10+ spotted flycatchers in the fields adjacent to Hall street. Mega local patch records! They were slowly passing through in mixed flocks of Willow warbler and Goldcrests.
5pm yesterday evening had a visit from this lovely young male sparrowhawk to my garden. It hung around a while ,posed for a few photographs. Then chased a few sparrows around, bouncing off my fence panels a few times then went on its way empty handed.
Looking at the moult l recon it's one of last year's birds.
When I got back home from my morning walk round Elton Reservoir today, I was greeted by this lovely specimen of a juvenile Sparrowhawk just sat on my roof eying up my feeders.
First signs of movement this year. Just had a massive flock of young passerines move through my local patch. I was able to do a ruff count yet it was difficult due to them not staying still and interacting with each other. They were all slowly moving down the centre of the field in the hawthorn and holly hedge row. Got a decent count as they all flew off together heading south west with a very angry and vocal nuthatch in hot pursuit
X 21 Long-tailed tit
X 9 willow warbler
X 6 spotted flycatcher
X1 goldgrest
-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Wednesday 9th of August 2017 05:45:59 PM
Just had two juvenile green woodpeckers in the field off Hall street near to the nursing home, was watching them both flying around cackling to each other. Heard an adult yaffeling from the trees in the brook, was just about to get them lined up for a photo when a massive bolt of lightning sent them all scarpering in opposite directions....me included!
-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Tuesday 1st of August 2017 03:06:06 PM
This caught my eye as I was driving home before, just by the shear size of it. It was feasting on a lamb carcass in the field at the top of Walshaw rd. I decided to take the dog out for a walk to investigate. It turned out to be (forgive me if I'm wrong) a Second winter Great black-backed Gull
3.15pm. A small, slender looking adult male Peregrine was hunting low on Woolfold fields adjacent to Scobell street. It came in from the direction of Bury town centre, sent a huge flock of gulls, starlings and pigeons high up into the gale force winds. Made a few failed swoops and then left empty handed flying slowly past me in the direction of Ramsbottom.
Considering i now live round here i thought id start a new thread to post my local sightings (unless one already exists? I couldn't find it if so)
Bentley hall farm fields along Hall street.
x3 Spotted flycatchers
X2 Grey wagtails
X2 snipe (which scared the living daylights out of me as I nearly stood on them both as I was jumping over a brook, needless to say they wernt happy! )
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