Rookeries in Greater Manchester

stuartherring · Status: Offline

RE: Rookeries in Greater Manchester

stuartherring · Status: Offline

will do should be easy as i can see it from the bedroom window

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

Excellent news, Stuart - please keep your eye on it for a total number of nests.

stuartherring · Status: Offline

new rookery forming in greenfield behind the co op pharmacy at least 4 visible nests so far but more birds present in trees

Bill Myerscough · Status: Offline

24th February.

Plenty of birds and activity around the large rookery at Birch this morning.

Numerous birds carrying nesting material and c42 nests at various stages of build at the present time.

Cheers,

Bill.

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Ian McKerchar wrote:

Originally postedby Rob Hamilton today:

hi, im reasonably new to birding and i still need to carry a book to reference to but i am getting better each trip. The other day i managed to track down a very large rookery in happy valley the best view is from the entrance on jacksons lane next to norbury athletics pitch , walk down the path until you reach the end of the football pitch and they roost the other side of the river directly infront. Its an amazing sight around four ish there are thousands of them flying in formations/displays.
Thanks
Rob

Hi Rob and welcome to the forum,

I live on the 'racecourse estate' in Hazel Grove and each winter large numbers of corvids fly over my house in the evening to roost. These are mostly Jackdaws plus some Rooks and single flocks of 1-2000 are not uncommon. They also fly out again over my house early morning to their feeding grounds.

Your flock has been reported elsewhere on the forum - have a look under 'Hazel Grove' thread for December 6th - 13th 2009.

The Hazel Grove thread is further down this page but, when logged on, it's better to use the useful 'search' facility at the top of the page.

Cheers, John

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Originally postedby Rob Hamilton today:

hi, im reasonably new to birding and i still need to carry a book to reference to but i am getting better each trip. The other day i managed to track down a very large rookery in happy valley the best view is from the entrance on jacksons lane next to norbury athletics pitch , walk down the path until you reach the end of the football pitch and they roost the other side of the river directly infront. Its an amazing sight around four ish there are thousands of them flying in formations/displays.
Thanks
Rob

brandon mulhern · Status: Offline

RE: Rookeries in Greater Manchester 2009

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

I would assume that Rooks feeding near the Romper would be from a much more local breeding colony. Can't remember seeing nests very near by but there is a potential site in tall poplar type trees near the large round-about by the M56 junction. And some decent woodland along the Bollin valley locally.
The Dunham Massey colony is several miles away which is the reason for outrage at trying to exterminate them. Miles away from the airport and plenty of local feeding grounds (the golf course etc). It would be interesting to see if they did fly as far as the airport but without evidence a cull can't be had.
My local colony is much closer to the airport and I'll be taking offence if they just come along and wipe them out without public consultation on the matter.
Thanks. Henry.

brandon mulhern · Status: Offline

there were several rooks (along with swallows lapwing and carrion) in the fields just off sunbank lane near the romper pub yesterday. This is just on the other side of the airport from civic centre and an easy flight across the airport. Maybe these rooks are the ones from Dunham the airport is so worried about.

Neil McCall · Status: Offline

Very pleased to see a pair of Rooks flying around Wythenshawe Civic Centre today - wonder where they came from??

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

I have been having quite long discussions with a couple of people at the Airport today. I suggested that they colour-ring the Rook nestlings, or fit radio transmitters to them, at Dunham Forest GC. They seemed glad of a practical approach, and are going to ring the BTO to find out more. Basically, I think the problem is not birds on the airport itself, but large numbers of corvids and woodpigeons flying across the airport on their way to a communal roost somewhere. They may get a student in from MMU (where they have contacts) to study this as a long term project.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Check out today's Manchester Evening News
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1112183_outcry_at_airport_bird_cull

Looks like the cull has been postponed for now

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Today round Dunham Massey were a number of posters talking about Manchester Airport shooting Rooks on 30th April. There was an online petition

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/dunhamrooks

This says

"On April 30th at 6am Manchester Airport will be sending 5 Men,
armed with guns with the intention to kill all the birds in the Dunham Massey Rookery.
The Rooks have been living in these nests forever.

The Airport's intention is to try and prevent bird strikes,
which of course is essential as obviously humans safety is paramount,
but killing these rooks will not solve the problem at the airport. "

I find this a bit strange as DM is quite a way from the airport and why pick on Rooks ?
I thought you could only shoot Crows under special circumstances such as Agricultural pests - not on the off chance they might fly near the airport ??

Edit - Having spoken to Judith, apparantly they are within their rights. Rooks on nests are an easy target and are classed as pests. According to CAA guidelines, any 'bird attractant' within 13km of an airport is to be 'controlled' so maybe we shouldn't be publicising Rookeries in the vicinity !

