This mornings Vis Mig highlights, with Andy Makin, up to 11:15am-
Blustery and deteriorating conditions as the morning progressed, but birds on the move today. Redwings and finches especially, hugging the valley side and often coming within a few feet of us giving great close fly-bys though some would just appear right in front of us which made counting sometimes difficult as birds were behind us within seconds!
1 Hawfinch south, picked up over Gale Brook Plantation at 09:28, it ended up flying right past us within 50 feet, local birding just doen't get any better than this! 1 Merlin south 1024 Redwings south 7 Fieldfare south 1 male Ring Ouzel south 8 Brambling south 69 Goldfinch south 41 Siskin south 294 Starlings SW or NW
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 21st of October 2017 03:18:55 PM
Big Hedge: Fieldfare x 20 (first of year for me) Redwing x 2 Mistle Thrush x 1 Kestrel x 1 Goldfinch x 4 Blackbird x 3
Horrock's Wood (off Scout Road) full circuit - new area for me and thoroughly enjoyable with fantastic view over Bolton from car park: Redwing x 30 Kestrel x 3 sightings Buzzard x 1 Collared Dove x 50 Bullfinch x 1 Reed Bunting x 7 Greenfinch x 3 Linnet x 1 Mistle Thrush x 2 Goldfinch x 7 Chaffinch x 5 Blue Tit x 1 Great Tit x 1 Long-Tailed Tit x 3 Wren x 1 Blackbird x 3 Carrion Crow x 40 Jackdaw x 3 Magpie x 10 Jay x 4 Moorhen x 1 Mallard x 2
This mornings Vis Mig highlights, just myself, up to 12:30-
A classic arrival of Redwings here, all indicative of birds fresh in and coming in from Scotland. A total of 48 parties (largest party 250) coming down the Belmont valley out of the gloom and mist and then veering to the SW after Winter Hill. That magic time of year when we get hirrundines and winter thrushes together
2090 Redwings south or SW 5 Fieldfare SW 1 chacking Ring Ouzel SW with a Redwing flock 8 Swallow south 29 Pied Wagtails south 101 Meadow Pipit south 1082 Woodpigeon 78 Chaffinch south 9 Brambling south 123 Goldfinch south 69 Siskin south
This mornings Vis Mig highlights, with Andy Makin, up to 11:30-
367 Pink-footed Geese NW 1 Hawfinch strongly SW at 08:00, allowing good views 1 Diver species, very high SW about 500 feet above the mast at 10:35, going in and out of clouds, couldn't ID to species unfortunately, but first for the moors. 4 Gadwall south 3 Goosander south 4,034 Woodpigeons south 68 Jackdaws south 145 Redwings SW or NW 4 Mistle Thrush south 205 Meadow Pipit south 21 Brambling south 30 Linnet south 40 Redpoll south 94 Goldfinch south 34 Siskin south
This mornings Vis Mig highlights, in surreal conditions with the approach of Storm Ophelia with Saharan dust leading to a red sun. With Andy Makin and Chris Marston up to11.30-
10 Greylag Goose NW (highest site count) 1 Hawfinch low NE at 09:15 at fairly close range 123 Redwing south 49 Meadow Pipit south 1 Brambling south 13 Siskin south
This mornings Vis Mig highlights, with Andy Makin, up to 11.00-
395 Pink-footed Geese SE and 153 NW 4 Goosander NW 3 Common Gull south 34 Pied Wagtail 201 Meadow Pipit 1 Swallow south 7 Redwing west 1 Brambling south 41 Siskin south 39 Linnet south
46 Barnacle Geese NW at 12.15pm - thanks to Simon Johnson for the phonecall and tip off, fantastic to see a high flying flock in v formation in the same airspace as several skiens of Pink-feet, given the large movement of Svalbard birds across the east coast, they were probably birds redirecting to the Solway. 190 Pink-footed Geese NW and 35 SE. 6 Bramblings in Gale Brook plantation before flying west. 56 Redwings NW 9 Snipe NW 6 Swallow south 190 Meadow Pipit south
Present were 2 male Ring Ouzels in the Big Hedge at Georges Lane, where Dan Brown later had 3 there. 6 Goldcrests Brownstones Quarry.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Sunday 8th of October 2017 06:30:03 PM
This mornings Vis Mig highlights with Andy Makin up to 11am were-
8 Crossbills NW right over our heads (first of Autumn) 401 Pink-footed Geese east and 15 NW 2 Golden Plover N (with 1 down in the field by Scout Road early morning) 445 Woodpigeon south 823 Meadow Pipits south 58 Swallow south 77 Linnet south 73 Siskin south
Full days Vis Mig with Andy Makin and Simon Johnson produced the following highlights-
1 Redwing north 1 Swift NW 1 Marsh Harrier NW 1 Merlin south 8 Raven high south 199 Pink-footed Geese (160 east & 39 NW) 435 Swallow south 111 House Martin south 1801 Meadow Pipits south 155 Siskin south
Present were 4 Chiffchaff, 5 Wheatear and 200+ Meadow Pipits across the moor.
