11.15 9/11/08 25 lapwings flying over Snipe retail park, Manchester road, Ashton Pond by mockridge garden centre 2 mute swans still there 2 pairs mallards
20 jackdaws on central reservations near moss/cineworld complex. Rae
Sunday 5th Oct 08 11.10am Small pond near Mockridge garden centre, on the Moss- pair mute swans
Tuesday 7th Oct 08 14.45 Kestrel flying across towards canal followed by flock 20+ starlings
Wednesday 8th Oct 08 9am 7-8 canada geese flying across Stocport Road 1pm 2 kestrels both calling very agitated & flying around mill for several minutes
Sunday 28th Sept 08 10.55am Flock of 20 lapwings flew across Manchester Road near Moss/Snipe retail park (told to stop counting birds & drive the car by kids- it's a straight road!) Rae
The top (southern) end of Lane Head Road is in my Breeding Bird Survey square and I didn't get it on my late visit - don't tell me it was in my square - I don't want to know!!!
15th June 08 11.00am Pond by Mockridge garden centre (original garden centre on the Moss, passed new garden centre). 2 lapwings Mallard family- 7/8 ducklings 2 canada geese (poss babies) 2 canada geese with babies grey heron probably more but driving car! Rae
5th May 08, 3pm Watched male kestrel attack a carrion crow sat on next door neighbour's chimney before flying off towards Hill's Biscuit factory (Smith St). Now got around 6 swifts flying high above regularly
11.00am flying over garden, west end Ashton 1 grey heron & my first swifts of the year- 3 screaming away high up I love watching swifts flying- they're amazing Rae
Kids walked down canal today from Droylsden to Portland Basin- saw 1 family mallard duclkings & 1 family canada geese goslings in Audenshaw area, plus also saw greylag geese, goldfinch & longtailed tits. I saw grey wagtail too up on canal in Droylsden. Rae
9.30 am Mon 21/4/08 Sparrowhawk flew over garden heading in direction of town centre, scaring all the pigeons (did a couple of lazy dives at them just to send them scattering). Rae
I 'walked' into that one didn't I! Ah well. As for the starlings.....we got hit bad when they redeveloped large chunks of the West End area by demolision/rebuild. It seems to be taking forever to get the garden birds back into the new build areas- all I can get in my garden are blue tits & last week we celebrated when a magpie came in our tree! They are sticking to the established gardens but it must be having some impact. We also had many old terraced houses 'group repaired'- new outer brickwork/roofs, 'plugging up' many places where sparrows nested. Shall pay more attention to wording Rae
Actually, if you check out Ashton (under Lyne) market place the Starlings there rarely fly but scuttle around under the stalls and around the bins like mice. They're tame as anything - if anyone wants good close-up photos of Starlings it's the place to go.
4.30pm Usual pigeons, blue tits, sparrows pair collared doves Grey Heron flew over Stockport Road heading towards canal. Goldfinch singing beautifully from a tree top Noticed throughout today that there's more starlings than usual- seen 20+ just walking back from park. Rae
Tuesday 15th April 08 8.20am My first swallows for the year: 6 swallows flying South East straight across Stockport Road & not hanging around! (Probably thinks it too nippy still this far up North ) Rae
Friday 4th March 08 8.45-9.15 am, Oxford Park, Stockport Rd Quite quiet on the bird front: Robin, 2 long tailed tits, song thrush, blackbird, 4 woodpigeons, 2 collard doves, 10 starlings 6 house sparrows magpie 8 feral pigeons and the pair of carrion crows are now sitting on the nest Rae
Sunday 9.30am Sparrowhawk flew across astro turf, Oxford Park, Stockport Rd, Ashton
Monday Oxford Park & area 8.30-9.15 am pair carrion crows nesting in tree above kiddy play area 6 collard doves, 2 song thrushes blackbird, 6 goldcrests robin house sparrows great tit wood pigeon 3 starlings feral pigeons
pair of magpies nesting in fir tree next to Methodist church hall (Kelvin st/Hamilton st) Rae
As I'm out & about here all the time thought I'd better share what I see from my doorstep........
11.50am 3 sparrowhawks, Stockport Road/Grosvenor St,- one appeared to have entered the local pair's patch triggering alot of calling, and soaring from the male. Watched for over 5 minutes until the 'stranger' flew off, leaving the pair to circle for a while longer before circling towards the industrial estate/canal near St Peter's primary- been seen hanging around old mill near school (Oxford St). Pigeons didn't know what to do with all the fuss!
Also, reports 2 kestrels nesting again in old shaft on Hill's biscuit factory (old mill building), ryecroft st/smith st. Rae