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Post Info TOPIC: HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLE BANK AREAS


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HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLE BANK AREAS


This morning, Hobson Moor

2 Snow Bunting - 1 flew from the left side of the footpath deep into field. The other bird was walking around in deep grass close to the footpath. I only saw one of these birds.

Directions to site

Go to trig point on Hobson Moor, take path to right towards Swineshaw/Lees Hill, down steep hill and slightly up hill to where path levels out. I scattered some seed by a frozen puddle on the left hand side. The birds are on the moor behind Hollingworth Hall Farm and can be incredibly hard to see!

I was informed that apparently a bird has been present in the area since at least Thursday.

Thanks to Roger Baker for the initial info, which came via an unknown third party and was well worth checking out!





-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 2nd of December 2012 01:46:15 PM

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Early morning with Simon Ghilks

Looking into the fog!

40+ Redwing in the area, most birds seemed to be down, and in small flocks
1 possibly 2 Brambling, bird heard at different locations. Not much beech mast this year, so unlikely to be many birds unless they find an alternative food source.
Many Blackbirds in the area this morning, probably migrants

30 Pink Footed Geese c0905 (Simon only)

I then trekked to the top of Lees Hill where there was little movement

4 Pink Footed Geese over at 1030
70+ Meadow Pipit on the ground with 1-2 Linnet and another 50 Meadow Pipits over (mostly east) in dribs and drabs
15 Chaffinch west

1 Little Owl - Hobson Moor Road
2 Goldcrest
Male Kestrel (only raptor I saw)
2-3 Nuthatch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Red Grouse (heard only)



-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 14th of October 2012 06:26:33 PM

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HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLEBANK AREAS


Adult Hobby early afternoon chasing Swallows by Hollingworth Hall Farm. Also a pair of Ravens over Cow Lane.

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RE: HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLE BANK AREAS


Osprey this evening perched in a tree near Widowscroft Farm until 8pm when it flew to roost in woodland by Ogden Brook. This bird is fishing in Arnfield Reservoir (just over the border in Derbyshire) and is perching up in trees to eat it's catch and roost on the Manchester side of the border, it can however go missing for periods during the day. A local farmer reported that it has been in the area for c2 weeks, but it was first picked up by a local birder early morning yesterday. It is difficult to view when perched, from the Manchester side but can be scoped (albeit distantly) from the Arnfield Reservoir/lane area.

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Osprey perched in dead tree somewhere on lower bank between six and seven pm this evening but viewed from arnfield reservoir. Flew in from the direction of the reservoir and occasionally preened.

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No sign of the osprey but an adult hobby was present chasing swallows along Hobson moor road this afternoon. Otherwise quiet.

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HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLEBANK AREAS


Osprey this morning perched eating a fish near Widowscroft Farm (caught earlier at nearby Arnfield Resv). Still present mid morning(apparently has been in the area c2 weeks). Also a Tree Pipit over east and Raven.

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HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLE BANK AREAS


Osprey was present flying between Hollingworth Hall Farm and Lees Hill carrying a fish. It appeared to be looking for somewhere to eat it. At the time the bird was probably best viewed from Arnfield looking across to this area.

As far as I am aware it was last seen below Ogden Wood around 1045.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 27th of August 2012 11:13:29 AM

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HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLEBANK AREAS


Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Wheatears and 2 Ravens near Moorside Farm off Hobson Moor Rd early pm.

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RE: HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLE BANK AREAS


Hi there,

Yesterday 1.30pm:

9 Ring Ouzels Middle Bank next to the closest pylon to the main footpath over to Swineshead reservoir from Hollingworth farm.
1 Stonechat
13 Wheatears
1 Chiffchaff
3 Curlews
6 Goldfinches

Reservoir:

1 Common Sandpiper
2 Ringed Plovers
1 Redshank


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this morning

middlebank..

7 ring ouzels
14 wheatears
75 meadow pipits
6 curlews

hollingworth hall farm..

