A song thrush was in fairly loud voice this afternoon at Romiley common woods. If only it meant Spring was round the corner.

11 or 12 ring-necked parakeets were leaving the Romiley station car park area this morning as I walked down Sunfield towards it. 3 ravens (2 together + a straggler) flew across the bottom of Sunfield at 11:15; seen from my bedroom window.

Another flock of c150 just went west. Passed to the south of Sunfield this time.

Amazing what you can witness on a walk down the centre of Romiley, taking in the opticians and the dentists! 100+ pink-footed geese flew across Compstall road going SE at 2:30 p.m. Just after first seeing them, 4 swallows also crossed the road going S. On my (diverted) path back home, 2 ravens flew over Greave going towards Werneth Low.

A small piece of brightness on such a gloomy day was the sight of at least 12 swallows hawking for insects around the woods on Hilltop. This included a minimum of 7 recently fledged young, which perched on a wire fence to be counted! Great to see.

Common whitethroat back in the field to the north of Sunfield estate. A good job really, as otherwise things were pretty mundane, 2 linnet being next best.

First singing blackcap of the Spring on the western side of Hilltop this p.m. 6 sand martins also flew through near to Sunfield.

Astonished to just find 2 Ring Ousels feeding in the first field north of Sunfield on Hilltop. At the right hand end of the large central field. Flown into cover of Holly bush.

Around Hilltop p.m. 4 buzzards, 3 redwings, sparrowhawk, chiffchaff etc... 

Amazed, and totally saddened to have just found a freshly dead Barn owl on the first field north of my house on Sunfield. It looks so perfect; no injury or sign of attack. A really low moment.

A raven was low over the rail station this morning, being hassled by a crow.

2 ravens low over the Sunfield estate this morning going WSW. Highlights of an afternoon hobble around Hilltop were 70-80 lapwings which flew East, 2 mistle thrushes, a singing song thrush, a goldcrest (possibly a 2nd bird too) and 31 redwings down on a field adjacent to Sunfield. Later on, what appeared to be the same group were in trees to the NE. These were joined by another 2 groups of about 20, which were closely followed by a chasing sparrowhawk!

 

late p.m. 2 snipe(s) flew SE over Hilltop, which were almost certainly home patch firsts, although may have had records of nocturnal birds before. A lone goldcrest was in the otherwise deathly quiet woods.

11.15am today approximately 40 Fieldfare briefly settled in the trees between the canal and the the train line on the west side of Hilltop, 10 minutes later another flock of Approximately 20 moved through heading south.

Probably the same hobby of yesterday was seen at height over Pinfold Lane (near the golf course), flying swiftly and directly SE at 2:35 p.m. Probably the last I'll see of it until next year.

About 25 goldfinches were feeding in a field just behind Sunfield estate this p.m., and a Hobby tried to take advantage, coming in like a blur from my right, then quickly out of sight. This was the second time I've seen one around Hilltop in the last 6 days. The previous one was being 'escorted' by a sparrowhawk. Can't say I've ever seen the two side-by-side before.

And my second BTO breeding bird survey visit today yielded several species I don't get every year (treecreeper, buzzard, raven, lapwing, mandarin).

Interestingly, there was a blue tit with a ring, by the footpath in the horse field below Low Top Farm. Is there someone ringing locally?

Willow warbler singing from birches on Sunfield estate this morning. Quite a 'rarity' for here, and one more than I saw on Werneth Low in the afternoon!

Tawny owl(s) heard in hedgerow North of Sunfield estate last night 10.40 p.m. when I was out moth hunting. A good view was obtained in the beam of my torch as one sat in an oak. Then heard calling this afternoon from woods at Healdwood 'mansion'. Did an hour on Hilltop hoping for osprey, but had to be content with a peregrine continually circling low nearby in the same area of sky for 10-15 minutes. Also 5 redwing seen - must still think it's Winter.

A Blackcap sang quite vigorously, in a couple of shortish bursts, in the wooded area of (what I call) Romiley Common this afternoon, top of Guywood Lane.. 

A red Kite just flew from East to West over the bottom of Sunfield estate, viewed from my bedroom window! Was just above eye level.

A ring-necked parakeet this morning, at the top end of Sunfield, was only the second record for Hilltop/Sunfield estate. A grey wagtail was on the roof of Romiley health centre. Back on the estate, songsters included coal tit and song thrush (at c40% of full volume).

Brambling heard somewhere on the edge of Sunfield Estate/Hilltop this morning. Couldn't see it though.

Looking for moths on Sunfield Estate last night (11.30 pm), a call alerted me to the sky. A few seconds later 10-12 whooper swans appeared from over the trees, again giving quiet contact calls. They flew low, right over my house going ESE. It was an unexpected sight and totally at odds with the very mild conditions. Unforgettable.