A few hours this morning in lovely weather:

2 Spotted Flycatcher - One at the start of George's Lane and one at Big Hedge, in the same tree as...
2-3 Redstart - flycatching from one of the bigger trees near Big Hedge. One male and 1-2 female/juvenile type
1 Treecreeper - Wilderswood
1 Nuthatch - Wilderswood
1 Wheatear - Off Mast Road
6 Buzzard, all circling in the air at once. Great to watch and to observe the differences in plumage
5 or more Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Blackcap - Wilderswood
2 Raven

Plus loads of Swallow, Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit. One possible Tree Pipit on the wires at Higher Meadows, but it didn't stay still long enough or call, frustratingly!

Approx 12.30 - 5pm

Started at Wilderswood, I walked through the wood towards the stone wall with the gap, and within minutes I managed...
1 Spotted Flycatcher
1 Coal Tit
1 Willow Tit (within feet of the Coal Tit)
Long Tailed Tit family of 10+ moving through
Great Tit and Blue Tit
...then it sounded like branches coming down on top of me, an almighty crash as 2 Woodpigeon and a Sparrowhawk came falling from the canopy to the forest floor infront of me. One Woodpigeon flew off, and the Sparrowhawk looked startled to see me stood there. It flew off leaving the Woodpigeon on the floor. It was gasping for breath but within a minute or so it was dead, and when I examined it, it had a puncture wound near the breast and a slice wound on its rump. Chances are the Sparrowhawk would've gone back for it.

A walk up to the mast produced good numbers of certain species, they seemed to be everywhere including...

Wheatear approx 50-60
Meadow Pipit approx 40-50
Goldfinch approx 40-50
Linnet approx 30-40
Pied Wagtail (mainly juv) approx 15-20
5 Kestrel (could be repeats)
1 Raven circling the mast
Numerous Swallow all the way up to the mast and surprisingly some House Martin too.
No sign of the Black Redstart for me.

Nice to bump into Andy Makin again, on Matchmoor Road. As we were talking a Stoat ran across the road and then back again, and yet more Wheatear in the area.

And also nice to see Steve Burke again, multitasking on Georges Lane.
Sporting a new car and watching a Spotted Flycatcher at the edge of the paddock.

Oh yeah and an Alpaca in a garden, unringed but probably not of wild origin.

Cheers
Rob




-- Edited by Rob Creek on Saturday 23rd of August 2014 07:42:42 PM

Black Redstart currently on Winter Hill; around the rocket shaped mast on the Lancashire side.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

I also had a walk in the area From Matchmoor Lane, along Burnt Edge, round the plantation to Holden's Farm and back up to Matchmoor Lane.

Burnt Edge:- 1 Stonechat

Plantation Area:- 2 Stonechats and flock of about 15 meadow pipits

Holdens Farm:- 20+ swallows, about 10 linnets, 2 wheatear, 1 whinchat, 1 whitethroat, 1 great tit, 1 robin, 1 greenfinch, 2 young stonechat.

The farm area seems to be a magnet for bird activity.

I have checked my OS maps and can't find "higher meadows" where the big hedge is, could someone pinpoint it for me please?

Many thanks

Andy V

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 23rd of August 2014 08:49:46 AM

Highlights of a 3 hour walk around the area this afternoon:-

Whinchat, 5 (1 in field below the Kennels, 2 in the horse field along Mast Road, 2 below Burnt Edge)
Stonechat, 6 (2 behind Holdens, family party of 2 adults and 2 juv along Burnt Edge)
Wheatear, min 7 in various parts of the area
Raven, 2 around Two Lads area
Kestrel, min 4 birds around the area
C Buzzard, 1
Long Tailed Tits, small party of around 7 birds in area around Big Hedge with a few Willow Warblers with them
Two small groups of Goldfinch, one group in area below the Kennels the others along Mast Road where they were mixed with around 30 Meadow Pipits
Few Pied Wagtails along Mast Road in horse field
A few Willow Warblers scattered around the area


Bob & Joyce C

Today's sightings:

1 Tree Pipit showing well on wires and in the clearing at Wilderswood, also 1 calling over Walker Fold
Black Redstart on the top of Winter Hill and 1 again along Georges Land just within Lancashire
Redstart along Georges Lane and 3 in the Big Hedge at Higher Meadows
Spotted Flycatcher along Georges Lane, 1 at Wilderswood, 1 at Sheep Cote Green pasture and 5 in Walker Fold Wood
Whinchat along Georges Lane past the kennels, 1 on Horwich moor and on 1 Fleet Moor
57 Wheatear
15 Goldcrest
29 Willow Warbler

Info thanks to Andy Makin and Dan Brown

Yesterday's sightings from all day:

151 Wheatear
Whinchats along Scout Road and at Holdens Farm
Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatcher and Tree Pipit at Higher Meadows but moved into Lancashire.
Black Redstart still along Georges Lane in Lancashire

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning in windy conditions:

2 Tree Pipits over Georges Lane
1 Whinchat on wires by Wilderswood car park
3 Spotted Flycatcher- 2 Sheep Cote Green and one by Walker Fold Wood
2 Wheatear