23 fieldfares
1 redwing
3 pied wagtails
2 nuthatches
20 goldfinches
4 greenfinches

info thanks to phil kelly. wish i had gone with you now never seen a ring ouzel

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At least three male ring ouzel present on Lees hill c2pm to 3pm plus at least 3 curlew. 26 fieldfare at middle bank and a further 50+ at Hollingworth Hall Farm.

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Sunday 08 April 2012 Weather: Windy with light showers and drizzle.

Mottram Cutting to Millbrook

Ring Ouzel still present on Lees Hill and Curlew noted also in adjacent field.
Good number of Fieldfare 30 approx with 3 Redwings , 2 Mistle Thrush and ground feeding (5) Goldfinch in fields Hollingworth Hall.
Treecreeper at Middle Bank

Higher Swineshaw Reservoir and environs.

Stonechats single female Wheatear, 3 male Mallards on upper reservior and 6 Canada Geese on lower.

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Sat April 7th. 06.45 - 09.30 hrs.

8 Ring Ouzels.
10 Wheatear.

All the Ouzels were on Higher Bank, first spotted fom the track in front of the rocks on Lees Hill, two fields down feeding around the mole-hills.

Some cracking close ups of Curlew flyovers.

Green Woodpecker yaffling from Middle Bank on walk back.

Roger

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Up to 7 Ring Ouzel on Middle Bank area this afternoon.

Mark Rigby and myself were able to positively identify 3 males and 2 females, but I'm fairly certain sure there were other birds present earlier.

Also seen

1 Wheatear
100 Meadow Pipit through
300+ Fieldfare in ploughed field on Hobson Moor Road, also present in field were 2 Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipits and Linnets
Good numbers of Curlew

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RE: HOBSON'S MOOR/HOLLINGWORTH HALL/LEES HILL/MIDDLEBANK AREAS


Originally posted today by Rob Fox:

3 Twites at 11.00 this morning. Along path going northeast from Hobson's Moor trig - half mile, just west of first stone wall crossed by path.
Also 2 Curlew and 1 Red Grouse quarter mile further east, above Swineshaw Reservoir.
Meadow Pipits ubiquitous.
(Chiffchaff are ubiquitous along bottom of Tame Valley - approx. one singer every 200 metres between Stalybridge and Mossley. At least two singers in Stalybridge Country Park and at Silver Springs (behind Tameside Hospital)).

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Re;Hobson Moor Road


Robert Adderley wrote:

Osprey late afternoon initially seen on the Derbyshire side and last seen over Lees Hill heading towards Brushes.

Also up to 7 Ring Ouzels by Middle Bank on Monday (2nd) but not seen today.

Info thanks to Bill Underwood.





Thursday 5th April 11.00am

At least one goldcrest,in song and coal tit in plantation at beginning of road.Further down chaffinches,goldfinches and a greenfinch and other tits

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RE: LEES HILL,HOLLINGWORTH HALL FARM AREA


Osprey late afternoon initially seen on the Derbyshire side and last seen over Lees Hill heading towards Brushes.

Also up to 7 Ring Ouzels by Middle Bank on Monday (2nd) but not seen today.

Info thanks to Bill Underwood.

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Monday 26th March. 08.15 - 09.30 hrs.

Full circuit of Lees Hill ..... ante-clockwise ..... walked across from Higher Swineshaw.
Conditions were brilliant but very quiet.

Plenty of Meadow Pipits.

Bit of a suprise were a pair of Oystercatchers which took off from a small boggy patch on the Tintwistle side of the hill.

Seemed odd watching these two in the middle of the moor while listening to a Greater Spotted Woodpecker drumming (down in Middlebank) and Curlew bubbling away higher up.

Roger.

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Morning initially with Simon Ghilks and later on my own

20+ Brambling around Hollingworth Hall Farm, most now looking very smart in breeding plumage
Great views of Lesser Redpoll in one of the plantations with small parties going over all morning numbering at least 70 birds.

