8.25am to 9.50am. The Bungalow area - Clough House Farm - track to Greens Arms Road.

3 Grey Herons flying over, coming from the Entwistle nests
5 Canada Geese
4 Mallards
1 Moorhen
5 Pheasants
7 Lapwings
3 Curlews
3 Woodpigeons
3 Skylarks
5 Meadow Pipits
1 Pied Wagtail
5 Wrens
4 Dunnocks
6 Robins
5 Blackbirds
100+ Fieldfares
A few Redwings with the Fieldfares
2 Goldcrests
6 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
1 Nuthatch
1 Jay
4 Magpies
30+ Jackdaws
11 Carrion Crows
Pair of Ravens on a pylon
2 Chaffinches
3 Goldfinches
1 Siskin
4 Lesser Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings

Saturday 1st March 3.00 to 4.15 pm. Having popped in to the Turton Tower car park on the off-chance of seeing Brambling on several occasions lately, and failing completely, we decided to take a walk from the Tower towards the Golf Club and then along Witton Weavers Way. It was fairly quiet but there was a flock of c40 Redwing along the Way and several Nuthatch, a single Kestrel, plus a pair of Brambling. A flock of c60 Chaffinch/Brambling sized birds flew north from the Tower and dissapeared over the hillside so we decided to walk back to the Tower and around the grounds. We saw several Nuthatch and a single Treecreeper along with 2 or 3 small flocks of between 10 & 20 Brambling in the tree tops near the Tower.

On my way out this morning I counted a mixed flock of about 80 Fieldfares/Redwings flying from Holts Fold to Turton Golf Course.
In the small copse between the golf course and Turton Tower I saw about 60 Redwings.

This afternoon as I headed back home a Raven flew over Turton Tower and I was able to watch it fly all the way to Hawkshaw.

Hi David,

I passed through at 9.15am today and had the flock in the tree tops by the play area for about 5 minutes. Counting the different groups as they flew I counted over 300, and there were more further up the path which I did not manage to count, so I am also still estimating about 400.

I am assuming that they are moving into woodland between here and Chapeltown Road (no public access) when they disappear completely, as they did this morning. They flew off that way, and there were none between the main house and the old rail station, or in the copse at the station. I cover all the other public access areas in the area and they are not using any of those.


Cheers, David

Flock of 50+ Bramblings around the house this morning, 10.30am, feeding on the ground and in the trees, a great sight.

-- Edited by Neil Collier on Thursday 6th of February 2014 06:57:24 PM

8.30am to 10.45am around Turton Golf Course/Turton Tower/Chapeltown.

As I only found a couple of Bramblings around the entrance road this morning (two more than Sunday's visit), I decided to have another look after my Wayoh visit about 1.30pm and hit the jackpot ! Hundreds of birds were near the main house, the vast majority flying up from the ground right in front of me, so there was no need to search for them. I would also estimate c400, as seen by David Mason recently.

3 Grey Herons flying over Chapeltown
1 Kestrel on Turton GC
1 Black-headed Gull on Turton GC & 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying over
150+ Woodpigeons, 1 Stock Dove at Turton Tower, & 7 Collared Doves in Chapeltown
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker on Turton GC & two in Chapeltown
1 Skylark on Turton GC
Wrens, Dunnocks, & Robins
A few Blackbirds & Mistle Thrushes
30+ Fieldfares on fields behind the houses on Embankment Road, with 20+ Redwings, a Mistle Thrush, & 50+ Starlings
A couple of Goldcrests on Turton GC
Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches, & 2 Treecreepers at Turton Tower
Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, & Carrion Crows
House Sparrows in Chapeltown
Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, & Bullfinches

Went to Turton Tower at c2pm hoping to see a few Bramblings and was amazed to find a flock of c400 birds around the entrance and the car park. There were also a few chaffinch, blue tit, great tit, coal tit and a robin. The flock was disturbed by a couple of walkers who returned to their car and took 15 minutes to get changed, get in their car, get settled and then drive off; to be replaced by a mad dog from the adjacent house, which ran around the car park for 5 mins. We were obviously lucky and arrived at just the right time.

