little Egret in field behind Hopwood hall farm between Trub brook and golf course

Several skylarks calling flying over

Meadow pipit 8 in fields

Mike c cooper · Status: Offline

My daily exercise walk around Glade wood this morning (25/3/29) with social distancing with the couple of dog walkers

Highlights

A Raven kronking over wood to east and possibly heard again later?
Pair of Stock Doves courtship chasing (my first here)

Usuals plus treecreepers at least 3, Nuthatch heard, blue great long tailed and coal tits, chaffinch, kestrel

Mike c cooper · Status: Offline

Fri 23/3/19 09:00- now

Buzzard pair soaring over treetops
Sparrowhawk fem hunting
Kestrel calling (male?)

Treecreeper pair plus 3 seen together
Nuthatch pair chasing each other
G S Woodpecker 3 chasing each other and calling drumming

Lesser redpoll several small parties
Chaffinch and goldfinch in tops
Meadow Pipit heard flying north

[No bullfinches !!!!!!]

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Glade wood 20/3 09:00-15:00

Buzzard a pair being mobbed by Crows
Kestrel hunting

Fieldfare 2+ over to East
Redwing 20+ in trees around 'nature reserve' pool

Treecreeper a pair feeding around marl pits by golf course
Goldcrest singing (m)
Meadow pipit singles over to East

Fields by oaken bank lane

Starling c 50
M thrush 3

Mike c cooper · Status: Offline

Glade wood 08:30- damp misty still cool

Curlew at least 1 heard from golf course area

Also lapwing song
Skylark singles heard flying N
siskin 1 heard over
Meadow pipit 1+ heard from golf course 1 flying N over

Fieldfare 1 heard then flock of 20+ over tree tops going North
kestrel pair display flight
Lesser redpoll 3+
G S woodpecker 1+ heard thenmale drunning

-- Edited by Mike c cooper on Tuesday 6th of March 2018 01:04:50 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 6th of March 2018 02:31:42 PM

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Fri 2/3 10:00-12:00 bitterly cold with freezing East wind overcast 2-3" of snow on ground

Woodcock flushed from side of track off Oaken bank road to Glade wood

Lots of blackbirds seen at least 20

Reading h in Lords wood

Fieldfare and Mistle Thrush in fields by Oaken Bank road

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Around glade wood this afternoon

Redwing several heard and seen fleetingly

Nuthatch
Treecreeper
G S Woodpecker fem

L Redpoll flock of 12 over and in birch tops
Goldfinch
Bullfinch at least one heard

At dusk c. 3,000 jackdaws in fields by Lord wood and then most rooster in terms
Ese tops in Lord Wood

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Walk around Lords and Glade woods this afternoon 22/2/17 13:45-15:00 cloudy and blustery West breeze

Meadow pipit heard in fields between cattery and woods

Redwing flock of c. 50 on East edge of Glade by pool and feeding in pasture

Grey wagtail heard in fields north of glade

Charles Farrell · Status: Offline

Sun 19-Feb: 07:30-09:00
Walk from carpark near college gates round the back of the college buildings to fields near Oaken Bank, then back more or less the same way but detouring around the wood at the back of the college - first time ive been here to make use of proper footpaths!

Mild with light drizzle so pretty quiet.
- 2+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, including 1 drumming
- 4+ singing Song Thrush
- 3+ singing Chaffinch
- Goldcrest
- 2 Meadow Pipit in fields

Lots of residents singing (Robin, Dunnock, Wren etc), noisy House Sparrow and lots of Tits active.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 19th of February 2017 07:52:58 PM

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Thurs 16/2 Glade wood 9:00-13:30 ringing

Skylark in first hours several heard calling (Tripp) overhead going North
Curlew at least one heard in distance fields or flying over contact call Coour
Kestrel M&F displaying
Sparrowhawk F stealth hunting in wood
Green woodpecker M&F
Nuthatch
Small flock of c 8 Redwings 4 Blackbirds and a Fieldfare

[no meadow pipits in horse paddock nor buzzard heard nor seen]

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Wed 14:15-16:15 cold strong NW Wind sunny spells
Glade wood
Mixed flock of 2 Mistle Thrushes, 8 Redwings, 4 Fieldfares and 6 Blackbirds in horse paddock (no Meadow Pipits! After c. 30 last week)
In trees flock of 4 Long tld Tits, 2 Goldcrest, M Bullfinch , 1 Nuthatch and 4 Lesser Redpolls
Buzzard 1 flushed 30 wood pigeons from treetops

