Morning visit

The only migrants found were 3 singing Willow Warblers, 1 showing really well as he sang from the top of a large oak.

Also seen were 4 Jays, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Curlew.

There was a noticeable abundance of Blue Tits, and along the edge of the large conifers, numerous Goldfinches.

2 willow warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, pair of nuthatch showing courtship behaviour down to 3 metres away. 9/ 4/20.

13-30 to 16-00 in very pleasant conditions for a change!

Someone had very kindly put plenty of bird seed on Alance bridge which was attracting plenty of Blue, Great & Long Tailed Tits and a single Coal Tit, plus 2 Nuthatch, M & F Chaffinch but also Magpies & Carrion Crows!

Green Woodpecker in flight over fields to the east of the pine trees near the War Memorial.

Also seen M & F Bullfinch, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Redwing, Fieldfare, Raven, Jay, Buzzard,

and a Weasel sneaking along the base of a stone wall

-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Friday 6th of March 2020 08:03:00 PM

1700-1830, mooch after work. Highlights, female ring ouzel feeding in sheep pasture along with 6 wheatears. Tawny owl heard.

couple of hours this morning

Tawny Owl with young

Redstarts feeding young in nest, second pair located but gave up on finding nest, birds preying on craneflies in fields at edge of woods, but every time you stay still for a couple of minutes you attract a cloud of midges that bite any exposed skin

fledged Juveniles of Grey Wagtail, Great Tit and Long tailed Tit

Willow Warbler and Blue Tit feeding young in nest

Early morning visit en route to Brockholes. 0730-0930

Curlew 6 in field above memorial where I THOUGHT I might get a Ring Ouzel!
Willow Warbler 1 seen many heard
Grey Wagtail 1 on topmost shooot of a fir tree
Coal Tit 3
Chaffinch many
Common Buzzard 1 very ragged individual over

All seemed pretty quiet maybe I was too early!

09.30-12.30

A pair of Oystercatchers by Yarrow Reservoir, with another pair on Anglesarke Reservoir too.

Alance Bridge - Redmonds Edge :-

Another Oystercatcher, 6 Meadow Pipits, 3 Ravens in aerial combat with 4 Carrion Crows, a pair of Greenfinches, a pair of Reed Buntings in the plantation at Redmonds Edge and a single Wren.

Throughout there was a steady stream of Black Headed Gulls struggling against the strong easterly on passage across to Belmont, I did'nt see any fly back though.

No sign of Wheatears or Chats. The only obvious sign of Spring were frogs laying masses of spawn in the high moorland ditches.

David Lumb wrote:

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Checked this area so I could do my Winter Thrush Survey at Manor Farm/Hurst Hill. Did not need a nudge Steve, just some decent weather. Did not work anyway as I did not even see a Blackbird (even in adjoining squares). The nearest I got to recording was a distant flock of 5 Starlings flying over Anglezarge Reservoir.
A skein of about 170 Pink-footed Geese heading NW at 10.40am made it worthwile though.

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Glad you finally got some decent weather for the survey, David. Shame about the lack of Thrushes but a negative count is just as important as a positive one - we know where the birds are not present as well as where they are

... and you seem to have seen some good birds as well!

Cheers!

Had a nice hour or so here this morning and some good birds on view too.

Firstly, a very vocal Garden Warbler gave good views just beyond the bridge then further up two male Redstarts where seen feeding against one of the slopes through the trees. They occasionally popped up onto a branch to let out a burst of song but mostly they were quite mobile and a bit tricky to pin down.

Further up the path I had a cracking Redpoll species perched up on the tip of a tree. Its size and general paler colouring made me think a possible Mealy. I've sent the shots to Ian for his opinion.

Other than this there were a few Willow Warblers knocking around as well as Chaffinches, etc. A disitant Curlew was heard plus good numbers of Swallow blazing through.

A nice morning in very pleasant conditions.