8.30am to 9.40am around Turton Golf Course.

1 Kestrel
2 Moorhens
2 Black-headed Gulls
2 flocks of Herring Gulls flew across the course, 9 in each flock.
250+ Woodpigeons
A Tawny Owl being mobbed by Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Chaffinches & Bullfinches.
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Meadow Pipits
3 Wrens
4 Robins
5 Blackbirds
3 Fieldfares flew across from the Hospital Road copse (not as many there this morning). On my way back home at 13.30 I came across a mixed flock of c30 Fieldfares/Redwings by Hazelhurst Wood.
1 Mistle Thrush
1 Goldcrest
Coal Tits, Blue Tits, & Great Tits
2 Nuthatches
1 Jay + numerous Magpies, Jackdaws, & Carrion Crows
50+ Starlings
17 Chaffinches
1 Greenfinch
3 Goldfinches
1 Siskin
4 Bullfinches

Not much passing Clough House Farm & going up to Greens Arms Road, the highlight being a Reed Bunting. Just a few common woodland species & a Meadow Pipit apart from that.

Turton Golf Course quiet again this morning but things picked up at Turton Tower where I again picked up on the Brambling flock, mixed with a fairly equal number of Chaffinches (c30).

A flock of dozens of Jackdaws and a few Rooks flying across the field on the other side of the railway had a Barn Owl mixed in. 17 Goldfinches were near Turton Station.

Chapeltown had 9 Redwings, 3 Mistle Thrushes, and 12 Greenfinches amongst more common birds.

Not many birds in woodland around Jumbles or Wayoh this morning but a different story as I walked through Turton Tower between the reservoir visits.

As soon as I got here I saw 100+ Woodpigeons and a flock of 200+ finches. The finches were very flighty but were obviously mainly Chaffinches. Eventually 30+ Bramblings flew around separately, and as I passed through again early afternoon I came across this flock again. A few Goldfinches made up the flock.

Also present :-
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wrens, Robins, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, about 20 Redwings, 1 Goldcrest, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 2 Nuthatches, 2 Treecreepers on the same tree, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, & Carrion Crows.

As I walked through Turton Tower grounds by the railway line I came across a mixed flock of finches. Seemed to be mostly Chaffinches at first (30+) with a few Bramblings, but after most of them had moved along the railway line they left behind about 20 Bramblings which then followed after them.

9.10am to 10.35am .Turton Golf Course. Very windy to start with when smaller birds were hard to find.
1 Pheasant, 1 Moorhen, 4 Black-headed Gulls, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying over, 300+ Woodpigeons, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Wrens, 1 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare (flitting back and forth across the boundary at Holts Fold), 6 Blue Tits, 4 Great Tits, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Jays, 9 Magpies, 20+ Jackdaws, 2 Rooks, c25 Carrion Crows, 120+ Starlings, 9 Chaffinches, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Bullfinches.

10.40am to 10.55am around the copse next to Clough House Farm :-
Approx 20 Bramblings. I checked from various points to try and get an exact count but was unable to do so as they were mixed with the usual Chaffinches, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, & Great Tits.

Not much apart from a Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackbirds, and a few Carrion Crows along the track to Greens Arms Road.

Mostly a few of the usuals on Turton Golf Course this morning until I found 3 Reed Buntings on the county boundary near Little Stanrose Farm. I was able to count them for Lancs & GM as they perched on the boundary fence, dropping down either side.

Late morning mooch around Turton Golf Course.

1 Kestrel
1 Moorhen
3 Black-headed Gulls
100+ Woodpigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Wrens
5 Robins
3 Blackbirds
2 flocks of Fieldfares. 40+ flew from the golf course to Turton Tower and 14 were on the golf course and at Little Stanrose Farm (Egerton)
5 Blue Tits
1 Great Tit
5 Jays
11 Magpies
40+ Jackdaws
No Rooks on the course but I could here them near Turton Tower
15 Carrion Crows
1 Starling
7 Chaffinches
1 Goldfinch
2 Bullfinches

9.45am to 11.15am. Turton Golf Course.

