Lots of activity this evening with the mild weather.

1 Kestrel
18 Yellowhammer - all singing and calling birds
2 Mallard - on the pond (m,f)
c250 Lapwing - towards the south
4 Lesser Black backed gull
2 Song Thrush
7 Grey Partridge (5,2)
c200 Starling
1 Buzzard
c30 Fieldfare
2 Pheasant
9 Black headed gull

late pm friday 10th
No sign of any short eared owl
an almost white buzzard on the feild to the west of the moss-looks like the one from last year that was in the area to me.
a few redwing
not a lot else.

Quiet this morning. Hardly surprising as it was really cold.

2 Kestrel
c400 Woodpigeon - moving around the area in various large flocks.
1 Chaffinch
1 Skylark
1 Pied Wagtail
c20 Linnet
11 Black headed gull
Several Golden Plover heard to the south but couldn't locate them.
No sign of any owls.

Had a walk round this morning very quiet.

2 Kestrel
3 Buzzard one which came up very close indeed.
2 Snipe came up from the middle of the moss.

Just read the notice Ian put up in mid December about the Wigan council legal notice and potential future management of the Moss. Was discussing with a mate of mine and as kids (back in early 70's) the moss was a lot wetter noticeably so. In fact as young kids it was very disconcerting you stood by the side of it and the whole area moved which I guess was the sphagnum on an underwater lake. There was no way in the world you could go out onto it. Now its really just a damp field and I have noticed defined paths developing across the Moss which if it carries on will eventually revert to a dry field. I dont know why it has changed but something fundamental has happened to the drainage. I am no expert but it looks like something needs to be done to maintain the habitat long term.

2 possibly 3 short eared owls this afternoon,apparently out hunting at 1pm onwardsthen promptly stopped hunting when i arrived at 3.30 and sat in trees watching me from a distance

100+ fieldfare >se

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 28th of January 2012 05:55:02 PM

Hi David

Nice to have your company for the last hour this afternoon in the cold and wet.
The brief Owl sightings made it all worthwhile though and I've dried out now.

Regards Brian

ps- The spelling is correct

138 Golden Plover in first field from A572 at 1040hrs.

Woke up to the prospect of another clear, crisp day. Em and I decided to walk from home, around the Moss and back. Heading down Waterworks Lane the Tree Sparrow flock held about 40 birds and 12 Collared Doves were on the telephone wires.

Cutting down Barrow Lane a lone Golden Plover was in the middle of a flock 73 Lapwings and one Kestrel flew by.

Reaching the Moss at 8.30 am, two Short-eared Owls looked glorious in the sunlight as they quartered the drier areas of the Moss.

Heading back past the set-aside crop a flock of c.70 buntings flew up into the hedgerow permitting a count of 48 Yellowhammers and 22 Reed Buntings to be made. Out on the stubbles 10 Grey Partridges (6 and 4), 36 Skylarks, 40 Linnets, 27 Fieldfare, 30 Starlings and a single Mistle Thrush were all busy feeding. Altogether a cracking morning

Cheers David

Nick Isherwood wrote:

---

3 Short Eared Owls present again this evening. Unfortunately for the several photographers present the birds didn't come out to hunt until 4.00pm and the light had already substantially faded.

It's interesting to note the difference in the three owls in that there is one that's quite a light shade and another that's a fairly dark bird. The other is a smaller bird than the other two. It's also amazing to see how they all suddenly appear at the same time from different places on the moss; something I've noted on a few occasions.

---

Also 56 Golden Plover over west at 2.30,after landing for a few ninuites on the fields to the north of the moss.

Took advantage of the better light this evening to go and try and photograph the Short Eared owl that's been resident for a few weeks now.

The owl didn't disappoint and appeared at around 3.40 quartering over the western side of the moss. At one point it disappeared, only to reappear right behind me and flew straight across in front of me at very close range.

A second bird then appeared and quartered over towards the eastern side of the moss. It then crossed the railway line onto the northern section of the moss and was joined by a third bird. A series of short aerial displays then took place between the two birds. This is an excellent record for here I've only ever recorded two owls here before at the most.

Other birds seen were:

15 Snipe - many of them flushed by the owls.
2 Buzzard
3 Yellowhammer
c25 Fieldfare over heading SW
2 Pheasant
c40 Linnet

-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Thursday 12th of January 2012 06:14:00 PM

-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Thursday 12th of January 2012 08:14:58 PM

Took advantage of the weather brightening up this afternoon and had a good
two and half hour mooch around the moss.

Pretty quiet really but the main highlight was a Short Eared Owl that gave a superb display of hunting skills for the last hour of daylight.

