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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> COVID- 19 GARDEN LOCKDOWN BLOGS 2020: CLOSED -> Richard Hart - Royton (Covid-19 Garden Lockdown)
Post Info TOPIC: Richard Hart - Royton (Covid-19 Garden Lockdown)
Richard Hart


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RE: Richard Hart - Royton (Covid-19 Garden Lockdown)
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I keep plugging away but all quite settled. But two new garden lockdown ticks today in the form of distant singing Whitethroat and fly over Linnet take me to 59. Cheers

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Richard Hart


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Been a few days since I posted. Been busy with work and perhaps should be grateful for that. When I can scanning the skies but to little avail. Fiday at long last added Great Spotted Woodpecker. I know they go a bit quiet when breeding but they had been regular prior to lockdown and then they vanished. Think that takes me to 57 for garden lockdown. Loads of common newts in the garden pond and quite a lot of damsel and dragonfly larvae. Suspect the latter Broad Bodied Chaser but not sure about the damsels hopefully I'll be here to see them emerge cheers

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Richard Hart


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Fascinated watching the local birdlife in the back garden and into the neighbours behind us. Chiffchaff and Blackcap both with territories just over the boundary. Blue Tit in the nest box. Robin feeding young. Suspect the Woodpigeon just waiting for a few more leaves to appear. Not sure yet where the Dunnock and Blackbird are nesting and Goldfinch prospecting in the front crab apple per usual. Have singing Grasshopper within site of the garden this evening but could not hear from the garden despite trying so not on garden lockdown list but maybe if the wind changes direction but doubt it.

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Richard Hart


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Only able make brief excursions into the garden today due to work commitments. I sit in a room looking north although at my house the vista is much better from the other side looking south. Even looking out though mostly north whilst at the desk apparent many more hirundines around both House Martin & Swallow.

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Richard Hart


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Last several days in the garden scanning blue skies but to no avail. Thought change in wind direction might assist but little change this morning. Finally this evening 3 Swift unusual for me to see in April takes lockdown garden list to 56 having seen nothing new for two weeks or so. Otherwise second House Martin and just fun working out the territories of the Blackcap and Chiffchaff over the bottom of garden boundary. A few more Swallow around now. As for butterfly list this has jumped to 7. Cheers

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Richard Hart


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Scan the skies in the direction of Holmfirth everyone. If you have seen on social media earlier in the week still in the area this morning.

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Richard Hart


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As others have said all been rather quiet recently. Butterfly garden lockdown list has increased to 3 and birds remain at 55 and have been for days. This mornings excitement though was second lockdown Cormorant and Nuthatch.

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Richard Hart


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Lockdown list stalled over the weekend and two very cold early mornings with reduced activity. Currently remain on 55 species of bird but only 2 butterfly. Lunch exercise walk today produced 3x heron which I have yet to see from the garden.

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Richard Hart


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Additions to lockdown list today are Curlew and Swallow the latter picked up whilst scanning the sky and was flying very high.and heading north. Otherwise just the usual suspects. I have friends in various parts of the country who struggle to see LBB Gull but for some reason they are very obvious round me. Generally heading north but often going back south at times and always very vocal.

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Richard Hart


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Been sat working at the computer most of the week. Sat out several nights till quite late hoping for calling waders but nothing. Made the most of today 6am to 9.30am and 32 species with 3 new for lockdown list GBB Gull, House Martin and brief Willow Warbler takes lockdown list to 53. Then most of day I garden but little to add. Still missing G S Woodpecker and Heron which is rather surprising as locally I see them most of the time. Seems like the 2 pairs of Sparrowhawk I have on view from home today met up for a boundary chat and 4 in same field of view at once.

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Richard Hart


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Work took over Monday until late pm and then looked into bright sun as usual at that time of day. Early start again today and rewarded with a single Fieldfare taking me to 50 for lockdown list. No hirundines yet or Willow Warbler but surely on their way soon. All good fun.

