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Post Info TOPIC: Chorlton ees


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RE: Chorlton ees


Myself & Steve Burke flushed a Skylark from the edge of 'Cow field' this PM - Not a bird I see on the ees often.



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5 Grey Wagtail
Small flock of Goldfinch
Buzzard
Kestrel
Jay
Beautiful pair of Bullfinch male and female
Best on for the PM was a Treecreeper! Always enjoy seeing these

Thanks,
Eugene

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Thanks for the update fellas. I was there for about an hour earlier, nothing much to report. flock of about 30-40 fieldfares, much increased from the other day! a buzzard and a kestrel, 1 great spotted woodpecker and 1 Goosander on the river.

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Yes that was me. Well it was nice to meet you and hopefully I see you around sometime.

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Hi Joel,

I was on the cobbles for a little while but on the higher path the majority of the time. I think we might have spoken actually, I think it might have been you who mentioned to Chris and I that you'd been seeing an owl on the ground in the same spot a few times. This was while we were on the cobbled path. Were you on your bike? Not unlike the owls as it turned out hmm

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Simon Gough wrote:

I spent all afternoon there on Saturday with no luck along with numerous other folk. We were speculating that the fireworks display at the school on the Friday night might have sent the Owls on their way.

-- Edited by Simon Gough on Friday 13th of November 2015 09:11:36 AM




Ever since I Monday the 2nd I had a feeling the fireworks show would scare them off. And then when it came to Saturday and then Sunday with out them being seen i thought it might have been the fireworks show, but looks like had the same idea. It's ashame they didn't stay longer or move over to Stretford ees where (hopefully) the fireworks wouldn't have scared them. I spent a bit of time there on Saturday and Sunday. Simon were you watching from the cobbled road or the higher path?

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I spent all afternoon there on Saturday with no luck along with numerous other folk. We were speculating that the fireworks display at the school on the Friday night might have sent the Owls on their way.

-- Edited by Simon Gough on Friday 13th of November 2015 09:11:36 AM

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Eugene - the last sighting of the Short-eared Owl I am aware of was at dusk last Friday. I have been past the field various times since and had no sightings .... so suspect they may have moved on. But that doesn't mean we stop looking !. Chris

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First time to Chorlton Ees, but I will be frequenting often from now on! I'm fairly new to the area, although not Manchester. I was wondering if anyone knew if the Short Eared Owls were likely to still be around? Nothing to be seen from them today! 

What I did see however: 

2 Bullfinch

10 Siskin

20+ Goldfinch

1 Jay

3 Kestrels (at once) I saw more, put i presumed it was the same ones coming round again. 

1 Buzzard

Small flock of around 8 Fieldfare

Then plenty of all the usual suspects. Robin, Blackbird, magpie, jackdaw etc.

All seen between 12-3pm


To note, I was down between the metro link and Chorlton WP 4 or 5 days ago and saw:

2 Gadwall

1 Goosander

1 Kestrel

4 Greywagtail

2 Great Crested Grebe

 

Thanks,

Eugene 

 

 

 

 



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Good to meet you earlier Chris (I was the one in the green hat), sadly owls continued not to materialise through waiting a little longer, just more persistent rain. Only things to add: half a dozen siskins and a goosander on the river.



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I made a couple of brief visits on both Saturday and Sunday and did not see the Short-eared Owl. Spoke to a few other birders and they had not seen it either.
Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard around ....Pink Footed Geese over.

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Originally posted yesterday by Eugene Dillon-Hooper:

2 Gadwall

1 Goosander

1 Goldcrest

1 Kestrel

4 Grey Wagtail

2 Ring-necked Parakeet

2 Great Crested Grebe

Plenty of Goldfinch and Greenfinch and the rest of the usual suspects.

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Deliveries in Chorlton enabled me to do a spot of birding around 2.30 - 3.15pm

No sign of any Short-eared Owls whilst I was present, but I did get some good views of a Simon Gough and a Chris Chandler.

