3 Ring-Necked Parakeet this evening

The woods are slowly coming to life - concentrated session for only 2 hours today
in intermittently half decent light/drizzle!

Blackbird 13
Robin 10
Wren 5
Great Tit 36
Blue Tit 17
Nuthatch 10
Long Tailed Tit 4
Goldcrest 4
Redwing 6 (on field just east of the woods)
Song Thrush 2
Mistle Thrush 1
Coal Tit 1
Treecreeper 1
Goldfinch 8 on edge of Lilford Park

Lilford Woods this am from 0800 - VERY cold but fab light and plenty happening. Also took in the NE corner of Atherton Woods.

Redwings 15 Lilford / 87 flying from trees on edge of Atherton Wood down into the adjoining field to try to feed on the frozen ground! No Fieldfares seen even though I scoped it.
5 Mistle Thrush
9 Robins
23 Great Tit
23 Blue Tit
2 Goldcrest
5 Wren
5 Treecreeper
3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (2 seemed to be nest-prospecting)
2 Coal Tit
6 Nuthatch
10 Long Tailed Tit
1 Jay
1 Song Thrush
3 Chaffinch

An incomplete mooch on the LIlford/Atherton South patch today.

Generally fairly queit but some good birds including a Willow Tit at Woodend, a female Siskin and a Goldcrest at Lilford Park, 2 Nuthatch in Lilford Woods, 4 Mistle Thrush and a Redwing, and a small flock of Linnet, with 6 or so Pied Wagtails all feeding on the newly ploughed fields at Miller's Lane, two Buzzards over Atherton Wood, and 8 Gadwall now on the little "flash" near the Busway.

Brief visit to Lilford Flood Basin this afternoon as I missed it out the other day - not very much going one except 2 Common Buzzard high over, and an awful lot of Woodpigeon.
2 more Buzzard were soaring high over Atherton seen from the edge of Atherton Wood.

On my way to Lilford a female Sparrowhawk shot missile-like across the trees at Woodend and into the back garden of an Elmridge bungalow, to emerge a few moments later with a Great Tit in its claws, no doubt courtesy of a bird feeder! Then at high speed back across the field to the trees bordering Lilford Park for its snack. Quite a dramatic sight!

Patch Tick for me this morning as 6 Ring Necked Parakeets flew noisily over Lilford Flood Basin as I was fighting my way through the Himalayan Balsam with my machete - well almost! - and landed on some distant trees direction Atherton South. Certainly not seen these before so close to home.

Lilford park flood basin 4pm today.

Chaffinch 5
Bullfinch 1 heard
Willow Warbler 1 heard
Wren 5
Robin 3
Chiffchaff 1

Nice afternoon, chilly/sunny 3-5pm

Woodend -
1 Common Buzzard
1 Grey Wagtail (nice patch tick for me and within 150m of our house!)
3 Mistle Thrush

Lilford Park/flood basin through to Langley Platt Lane and back

Blue Tit 7, Great Tit 11, Robin 10, Nuthatch 2, Wren 4, Teal 2 (on flood basin) Jay 2, Long Tailed Tit 5
Redwing 14 and Fieldfare 1 & Lapwing 2 - in field E of Atherton Wood


And at Langley Platt, 3 teenaged lads with an Air Rifle trying very unsuccessfully not to be spotted by this binocular-equipped birder!

Today's counts from 0815 to 11.30 am on a stunning morning.

Lilford Park environs and Woods:
Robin 21, Carrion Crow 2, Starling 2, Greenfinch 1, Wren 9, Great Tit 15, Dunnock 3, Blackbird 10,
Black Headed Gull 6, Herring Gull 1, Mallard 7, Coal Tit 1, Song Thrush 2, Blue Tit 15, Redwing 1 (only! have they left?)
Chaffinch 1, Mistle Thrush 1, Nuthatch 1,
Sparrowhawk 2 over the woods.

Lilford Flood Basin and Atherton Wood:
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming 1, Buzzard 1, Grey Heron 1,
Carrion Crow 5, Wren 2, Jay 1, Robin 4, Great Tit 1, Blue Tit 3,
Raven 1 being chased by one of the Sparrowhawks from the previous list!

