19/04/2011 - at least 6 occupied nests in the tall trees between Banky Meadow and the Sewage Works, Ashton-upon-Mersey this morning.

13 nests at Bleaklow Hall, Hawkshaw. 8 nests at Summerseat. 19 nests at Gorsey Clough nursing home.

3 large nests so far

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

Wolstenholme, Norden. 19 nests.

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.

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.

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

Where are the rookeries in Stockport???

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.