Lords wood
G S Woodpecker in nest hole in Oak
Treecreeper 1+1
Nuthatch 2
Jay at least 4 squabbling
Sparrowhawk F hunting

Yew tree farm/stables
At least 30 clean country House Sparrows

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Glade wood 5/1/17 09:00-13:00

Lots of blackbirds and Redwings feeding in leaf litter

Siskins and redpoll heard over

Blue tits and great tits beginning to pair up

Nuthatch and jay seen

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Glade wood 09:00-12:00

Woodcock flushed with Redwings and fieldfares feeding? in unfrozen hollow @ 9:30

Bullfinches at least 4 heard at one point

Goldfinches over
Chaffinch

Snipe heard

Meadow pipit c.10 in horse field

A Siskin and 2 redpoll heard going over

Female sparrowhawk hunting in wood along golf course fields
Also wren and blue tit paired up and singing in the sunshine

-- Edited by Mike Cooper on Thursday 29th of December 2016 06:23:51 PM

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

This morning 30/11 8:30-11:30 Glade wood/ Stott lane. dull damp overcast and still

Big reduction in winter thrushes
redwing c 60
Blackbird c 10
M thrush 8 in flock
S thrush 2

Meadow pipit 2
G heron 1 imm

Snipe 1 over

Buzzard 1
Sparrowhawk female hunting along lane spooking thrushes

Ringing 1 blackbird

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Whilst ringing at glade wood / Stott lane ties 29/11 8:30-13:30 clear sunny ground frozen hard

Sparrowhawk 1 m hunting
Buzzard in field being mobbed by male Kestrel

G heron 1ad

Redwing 100+
Fieldfare c. 20
Song thrush 2
M thrush 4
Blackbird 40+

Grey wagtail 2 fem/imm manure pile
Meadow Pipit at least 15 in horse field

Ringing 3 Blackbirds 1 Robin 1 Blue tit

Mike Cooper · Status: Offline

Brief visit this morning 9:30-10:30 25/11

Hundreds of winter thrushes
20 mistle thrushes
30 blackbirds
10 song thrushes
60 fieldfares
100 Redwings

Kestrel 1m

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 25th of November 2016 03:19:45 PM

Mike c cooper · Status: Offline

Sun 26/4 12:00-13:00 sunny clear bitter n wind

Treecreeper 1

Bullfinch male

Jays very noisy

Lots of robins an chaffinches

Mo frogspawn in any pool???

Colin Ramsden · Status: Offline

Lords Wood and approaches
Song Thrush x 1
Dipper on stream
Treecreeper x 1
Chiffchaff x 1
Jays c 6 - carrying nest material
Nuthatch x 1
Teal - pair on the small lodge

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

23rd March 2014

5.30pm to 6pm

Dry and bright

Blackbird 1
Carrion Crow 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit 1
Jackdaw 4
Jay 1
Magpie 3
Moorhen 1
Robin 2
Woodpigeon 2
Wren 1

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

4th March 2014

4pm to 5pm

Clear

A quick visit this afternoon

Blackbird 1
Blue Tit 4
Carrion Crow 14
Magpie 1
Mallard 4
Moorhen 1
Robin 1
Woodpigeon 50+

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

22nd December 2013

3.15 to 4.15pm

Very cold

Had a wander over to Lord Woods this afternoon to see if the large Corvid roost was in the area this year.

Sat on the hill looking over toward Bowlee three groups of 50 mixed Corvids flew over in that direction. On the skyline just above the tree tops counted 200ish before the light went. Not as many as last year but still a lot.

Dave

-- Edited by Davidcaron62 on Sunday 22nd of December 2013 05:37:16 PM

Charles Farrell · Status: Offline

Sun 22nd 11:40-12:10:

Quick walk along the stream outside the College grounds hoping for some Dipper action - and as usual - nada!

- 3 Nuthatch calling
- 4 Woodpigeon
- several unseen calling Long-tailed Tits
- around a dozen Blue Tit
- c6 Great Tit
and a handful of Magpies and Carrion Crows

Colin Ramsden · Status: Offline

Pair of buzzard over and around the woods.

Dipper singing on the stream just before it enters the college grounds.

Charles Farrell · Status: Offline

Sat 18th Nov (14:10 - 15:45) fine if cool after the rain around Lunchtime.

