At Hall Lee Bank Park LNR yesterday 20 species included Stock Dove at a veteran Ash tree, Great Spotted Woodpecker agitated by the presence of a Grey Squirrel on another veteran Ash, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. In the adjacent fields at least three pairs of Lapwing. Two pairs feeding in a grazed sheep field were accompanied by one and two fairly large juveniles. They had presumably bred in an adjacent Barley field, where the young retreated when a Buzzard passed over. A pair of Grey Partridge and a Reed Bunting also in the same fields.
Another troll over St Bart's Church Yard/Cemetry Street, Bowland's Hey, Dobb Brow and Westhoughton Golf Course.
1-Oct
Golf Course and fields beyond
2x Swallow. Flying due N-S over the golf course club house at 17:05hrs.
1x Pheasant (m)
9x Black-headed Gull
8x Wood pigeon
1x Blue tit
1x Robin
1x Blackbird (m)
Sparrow (heard)
3x Magpie
Bowland's Hey
45x Linnet. In a flock circling the building site, across the golf course to the club house and back to the Dobb Brow bridle path/Old Lane junction. Geographic Coords Lat: 53.55N Lon: -2.533W
18x Black-headed Gull. Roosting
1x Grey Heron flying SW to SE.
3x Magpie
1x Blackbird
Dobb Brow
3x Mistle thrush
1x Wood pigeon
1x Blackbird
2nd Oct AM
St Bart's Church Yard, Church Walks
12x Starling
2x Yellow Wagtail (ssp?)
4x Sparrow
3x Magpie
2x Carrion crow
6x Jackdaw
Linnet could be seen between the trees flying in same circuit as yesterday
2nd Oct PM
Church Walks/St Bart's
16x Starling, plus 20 towards dusk to feed on rowan berries at the back of Church Walks roosting on the church tower.
Cemetry/Cemetery Street
6x Jackdaw
Bowland's Hey
9x Herring gull 4x Juvenile (roosting on building site)
35x Black-headed gull (roosting on building site)
2x Lesser Blackback gull (roosting on building site)
All the above can be best sighted at the building site entrance.
9x Magpie
1x Carrion crow
4x Woodpigeon
5x Gadwall Pitched up in a large puddle which can be viewed from the Dobb Brow footpath. Approx Geographic Coords Lat: 53.550N -2.532W
Heading north up the footpath basically look up for Linnets, look right for Gadwall.
-- Edited by Ainslie Casson on Saturday 2nd of October 2021 07:42:06 PM
-- Edited by Ainslie Casson on Saturday 2nd of October 2021 07:44:10 PM
Dog walking this morning Bellhouses Lodge, Hall Lee Bank Park and fields to East of Park:
Lodge - nothing!
Park - numerous great tits, blue tits and robins, 2 jays, at least 3 chiffchaffs, wood pigeon, wren and crow
Fields - one each of whitethroat, buzzard, swift, swallow, herring gull and crow. 4 goldfinch. Heard chiffchaff, robin, wren, blue and great tit in the hedges and trees surrounding the fields.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 14th of May 2016 02:09:24 PM
This is not a report about today but of the highlights from the last few weeks of "action" around Bellhouses Lodge:
1 kingfisher 6 goosander 6 tufted ducks 4 coots 2 Canada geese 1 heron (same day and next to kingfisher) 2 mute swan 12+ black headed gull 1 kestrel 10+ redwing 3 goldfinch 1 blue tit 1 great tit
I saw the kingfisher perched on a branch on the left-hand side of the lodge when looking at it from Abelia Rd. Sorry for not posting on the day but I've had IT issues.
Tawny Owl - 1 in usual roost (been here since at least Jan this year) Yellowhammer 1 singing male Whitethroat 1 male watched flycatching Willow Warbler 7 inc singing males Chiffchaff 4 inc 1 singing male
I had a senior moment yesterday, I wrote red breasted merganser when in actual fact I meant goosander. Sorry if I've caused any undue confusion, I blame work...
Hobby over Westhoughton yesterday 16:25hrs, before flying south. Presumably attracted by good numbers of birds feeding on flying ants - 300+ Swift feeding as the Hobby went through and 250+ Starlings with a scattering of hirundines too
Male Yellowhammer carrying insect food on farmland to the north of Hart Common. Also in the same area, a family party of Whitethroats and a pair of Grey Partridge. Skylark singing over Hart Common Golf Course and a pair of Willow Warblers carrying food into one of the rougher vegetated areas around the edge of the course. Willow Tit also in same area. Oystercatcher flew over.
During a run through Eatock Lodge I saw my first ever Willow Warbler. I've heard them but never seen one so happy days. I would have preffered to have seen it with bins rather than without but it was in full song and lifted me.
