Yesterday afternoon, while parked on Taylor Street, I saw and heard a crow calling from the roof of St Joseph's church. Despite the appalling light conditions, rain, height of roof and lack of bins I could see it wasn't typically black. I drove home to collect my bins, but by the time I returned it had gone. I decided to return the next day (today).
After a short wait this morning, the crow appeared on the roof again, with two other carrion crows, but stayed for less than 20 seconds. I had nursed faint hopes of a hoodie but it wasn't to be! But it was a ghostly looking bird being entirely grey - in fact it looked more like a grey currawong than a carrion crow! I've seen many carrion crows partially plumaged with white, grey or brown, but I can't recall seeing one that was completely grey.
I tried again in the area but couldn't relocate the bird. Perhaps tomorrow.
A female Redstart seen in the front garden of a house on Marland Fold just behind Springfield Park this afternoon. I also noticed a nesting family of House Martins on Promenade Street. Great to see.
Birtle 7th March Nuthatches calling from small groups of mature trees just past the Pack Horse, at Moor Bank and at Castle Hill. Quarry Chiffchaff x 1 White Ash Tufted Duck x 3 pairs Mute swan x 2 pairs Chiffchaff x 1 Canada Geese x 6
Birtle. Gristlehurst Lane > Higher Tack Lee > White Ash Whitethroat x5 singing along the route. Willow Warbler c 6 throughout. Blackcap x 1 above White Ash Chiffchaff x 1 at Tack Lee and nr Delph House Farm Swift x 4 over Lapwing x pair and Black Headed Gull x 1 nr Heywoods Farm Canada Goose + 4 juv at White Ash Bullfinch pair at the quarry, plus Jay, Kestrel and Song Thrush Linnets x 2 at the quarry, c6 off Gristlehurst Lane Grey Wagtail x 1 on stream adjacent Elbut Lane House Sparrows evident at buildings throughout.
Wren x 4 Blackbird x 5 Mallard x 6 including 3 chicks Dipper x 1 newly fledged Carrion Crow x 2 Blackcap x 1 Blue Tit x 8 Great Tit x 2 Song Thrush x 1 Grey Heron x 12+ Mute Swan x 2 + 6 chicks Chiffchaff x 1 Moorhen x 2 Jackdaw x 2 Wood Pigeon x 6 Grey Wagtail x 4 Robin x 4 Kingfisher x 1 Black Headed Gull x 5 Jay x 3 Goosander x 2 1m+1f Mistle Thrush x 1 Nuthatch x 1 Dunnock x 1 Canada Goose x 2 Buzzard x 2 mobbed by 2 magpie Willow Warbler x 1 Coot x 2 + 1 chick Swift x 2 Collared Dove x 2
-- Edited by Steve Thomson on Monday 5th of May 2014 01:59:46 PM
Long Tailed Tit x 2 Magpie x 8 Great Tit x 4 Jay x 6 Grey Wagtail x 4 Blue Tit x 10+ Mallard x 2 Mistle Thrush x 1 Wood Pigeon x 4 Song Thrush x 2 Goosander x 3 (f) Dipper x 1 Kingfisher x 2 Carrion Crow x 2 Grey Heron x 1 Kestrel x 1 Blackbird x 3 Blackcap x 1 Canada goose x 2 Moorhen x 1 Coot x 2 Chiffchaff x 1 Mute Swan x 1 Black Headed Gull x 1 Goldfinch x 3 Jackdaw x 2
Walk from St Josephs school to Pilsworth fisheries and back 10 am - 1 pm
Greenfinch x 2 Goldfinch x 4 Blue Tit x 5 Great Tit x 3 Long Tailed Tit x 2 Blackbird x 10 Mistle Thrush x 1 Jay x 4 Carrion Crow + Jackdaw flock of around 200 Magpie x 7 Rook x 50+ Dunnock x 1 Blackcap x 1 Wren x 3 House Sparrow x 4 Swallow x 6 Robin x 4 Starling x 7 Lapwing x 13 chaffinch x 2 Skylark x 2 Pied Wagtail x 2 Linnet flock of around 30 birds Collared Dove x3 Chiffchaff x 1
Blackcap x 2 Goosander x 3 (1f + 2m) Blue Tit x 20+ Great Tit x 10+ Nuthatch x 6 Jackdaw x 2 Mallard x 5 (4m + 1f) Robin x 1 Dunnock x 1 Blackbird x 4 Magpie x 4 Long Tailed Tit x 3 Grey Wagtail x 1 Jay x 1 Wood Pigeon x 2 Swallow x 1
I was at Heywood ELR Station yesterday afternoon, Sat 1st March 2014, about 2.30 pm. I saw what I think were two pairs of buzzards circling overhead in the clear sky. No wind, either. Unmistakable call quite a few times.
Birtle Swallows x 50 counted but many more over the meadows House Martin x 30 Meadow Pipits x 30 overhead going south. Kestrel x 1 Chiffchaff x 1 White Ash Lodge Mute Swan x 10 - all seemed to be adults. Coots c 6 Canada Geese c 25
Queens Park Area Whitethroat x 1 singing Crimble side of Roch. Chiffchaff x 3 - Hooley Bridge & Crimble. Outnumbering the single Willow Warbler. Blackcap x 2. Hooley Bridge & Crimble. Sparrowhawk x 1 - Crimble.
Chadwick Lane area - remnant frost, ground crisp underfoot. Bullfinch x 3 Goldfinch c4 Blackbird c6 Coal Tit x 1 Long Tailed Tit c4 Great Tit c4 Mistle Thrush singing Jackdaw x 6 Wren x 3 - near the stream Snipe x 3 - from the streamside soft ground
Chiloe Wigeon (presumably an escape/release?) with other waterfowl. Not really sure of the sex, possibly a female? .....as it appeared to be trying to attach itself to the male of a pair of Mallards, who didn't really seem all that keen on its attentions!
7 Mistle Thrush, Family party of Chaffinches - including begging, recently fledged young. 2 independent juvenile Treecreepers. Still a few young Grey Herons hanging around the heronry.
Roch Valley Dippers singing on Roch at Hooley Bridge and Cheesden/Roch confluence.
Queens Park Lake Canade Geese x 20 Grey Wagtail x 1 Coot x 5 Moorhen x 4 Mallard x 13 Tufted Duck Male x 1 Female x 4 Ring-Necked Duck - possible juvenile x 1. Sleeker than Tufted and not particularly consorting with them. Definite black cap - no distinctive face markings. Perhaps someone else can have a look. Was also on yesterday with solitary male tufted.