Thursday 6th October 2016, 8.30 - 11.00am

Brushes Valley and around Lees Hill, windy and cold.

Very quiet again, except for Meadow Pipits springing up from every tussock. The other point of interest was signs of the seasonal flocking together of Reed Bunting.

16+ Reed Bunting; a group of c 10 feeding in the shelter of the bracken by Lees Hill, the rest around Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
40+ Meadow Pipits
1 Wheatear
2 Chiffchaff at Lees Hill
Linnet over
1 Grey Wagtail in Higher Swineshaw overflow
1 Dipper in the same overflow
2 Buzzard

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
Several Coal Tits
Flock of Long-tailed Tits
2 Moorhen in the overflow

Thursday 29th September 2016, 9.30 - 11.00am

Higher Swineshaw, quiet again.

1 Dipper
1 Buzzard over Irontongue Hill
10+ Reed Bunting
1 Stonechat
2 Linnet
14 Swallows over south

Walkerwood

1 Willow Tit
2 Mistle Thrush
2 Moorhen
1 Cormorant
Bullfinch, Chaffinch, and mixed Tits around the feeder
1 Sparrowhawk took a Woodpigeon over Cock Wood
1 Buzzard over Harridge

Wednesday 21st September 2016

Late post from this morning

1 juvenile Great Crested Grebe on Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
1 Dipper in the overflow at Higher Swineshaw
1 Cormorant on Walkerwood Reservoir

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 21st of September 2016 09:32:02 PM

Saturday 17th September 2016, 7.15- 10.30am

Higher Swineshaw

8 Stonechat, a mix of adults and juveniles
20+ mainly juvenile Reed Bunting, in groups around the bracken
1 Raven over from Lees Hill towards Carrbrook
1 Grey Wagtail
12 Linnet
40+ Meadow Pipits

1 Willow Tit at Walkerwood
Several Bullfinch moulting into adult plumage, around the feeder
2 Chiffchaff at Brushes Rangers football pitch

David Walsh wrote:

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Wednesday 14th September 2016, Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

2 Curlew calling constantly, 1 Red Grouse on the dam banking

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We were up at Higher Swineshaw late afternoon on Monday. Perhaps we saw the same Red Grouse as it was the tamest one I've ever encountered. It allowed approach within four yards and then was in no hurry to fly off. When it did fly it seemed perfectly fit and healthy. It kept returning to the area below the dam wall, strolling around by the sign saying shooting was taking place!

Curlew very unusual at this time of year...

Tuesday 13th September 2016, 6.30 - 7.15am

Walkerwood Dam

Steady movement of c 50 Swallows over the reservoir, moving roughly east
3 Cormorants over west
16 Canada Geese on the reservoir
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Willow Tit
Bullfinch and Goldfinch calling

Saturday 10th September 2016, 7.30 - 11.00am

Higher Swineshaw

c 30 Linnet feeding around the dam
5 Stonechat
6+ Reed Bunting
15+ Meadow Pipits
2 Goldfinch

1 Willow Tit straight onto the Walkerwood feeder after refilling at 7.30.

Thursday 8th September 2016, 8.00 - 10.30am

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

Adult plumaged Dipper singing in the overflow
3 Stonechat
2 Ravens
1 Kestrel
1 Linnet
20+ Meadow Pipits

Walkerwood Dam

1 Willow Tit
6+ Great Tits
6+ Blue Tits
3 Long-tailed Tits
1 Jay
6+ Bullfinch, including some very young looking juveniles
2 Chaffinch
1 Chiffchaff singing

Tuesday 6th September 2016, 8.00 - 10.00am

Walkerwood Dam

2 Blackcap, 1 male, 1 fem / immature
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Bullfinch calling
1 Chiffchaff
2 Sparrowhawks together over Harridge. From the size and behaviour, looked like a female and immature female.

