Ok Ian fair enough my apologies

I am still smarting from the state of the place when I went round yesterday

Just read David's report below. If this is true about the short eared owls (which I guess would not be difficult to shoot) this is an outrage. Of course we don't know for sure if it was the SEO's can anyone confirm? And we don't know if it was the airgun brigade but its not exactly credible they both die of natural causes right next to one another. And then there is the recent setting of fire to an SSSI with nationally rare plant life such as the gentian.

I am getting sick of this and I don't know who the local councillor is but this is getting beyond a joke. If you look at the top end towards the airfield theres beer cans and rubbish everywhere. I know Wigan MBC was planning to do something re the vandalism aspect on this site I hope they do because its such a shame its such a nice place.

And I wonder on public land such as this who reads these posts the airgun merchants and illegal hunters of hares with dogs. Its different with places like Pennington flash which are managed. I hate to say this because it defeats the object of the forum but do we need to be careful which certain vulnerable animals to these people? Just a thought not sure what is for the best.

Woke at 5.00 am (I'll have to get those black-out blinds fitted). looked out the window and saw a nice, calm day, with no rain and the sun peeping through. Decided to do a breeding bird survey of the northern half of my patch. This incudes Waterworks Lane (WL), Barrow Lane (BL), Highfield Moss (HM) and Hermitage Green Lane (HGL). A cracking morning, with the key totals being:

Yellow Wagtail 1 male (BL)
Corn Bunting 5 in song 2 (WL) and 3 (BL)
Grey Partridge 12 2 (WL), 8 (HM) and 2 (HGL)
Yellowhammer 21 in song 4 (WL), 6 (BL), 7 (HM) and 4 (HGL)
Tree Sparrow 22 8 (WL), 6 (BL), 8 (HGL)
Willow Warbler 10 in song 1 (WL) and 9 (HM)
Blackcap 2 in song 1 (WL) and 1 (HGL)
Chiffchaff 1 in song 1 (HGL)
Reed Bunting 9 in song 1 (WL), 7 (HM) and 1 (HGL)
Linnet 19
Skylark 28 in song 3 (WL), 9 (BL), 11 (HM) and 5 (HGL)
Lapwing 8 displaying 1 (WL), 2 (BL), 5 (HM) and 1 (HGL)
Willow Tit 1 (HM)
Kestrel 6 1 (WL), 2 (HM) and 3 (HGL)
Song Thrush 5 in song 1 (WL), 2 (HM), 2 (HGL)

An additional 106 other, more common species were also in song. Less happy news came when I bumped into a dog walker who regularly walks around Highfield Moss. She said that she'd seen two dead owls on the railway line, one near each of the crossings, "weeks ago". Just hoping they weren't our Short-eared Owls but didn't have time to investigate. Also a dead Hare on the road near the exit from Barrow Lane, somewhat balanced by one which was alive and literally kicking, off Hrmitage Green Lane.
Cheers David

Nick I am pretty sure now I saw two tree pipits in a hedge on barrow lane last week. I was looking at them for a while not sure and put them down as meadow pipits following your post I think they were TP. Was on the moss for an hour this afternoon more to get out of the house did not see much quite a few willow warblers about.

But what a disgrace those louts have done to the moss hundreds of yards of it and lets not forget this is an SSSI managed by Natural England.

2 Tree Pipit over this morning at 7.45am.

New site tick.

My plan this morning was to be out by 6am but a sudden downpour meant I didn't leave the house until 6.40. The weather started off really quite dull with some very gloomy sky above but over the next two hours it really brightened up. Needless to say, the dawn downpour really dampened the spirits of a lot of birds and the first few I saw looked like really bedraggled specimens. As it brightened though it turned out to be a fairly decent mornings birding.

18 Meadow Pipit
10 Skylark
1 Buzzard - the pale bird again.
13 Yellowhammer
1 Kestrel
1 Fieldfare
17 Willow Warbler - a singing male every few yards.
2 Long Tailed Tit
7 Chaffinch
5 Lapwing
1 Blackcap - (m) only my second ever record here.
5 Mallard
24 Linnet
11 Reed Bunting
1 Wheatear - male
1 Swallow - over heading north.
2 Song Thrush
1 Moorhen
2 Greylag geese - over north. New site tick.
3 Cormorant - over south east.
2 Grey Partridge
1 Grey Heron - over south.

Late report from yesterday evening.

1 Chiffchaff
1 Chaffinch
8 Willow Warbler
2 Kestrel
10 Yellowhammer
4 Linnet
3 Reed Bunting
8 Grey Partridge
4 Meadow Pipit
1 Song Thrush
1 Jay
3 Lapwing
4 Mallard
1 Moorhen
1 Pheasant

An interesting evening on the moss tonight. As I arrived I was greeted by the sight of a Short Eared Owl quartering over the moss. Easily the latest sighting I've had of these birds here. They're usually gone by March. The owl then perched up in one of the silver birches and scrutinised me from a distance.