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Richard Hart


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Pretty much done dawn till dusk in garden today. Intently from 6am to midday then jobs in garden this pm whilst still looking skywards. 40 species for the day 4 new for lockdown list these being Blackcap, Greenfinch, Goosander and Buzzard 5 in air together over Tandle Hill. Better weather and Sparrowhawks displaying another Raven. Not a bad day. Lockdown list now 49 species. Cheers



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 5th of April 2020 08:40:13 PM

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Richard Hart


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Little time today to spend scanning the skies until late afternoon but a group of 4 Common Gull heading north at about 5pm followed by a single 30 minutes later were new for lockdown and takes list to 45 species. Cheers

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Richard Hart


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Scoter session tonight a bit earlier than last night 20.40 to 22.30. With two distant groups at 21.46 and 21.51. No owls a Canada Goose and only one other bird call that I suspect might have been a Moorhen but not sure. Pleased to connect with the Scoter and like many others a garden tick

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Richard Hart


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Wonder if I might have started a bit late last night for the Scoter. Anyway garden mega this morning in the form of Raven. Appeared just above the roofs chased by the local Carrion Crows all making a racket and headed off south in direction of Manchester at 7.05am. Not seen one over here for years. Otherwise just the usual suspects although the Jay's were performing very well this morning. Anyone else noticed the Air Lingus plane going into Manchester went over here at 7.05 as it did yesterday. Rare to see planes these days cheerd

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Richard Hart


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Sat in the garden 10 - 11.30pm last night listening for Common Scoter which were passing in numbers over northern England at least and as others reported over Manchester. None for me but Lapwing was new for lockdown and takes me to 42 species

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Richard Hart


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You might have seen national reports of inland Common Scoter on the move overnight but I was asleep. Did an hour first thing 20 species but nothing new. 7 Redwing flew low silently and determindly north. Woodpigeon is by far the most obvious species around me. Theres a nest at the bottom of the garden and a pair were around that this morning. I presume the male was trying to coax the female to mate but she was not interested this morning. It could though have been the other way round! Cheers

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Richard Hart


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Just had 30 minutes in back garden until 9pm listening for sounds and Little Owl calling new for lockdown list. Used to breed in past on buildings at the back but trees grown up and obscured the view so not actually recorded for a while. Warmer tonight and Carrion Crow still out of bed at 9pm in dark pretending to be something else.

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Richard Hart


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Did 6am to 7.30am listening to the dawn chorus even the local Tawny Owls were still up. 28 species in that period although nothing new for lockdown period. 3 adult Herring Gulls going south, single Redwing and as it was a bit warmer the Chiffchaff singing again. Cheers

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Richard Hart


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All- apologises for confusion yesterday when I posted lockdown lists to county garden lists. I rarely access the website on my PC and its so obvious but on my mobile there was no indication this topic had been set up. Thanks for being directed to the correct place.

I live in Royton and have done so for 22 years. I'm slightly elevated and look SW over trees towards Manchester. I have a 180 degree view and have Tandle Hills CP to my right when looking south and Oldham to my left. Some of you might recall coming and trying to see a Wryneck in the back garden many autumns ago.

Anyway I often work from home and am doing so at the present time. Unfortunately I sit in the front room looking north and not the back. I have a pond with the newts and below me is a wooded clough with a beck. Dippers occur downstream but I have never heard them from the house yet! Along with various birdy mates last week I started a garden lockdown list and as of yesterday I had reached 40 species.

Nothing out of the ordinary in that list. 2 pairs of displaying Sparrowhawk, Cormorant and Oystercatcher perhaps the highlights. No Greenfinch and only 1 pair of Collard Dove both used to be so numerous. Only summer visitor so far 3 Chiffchaff although I counted through 37 Lesser Black Backed Gulls as they moved north in ones and twp throughout the day yesterday

Work has kept me in front of a PC all day today and looking north so nothing to add.

Cheers
Richard

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