Langley Platt, Miller's Lane, Bee Fold and Long Causeway:
Robin 18, Wren 7, Long Tailed Tit 10, Blue Tit 5, Great Tit 7, Blackbird 5, Chaffinch 8,
Goldcrest 1 (Miller's Lane plantation) Jackdaw 11 over fields, Mistle Thrush 4,
Pied Wagtail 1, Pheasant 1,
Yellowhammer 2m as usual by Hindsford Brook fields, Grey Heron 1 (Long Causeway), Gadwall 2 m/f on flooded field Atherton south - chased off by a dog.
Meadow Pipit 9 in rough field east of Bee Fold Lane (year tick for the site for me),
Black Headed Gull approx 70 in field south of old Hesketh Fletcher, Lesser Black Backed Gull 2 ditto,
Goldfinch 12 mainly Bee Fold Lane, Green Finch 1 ditto, Carrion Crow 4, Jay 1,
Teal 15 (long Causeway flooded field) Mallard 3 ditto.
Plus Raven 2 (obviously paired) alighted on top on a pylon at Bee Fold then flew off over Atherton going north. (1 bird probably same as seen over Lilford earlier) .

Woodland counts comprise a fair proportion of auditory ticks.

Couple of hours this afternoon increasing greyness! Lilford Woods, Langley Platt, Miller's and Bee Fold Lanes and the Long Causeway.

Robin 22
Blue Tit 15
Blackbird 20
Goldfinch 20
Greenfinch 2
Jay 2
Dunnock 3
Wren 7
Chaffinch 5
Mistle Thrush 4
Song Thrush 5
Long Tailed Tit 4
Nuthatch 2
Redwing 27
Carrion Crow 5
Raven flying over 3 (nice patch tick)
Buzzard 3
Kestrel 1
Mallard 10 (various locations) No Teal or Shoveler at the Long Causeway today - but it was late.

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Thursday 3rd of March 2016 09:54:53 PM

I know Paul, I was really shocked and ended up spending quite a while trying to get an accurate count.

Had an hour here this afternoon starting at Lilford Flood Basin, then moving through Lilford Woods then finishing around Bee Fold. Lilford Flood Basin was definitely the highlight, with several species of duck present.

4 Shoveler (all on Flood Basin)
11 Teal (Ditto)
1 Gadwall (Ditto)
5 Mallard (1 on Flood Basin, 4 on Bee Fold Pond)
9 Moorhen (7 on Flood Basin, 2 on Bee Fold)
5 Coot (3 on Flood Basin, 2 on Bee Fold)
2 Grey Heron (1 on Bee Fold, 1 at Lilford Woods)
Plenty of Chaffinch and Song Thrush singing
Loads of Woodpigeon all round
20+ Magpie in the area
Usual tits, Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Gulls and Starlings

Hi Paul, please could you tell me where the 'Long causeway' you have mentioned in your recent post is, I might have a look for the Teal and Shoveler at the weekend.

Many thanks, Kristian

Almost beating the forecast rain, 0815 - 10.30 today - very dull conditions. Loads of birdsong in the woods.

Lilford Woods - Miller's Lane - Bee Fold - Long Causeway
Counts as follows:

Yellowhammer 2 (year tick for me on the patch)
Robin 22
Blue Tit 22
Great Tit 12
Long Tailed Tit 11
Coal Tit 2
Blackbird 17
Wren 1 (only 1!)
Dunnock 9
Chaffinch 7
Greenfinch 2
Goldfinch 2
Song Thrush 3 (2 in full and glorious competetive song!)
Mistle Thrush 2
Redwing 20

Carrion Crow 7
Magpie 66
Starling 230 - in a roost in the isolated copse between Miller's Lane and Bee Fold Lane

Grey Heron 2 - strolling through fields
Mallard 12
Teal 18 (patch year tick - on flooded field N of Long Causeway)
Shoveler 6 - ditto
Herring Gull 2 - ditto
Black Headed Gull 138
Lesser Black Backed Gull 1

Kestrel 1 female - Lilford wood edge
Common Buzzard 2
Pheasant 1 male

Woodpigeon - uncounted
Gull count was from fields only - overflying individuals not counted.

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Saturday 20th of February 2016 11:14:22 AM

Pretty quiet in the cold blast this afternoon up our way.

2 Mistle Thrush in field opposite Lilford Flood Basin and a male kestrel in its usual haunts there.

Otherwise just a few robins in evidence and plenty of gulls flying to roost.