Elsewhere on the moss I watched a distant vixen trotting across the farmed field from the direction of Winwick Lane and then five minutes later I had close up views of another fox carrying a large rabbit. Surprisingly, on six years of walking on here this is only the second time I've encountered foxes down here.

A steady passage of Herring Gull over tonight too and then just as a short hail shower started I had two Sand Martin go over. My first record of these down here.

Other birds were:
6 Willow Warbler
3 Chaffinch
1 Skylark
12 Yellowhammer
2 Linnet
4 Mallard - males
1 Kestrel - female
6 Wheatear - 4 males
8 Reed Bunting
1 Song Thrush - in full song.
8 Meadow Pipit
1 Pheasant - female
1 Buzzard
2 Grey Partridge


-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Sunday 15th of April 2012 09:07:52 PM

You're probably right Steve. Neanderthals eventually evolved though I don't hold much hope for this lot.

That time of year is upon us once again when the local Neanderthals discover fire and decide to torch the moss. Arrived there this afternoon to find about a fifth of it completely burnt. More worryingly is the fact that the area they've torched was where the Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings were attempting to set up territories. Consequently I didn't see too many of those today.

The moss actually recovers very quickly from this almost annual burning. What doesn't recover are the very few and scattered gorse bushes. They just remain as blackened skeletons of their former selves. Anyway, rant over. Sightings as follows:

1 Mistle Thrush
4 Skylark
3 Kestrel - 2m,1f
7 Linnet
17 Stock Dove - ploughed field
5 Mallard - 4m,1f
1 Corn Bunting
7 Chaffinch
6 Yellowhammer
4 Grey Partridge
1 Greenfinch
4 Willow Warbler
1 Pheasant - m
4 White Wagtail - ploughed field
1 Moorhen
4 Lapwing
2 Reed Bunting
4 Meadow Pipit
1 Buzzard

Plus the usual Blue tits, Blackbirds, Corvids.

After this mornings outing to North Wales without much reward, an outing 'on patch' was called for. This didn't disappoint either with sightings as follows:-

1 Sparrowhawk (f) - made an attempt at a Grey Partridge whilst heading straight towards me.
4 Grey Partridge - 2 pairs.
1 Pied Wagtail
1 White Wagtail
15 Skylark - many of them feeding in the ploughed field.
4 Meadow Pipit
20 Stock Dove - ploughed field.
1 Buzzard
5 Lapwing
c60 Linnet
6 Chaffinch
1 Yellowhammer
2 Long Tailed Tit
2 Kestrel
4 Willow Warbler - new year list tick.
1 Mallard (m)
1 Corn Bunting - feeding with the Skylark. I almost overlooked it. New year list tick.



-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Tuesday 10th of April 2012 08:40:18 PM

Another two outings again today. Crack of dawn and at tea time.

This morning:

8 Yellowhammer
6 Mallard - (5m,1f)
8 Grey Partridge - 4 pairs
18 Linnet
2 Chaffinch
1 Song Thrush
1 Pheasant
7 Reed Bunting
9 Meadow Pipit
5 Skylark
2 Long Tailed Tit
3 Lapwing
1 Pied Wagtail

Tea time:

1 Buzzard
3 Kestrel
2 Oystercatcher
31 Stock Dove - feeding on ploughed field.

Two and half hour stroll this morning covering all parts of the moss. Bit of a non descript sort of morning really. Quite dull with very little wind and next to no bird passage at all except a few Woodpigeon and Crow.

4 Mallard - 3m,1f
1 Kestrel
14 Grey Partridge - 7 pairs.
19 Yellowhammers - 8 pairs.
9 Skylark
7 Lapwing
14 Linnet
15 Meadow Pipit
2 Jay
8 Reed Bunting - 7m.
1 Sparrowhawk - female.
2 Pheasant - a pair.
1 Moorhen - on the pond.
1 Song Thrush.
4 Chaffinch - 2 males plus a pair.
3 Canada Geese - over heading NW.
2 Stock Dove - on ploughed field with c30 Black Headed Gull.
2 Buzzard

Plus the usuals.

Early morning outing 6.15 - 7.30. Quite cool with a lovely mist hanging over the moss.

13 Grey Partridge - six pairs.
6 Mallard (5m,1f)
1 Buzzard
9 Yellowhammer
5 Skylark
2 Oystercatcher - on the flood in adjacent field.
8 Lapwing
1 Kestrel
5 Chaffinch - all males.
1 Jay
12 Meadow Pipit
16 Reed Bunting
1 Goldcrest
12 Fieldfare - over heading south.
1 Song Thrush
1 Chiffchaff - probably a different bird from yesterday as it was in a completely different location.

Plus the usuals.

Very quiet this afternoon in the heat. The only notable birds were a Chiffchaff singing near the old quarry. Surprisingly this is the first ever record I've had of Chiffchaff down here.