Birds of note besides the usual stream of Jackdaw over were...
2 Jay
1 Common Buzzard (flew up off the ground again into the trees surrounded by Magpies)
1 Blackbird
1 Robin
1 singing Wren
21 Goldfinch (group of 13 then 8 flying around)

...and one particular group of birds near the cobbled footpath and moving through the trees consisted of
16 (at the very least) Long-tailed Tit
2 Treecreeper
2 Siskin
3 Chaffinch
2 Blue Tit
1 Great Tit
1 Goldcrest

Also a Bullfinch heard again but couldn't locate it


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Saturday 7th of November 2015 05:03:58 PM

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Rob Creek wrote:

2nd Short-eared Owl has just flown up, 1st Owl flew out of the field being pursued by no less than 5 Magpies.

Nice to see Chris Sutton again.

Other birds...
Long-tailed Tit at least 7
Bullfinch heard only
Blue Tit






When I left Chris 5 minutes ago, the Short-eared Owl was perched on top of the dead tree in the middle of the cow-field in what we both described as spectacular light that was seen over the tree line surrounding the field.

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2nd Short-eared Owl has just flown up, 1st Owl flew out of the field being pursued by no less than 5 Magpies.

Nice to see Chris Sutton again.

Other birds...
Long-tailed Tit at least 7
Bullfinch heard only
Blue Tit
and a Common Buzzard flew up from the long grass into the hedge
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Friday 6th of November 2015 04:47:58 PM



-- Edited by Rob Creek on Friday 6th of November 2015 07:08:47 PM


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1 x Short-eared Owl currently present 3.55pm flying round in the rain and being harassed by at least 4 Magpies

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9:00 - 9:45 am - no sign of Short Eared Owl
4:00 - 4:40 pm - Short-eared Owl showed briefly at c 4:35 gaining height and disappeared out towards Hardy Farm area.
Sparrowhawk x 1
Kestrel x 1
Buzzard x 1
Goosander x 1 over
Jackdaws are gathering in number as they prepare for roost.


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By the way, I did see a shortie on the Ees (on Huntfield, SJ812927) in late September 2012.

Excerpt from The Walker's Calendar

Walking across Hunt Field, I trigger
a hen pheasant into low, cackling flight.
Before loping off, the old fox stares.
A pale owl springs from the earth, bigger
than I expect. Short-eared prefer day to night.
I run to where she landed.
Nothing there.


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Having missed the owl(s) on 5 previous visits, sometimes by minutes, I determined to stay longer today. I was by the Cowfield from 8:58 to 12:35 but saw none. Thanks to Chris, Andy, Dave, Barry & Judith for the chats that kept me almost sane.no

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pete berry wrote:

25/30 years ago Short Eared Owls were everywhere in winter between Chorlton Ees all the way down to Chorlton Water Park and over on Kenworthy Fields,it was impossible to have a couple of hours birding down there without seeing a few Short Eareds and at Millgate Fields adjacent to Stenner Woods at Didsbury we had a peak count of 13 Short Eareds one winter !!! Maybe we're in for a bumper winter,although doubt if numbers will approach what they were then as the habitat has matured and there is less places for the birds to feed.

 


 The main problem in more recent years is the increase in disturbance by dog walkers, cyclists, increased popularity to the public etc, due to the creation of surfaced trails through grasslands. Vast areas of rough grassland have also been lost to tree planting. The old cow fields (at Chorlton and Stretford Ees) are the least disturbed in the valley as they are fenced off to the public. You wouldn't recognise the place now Pete.



-- Edited by Pete Hines on Wednesday 4th of November 2015 11:39:30 PM



-- Edited by Pete Hines on Wednesday 4th of November 2015 11:50:04 PM

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2 Short-eared Owls at 11.00 am.
One was in the old cow field as usual, and the other was hunting in the rough field next to the model aircraft field on the Sale Water Park side of the river.
This second bird was also being pursued by two Ring-necked Parakeets.... not something you see everyday.

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Just the one Short-eared Owl this morning. No sign from 7.15am to 8.20am when it flew in from the direction of Jackson's Boat and was immediately mobbed by a Sparrowhawk.



