I am working again this weekend might just try BLEAKGATE MOOR again, you never know, always worth checking out anywhere they have been before. keep birding
A Dotterel spent 2 days on Billinge Hill in about 1990/91. Unfortunately this fine summit and its great visible migration is now in St Helens - I've never been sure whether this was due to changes made by the Boundary Commision or to the effects of continental drift!
Parts of Billinge Higher Ends are still in Wigan, but it's mostly sheep pasture and doesn't look too great for Dotterels
well its that time of year again to dust me bike down and get up them hills looking for the elusive local Dotterels!
Dont suppose any will land on Knowl hill anymore with all the wind turbines up there?? might be wasting me time with that and maybe better checking Holcombe.
Hi Tom, the only lowland record is of a single bird at Shell Carrington in 1992. However they could well stop off on the mosslands as birds regularly occur at Plex Moss, near Southport. The numbers of birds recorded in the uplands of GM has dropped significantly. From 1992 to 1999 there were 16 records totalling 65 individuals. From 2000 to 2005 there have been only 4 records totalling 9 birds. Whether this reflects a drop in the number of birds passing through, or possibly less people looking for them, is difficult to know.
Steve
__________________
The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
When I went up to Ashworth Moor in January the area to the east looked great. Have there ever been any records on the mosslands? Plenty of ploughed fields around Chat Moss that look ideal as well.
Hi Tom, I've been going up onto Crook Moor above Watergrove several times a week since 13th April (earliest recorded date in the Rochdale area) to look for Dotterel. Even though this is my local patch I have never seen them here! Shall continue to check on an almost daily basis from now until 3rd week of May and intend to walk the entire ridge over the Bank Holiday weekend. There are other Rochdale birders that will also be checking the moors. There are a lot of other suitable areas around Rochdale. They seem to prefer areas with rocks and closely cropped grass on moorland ridges. Top of Leach is another area where they have been recorded. As luck would have it this is on my BBS square (SD8519)! I found 4 here on 3rd May 2004. Other locations within GM are Two Lads Hill SD660130 and WildersMoor Horwich SD654133. Good hunting! Steve
__________________
The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Ive always checked Whittle Hill (just outside GM i think) and Knowl Moor near Ashworth Moor Res but never found any, I try to get up there 2 or 3 times, usually time it when theres a few Doterel in the country. I know theres been Doterel in this area in the past.
Two lads/winter hill also a chance after the famous 2 birds there a few years back which stayed for several days.
Although there have been a few early records already this year, from now until about the 3rd week of May is usually peak time of year for Dotterels passing through Britain, and with nearby places like Pendle Hill getting good numbers every year surely they're under-recorded in Greater Manchester?
So, anyone got any suggestions where they might be hiding out there on the moors or the mosses? Where have they been recorded in the past? Is anyone planning on checking over the next few weeks?
