amberswood is your best bet in hindley. there has been a cuckoo there every year for the last few years. assuming its the same bird. but its always in the same area. and there are some nice wooded areas.
i normally park up in that pub car park on liverpool road and its only a short distance to the lake from there.
yesterday me and my birding friend went to the hills at the end of maple avenue were i live, there was some birds that i didnt expect to see. . willow warbler . blackcap . crow . jackdaw and a rather strange visitor to the area, a couple of sandmartins and a dunnock. there is also mallards swallows and the usual chaffinches and great and blue tits. i didnt think it would be good for birding up there,perhaps i was mistaken.