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Post Info TOPIC: HORWICH MOORS


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RE: HORWICH MOORS


Visited this afternoon starting from walker fold wood, round holdens farm and back down burnt edge. Not much about but I saw the following: Meadow pipit, Pied wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Wren, Robbin, The highlight was a large mixed flock on the edge of walker fold wood containing, many goldfinch, redpoll, blue tit, great tit, coal tit. The noise was fantastic.

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Burnt Edge to Holdens farm circular this morning, with dog.
Buzzard...2... a smallish Buzzard perched 40 yards from the parking spot on Burnt Edge lane. Flew off then
returned to perch.
Kestrel...3 a pair displaying and hunting together behind Holdens
Raven...1
Grey Heron ...1
Pied Wagtail...2



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Other sightings from today:

Single male Wheatear in Winter Hill
128 Meadow Pipits and 17 Pied Wagtail over
1 Curlew north
36 redpoll over

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Fairly quiet along burnt edge
Raven
Buzzard
Redpoll
Skylarks singing overhead made it feel like a spring day

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With quite a bit of vismig over North yesterday morning and a single Wheatear present too, today followed up likewise with the following of note through between Two Lads Hill and Winter Hill:

Ringtail Hen Harrier at 07:15
Female Merlin N at 08:40
282 Meadow Pipit
150 Chaffinch
48 redpoll

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Single Wheatear at Holden's Farm at 10:40 this morning.

Info thanks to Brian Fogg

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11.00-15.00

Georges Lane (Kennels Area)

8 Lapwings and a flock of 10 Goldfinches

3 singing Robins between The Dell & the Kennels.

Burnt Edge

2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 3 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 3 Ravens.

Walker Fold

Huge numbers of Goldfinches, largely feeding on the seeds of the Larch trees.

Large numbers of Coal Tits around them too. Also amongst the finches were 3 Lesser Redpolls and a number of Chaffinches.

1 Buzzard and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Holdens Farm

Apart the usual crows, the only other bird was a single Starling.




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Mid morning visit around Walker Fold /Burnt Edge didn't produce too much. A flock of around 40 Goldfinches and a few Coal Tits were about the most interesting things along the path at the side of Walker Fold woods. There were at least 3 Common Buzzards and 4 Kestrels in the area. Highlight of the morning was a calling Chiffchaff in Sugar Loaf Plantation.

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29 Whooper Swan flew low NW over Horwich viewed from Georges Lane at 8:30 this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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I had a walk round walker fold wood, holdens farm and burnt edge today.
I saw a mixed flock which included blue tit, great tit, coal tit and goldfinch.
Also a treecreeper showed well. At least 4 buzzards counted and a single kestrel.
But the highlight was a very fast low flying hen harrier. It was quite dark brown but the white rump/ top part of the tail really stood out. Great to see even if it was fleeting.


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9.10am to 11.00am.

Scout Road :- 2 Grey Herons, 1 Kestrel, 9 Goldfinches

Coal Pit Road :- 1 Grey Heron (Holden's Farm), 2 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels

Walker Fold Woods :- 11 Lesser Redpolls

Only Meadow Pipit seen today was as I got near the road at Walker Fold

Other birds seen scattered around the above areas :-
Pheasants, Black-headed Gull, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Long-tailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Chaffinches.


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Walk covering Matchmoor Lane - Burnt Edge - Holdens Plantation - Gilligants Farm - Colliers Row

Saturday 31st January 2015. 12:00 - 14:30 hrs.

Flock of Bullfinch x 15 (Holdens Plantation). My wife thought there were some Brambling interspersed
Kestrel x 3
Robin
Stonechat (1M and 2F) near Gilligants Farm
Long Tailed Tits, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit behind Colliers Row

Wind chill factor at top of Burnt Edge today took our breath away. But grateful it was dry and sunny!!!

yawn

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Hour this morning around Walkers Fold Wood
9 Coal Tits
4 Blue Tits
5 Goldfinches
1 Bullfinch
1 Wren
1 Raven

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Walk up mast road from cattle grid to tv mast and back
14.00 - 15.30
Red Grouse x 2
Kestrel x 1
That was it
Karl

-- Edited by Karl Bishop on Thursday 29th of January 2015 10:30:04 PM

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Female type Snow Bunting flushed from the side of Mast Road at 1:30pm today; approximately 200 metres north of the barriors by the track with the wooden gate on the west side of the road were it bends round. Bird was flushed and didn't seem to fly far but could not be relocated.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Friday, 26th December 2014 09:45 - 13:00 hrs.

