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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD SIGHTINGS -> HORWICH MOORS
Post Info TOPIC: HORWICH MOORS
John Williams


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Georges Lane :

3 Ravens, plus in the plantation by the Lancs border, a pair of Coal Tits.

Burnt Edge :

1m+1f Kestrels, the female hovered above the hillside for over two hours.

At one point she was mobbed by a crow, which appeared to be more for fun than annoyance. When the crow moved away the kestrel chased after it.

Then the kestrel was joined by a pair of noisy Ravens, and the two species just seemed happy to tolerate each other.

The only small bird seen around here was a single Reed Bunting.

Walker Fold :

2 Ravens and 1 Buzzard

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John Williams
Steve Judge


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Saturday, 21st January 2017. 11:30 - 14:00 hrs.

Layby off Matchmoor Lane - Burnt Edge - Holdens Farm - Gilligant Farm - Hampsons Farm - Colliers Row - side of Walker Fold wood - Sugar Loaf Plantation - and return via Burnt Edge back to Matchmoor Lane.

Quiet birdwise - too cold for me to go to top of Winter Hill - so stayed in foot hills!

Kestrel x 6 separate sightings
Stonechat x 1
Fieldfare x 7
Dunnock x 2
Magpie x 10
Great Tit x 1
Robin x 3
Carrion Crow x 5
Grey Heron x 1
Buzzard x 1 (seen on M61 on way home)


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John Williams


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10.00-14.00

Georges Lane

2 Ravens,1f Kestrel and 10+ Black Headed Gulls.

Burnt Edge

1 Cormorant, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and a flock of 30+ Starlings flew over.

The only bird in the Holdens Farm/Plantation area was a single Robin.

I know it's midwinter but I can't recall seeing the area so birdless, although there were a few Magpies and crows around.

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John Williams
Ian McKerchar


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A couple of hours visible migration watch from Scout Road this morning produced:

615 Redwing N/NE in 20 flocks
A single Waxwing among the Redwing
35 Fieldfare

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights over Scout Road yesterday 8-10am included:

1 Waxwing low NE
202 Redwing N in 9 flocks

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Visible migration from Scout Road today, 07:50-11:50 included:

40 Pink-footed Geese over NW
3 Snipe 3 NW
1 Golden Plover
280 Lapwing N in 12 flocks
377 Woodpigeon N/NE
3464 Redwing N/NE in 81 flocks
901 Fieldfare in 34 flocks
1 Waxwing low NE with Redwing and a further 3 birds low E
1 Ring Ouzel 1 NE tagging on to Redwing flock
1 Brambling N
1 Crossbill S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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600 Redwing E/NE over Scout Road this morning in 19 flocks, along with 98 Fieldfare.

Also 4 Crossbill south.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from a couple of hours visible migration watching from Matchmoor Lane this morning included:

195 Woodpigeon NE
53 Fieldfare NE
247 Redwing NE in 7 flocks
14 Lesser Redpoll E
1 Crossbill W

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights of birds over this morning:

3 Goosander SW
Pink-footed Goose 15 SE at 08:35 and 60 W at 08:50
10 Brambling S
2 Crossbill S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from this morning were:

700 Pink-footed Geese NW on a number of skeins
18 Stock Dove NW
45 Fieldfare S
40 Brambling SE

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Other sightings from yesterday include:

250 Pink-footed Geese over SE
4363 Woodpigeon over SW in small flocks

Info thanks to Andy Makin


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Ian McKerchar


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Male Snow Bunting north over Matchmoor Lane near Heather Hall this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Today's visible migration watch 8-11am from Matchmoor Lane:

2546 Pink-footed Geese; 3 skeins NW numbering 168, 7 sKeins SE numbering 878 and 1 skein of 1500 E
6 Whooper Swan SE at 08:20
2224 Woodpigeon; with 10 flocks NE and 31 flocks N/NW
75 Brambling S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Visible migration watch from Matchmoor Lane today 07:30-10:00:

