10th September - pm.

On/around the boating lake - 1 Grey Wagtail, a drake Wigeon, a female type Shoveler and a Kingfisher. I was able to read the rings on the respective legs of the pair of Mute Swan today - the male had a metal ring on its left leg - ZY6042 - ringed as an adult here on 12/11/11. The female a blue darvic ring with white lettering VN4 on right leg - this was one of 2 cygnets ringed at Boarshaw Clough and Lodges on 10/10/10. Many thanks to Steve Christmas for the ringing info. Finally, the numbers of Embden Geese and feral Greylags and assorted in-betweenies appears to have increased substantially here this year.

The drake Mandarin was still on the woodland pond and there was also another Kingfisher (or more likely the same one from earlier?) seen here too. I spent a bit of time chatting to the workers at the nearby Heaton Park Farm, primarily to enquire as to the number of pairs of Swallows which may have bred there this year. I mentioned the relatively tame Mandarin on the pond and enquired if it might be an escape from their menagerie of animals and birds. They said not but mentioned that they did occasionally get people bringing in birds they wished to no longer keep (which they wouldn't take anyway) and wondered if someone might have left such a bird on the woodland pond as a way of getting rid of the bird? Just one possible suggestion for the presence of this bird here? Also in the farm buildings - an adult Feral Pigeon was regurgitating food down the throats of 2 fledged juveniles near the farm - what a lovely sight!

A flock of 200+ Starling were near the farm, a single airborne flock of 17 Mistle Thrush in the same area and a mixed flock of c20 finches - only Goldfinch and Greenfinch noted. Siskin(s) could be heard but not seen. A flock of 60+ hirundines feeding over the park appeared to be mostly House Martins.

Cheers,

Bill.




-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 07:12:50 AM

2nd September - am.

A drake Mandarin was on the small woodland pond not too far from the park farm, the one which has the bandstand adjacent to it. I'd taken some bread to feed the ducks and it appeared out of nowhere and it scrapped with the Mallards and Moorhens for what it could get. I'm officially "The Worlds Worst Photographer" but it came that close that even I was able to get two half decent photos on my mobiles camera, so it made me ponder how "wild" this bird might actually be?

Also 3 Cormorant and 3 Teal on the Boating Lake. A small flock of c15 Siskin were in the trees near the lake. I've heard small numbers flying over in various parts of GM for a good few weeks now but this is the first flock I have come across "down" recently. c25 Starling, c70 Swallow and c10 House Martin were feeding and resting near the farm.

A display of vintage buses, cars and utility vehicles - the Trans Lancs Vehicle Rally - was on in the park. It was really interesting to talk to some of the people who had travelled good distances to look at these vehicles. Some of the old buses looked quite immaculate and were stunning and it made me feel quite nostalgic. It also made me realise that other people are as obsessive about their hobby as we birders are about ours!

Cheers,

Bill.


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 2nd of September 2012 12:40:00 PM

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 2nd of September 2012 12:40:53 PM

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 2nd of September 2012 12:43:41 PM

The most North west corner of Park bordering res

lots of birds in the bushes around here

Spotted Flycatcher
Whitethroat
3 Blackcap
20+ Willow Warbler
8+ Chiffchaff
20+ Long-tailed tit
3 Coal tit
6 Linnet
17 Goldfinch

Buzzard flew over

7 Drake Greater Scaup showing well on res in bay near the School

Permit only site usual viewing from BT Tower in park or from pump house

Hobby seen over from the park heading towards Simister

Good numbers of House martin and Swift around the colonys 100 Swift and 50+ House Martin.

Curlew SW

16/07/2012 - 8.00-9.20pm at the res with Phil Owen:

24 Common Scoters - still present but sheltering over on the far side from the park throughout
c60 Tufted Ducks
1 Curlew
1 Herring Gull
7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c50 Black-headed Gulls - all the gulls left when it got darker, no roost apparent
1 Sand Martin
6 Common Swifts

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Monday 16th of July 2012 10:18:29 PM

14/07/2012 - Quick scan of the res. with Phil Owen:

1 Black-necked Grebe - adult
2 Oystercatchers

Quick hour round the North bit of the Park before the crowds decend again for the Stone Roses concert

2 Little ringed plover flew se
7 Tufted duck flew south into park
Jay
Whitethroat singing
Blackcap singing

50+ House Martin with smaller numbers of Sand Martin and Swallow with the odd Swift.

