Rodney Harrison wrote:

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We have a rookery at the back of our house in Rastrick, had 13 succesful nests last year but have 19 this year, are those in Manchester showing signs of increase after the two previous bad winters?

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Hi Rodney,

Pleased to hear about the increase at your local rookery. Wonder if you might have a few more next year after reading on some other forum of possible disturbance near to the rookery at Hartshead Moor Services on the M62 during this breeding season?

I suspect that for many birders Rooks are one of our less interesting species and sadly don't attract a great deal of attention. I'm lucky that I personally enjoy the sights and sounds of a rookery in spring and have counted a few this year but like many things bird related I suspect that timing is of the essence and I probably counted a few a bit too early in the breeding season to be sure I had got the maximum numbers of nests that may have been built. Whilst updating my records I also had a look at some recent historical records that I could find at some of these sites, which I thought might be of interest.

Site 1 - 32 nests on 26th Feb had increased to 88 by 25th March. There were 50 in 1996, 60 in 1997, 75 in 1999, 70 in 2001, 80 in 2004 and 109 in 2009.

Site 2 - 19 nests on 17th March. There were 60 in 1996, 60 in 1997, 56 in 1998, 50 in 2000, 42 in 2001, 34 in 2002, 28 in 2004, 41 in 2005, 44 in 2006, 32 in 2007, 34 in 2008 and 25 in 2009.

Site 3 - 42 nests on 18th March. There were 61 in 1996, 50 in 2004, 34 in 2006, 35 in 2007 and 33 in 2009.

Site 4 - 23 nests on 8th April. There were 30 in 1996, 21 in 1998, 23 in 1999, 21 in 2000, 23 in 2004, 20 in 2005, 9 in 2008 and 20 in 2009.

Site 5 - 18 nests on 18th April. There were 25 in 1996, 22 in 1997, 20 in 2000, 27 in 2003, 16 in 2004, 15 in 2005, 9 in 2006, 13 in 2008, and 17 in 2009.

Site 6 - 4 nests on 9th April. There were 4 in 1996, 10 in 1999, 3 in 2002, 10 on 2004 and 8 in 2009.

Site 7 - 1 nest on 20th April. This held as many as 18 nests in 1996 and 10 nests in 1998, down to 6 by the mid 2000's.

From the above it would appear that some colonies appear to fluctuate, whilst a few have declined, some substantially in the timescales noted. Finally, a little further back in this thread Judith Smith detailed the figure work for the last two organised Rook surveys in GM when in 1975 there were 45 rookeries containing 1418 nests but by the time of the next one in 1996 these figures had declined to 43 rookeries containing 956 nests. I wonder if it might be a good idea for all of us GM birdwatchers to have a concerted effort next year to count all of our rookeries?

Cheers,

Bill.

We have a rookery at the back of our house in Rastrick, had 13 succesful nests last year but have 19 this year, are those in Manchester showing signs of increase after the two previous bad winters?

now 4 nests (1 very large) behind the Coop pharmacy in Greenfield.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 26th of March 2011 08:25:30 PM

Nest building at Delph. 12 birds present at 1230 on 19/03.

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

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

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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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

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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

tbh Henry thats kind of what i meant by saying the ones the airport are worrying about. As in they see the odd rook nearby and use them as the excuse to look for the largest colony nearby to desimate! There were 3 or 4 there again today at 1.45pm (in the field across the road from the romper) they are very shy tho as twice now i tried to get some good photo's only for them to disapear towards the bolllin.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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?

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.....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

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.

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

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

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.

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

keep birding

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

That's great, Henry - a new site!

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