pair of Goldcrests near feeding station in upper plantations, good views of Nuthatches and Coal tits here too along with the commoner species single male Bullfinch male Kestrel single Tree Creeper pair of Tawny Owls rrosting together at the roost in the lower plantations , none at the roost in the upper plantations unfortunately though Raven over the new Dam at Coppull Lane being mobbed by a pair of Crows, 2 Swans flew over about 3 times in ten minutes 4 Manderins on the River Douglas, usually a good area for them down here male Sparrowhawk over Bottling Wood
Single female type Crossbill (looked adult by brightness of underparts) flew east just over rooftops of Brayford drive, aspull at about 9.40 this morning calling loudly as it went. also noted good numbers of woodpigeon moving too.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 19th of November 2011 02:18:56 PM
There seemed to be a large Woodpigeon movement this morning between 8 and 10am, nearly all going North ; I guess numbers would be around a thousand. 2 Kestrels perched up on the Golf Course preening, and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker gave very close views at Shedfield Bridge. Plenty Coal Tits and Goldcrests roving about the Lower Plantations, and a Sparrowhawk playing cat-and-mouse with the local Starlings at Rothwells Farm was mildly amusing, but all in all things were pretty quiet...
Around Aspull Sough today: Willow Tit, Reed Bunting, 6 Siskin, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25+ Redwing (many small groups moving around between woodland blocks/Lower Plantations/hedgerows) and several Fieldfare
Buzzard showing well 2 Dippers on River Douglas also giving very good views 100 pink feet over heading west 12.35 single G.S. Woodpecker pair of Bullfinches two Herons also on Dougy good numbers of tree Sparrows in with the usuall flock on pennington lane Raven over being chased by Crows 3 Greenfinches several Redwings on Golf Course 31 Species in total
3rd Nov: the northern end of the area near Hampson Green was fairly quiet, but there was a decent flock of about 200 Starling on pasture, a male Sparrowhawk and a Yellowhammer near Barker's Cottage off Red Rock Lane
1 Raven over Pendlebury House, heading for the town centre 1 Buzzard 1 Sparrowhawk 2 Kestrels 4 Tree Sparrows 9 Skylarks c55 Herring Gulls, constantly streaming SW in small groups 1 Willow Tit Pon-fulls of thrushes and Starlings..
1 Woodcock (flying over Bawk House Farm) 3 Buzzards 12+ Tree Sparrows congregating along Pendlebury Lane (with c10 House Sparrows) 1 Willow Tit 1 Treecreeper 1 Goldcrest
at the extreme south end of the Haigh recording area at lunchtime today, Dipper and Grey Wagtail by the new dam on the River Douglas at Coppull Lane - footpaths now open again here as the construction has finished
A couple of hours late morning to lunchtime. Canal from Crown Hotel and general upper plantations area.
single Grey Heron on canal near Shedfield bridge, second time I've seen this bird along here, it will carry on hunting as you walk past on opposite bank, close enough for good photography, pulled a five inch perch out while I there
Willow tit calling near bridge pair of Kestrels near higher lane bridge male Sparrowhawk over Tawny Owl at last years roost site pair of Bullfinches singles of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit and Nuthatch
A couple of hours this evening, just the usual residents about and a few Redwings over, my brother lives on the edge of the woods and has noticed an increase in Tawny Owl's calling just lately.
1 Hobby (ad) - flew low over Pendlebury Bridge heading West
From a vantage point on Sennicar Lane I counted 9 Buzzards in the air simultaneously - five over WRUFC/Lady Mabels, two over School Coverts, and two over Fairclough Wood..
1 Sparrowhawk 2 Kestrels 4 Willow Tits 1 Kingfisher 3 Grey Herons on the front lawn of Bawk House Farm..
A leisurely stroll this evening produced a Raven perched on fences near Barkers Cottage, and a Buzzard over School Covert. Female Mandarin and 2 Common Terns along the canal at Pendlebury Lane. Not much else about........the patch is definitely a "morning site"
A quick mooch this afternoon looking for the Lesser Whitethroats, all 3 still in same location. Nice find Ian, site tick for me also family of Goldcrests, very recently fledged on opp side of Shedfield Bridge
At least three Lesser Whitethroat today (adult and juv), as per Ian's posting for Saturday, along the track from Aspull Sough to the canal/Shedfield Bridge. At least 2 Willow Tit on Whelley Loopline by Canon Sharples School among a tit flock, plus one between Aspull Sough and Shedfield Bridge
1 Redstart (f/imm) - along the footpath from Sennicar Lane to the rear of Lady Mabels Wood
3 Lesser Whitethroats (ad feeding two juvs) - in the thick Hawthorn hedge along the track to Shedfield Bridge 1 Raven 7 Mandarins (ad F w/6) 5 Buzzards 1 Common Tern 2 Kestrels 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Mute Swans (SLI) w/6 cygnets
Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined Whites, Speckled Wood, and lots of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns...
2 Grasshopper Warblers (one showing well at Aspull Sough, and one reeling in Lady Mabels Wood) 1 Garden Warbler (Aspull Sough) 6 Mandarins at Basin Quay (all juvs) 1 Common Tern 1 Kingfisher 3 Kestrels 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers 1 Sedge Warbler
Family parties of Coal Tits, Reed Buntings, Blackcaps, Whitethroats...
