60+ smaller gulls on Norden School field this morning. Very mobile around the field. Predominantly Black Headed gulls but at least one Common and one Mediterranean amongst them.
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Garden Life List: 57 My UK only life list: 263 My Global Life List: 528 Global 2024 year list: 196 My UK 2024 year list: 176 My 2024 Garden List: 39
Carrying on from last October's working from home theme. Today I thought I saw my first House Martins of the year over Norden so downstairs with the bins to investigate. Walkout into the back garden to see said hirundines disappearing but being followed by a back garden lifer... a Hobby! Whoop! Whoop!
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Garden Life List: 57 My UK only life list: 263 My Global Life List: 528 Global 2024 year list: 196 My UK 2024 year list: 176 My 2024 Garden List: 39
Looking out of my window over Norden School field when suddenly about 50 wood pigeons come charging over the house. Naturally you look up at this point and we have 2 Peregrine Falcons making their way E-W across Norden. A little mid air jousting between them (reminded me of a food pass) before one of them was off into a (very) fast dive. The other followed away West and the local Wood Pigeons breathed a heavy sigh of relief
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Garden Life List: 57 My UK only life list: 263 My Global Life List: 528 Global 2024 year list: 196 My UK 2024 year list: 176 My 2024 Garden List: 39
Sat in my Norden garden spotted a circling bird incredibly high up. Eagle / Osprey jizz...from silhouette shaky silhouette through bins (and internet research) I'm saying possible White Tailed Eagle (the tail shape was distinctive with a bit stuck out in the middle of it) though very unsure? Drifted off ENE. Number of Osprey crossing the country presently makes me wary but I can't get over the bit sticking out mid-tail.
And male and female Bullfinch on my feeders together for the first time ever too.
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Garden Life List: 57 My UK only life list: 263 My Global Life List: 528 Global 2024 year list: 196 My UK 2024 year list: 176 My 2024 Garden List: 39
Late call from Sunday and a walk up to Ashworth Moor via School Lane.
Highlights
Two willow warbler engaged in a singing contest on Furban Rd No Dipper at Naden Brook presumably due to the presence of a menacing looking Grey Heron White Wagtail close to the junction of Ashworth Rd and Chapel Ln Grey Wagtail in the overflow of Ashworth Res Very approachable Nuthatch close to St Paul's Church
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Garden Life List: 57 My UK only life list: 263 My Global Life List: 528 Global 2024 year list: 196 My UK 2024 year list: 176 My 2024 Garden List: 39
Two ring ouzels in mixed thrush flock this afternoon - about 20 - 30 birds, mostly mistle thrushes with at least two redwings, some song thrushes and blackbirds as well as the ouzels, on east side of Naden Middle Reservoir. Very active group, feeding amid the oak, birch and rowans.
Also raven tumbling, green woodpecker calling in valley, group of mixed tits, flocks of herring and black headed gulls on the water, plus Canadas and a couple of cormorants.
About 50 starlings on a wire on Wolstenholme estate, Norden.
Blackcap Friday Blackcaps singing at: Whittaker Moss Above the allotments - two singing Descent to village nr Ashbourne - male singing + female. And singing at: Black Pits St Pauls churchyard. Also: Whittaker Moss. Chiffchaff x 1. Jays nest building in a thorn. Moss Row - Chiffchaff x1.
Mt Etna > Fernhill Buzzard x 1 chased by Lapwing Wheatear male x 1 in song. Lapwing pairs x 2 Caldershaw House Martin x 2 (21st). My first in the area this year. x 4 today. By the brook: Chiffchaff x 1 Willow warbler x 1 Blackcap x 2
Red Lumb Willow Warbler x 1 in subdued song in trees near the cottages. Jackdaws nest building at the mill. Lapwing pair in the horse fields. BUzzard x 1 low over Royds Brook (yesterday).
Buzzard soaring over village in pm. 2 Cormorants over in village in the evening at 18.15, possibly same 2 as on Greenbooth Reservoir in pm. Pair of Raven, also at Greenbooth. 1st Swallow returned to East Knowle Farm this pm. Nuthatch & Treecreepers in Tannery (Holts) Wood. Plenty of Peacock & Small Tortoiseshell butterflies about.
Sunday 1st June Whitethroat singing behind the mill at Red Lumb and at Higher Knowl - the latter on the 1000 ft contour Grasshopper Warbler singing in rushes/saplings just off Knowl Moor at about 1150 ft. Redpolls over the conifers on Knowl Lane.
Ashworth Moor Res Treatment Works House Martin - three nests at least - construction just started on one. Didn't notice them here last year but they used to nest on the old works.
Rough Lee Curlew pair Lapwings c5 - hopefully a family party.
Song Thrush - missing from the three or four locations I associate them with around the village, but one singing on Holt Wood perimeter. Green Woodpecker - similarly, missing on my walks. Haven't heard one all year. Blackcaps - well distributed in most woodlands and St Pauls Church yard. Chiffchaff - also well distributed in good numbers. Holt Wood. Whittaker Moss and a pair on the well wooded Shawfield Lane. Bullfinches at Whittaker Moss and Pitshouse Lane and male taking seed in my garden today. Lapwings - three pairs off Woodhouse Lane, something of a recovery in my records. Swift - first over Woodhouse Lane on 5th May and a few more since. House Martin - first on 28th April but no sign of others until today. Goldfinches building in a golden yew in my garden today.
Holt Wood Raven x 1 over Noisy nuthatch pair aggravated by a GS Woodpecker Jay x 1 Chiffchaff x 1. Strange song - first few notes were similar to coal tit, then a few willow warbler notes, then a 'chiff-caff' to finish off with -?? Not getting the impression of many willow warblers in yet
Naden Brook Black Pits - Chiffchaff x 1 Coal Bank Wood - Chiffchaff x 1 + Nuthatch Bullfinch calling at Carr Wood road bridge. Green Woodpecker calling from Carr Wood area.
Noticeable abscence of treecreepers in these parts on my Spring walks