Misty conditions. Walk from Matchmoor Lane - Burnt Edge - Mast Road - Gilligants Farm - Colliers Row.
Good to walk off a few calories after yesterday's Christmas Lunch!!!

Kestrel x 2
Buzzard
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Female Stonechat
Great Tit
Goldfinch x 20
Chaffinch
Robin
Blackbird
Carrion Crow
Flock of Redwing on field near Collier's Row
Saw Buzzard at side embankment of M61 on way back home to Eccles


-- Edited by Steve Judge on Friday 26th of December 2014 05:15:06 PM

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13 Brambling in Holdens Plantation today.

Info thanks to Brian Fogg

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This morning:

Peregrine chasing Snipe
54 Redwing NW
67 Fieldfare NW
96 Brambling NW with thrush flockd

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Male Merlin perched by Holdens Farm yesterday and four Tree Sparrow were down in hawthorns by farm yesterday morning too, but only 22 Bramblings were present today.

Info thanks to Ken Haydock and Jill Mills

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Over 250 Brambling in Holdens Plantation this morning.

Also at dusk, 14 single Woodcock counted leaving roosts probably around Walker Fold viewed from at the top of Newfields where birds were coming down in fields to feed.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Saturday, 29th November 2014 12:30 - 14:00 hrs.

100 + Brambling at Holden's Plantation.
While there - saw male Sparrowhawk kill Woodpigeon - looked like an exploding pillow.
Kestrel
Chaffinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Goldfinch
Heron
Woodpigeon x lots
Carrion Crow
1 female and 1 male stonechat in field north of Hampson Farm
Mistle thrush
Wren
Magpie

Amazingly - 2 Red Admiral butterflies on post next to bridge on path between Holdens farm and Gilligants Farm - lovely sunny day for end of November!

-- Edited by Steve Judge on Saturday 29th of November 2014 04:47:58 PM

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13:00. Well in excess of 100 Brambling at Holden's Plantation.

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14 Brambling at Holdens Plantation this morning.

Info thanks to Brian Fogg

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Saturday 22.11.14 at 15.10

Mixed flock of Chaffinch, Brambling and Great Tits at Holdens Plantation

Kestrel - 3



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This morning:

40 Brambling at Holdens Plantation and a further 20 by Newfields Farm.
12 Crossbill flew north over the Scout Road watch point.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Wing-barred Crossbills are not uncommon, though the vast majority are relatively poorly so (certainly in comparison with Two-barred Crossbill) but there have been some extremely well marked individuals in the UK too. In discussion with Andy Makin this evening, he commented that he annually sees wing barred Common Crossbills up on the Horwich Moors.

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Similarly interesting observations here mike

birdingfrontiers.com/2013/12/03/the-lynford-arboretum-crossbill-with-white-wing-bars/



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Hi John,

I first picked up these birds on calls, and from the outset they struck me as those of common crossbills, though not quite as "ringing" or as far carrying as some I hear. (The difference can perhaps be attributable to the different acoustic effect of the immediate landscape and/or the mood and age of the birds calling at any particular time. I find them at their most strident typically in general excitement when they are about to take flight).

I didn't hear any calls from the Binn Green adult male bird earlier this year which John Rayner heard giving its "toy trumpet" variant call, so it was nice to listen to your suggested link; thanks for that.

Regards,
Mike P.

