10-12

2+Woodcock in field near 'triange' parking area. 10 Redwing, 15 Mistle Thrush, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Raven, 2 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch, 5 Greenfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Linnet 

Between the visitor centre and Windy Harbour. A pair of Linnets flitting around Gorse bushes near the cenotaph. Not many years ago would have hardly been worth a mention as up to half a dozen pairs would have been on territory in this area. Sadly not

anymore. Willow Warblers in good numbers - at least 7 singing birds and appear to be increasing again after falling numbers over a period of years. 3 probably 4 singing Whitethroats. A sighting for me, the first time in many years, of a pair of Spotted

Flycatchers  flitting around about 50 yards below the path. Good but brief view of one bird. Didn't appear to hang about - had gone in a few minutes. Certainly not breeding habitat - no mature trees so probably just passing through. 

Vic C

p.m. 

2 wheatear (1m, 1f) on the rabbit warren, but the rabbits were of more interest to what was eventually 9 buzzards over the spot. One tried a couple of half-hearted swoops on them. A skylark was songflighting nearby, not a recent occurrence outside the Country Park. Other then this, 1 kestrel & 1 chiffchaff were of some interest.

3:10 p.m. today. A hobby flew in from the SW and over the hedgerow running west from the Hare & Hounds pub. Obviously it is interested in the remaining 40 swallows which were around. Last seen heading towards Gee Cross.

A whinchat was in the hedgerow running west from Top O'th Low Cottage (beneath the telephone wires, which it sat on briefly), towards the Greave end of the 'Low', until 4.35p.m. at least. A site first for me, and only the second I have ever seen locally when on foot. 

Walk from Bredbury St. Marks cricket ground to the Country Park (southern half), brough little excitement. Best was a grasshopper warbler heard twice briefly from in the C.P. Otherwise, up to 5 whitethroats, a few swallows, 1 swift, and 1 chiffchaff were all that gave even a slight impression of migration.

Having failed, last weekend, to track down down Andy's ring ouzel, went up again this afternoon. Only a handful of redwings up near the the top (lots more people), but perhaps the same flock of redwings (50+) on the South side (below Uplands Farm). Relatively little otherwise (very active jays among all 5 corvids), though a cormorant heading purposefully East above the Low towards the peaks was a bit odd.

A ring ouzel, probably 1st Winter, was with a small party of redwings and blackbirds mid p.m. It was in the hedgerow and scrub running west from c50 meters short of the Hare and Hounds pub (approaching from Greave).

10 crossbill over south, a grasshopper warbler reeling to the south-west of the cenotaph, 16 meadow pipits in the same area and 20+ mistle thrush in one flock.

Walking from home to the Country Park (I'm a fast walker!). Not a lot going on until 2 curlew were seen flying low from the C.P. over Joel Lane towards Hyde cricket club, possibly a first for me up here. 1 lapwing was a sad reminder of better times past, whilst 2 singing skylarks was just about what might be expected (but appreciated all the same). Apart from a couple of small flocks of meadow pipits, it was dead for smaller stuff - no aerial activity to speak of. 1 kestrel also in the C.P.

Afternoon walk from home (Romiley) to the Country Park. The first of the Autumn's fieldfare locally (60+) were over the Greave end of the Low, going west. About 30 minutes later, about half that number flew back from that direction: different ones? A scattering of redwings (c10) included one with no tail feathers, which would have made life difficult (in flight) had it not been with others. Next best sighting was of 4 golden plover heard overhead which went NW quite high. Two flocks of 30+ goldfinches, 8 rooks, 2 ravens, kestrel, and buzzard were amongst other things seen.

A garden warbler in song was my first record for the park in 20-odd years visiting. Also common whitethroats, willow warblers, chiffchaff, blackcap, skylark, and linnets seen or heard amongst others.

Greave end of the 'Low'. Hobby again, looking for prey in low-level flight. Also buzzard, kestrel, sparrowhawk and 2 ravens around which might help explain the paucity of smaller birds!!

Yesterday 18.30-19.30 and 21.00-21.30 'Stockport,  side.

Lesser Redpoll, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, 40 Swallow, 20 Swift, 4 House Martin, Chiffchaff, 7 Mistle Thrush .

Brief visit this afternoon: 

Minimum 5 Skylark, 4 Linnet, Lapwing, 4 Common Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 8 Swift, 3 Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Goldcrest. 

1 singing Linnet , 4 Lesser Redpolls in circular display song flights, 1 Raven, 1 Common Buzzard and 2 Swallows.

Still no Wheatears and sadly no Lapwings attempting to breed.

Autumn used to be considered the season of plenty when flocks of birds gathered at the end of the breeding season at what would be their greatest numbers of the year. Fast forward to 2016: 5 lapwings and about half a dozen meadow pipits kind of says it all. Only a nice little flock of 14 linnets gave me a small lift in mood.

10.30 am to 12.30pm - Felt like January, Spring has not yet reached Werneth Low - at least from a birding view. No Wheatears at all yet and for the first time ever by this date no Chiffchaffs on the slopes below the War Memorial in the near 40 years I've been birding this site 

The most interesting sighting was a male Blackbird in normal plumage except for strikingly white outer tail feathers. It looked really unusual in flight. It was in the quarry car park and then in the large patch of brambles on the opposite side of the road.

Goldfinches everywhere but Greenfinches in decline. Sadly just a single Lapwing noted. 

3 Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel (m).

At least 72 lapwing flying around the top (SW of Hare and Hounds) this afternoon, just before the snow came in the most I've seen there.