1 mistle thrush 1 song thrush 2 wren 4 crows 2 long tailed tit 2 great spotted woodpeckers 4 blackbirds 2 dunnocks 6 blue tits 5 great tits And a load of birds singing that I couldn't identify by song only.
Again I heard 2 chiffchaffs but couldn't see them - what is wrong with me?
Late record for Sunday 3 April 10:00 - 11:00
Dog walk to Eatock Lodge
2 mistle thrushes
20+ house sparrows
8 goldfinches
1 wren
2 crows
Many blackbirds, dunnocks, blue and great tits.
Late record for Saturday 2 April 09:30 - 10:30
Dog walk along Hall Lee Bank Park but this time with bins.
3 great tits
4 blue tits
4 robins
2 magpies
2 mistle thrushes
3 crows
3 blackbird
5 collard dove
4 wood pigeon
1 chaffinch
2 bullfinches
1 wren
Bellhouses Lodge
2 mute swans
2 mallards
Plenty of black headed gulls overhead
Took my wife's dog (a toy poodle) for a walk along Hall Lee Bank Park. I didn't take my bins but even so I did manage to see some nice birds . (Note to self, even if I'm on dog walking duty I must take bins!)
Anyway, aong the woodland path: heard a wren scolding something, 3 great tits, 4 blue tits, 4 robins, 2 magpies, 1 mistle thrush, 1 crow, 4 blackbird, 2 collard dove, 2 wood pigeon, 1 chaffinch and 2 treecreepers. I don't want to sound like a stringer but I saw something small and dark with a hint of white (or paleness) on its breast nip from the bank of the stream darting into some undergrowth - could it be a dipper? I also heard a great deal of song that I'm just not able to identify at the moment. Better luck next time, especially with bins!
In the fields to east of Bellhouses Lodge: 2 mute swans and 2 coots. There was nothing on the lodge as there was a bunch of workmen clearing scrub with strimmers.
-- Edited by Phil Cunliffe on Friday 25th of March 2011 08:33:08 PM
Birds spotted along woodland path: 6 great tit, 5 blue tit, 4 robin, 3 magpie, 2 mistle thrush, 1 song thrush and 1 kingfisher flying along stream and then perched on a branch just for my family and I
On Bellhouses lodge to the south of the park and Daisy Hill station:
c12 black headed gull, 1 heron, 1 moorhen, 3 woodpigeon and plenty of LBJs in the trees.
-- Edited by Phil Cunliffe on Sunday 13th of March 2011 09:22:33 PM
1 Buzzard on lamp post on Snydale Way early am, nr Chequerbent roundabout.
Hall Lee Bank Park - 1 Nuthatch, 2 female Great Spotted Woodpeckers chasing each other around, 1 Jay and 3 Bullfinch. Most of the expected other woodland birds...except Treecreeper, which I couldn't find.
2 different pairs of Mute Swan on ponds nearby.
Fields just to the east of the woodland held a mixed feeding flock of c210 birds - roughly c110 Fieldfare, c60 Starling and c40 Redwing. The presence of a female Sparrowhawk was most probably the reason why they were so unsettled and flighty.
Regarding the council, you may wish to contact Mrs Gill Williams who lives off Wearish Lane, is on the council and who has shown an interest in conservation and in this particular area.
If you want her address or phone number just contact me.
with out sounding a plonker , what is the best way ? I was thinking of wire around the truck or is that a complete don't? Can someone advise I would hate to cause damage while trying to do the right thing?
hi roy i wouldnt speak to them very rare you get any joy out of that lot but if you do put some up do it safely with regards protecting the tree a nail or a screw is a no no speaking from experience i killed my garden tree doing it by this method.
Hindley Rd There is a caravan upholstrey company just after shops who has set up a feeding syation
Goldfinch (25+) Mistle Thrush (in field 3)
Bell House Pond Leigh Rd
Tufted Duck x 2 Mute swan x 2 BH Gull (30)
Leigh Rd(next to the welcome to Wigan Sign)not sure if its under Westhoughtonor its classed as the Dark Side (Wigan)
Reed Bunting Kestral Red Wing
Spoke to the Farm owner at the top of Wearish lane who is a friend , I get House Martins every year on the front on my house , he gets them in the stable on the farm and its in of excess of 50 will keep everyone posted ,
Grey and Pied Wagtails on farm near muck heap,
If I was to put up 10-15 bird boxes in the Clough on Wearish lane which is council owned - do you think they will complain or should I speak to the council?
Also in the same area, a family party of Whitethroats 
and a pair of Grey Partridge. Skylark singing over Hart Common Golf Course and a pair of Willow Warblers carrying food into one of the rougher vegetated areas around the edge of the course. Willow Tit also in same area. Oystercatcher flew over. 