1 Ring Ouzel (male), just after 0900, watched for about ten minutes then seemed to move on.
2 Buzzard
1 Green Woodpecker Swallows Wood, heard only by Simon
3 Greylag Geese flew over from the direction of Derbyshire and over the top of Lees Hill

Meadow Pipits and Curlews seem to be back on territories, with plenty of parachuting going on from the former species



-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 25th of March 2012 04:52:21 PM

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interesting day,

brambling in the plantation near the farm

2 kestrel were the only birds of prey sighted all day, though i did hear a buzzard mew 4 times.

and 3 birds heading towards swineshaw direction along the ridgeline of the hill by the quarry and the only thing i can think they could have been were snow buntings.

smaller than a thrush bright white with brown markings, calling to each other as they flew past.

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sunday 0830 till 1200 late post due to computer problems
1 buzzard seen breifly above lees hill but had moved on before we got up there
30+bramblings still in beech trees nr last farm
1 green woodpecker calling nr the begining of hobson moor road
1 curlew
1 skylark
red grouse

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1215 till 1700 with ian peters
probable rough legged buzzard over lees hill at aprox 1300, clear white upper tail on this buzzard, ian picked up the pale underwing with dark carpal patch which i didnt see, there is an escaped harris hawk in the area so needed to rule out the underwing pattern which is more uniform on harris hawk, anyway will be back tomorrow for another try
1 stonechat, 2 common buzzards and red grouse.

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Thanks Brian

Had a PM from Karen saying the same about the Bramblings so will recommend that my mate gives them a try :) If effort has a reward then you will get the Rough-leg soon - and if there's any justice it will be this side of the brook in GM :)

Cheers

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hi doc, didnt look for the bramblings to be honest, didnt notice them as i walked past the area, they have been around for a while from what i was told so no reason why anyone shouldnt connect with them if they wait around a bit.none of us yesterday could understand that we didnt see any raptors considering how many we saw on sunday but i havnt given up hope yet of seeing the rough legged as long as it sticks around.



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Wow Brian - the list of raptors up there grows!! Strange that there were no wild raptors today given the numbers on Sunday, were the Bramblings still around? I know a Bury birder who wants to pop up there to see them.

Shame you couldnt pop up Sunday, Brian, the more forum members the better :) Even with my dicky knee to be honest the walk up to Arnfield Moor isn't too bad, but I won't be doing Pendle Hill or the northern corries on cairngorm this year ;) ;)

Nick, a Rough-legged Buzzard has been frequenting the Stocksbridge Resr/Ewden Valley area of South Yorkshire since 8th January & so suggests that it isn't the same bird as the Gtr Manchester/Derbyshire one. The South Yorkshire sighting yesterday was mid am and overlaps with the 3 sightings at Arnfield Moor yeasterday, the 1st of which was by Mark Payne at about 9.30am whilst my sighting & Pete Berry's sighting were both late morning.

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Nice to meet you too Brian. The Arnfield birder was Paul Greenall (sp.?) finder of the Western Bonelli's. Shame it turned into one of the most unproductive day's birding I've ever had

Treecreeper Swallows Wood GM Side

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I've not been looking for this bird myself but I have been reading the posts with interest. I do note though that a Rough Legged Buzzard was reported on RBA yesterday near Stocksbridge reservoir which is only approximately 15 miles away. Same bird perhaps??

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1030 till 1615
no sign of rough legged buzzard today
in fact the only raptor i saw strangely was an escaped harris hawk!
curlew,red grouse and raven the only birds of note
weather not great so no reason to think it isnt still around considering we didnt see a wild raptor all day
nice to meet tim wilcox today, also chated to a birder who watches the area regulary, he says he will join the forum and post any updates.

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Doc, I was working Sunday or would have been up there ....... a pity really as with your knee and my dickie ankles we would have made a good double act. Could have given each other alternate 100yd donkey rides ....... me being a natural light-weight of course.

Roger

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Just a quick "thanks" to Karen, John and Mark for your PM's, and to others on this thread for your advice.

