Large finch flock mostly Chaffinch, but picked out a few Brambling. Flock was mobile around area of Landslow Green. Also flock of 30+ Fieldfare in fields above Hobson Moor Road.

4 Ring Ouzel this morning from Hobson Moor Road

Also Wheatear, Skylark, Lapwing, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Curlew

20+ Brambling, possibly up to 50 with various flocks seen beyond Hollingworth Hall Farm.

Also 2 Meadow Pipit, Treecreeper, 2+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Nuthatch, 4 Jay, Fieldfare, Redwing, 2 Pied Wagtail. 

From10.30-12

David Walsh wrote:

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Rob,

That fire was going this morning, as well as one above Glossop, towards the A57, and another over Longdendale, above Woodhead. I assume that it is heather burning, at this time of year?

David

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David Ive spoken to Ian after forwarding over some images of the incident. Probably a small fire and its the smoke arising from it that makes it look bigger than it actually is. Its also too wet to sustain the burning, but the issue would probably be the location, and quite likely to have been started intentionally.

Currently on a break up here David, and no sign of a finch flock for me either. But what I have noticed is a possible fire up on the moors as you look out towards Broadbottom and Charlesworth. Seems to be a fair bit of smoke coming from a moor up that way. Could be totally innocent. Sent you some images over Ian.

28/10/2018 A morning walk from Landslow Green up onto Pack Saddle overlooking Brushes Valley and the Swineshaws.

1 Brambling near Landslow Green, seems to be plenty of beech mast but the large hedge that the birds took shelter in has been chopped and folded into a very neat but useless fence.
30+ Rook
250+ Redwing flew over from east to west
From Pack Saddle
A Dipper was on Lower Swineshaw
2 Buzzard holding on the cold northeasterly wind
2 Kestrel
2 Raven tumbling briefly before touring the hill.

Saturday 8th September 2018, 8.30 - 9.30am.

Hobson Moor Road, after a two hour soaking around Higher Swineshaw seeing one Kestrel.

1 female / juvenile Merlin again hunting a large Starling flock, with Mistle Thrush mixed in, in the fields between Hobson Moor Road and Dewsnap Lane.
100+ Starling
20+ Mistle Thrush
c 20 Meadow Pipits
10+ Robins

Thursday 30th August 2018, 9.30am - 12.00pm.

From Hobson Moor Road, following the "easy" route to Wild Bank.

2 Wheatear (m + f), feeding in a newly mown field on Hobson Moor Road
6 Mistle Thrush together on one pylon
A flock of c 50 Meadow Pipits in the mown fields. Another 50+ around Wild Bank
100+ Swallows around the area, including Hobson Moor and Wild Bank
A flock of 40+ Starlings on the Wild Bank side

Thursday 3rd May 2018, 9.30 - 11.30am.

Wild Bank Hill, Hobson Moor, and Moorside Farm.

21 singing Skylarks, minimum.
10 Wheatear
1 Curlew
2 Pied Wagtails
1 Grey Heron

Top of Shutts Lane around plantation and back 7-8pm

Possible Tree Pipit. Also 5 Lesser Redpoll, Red Grouse, Kestrel, 3 Willow Warbler, Blackcap. 

-- Edited by Chris Harper on Tuesday 24th of April 2018 06:55:37 AM

9.00-12.00 with Chris Chandler

Started at the Mottram end of Hobson Moor Road and walked round to Middle Bank and then to the Swineshaw Reservoirs and down, which I'll cover in the Brushes thread.

Almost the first bird we saw was a male Ring Ouzel perched up on a hawthorn on the hillside. While we watched it, a second male and a female appeared in the next bush, then suddenly more until we had 8 in view. Nice! As we contemplated creeping up the hill a dog walker strode past us up the path and scattered the flock. We followed him up and did see a male again as it flew into the same tree and showed well. Tallying up flight views we decided we'd seen 9 birds.

Walking by Moorside Farm 2 swallows were our first of the year.

At Middle Bank we bumped into Ian Lyth, who had been on Ring Ouzels up on the hill there. As we chatted a few appeared until we had 4 in view together feeding merrily. No idea if these were different birds to the earlier group, but my gut feeling is it was the same flock. It was a great scene with a soundtrack of Curlew and Skylark and lots of busy Meadow Pipits. Chris spotted a Wheatear that I missed too. Again the birds were disturbed by walkers, but we had some great views.

Classic April birding in GM, loved it.

Saturday 2nd September 2017, mid-morning.

Lees Hill and Middle Bank.

2 Wheatear at Lees Hill
3 Kestrel - a male and juvenile together, plus a separate male towards Higher Bank
Chiffchaff singing at Middle Bank
Mistle Thrush singing in the clough
15+ Meadow Pipit
6 Goldfinch
Hirundine count very low - just a few Swallows this morning.