Walk with Paul Hurst from Rochdale Road end over to Bowker Vale. (sorry that the birdlife wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped it would be)

Lords Wood
Very quiet. I think that after 30 mins we had seen/heard just 3 species!
- c10 Woodpigeon
- 7 Magpie
- c30 Rook (on farmland next to the Wood)
- c50 Jackdaw (with Rooks and other corvids)
- 1 Common Gull
- Moorhen (heard only)
- 2 Mallard
- c3 Reed Bunting
- Grey Heron

Farmland between Oaken Bank Wood and Bowker Vale
- c6 Chaffinch
- 4+ Great Tit
- 3+ Blue Tit
- c40 Starling
- flock of c16 mixed Black-headed and Common Gull
- 6 House Sparrow
- Sparrowhawk
- 2+ Herring Gull over

c200 Jackdaw at roost near St Ann's Academy, Bowker Vale with a few Carrion Crow and Rooks in amongst them.

sunday 19th coming back from lunch at Hollingworth Lake.
- Buzzard on farmland near Junction 19 of the M62

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

12 September 2012

3.00pm to 4.30pm

Very wet but nice and sunny between the showers. Not much about other than in the fields adjacent the woods.

Black-headed Gull 11
Blackbird 1
Carrion Crow 8
Dunnock 1
Great Tit 1
Mallard 3
Moorhen 2
Sparrowhawk 1
Starling 6
Swallow c22
Woodpigeon 9

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

27 08 12

5.15pm to 6.30pm

Very wet and not much about other than in the fields adjacent the woods.

Black-headed Gull 9
Carrion Crow 3
Jay 2
Mallard 2
Starling 25
Woodpigeon 22

Regards

Dave

Charles Farrell · Status: Offline

Lovely walk round the Woods, through the Clough and Oaken Bank Wood. (14:15-15:35). Not a massive amount of birds around, but did get to see

1 Song Thrush
4+ Willow Warbler
5+ Chiffchaff
1 Blackcap
2+ Nuthatch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard only)
2 Swift over
12+ Swallow around the farmland
2 Jay

Plenty of Corvids and Tits around too

Kaz Horrocks · Status: Offline

11/5/12
0830-1030 Cold, overcast and fairly windy so resitricted myself to Lords Wood only

Blackbird 1
Robin 3
Jay 1
Bluetit 4
Great tit 2
Carrion Crow 1
Woodpigeon 2
Green Woodpecker - heard only - 2
Nuthatch 4
Sparrowhawk 1

Bullfinch 2 (pair) On the back lane alongside the Playing fields

This is the first time I've seen the Sparrowhawk in Lords Wood - maybe that explains wh there were so few birds about?

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

8th May 2012

PM Cloudy but warm

Second trip out since suffering from sciatica and its getting easier

. I nearly forgot all about the pain when I saw a Dipper and two Green Woodpecker

. I was also really impressed (

) with the new fence to the front of Lords Wood pond. I dont know how we have lived without this for so long

5 Blackbird
2 Blue Tit
5 Carrion Crow
1 Dipper (On river near water wheel next to small pond)
3 Feral Pigeon
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Great Tit
2 Green Woodpecker
5 Jackdaw
6 Magpie
2 Mallard
1 Moorhen (Lords Wood Pond)
1 Oystercatcher (Playing Fields)
2 Robin
2 Starling
6 Swallow
39 Woodpigeon

Regards

Dave

Kaz Horrocks · Status: Offline

Just an hour or so in Lords Wood this afternoon.

As per the norm:
Blue Tit, Great Tit & Robin in abundance.
Also:
Treecreeper x2
Nuthatch x2 (Safe from the recent fire - Phew!)
Chaffinch x2
Dunnock
Wren
Magpie x5
Carrion Crow 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Moorhen x2
Mallard x3
Little Grebe / Dabchick x2

...and one LBJ I couldn't get enough of a decent view of to ID - I need to know my birdsong better!!!

Kaz Horrocks · Status: Offline

Davidcaron62 wrote:

I think the thrush was around the fenced off pond near the college.

Yes - thats where it was! That pond is the old mill-pond for the mill you recollect. I'd forgotten about the 'Urban warfare' section of todays assault course ;)

Thanks again
Kaz

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

Hi Kaz

No I don't think you have missed anything. Am glad you noted the flocks of Great Tit in the area. I was begining to think its just me that sees them everywhere I go

. I think the thrush was around the fenced off pond near the college.

It certainly was bird watching SAS style. If I knew you were a Royal Marine Commando birdwatcher I would have done some training beforehand

.

