Sorry I had not posted this earlier but I spent an hour early morning (6-7am) without any trace of Quail. The bird from yesterday may well have been a bird passing through but there may well be more on the way! As an aside Grey Wagtails have successfully bred on Sinderland Brook with two young fledged.
Spent about an hour this morning walking up and down the track but didn't hear the quail. Decent numbers of willow warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff. yellowhammer, whitethroat and skylark in the general area plus fly over yellow wagtail, oystercatcher (heading towards Alty STW) and kestrel.
I carried out the BTO's Breeding Bird Survey (late visit) this morning 0700-0830, highlights included a fly over Hobby and good numbers (relatively!) of Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Stock Dove and Skylark.
Off survey area a pair of Grey Partridge were in field 10
Just seen this on Facebook. Will this cause issues in the area for people?
We have been informed that from 5 May, in an attempt to control access by motocross bikes and 4x4 vehicles, to reduce the risk of a collision, certain gates on the moss will be locked at weekends. These are at the junctions of Ashton and Woodcote Roads (near Swiss Cottage), Ashton and Birch Roads (next to the concrete section), and Common Lane adjacent to Asphodel Farm. This is closure of the Moss by stealth, at weekends as we come into the summer months when the publlic will want to use the Moss most. It will also put pedestrians, cyclists and horseriders in danger because they will have to use very busy main roads rather than these traffic free routes. We will continue to progress our Public Right of Way claims but please protest strongly to your local Councillor (if you dont know who your Councillor is, we can send you a link so you can find out) and to HIMOR, who can be contacted at 0161 776 4401.
Great views of Yellow Wagtail and Whinchat at 30ft. in f11 at 11- 12pm today from the path between f11 and f2. Whinchat was midway along the path and Yellow Wagtail favoured the end of f11 at the crossroads f10, 2 and f1 but was quite mobile (may have been 2). Nice to see Tony O'Mahony - he always brings me luck . Ps. As I left a Landrover and Drainage machine looked to be moving into f11. Pps. Take a warm coat it was bleak , I wore 2 fleeces but was still cold . F1. Lapwing 28 . Common Buzzard 2 over . Raven 2 over.
Carried out the BTO's Breeding Bird Survey this morning 0650-0820, highlights included a singing male Linnet at Birch House Farm, Tree Sparrows on Sinderland Lane and 2 Grey Partridge in F32.
Yellowhammer numbers seemed up and I had a few Common Whitethroat (interestingly we didn't get a single one on the Stockport Birdwatching Society trip to Leighton Moss yesterday).
In F5 (not on the survey) there were at least 10 Wheatear.
Bugger, New there would be a Yellow Wagtail about, looks like the Wheatears have moved through as I had double figures in most fields. Glad you connected Pete :).
I decided to have a mooch around Carrington Moss, this morning and tick off some of the locals I have missed so far this year. Well, what a good decision. Between 0715 & 0800hrs I was watching a lifer, in the shape of a Male Whinchat. I first spotted it sat on the blue crate int he corner of field 11, it then moved up the field and sat on a blue tube sticking out of the ground, too far away for a picture of any description. I then lost it to view and could re find it no matter how hard I scanned the field. Other highlights.. Wheatears, sorry to many too count, in fields 4,2,1,10,11.....never seen this many, if I was asked to estimate mornings totals I say 60-70. Whitethroats, 6 in the scrub at field 27, 3 along the path at field 10. Blackcaps 4 all males singing from the fence Shell and Field 4 Yellowhammers at least 20 total, in the hedge at top of 4, and feeding in 1 , 10 , 11 & 2 Skylarks 8 in total in fields 4,11 & 2 lot of working being carried out in 4 looks like drainage work. Linnets 16 on the path between 1 & 2 a lot carrying nesting material.... Nice to bump into Jeff Clarke this morning
One White Wagtail off Townsend Farm Lane, Sinderland Green 6 pm this afternoon (my first of the year). Also last week I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming on the pylon in field 8 it made quite an amazing sound!