The ideal scenario would be a stakeout on the top of Lees Hill around late morning in decent weather and good visibility, and just as I'm eating a beef and pickle butty, a RLB drifts close by, then soars overhead for several minutes while I age and photograph it.-- - Dream on!!

I'll keep an eye on the weather this week; also, much depends on what else may be available, especially on the Wigan side of GM which could prove an overall irresistible temptation to get me down there for a quick two day blast.

Cheers,
Mike





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Doc, Hobson Moor Rd becomes a private road at the junction of the track that leads up to Moorside Farm (on L/hand side). This is a good 200 yd before the first of the buildings which is Higher Landslow Green Farm.

Everyone normally parks on the layby at the junction (it has a concrete litter-bin) and walks from there.


Mike P ..... yes you can walk across from Brushes but put your best wooley hat on..... will be a bit nippy to say the least.

Roger.

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Roger,
we initially parked in the layby but there is room for 2 cars further down the 'No Through Road' before it is legally private. We followed Brian's lead & parked there, there is no legal reason why not & we even met the householders & chatted to them & they had no problem. But I DO agree room for 2 cars is risking it & there is MUCH more room at the layby - albeit a it longer walk - at the mo I am waiting for a cartilage op & have a very painful knee so the less walking the better!!
Cheers


-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 20th of February 2012 01:34:38 PM

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As John R. is aware, I'm tempted by the RLB to come down and have a crack at it, but trying first to see if it is following any kind of predictable pattern.

From what I glean from Pete Berry's sighting today on the Derbyshire side, as regards timing (late morning) and flight direction (N. W.), if observers had been positioned on Lees Hill (at just under 1200 ft), there surely would have been an excellent chance today of seeing it on the G. M. side?

-Not sure were Brian and co. were today, (by the plantation?).

If observers can kindly post precise sighting times, length of time under observation, position, and flight direction (from and to) and any common buzzard sightings as well, perhaps a clearer picture might emerge.

It could be that it roosts in a variety of locations and the roost in the plantation recently was just a "one off"?

Also please, what's the situation as regards vehicular access? - Would it be better to walk in from the brushes Country Park?

Cheers,
and good luck,

Mike P.

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Nice to meet Brian, Ian & Karen.

Tim, the Rough-legged Buzzard only broke the tree line by a few feet both times it showed, we could see where you were & all agreed it would have been impossible to see it from such a low elevation. We were pretty high up but were striving for a higher elevation to try to see over & behind the pine plantation it was favouring. Brian was concerned that had we got higher we would have lost the brook which was the GM border and therefore made it hard to judge which county any birds were in.

I also picked up 1 female Sparrowhawk, making it a real red letter raptor day in the sunshine - has the Hen Harrier been reported previously? Mark (the guy I was with) & I reckon that the Rough-legged could have shown a few times more but the few seconds it was visible at a time meant that it you didnt happen to be looking at where it broke the treeline then it would go un-noticed. There were also at least 200 Fieldfares on the pasture along 'Cow Lane', all in Greater Manchester as well as the flock of 30+Bramblings in the beech wood.

Cheers
Paul

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0730 till 1615 with ian peters, karen foulkes and other birders including doc brewster
didnt see the rough legged buzzard, it showed twice over the plantation on the derbyshire side but i missed it
some good concilation birds
1 ringtail hen harrier, derbyshire side
3 crossbills, gm
30+bramblings,gm
also gm, siskin,red grouse,6 common buzzards and raven.

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Mike
Our party drove up Hobson Moor Road as far as vehicular access is allowed & parked just before the house which has a sign saying 'footpath only beyond this point'. We then walked straight up the track following signs for Arnfield Moor to just past the small plantation which is the one Brian told us it had roosted in on the previous occasion. This gave a pretty panoramic view over Arnfield Moor looking at the pine tree belt/plantation which the Rough-legged was behind. I had missed Pete's post but that concurs with our sightings exactly. The precise time of sightings was not noted but was late morning, between 11am and noon.