-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Monday 27th of April 2009 11:52:45 AM

tonywilkinson · Status: Offline

Jackson's Lane Hazel Grove; the trees disappeared a couple of years ago. Typical Stockport!!!! The Adlington Rookery south of Poynton seems to be breaking up, and the birds in Hazel Grove were probably a break away faction which disturbed the locals. Most Rooks seen in south of Stockport seem to be flying towards Adlington or at least Cheshire. We are possibly back to the one Rookery behind The Devonshire Arms at Mellor but not been up there for a while.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

5 nests on far eastern side of Dunham Massey - Headsman's Covert

-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 18th of April 2009 01:22:21 PM

Simon Hitchen · Status: Offline

12 nests at Higher Shore, Littleborough although one looks inactive.

Kath Butterworth · Status: Offline

Delph rookeries count as promised

Based on previous years, this is probably the max. I will check again at weekend just in case

Crossroads - 15 nests
Larkhill at Rumbles Lane 29 nests
White Lion- Delph Lane/Denshaw road junction - 11 nests

declan savage · Status: Offline

18 nests at least at Brookhey's Farm, off Sinderland Road - most looked 'active'. Lots of Rooks feeding on Carrington Moss yesterday.

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

Allan Rimmer and I will be doing the canal/river via the towpath between the Navigation at Gathurst and the road bridge at Appley Bridge next Tuesday (weather permitting) as it is a BTO Waterways Breeding Bird Survey. Is the new banking on that stretch?

Colin Ramsden · Status: Offline

Wolstenholme, Norden. 19 nests.

fred fouracre · Status: Offline

just as a matter o f interest judith there were about 8 sandmartins showing great interest on a section of the duggy bank where there has been a landslip revealing a clay/sandy bank.i will revisit as ive never seen sandmartins on the river douglas though they nest in their hundreds on the ribble so why not.

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

Gathurst is in GM and some of Appley Bridge, The Douglas is the county boundary and then the Calico Brook. The rookery ison the other side of the Dougy.

fred fouracre · Status: Offline

judith.....there are no nests in the valley area now.they are right at the top of the hill by the farm.i would never have thought gathurst appley bridge area was not in manchester.

-- Edited by fred fouracre on Monday 13th of April 2009 12:58:41 PM

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

Thaks Fred - this is actually in Lancs. There used to be a heronry there too but it was "discouraged" a few years ago. One year I counted 144 Rook nests - as you say, they are spread over a wide area on the slopes of a valley so partly out of view. Decreasing though.

fred fouracre · Status: Offline

there is a rookery at valentines wood at appley bridge.very active today.at least 16 nests but its a long way from the canal bank so there may be more.

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

20 nests at Brook Buildings, Bradshaw Rd between Harwood and Hawkshaw; 12 nests at Woodhey Mill Hawkshaw.

Where are the rookeries in Stockport???

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

Shuttleworth St John's - 45 nests.
Summerseat nr Peel Hall (on my BBS) 10 nests all in one tree on Newcombe Rd.
Nothing at Ramsbottom Rose Hill or behind the Grants Arms.
Holcombe church - 24 nests

Bill Myerscough · Status: Offline

5th April.

8 nests in the Chamber House, Heywood area this evening - not certain though that all were in use - 1 bird was sitting, other nests were still being built. Couldn't see any in the adjacent Primrose Hill Farm area - maybe looking in the wrong place?

Surprising how easy it is to miss these small colonies!

However, I did notice that driving from Rochdale towards Heywood there appeared to be a small rookery just on the outskirts of Heywood at SD868111 (Captain Fold?) of about 3 and a bit nests but on both my visits this rookery appeared to be unoccupied.

Keep atlasing!,

Bill.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

35 nests at Dunham Forest Golf Course (across road from Dunham Massey pedestrian entrance)

Bill Myerscough · Status: Offline

4th April.

Revisited the rookery at Birch this morning and spent a fair bit more time there. I counted 109 nests - I made sure that I double and treble checked this figure, as it was considerably higher than my conservative count made on 14/3/09!

An interesting 10 minutes was spent here watching a Carrion Crow trying to lure a sitting Rook off a nest. This particular nest was well separated from the main colony and the Crow made several attempts to dislodge the sitting Rook (presumably to steal an egg or a nestling?). The sitting Rook on every occassion that the crow attacked, came off its nest and chased the crow only a short distance away but always keeping its body between the nest and the crow. The Carrion Crow left immediately on the return of the other bird from the pair of Rooks!

Other rookeries visited this afternoon:- 20 active nests at Nutters (top local restaurant!

), Edenfield Rd, Rochdale (presume this is the rookery know as Wolstenholme in earlier county bird reports?) and 17 at Healey Dell, Rochdale. Many thanks to Dave Winnard for pointing me in the right direction to these two sites (otherwise I would never have found them!)and to Mr Nutter Snr for allowing me permission to wander on their land to count the nests in the rookery.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Saturday 4th of April 2009 03:42:21 PM

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Saturday 4th of April 2009 03:47:49 PM

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

Latest counts: 38 at Golborne St Thomas's; 19 at Jubilee Park Ashton in Makerfield; 33 at Bottom o'th Moor Horwich; 3 at Church St Horwich; 70 at Worthington Lakes.
Thanks to Tony Johnson and Allan Rimmer.

