Wood Warbler showed well from the steps below Binn Green car park, constantly in song. Almost 3 years to the day I saw my last one here. Cuckoo also heard calling.
Wood warbler showing well and calling constantly at 10.30 today just below Binn Green car park quite close to the steps at times. Wish I had taken my camera
Wood warbler still singing at Binn Green at half three yesterday afternoon. Very tricky to see, I got the best (but brief) view of it looking into the canopy from the road on the way back to Greenfield. Also a cuckoo calling from the plantation on the other side of the reservoir from the Binn Green viewpoint. The ring ousel singing from somewhere North of the car park had me frankly stumped, not least because I'd never heard the song before and didn't know what I was looking for. There was a full songscape along Holmfirth Road, mostly blackbirds, song thrushes and robins with chaffinches, chiffchaffs, willow warblers and blackcaps; also red-legged partridges feeding with the sheep.
The Clarence to Binn Green on round to Pots and Pans then return to Binn Green. Up to Upper Wood House (end of pavement on the A365 to Holmfirth) and back to Greenfield. 10.15 - 16.00
32 species inc Curlew 3 - 2 in display together and a third bird heard but not seen above Greenfield Res. Kestrel pair hunting Alderman's Hill Raven - at least 3 Common Buzzard - 1 possibly 2 individuals Mistle Thrush -several Wheatear 1 M Ring Ouzel 2 minimum - a bird was heard calling and singing but couldn't be located, then two birds flew in high on to the hillside, one of them a nice male. Crossbill 1 heard in the trees flanking Yeoman Hey Res. Redpoll, Siskin and Coal Tit on feeders at Binn Green Oystercatcher 1 heard over the trees at Binn Green - pairs often seen on the lodges lower down Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Nuthatch all calling/singing in the woods along Chew Brook.
Crossbill 13-20 in Larch at Binn Green this morning. Initially a flock of 7 which flew towards Yeoman Hey, later 13 arrived. Just the one adult female picked out amongst the juveniles.
Dove Stone Car Park to Chew Res and return pre-rain
Red Grouse (at least a dozen increasing concentration nearer the top) Ring Ouzel x 1 (fem) Hoards of Meadow Pipits Stonechat x 2 m Raven (single flew up the valley) Dipper x 1 Teal (on the small lake part way up) 3m 2f Willow Warbler Wren Mistle Thrush Pheasant Pied Wagtail
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4 ring ouzels, 3 male 1 female on the rocky slopes above binn green car park this morning.
Also 8 buzzards & 1 Raven in the air together making a lot of commotion between each other. 4 wheatear 3 red legged partridge Lots of meadow pipits & pied wagtails.
Wood Warbler still singing this morning at Binn Green.
Some top birds around the place too, everything showed well today, Ring Ouzel and Stonechat in particular. The oddest thing was an immature Marsh Harrier that banked up over the ridge overlooking Chew Brook, and after being mobbed by a Buzzard flew off towards Mossley. Brilliant views of Spotted Flycatcher in the plantation blocks above the terraced cottages before you get to Intake Lane.
Early trip to Binn Green (06:15 - 7:45)and was surprised to see that we were the first in the carpark. Lovely misty morning giving great views over the area as we walked up past Greenfield and Yeoman Hey Reservoirs.
Binn Green - m Wood Warbler giving fantastic views - I've seen lots when I was working in Sweden, but its my first in the UK and GM - several Siskins heard callling - c2 Treecreeper calling - 1 seen plus supporting chorus of Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler
Greenfield Reservoir - pr Common Sandpiper - several Curlew heard but not seen - Mistle Thrush
Male wood warbler still just south of Binn Green car park. Also 1 siskin in same area, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Dipper and 2 Curlew displaying on moors NE of Binn Green
Wood Warbler still showing well at midday. Male and female Redstart in the charred woodland SE of Dovestone Reservoir. Spotted Flycatcher on the fence in the same area. 3x Common Sandpiper around Dovestone Reservoir. Grey Wagtail and Dipper along Chew Brook.