Other birds seen were:

1 Buzzard
8 Grey Partridge
1 Yellowhammer
1 Reed Bunting
2 Pheasant
5 Long tailed tits
4 Blue tit
3 Great tit
6 Snipe
c25 Mixed gulls

Also four geese flew low over the south western side of the moss at around 3.30. They looked too big for Pink feet and also a little long in the neck. They also appeared to have quite dark bellies. I'd like to say they were possible White Fronted geese but I just couldn't see enough detail.

Spent the morning, with Dave Steel, walking from my house in Myddleton Lane, Winwick, to the Moss (via Waterworks Lane and across the fields to Parkside Road and down to Highfield Farm) and back (via Parkside Rd, Hermitage Green Lane and the footpath over to Winwick Church). As this walk crosses four county boundaries, I'll post the records both here and under theCheshire/Winwick thread

It was grey, with a light drizzle as we set off at 8.30 am after a warming cuppa. Never ones to be deterred we set off down Waterworks Lane, where 9 Tree Sparrows and a Song Thrush were ensconced in a hedgerow, 60 Jackdaws and 35 Starlings were on the power lines and 3 Pheasants were running aimlessly around the adjacent field.

After taking the footpath across the fields we were walking down Parkside Rd, by Woodhead Farm, when more Tree Sparrows started calling. We picked up 10 coming out of a roost and working their way along the hedgerow, along with 5 Fieldfare and 2 Mistle Thrushes. Best of all, given their scarcity around here, we soon picked up a small, tight flock of 8 Golden Plover whirling round the field on our left, while a very pale-breasted Common Buzzard was stationary in a turnip field.

We then set off towards the Moss, checking out the stubble fields en route. One Kestrel, 80 Skylarks, 70 Meadow Pipits and 9 Grey Partridge were all seen in flight, while 2 more Tree Sparrows were in the hedgerow. The Moss itself was quiet, with the paths slippery with ice and a thin crust of ice on the marshy areas. A few Yellowhammers passed over as we were walking and 21 lapwing and another 18 Golden Plover skimmed the fields next to Barrow Lane. As usual, the most productive birding was in the hedges leading up to and alongside the set-aside field. While not comparable with the astonishing numbers currently feeding in the similar set-aside on Holcroft Moss (See Cheshire/Culcheth thread) it was still heartening to see 53 Yellowhammers, 24 Reed Buntings and 36 Linnets sitting like un-picked fruit in the hedgerow and then dropping into the seed-rich crop to feed

Heading back towards Parkside Rd we flushed another 10 Grey Partridge (8 and 2). As we walked back up Parkside Rd we saw a single Goldcrest plus one Song Thrush, 6 Blackbirds and a few Fieldfare feeding on windfall apples. As we turned down Hermitage Green Lane 44 Fieldfare and 2 Blackbirds were perched in a bare tree. The footpath from the Lane across the fields to Winwick Church is next to a good area of set-aside and a very rufous male Sparrowhawk was sitting on top of the hedge actively watching the crop and sure enough, a flock of 60 Linnets burst out of cover to mill around while the raptor slid away to try its luck elsewhere.

Near Winwick Church a Nuthatch was calling while Long-tailed Tits and a Coal Tit were moving through the tall trees. Finally, back on Myddleton Lane, 60 Fieldfare and 50 Chaffinches were flushed from my garden by a passing Sparrowhawk. Then, after another excellent morning, it was time for a welcome lunch and another nice cuppa !

Cheers David

Below is a statement from Wigan Council's Senior Ecologist on Highfield Moss. If any one has any queries whatsoever, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me and I will pass them over:

The purpose of the notice put up on Highfield Moss is to allow the Council to go through the legal process under the Commons Act 1899 so that the SSSI can be managed appropriately, as Highfield Moss has no registered landowner. The wording of the notice was legally fixed and there is absolutely no intention to do any works that would be inappropriate or that would damage the wildlife value of the SSSI.

Natural England who are the government body responsible for designating the site as a Site of Special Scientific Interest have identified that the lack of any management of the SSSI is causing the gradual decline of the habitats that the site was designated for. As a result of this decline Natural England contacted the Council and Lancashire Wildlife Trust and the only option available was for the Council to go through this legal process to take on responsibility for management of the site. The Council agreed to do this if an agreement could be put in place with the Wildlife Trust for them to implement the required conservation management.

Any work on the site by anybody, whether it is the Council or anyone with Rights of Common would have to be approved by Natural England due to the designation as a SSSI. Therefore a management plan for the site will be agreed with Natural England to ensure that all the works are appropriate and protect and enhance the wildlife of Highfield Moss.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust have also attended the local residents meeting to explain what is proposed and will attend future meetings to provide updates.

Thanks Ian. I've got a photo of the notice if its any use to you?