Also 4 Kestrel over the moss.

Mid morning stroll in very summer like conditions. Pretty much the same counts of birds as the previous day with the exceptions being.

12 Skylark - singing and chasing eachother around everywhere.
7 Buzzard - enjoying the thermals.
2 Kestrel
Good numbers of dog walkers - my best count this year so far.

A lovely stroll this afternoon in proper t-shirt weather. Usual species seen but strangely no Reed Buntings.

1 Kestrel
5 Skylark
1 Pied Wagtail
3 Greenfinch - surprisingly the first of the year down here.
18 Linnet - small numbers of them migrating across from the stubble field on Heath Lane that currently holds around 120.
3 Meadow Pipit
15 Lapwing
5 Yellowhammer
1 Mallard - male
4 Chaffinch
1 Song Thrush
1 Redwing
c30 Fieldfare
6 Grey Partridge - 3 pairs.
1 Pheasant
1 Willow Tit - the same bird that's been around for a few weeks now.
2 Long Tailed Tit

Plus the usuals.

Early morning outing today from 6.00 to 7.30.

22 Grey Partridge - 11 pairs.
4 Skylark
1 Pied Wagtail
13 Yellowhammer
18 Lapwing
39 Golden Plover - in field to the east.
1 Grey Heron
2 Chaffinch
9 Mallard - (8m,1f)
2 Long Tailed Tit
6 Meadow Pipit
7 Reed Bunting
1 Buzzard
2 Linnet
1 Song Thrush
1 Pheasant

A quick blast round late afternoon.

Juvenile Mute Swan in field near to Highfield farm.
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
2 Reed Bunting
6 Mallard (4m,2f)
5 Yellowhammer
c200 Fieldfare
c200 Starling - mixed in with the Fieldfare feeding in an adjacent field but swooping out over the moss frequently.
1 Song Thrush
1 Skylark
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Chaffinch
24 Golden Plover - in adjacent field to the west.
13 Lapwing
2 Jay
2 Grey Partridge
1 Goldcrest - heard only.

Plus the usuals

Another excursion late afternoon.

1 Kestrel
c130 Fieldfare - a massive gathering on the southern edge of the moss in the trees. They were mixed in with about a hundred Starling and they were making one hell of a racket.
2 Buzzard - One very pale bird that soared over the moss for five minutes. Very pale chest and underwing. Also a hint of a white rump. The carpal patches were fairly small though. Needless to say I gave it some serious scrutiny but I'm happy that it's just a Common Buzzard.
1 Willow Tit
2 Skylark
8 Grey Partridge - four pairs.
5 Yellowhammer
1 Mallard (f)
2 Jay
3 Lapwing
5 Linnet
3 Long Tailed Tit
1 Reed Bunting
3 Chaffinch

DavidBowman wrote:

---

Hi Nick, where abouts was the Stonechat - that'd be a patch tick for me, too

Cheers

David

---

David, PM sent.

Very windy today so not many passerines about but still well worth the trip.

1 Kestrel
2 Teal (m,f) - New patch tick***
15 Lapwing
c70 Starling
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Jay
1 Fieldfare
1 Willow Tit - Same bird again
2 Mallard (m,f)
1 Buzzard
1 Stonechat (m) - Well chuffed as it's the first record I've had of them down here in three years.

-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Wednesday 7th of March 2012 08:31:54 PM

Early morning outing in dull and cold conditions. The moss was alive with birds though.

2 Lesser Black backed gull
c60 Black headed gull
2 Common gull
3 Skylark
2 Canada geese - on the pond then flew off south
9 Reed Bunting
4 Grey Partridge (2,2)
c100 Starling
c40 Fieldfare
2 Goldfinch
3 Song Thrush
11 Yellowhammer
5 Chaffinch
3 Long tailed tit
3 Mistle Thrush
4 Mallard - on the pond
1 Jay
1 Willow tit - probably same bird from last week. Seen in the same tree.
1 Moorhen - on the pond
3 Meadow Pipit
11 Linnet
2 Kestrel
1 Pied Wagtail

Plus the usual Blackbirds, Blue tits, Woodpigeon, Corvids, etc.

Had a long ramble this morning starting at Highfield then across the footpaths to Winwick and taking in Barrow Lane. Fairly quiet bird wise but some great sights and you would think it was April rather than February it had a real spring air and the gorse is now coming into bloom. Massive numbers of Skylarks about and I love that song from the sky and then the sky drop takes me right back to being a kid trying to pick them out in the sky. Groups of 3 to 4 of them were jousting in mid air obviously pairing up for nesting but it was a wonderful sight and I love nature in action beats any sight on TV nature programmes.

Otherwise

4 Grey Partridge
Buzzard including some really close views on Parkside Road.
Reed Bunting
Long tailed tit
3 Yellowhammer.
Linnet
Group of maybe 20 / 30 redwing on oaks at Highfield and another 2 at Winwick.
Lapwings in the fields