Kane Brides · Status: Offline

Adults where sitting at the nests on the M62 (Westbound) just before Birch Services today. Also adult sitting on one nest in Milnrow. Nipped into Tyldesley cemetery this evening and most nests had sitting adults.

Kane

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

The one nest outside my house has now grow to 2 nest, seems they like it here!

keep birding

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Originally posted by Ian Moffat, 28th March 2009

Checked out Tyldesley Cemetery Rookery this afternoon.
23 nest occupied. Not sure if this Rookery already been posted.
Great entertainment watching the rooks stealing twigs from each others nest.
Cheers Ian.

PHIL GREENWOOD · Status: Offline

The "rookery" on Woodsend Road, Flixton consists of 4 nests in 1 tree.
There are normally c30 Rooks wintering in the area.

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

25 nests at Heap Bridge at Printpack and Tetrosyl along Bridge Hall Lane yesterday

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

That's great, Henry - a new site!

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

27 active nests in wood off Brooks Drive, Hale Barns, S.Manc today.

Kane Brides · Status: Offline

2 nests with adults (Building?) in trees just before the Birch Services on the M62 - Westbound this afternoon.

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

About 30 at Dunham Forest Golf Club (7th tee), thanks to Anthony Morris.

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

Just 7 nests at Rowlands Rd Summerseat - about half of last year's total if I remember correctly. Time for more yet I suppose.

Tom Morton · Status: Offline

Today 74 active nests at Worthington Lakes and 125 at Haigh (School Coverts) - also pair of displaying Curlews in the field near the latter site.

Kath Butterworth · Status: Offline

Currently counting rookeries which were present in Delph in 2008. Will also put on roving record form as my Atlas/BBS squares dont include this area.
All 3 are in use this year.
Delph Crossroads, White Lion and Rumbles lane/bottom of Lark Hill.

Will post on site in April when max nests will have been counted (going off previous years)

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Melanie Beckford wrote:

In Ramsbottom where l work,there are approx' four Rookeries that l know of and a huge one that l can see from the house where l work.Would you be interested in me counting the nests and birds?? Happy to do it if it helps.

Yes, please do Melanie,

Can you post your counts on the Atlas website? (www.birdatlas.net) and here on the forum as well - there seems to be quite a bit of interest.

Cheers, Steve

dave broome · Status: Offline

16 nests at Jubilee Park, Ashton-in-Makerfield all seemed to have birds at them. One of these 16 was only in the early stages of being built.

Melanie Beckford · Status: Offline

In Ramsbottom where l work,there are approx' four Rookeries that l know of and a huge one that l can see from the house where l work.Would you be interested in me counting the nests and birds?? Happy to do it if it helps.

Judith Smith · Status: Offline

The last BTO survey was in 1996 when a sample census was carried out. There were 10 tetrads in GMC. However, I did attempt to find all rookeries (see article in the 1996 report) and 43 were located with a total of 956 nests (45 with 1418 nests in 1975).
I know there has been a considerable decrease since then with no nests now at (eg) Golborne Dale (57 in 1996), Brandlesholme Hall, and much reduced at most other sites. Therefore I think it's really important we find as many as we can for the new atlas. Rooks (like Feral Pigeons and Mute Swans) are often ignored by birdwatchers, sadly.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Yes Bill,

you make a good point about missing colonies when doing TTVs. I'm not sure about the methodology that was used for the last full Rookeries Survey but I'm sure that wasn't foolproof either!

There's probably not a lot of point in just checking the sites that were found in the last survey as old sites are abandoned and new ones founded on a yearly basis.

I write up the Rook bit of the County Report and, believe me, it's not easy. Everyone seems to use different names for the same sites. It confuses me no end

and Judith has to correct my text every year!

Steve

Bill Myerscough · Status: Offline

Henry - I fully take your point but surely it is best to have too much info rather than too little (which is more often the case)? If we did a comparison against the last full survey then that would seem to be a fair reflection of what is actually happening.

Steve - with regard to colonial species being picked up on TTV's for the Atlas project. One of my reasons for doing TTV's is to visit areas that I am not totally familiar with and the exciting prospect of what you might find! Because some people do not know the areas they are surveying and given that a breeding survey TTV might only cover 2 one hour visits, I would guess there is some chance that colonies might well be missed! I know from my own experience that I wasn't aware of colonial nesting birds near to an area where I regularly walk and birdwatch

until I was told about them!.

Plus counting colonial nesting birds does take some time and from my limited experience the only way to count them accurately.... is to wait and watch!

The other reasons I suggested it, was to try and encourage more records being put towards the atlas project, at the same time as birders are able to enjoy all of the sights and sounds and the spectacle of good numbers of commoner species which are on our "doorstep"and which we often overlook - I know I have!!

Cheers,

Bill.