This morning with Andy Makin and Simon Johnson produced highlights-
1 Redwing west 1,000 Meadow Pipits south 118 Swallow south 10 Grey Wagtails south 40 Pied Wagtails south 41 Siskin south
2 Wheatear near the mast and 2 Song Thrush inside the main mast compound. An exciting encounter by Brownstones, when a female Sparrowhawk was seen chasing a Mistle Thrush which it very nearly caught, the poor Mistle Thrush was then immediately chased by a Peregrine and somehow escaped again!
Full day on Winter Hill with Andy Makin up to 4pm. A superb day, with an all day pipit movement, from the off and on a broad front, some very high and difficult to see especially in the early murk. We re-positioned after lunch, from our normal watchpoint to the mast compounds and Meadow Pipits steady all afternoon through here as well. Highlights -
3 Redwings over south and west (5 days earlier than last year) 1 Peregrine 13 Buzzard south 1 female Marsh Harrier through south at 13.10 right past us 3 Raven south 5493 Meadow Pipits south 63 Pied Wagtails south 8 Song Thrush south 150 Swallow south 93 Siskin south 96 Linnet south 70 Goldfinch south
Birds present included 4 Wheatear, 6 Stonechat, 1 Black Redstart border wall by main mast compound, 5 Chiffchaff, and a very late Spotted Flycatcher in the southern most cable compound. One dead Grasshopper Warbler by main mast building. Record shots by Andy Makin.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Tuesday 26th of September 2017 08:32:16 PM
This mornings Vis Mig watch with Andy Makin and Rick Else -
1257 Meadow Pipit south 5 Jay (4 south, 1 NW) 94 House Martin south 7 Mistle Thrush south 24 Pied Wagtails south 39 Linnet south 75 Goldfinch south 33 Siskin south
Also 3 Wheatear (Phil Rhodes) and 7 Stonechat across the moors.
Just over 2hrs this morning around Mast Road to Holden's Farm produced virtually no noticeable movement, 5 Siskin and 1 Redpoll NW being the highlight. At least 120 Meadow Pipit were down, but only single figures noted moving overhead. Other birds included a flock of 11 Jay moving through Holden's Plantation, 2 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Stonechat, 90 Goldfinch and a Nuthatch at Holden's Farm
This mornings Vis Mig watch with Andy Makin was fairly unproductive, other than continued early movement of Pink-Footed Geese-
1037 Pink-footed Geese SE in 19 skiens and 373 NW in 4 skiens. Smallest group just 7 birds. 257 Swallow south 133 House Martin south 20 Meadow Pipit south
Also 1 Whinchat and 3 Wheatear Georges Lane and 1 Wheatear Fleet Moor (Andy Pinches & Phil Rhodes).
Another good mornings Vis Mig watch with Andy Makin, highlights only-
163 Pink-footed Geese SE and 155 NW, a total of 9 skiens 2 Golden Plover NW ringtail Hen Harrier through west 277 Meadow Pipit south 1 Swift south (latest ever over Horwich Moors I think) 1 Sand Martin south 2615 Swallows south 3516 House Martins south
Good Vis Mig watch this morning, before departing to White Holme Reservoir with Andy Makin, produced-
16 Golden Plover (1 north and 15 SW) 30 Pink-footed Geese NW 1 male Merlin south 2 Tree Pipit south 1 cracking male Ring Ouzel which flew in from the north and landed by Scout Road quarry briefly. 319 Meadow Pipit south 3 Raven south 961 Swallow south 700 House Martin south Siskin 5 south
This mornings sightings between Andy Makin, myself, Simon Johnson and Phil Rhodes;
Decent morning, with first Meadow Pipits moving, but highlight was a notable movement of Buzzards, a fine kettle of 16 birds spirraling high and then further birds very high over heading south east (wonder whether this annual movement consists of dispersing juveniles?), some were only picked up due to us watching our first Merlin of the autumn having an aerial disagreement with a Kestrel.
George's Lane - juv Sedge Warbler, 4 Whinchat and 9 Wheatear.