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Mike, it's worth checking the call of Two-Barred Crossbill while the experience is still fresh. It's quite distinctive.
http://www.xeno-canto.org

-- Edited by John Watson on Friday 21st of November 2014 07:35:46 AM

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Today's Crossbills at Walker Fold Wood were feeding exclusively on larch trees, ignoring the pine cones seemingly available close by, and from what I could see of them amidst the camouflage effect of the golden yellow of the foliage, they were all fem/imm birds (yellow- rumped with admixture of yellow/green tones, with no hint of rufous on any indicative of imm males).
Counting the birds was difficult and I had the feeling that other birds were calling which were outside the immediate close knit group in my 'scope view. Presently they flew around in a wide overhead arc when my tentative count of 7 suddenly became 17, (though in flight in the poor light they were little more than silhouettes).

I therefore was not able to grill every individual as I should have wished, and could therefore have missed a possible male bird or two.
One individual, which I saw quite well as it was perched in full view "side on" showed two clear white wing bars (tips to greater and median coverts) though these were uniformly narrow and far from the distinctive shape and thickness sported by Two -barred adults, (I neglected at the time to consciously check if it showed any tertial tipping, but I think not).

Although aware from the literature that Common Crossbill can show wing bars, despite having seen many hundreds before, I haven't personally seen one with wing bars ever, until today's encounter, and to someone who may not be familiar with Two-barred sp. I can well see how this could mislead the unwary.

Introducing a further element, I've never seen juv. Two-barred Crossbill either before, and the illustration in "Collins" of juv. Two-barred (which DO like larch), comes very close to the appearance of what I was seeing today; - NOT making any daft claims here of course, but it does pay to study anything "a bit different" when the opportunity is there.

I was watching the birds for some 20 minutes either side of 13.00; they finally took flight a second time and headed off across the valley in the direction of Gilligants Farm.
A dog walking birder "Terry" shared my 'scope views for part of the time, (although his his dog "Shadrack" wasn't bothered, and had perhaps seen Crossbills before?)

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flock of 17 crossbills at walker fold wood at 1305, info thanks to mike passant.

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3pm. 40 Brambling at Holden's Plantation. 1 Woodcock. 110 Fieldfare East over Holden's Farm in 3 flocks (70, 30 and 10)

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A ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting over Smithills Moor at 11:50 today, viewed from near to Holden's Farm.

Also, 70 Pink-footed Geese flew over towards Southport at 10:25.

Info thanks to Brian Fogg.

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Single Black Redstart by the rocket-shaped mast just over the border in Lancashire at 2pm today, still present at 2:25 at least.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

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This morning's sightings:

1465 Fieldfare over SSE in 17 flocks, including ine single flock 500 strong!
40 Redwing over S
1 Crossbill over calling
5 Brambling over S
6 Siskin over S
2122 Woodpigeons over S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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This morning Vis Mig watch with Phil Rhodes and Andy Makin, until the fog descended, produced highlights;

1 male Ring Ouzel
11 Crossbills south (groups of 8,2 and then a bird heard calling but not seen)
1,748 Fieldfare south in 21 flocks
7 Bramblings and 11 Siskin south
1 Greylag Goose north.

1 Stonechat present.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 15th of November 2014 06:06:35 PM

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Fieldfare-fest continues with 2172 through Scout Road this morning in 16 flocks.

Also ignore were 7 Bramblings through.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Yesterday, 11th:

Fieldfare movements through this site continue to amaze and exceed expectations. A further 2630 passed through in 36 flocks today, with 1381 through yesterday too!

28 Bramblings south
1 Crossbill
59 Chaffinch
54 Redwing
18 Pink-footed Geese

Today's sightings (12th):

14 Tree Sparrow over south; some in with small Fieldfare flocks
Merlin NW
Ring Ouzel and 208 Fieldfare through

Info thanks yo Andy Makin

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This mornings Vis Mig watch with Simon Johnson and Andy Makin produced the following;

Great White Egret, flew from Belmont area down the Valley towards Delph but then veered off and dropped into Wayoh area at 09:48 (it didn't enter GM).
12 Whooper Swans flew north
single Ring Ouzel flew south
single Crossbill flew SW (first of the entire autumn!)
the unprecedented southerly movement of Fieldfares continues with 7,062 counted up to 14:30!

