Friday 30th.
Near Giuseppes restaurant early afternoon.

A small flock of birds moving through consisted of...
- 11 Long-tailed Tits
- 3 Goldcrests
- 1 Redwing
- 1 Blue Tit
- 1 Great Tit

Late morning mooch.

Plantation Road ponds :-
40 Mallards. Most Mallards around Edgworth and across to Hawkshaw now seem to be released birds.
7 Teal
3 Moorhens
2 Black-headed Gulls
1 Kingfisher


Old Russia :-
Only a Moorhen on the lodge. Lots of work been going on with heavy machinery.
However, I did get a couple of Dippers & a Grey Wagtail on the stream between Barlow Wood & the lodge.

7.20am to 11.15am.

Brown Trout rising along the brook between Jumbles & Turton Bottoms. No birds along the brook though, and only Mallards & a Grey Heron on the brook around Turton Bottoms. Usual woodland birds included a couple of Blackcaps.

Old Russia lodge :-
3 Canada Geese, pair of Mallards, pair of Tufted Ducks, a few Black-headed Gulls flying through, 2 Swallows, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Willow Warbler.

Dipper & a pair of Nuthatches in Barlow Woods. Pied Wagtail on the cricket field.

2 Swifts, 1 Swallow, 3 House Martins, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, & a pair of Bullfinches around the centre of the village. Rookery very busy.

Plantation Road area :-
1 Little Grebe heard only, 6 Canada Geese, 1 Mallard, 2 Moorhens, 2 Coots, 12 Black-headed Gulls, a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying through, 6 Swallows, a few Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, 3 Reed Buntings.

Redearth Farm & track towards Longshaw Head :-
Cuckoo calling from here whilst I was covering Plantation Road. Not long after shooting started on the army range it went quiet. Possibly the one seen/heard by Rob at Redisher Woods.
After the Cuckoo left birds here included a Sparrowhawk, a Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Jay, a pair of Linnets, & a Reed Bunting.
Near the top of the track a thrush flew off a field into a plantation. Looked good for Ring Ouzel but unfotunately it came straight out of the sun and disappeared into the trees before I could be 100% sure.

Longshaw Head to Crowthorn :-
2 Canada Geese, 2 Lapwings, 2 Curlews, a few Skylarks & Meadow Pipits, 4 House Martins in the village, 4 Swallows, 2 Pied Wagtails, 3 Wheatears, 3 Reed Buntings.

Pair of Swallows at the farm on Broadhead Road at the top of School Lane.

Late morning/lunchtime.

Plantation Road area :-
1 Little Grebe
1 Grey Heron
4 Canada Geese
1 Mallard
1 Coot
1 Curlew
5 Black-headed Gulls
43 Woodpigeons
2 Skylarks
2 Meadow Pipits
2 Pied Wagtails
4 Willow Warblers

Old Russia :-
1 Cormorant
1 Canada Goose
2 Mallards
1f Goosander
1 Moorhen
1 Small Tortoiseshell

10.25am to 12.35pm.

Old Russia :-
1 Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
Pair of Mallards
Pair of Tufted Ducks
1m Goldeneye
5m + 5f Goosanders
2 Black-headed Gulls
20+ Siskins

Plantation Road :-
1 Little Grebe
2 Canada Geese
5 Mallards
3m + 1f Teal
2 Moorhens
1 Coot
20+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Lapwing
1 Curlew
5 Pied Wagtails
5 Fieldfares
1 Reed Bunting

Forgot to mention a Reed Bunting at one of the Plantation Road ponds

9.00am to 10.50am.

Turton Bottoms, sheltered from the wind & 2 feeding stations fully stocked :-
1 Grey Heron, pair of Mallards, & 1 Dipper on the brook.
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (one of them using a feeder tray), 3 Nuthatches, numerous Chaffinches, Goldfinches, & Siskins using the feeders. Plus the usual common species.

Old Russia Lodge :-
4 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Mallards, 4m + 4f Goosanders.

Wickenlow Hill Farm pond :-
9 Mallards, 12 Teal, 1 Moorhen, 2 Coots.
The stream on the other side of the track to the pond had a Dipper which flew into a large concrete pipe which the stream runs into.

11.05 to 13.20.

Plantation Road area :-
3 Teal
7 Moorhens
1 Coot
5 Black-headed Gulls
40+ Redwings, 7 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush
Not much else around but numerous Siskins heard. Hidden away with the Redwings in bushes. A noisy scrambler bike put up the Redwings but not all the Siskins so unable to count them.