Single Woodcock directly south at first light
A single Waxwing SE
7 skeins of Pink-footed Geese SE numbering 634 and 1 skein NW numbering 25
20 Goosander 20 SE
445 Woodpigeon NE and 200 SW
1545 Starling N/NE in 6 large flocks
11 Brambling S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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This morning's visible migration highlights involved:

4 small skeins of Pink-footed Geese SE numbering 165
1018 Woodpigeon with 267 NW and 751 SW
Crossbill 2 N
28 Reed Buntings N

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Other highlights from today's visible migration watch this morning included:

Whooper Swan 3 SE
Woodpigeon 1172 in total
Stock Dove 60 NW with 13 woodpigeon
Fieldfare 96 NW
Starling 1419 in total
Brambling 13 N
Crossbill 1 N
Reed Bunting 23 N

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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9 Waxwing over Georges Lane so far this morning. With 4 SW and 5 W.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Single Waxwing south over Scout Road at 07:50 today

Info thanks to andy Makin

 

 



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Ian McKerchar


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Today's moors visible migration highlights 07:15-10:15am:

Whooper Swan 2 SE over Horwich 08:05
Brambling 56 N in 4 flocks and two singles
Bullfinch 13 N
Crossbill 13 N in flocks of 8,2,1,1,1
Reed Bunting, notable N movement with 21 in a short 15 minute spell

Late news for yesterday included 2563 Woodpigeon S.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Simon Warford


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This morning Vis Mig watch with Andy Makin produced -

8 Whooper Swans east
7854 Woodpigeon south
23 Brambling
10 Crossbill
153 Fieldfare

Yesterday we had 2060 Woodpigeons south..

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Ian McKerchar


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Today's visible migration highlights from Scout Road include:

570 Pink-footed Geese in 3 skeins SE
4134 Woodpigeon S in 28 flocks
277 Fieldfare S
105 Redwing N
16 Brambling SW

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Today's moors visible migration highlights 7-11am thanks to Simon Warford and Andy Makin:

Whooper Swan 3 SE at 8:30am
Pink-footed Goose 9374 in 40 skeins; with 104 NW and 9270 SE
Woodpigeon 3776 S in 43 flocks
Fieldfare 613 S in 8 flocks
Brambling 5 S

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Ian McKerchar


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3 Bewick's SwanS flew low SE over High Rid Reservoir, viewed from Matchmoor Lane at 8am

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from today's visible migration sightings at Scout Road:

29 Crossbill S and 10 N
1 Brambling N
3548 Fieldfare WSW, with 200 of those in through in 20 minutes between 08:50 and 09:10
1139 Woodpigeon S
13 Whooper Swan over SE (record shot below)
1 Merlin

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Ian McKerchar


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This morning's visible migration highlights over the moors included:

120 Pink-footed Geese SE
1831 Woodpigeon S
392 Fieldfare SW
3 Brambling S
18 Crossbill S in 3 flocks

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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This morning's additional sightings from Scout Road include:

1 Golden Plover over NW
567 Woodpigeon NW
143 Fieldfare SW
25 Redwing S
23 Crossbill S
1 Brambling S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Adult Marsh Harrier hunting over Fleet Moor at 3:30pm.

Info thanks to John Bradshaw

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Ian McKerchar


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2 Waxwings south over Higher Meadows at 9:50 this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Late news for yesterday's visible migration highlights from Scout Road, 07:15-11:00:

Pink-footed Goose 147 SE
Woodpigeon 390 S
Redwing 52 S
Fieldfare 369 S in 9 flocks
Brambling 7
Siskin 13 S
Twite 5 S
Crossbill 2 down in Gale Brook Plantation

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Some late visible migration totals for yesterday from Scout Road included:

Woodpigeon 2111 S/SW
Fieldfare 1644 S in 20 flocks
123 Redwing
10 Siskin
13 Lesser Redpoll
9 Crossbill S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Today's moors totals from Scout Road, 07:30-09:00:

