Development of the land bordering Old Barton road/opposite B&Q continues. Development along OB road also continues with even more Bramble,Goat Willow and Nettles removed and replaced by hardcore.
From 2pm Oystercatcher - 1 over. Common Tern -1 along MSC. Cormorant -3 over. Swifts high over but only in 2's and 3's. Chiffchaff -1. Whitethroat - 1 with food. Goldfinch - 1 seen plus several singing. House sparrow -1. Black-headed gull - 10. Lesser Black-back gull -4 . Plus Mallards and Canada geese.
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Wednesday 14th of June 2023 04:54:32 PM
also dead gull N54L.
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Wednesday 14th of June 2023 04:59:54 PM
Brief visit this afternoon due to the whole site (from Barton swing bridge to the Travel Lodge hotel) having been Flailed to the ground recently. All the substantial Bramble has gone together with 99% of the Willow and Birch trees which covered the area including any other vegitation. There's also an adjacent large piece of land bordering OB road (also opposite B+Q containing a man made lake) which has been Flailed to the floor. I presume Peel Holdings are responsible for all the destruction. On the bright side a small pond has been revealed and eventually all the willow, birch and bramble will return unless it's built on just like Pomona. Birds seen... Blue tit 1. Dunnock 1 . Carrion Crow 2. MSC..... Mute swan 7. Great crested grebe 2 (head shaking). Cormorant 2. Moorhen 2. Mallard 6. Buzzard 1 (low over Trafford Centre).
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Thursday 24th of March 2022 04:13:24 PM
MS canal - Lesser Black-back Gull - 2. Black - headed gull - 16. Cormorant - 6. Great crested grebe - 4 . Mute Swan - 4.
OB rd. - Chiffchaff - 2 (1seen only). Dunnock - 2. Coot - 4 on the fenced off lake. Greenfinch - 1 ( distant call only). Plus several Robins, Blue and Great tits.
Very quick visit from 1pm because of workmen and vans around the square stone building which carries cables and pipes under the MS canal and which is right on top of where the Sedge Warbler can be found.
Ms canal Grey Heron - 6. Great Crested Grebe - 3 ( inc. 1 young being carried). Herring gull - 15. Black- headed gull - c30. Cormorant - 6 over. Oystercatcher - 2 over.
Ms canal - Oystercatcher - 2 over. Grey Heron - 1. Great Crested Grebe - 2. Cormorant - 4. Sand Martin - 1. Coot - 1. Moorhen - 2. Herring gull - 3. Lesser black-back gull - 8. Black-headed gull - 4. Plus lots of House Sparrow on the Salford side. Mute swan 2 + 5 young .
OB rd - Robin - 2. Blackbird - 3. Song thrush - 1. House Sparrow - 8. Chiffchaff - 2 singing distant. Willow warbler - 2. Whitethroat - 4. Dunnock - 4. Ring necked parakeet - 3. Swift - 8. Goldfinch - 18. Greenfinch - singing distantly. Sedge warbler - 1. Linnet - 2.
Ps. A JCB was working in the fenced off area adjacent the church/graveyard and Old Barton rd and I was refused entry to check out the large hill and the 2 water bodies. This site is ear marked for development. Also the JCB had been digging adjacent the square stone building to the right of Old Barton rd. This whole area is due for development as Trafford Borough Council has removed it's conservation area status . This site hasn't got long before it disappears just like the Pomona site .
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Tuesday 2nd of June 2020 08:34:25 PM
I was going down Trafford Way the other day and noticed that they'd stripped everything down to the ground along that stretch save a thin stretch of saplings along the fence. I was sort of hoping that would be kept aside as the last bit that hasn't been concreted over or landscaped to death. I'll miss the whitethroats and greenfinches. :(
Old Barton rd : Greenfinch - 1 ( a very young looking bird). Long-tail tit - 4. Robin - 1.
Also a large section of dense bramble and willow has been Flailed to the ground . The adjacent large rough area fenced off from the public,with the two man-made lakes from Redclyffe rd alongside Old Barton rd has also been Flailed to the ground. All very similar to Pomona before development started. More wild habitat going to be lost,but there is still quite a bit of dense bramble/willow left untouched. So next years willow warblers and chiffchaffs will be ok for a time
Walk along Bridgewater Canal (near Patricroft Station) - Patricroft Bridge - Barton Aqueduct - crossed over Barton Swing Bridge - along south side of Manchester Ship Canal (via Old Barton Road) - Salford Western Gateway bridge - along north side of MSC - Barton Locks - Boysnope Wharf - walked over Irlam Locks to - Urmston ETW - Jack Lane - Jack Lane Nature Reserve - Dutton's Pond - Fly Ash Hill - and return - this time via Eccles ETW and Langlands Drive (Peel Green Road).