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Gervase Cooke wrote:

steven burke wrote:

l a short-eared owl came flying over the trees from jacksons boat direction & confused me & tony darby & another chap hmm thinking there might be 2 around I didn't actually stay around 


 I think that other chap was me Steven. Not sure which was you and which Tony. 

I felt lucky to catch a site of this spectacular bird in my lunch break. Glad to have it confirmed Joel that there were two. Seemed very odd that the bird that people had seen go down in the middle of the field had somehow crept off unnoticed and then come flying in again over the trees. They must have been on the ground very close to each other. 

Hope to go down again tomorrow to get another look. Great to meet folk. So many birders about. Thanks for the spot Tony or Steve.





nice to meet you then Gervase, tony was to your right & I was far right.

no worries joel, the young lad along the river showed me a video on his phone & had a ring from a shag on his bins.

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25/30 years ago Short Eared Owls were everywhere in winter between Chorlton Ees all the way down to Chorlton Water Park and over on Kenworthy Fields,it was impossible to have a couple of hours birding down there without seeing a few Short Eareds and at Millgate Fields adjacent to Stenner Woods at Didsbury we had a peak count of 13 Short Eareds one winter !!! Maybe we're in for a bumper winter,although doubt if numbers will approach what they were then as the habitat has matured and there is less places for the birds to feed.



.

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Gervase Cooke wrote:

steven burke wrote:

l a short-eared owl came flying over the trees from jacksons boat direction & confused me & tony darby & another chap hmm thinking there might be 2 around I didn't actually stay around 


 I think that other chap was me Steven. Not sure which was you and which Tony. 

I felt lucky to catch a site of this spectacular bird in my lunch break. Glad to have it confirmed Joel that there were two. Seemed very odd that the bird that people had seen go down in the middle of the field had somehow crept off unnoticed and then come flying in again over the trees. They must have been on the ground very close to each other. 

Hope to go down again tomorrow to get another look. Great to meet folk. So many birders about. Thanks for the spot Tony or Steve.




No problem guys just happy to help. It was stunning watching the one quartering the field then the other one suddenly pop up, I thought I would have to go to the Wirral to see that. Don't think it was me Steven but must have just missed you as I left the field side at 4:17.

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steven burke wrote:

l a short-eared owl came flying over the trees from jacksons boat direction & confused me & tony darby & another chap hmm thinking there might be 2 around I didn't actually stay around 


 I think that other chap was me Steven. Not sure which was you and which Tony. 

I felt lucky to catch a site of this spectacular bird in my lunch break. Glad to have it confirmed Joel that there were two. Seemed very odd that the bird that people had seen go down in the middle of the field had somehow crept off unnoticed and then come flying in again over the trees. They must have been on the ground very close to each other. 

Hope to go down again tomorrow to get another look. Great to meet folk. So many birders about. Thanks for the spot Tony or Steve.



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had a couple of visits today firstly around 11.40am when the short-eared owl showed for several minutes & landed in the tree before going to ground, but for an hour & a half at least it never showed until a short-eared owl came flying over the trees from jacksons boat direction & confused me & tony darby & another chap hmm thinking there might be 2 around I didn't actually stay around much longer to find out but it turns out that there was, great stuff smile
I came back around 4.20pm & nothing was showing as there was a fox in the field but around 5 ish a short-eared owl came in high from over the river & trees circled around a while getting some harassment from some crows & eventually came down & landed in the tree before going to ground. I still never seen 2 owls together whilst there though, never mind.

was that you joel who I was speaking to along the river near jacksons boat ?

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Yesterday.
From 4 till 5:30
Managed to pick the owl up through all the fog, flew over our heads and perched on the dead tree.
Nice to meet Tim Wilcox and Chris Sutton.
Today.
From 3 till 4:15
Arrived to hear the owl was showing well on the floor from the path which leads to the river, higher than the cobbled road. It then flew up and started gliding around the field. Suddenly a second short eared owl popped up from the long grass and had a go at the other shorted eared owl. They then continued to quarter the field separately until one landed down near the back and the other near the front. At which point we showed a 2 nice ladies the nearer one but then the second one started quartering the field which they enjoyed very much, it then landed at the back and I showed them the nearer one. It then anden it the dead tree for a bit then flew extremely high and flew around the field and then flew quite speedily to the field and started quartering the fields again.
Nice to meet Jim Caulfield, Chris Sutton, Len and one other who I didn't manage to catch his name. Great to finally out some names to faces.