Cheers David

Spent this afternoon on the Moss in clear, cold weather and had some great birding. Walked on from Highfield Farm, flushing three covveys of Grey Partridge en route, totalling 24 birds (5,6 and 13). Near the set-aside area I counted 47 Yellowhammers gathering in the nearby hedgerow, presumably a pre-roost gathering, with half-a-dozen Fieldfare and 6 Mistle Thrushes close by. Waited till nearly dark to see if the Short-eared Owls were still around, without any luck this time. While I was waiting, A Buzzard flew low over the Moss, flushing 11 Common Snipe, while 16 Linnets flew over, c.235 Fieldfare flew to roost in the nearby wood and a Willow Tit was calling nearby.

With regard to the Planning application for the Moss, it's inevitable that the mention of levelling/draining is raising concerns. SSSI status should provide adequate protection but often doesn't (as someone involved in managing a SSSI, its a subject close to my heart!). As the deadline is getting perilously close, those with a care for the place need to get more information, sooner rather than later, particularly with Christmas intervening. I've put off contacting the planning Department in the hope that things would become clearer. I'd be happy to do so now but wondered how close Ian was to being able to give an up-date?

Cheers David

Don't worry Peter, I have fairly recently discussed the matter with the Ecologist involved in the proposal and am waiting to be provided with details I can publish for all to read. Typically and wholly understandably, we tend to have a knee jerk reaction of pessimism to these kind of proposals, which has itself often turned out to be a productive thing too. In this case though, Wigan's intervention seems entirely necessary and justified for many reasons we just wouldn't appreciate.

More to come imminently

I was on the moss late afternoon not much about except I saw a buzzard with a freshly killed wood pigeon it looked like the buzzard had caught it rather than carrion.

However there were notices up Wigan council are to improve the moss something about draining / levelling / and bylaws to prevent nuisance.

The moss is an SSI so I presume they cannot do anything to harm the habitat. However its a wild area not many around these days and my worry is they will theme park it. We are losing so many genuinely wild places and I really hope the character is not lost and another wild place will be lost. I have tried to view the view the planning application on Wigan BC website but I have been unable to trace it. The references are GN2323 and GN 2531. Does anyone know what is happening here? The deadline for response to the planning application is mid January 2012.

Had an hour on the moss this morning the falconer lads were just moving off as I came on. Not much about but I find its often like that here sometimes good sometimes very quiet. A few partridges and the odd Buzzard. Then I got near the hedge by the field and something was chirping in the hedge looked and there were quite a few brown birds like thrushes. Viewed the hedge tightly and they sat looking at me. Back home I checked guide and they looked very much like meadow pipits in fact I am very sure they were. However meadow pipits dont flock together and sit closely together hedges so for me they were out of context hence my confusion as to what they were no jizz. I guess what it looks like is the falconers flew the hawk or falcon and the meadow pipits legged it from the moss and took refuge in the hedge? They did not look to have plans to leave the hedge anytime soon from what I could see.

Another dusk visit this evening on the hunt for Short Eared Owls. Unfortunately the rain cut short my visit and I had to make a hasty departure. Birds seen were:

1 Woodcock
2 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
2 Fieldfare
Also a fox walking ahead of me on the path. I had to hold my dog back to stop it going for a sniff. The fox seemed to be totally unaware of our presence despite only being 20 yards away.

Nice to bump into fellow Wigan birders Ian Woosey and Jimmy Meadows down there too also on the owl hunt.

27/11/11

12 Grey Partridges flying over the moss from adjacent fields (in Cheshire), and a Buzzard being mobbed by Crows at Highfield Farm were the only highlights this afternoon. Also, a few Meadow Pipits over, and a distant flock of Lapwings over Winwick Lane..

No sign of any owls (none yesterday either). There are currently 4 Short-eared Owls in Wigan, and I cannot even drop on one....!

Two Short Eared Owl on the moss again this evening.

Viewed by myself and Robert Pugh. Nice to meet you Robert, hopefully see you down there again sometime.

My recent evening forays onto the moss finally paid off tonight with two Short Eared Owls quartering over the moss. The birds were very obliging at times as they flew to within 30 yards of my position and they also managed to flush good numbers of Snipe too. At one point the sound of Snipe were all around me at very close range but due to the light I was unable to make out how many birds there were. I watched the owls for about 15 minutes until the light faded and they were lost to view.

A nice walk this morning from 7.00 till 9.00 in very nice conditions.

Woodcock flushed from ditch next to the path.
1 Peregrine
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Pheasant
16 Grey Partridge (10,6)
c200 Pink Feet heading west
c60 Linnet
34 Skylark passing through in small flocks.
c30 Redwing
c20 Fieldfare
c25 Chaffinch
3 Reed Bunting
5 Yellowhammer
4 Meadow Pipit
2 Mistle Thrush
2 Jay
2 Greenfinch
2 Mallard on the pond.