Same route as Sunday, more leisurely 1.30pm to 4pm, dull and misty tried to brighten a little!

Chaffinch 7
Great Tit 6
Goldfinch 10
Robin 7 with 8 more heard
Wren 5 with 2 more heard
Dunnock 2
Long Tailed Tit 37 - seemed to be all over the place

Meadow Pipit 9
Pied Wagtail 3

Mistle Thrush 1
Redwing 57
Fieldfare 78
Jay 1 with 5 more heard
Jackdaw 6 flew over
Carrion Crow 6
Common Buzzard 2
Kestrel 1m on Lilford flood basin in trees

Moorhen 2

One large field by Atherton Wood held
4 Grey Heron
14 Black Headed Gulls and 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull

Many more gulls over

The count of Redwing was greatly aided by some very loud fireworks being let off for no apparent reason on the Long Causeway near Atherton Wood. Cue mass take-off of Redwing.
The count of Fieldfare similarly aided by the passage of about 100 lively school children seemingly en route on foot from Tyldesley to Atherton via Miller's Lane! Cue mass take-off of winter thrushes.

Hmm - two entries in one day for this area? Must be getting busy!

 

Late afternoon from Woodend through the park, along Langley Platt, Miller's and Bee Fold lanes and back. Probably the best spell I've had out here.

 

Grey Heron 3

Mallard 5

Goldfinch 32

Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Blackbird - several of each

Carrion Crow 9

Jackdaw 3

Jay 16

Common Buzzard 1

Wren 6

Pheasant (juv) 5

Long Tailed Tit 14

Redpoll 3 (site first for me)

Siskin 1 (also site first)

Redwing 14 - my first of the season.

Chaffinch 6

Evening stroll

20+ Mistle Thrush in the horse field over Lilford Park Brook at the back of the flood basin.

Morning mooch,

3 Nuthatch, More heard
2 Treecreeper
3 Song Thrush
2 Jays
2 Willow tit
2 Wren
4 Dunnock
6 Blue tit
5 Great tit
4 Chaffinch
2 Bullfinch
3 Greenfinch
9 Robin
6 Blackbird
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker heard from Atherton Woods area

1 green woodpecker, seen very well for once!
1 great spotted woodpecker
3 nuthatch
1 treecreeper
Small number of tits mainly blue and great, including 1 willow tit
Small number of robin,chaffinch,wren and blackbird also.
3 mistle thrush
2 Jay
1 kestrel

Took my niece on the park and had a walk around the woods, no binoculars but still seen some decent birds,

5 nuthatch
2 treecreeper
1 willow tit
Small numbers of robin,chaffinch,blackbird,willow warbler,chiffchaff and tits
1 blackcap
2 song thrush
1 sparrowhawk
1 green woodpecker heard only
1 weasel

Evening walk around Lilford woods and the surrounding area,

2 treecreeper
3 nuthatch all three calling loudly
2 willow warbler
1 chiffchaff
2 buzzards
2 great spotted woodpeckers, not 100% but think they was a pair
1 green woodpecker heard only, still waiting to see the elusive little bugger. Every time i come i can hear it yaffling away somewhere.
2 common whitethroat
3 blackcap
Blue and great tits
2 willow tit
1 song thrush
2 wren
Loads of woodpigeon
Robin and blackbird
5 swift and 3 swallow

Late post for yesterday dinnertime.

3 treecreeper

2 nuthatch

2 buzzard

chaffinch

4 song thrush

2 long tailed tits collecting nesting material

robin

blue and great tits

1 willow tit

1 peacock butterfly

1 weasel

Lilford Park margins, fields west of Green Lane and associated scrubland and copses, and Lilford woods and flood basin.

 

Redwing 50+ in trees on southern side Lilford Park very mobile - unable to see whether any Fieldfares there

Mallard 5 on flooded fields

Mute Swan 2 on flooded fields

Bullfinch 2 (m+f)

Long Tailed Tits 4

Blue Tits 11

Great Tits 3

Willow Tit 1

Mistle Thrush 2

Kestrel 1 (+ 1 in flight 30 mins later may have been same bird)

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Blackbirds ++

The flooded field areas seem to be attracting quite a few birds at present. A few days ago I saw 10 Teal on a semi-permanent flood near Bee Fold Fishery.