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14:30 - 15:25 Tues 3 Nov

Stunning views of the Short-eared Owl this afternoon, first on the ground, then slowly moving around the favoured field for 25 minutes, occasionally dropping to ground, and rising immediately.

Even nicer to meet Chris Sutton, Joel Tragen, and Len amongst others, all enjoying the spectacle - a lovely afternoon !



-- Edited by Jim Caulfield on Tuesday 3rd of November 2015 05:22:02 PM

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Nice to meet you Chris, great views of the short eared owl then it stayed more or less low at the back of the field, constantly harangued by at least two magpies.

 

Sparrowhawk/s were around, heard only. 

 

 



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8 - 8:30am - Short-eared Owl showing well on the cow field with good close views from the cobbled road. Chris

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Thank you to Phil for letting me and others use his scope when the Short-eared owl was barely visible on the ground, as well as to the chaps who first pointed it out when I arrived. Through my binoculars I was waiting for a clump of grass to take off for a good 10 minutes...

Great to see it finally take to the air as Phil describes, a real joy to see.

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Short-eared owl seen hunting for 20 min from 12. 15pm today using most of the cowfield up to it's boundaries and coming very close to the cobbled road giving great views .

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Also 6+ Siskin over yesterday

I haven't seen so many birders down here since the Great Grey Shrike back in January 1981 !

 



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Sunday 1st Nov - mid afternoon until dark.

Good to see Simon Gough on site briefly, then Gary Edwards, and then spend the rest of the visit with Steve Burke and Chris Sutton.

- Short-eared Owl seen briefly a couple of times as it made quick low swoops and seemingly caught something as it didn't resurface for ages. Probably had enough of the Magpie harassment too. Then in low light it did show well hunting, quartering over a lot of the field, then right back against the trees, eventually round the back of the trees and out of sight. Not seen again as it was almost dark.

Other birds of note...
- Kestrel 1 in tree right above our heads, didn't move for over an hour
- Jay 1
- Jackdaw lots over, and some Carrion Crow
- Blackbird 6
- Mistle Thrush 2
- Redwing lots over
- Kingfisher 1 flying fast across the field and over the path (and back again later on)

- Treecreepee (heard only)
- Long-tailed Tit (heard only) sounded like a small party moving through
- Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard only)
- Wader-type call heard above, like a high pitch peep or whistle, couldn't see it

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 2nd of November 2015 09:55:16 AM

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Cheers should have introduced myself.(Barry)
Enjoy birding but not skilled like a lot of birders.
Hope those who took pictures get good results.
Cool bird to see close to home.Hope still around tomorrow
taking Grandsons.

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Thanks to the gentleman who let those of us who were there at 10am (when it was perching on the tree) get some great views through his scope- didn't catch your name! Nice to meet a few more users there today.

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As the footie wasn't much cop this afternoon took our Josh for a look at the Short Eared Owl, arrived at 1530 and within 20 mins or so we were treated to some cracking views.

We saw it in flight twice, but its a bugger to see when its grounded, called it a day at 1630hrs..

Nice to meet Paul Dewy and also a pleasure to meet a man whose videos make me really jealous,  Pete Hines...

 

 

 

 



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Short-eared Owl showing well at 10:00, even perched in a tree at one stage. Also Reed Bunting and Willow Tit at dipping pond.



-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Sunday 1st of November 2015 11:31:31 AM

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Short eared Owl still present in old cow field this morning @ 7.45

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Roughly 11:30 - 12:30, SE Owl did not disappoint, despite regular high speed pursuit by magpies, after a third frankly hair-raising vertical divebomb over a very short distance, picked off a rodent of some kind and settled down for lunch.

Also, Kestrel hovering over the field a couple of times.