At least two Ringed Plovers low over Sale Sharks Carrington training ground in the dark of this evening, unseen but heard flying low around the floodlit pitch around 7:30pm. Also, trees around the pitch seemingly full of Redwing and the odd Fieldfare.
Half a dozen bramblings, including one male in fresh breeding plumage, with the chaffinches in the trees along the road to United's training ground.
Yellowhammers showing nicely near the Shell pool. Also three buzzards (one male, one female, one I'm not sure) flying round the woods nearby. Plenty of tufted duck, gadwall and shoveler viewable on the pool from the path.
1:00 to 2:30 in persistent rain making it very tricky to keep the optics dry. 40 skylarks 15 yellowhammer 250 ish chaffinch flock .... All too difficult to pick out any brambling in wet bins Buzzard 2 Tawny owl 1 Mixed finch flock c 40 mainly siskin Mixed tit flocks Peaked through the shell pond fence ....... Oystercatcher 2 Lapwing 4 Tufted duck PS - private property signs popping up and steel gates being put up across path by Swiss Cottage farm Chris
-- Edited by Chris Sutton on Friday 3rd of March 2017 03:53:31 PM
I've just come across this forum - I moved back to Sale last year after many years away and am getting reacquainted with the local birding patches. I'm by no means an expert birder but really enjoying getting back into it.
I had a nice afternoon on the Moss yesterday in the mild weather, after not visiting for a few months. Buzzard central with at least 13 knocking about including one that was not remotely bothered with me biking past it's low perch at less than 20 feet away.
There was a nice large mixed flock to pick through in the tress opposite the farm house on the main path at the back of the United training ground, at least 50 linnet, 20 chaffinch, at least 2 brambling, 5 yellowhammer (another 3 seen further along), goldfinch, the usual tits, goldcrest and a smart jay.
I could make out 1 shoveler, amongst the numerous tufties, on the pond just off the access road to the United complex (Is this the 'Shell pond'?).
Toward the Dunham end of the Moss there were lots of singing skylarks in the fields but not too much else of interest other than a flyover of 33 lapwing and a couple of stock doves. 20+ redwing were resting high in the tress near the bridge over the brook. The only ducks that I could make out at the fenced off largish pond at this end of the site were 4 gadwall.
I notice you guys are using grid references for the various fields. Is there a map available which lists these? I also noticed that there are a couple of hides on the Shell(?) pond. Is it possible to request access? All the aggressive new signs popping up regarding trespassing makes me think unlikely....
Could any regular site watchers offer any tips for finding willow tit? This bird has taken on a near mythical status for me! With grey partridge is it a case of being lucky and patient or do they favour any particular fields at this time of year?
From 1 to 3.30pm today. Brambling 6 (seen in one bush seen at edge of f4 from path running between f4 / f13) seen with - Yellowhammers - 8 (at least ) . Chaffinch - aproximately 200 . (all the birds were only 10m away so close , numbers were hard to hard to account for, dropping down feeding , moving back and forth ... Fox in henhouse senario. ) Common Buzzard - 1 f13. Stock Dove - 2 f5 Fieldfare - c50 in flight over f 2. Grey Partridge - 2 ( between f25/26 possibly f 75 ... badly marked on site map.) Pheasant - 4 f71. Linnet - 45 f71. Reed Bunting - 2 f71.
Himor Group are winning friends and influencing people by having the United security guards hand out leaflets to say that you're trespassing on their land. This is nonsense: if you're on the public footpaths you have every right to be there, as Himor's own notices grudgingly admit.
On a brighter note, despite the Shell Pool being largely frozen over, eight gadwall easily seen from the footpath. Also mallard, coot and teal.
Diggers at work on the field by the Shell Pool so not much on (except two grey wagtails in the ditch); 70+ jackdaws and 60+ rooks in the next field. A couple of bramblings with the yellowhammers in the hawthorns along this path.
Skylarks showing well again at midday today, with good numbers in f10 and over fields 1 and 4. A flock of about 50 linnets in f9, together with c.6 redwing. A flock of about 15 redwing plus 1 mistle thrush in the trees between fields 2 and 4, plus about 15 yellowhammers in the hedge between field 4 and 12.