Higher Swineshaw

1 Dipper flying around the reservoir edge
2 Stonechat
c 10 Reed Bunting, signs of flocking together
3 Willow Warblers
12+ Red Grouse

Saturday 3rd September 2016, 9.00 - 11.30am

An unbelievably quiet morning, which included a fruitless scout around Lees Hill, Middle, and Higher Bank.

1 Kestrel at Lees Hill
4 Stonechat at Higher Swineshaw
1 Willow Warbler following the chats
5 Grey Wagtails feeding together in Walkerwood overflow
4 Linnet on Walkerwood Dam

Sunday 28th August 2016

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

All 6 Common Scoter flew off at 3.30pm.

Thursday 25th August 2016, 10.30am

Higher Swineshaw

3 Stonechat
1 Wheatear
1 Kestrel
1 Grey Wagtail

Sunday 21st August 2016, 10.30 - 11.30 am

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir

4 Stonechat, with juveniles now showing a wide range of plumages. I watch Stonechat fairly often, but saw something yesterday morning that was new to me. A female was feeding two juveniles in mid-air, catching insects, then hovering until the youngsters flew up to take the food. Great to watch, and the easiest FL code you'll see.
1 juvenile Willow Warbler, chasing around after both Stonechat and Meadow Pipits
20+ Meadow Pipits
3 Goldfinch
2 Linnet
1 Cormorant
1 Raven
1 Buzzard
c 50 Swallows moving through south
1 Pied Wagtail

Several House Martins feeding over Walkerwood

Thursday 11th August 2016, 10.30 - 11.45am

Higher Swineshaw, in poor conditions

1 juvenile Dipper feeding in the overflow
2 juvenile Grey Wagtails
1 pair of Stonechat plus juveniles
1 Linnet
1 Raven cronking through the gloom
Mallard with 4 well grown young
Many Meadow Pipits
Willow Warblers singing
1 adult and 1 juvenile Pied Wagtail on Lower Swineshaw dam

Earlier this week on Wild Bank Hill

Pair of Stonechat
1 Peregrine
1 Kestrel
Several Lesser Redpoll
5 Red Grouse, female plus youngsters
Little Owl

Friday 5th August 2016, 6.30 - 7.15am

Walkerwood Dam

1 juvenile Cormorant
1 juvenile Moorhen
1 juvenile Kestrel
Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers singing, and a lot of Willow Warblers calling around the valley this week
Several Lesser Redpoll
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Pied Wagtail
Family groups of Jays

Good views of a juvenile Tawny Owl after dark last night, hunger calling in the woods by Brushes Reservoir

Thursday 28th July 2016, 7.30 - 10.30am

Around Higher Swineshaw and Irontongue Hill

The main point of interest was the sight and sound of 2 immature Dippers together in Higher Swineshaw overflow. I had an adult for the first time ever on a couple of occasions in spring, but nothing during the breeding season, and these will be dispersal birds.
3 juvenile Grey Wagtails
12+ Willow Warblers, including groups of juveniles chasing around the bracken. One male singing.
A few Swift moving down the valley
Plenty of food carrying Meadow Pipits
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrels
Several Reed Bunting
3 Linnet
Several Lesser Redpoll - there have been a few juveniles calling from the bracken over the past couple of weeks. The birds breed lower down the valley, at Lower Swineshaw.
2 Goldfinch feeding on thistles
Good numbers of juvenile Wren and Dunnock on the moor
A flock of c 40 Woodpigeon high overhead, flying south

Lower down:

1 Kestrel over Harridge
c 10 House Martins quickly through Walkerwood
2 Swallows feeding 4 youngsters at Walkerwood Dam
1 juvenile Grey Wagtail in Walkerwood overflow

Friday 22nd July 2016, 9.30 - 11.00pm.

2 Common Sandpiper on Higher Swineshaw Reservoir at dusk. After dark, one bird flew noisily down the valley, and seemed to alight around the area of Lower Swineshaw dam.

