Mandarin 3 (3 pairs together) in F29 near Brookheys Farm by Sinderland Brook Skylark 3 birds singing from F14, F31, F32 Fieldfare flock of 134 in F14 Yellowhammer 2 in F67
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Also five Little Egrets together on the flooded field at Brookheys Farm at 1 pm today - seeable from the path that runs NW along southern border of Carrington
Grey Partridge 4, 2 in F2, 2 in F11 Lapwing 1 in F2 Sparrowhawk 1 Skylark 1 F1 Treecreeper 1 Stonechat male between F12/13 Chaffinch 40 (mostly F9) Yellowhammer 14 in F1 Reed Bunting 3 F9
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Quick wander this afternoon in less than ideal weather conditions.
Main highlights:
8 Grey Partridge in F2 with another 3 in F4. The 3 in F4 comprised two males fighting whilst a female watched on. The battle went on for a minute or so before the loser was chased off and the winner was joined by the female, it was a great sight to see! 19 Stock Dove in F11 11 Lapwing in F1 Several Skylarks in F2 50+ Fieldfare and 30+ Redwing in F13. Raven and Buzzard flew over.
Highlights of a wander around the Brookheys Covert / Dark Lane area this afternoon.
Little Egret - 1 in the brook by Brookheys Farm. (And briefly in the field; see photo attached.) Peregrine - 1 on pylon beyond the farm. (Too distant for a photo.) Pink-footed Goose - 44 over, heading NW Lapwing - 41 landed briefly, before moving SW
Plus the usual supporting cast, including about 40 Fieldfare. (My first of the year.)
Little Egret 1 feeding around the horses, later flew to Brookheys Farm Lapwing 70+ Redwing 200+ (could be double, the field is carpeted with them) Fieldfare 20+
Yesterday 4th Jan
Peregrine circling above the electricity station Chaffinch 400+ in F9 Linnet 70+ in F9 Reed Bunting 2 in F9
Lots of mobile finch activity at south west corner of F1, F9 and F8
Green Sandpiper 1 flew south over F10 Grey Partridge 15 in F2 (coveys of 10 & 5) Yellowhammer 26 minimum. At least 14 together F1/9/8, 7 F4 others in between Linnet 200 F9 Redpoll 10 F1 Chaffinch 100+ Greenfinch 5+ Bullfinch 8 Reed Bunting 5+ Redwing 100 Fieldfare 9 Meadow Pipit 1 Skylark 1
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Great Spotted Woodpecker by Man Utd training ground (Yesterday, there were 2 within inches of each other), Buzzard in the tree by the road again and lots of Siskin. About 15 Meadow Pipits together in F4, some sliding on the ice. As you walk to F8, lots of Redwing keep moving to the next tree along with about 8 Fieldfare.
Lots of species along F2 and F1 including Yellowhammer, Pheasants, Redwing, Pied Wagtails, Starlings, Bullfinch, a bunch of 14 Meadow Pipits most of which were taking a very long time bathing, one Reed Bunting and 3 Fieldfare. A Buzzard landed not 10m away, by Mufc training ground. Several Siskin feeding alongside Goldfinch on an Alder along that road.
11.00. Calm glorious sunny morning. F8, 2 x Yellowhammer together, lots of Redwing and Chaffinch in and out of the Hawthorn, 1 × Buzzard, 2 x Great Spotted Woodpecker together on the pylon. F4, 2 x Grey Partridge. F12 Kestrel hovering before landing on the Pylon.
Field 4 Stock Dove 9 Lesser Redpoll 3 Pink-footed Goose single flew west over Shell Pool NR
Old Orchard area (Field 2) Whooper Swan 6 flew low NW calling at 09:35 hrs Pink-footed Geese 18 flew SE shortly after Grey Wagtail 2 flew over Goldcrest Redwing feeding in hawthorns (not counted)
Field 2 Buzzard Fieldfare 1 only Grey Partridge 8
Field 10 Buzzard 2 flying together
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Grey Partridge 22 (14 in F2, 8 in F1) Stonechat 2 together between F12/13 Yellowhammer 16 (13 together in F1, 3 F120 Redwing 156 Mistle Thrush 13 Skylark 33 Tufted Duck 26 flying west over F1
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PinkFooted Geese 130+ heading east at 1110, then 25+ heading NE but then turning SW at 1115. Stonechat 1 male along ride between F4 and F12/13. Buzzard 3 Raven 2 Skylark 25+ Yellowhammer 8 Kestrel 1 male. Linnet 10 Meadow Pipit 5+ Jay 2 Chaffinch 6 Mistle Thrush 5 Song Thrush 1 Goldfinch 8 Greenfinch 1 Stock Dove 15+ etc.etc.etc.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 6th of October 2021 05:20:58 PM
1.30 p.m. Nothing for an hour. Then in F4, 2 x Kestrel sitting together on the Hay bale in the field, 1 x Mistle Thrush, 1 x Buzzard, and a Mute Swan approached from F13 and completed a very graceful complete circle of F4 before flying south. 5 x Grey Partridge huddled together in F12 which then flew off south to the next field.