1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels
1 Pheasant
2 Moorhens
12 Black-headed Gulls
17 Feral Pigeons
30+ Woodpigeons
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
36 Meadow Pipits
2 Pied Wagtails
6 Wrens
11 Robins
3 Blackbirds
26 Fieldfares passing over
3 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
Flock of Long-tailed Tits and a few Coal Tits, Great Tits, & Blue Tits
2 Nuthatches
3 Jays
9 Magpies
50+ Jackdaws
1 Rook
25 Carrion Crows
9 Chaffinches
2 Greenfinches
3 Goldfinches + a flock of 21 a couple of fields away
2 Siskins
1 Lesser Redpoll
4 Bullfinches

1 Speckled Wood

Turton Golf Course from 8.30am to 9.50am
1 Cormorant flying over
1 Kestrel
1 Moorhen
6 Black-headed Gulls
17 Feral Pigeons, flying across from Holts Fold Farm
180 Woodpigeons, mainly residents but others also some passing over
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
5 Meadow Pipits
5 Pied Wagtails
4 Wrens
13 Robins
8 Blackbirds
55 Fieldfares (a good golf course day with an increase in birds on Anthony's new and old patches)
16 Redwings (a distant flock of 50+ thrushes over Turton Tower looked to be Redwings)
4 Mistle Thrushes
10+ Blue Tits + a few Coal Tits & Great Tits
3 Nuthatches
2 Jays
5 Magpies
8 Carrion Crows
12 Starlings
9 Chaffinches
6 Greenfinches
2 Goldfinches
1 Siskin
2 Lesser Redpolls
6-10 Bullfinches, staying mainly hidden today

Clough House Farm at 10.15am
A couple of Treecreepers in a mixed flock with Chaffinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, & Nuthatches.
A few Redwings were calling from behind the farm.

10.30am to 11.45am around Turton Golf Course. Quite windy but at least the rain held off until the last 10 minutes.

2 Kestrels
3 Snipe in the boggy area between the course & Turton Tower
3 Black-headed Gulls
120+ Woodpigeons
8 Meadow Pipits
3 Pied Wagtails
1 Dunnock
6 Robins
2 Blackbirds
26 Fieldfares
8 Redwings
6 Mistle Thrushes
A few Coal Tits, Blue Tits, & Great Tits
1 Nuthatch
1 Jay
6 Magpies
50+ Jackdaws on the fields towards Turton Tower
10+ Carrion Crows
1 Starling
A few Chaffinches, Greenfinches, & Goldfinches
A flock of 7 Bullfinches

1 Rabbit

Only a joke Rick. I knew the members involved and we had a laugh about it.

9.30am to 1.00pm

Turton Golf Course :-
1 Kestrel
1 Moorhen
7 Black-headed Gulls
4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying over low together
60+ Woodpigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
60+ Meadow Pipits
7 Pied Wagtails
1 Wren
7 Robins
3 Blackbirds
1 Ring Ouzel. My first one here. I saw it fly in and start feeding on berries until some golfers put it up again. They then had the cheek to ask if I had seen anything unusual !
1 Fieldfare heard flying over in low cloud. I could not see anything so there may have been more.
2 Mistle Thrushes
1 Goldcrest
A few Coal Tits, Blue Tits, & Great Tits scattered around
3 Nuthatches
4 Jays
9 Magpies
25 Jackdaws
2 Rooks
30+ Carrion Crows
14 Starlings
2 Chaffinches
10+ Greenfinches
15 Goldfinches
1 Siskin
4 Bullfinches
1 Common Hawker surprisingly flying around in cloudy conditions
1 Nettle-tap moth

Top of moor from Cheetham Close to Turton Heights :-
8 Snipe
4 Skylarks
20 Meadow Pipits
1 Violet Ground Beetle

Greens Arms Road to Clough House Farm :-
Not many birds but lots of Goblet Waxcap fungi

A couple of hours around Turton Golf Course this morning.