Its good to know that there is a kinderd spirt out there who also lives in hope of seeing a Kingfisher

. I will look forward to meeting up again

Regards

Dave

Kaz Horrocks · Status: Offline

Met up with Davidcaron62 for a wander round Hopwood. Plenty of birds around despite the dogwalkers.

Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit all in good numbers all over

Lords wood/pond
2 Green Woodpecker heard exchanging calls
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Wren
Carrion Crow
Jay
Magpie
Moorhen
Little Grebe
Mallard

Rear of College
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff heard

Lane to rear of Glade Wood
Long-tailed Tit (one tail-less!)

Glade Wood
Mallard (rear pond)
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Lane between Glade Wood & Lords Wood
Grey Heron
Wren

Hopwood Clough
Grey Wagtail * (Voted our Bird of the Day)
Nuthatch
Magpie
Wren
Blackbird

Also Song Thrush, but cant for life of me remember just where it was!

Am not sure if it was the bog-snorkeling in Glade Wood, or the commando crawl along the fallen tree crossing the river in the Clough, but I'm well and truly worn out after all that walking!

Thanks for a very pleasant afternoon walk Dave - Sorry if I missed anything!

Kaz

David Winnard · Status: Offline

Mainly looking for plants but did see;

Blackcap (m)
Green Woodpecker
Dipper
Bullfinch
Nuthatch

Plant list on the wildlife section

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

Hi Kaz

The area around the hill had been burnt a little by the 27th when I was last up there. Didn't appear to be any damage to the memorial trees then (Even the small ones) so hopefully its just restricted to the braken and grass like you say. Thats a good spot to sit and watch the Corvid roost over Glade and Oakenbank Woods in winter.

I spent an a couple of hours in Hopwood Clough and the woods behind the college (5pm to 7pm) looking for the Green Woodpecker and Dippers unfortunately got neither sight nor sound

. Just my luck they had moved to Lords Wood.

Regards

Dave

Kaz Horrocks · Status: Offline

29/03/12 1530-1730

There were at least 2 Green Woodpeckers in Lords Wood this afternoon, calling between each other. I only managed to see one however as it flew the length of the pond!

Great Spotted Woodpecker also seen. (Male)
Nuthatch 3
Little Grebe / Dabchick 1 (2 heard)
Mallard 2 (pair)
Wren 3
Great Tit 4
Blue Tit 6
Blackbird 1 (female)
Jay 2

After walking round the reserve for about an hour, I became aware of a strong smell of smoke, and eventually found the source - The hill to the rear of the reserve, and grassland bordering the reserve and Golf Course were both well alight!

After calling out the Fire Brigade and directing them to the site of the fire, I headed off via my favourite Nuthatch patch before heading home. A good area of the open grassland has been laid waste, as has a section of the Reserve towards the back edge. Hopefully it is largely surface burning of bracken and dead grass, and will soon recover once the spring growth kicks in!

Kaz

Kaz Horrocks · Status: Offline

28th March 1030-1400hrs. Bright sunshine

Lords Wood
Blackbird 2
Mallard 6 (1 pair + 3 males chasing 1 female)
Magpie 4
Wren 2
Chaffinch 2
Blue Tit 4
Jay 2
Great Tit 3
Wood Pigeon 4
Long-tailed Tit 1
Grey Heron 1
Little Grebe 2
Nuthatch 2
Dunnock 2
Robin 1
Moorhen 3
Treecreeper 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Buzzard 1

Woods behind College
Jay 2
Blue Tit 3
Great Tit 4
Green Woodpecker 1

Glade Wood
Chaffinch 2
Robin 3
Blue Tit 5
Carrion Crow 5
Rook 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 3
Long-tailed Tit 4 (Pair collecting nesting material)
Wren 4
Great Tit 5
Magpie 1
Chiffchaff 1
Blackbird 1

Kaz

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

27th March 2012

PM bright and warm

2 Long-tailed Tit
3 Magpie
1 Treecreeper
3 Great Tit
3 Blackbird
1 Nuthatch
2 Robin
1 Dunnock
1 Blue Tit
1 Grey Heron
3 Mallard (Lords Wood Pond)
2 Moorhen (Lords Wood Pond)
2 Little Grebe (Lords Wood Pond)
2 Woodpigeon

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

Hi Kaz

It would be great if it does. Dippers are amoungst my favourite birds. I had only ever seen them in Yorkshire until I saw the one in Hopwood Clough. Its great knowing we have them on the doorstep so as to speak. I will have a good look for it the next time I am out.