A quick hour last night around the water treatment ponds and nearby fields, ponds fairly quiet apart from a couple of Moorhens and some Swallows hunting over the reedbeds, elsewhere Male Kestrel carrying food back to fledged Juvenile fledged young also of Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff
Buzzards have fledged, lots of noise as I walked past the nest area, sounds like two young 3 Juvenile Kestrels on barn roof at Sennicar lane Skylark singing Raven over
Red Rock Moorings to Rothwells Farm via Pendlebury Lane:
1 Raven 4 Curlews (ads) 3 Buzzards 1 Common Tern 2 Willow Tits 1 Kestrel 2 Skylarks 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (was mooching around bushes at the side of the canal, where I presume it was looking for nests to predate ?) 1 Mistle Thrush
A large loose flock of Tree Sparrows (25+), with a few House Sparrows knocking about near Pendlebury Bridge, and recently fledged Whitethroats. Also, 2 Canada Geese with 2 goslings..
Whelley Loop Line to Sennicar Lane via Lady Mabels Wood:
Willow Tits with recently fledged young (5 birds in total), and a pair of Lapwings with 3 young in the Shedfield Bridge area.
2 Curlews - could not see any young, but the grass is very tall.. 1 Buzzard 2 Common Terns fishing along the canal 1 Kestrel 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Skylarks singing
Fledged Reed Buntings, Whitethroats, Long-tailed Tits, Great Tits, House Sparrows, and the Mute Swan pair (SLI) with 6 cygnets on the Basin Quay..
Adult Buzzard feeding young on nest was a cracking start while it was still reasonably mild fledged Tree Sparrows Willow Warbler feeding young G. S. Woodpecker with fledged young new location Sedge Warbler singing near canal 3 male Reed Buntings singing Female Kestrel hunting 2 Skylarks singing
Grasshopper Warbler reeling near reedbeds 1 and nearby trees was a first for me in this area pair of Reed Buntings pair of Coots Reed Warblers singing on reedbeds 1 and 2 Blue and Great Tit fledglings in abundance Willow Warblers singing in 3 locations
Late post for Sunday Morning, Canal walk from Crown Hotel to Basin pond just past Haigh Hall Bridge. Jackdaws feeding young in Chimneys at the pub. Mute Swan with 6 Cygnets, 3 hitching a ride on one of the adults back Mallards, 2 broods one of 9 and one of 5 Blackcaps, Whitethroat and a couple of Herons only other things of note, no signs of any Garden Warblers that were present along here last year unfortunately, I did fancy a challenge of finding them
Douglas Valley, Pendlebury Lane and Sennicar Lane area
Manderins, group of 10 Adults plus further along River a pair with 8 recently hatched young Mallard with 8 young Whitethroat with 3 fledging young G.S. Woodpecker with young peering out of nesthole Great Tits, 2 fledged broods one pair feeding young in nest Blue Tits feeding young in nest Swallows feeding young in nest Canada Geese with 2 young Juvenile Moorhen on River House Sparrows and Starlings on Lane with Fledged young singles of Curlew and Lapwing on suitable territory singles of Buzzard, Raven, Kestrel, Dipper and Skylark. nice views of a vixen on opp bank of River rounded off a very enjoyable day
Sparrowhawk incubating Goldcrests have left nest, a male singing in another location Tawny Owl carrying prey, being mobbed by Jays, Magpie, Blackbirds and others. lost sight and couldnt relocate. will go back at dusk soon to listen for young Single Treecreeper G.S. Woodpecker at a couple of locations
quick hour yesterday evening, both Goldcrests feeding young still in nest , Female Sparrowhawk left side of nest on approach, G.S. Woodpecker making lots of noise nearby
1 Curlew 2 Mandarins (drks) along the canal at Hall Lane bridge 2 Sedge Warblers (Lady Mabels) 1 Buzzard 1 Kestrel 1 Sparrowhawk 1 House Martin 4 Lapwings and 5 Stock Doves in fields behind Aspull Sough, and a couple of Garden Warblers heard singing in different areas..
Recently, Tom Morton has had singing Lesser Whitethroats at Shedfield and Sennicar Lane bridges.
-- Edited by Ian Woosey on Friday 29th of April 2011 05:15:19 PM
Dippers have fledged a single youngster Female Sparrowhawk in nest vicinity, what looks like a Goldcrest nest has been built in tree about 20 feet from Sparrowhawk nest tree, single Goldcrest nearby 2 pairs of Lapwings on fields near Aspull sough Green Woodpecker heard male Blackcap giving good views Reed Warblers singing from no 5 and no 6 reedbeds Reed Buntings singing from 4 and 5 pair of Coots on no 3 Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers in abundance fledged Robins and House Sparrows, Starlings feeding young
late posting for yesterday, Sunday 24th. Dippers still not fledged Female Sparrowhawk nest building Pair of Stock Doves at usuall nesting site Goldcrest singing pair of Kestrels mating, usuall area Mallards mating Disturbed a Buzzard that flew off with some difficulty carrying half a Rabbit.
Dippers still feeding young in nest tonight, thought they would have fledged by now until I checked on RSPB website and read they can take up to 24 days to fledge . A third Dipper gatecrashed the territory on Sunday but soon got chased off back downstream, managed to get a few record photo's of the ringed bird which just has what looks like a plain ring on the right leg, this bird has mostly been brooding on my visits so presumably is female. pair of Manderins flushed as I arrived tonight, Goldcrest singing in nearby trees and pair of Blue tits nest building
a few hours around mid-day saturday
1 Goldcrest singing
2 Chiffchaffs
pair of Collard Doves nest building
1 agitated Mistle Thrush
pair of Coal Tits
pair of Tree Creepers
Pair of Sparrowhawks back at last years nesting territory and calling to each other
numerous pairs of Long Tailed Tits
Heron over
Nuthatch, Great tit and Blue Tit all very abundant and vocal
G.S. Woodpeckers, pair at another site, new hole being excavated and plenty fresh wood chippings under tree