Woodpigeon 101 SW
Redwing 29 S
Fieldfare 94 S/SW in 6 small flocks
Starling 411 N/NW in 6 flocks ,the largest of 200
Crossbill 11 S in two flocks

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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This morning's visible migration highlights from Scout Road 07:30-11:30:

Woodpigeon 663 SW
Fieldfare 763 in 17 flocks S/SW
Redwing 63 S
Song Thrush 28 S in two low flocks S
Brambling 4 N and 1 S
Crossbill 4 down in Gale Brook plantation

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Late news for visible migration highlights from Scout Road 07:30-11:15:

Whooper Swan 20 E/SE
Pintail 15, flew in from the east and departed SW
Pink-footed Goose 2659 in 9 skiens SE and 12 skiens NW
Woodpigeon 729 mainly SW
Tree Sparrow 5 S
Fieldfare 383 mainly NW
Redwing 208 mainly NW
Brambling 8 S
Crossbill 43 S in 4 flocks

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Today's visible migration totals from Scout Road, 07:30-11:45:

Pink-footed Goose 4955 over in 19 skiens all heading SE
Woodpigeon 1567 S/SW in 30 flocks
House Martin 1 S
Redwing 824 mainly W/SW in 23 flocks
Fieldfare 568 W/SW in 14 flocks
Crossbill 13, with 10 S and 3 N

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Visible migration highlights today 07:30-10:50:

Whooper Swan 6 E
Woodpigeon 1168 S/SW in 36 flocks
Fieldfare 272 S in 4 flocks
Redwing 113 S in 7 small flocks
23 Crossbill over with three flocks S and 2 N
Stonechat 7 on the moors around the mast buildings

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from this morning from Andy Makin and myself:

4 skeins of Pink-footed Geese, with SE and a skein of 16 NW
579 Fieldfare S over Scout Road in 16 flocks and 120 feeding at Holdens Farm before heading off NW
343 Redwing S in 16 small flocks
23 Ring Ouzel with 18 over Scout Road in two flocks and 5 together S over Higher Meadows
67 Crossbill S over Scout Road
2 juvenile Hen Harrier over Smithills Moor, one of which had earlier in the morning been hunting over Wildersmoor/Two Lads Hill

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Ian McKerchar


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Female Merlin south over Higher Meadows at 3:05 today plus a ringtail Hen Harrier hunting Two Lads Hill from 4:40 to 4:40pm

Info thanks to a Phil Rhodes

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from a couple of hours this morning at Scout Road, thanks to Andy Makin, Dan Brown and Paul Wilson:

2 juvenile type Hen Harriers hunting over Horrocks Moor.
3 Swallow S
132 Redwing
flock of Crossbill heard overhead but not seen

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from today's watch from Scout Road, courtesy of Phil Rhodes and Andy Makin:

3 Hen Harriers hunting over Smithills Moor, presumed some of the same individuals as seen yesterday
4 Tree Sparrow
1 Ring Ouzel flew east early morning, probably out of its roost
857 Redwing mainly SSW in 23 flocks
391 Fieldfare SSW in 13 flocks
35 Siskin S
13 Crossbill SE
5 Brambling SE
3 Golden Plover NW


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Ian McKerchar


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Visible migration sightings from Scout Road all day today thanks to Andy Makin:

Merlin 1 SE
Hen Harrier 8 sightings during the day involved at least 5 individuals
Single Long-eared Owl seen coming from long distance south over the moor briefly landed on a dead tree and departed
Ring Ouzel 1 east with Fieldfare and 1 adult male over NE
Fieldfare 1741 in 31 flocks the largest of which was 450+, all heading S/SW
Redwing 4272 W/SW in 100 flocks the largest of 500
Swallow 12 S
Brambling 2 E
Crossbill 3 S

Wheatear 2 feeding on the Moor

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Dan Brown


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17:30 - 18:15 Holden's Farm and Sugarloaf Plantation area. 1 female Hen Harrier briefly in fading light. No Ring Ouzel this evening.