Juvenile Tawny Owl hunger calling from around the scout hut

A few sightings from the past few days

Wild Bank Hill

Good numbers of Linnet. At least 6 singing males
Male Whitethroat in a usual territory high up on the moor
9 juvenile Mistle Thrush feeding together
Male Stonechat
Lesser Redpoll in birch growth at both sides of the moor
Family of Swallows around Flaxfield

Higher Swineshaw

2 Common Sandpiper still on the reservoir this evening
Plenty of Linnet, Reed Bunting, and Dunnock singing
1 Buzzard
Couple of Chiffchaff singing in the valley
A few family groups of Jays, one parent feeding youngsters bilberries at Walkerwood
2 Blackcap singing at Walkerwood

Sunday 10th July 2016, 10.30am - 12.00pm

Higher Swineshaw, towards Turf Pits

3 Buzzards together
1 Kestrel flew up from the moor and saw off one of the Buzzards
3 juvenile Pied Wagtails
1 immature male Stonechat
Several Linnet around, a couple of singing males
Several Reed Bunting singing, one male seen carrying food to a nest site
Several Blackbirds flying around with food
Juvenile Red Grouse skulking in the bracken

Several Swallows around Walkerwood
23 Canada Geese have been on Walkerwood Reservoir for a fortnight
1 pair of Canada Geese with five well grown young on Lower Swineshaw Reservoir

A few sightings from several visits to the top of the valley over the past few days

Common Sandpiper still on the top two reservoirs; two on Lower Swineshaw on Tuesday evening, and two at Higher Swineshaw this afternoon. They will be gone in the next week or so, signalling the beginning of the end of summer in the valley, at the end of a great breeding season, with breeding confirmed on all four reservoirs.
1 adult Pied Wagtail with 3 juveniles at Higher Swineshaw
Decent numbers of Swift over the moors and reservoirs
Family parties of Linnet, plus singing males around Higher and Lower Swineshaw
8 singing Reed Bunting this afternoon at Higher Swineshaw, plus a couple at Lower Swineshaw
Buzzard over Boar Flat
Couple of juvenile Stonechat
Good numbers of Meadow Pipits throughout the area, a mix of birds carrying food, displaying, and juveniles. Counted 35 on Higher Swineshaw dam wall alone on Wednesday morning.

Tuesday 28th June 2016, 10.00 - 11.00pm

Brushes Valley

3 male Tawny Owls, plus a couple of juveniles chasing around

Saturday 25th June 2016, 7.30 - 11.00am

From Walkerwood to Higher Swineshaw, and Irontongue Hill

1 Red Kite drifted north over Boar Flat and Swineshaw Moor at 9.00am
1 Buzzard
10 Common Sandpiper
Lesser Redpoll adult and youngsters at Brushes Cottages
10+ Reed Bunting, plenty of singing males, and one male with 3 fledglings
6+ Linnet, including a pair taking food into a nest site
Several Skylark singing over Boar Flat
Pied Wagtail at Higher Swineshaw

Thursday 2nd June 2016, 9.30 - 11.30am

Walkerwood Dam and a pleasant wander around the country park

7 singing Blackcap
4 Willow Warblers, one collecting flies
4 Chiffchaff
5 Chaffinch
2 Goldfinch
1 Pied Wagtail
2 male Great Spotted Woodpeckers, at either side of the country park
10+ Long-tailed Tits, including a family group
1 Peregrine over
Several Swift, Swallows, and House Martins feeding

Tuesday 24th May 2016, evening up to 10.30pm

The length and breadth of Brushes Valley. Very windy again on the tops.

Female Sparrowhawk spooking the blackbirds on Harridge
Pair of Linnet at Higher Swineshaw
Cuckoo singing from Harridge Woods at dusk
4 Tawny Owls hooting on both sides of Brushes Reservoir after dark, plus a female being chased through the woods by noisy Blackbirds
Common Sandpiper at Higher Swineshaw Reservoir
Skylark calling on Pack Saddle
Juvenile Song Thrush trying and failing to smash open a banded snail on the tarmac