Info thanks to Andy Makin and Dan Brown

Other sightings from today:

1 Redstart at Georges Lane
6 Spotted Flycatcher; 4 in the big hedge at Higher Meadows; 1 at Sheep Cote Pasture; 1 at Brownstones.
5 Tree Pipit
Merlin over Sheep Cote Pasture.
8 Wheatear
1 Golden Plover south
89 Willow Warbler
1 Whinchat at the top of Corn Edge Lane

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Today's sightings from practically all day, between Andy Makin, Dan Brown and myself:

10 Redstarts- 1 by the county border at Georges Lane; 3 in the big hedge at Higher Meadows; 2 at the bottom of Holdens Plantation; 2 different birds at Holdens Farm; 1 at Sheep Cote Green; and 1 at Green Nook Farm.

6 Spotted Flycatchers- 2 in the big hedge at Higher Meadows; 1 at Walker Fold; 1 at Holdens Farm; 1 at Green Nook Farm; 1+ at Lomax Wife's Plantation.

Cuckoo along Mast Road

Ring Ouzel flew from Newfields Plantation into the tops of the conifers at Walker Fold Wood.

Approximately 70 Willow Warblers.

15 Wheatear.

4 Tree Pipit- 3 in rough fields in between the main road and Newfields Plantation at Walker Fold; one by Green Nook Farm.

1 Ringed Plover- flew over west

9 Whitethroat

Sightings from this morning in very blustery conditions:

7 Wheatear along Mast Road
Merlin at Walker Fold
2 Tree Pipit down, with one showing well on a stone wall at the bottom of Burnt Edge and one on wires at Holdens Farm
11 Willow Warbler

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Sightings from this afternoon, 1 to 3pm at Burnt Edge:

3 Spotted Flycatcher
24 Willow Warbler
15 Coal Tit
2 Chiffchaff
3 Treecreeper
3 Nuthatch

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning with Andy Makin,

2 Tree Pipits (one near Brian Hey Res. and one perched on wires between Walker Fold Road and Newfields plantation).

10 Spotted Flycatchers (6 adults & 4 fresh juveniles) on the east side of Sheep Cote Green pasture.

Also 21 Wheatear, 7 Stonechat and 19 Willow Warblers.

A large fall of Willow Warblers was apparent in the area this morning and a total of 194 were counted over the entire recording area (which is quite large!); pretty remarkable stuff though.

Other birds of note were a female type Redstart at Lomax Wife's Plantation; 3 juvenile Green Woodpeckers, with one at Walker Fold Wood and two by the kennels on Georges Lane; 3 Nuthatch; 1 Wheatear.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Five Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Redstart and a single Pied Flycatcher present at Walker Fold and still showing well at 11:50am, just south of the Walker Fold Wood and Newfields Plantation, off the footpath down in the dip by Dean Brook.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Short walk up mast road yesterday too hot to go far few birds about though
Buzzard
Kestrel
Wheatear
Swift
Swallow
Meadow pipit

10.30-14.00

Walker Fold

Family group of 3 Coal Tits.

Holdens Farm

24 Goldfinches feeding on Sorrel

Lots of Swallows around the farm.

Holdens Plantation

1 Kestrel & 2 Linnets

A steady trickle of Swifts flying NW throughout.

As expected Meadow Pipits in abundance.

Walk from Walker Fold to Burnt Edge

Tree Pipit 1 singing and displaying for two minutes on edge of pine plantation that borders the south side of Burnt Edge
Lapwing 6
Raven 1
Kestrel 2 hunting along Burnt Edge
Blackcap 2 singing males
Whitethroat c6 family party with fledged juvs seen
Great spotted Woodpecker 2
Goldcrest 1 singing male
Grey Partridge 1

Great to get out locally at last!

Early morning run across the moors, really cool this morning

Skylark and meadow pipit
1 kestrel
1 snipe flushed right near the mast
3 curlew
2 linnet
1 raven
Swift and swallow

Evening wander up mast road.

Cuckoo calling from wilderswood
2 vocal Curlew
a pair of linnets
at least 1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler on Wildersmoor

The soundscape was awesome tonight Meadow pipits being the main contributors. Could have done with a bit of "Wet My Lips" though.

No sight or sound of Quail.



-- Edited by Rick Hall on Monday 2nd of June 2014 10:25:24 PM

Two Quail singing this morning in the area around the cattle grid just before the mast itself on Winter Hill (no vehicular access; park at the bottom of Mast Road and walk up). Both birds singing up to 07:10 but one at least on the Lancs Side of the border. No sight or sound of yesterday's bird by Adam Hill.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Quail flew from juncus near cattle grid to Adam hill above quarry.

Stonking good views!

Chuffed to bits!

With andy makin and ken haydock.

Quail singing by Adam Hill at 11:45 this morning; for 30 minutes towards the junction with Mast Road.

Info thanks to Ian Woosey

A very large bird, probably the stork, seen very distantly and at considerable height circling very slowly probably heading NW away from the Horwich Moors area and possibly heading Chorley way.

Info thanks to Andy Makin