Old Russia :-
2 Mallards
2m Goldeneyes
3 Moorhens
In the trees at the top of the field overlooking the reservoir and in the school grounds I was checking finches when something put them all up. 50+ up in the air and some still in the trees. Not easy to pick out anything different to Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, & Siskins already seen as it was now a grey murky day with rain.
Also 2 Redwings in a tree here. Nuthatch calling nearby.

10.55am to 11.50am around Plantation Road.

3 Mallards
5 Moorhens
2 Coots
5 Black-headed Gulls
1 Pied Wagtails
1 Buzzard
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Redwings

School Lane & Crowthorn from 8.55am to 10.05am.

1 Kestrel
8 Woodpigeons
2 Skylarks
68 Meadow Pipits
3 Pied Wagtails
1 Wheatear
5 Mistle Thrushes flying over
13 Goldfinches
2 Linnets

10.15 to 13.00.

School Lane :-
14 Rooks

Crowthorn :-
1 Little Owl, 8 House Martins, Swallows passing through, mainly single birds, 7 Meadow Pipits, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Wheatears, 1 Chiffchaff, 25 Goldfinches.

Wickenlow Hill Farm :-
1 Grey Heron, 9 Mallards, 1 Wigeon, 4 Moorhens, 3 Coots.

Old Russia :-
1 Cormorant, 1 Mallard, 6 Moorhens.

9.50am to 10.25am

Turton Bottoms brook :-
1 Grey Heron
3 Mallards
1 Kingfisher

Old Russia Lodge:-
1 Grey Heron
4 Moorhens
Numerous Swallows

10.15am to 11.35am.

Skylark & corvids along School Lane.

Plantation Road area :-
2 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Canada Geese, 4 Moorhens, 2 Coots, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Buzzard, 2 Curlews, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Skylarks, + the usual species.

Old Russia :-
2 Canada Geese, 2m + 5f Goosanders, 2 Moorhens.

Old Russia around 13.30

1 Grey Heron flying over
8 Mallards
2m + 5f Goosanders
5 Moorhens
Mixed flock of Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Lesser Redpolls, & Bullfinches

After checking the lodge a chap was waiting to ask me if Water Rails were common here. He lives on Sandy Bank Road, which more or less overlooks the lodge, and yesterday his cat took a live one into his house. He managed to release it near the lodge (the Water Rail not the cat), and it seemed to be in pretty good condition. It turns out his cat regularly wanders down to the lodge.

Lunchtime wander through Turton Bottoms :-
2 Redwings & 60+ Jackdaws flying over.
Not much else, and nothing of interest along the brook to Jumbles.

Mid morning a Water Vole ran across the path in front of me from the brook between Jumbles & Turton Bottoms

Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, & Dipper in Turton Bottoms

9.00am to noon.

Turton Bottoms :-
4 Mallards, Woodpigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, an adult Grey Wagtail with a juvenile, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Goldcrests, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Magpies, & Chaffinches.

Old Russia Lodge & Barlow Park Woodland :-
2 Canada Geese, 2 Mallards, 1 Moorhen, 2 Black-headed Gulls, Woodpigeons, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Swallows, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, Carrion Crows, Starlings, House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, & Goldfinches.

Cricket field :-
3 Pied Wagtails & a Mistle Thrush.

Plantation Road area :-
1 Little Grebe showing, presumably it's partner was hidden in the reeds, 19 Canada Geese, 2 Mallards, pair of Coots with 2 juveniles, 1 Buzzard, 4 Pheasants, 2 Curlews, 10 Black-headed Gulls on the fields + 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls & a Mediterranean Gull flying over, Woodpigeons, Stock Doves, 1 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails, 8 Swallows, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrests, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, Carrion Crows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Lesser Redpolls, Bullfinches, & Reed Buntings.
Green-veined Whites, Orange Tips, Small Tortoiseshells, & Peacocks.

School Lane :-
2 Swallows & a Wheatear.

8.45am to 11.40am. Mixture of winter & summer birds, the weather more suitable to the former.

Turton Bottoms :-
1 Curlew, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Nuthatches, a flock of 5 Jays chasing each other around, 3 Bramblings.

Old Russia Lodge :-
1 Grey Heron, 1 Mallard, pair of Tufted Ducks, 1 Sparrowhawk very high up, 1 Moorhen, 2 Coots, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull circling around above, 1 Swallow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, & a couple of Bramblings with Chaffinches, Greenfinches, & Goldfinches.