Also,
26 Pink-footed Geese NW
22 Siskin south
2 Brambling south
620 Woodpigeon south & 793 heading NE
20 Skylark east
531 Starling north



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This morning with Andy Makin 07:00 - 09:15;

961 Fieldfares through SW
20 Pink-footed Geese east


Yesterday 7th Nov, 07:00 - 09:30;

1,606 Fieldfares through NW and SW

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What an incredible November its been so far, this mornings Vis Mig watch with Andy Makin produced;

second year male Hen Harrier on Smithill's Moor, seen twice between 07:50 & 08:40 eventually flying off over the hill towards Belmont. It spent a short period circling over Gale Brook plantation.

2 Merlins, one female south, then a male over Smithill's moor

3 Snow Buntings south, a single then two fem/immature

The Fieldfares continue to move through with 3,937 all SW (over 27,000 so far this Autumn)

Also 43 Redwing and 2 Brambling through.

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Yesterday (5th) morning totals:

865 Pink-footed Geese SE in 5 skiens
Whooper Swans seen from Georges Lane included 2 NW, 4 S and 8 SE
6648 Woodpigeon
882 Fieldfare S
2 Snow Bunting (male and female) low NE over Georges Lane, circled and looked like they may have dropped down but lost to the NE.

Info thanks to Dan Brown, Andy Makin and Simon Warford

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This morning from Higher Meadows:

A phenomenal 33,953 Woodpigeons through South in only a few hours
1730 Feldfare south
33 Redwing
396 Pink-footed Geese SE in 3 skiens
5 Whooper Swans SE over Horwich
6 Brambling
10 Bullfinch south
7 Redpoll
30 Chaffinch
209 Starling NW

Info thanks to Andy Makin and Dan Brown

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Another superb Vis Mig watch this morning with Andy Makin, produced the following highlights:

26 Whooper Swan right over the mast then headed east
NINE Snow Buntings (including 5+ males) flew south
2,090 Pink-footed Geese flew east
4,705 Woodpigeon south
74 Redwing south
1,006 Fieldfare south
13 Siskin south

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17 Brambling feeding with Chaffinches in Beech woodland at Roscows Tenement Clough this morning.

Info thanks to Brian Fogg

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Very unusual to get two good consecutive days but I suppose it happens now and again! Todays Vis Mig highlights upto 10:30 with Andy Makin were:

20 BRENT GEESE sp that flew into Belmont Res, then flew east over Egerton and skirted around Holcombe and flew off east over the Pennines (also seen by Simon Johnson).
7,863 Fieldfare all south or SW with over 6,500 in the first hour!
202 Redwing south
1 Tree Sparrow south
4 Brambling south and others heard within Fieldfare flocks
10 Snipe west

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The thrush movement continued today in what was a remarkable migration of Fieldfares between 07:00 & 10:30, highlights with Andy Makin included (all south unless stated otherwise):

1 SWALLOW
7,501 Fieldfare all south (at one point a single flock was about half a mile long!)
1 Ring Ouzel
635 Redwing
20 Whooper Swans ESE (8 & 12)
300 Pink-footed Geese East
5,647 Woodpigeon
13 Stock Dove
103 Chaffinch
4 Brambling
11 Blackbird at height
27 Meadow Pipit
30 Jackdaw

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Major thrush arrival last couple of days and myself, Dave Bowman and David Spencer managed to enjoy the spectacle this morning;

4,449 Fieldfare all west or SW
1,295 Redwing mostly west
1,270 Starling west
3 Tree Sparrow north
160 Chaffinch
6 Brambling (3 north, 3 south)
23 Siskin
57 Jackdaw south

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1 Wheatear at the Rocket Mast.

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Vis Mig watch this morning produced:

15,336 Woodpigeons south
207 Jackdaw south
10 Whooper Swan
17 Fieldfare NW
325 Pink-footed Goose SE
325 Starling
98 Chaffinch and 8 Siskin.


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