5 Ring Ouzel in sheep field among rushes, on east side of Red Brook just downstream of white flag pole
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling 1 Green Woodpecker 2 Whitethroat 2 Stonechat 1 Buzzard
-- Edited by dave broome on Saturday 24th of April 2021 11:07:51 AM
Amazing sight of 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker together with much commotion- presumably a territorial dispute between 2 pairs. Also Green Woodpecker calling in 2 different places, but possibly the same bird.
3 Stock Dove including 2 singing birds in new locations.
Another flock of Black-headed Gull heading north, this time about 70 birds.
2 Raven.
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, rather loudly I thought. On closer inspection I found the bird on a timber power pole but, rather than drumming on the timber, it craned its neck off to one side and drummed on a plastic junction box! The sound was quite unusual!
My first record of the year of Skylark on the highest ground. 2 birds were singing while the third was hunkered down in the wind.
Highlights from a morning circuit largely before the rain:
Kingfisher and Grey Heron in Redisher Wood.
What I thought initially to be a Merlin and a Crow turned out the be a Peregrine and a Raven! Watched them for a good while in prolonged aerial combat covering a wide area over the end of the moor and Redisher Wood. Great show!
Some interesting thrush movement this morning. Initially 30 Fieldfare flew NE over the southern end of the moor ( my first autumn record), then a second larger flock was located in a Hawthorn in the middle of Red Brook valley. There was a lot of coming and going, but at least 60 Fieldfare with 5+ Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush.
Jackdaw and Woodpigeons also appeared to be moving south with flocks of 40 and 30/40 respectively.
Also 1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Stonechat and 2 Skylark.
A report on a grapevine group I'm on has a picture from a non-birder of a Red-breasted Goose near Holcombe Tennis Club, which I assume is the one off Hazel Hall Lane. Does anyone local know of an escaped bird that is frequenting the area?
Another interesting morning on the east side of the moor. Spent a couple of hours there after the school run and, although there was nothing scarce, there was plenty of evidence of southward movement.
65+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail.
2 Skylark.
8 Swallow.
18 Mistle and 3 Song Thrush.
At least 8 Goldcrest, 2 Willow Warbler and 2 Chiffchaff.
I was going to report a quiet morning circuit, but found a lot more activity on the sunny south/ east side of the moor than on the west. Probable migrants:
c20 Meadow Pipit, 1 Skylark, 40+ House Martin, 20+ Swallow, 40+ Goldfinch, 1 Wheatear, 1 Stonechat and (surprisingly) my first site record of Whinchat. The Hirundines did me a favour when their alarm calls drew my attention to a passing Hobby, and then a Sparrowhawk that put on a good display.
Probable migrants in the form of c30 Swallow, c30 House Martin, flocks of 15 and 4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Skylark, c20 Meadow Pipit, 7 Pied Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Linnet, 2 Chaffinch, and 1 Reed Bunting. Still 2 family parties of Stonechat with 8 birds present.
Highlights from a morning circuit through Redisher Wood and along Moorbottom Road:
1 Stock Dove.
At least 4 Kestrel and 2 Raven.
1 Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Big mixed flock at the top of Redisher Wood that included the 4 common tits, Nuthatch, Goldcrest and Willow Warbler, but I didnt identify at least half of the birds!
Presumed migrants in the form of c20 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 10+ Meadow Pipit and 3 Wheatear.
Best from a generally quiet shorter morning circuit:
3 Sparrowhawk in the air together playing on the updraught at the top of Redisher Wood. They then moved up to the end of the Moor where a Kestrel made the mistake of flying by the group. A period of aerial combat ensued before the Kestrel moved off north.
Plenty of interest during a longer morning circuit:
1 or 2 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk sat on an open sunny branch in an unusual pose. It had its tail fanned and wings partly spread, presumably to dry off? 1 Little Owl.
1 Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
1 Stock Dove and 3 Mistle Thrush, including one carrying food.
3 Wheatear, but no Stonechat.
Some visible migration on the east side of the moor, with the undoubted highlight 5 Crossbill that flew south at eye level. Also 2 Swift, c30 House Martin and a few Swallow. Small fall of what seemed to be entirely Willow Warbler, with maybe 10 birds present.
Another great year for Kestrels in the valley with at least 8 juveniles in the air above Moorbottom Rd this afternoon . A Sparrowhawk was also amongst them briefly, as was a Hobby which flew directly up Red Brook .