From our postion there was no pattern other than the bird broke the tree line about 3 times in all and for a few seconds at a time, all within Derbyshire, but no real direction to the flight - just up and then dropped, often mobbed by corvids. Common Buzzard were seen in widespread locations including near the same Pine Belt and over the fields between us and Arnfield Resr, flying past in both directions.

Hope that this helps - albeit weather, overnight roost etc probably affects the pattern of sightings significantly. All that can be said is that it is a tricky bird :)

Good Luck

Paul

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Sunday 19th of February 2012 09:19:52 PM

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Hi Brian, Karen et al

I was with Tony Darby 11.00 - 4.00 and we didn't see it either - we were the two down in the field just over into Derbyshire

Hen Harrier ringtail excellent views over the band of trees on the Derbyshire side
Finch flock just in Derbyshire in Swallow's Wood incl. Siskin 6+
Redpoll 2+
Also two female Sparrowhawks having a fight


-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 19th of February 2012 06:53:28 PM

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Watched the Rough Legged Buzzard for about 10 mins late morning,I was well inside Derbyshire border,about 1 mile due north of Arnfield reservoir,the bird flew over my head from the east and slowly drifted west/northwest towards Manchester boundary and disapeared over a ridge roughly in the direction of Brushes,a mile or more away from me.Also a couple of Common Buzzards in the area,a few red Grouse and Raven.
Having now had a chance to check the o.s.map,the bird did fly into Gt. M/c north of Lees Hill,towards Swineshaw Moor

-- Edited by pete berry on Sunday 19th of February 2012 02:37:37 PM

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myself and ian peters will be having a go for this bird in the morning, meet at 730 at the parking area at the end of hobson moor road if anyone wants to join us.

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Seen again today at 2:15pm, though just over in Derbyshire.

Info thanks to Rob Adderley

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Simon Warford wrote:

Any news if the bird roosted in the area tonight or if anyone has looked for it this evening ?

Cheers, Simon





Bird seen briefly over Ogden Brook (probably on the Derbyshire side) at about 11am but not since, and not seen to roost this evening.

Cheers Robert

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Any news if the bird roosted in the area tonight or if anyone has looked for it this evening ?

Cheers, Simon

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Rough-legged Buzzard has now flown up into Derbyshire and has been lost to view at 08:50.

Info thanks to John Rayner

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Rough-legged Buzzard at Middlebank, Hollingworth, Hyde this morning. Sat in trees beyond conifer plantation at 08:15 and in flight, all within GM.

Info thanks to Iain Johnson

The bird was seen to go to roost here (from over the border in Derbyshire) last night at 5pm.

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Am with Simon Ghilks

A mixed flock consisting of over 100 birds, Brambling and Chaffinch, on the left hand side in the compound with the drums just past the farm, then flew over to Cow Lane. We counted at least 20 Brambling, but there were almost certainly more. There has apparently been a flock of 140 birds in the area post Christmas.

Also seen

Redwing
2-3 Nuthatch
1 Goldcrest
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Bullfinch
3 Coal Tit

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 14th of January 2012 07:12:54 PM

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Late afternoon
Brambling several along the lane feeding with chaffinch plus two over middle bank
Fieldfare at least a dozen feeding on berries at the top of cow lane with c20 seen going to roost
Treecreeper pair
Nuthatch heard only
Blue,great and coal tits
Blackbird
Wren heard only
Magpie
Robin
Wood pigeon
Carrion crow
Meadow pipit
Jackdaw


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Fri July 15th. 14.00 hrs.

Nuthatch at Hollingworth Hall Farm.

Roger.

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Female wheatear on lees hill during the week with two curlew and two kestrel

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0740-1000

No sign of any Stock Doves this morning on Hobson Moor Road, but plenty of Woodpigeons and Feral Pigeons.

Also a mixed flock of 40+ Meadow Pipits and Linnets (mainly juvenile birds)
30+ Starlings
30 Lapwings
30+ Swallows including fledglings being fed by their parents
2 Treecreepers chasing one another around totally oblivious to my presence
2 juvenile Willow Warblers

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Friday 15th of July 2011 01:15:08 PM

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