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Ian McKerchar


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Red Kite circling Smithills Moor slowly drifting south at 11am.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from a couple of hours this morning included:

82 Redwing SW
3 Ring Ouzel high N over Scout Road
A single Swallow
20 Siskin south

Info thanks to Andy Makin

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Chris brown


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Don't get hooked on the thought that they are only in sugar loaf plantation. On Sunday there were 6 in the trees on the left hand side as you approach sugar loaf plantation coming from burnt edge. They were feeding on berries. Then they were also in the field opposite holdens farm. (Could have been the same birds, I only ever saw a group of 4 or 6 together) Many thanks to Phil Rhodes for kindly letting me and my family have a look at them through his scope. Chris

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Ian McKerchar


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Further sightings from today from Andy Makin and myself:

740 Redwing NW in 28 flocks
16 Fieldfare
21 Ring ouzel out of the dell at Higher Meadows were possibly roosting and flew SE at 08:30
Brambling 1 S at George's Lane
6 Wheatear (4 on top of Winter Hill, 1 on Two Lads Hill and 1 on Wildersmoor)
24 Stonechat, with 12 on the very top of Winter Hill, 7 at Higher Meadows and 5 at Holdens.
8 Chiffchaff, with 6 at Holdens Farm and 2 on the very top of Winter Hill

Sightings for yesterday thanks to Andy Makin:

1 juvenile Hen Harrier, probably the same bird as other recent sightings 59 Fieldfare 5 flocks 1600 Redwing mainly NW 61 flocks 8 Crossbill N 14 Wheatear down in the area


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 10th of October 2016 08:22:02 PM

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Ian McKerchar


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Andy Voisey wrote:

Myself and the wife visited the moor from 1030 until 1300 primarily to see the ouzels.

We dipped out on the ouzels mainly because we didn't know where sugar loaf plantation was.

We visited the plantation at the top of burnt edge, holden's plantation, and the one with the beech trees and stream running through, just east of holden's farm.

The moor was very quiet, with just a few mippets and stonechats, but I was surprised to find a pair of reed buntings in the bracken below burnt edge. I suppose they were migrants passing through.

Can someone tell me where sugar loaf plantation is for future reference please?

Cheers.




Down the track from Holden's Farm towards Burnt Edge it's the plantation on the left as you get the where the stream goes under the path (there is a small sign denoting the plantation and it's name).

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Dan Brown


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18:00 4 Ring Ouzel near Sugar Loaf Plantation. 5 Stonechat at Holden's Farm and a small flock of Thrushes containing at least 6 Fieldfare and 1 Redwing.

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Andy Voisey


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Myself and the wife visited the moor from 1030 until 1300 primarily to see the ouzels.

We dipped out on the ouzels mainly because we didn't know where sugar loaf plantation was.

We visited the plantation at the top of burnt edge, holden's plantation, and the one with the beech trees and stream running through, just east of holden's farm.

The moor was very quiet, with just a few mippets and stonechats, but I was surprised to find a pair of reed buntings in the bracken below burnt edge. I suppose they were migrants passing through.

Can someone tell me where sugar loaf plantation is for future reference please?

Cheers.

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Ian Campbell


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10.10 a.m. today viewed from bench on burnt edge a ringtail Hen Harrier came into view above what I think is green nook and landed by the side of one of the stone wallsbiggrin, a GM tick I've long been after. GM Year tick 167.
Cheers Ian

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Bob and Joyce Calder


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Thought I saw the Ringtail Hen Harrier yesterday afternoon around 12.45 along Coal Pit Lane but it was as we were putting the binoculars away after our walk and so only an extremely brief view before it disappeared over the hill.



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Ian McKerchar


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This afternoon:

2 Ring Ouzel at Sugar Loaf Plantation and 4 more feeding in a fields SW of Holdens Farm.

Ringtail Hen Harrier hunting Smithills Moor at 3:30 then drifted off towards Burnt Edge.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

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