Plantation Road (very little showing on the open fields with a cold wind blowing and regular short bursts of drizzle) :-
2 Little Grebes, 13 Canada Geese, 1 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 2 Coots, 1 Buzzard, 1 Curlew, 2 Skylarks, 1 Pied Wagtail, a few Goldcrests, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, and a pair of Bullfinches.
None of the usual Meadow Pipits or Reed Buntings showing this morning.

9.35am to 12.25pm

Jumbles to Turton Bottoms :-
4 Grey Wagtails, all single birds some way from each other, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Turton Bottoms :-
1 Dipper, 1 Buzzard overhead, numerous Siskins, and a pair of Bullfinches.

Old Russia :-
1 Little Grebe, 4 Grey Herons, 1 Moorhen, 1 Coot, & a few Lesser Redpolls.

Barlow Institute :-
1 female Sparrowhawk checking the bird feeders in a garden by the bowling green, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, pair of Nuthatches, 4 Redwings, & numerous Siskins.

Plantation Road area :-
Pair of Little Grebes, 2 pairs of Canada Geese, 1 Moorhen, pair of Coots, 100+ Black-headed Gulls, 3 Buzzards, 2 Curlews, 2 Skylarks, Fieldfares (flocks of 30+, 12, and a couple with a couple of Redwings), lots of Rooks from the rookery in Edgworth, 2 Reed Buntings.
2 Small Tortoiseshells.

9.00am to 12.15pm. A selection of today's birds.

Jumbles to Turton Bottoms :-
I followed a Kingfisher from the top end of Jumbles most of the way to Turton Bottoms. A pair of singing Dippers were also on the brook. Other birds included a pair of Treecreepers chasing each other around a tree, a couple of Goldcrests, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and a couple of Buzzards overhead.

Iron footbridge in Turton Bottoms :-
I finally sussed out why there always a few Mallards here. Birds (including a Siskin) were on garden feeders at the top of the wall above the brook. One of the feeders was over the brook and the seeds that were being knocked out dropped into the brook and were being eaten by the waiting pair of Mallards below.

Old Russia ;-
1 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorants, pair of Canada Geese, 3 Mallards, 3 Moorhens, c75 Redwings.

Plantation Road area :-
1 Little Grebe, 7 Canada Geese, 2 Coots, 1 Moorhen, 34 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 1 Curlew, & 3 Roe Deer.

Corvids around Edgworth included 50+ Rooks & 50+ Jackdaws

Pair of Goosanders on Old Russia Lodge & a Dipper singing on the brook between Turton Bottoms and Jumbles.

Lunchtime at Old Russia

1 Little Grebe
2 Cormorants
4 Mallards
3m + 3f Goosanders
1 Black-headed Gull

The Raven seen a few times during the morning flew in from Wayoh and was soon joined by a second one. They soared around over the lodge for a while before flying off together towards Hawkshaw

8.30am to 12.25pm. Turton Bottoms-Old Russia-Edgworth-Plantation Road-Crowthorn-School Lane.

1 Little Grebe + 1f Goosander on Old Russia Lodge
10 Mallards in Turton Bottoms
1 Coot at Wickenlow Hill Farm
2 Kestrels along Plantation Road
1 Pheasant in the same area
70+ Black-headed Gulls on Edgworth fields
1 Feral Pigeon at Old Russia & 2 Stock Doves on pylon wires by Plantation Road
Woodpigeons everywhere in good numbers as usual, and just a few Collared Doves scattered around
1 Skylark at Plantation Road (no Meadow Pipits anywhere today)
2 Pied Wagtails on the cricket field & a Grey Wagtail by the bowling green at Barlow Institute
Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, & Mistle Thrushes
150+ Fieldfares giving distant views on fields above Plantation Road
18 Redwings at The Wellbeing Farm & 12 flying over Crowthorn Road
Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, & Nuthatches
1 Dipper in Barlow Park Woodland
Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, & Carrion Crows
200+ Starlings with the Fieldfare flock
House Sparrows in Edgworth
Chaffinches, Goldfinches, & Bullfinches widespread
6 Greenfinches at Barlow Institute
1 Siskin in Turton Bottoms
1 Reed Bunting at the entrance to Wickenlow Farm

Birds became scarcer the higher up I went and when I got to Crowthorn Delf Quarry the only thing I saw was a Rabbit

Lunchtime at Old Russia.

3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
9 Mallards
1f Tufted Duck
8m + 10f Goosanders
6 Black-headed Gulls