An amble up to Middle Bank - misty at first, clearing to warm sunshine.
2 Buzzards over Boar Flat 1 Sparrowhawk 4 Little Owls 2 Green Woodpeckers heard around Middle Bank, not seen Nuthatches around Hall Farm 2 Chiffchaffs - Hall Farm Plenty of Willow Warblers all the way up c6 Linnets over south Meadow Pipits out of the rough grass. Noticably fewer on this side of the hill compared to Brushes Valley. A flock of c50 in the newly mown field on Hobson Moor Road Low numbers of corvids, for this area - no sign of any Rooks today
Little Owl Meadow Pipit, small number flying over Skylark 2 Kestrel Sparrowhawk At least 4 Rook, amongst the Crows and Jackdaws, including a couple of juveniles
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 14th of September 2014 08:20:17 AM
Yesterday 3 until 5 pm walk from Hobson's Moor up to Swineshaw. Highlights were at least 10 Wheatear in that area and a Sparrowhawk over. A couple each of Curlew and Lapwing, and heard a Greenwoodpecker lower down.
Hollingworth hall fm-Lees Hill-Upper Swineshore Reservoir-Hobson moor 9.15-12.15: Stonechat 4 Curlew 15 Wheatear 3 Red Grouse Common Buzzard 2 Common Sandpiper Jack Snipe 2 Swallow 2 Reed Bunting 6 linnet Many meadow pipit and willow warbler Blackcap Many skylark in song
-- Edited by Chris Harper on Sunday 27th of April 2014 01:44:31 PM
am-pm walk from Walkerswood Reservoir round Lees Hill, down Hobson Moor Road, across Hobson Moor, Shaw Moor and Wild Bank back to Walkerwood Res.
Shaw Moor 2.40pm a splendid male Ring Ouzel I first heard the twanging rubber band call then caught it flying up from the fields to the moor's edge where it perched up but not for long enough to get it in the scope. Also Shaw Moor 3x Meadow Pipit aerial territorial fights taking place and several more singles Red Grouse 1 on edge of the moor Wheatear bright male Hobson Moor: 6 lapwing 10 Meadow Pipits Lees Hill Red-legged Partridge
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Thursday 24th of April 2014 06:09:01 PM
Tiring session walking up from Stalybridge to Hobson Moor Road and on to Swineshaw and back. It was epically windy but wonderful up on the top
Wheatears male and female Linnet pair, beautiful summer plumage on the male 15 or so Skylarks, got some nice close views Lapwing bombing about calling 40+ Meadow Pipits, not a surprise! Red Grouse female (I think) Curlew pair, on the ground then off Best for me was 10 Golden Plover on the way back down, flew into the broken up field near the road and started feeding, then a nice flight formation when the farmer and his sheepdog turned up 1 male Ring Ouzel at the same place, probable female flushed too, but wouldn't fly back and play nicely
A couple of hours up here with pal Stephen Ellison.
Hobson Moor Road up to the Swineshaw Res's. Of note: 1 female Ring Ouzel flushed from 30ft and flew into the treetop facing the moor slope. Another brief view of a probable-male Ring Ouzel but it disappeared quickly over the hill. A constant uprising of Meadow Pipit in 10's and 20's. A lot of Curlew heard, 3 seen ( both in flight and on the moor) Male Kestrel. A Buzzard. ...and 2 Grey Partridge flushed whilst on the top looking down onto Swineshaw.
As the forecast rain hadn't arrived, I decided to chance a wander up from Hobson Moor Road to Higher Swineshaw, rather than wait for the better forecast tomorrow and Bank Holiday crowds. What a good decision!
8 Ring Ouzels on Lees Hill. I tried counting them a few times, but they are so mobile, wandering behind marsh grass, flying over walls, that 8 is the total I could be sure of seeing all at once. Not quite Roger's jackpot of Tuesday, but I didn't have a bird scarer to call upon - my dogs are too well-behaved!
4 Wheatear 4+ Skylarks calling over towards Brushes Plenty of Curlew displaying and calling down in Ogden Clough Green Woodpecker heard in Clough Little Owl on a wall near Hall Farm Several Nuthatches near Hollingworth Hall
And the rain held off
-- Edited by David Walsh on Thursday 17th of April 2014 05:12:53 PM
The 6 Ring Ouzels were in the field below the rocks on Lees Hill at 06.45 hrs but had all dispersed by 07.45 hrs. I then carried on towards Swineshaw, more to have a look at the pylon work .... been told they are renewing all the cables ?
As I was heading back I heard an Ouzel calling from Middle Bank and located (2) at the top of the trees ...... I then noticed a lad walking a dog down the track from Hollingworth Hall Farm direction so hung on a bit ..... he closed the metal gate at Middle Bank with a hell of a bang ... flushing a pile of Ouzels out of the juncus growing in the field .... I counted 11 flying up Lees Hill then the 2 in the tree followed them plus another 2 that I flushed off the ground ... giving a grand total of 15. Magic !