110 Woodpigeons feeding in field by the school

2 Herring Gulls moved through with the Lesser black-backed gulls

Evening wander round the boating lake

155 Canada Geese (pair had small goslings)
2 Great crested grebe
3 pairs moorhen with young
2 well grown coot chicks
Mute swan
6 tufted duck

2 sand Martin, 10 house Martin & 10 Swift hawking insects over lake

2 chiffchaff and several Blackcap singing
2 nuthatch
Goldcrest singing near band stand pond
Several Mallards in unusual spots in large puddles including kids play ground

Family party of 5 Treecreeper - adults feeding youngsters (up the hill from tram stop entrance)

.....................................................

Nice sighting that Simon ....... A lot would have missed a simple pleasure.

Roger.

4 Yellow Wagtail - all female
9 Stock Dove
60 Magpie
80 House Martin

Mid Morning

7 Yellow Wagtail and 10 Wheatear were the highest counts ive had here for both species.

2 Arctic Tern NE
Linnet
White Wagtail
3 Stock Dove
30 Swift
Kestrel

2 visits this eve 4.15-5.45 and 7.30 -8.30

Best was an Adult Hobby which flew SE past the BT tower across the park

11 Dunlin (in breeding plumage) flew north
2 Shelduck flew off SW

Also present

Swift
10+ House Martin
250 Swallow
50 Sand Martin

but all had gone on 2nd visit

several Blackcap singing

Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and 50+ Starling feed on flooded bowling green

Arctic Tern through NE

Few hours round the north end of the park - 3-6pm

2 Swift - first of year
300 Swallow
200 Sand Martin
7 House Martin -

all the above passing through between showers

in the stubble field
48 Linnet - a noisey flock in surrounding trees
10 Lapwing
single oystercatcher
3 Stock Dove
60 Black-headed Gull
3 Common Gull

Peregrine, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk over

White Wagtail, 2 Blackcap and several Willow Warbler.

A female Goosander also made several attempts at landing on the BT tower - which was odd

Happily caught up with Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers today, two males and one female

2 Teal - flooded woodland near boating lake
3 Mute Swan - boating lake
4 Nuthatch
Treecreeper
2 Buzzards
Sparrowhawk

Single Swallow and 10 Meadow Pipit north

3 Treecreeper having a dispute in trees either side the path next to Highland cow field.

Chiffchaff singing
100+ Woodpigeon into roost

10 + Goldcrest
Peregrine
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
2+ Nuthatch
Jay
6 Grey Heron

Boating lake
Herring Gull
10 Tufted Duck
3 Mute Swan

Hi Alan

yes it is in that area

Early Morning with Mark Rigby

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Male - finally found it!

also
130 Redwing
Siskin heard
3 + Nuthatch
2 Treecreeper
4 Goldcrest
8 Tufted Duck
4 Teal in flooded copse by boating lake

-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Thursday 15th of March 2012 06:55:26 PM

Today, of note:

Nuthatch pair
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Chaffinches together in a tree near the golf course
1 single Starling
plus all the usual faces

Lake:
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Mute Swans
12 Tufted Ducks
Several Moorhen

Today, most of the morning through to lunch -

Lake -

Tufted Duck - 6
Great Crested Grebe - 1
2 Mute Swan

Woods -

1 Coal Tit
Handful of Nuthatch, some seen, others just heard
1 Treecreeper
+ the usuals.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker heard calling 3-4 times from birch trees at top of hill to the left from heaton park tram stop entrance but then moved towards trees above the childrens playground. Been a few years since seen or heard in the park.

Also

100+ Redwing lots of sub song and chattering
2 Nuthatch
2 separate Siskins north
Skylark north
30 Woodpigeon NE
7 Lapwing north