Peregrine x 1 (flying towards Salford Quays over MSC next to Old Barton Road) Kestrel x 2 Buzzard x 6 sightings Possible sighting of Marsh Harrier (in distance over Barton Moss area) Chiffchaff x 5 Teal x 10 Little Grebe x 1 Gadwall x 8 Pied Wagtail x 3 Great Crested Grebe x 2 Oystercatcher x 8 Grey Heron x 2 Starling x 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull x 3 Black-Headed Gull x 100 plus Carrion Crow x 8 Mute Swan x 10 Cormorant x 7 Canada Geese x 20 Coot x 5 Moorhen x 3 Mallard x 20 Dunnock x 1 House Sparrow x 25 Long-Tailed Tit x 3 Wren x 1 Goldfinch x 5 Chaffinch x 3 Blue Tit x 8 Robin x 7 Great Tit x 6 Blackbird x 8 Collared Dove x 2 Woodpigeon x 20 Magpie x 30 Feral Pigeon x 10
Today from 1.15pm - 2.30pm Buzzard - 5 ( 3 high over Salford side of MSCanal ). Sparrowhawk - 1 circling high . Bullfinch - 3 ( one in St.Catherines graveyard ). Goldfinch - 8 . Robin - 1. Wren - 2. Blue tit - 4. Grt.tit - 2. Chiffchaff - 3 (one over MSCanal, the other two having a singing duel over territory right in front of me and flying past me at head height several times ).
Msc .......... Mute swan - 2. Black-headed gull - 3. Lesser Black-back gull - 3. Plus several Canada goose and Mallard.
Very late post for Sunday 25.03.18 . MSC...... Grt.Crested Grebe - 3. Cormorant - 4. Lesser Black-back gull - 3. Common gull - 2. Black-headed gull - c50. Mute swan - 2. Oystercatcher - 2 heard in flight only.
Old Barton rd....... Blackbird - 4. Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1. Chiffchaff - 1 (heard in the distance )
Old Barton rd ....... ( today Wednesday 28.03.18). Ring - necked Paraqueet - 2. Grt.Crested Grebe - 3. (MSC). Chiffchaff - 3 heard only ( 1 heard In the fenced off area containing the small lake, the other in a willow thicket but very mobile. And 1 across the MSC.on the Salford side ).
Walk along Bridgewater Canal (near Patricroft Station) - Patricroft Bridge - Barton Aqueduct - crossed over Barton Swing Bridge - along south side of Manchester Ship Canal (via Old Barton Road) - Salford Western Gateway bridge - crossed over bridge - Eccles ETW - and walked along north side of Manchester Ship Canal as far as Langland Drive (and return).
Ring-Necked Parakeet x 5 Peregrine x 1 (flying towards Salford Quays) Kestrel x 1 Bullfinch x 4 sightings (at least 2 different birds 1M and 1F) Pied Wagtail x 10 Meadow Pipit x 5 Great Crested Grebe x 3 Grey Heron x 1 Herring Gull x 2 Black-Headed Gull x 150 plus Jackdaw x 50 Carrion Crow x 3 Mute Swan x 2 Cormorant x 2 Canada Geese x 54 Coot x 2 Moorhen x 2 Mallard x 20 Dunnock x 1 House Sparrow x 3 Long-Tailed Tit x 10 Goldfinch x 3 Chaffinch x 4 Blue Tit x 7 Robin x 3 Great Tit x 5 Blackbird x 5 Mistle Thrush x 1 Woodpigeon x 4 Magpie x 15 Feral Pigeon x 10
-- Edited by Steve Judge on Wednesday 17th of January 2018 05:53:58 PM
A morning walk down to the new bridge over the ship canal (Salford Western Gateway) produced;
New bridge to Langland Drive/Old Barton Road; 4 Goosander (3 stunning males and a female) 1 Tufted Duck 1 Grey Heron 1 Moorhen 2 Mute Swan 12 Mallard
New Bridge to Barton Locks; 24 Mallard 2 Canada Goose 2 Mute Swan
The new road on the Salford side of the bridge gives good views over Eccles sewage works where there were; >50 Pied Wagtail 1 Buzzard There were also in excess of 200 distant gulls but I only had my 10x25's with me so did not ID.
Happy New Year to all. N
Walking back past the Trafford Centre a Kestrel was hunting over the rough grass.
Late post for yesterday 11th July. Ring Necked Parakeet heard calling from trees alongside canal just to the east of Barton swing bridge and 7 Mute Swan Cygnets on Bridgewater canal alongside Barton road one of which had a badly damaged leg sticking up out of the water.
From Barton swing bridge to Travelodge 12.30 to 2pm. Chiffchaff - 5. Whitethroat - 2 (pair) . Chaffinch - 5. Common Buzzard - 1 over. MS canal ........... Kingfisher - 1 . Great Crested Grebe - 1. Cormorant - 4 . Mallard - 6 . Canada Goose - 65 (Eccles side ) . Swallow - several over the area . I only went as far as Travelodge because the area upto the M60 bridge has a new road through it and so 90% of vegetation has been removed (mentioned in my post on Bridgewater canal ) .
