I took the afternoon off work and spent 7 1/2 hours at the location...so here is my take on what was seen and I will be as brief as poss. Tim wilcox was with me for a good part of the afternoon.

On arrival at the site (China Lane) the first bird I saw and heard was a black redstart (BX). The BX was singing on the chimney mentioned in first post. About a couple of hours later I heard two BXs singing from different locations. I contacted Ian to inform him. When I was in mid conservation with Ian I witnessed two BXs having a fight just above the martial arts centre roof! (Back piccadilly) the birds took the fight to mid-air. This was more than a checking out drama but all out aggression with one bird seeing the other off out of territory.

Later in the afternoon Tim and I saw a male and female together content with each other's company and they flew together over Dale street.

Very late afternoon I saw two birds mating high on a roof in Dale Street.

I have to admit that at the time of writing I do not know if the female ever sings. If she does not sing then it seems obvious to me that we have two males in Manchester. Given the level of aggression I saw between the two birds fighting I am inclined towards thinking that we have two males even if the female sings.

Given the above I think it may well be worthwhile for birders to see if we have a male singing around last years site.

Some of the activity I saw may well have been the female looking for a nest site. Depending upon where the nest is made it may be that steps may have to be taken to protect the site from disturbance.

Given that I watched the area exensively over the weekend I am confident that the birds arrived yesterday though previous reports may well be valid. So thanks to everyone reporting. I must admit to wearing out a lot of shoe leather trying to locate these little rascals!

Please be aware that these are Sched. 1 birds.

These birds and the nest site will be very closely monitored by me.

Nice to meet Nigel who found the bird and of course others who turned up or showed interest.


Other sitings around the site were pied and grey wagtail, kestrel flying high above, peregrine high above , magpie and carrion crow too close for comfort.

I also witnessed human behaviour too discusting to report here, some folk have no shame.

Hope the birds breed successfully and everyone gets to see them in the course of time.

AD



-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Tuesday 16th of June 2009 09:19:09 PM

Fantastic news Nigel and well done. I did two extended visits this week-end and only got a pair of grey wagtails. What we need now are a male and female BX!

Black Redstart found in Manchester City Centre this afternoon!

It was a case of Murphy's Law, since I was in some hurry to get home and could ill afford to spare any time.

As I was cycling along Dale Street, at 15:00, in the direction of Piccadilly Station, I heard the song very clearly. I turned around and targetted the source as the high buildings on China Lane.

After five minutes of searching China Lane and Back Piccadilly, I located the bird: walk twenty yards down China Lane, from Dale Street; look upwards to the top of the first building on the right; it was singing from the ornate chimney stack.

I also saw three Peregrines in the air together over Stevenson Square, about five minutes earlier.

QUOTE
I saw Black Redstarts here maybe 10 years ago, before they rennovated the buildings along Portland St where I suspected they nested (the old Kung-Fu shop - now Jumpin Jacks) on the corner of Dickinson and Portland St.

that "old kung fu shop" was owned by my wife and her uncle it was called chung yee sports, it was on 110 portland street then took over the old allied irish bank building on the corner in about 1990 and moved to newton street in '93 now renamed van dang martial arts! The redstarts used to nest above the car park round the back now not there. You used to be able to walk through from portland street through an archway but alas no more.

-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Monday 8th of June 2009 06:54:56 PM

Unfortunately there's a lot of renovation work going on at our offices alongside the canal (nearer the Palace Theatre) so they probably won't venture this far.

I saw Black Redstarts here maybe 10 years ago, before they rennovated the buildings along Portland St where I suspected they nested (the old Kung-Fu shop - now Jumpin Jacks) on the corner of Dickinson and Portland St.

I'll keep my eyes and ears open the next few weeks

The Court is the Minshull Street end. If you look to your left at the top of Canal Street you'll see a car park over the canal. I saw a female and 3 young there few years back with my partner and she is certain she saw a female black redstart there yesterday.

I will try too. I'm not familiar with the area (honest!) - where abouts are the courts?