12.30 p.m. Oystercatcher x 1 in F5, Chaffinch x 2 in F4, Yellowhammer on the telegraph wire again between F2 and F1; and in F10 Yellow Wagtail x 1, Yellowhammer x 1, Lapwing x 1
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 5th of June 2021 06:03:02 PM
3.15 p.m. On Ashton Road, White Wagtail x 2, Pied Wagtail x 2. In the field north, by the very large puddle, Blue Headed Wagtail (plus another duller version accompanying it for 10 mins). Skylark x 1.
4 or 5 Yellow Wagtails seen yesterday (15/5) in the wet area in field 10 at the junction of fields 10 and 11 and 1 and 2. They were very active and chasing each other moving between the wet area and adjacent tree tops. A blue headed individual was amongst them.
Other notables included a Grey Partridge with some very small young in the SE corner of field 2.
Returned today armed with a camera and some dry weather but only had fleeting glimpses of the Yellow Wagtails. Saw 2 Grey Partridges near the concrete road but no young.
Were approached by 2 people carrying a Harris Hawk looking for another one lost in the past few days.
Too many motorcycles doing circuits today to be able to stick around too long unfortunately.
Fields north of Ashton Road, 10 a.m - 12.30 p.m. Nothing for an hour, then 2 Yellow Wagtails M + F, landed 7/8 m away and paraded around for 15 mins in the sunshine showing off their beautiful plumage. Then Yellowhammers M + F did the same but from about 15 - 20 m away. Worth the wait!
Sat 08May21. 3 - 6 p.m. In the field north of Ashton Road, in between squally showers, Several appearances of Yellowhammer, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Pheasant, Lapwing.
Fri 07May21 10.a.m to 1 p.m. 2 x Wheatear (M) and Yellowhammer within 20 m of each other in the field north of Ashton Road. 2 Pied wagtails with one feeding a juvenile. 1 x Common Buzzard. 3 x Lapwing.
I thought I was watching 2 different Blue Headed Birds this evening, 1 in the middle of field 11 had a darker head, and there was another one with a lighter head that preferred the field edge,.. Quick little blighters....
No Whinchat or Wheatears for me.
Field 11 , plenty of Pied Wagtails FIeld 11, 5 / 6 Yellow Wagtails Field 2 4 Yellowhammers
Interesting photo Pete of channel wagtail. Definitely not the bird I had this morning which was a bona fide blue-headed with much darker cap. (Im not even sure the whinchat was the same!)
I had a cycle up in the wind and rain at around 6pm and got soaked! Not great viewing conditions but picked up 4 Yellow Wagtail (including the "blue-headed" bird) in F2. Supporting cast of a dozen Pied Wagtail and 2 Wheatear. I suspect there were more birds around taking shelter.
Channel Wagtail type 'Blue-headed' flava mobile between F2 and F11. Unprocessed images attached. The wagtails shelter in the leafy trees along the track between the two fields during the heavy showers. Yellow Wagtail 6 Whinchat 1 F2 Wheatear 5 F2 Raven - at least 2
-- Edited by Pete Hines on Thursday 6th of May 2021 07:07:32 PM
Also in f2
Pair of yellow wagtails plus another male
2 male Wheatear, one was a really colourful Greenland type
4 yellowhammer
Family of pied wagtails with fledged young
Several skylark
Highlights of this mornings BTO Breeding Bird Survey on Carrington Moss were 3 Linnet (2 in F23, 1 in F36).
No Tree Sparrow or Grey Partridge recorded and Rook numbers seemed low (I've not seen any nests in Hogswood Covert this year and there are only half a dozen in the small covert adjacent to Brookheys Farm).
Plenty of Common Whitethroat about.
Off survey a Raven flew over F4 and a Wheatear was sat in F25
Yellow Wagtail 1 heard near Swiss Cottage Farm in F5. Grey Partridge 1 seen on watch in F5. Vegetation too long to see any others. Skylark 2 singing F5. Whitethroat 9 singing. Linnet 4 Blackcap 8 singing. Chiffchaff 4 singing. Song Thrush 1 singing. Bullfinch 3 Greenfinch 4 Mistle Thrush 1 singing. etc.
Doh. Should have carried on to the ETW. However, some highlights from a morning visit from Isherwood Road, along Shell Pool fence line to F1 then return between F2 and F11, etc.
Fieldfare 35(F2). Grey Partridge 2(F2). Linnet 4 Yellowhammer 1 singing plus 8(F2/10). Whitethroat 1 singing(shrubs, south of F4). Skylark 4 singing plus 4. Mistle Thrush 5(F2). Meadow Pipit 1 Wheatear 1 male, 1 female(F2). Blackcap 8 singing. Chiffchaff 5 singing. Lapwing 8 in fields and 4 on industrial site. etc.etc.etc.