4 Wheatear. 2 singing Skylark. Plenty of Curlew calling and a few displaying. 6 Jay squabbling at Middle Bank. Green Woodpecker yaffling but not seen. Male Brambling (still in winter plumage) in the U.U. drum compound.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Wednesday 16th of April 2014 11:15:19 AM
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Report for Saturday afternoon - delayed due to lack of internet access
Walk along Hobsons Moor Rd, down to woodland below Hollingworth hall and back - Highlights
5 Fieldfare on Hobsons Moor c 20 Brambling - hard to count as mobile in wood area on lane below 'T' junction down towards Hollingworth 3 Nuthatch 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 6 + Jay 3 Goldfinch
A quick dogwalk to Landslow Green, along Hobson Moor Road
10+ brambling around the beeches of Landslow Green. A lot more heard over towards the area between Moorfield Farm and Hollingworth Hall Farm, but unable to investigate further due to having dogs on leads mixed group of c20 goldfinch and chaffiinch.
-- Edited by David Walsh on Thursday 9th of January 2014 02:46:42 PM
The flock also included several Chaffinches and Goldfinches with at least 6 Fieldfare and was mobile, feeding mainly in the sheep field adjacent to the barn with the Hollingworth Hall Farm sign at SK001976.
Also
1 Brambling by Higher Landslow Green Farm and another feeding on the ground with 6 Chaffinch near one of the lay-bys.Single Fieldfare near small quarry on Hobson Moor Road 2 Nuthatch Great Spotted Woodpecker 5 Bullfinch
c20 Brambling around Landslow Green Farm, some smart males with almost full black heads
2 Raven over Hollingworth Hall Farm
A few Brambling in the wood beyond the farm
Mixed flock of c150 Fieldfare, c30 Redwing and 250+ Starling feeding in a field adjacent to Hobson Moor Road
Up on the hill near the trig point a Raven flushed a flock of 12-15 Partridge of some sort that flew off down the hill in the direction of Hobson Moor Road but were quickly lost to view.
Raven kronking away, perched on a pylon. Meadow Pipit (2). Grey Heron ..... Bit (lot) of a surprise this ..... was just stood on footpath in middle of the moor ?? Two 50+ flocks of Woodpigeon over heading SE.
Hollingworth Hall Farm area.
Small flock of Brambling, very active plus sun in my eyes made them hard to count but between 12 -20. Flew up off the ground into the top of the Beech trees in the United Utilities drum compound. Headed off in the direction of Arnfield.
Nuthatch. Tits. Coal, Great & Blue. Greenfinch. Bullfinch.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 25th of November 2013 03:58:54 PM
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 26th of November 2013 03:47:33 AM
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Hobson Moor Road this afternoon in bright sunshine , mob of Long Tail Tits/Female Sparrowhawk chasing a small songbird which soon evaded it and a single Raven .
There was a steady passage of over 100+ Meadow Pipits above Hobson Moor on Saturday morning (5th October), mirroring the passage of Meadow Pipits over Horwich Moors.
Walk (painful hobble) from layby to Moorside Farm.
Kestrel (F). Good close up views as she struggled perching in the wind. Lapwing. c1 but probably a couple more. Meadow Pipit. c17 Goldfinch. c10 Bullfinch. Heard but not seen. Tits. Longtailed, Great and Blue.
Roger.
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
3+ Ring Ouzel Lees Hill/Middle Bank area as yesterday, very close to footpath. Disturbed by the farmer who released several sheep close to where they were feeding and I was unable to relocate them. 4 Stock Dove in ploughed field on Hobson Moor Road 2 Raven over Hobson Moor Road 3 Willow Warbler singing along Hobson Moor Road 1 Redpoll over Siskin over calling Melanistic Pheasant near Higher Landslow Green Farm 2 Lapwing displaying Hobson Moor Road
11.30am - 4.30pm 6 Ring Ouzels (4m 2f), 14 Wheatears (12 on one short stretch of wall) and 1 Reed Bunting (m) at Lees Hill/ Middle Bank area. Common Sandpiper and several Red Grouse at Swineshaw, Sadly walking from Hobson Moor Rd - just 1 pair of Lapwings where there used to be lots in the past. Earlier a birder told me of a melanistic Pheasant on the path down to Middle Bank (there is a pheasant pen in woodland close by) Swallows and Willow Warblers beginning to come in in numbers, particularly the latter which were everywhere in SwallowsWood nature reserve either side of the Derbys./ GM border. Nesting well and truly underway with many common birds seen with nesting material.
Very windy but plenty about: 1+ Ring Ouzel Female seen well in 3rd field up from Hollingworth Hall Fm. Probable nearer the top of the moor. 3 Swallow 2 Chiffchaff 2 Red Grouse 2 Curlew Lapwing 5 Skylark Sparrowhawk 20+ Meadow Pipit 2 Nuthatch
There is a very small quarry or rock face with broken rocks at the bottom on the left as you walk up. The black red start was amongst the broken rocks all the time I was there. Just trying to help people find it.
I walked across from Swineshaw Reservoir and settled down for a couple of hours below the rocks on Lees Hill. Very windy.
Had 3 separate brief views of a male Black Redstart on Higher Bank ...... it seemed to be keeping company with the Wheatears in the stones. 11 Wheatears. 1 Raven. Curlew Displaying. Few Meadow Pipits over.
Roger.
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
On the plus side though, it was great to see the Meadow Pipits have finally made it back onto territory with many displaying birds seen. Curlews aplenty, also displaying Green Woodpecker yaffling down on Middle Bank 2 Raven Male Kestrel 2 Redpoll over 2 Siskin 11 Crossbill flew over Middle Bank towards Swineshaw Moor Little Owl on Hobson Moor Road flew unexpectedly from the wall beside the road as I walked past Buzzard over Hobson Moor Road 1 pair of Lapwing Hobson Moor Road