A wander round the quieter parts today. C 9 Ring Ousel (8M 1f) around the usual area today, but more dispersed than the 14 reported by a friend on Tuesday. Several were in patches of uneven ground so it was difficult to follow individual birds as they fed Wheatear 2 1M 1F but well apart Common Buzzard 1 Mistle Thrush 15 minimum mainly in fields just above Greenfield. Several very pale looking Curlew 2 flying together down the valley from Greenfield Reservoir direction then circled over Indian Head spiralled up and away west. Raven 2 a pair enjoying the thermals. Kestrel 1 Long-tailed Tit 2 collecting sheep's wool from bushes along Bradbury Lane. Red Grouse 1 sat on a wall a few yards off Oldham Way. Not sure who was more surprised him (you could clearly see his wattles ) or me! Chiffchaff 2 S- at either end of the private road beside Chew Brook. In contrast Willow Warbler - everywhere 1 seen all singing. Black-headed Gull 3 on Dove Stone Reservoir Golden Plover 1 heard over, towards Uppermill Oystercatcher 1 flew west over the fisherman's pool and old Tanner Bros Mill calling Grey Heron 1 in Chew Brook by Tanner Bros Mill. Pied Wagtail 2 together on Dove Stone dam
Uncounted Pheasant - usual motley collection including the black cohort and a single white bird Meadow Pipit inc display flight Carrion Crow Jackdaw Blackbird Magpie Blue Tit Great Tit Nuthatch Robin Goldfinch Chaffinch Mallard
One thing I noticed was how quiet it was in the mature woodland south of the sailing club compared with the rest of the area. There has obviously been a lot of disturbance (wide paths everywhere) but I didn't hear or see a single bird as I came through, in sharp contrast to elsewhere.
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 16th of April 2021 12:29:59 AM
First visit in months and pleased to say that we avaoided the crowd.
Binn Green Feeders: Just the usual Pheasants, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Tit species
Walk up past Yeoman Hay and Greenfield Reservoirs - c12 singing Chaffinch - 3 singing Coal Tit - 2 singing Goldcrest - 1 Song Thrush - 2 singing Blackbird - 1 Mistle Thrush - 2 Dipper - 1 by Greenfield Reservoir and a second higher up along Greenfield Brook plus usual supporting cast of Woodpigeons and Pheasants etc
Chew Reservoir is in Oldham, GM, You should enjoy it up there .... be like mid-winter but with midges ... so don't forget your wooly hat, gloves and insect repellant !!
Roger.
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
It needs to come South Pete ... and slightly East.
To get a better idea go on Google Earth maps and put in SK13 1HP (Arnfield Moor) then zoom in and out of the triangle formed by Woodhead / Crowden - Greenfield - Mottram-in-Longdendale ...... when you zoom in the county border between GM and Derbyshire is Ogden Brook ... so where it would cross that is anybodys guess ?
Or best place to view from ???? ...... you pays your money and takes your chance.
By the way the big dark patch above Stalybridge and Mossley is where our beloved moor was burned out .... still pees me off just looking at it.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 10th of August 2020 05:13:23 PM
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Bearded vulture reported has North of a628 this afternoon, must be close to the gm border now
Actually the A628 is the same general area the bird has been in for the last couple of weeks, looking at the map on Birdguides it's been much closer to the county border than that, unfortunately,still a chance it'll drift a bit further north ,fingers crossed.
Viewing from east of Chew Reservoir a Red Kite went NW (arriving from over the Crowden area) around 11:40, circling and drifting over the Laddow Moss-Blindstones Moss area, then continued roughly towards Dovestones Reservoir
That same Red Kite was also seen from Alex Lees garden in Padfield, along with Marsh Harrier and Bearded Vulture
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Viewing from east of Chew Reservoir a Red Kite went NW (arriving from over the Crowden area) around 11:40, circling and drifting over the Laddow Moss-Blindstones Moss area, then continued roughly towards Dovestones Reservoir
The last couple of nights the Bearded Vulture has roosted within the Dove Stone reserve boundary (though back across the valley tonight). Seen flying over Laddow Rocks at times so very close to a Greater Manchester tick!