1:30 pm today - at least 30 Lapwings on the roof of a large building (I think its a car showroom) at the junction of Lees Road (A669) and Cross street (B6194), Oldham. Was going past in the car at the time, so didn't get an accurate count.
Yesterday (15.11.09) at about 1.30pm there were 250-300 Lapwing circling over Mumps Roundabout in Oldham. The would drop down as if to land and then climb, circle and drop down again - as Lapwings do. As there is not a lot of grassland or ploughed fields in the area, I got the impression they were looking for a likely roof - any ideas?
Not a saddo at all Bill. This roof roosting is a rare event in the UK (see my article in British Birds, I think January 2000) and is confined, more or less, to the NW and in particular Greater Manchester.
I never knew that, fascinating. Is there a link to your article anywhere Judith?
Not a saddo at all Bill. This roof roosting is a rare event in the UK (see my article in British Birds, I think January 2000) and is confined, more or less, to the NW and in particular Greater Manchester.
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Judith Smith
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Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
At 7.45 am - a large flock of Lapwings coming into land over Pilsworth Industrial Estate. At 8.00 am - c110 on the roof of Geodis here and c7 on the roof of the nearby Albany International. Did a circular walk this morning to try and pick up some roving records for the BTO atlas project - the walk covered Gigg Reservoirs @ Bury, Hollins Brook and Pilsworth Fisheries. At the end of my walk and return to the car at 10.40 am there had been some movement and c45 were still on Geodis and now c65 were on the roof of Albany International. To my eyes the two roofs seemed to be total opposites - the Geodis building roof was of matt, dark grey, corrugated roof tiles and the Albany International roof looked to be a shiny, bright grey, corrugated metallic roof, possibly with a greater incline.
Thought I would call at a few known plover roosts on the journey home.... what a saddo!....
None at Mc Brides of Middleton at 11.00am
c170 on the roof of Chi Yip Ocean Treasure restaurant, Greengate Business Park, Chadderton at 11.10. They are usually on the roof of the nearby Refinery Supplies Ltd but this obviously wasn't to their liking today!
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 15th of November 2009 01:04:57 PM
c50 Lapwings on the roofs at the bottom of Halliwell Road at 3.30 this afternoon. They were with about 60 starlings which were pretty restless and making the Lapwings restless too.
I notice on this thread that there are several names for the same site - namely Tesco at Westwood Oldham aka Tescos at Chadderton.
Anyway at 10.10 am today....c90 Lapwing were on the flat metal corrugated roof of the petrol filling station at this location. Birds still arriving as I left. They sometimes choose this flat roof but at most other times seem to favour the sloping roofs of the curry house and DIY shop just the other side of the filling station.
About 50 Lapwings on the roof of The Indian Ocean Restaurant opposite the Westwood Tesco in Oldham ysterday. They are regularly there, (usually early am when I see them) and have been seen for about the last 5 years. Approximately October through to March-ish.
Called at Bolton's B&Q Warehouse at the end of St Peters Way 14:15pm and had good views of 140+ lapwings and 13+ Golden Plovers with the angle we were on from the rooftops of the surrounding industrial buildings. (Rear of PC World?)
I wish I had as much luck spotting Tawny Owls. (My bogey birds) I have no probs hearing the buggers, but seeing em....a differn't matter. HELP
The usual combination of the weekly Saturday morning food shop at my local Tescos and the weekly local Lapwing roost count. Well - it does make for a welcome distraction from those vitally important shopping decisions.......should it be fresh cauliflower or Aunt Bessies frozen parsnips with the roast beef?
160+ Lapwings on the roofs opposite Tescos Chadderton at 8.20 am.
Steve, it's been my route to work for 5 years now. The lapwings started to appear (return?) about 4 years ago, and this is my first sight of the goldies.
Going to take the camera down.
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My (beginner) bird photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davec1977
c15 Lapwings on the roofs at 7.45 am (birds were arriving to roost as I went into the shop) and numbers had increased to c110 by 8.15 am when I left and birds were even then still dropping in out of the foggy sky and landing on the roofs. So probably many more here later in the day?
Fletcher St. - Bridgman St. area used to have big flocks of both Lapwing & Golden Plover a few years back (also on the retail park by the rail station) but in recent years they seem to have migrated up Blackburn Road.
c240 Lapwings on the roof of Refinery Supplies Ltd, Greenside Way, Chadderton at 10.20 am. The position of the sun meant that both sides of the roof were in full sunlight and c130 were resting on 1 side and c110 on the other. Note that this may be a regular roosting site but they are only usually visible if you drive off Greengate itself. cf c140 here 16/10/08.
Quick drive to McBrides at Middleton to see if any were on the roof there found none! So it is possible that this roosting flock maybe the same one that also uses McBrides (which isn't far away) when it chooses to do so?
still roosting on the car people around 100 lapwings and 30 golden plover, various gulls spend the day on the roof and the peregrines are deffo active as saw the same bird on monday when i was coming out of work in the afternoon
-- Edited by Andrew Newall on Friday 2nd of October 2009 08:26:22 PM
200 plus on old seddon atkinson building also 50 plus starlings in oldham surely this number of birds must attract some type of predator as these have been here for around 2 months in varying numbers
Apologys. I've not accessed this site since Sunday. To Clarify my previous entry it's the new police building at the bottom of Alexandria Drive near to the Car People.When the vehicles move from the car park the birds move down from the roof of the Car People. On that note the Peregrines have discovered them, as there was a female flying over the roof of the Car People on Monday Afternoon causing the usual panic.
Morning train journey from Mills Hill station into M/cr Victoria. Lapwings roosting on the roof of the large (railway owned building?) at the side of the substantial area of railway sidings at Dean Lane (SD876008). c20 at 9.45am on the way in, had increased to c50 by 12.15pm on the return journey.