Holden's Farm - 3 Whinchat still present, a Sand Martin on overhead wires with Swallows and a Merlin high up over Smithill's Moor, later seen hunting.
Burnt Edge - 2 Wheatear.
Fleet Moor - 2 Whinchat, 11 Wheatear and fantastic spiral of 16+ Buzzards.
Mast Road - 27 Wheatear.
Other birds moving through included 27 Buzzards, 30 Meadow Pipits, 10 Sand Martin and 8 Siskin.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 2nd of September 2017 08:15:37 PM
Gale Brook Plantation - 1 Whinchat and 2 Spotted Flycatchers.
Mast Road Pony Fields - 10 Wheatear and an Oystercatcher.
Mast Compounds on Winter Hill - 10+ Wheatear around the walls and 2 Robin's inside the main compound. Also slightly further down the mast road 2 juvenile Whinchat on square fenced area.
Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and 21 Willow Warbler in the most compounds on Winter Hill with 24 Wheatear and a Whinchat along Mast Road.
George's Lane: 3 Stonechat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Raven, one apparently with an egg (?hen's) in its mouth, 2 Kestrel, 40 Goldfinch, a few Meadow Pipit.
Burnt Edge: 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 juvenile male Redstart in the large willow at the Walker Fold end. Also 2 Willow Warbler and a juv Chiffchaff in same tree. Single (or possibly 2?) Wheatear in adjacent tree (thanks to another birder). Flock of 40 or so Swallows. 30 Goldfinch around Holden's Farm, along with a few Linnet and a Kestrel.
Unidentified juvenile Acro Warbler (Reed or Marsh) present all day 100 yards up the track from Walker Fold Road, showing on and off. Probably a Reed Warbler but a very interesting bird, with ID inconclusive in the end.
Also,
Walker Fold Wood to Burnt Edge area were 6+ Tree Pipit, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, 3 Wheatear, 4 Grasshopper Warblers and 25 Willow Warbler.
Brownstones Quarry - 2 Spotted Flycatcher.
Georges Lane - 2 Whinchat, male Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher (Andy Pinches).
Fleet Moor - 1 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 150 Lapwing.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Sunday 20th of August 2017 06:13:41 PM
A couple of hours stroll from the Walker Fold end, past Holdens Farm and back down Burnt Edge this lunchtime didn't produce an awful lot unfortunately. Quite a few Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers were around, along with a few Goldcrests. I didn't see any Wheatears, Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchats or Tree Pipits, although I thought I caught a Tree Pipit calling as I walked down the path from Newfields. Singles of Buzzard and Sparrowhawk were the only raptors seen.
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1m Whinchat and 1 juv Stonechat both sat on fenceposts below the kennels.
2 Buzzards calling and doing an aerial display. A family of 3 Kestrels, one of which was mobbing a Buzzard.
Burnt Edge
3 Spotted Flycatchers showing very well on the the edge of the wood, near the old brick building. Many thanks to the birder who pointed these birds out to me.
A group of 12 Meadow Pipits and 4 Reed Buntings were near the plantation.
Walker Fold
6 Willow Warblers and a single Chiffchaff moving through the conifers beside the track.
Holdens Farm
1 Tree Pipit sat on the wires along with 18 Swallows.
Pleasant mooch from Walker Fold up to Holden's Farm and round back via Burnt Edge. Most activity was early from 0730 through to 0900 - after that all was noticeably quieter.
No Spotted Flycatchers or Tree Pipits for me today. The one unusual find was a Willow Tit in the trees near Holden's Farm. It gave its "zee-zee" call so it wasn't a Marsh Tit. Not particularly a species I would expect on the moors? (Record shot attached) One was seen a couple of hours later on the wire near the farm - possibly the same bird.
Otherwise
16 Mistle Thrush on wires by Walker Fold parking area flew off south. Goldcrest 8 in a mixed Tit flock on the access track Also Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit (6), Long Tailed Tit (about 10) and Chaffinch in same flock, with a single Willow Warbler.
Burnt Edge : 1 Spotted Flycatcher (On the the woodland edge near the "S" bend on the track) ,2 Kestrels and a flock of 8 Linnets.
Holdens Farm : 1 Kestrel, 6 Meadow Pipits, 2m Stonechats, 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker plus lots of Linnets.
It was difficult to count the total number of Linnets, around dozen were in the horse paddock by the path, but at one point 60+ erupted from the overgrown pasture opposite.
All the small birds, including Swallows, frequently rested in the hawthornes that line the path, thus giving nice clear views.