Bullfinch
Jay
Long Tailed Tits
Redwing, just a pair over.

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short-eared owl showed well in the old cow field despite being harassed by magpies & crows from 9.10-11.15am & showed again briefly at 4.55pm.

other birds seen throughout the day...

45-50 pink-footed goose heading east around 8.10am
600+ mostly fieldfare with several numbers of redwing over mostly south east throughout the morning, some dropping down near jacksons boat.
15 mistle thrush
3 song thrush
lots of siskin around
1 lesser redpoll
1 willow tit
2 reed bunting
1 chaffinch
13 bullfinch
13 jay
2 skylark
5 meadow pipit
2 grey heron
1 kestrel
2 sparrowhawk
water rail heard around reed bed
1 goosander on river
4 great spotted woodpecker
plus all the usuals around

and plenty of familiar faces


smile

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Brilliant views (and photos) of Short Eared Owl being mobbed by Magpies
Thanks to Tim for pointing it out

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Shannon Llewellyn wrote:

David Morris wrote:

Is this cobbled path by the cow field the one that runs parallel to the river, on the opposite side of the river to Jackson's Boat and slightly adjacent to it? The path can be used to walk to Chorltonville? Might have to pop down today to see if it's still about!

-- Edited by David Morris on Saturday 31st of October 2015 09:10:59 AM





No, I don't think it's the one you're thinking of; imagine you're in then meadow pond field with the river in front of you. Head left towards the concrete channel, and walk down it; when you get to the end of the channel (where the Lombardy poplars are), turn left again, so you have the fenced off meadow on your right. That's the field you're after. The cobbled path is at the bottom, turning right at the end of that path.

Short-eared owl showing well from approx 8.45 until 10 am.



Thanks! Going to pop down about 3 to see if I can spot it, hopefully I'll be able to find the right field!

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David Morris wrote:

Is this cobbled path by the cow field the one that runs parallel to the river, on the opposite side of the river to Jackson's Boat and slightly adjacent to it? The path can be used to walk to Chorltonville? Might have to pop down today to see if it's still about!

-- Edited by David Morris on Saturday 31st of October 2015 09:10:59 AM





No, I don't think it's the one you're thinking of; imagine you're in then meadow pond field with the river in front of you. Head left towards the concrete channel, and walk down it; when you get to the end of the channel (where the Lombardy poplars are), turn left again, so you have the fenced off meadow on your right. That's the field you're after. The cobbled path is at the bottom, turning right at the end of that path.

Short-eared owl showing well from approx 8.45 until 10 am.

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Short-eared Owl still present in the cow field at 10.07am. It can't get much hunting done due the gang of Magpies descending on it as soon as it pops up.

10.12 the Owl managed to drop on something but was chased off it's near miss - a Magpie poking about where it swooped.



-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Saturday 31st of October 2015 10:14:26 AM

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Short-eared Owl in the old cow field again, constantly mobbed by Magpies and Crows.



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Is this cobbled path by the cow field the one that runs parallel to the river, on the opposite side of the river to Jackson's Boat and slightly adjacent to it? The path can be used to walk to Chorltonville? Might have to pop down today to see if it's still about!

-- Edited by David Morris on Saturday 31st of October 2015 09:10:59 AM

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If it is any help I have visited the area at around 9am , 1, 3 and 4 pm over the last 3 days with only the 4 pm slot being productive for me on wed and today - although Phil Kelly saw it around mid-day yesterday. Both times I picked it up high coming onto the field being mobbed. When it was hidden in the field its presence was given away by an attendant circle of magpies on the ground, and at one stage a mobbing group of c. 40 crow and jackdaw above. I hope this helps anyone wanting to catch up with the bird over the weekend. ps great sunset tonight bird or no bird. Chris

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Chris Sutton wrote:

Short-eared Owl showing again on the cow field by the cobbled road on Chorlton Ees.
Flew in from the direction of Hardy Farm at 4pm. Stayed in the field mainly hidden on the ground with occasional flights. Harassed by Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies throughout. Still hidden in field when I left at 4:50.
Chris


 Darn it! Was there earlier - too early



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