Sunday 13th August 2017, 8.30 - 11.00am

Circular walk from Higher Swineshaw. Around Lees Hill, Middle Bank, then Higher Bank.

1 juvenile Wheatear
1 female Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding in a dead tree on Lees Hill
The pair of Stonechat collecting food, still being followed around by juvenile Willow Warblers, who were joined today by a juvenile Whitethroat. Just one fledgling Stonechat visible again.
1 Buzzard
12+ Goldfinch, feeding on thistle heads
30+ Meadow Pipits
100+ Swallows
2 Swift

18.30-20.20 yesterday. 

1+ Red Legged Partridge, 2 Stonechat, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 5 Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove, 30 Swallow. 

23rd April. 05.45 - 09.30 hrs.

Wheatear. c13.
Meadow Pipit. c7.
Curlew. c3.
Skylark. c2 singing.
Red Grouse. 3 pair. These were on Swineshaw side of Lees Hill.

Roger.

March 1st. 14.00 - 16.30 hrs.

Sightings mainly between Cow Lane and top of Middle Bank.

With Paul Greenall.

Slowly coming to life up here.

Great Spotted Woodpecker .... pair chasing each other round.
Treecreeper ... pair chasing each other round.
Stock Dove. 4
Kestrel.
Lapwing. 6
Curlew. 1
Brambling. Flock of approx 20 feeding on beechmast ........ well back in the United Utilities drum compound.
There were 3 Red-legged Partridge galloping about in the compound but probably recent releases.
Flock of 100+ Wood Pigeon feeding in a field below Middlebank.
Plenty of Carrion Crows knocking about but managed to pick out a few Rook (4) in a distant tree.
Also Siskin and Meadow Pipit heard only.

Roger.

05/02/17 circular walk also taking in a section of Swallows Wood and returning via Cow Lane

A few Brambling at a couple of places
Green Woodpecker heard at 2 locations
25+ Rook
A few Red Grouse seen and heard
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Little Owl
2 Tawny Owls heard
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
Small flock of Fieldfare with a couple of Redwing
At least 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers seen or heard, some drumming.
Plenty of activity from the commoner woodland species.

Tuesday 11th October 2016, first light until 9.30am

Around Lees Hill, to Middle Bank

2 Sparrowhawk, male and female together
1 Kestrel
1 Buzzard
2 Raven
1 Green Woodpecker
2 Mistle Thrush
A flock of 60 Redwing flew noisily southwest from Boar Flat
1 female Stonechat on the Swineshaw side of Lees Hill

Sunday 18th Sept. 17.00 - 18.30 hrs.

Road up to Moorside Farm.

Very quiet.

Swallow. 20+ feeding over new mown hay.
Meadow Pipit. c 8 feeding in the hay ..... 40+ flock flew over and were joined by the 8.

Roger.

Saturday 10th September 2016, 8.30 - 10.00am

Around Lees Hill, quiet again.

2 Ravens
2 Wheatear
2 Stonechat
50+ Meadow Pipits

Thursday 1st September 2016, 10.30 - 11.30am

Around Lees Hill. Very quiet.

3 Wheatear
1 Raven
1 Buzzard
Several Swallows feeding

And that was about it.

Thursday 25th August 2016, 10.30am - 12.00pm

Around Lees Hill

A great hour or so ambling around, making up for all the times I wander about seeing next to nothing. It won't win the Makin/McKerchar Trophy for visual migration, but it satisfied me

2 Whinchat
2 Spotted Flycatchers, one giving a great display of the Flycatcher's art
10 Wheatear, 9 of which dropped in together late on
1 very ragged Kestrel
10+ Goldfinch
20+ Meadow Pipits

Tuesday 16th August 2016, 7.00 - 9.30am

Lees Hill and Higher Bank

1 Whinchat
1 Redstart
1 Wheatear
3 Stonechat
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Juvenile Kestrels
1 Raven
4 Red-legged Partridge
4 Willow Warblers
13 Canada Geese on the moor

Saturday 6th August 2016, mid-morning

Lees Hill and Ogden Clough

2 Wheatear
2 Buzzard calling constantly
1 female Sparrowhawk having a right go at a Raven, eventually seeing it off towards Arnfield
Around 50 Swallows feeding in the area, with other Hirundines trickling through south.
Very roughly: 50 Swift and 30 House Martins
2 Red-legged Partridge
2 Pied Wagtails
Several Goldfinch
1 Linnet


-- Edited by David Walsh on Saturday 6th of August 2016 12:43:18 PM