Another unsual sighting

for me was a Little Grebe on Lords Wood Pond in September. At the time it was late and the light was poor. I got a couple of photos but had struggled to identify what it was. Recently Bill Myerscough mentioned a Little Grebe on the pond so I posted my pics on a site called ISPOT (Same user name) and got the ID confirmed. I haven't seen it since

but am hoping it will be back this year

.

Am also going to look out for the Green Woodpecker Ian has mentioned at the back of the college. Never seen one of those.

Regards

Dave

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Originally posted by Kaz Horrocks today:

Dipper spotted at Hopwood LNR yesterday afternoon, also Nutchatch & treecreeper. Great Spotted Woodpecker hammering.

Kaz

Kaz Horrocks · Status: Offline

DavidCaron62, I notice that you mentioned a Dipper at Hopwood in a post on Alkrington Woods/Rhodes last year. The one I spotted yesterday was in the same place, and fully coloured. Fingers crossed it's the same bird still around, and finds a mate - or better still, a mate for the one you saw and she's still around!
Kaz

-- Edited by Kaz Horrocks on Wednesday 21st of March 2012 07:34:02 PM

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

RE: Hopwood Woods

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

11th March 2012

Early evening 6pm mild.

Wondered up Hopwood Clough from Boarshaw Clough this evening and finshed in Lords Woods

Hopwood Clough (To Lords Wood)

Blackbird
Robin
Blue Tit
Great Tit (11)
Coal Tit
Collared Dove
Woodpigeon
Magpie
Carrion Crow

Lords Wood

Blue Tit
Great Tit (16)
Wren
Blackbird
Robin
Magpie
Long-tailed Tit

Lots of Great Tit around tonight can't remember ever having seen so many

.

Lords Wood Pond

2 Moorhen
6 Mallard (All chased away by a couple of dogs that decided to go swimming

. Ducks got their own back by luring them into the middle of the pond and then the mud area at the back. They were in a right state. Glad I din't have to clean them

).
1 Grey Heron flew over the pond East to West decided not to stop due to the dogs.

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

10th March 2012

Late PM Dull but mild

Lords Wood

10 Blue Tit
1 Blackbird
2 Magpie
1 Chaffinch
3 Great Tit
2 Carrion Crow
4 Long-tailed Tit
2 Jay
1 Coal Tit
1 Woodpigeon

Lords Wood Pond

3 Grey Heron (Same three that were in Higher Boarshaw yesterday. Still behaving as if they were in a spaghetti western)
7 Mallard
4 Moorhen

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

5th March 2012

Late Afternoon

Sunny but cold.

Small Pond (Between woods and fields)

1 Moorhen

Lords Wood

3 Blue Tit
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Magpie
2 Chaffinch
1 Great Tit
1 Carrion Crow

Lords Wood Pond

13 Mallard
3 Moorhen

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

29th January 2012

Another late visit on a very cold day.

Fields to College

4 Carrion Crow
5 Black-head Gulls

Lords Wood

2 Blackbird
4 Magpie
3 Chaffinch
2 Robin

Lords Wood Pond

2 Moorhen
6 Mallard

Fields between Lords Wood, the College and Glade Wood

500+ mixed Corvids flying arriving in groups of 50 to 75

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

22nd January 2012

Spur of the moment visit about 4.00ish after the footie to show the Corvid flock to my eldest. Nothing about at first and was beginning to think it was a wasted visit bird wise

Then in between gusts of wind I could here them and finally spotted them in the distance over Glad Wood. Thousands of them. At least ten times the numbers I have previously seen. My daughter was really impressed (Which is something of a first) It was like watching the swarms of starlings you see on TV

.

To dark to see anything elese except 20 Mallard and 3 Moorhen on Lords Wood pond.

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

15th January 2012

PM Sunny but very cold

Lords Wood

1 Magpie
2 Great Tit
1 Carrion Crow

Lords Wood Pond

8 Mallard
1 Moorhen

Fields between Lords Wood, the College and Glade Wood

The roost has grown to well over 500 (Approx) today. They were flying in in groups of 25 to 75 as the sun went down. A real spectacle.

Regards

Dave

Davidcaron62 · Status: Offline

27th December 2011

PM cloudy

Lords Wood

1 Magpie
4 Black Bird

Lords Wood Pond

1 Moorhen
12 Mallard

Fields between Lords Wood, the College and Glade Wood.

300 Flock of Mixed Carrion, Rooks, Jackdaw and Crow still present but more over to Glade Wood today.

Fields to the College

6 Black-headed Gull

Regards

Dave