Early this morning too, a single Ring Ouzel broke from cover in the Big Hedge at Higher Meadows and flew to the clearing at Wilderswood; 2 Yellowhammers flew SW over Georges Lane; and 3 Tree Sparrows flew W over Holdens Farm.
2 Black Redstarts this morning (usual bird at bottom of Mast Road and a second bird in the small quarry on Scout Road). Also some good visible migration now the winds back to a south-westerly, especially for numbers of Meadow Pipits. As is normal for this time of year, flocks of Redwings and Swallows side by side.
Not the Caerlaverock birds. Four glossy ibis feeding on newly ploughed fields today Thursday, Oct 3, next to High Rid Reservoir off Old Kiln Lane, Bolton. The fields are a few hundred yards from their previous feeding site near Bob's Smithy pub.
A fairly late Willow Warbler was at Higher Meadows this afternoon with a single Blackcap and a tit flock at Walker Fold Wood made a wonderful spectacle well at over 100 strong but dissappointingly failed to contain any Yellow-browed Warblers...
No Sarfraz, they're either in the field behind the Bob's Smithy pub, just look over the wall from the main road (Chorley Old Road) - park near the pub.
Or they're in a wet 'gully' field a couple of hundred yards down the main going towards Horwich from the pub and can be viewed from a track leading down to the farm. There's usually a sign for a 4D Garden Design at the top of the track.
Easy peasy, no walking to do, just look for the birders! Look at my blog or Flickr for examples of what you can get - some video there too.
2 birds present this evening, while a gentleman was metal detecting in the same field, its an odd think this birding lark, you do see some strange sights.
Really outstanding views of the four Glossy Ibis in the "4D Gully" - feeding as if there was no tomorrow. Another Lifer for me and really amazing to be watching them down to about 4m, apparently oblivious to our presence. All four took flight at one point as a kestrel appeared, being harried by two corvids - but the Ibises simply landed again a little further up the field once the commotion was over.
It was pleasant to then go off up George's Lane and visit the Black Redstart again, which showed well but fairly briefly on nearby fenceposts and rocks, along with two very nicely marked Wheatear.
Another fantastic afternoon - thanks to all who have kept us posted on the Ibises. I was in London for the weekend and just hoping they would still be around!!
Paul
PS: An observation - was a bit nonplussed to see two guys actually in the pony field by Mast Road, presumably trying to get closer to the Black Redstart for photos. The bird DOES come very close to the fence sometimes if you wait around and keep still, and it seems to me counterproductive to be climbing through fences - both in terms of making the bird nervous, and possibly antagonising the landowner. I love to get good photos too, but ....... Just my two-penn'orth.
3 hours this morning up to noon taking in the Glossy Ibis on route.
All four Glossy Ibis moving around the field by Bob's Smithy pub, to start with very close to Chorley Old Road, and then moving close to the side of Walker Fold Road. One of them too close for photos at one stage. About 10.30am when we were watching them.
Missed out on the Black Redstart but had a flyover Snipe along Mast Road.
Not much along Coal Pit Road, just a few of each species. Very windy. Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Pied Wagtails, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Woodpigeons, Pheasants. A Greenfinch at Holden's Plantation.
A good flock of Meadow Pipits & Pied Wagtails at the pig farm behind Bryan Hey Reservoir. Too far away to count how many of each but a total of around 50 birds.
A Buzzard, a Skylark, a few Meadow Pipits, & 100+ Starlings at the bottom end of Scout Road.
Four Glossy Ibis feeding in gully together at 12-40pm. In field infront of 3D garden design center across and up from Bob Smihy pub and on opposite side of road. Dave Ousey
9.10 am today: 2 Glossy Ibis feeding in the usual wet gully behind the 4D Garden design sign. Then at 9.20 they startled a Snipe in the same gully and all went up ( the first time I've seen them in flight). The 2 Glossy Ibis went just over the main road (Chorley Old Road) and continued feeding by the near wall and between cows.
-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 1st of October 2013 02:42:06 PM
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Rumworth List 2019, species to date: 63 Latest: Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Curlew.
Thanks for all the updates guys, managed to get there for about 1-30 and could only stay until 2-30 but managed to see all 4 glossy ibis, 2 in field beside pub, before they flew south and 2 feeding in the gully beside 4D garden design, they also flew south after being disturbed by a loud police car siren, also treated to a flyover from a peregrine.
Black Redstart was present near the boulders up Mast Rd approx 3.30pm but didn't show for long. The noise from all the motorbike's kept scaring it off into hiding.
Also of note : plenty of Meadow Pipits 4 Wheatears and another bird following the Black Redstart around. To be confirmed.
Two Ibis have currently disappeared in the direction of High Rid Reservoir and the other two are showing well in a ditch viewable from by Grundy Fold Farm which is on the southern side of Chorley Old Road and a little further up from the Walker Fold Road junction at 5pm.
glad I changed my mind about going elsewhere today, up here from 2.15pm with not many folk about and just like john tymon says the 4 glossy ibis showing spectacularly well down to 20ft
After missing out yesterday I was amazed they came back today instead of going on to Marshside or somewhere. Great views and cracking birds. I only knew about their return from Ian's text service. If you want immediate news of local birds before any other service (and I've checked) a mere 10 quid to Ian will be the best tenner you ever spent.
Managed to get up and have a look at the ibis today. Thank you for the regular posts letting us know it was still there. I work less than 5 minutes from there and regularly go and park opposite that field to eat my dinner!
Will look more closely in future!!!
Great bird to see in Bolton.
Enjoyed cracking views with Paul Hurst around midday. My first views of this species and found them slightly smaller than Id expected. Fantastic that they hung around for so long.
Also tried for (and failed to find) the Black Redstart.
5 hours up at the Glossy Ibis They left for a while at 1 pm, and everyone went, then 5 min's later they were back and later gave spectacular views from the main Chorley road in brilliant light showing off the plumage well and down to 20 feet, and at points all 4 stood together, for almost half an hour giving great photo ops nipped up to the Black Redstart for a while ,but couldn't find it, but glad I did go because it made me go back and look at the Ibis again and the fabulous view, and educated many of the public who were stopping in cars and coming to have a look from the pub -Magic Still showing well at 3.30 pm
Had great views of the glossy ibis ( all 4 birds present) , also caught up with the black redstart and managed to find a single spotted flycatcher in wilderswood .
Unbelievable views of 3 of the Glossy ibis this am - thanks to Ian's early text. Well done to Ken Haydock for finding the birds. I then moved on to the fields off mast Road. Black Redstart seen but a little way off, on the stone walls. Also nice views of Sparrowhawk and Kestrel in the same field. Good to see so many site regulars too. Cheers.
Todays Vis Mig watch was interrupted by the marvelous GLOSSY IBISES! However we (myself, Andy Makin, Dan Brown and later Paul Wilson) still managed the following;
Merlin flew south and speedily across Manchester at 8am. 426 Swallow south 30 House Martin 2 Collared Dove flew south with a Stock Dove 640 Meadow Pipit south 4 Skylark south 23 Pied Wagtails 66 Chaffinch 21 Siskin 28 Linnet 6 Redpoll 27 Goldfinch Also 1 Wheatear and 1 Spotted Flycatcher.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 28th of September 2013 08:44:23 PM
Cracking views down to 12 feet this morning of the three Glossy Ibis behind the Bob Smithy pub just as I arrived. They moved more into the centre of the field though as more birders arrived. A nice throng of GM birders present with many familiar faces plus nice to meet a few new ones too.