Female Sparrowhawk which flew across the front of me very close
1 Kestrel
3 Moorhens (2 adults & a juvenile)
c65 Black-headed Gulls, the vast majority together on one of the fairways
8 Woodpigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
10+ Swallows
20+ Meadow Pipits
20+ Pied Wagtails on the same field as last time + the odd one here and there on the course
1 Wren
2 Robins
11 Mistle Thrushes
10+ Willow Warblers including the family group behind the club house
Family of Goldcrests including an adult male with a striking colourful crest due to it's fluffed up feathers
A few Blue Tits & Great Tits including juveniles
2 Nuthatches
8 Magpies
1 Jackdaw flying over
9 Carrion Crows
9 Starlings
3 Chaffinches
1 Greenfinch
10+ Goldfinches
2 Lesser Redpolls
4 Bullfinches

1 Small Skipper, 12 Green-veined Whites, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 9 Peacocks, 5 Speckled Woods, 4 Gatekeepers, 2 Meadow Browns.

Nothing much across Turton Golf Course this morning apart from a flock of 8 Mistle Thrushes.

A bit better along the track between Clough House Farm & Greens Arms Road :-
1 Kestrel, Woodpigeons, 1 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipits, 10+ Swallows, Carrion Crows, Chaffinches, Siskins, & Lesser Redpolls.

Plenty of thistles along the track attracted Small Skippers, Green-veined Whites, Large Whites, Small Whites, Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks, a Comma, Meadow Browns, & Gatekeepers.

Quite a few Swallows with the House Martins in Chapeltown at lunchtime.

Turton Golf Course from 10am to 11am.

2 Ravens flying over together. All other birds were the usual residents.

Small Skippers, Large Skippers, Large White, Green-veined Whites, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshells, Speckled Woods, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns.
Moths :- Crambus perlella, Udea lutealis, Celypha lacunana, Brown China-mark, Common Plume, Silver-ground Carpet, Straw Dot. Lots of Cinnabar caterpillars.

Lots of damselflies at Torra Barn Pond :- Azure, Common Blue, Blue-tailed, Emerald. Also a Brown Hawker.
Broad-bodied Chaser in the valley behind the clubhouse.

Lots of 7-spot ladybirds on thistles around the course included at least a dozen on one single thistle.

A couple of Field Voles ran across the track in front of me, quickly disappearing into the long grass.

8.30am to 11.10am around Turton Golf Course / Hazelhurst Wood.
Greenkeepers dealing with work experience kids, not birding. Where is my help ? Missing you already Antony !

Pheasants, Black-headed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls (most passed over but one landed on the roof of the conference centre at Last Drop), Woodpigeons, Skylarks, Swallows, Pied Wagtails, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Whitethroats, Garden Warblers, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches, Magpies, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Starlings, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Siskins, Lesser Redpolls, Bullfinches.

Not good for insects but plenty of grass moths still easy to disturb. A few variations of some species keeping me on my toes.
Bactra lancealana, Agriphila straminella, Chrysoteuchia culmella.
Numerous Silver-ground Carpets, 1 Common Heath, 1 Common Wave.

A few Bluebells still just about in flower in Hazelhurst Wood. Also saw Marsh Bedstraw, Common Spotted Orchid, Foxglove, and Orange Hawkweed around the woods.
Chicken of the Woods also here, with Birch Polypore, Blushing Bracket, & Turkeytail.

8am to 9am on Turton Golf Course in low cloud/very light drizzle.
2 Pheasants, a few Black-headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying over, Woodpigeons, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Swift, 2 Swallows, Skylarks, Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Goldcrests, family groups of the tit species, Nuthatches, jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Starlings, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Lesser Redpolls, a Siskin, Bullfinches.

Very windy in the early afternoon so I concentrated my insect search around the more sheltered Hazelhurst Wood.
1 Large Skipper, 15 Green-veined Whites, 1 Peacock, 1 Meadow Brown. A Small Tortoiseshell was by Holts Fold Farm.
Lots of Bactra lancealana, a few Celypha lacunana & Silver-ground Carpets, 1 Clouded Border.
1 Large Red damselfly.
A Roe Deer ran through the wood, and at the other side of the wood a buck was barking.