Almost fully grown oystercatcher chick calling out to the adults, who were flying over head and in contact with it. royal mail carpark shield drive wardley this am.
I spent thursday dinner watching the building and an adult bird flew in with food 5 times in the hour,today from the same spot I saw nothing of them,but heard them later much farther down the estate,I fear the chick/chicks may have been predated.
How high is the roof and do you think it would be possible, with appropriate permissions, to see the nest such that it might be photographed, without disturbing the birds of course.
For other oystercatchers nesting elsewhere the same question applies.
Many thanks
Adrian
-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Wednesday 27th of May 2009 11:10:28 PM
An adult Oystercatcher noisily carried what looked like small worms (or maybe leatherjackets?) from fields to the west of the canal towards Stakehill - 3 times in approx. 15 mins - on 12/5.
I revisited yesterday afternoon (14/5) - 1 was again seen carrying food into the industrial estate. I positioned myself hopefully where I could see where it might be landing and waited approx 30 mins. but unfortunately there followed a fairly steady passage of LBB Gulls and not too surprisingly the adult bird became very quiet and inconspicuous! I would guess this species might be a considerable risk to these roof top nesters - indeed in the last week I have seen passing LBB Gulls twice making opportunistic but unsuccessful attacks on a Carrion Crows nest located right at the top of an electricity pylon in the same area! A little later an adult bird - this time not carrying food - went over the back of the green coloured industrial unit occupied by a company called Cert Octavian but I could not see where it landed.
I have recorded them breeding on my WBBS along the Rochdale Canal for the last 4-5 years. They are nesting somewhere on a roof on the indutrial park to the north east of middleton.
Definately one went from Stakehill estate to the fields and back again at teatime tonight .Watched it descend towards buildings but lost in the middle. I'll be watching. Steve
For some years Oystercatchers have bred on the roofs at the Heywood Industrial Park nr J3 of the M66. Recently they have also bred at the Royal Pennine Trading Estate between Castleton and Sudden (Royle Rd) and it is suspected they are breeding at Wardley Industrial Estate and possibly also at Stake Hill Ind. Est.
They can do this because Oystercatchers are the only wader that brings food to its young (even washing it first!). It's quite rare for them to nest on roofs away from Scotland, I believe. They probably do well on roofs, with no predators.
If you work on a modern industrial estate in GM, please keep your eyes and ears open for Oystercatchers flying around, and let me know. Especially, look for birds carrying food! The problem is oversight, to confirm breeding.
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Judith Smith
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Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
