river tame behind police staion 9-9.20 2 dippers 1 heron around rain water carrbrook 9.30 - 11.30 2 grey wagtail 4 pied wagtail 7 robins 1 nuthatch 3 blue tits 7 great tits 2 goldfinch 4 chaffinch 2 wood pigeon top of besom lane millbrook and surrounding area 11.45 - 1.45 7 house sparrows .3 grey wagtails. 6 Collared doves 7 redwing .3 mistle thrush . 4 each of blue and great tits . 7 long tailed tits. 7 gold finch . 3 robins. 1 dunnock . 6 blackbirds c50 canda goose c30 jackdaw c20 crows in the field around farm also did the boating lake 2.05 till 3 same as yesterday but with heron and 1 common gull
-- Edited by Lee Griffiths on Sunday 31st of October 2010 05:48:25 PM
Top of Yew Tree Lane.......Early Bank Rd.......back over Range Rd.
36 Fieldfares feeding on a Hawthorn top of Y T Lane. Small groups of Goldfinches. Odd Greenfinches.......counted 9 Plenty of L/Tail & Blue tits in the Holly bushes.
Early Bank Rd. Quiet.
c 3 Meadow Pipits. c 9 Blackbirds in a group foraging under the Blackberry bushes.
Range Rd.
7 Goldfinches over. 3 Linnets over. 27 Fieldfares in Rifle Range field........alternating feeding on ground or on the Hawthorns. These were joined by about 20 Starlings on the ground.
Roger
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 28th of October 2010 04:22:49 PM
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
9 Chaffinch ( 2m+7f ). 1 lonely Meadow Pipit. Pair Mallard in first scrape in big quarry. Male Kestrel hovering and soaring for about 20 minutes. 1 Grey Wagtail over 25+ Redwing over........seemed to drop into Longlands. 8 Fieldfare over......never stopped, watched them vanish over Werneth Low. 200+ Jackdaws following a haybaling machine. 28 Magpies ripping up cow-pats together in a corner of field.
Don't really want to start counting Maggies and Carrion Crows in Tameside as I'd soon start racking up snooker scores.
Roger
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Dipper on boulder disturbed by Grey Heron which had been hiding in the side.
Pm
Numbers of Pied Wagtails in Ashton town centre are gradually increasing now, 20+ today, c30 birds yesterday
Pm River Tame in Dukinfield
2 Grey Herons, 1 adult bird and 1 juv, a lady walking past disturbed the juvenile bird which in turn disturbed a Kingfisher, which I certainly wouldn't have see otherwise
38 B Headed Gulls on entrance lawn. 1 singing Blackcap. 3 Stock Doves. Plenty of tits......Great & Blue. I played "Hide & Seek" with 2 or 3 very vocal Nuthatches..........had to concede defeat....Nuthatches won hands down.
Roger.
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
A p;easure to meet you as well Karen....it's nice to put a face to a name.
I saw the pair of Scrotes......don't worry about them.....only juvenile males, not a breeding pair.
At least you walked in the right direction, I walked from swing-bridge to Asda via Portland Basin. Only saw 18 Canadas and 7 Mallard.
There was also another jolly little gathering of our local Young Offenders on the benches at the Basin......they were enjoying themselves by passing round a couple of Jamaican Woodbines. You can't miss the whiff of Skunk-Weed on on a still autumn afternoon. Bless their little cotton-socks.
Roger.
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
A trip from Plantation Farm down the canal towards Hyde this afternoon. A bit quiet really.
1 GS Woodpecker calling, couldn't find it. 2-3 Jay Magpies everywhere Flock of Tits including 13 Long Tailed, 2 Blue and 2 Great 1 Moorhen Unknown warbler calling in Japanese Knotweed, not sure what species and couldn't see it well enough to identify
2 Scroats on off-road scrambler bike churning towpath up
Plenty of migration mainly in the form of Swallows and House Martins going through in their hundreds Also Meadow Pipits 1 juv Chiffchaff with a small flock of Blue Tits near the covered reservoir Scruffy Buzzard being mobbed by Kestrel, Crow and Magpie A large flock of Woodpigeon flew across the fields in a heavy shower and I was unable to ascertain whether there were any other birds with them.
While I was up there the rain never stopped properly.
Kingfisher flying down river good time to see them now Confiding Jay gave excellent views down to a few feet eating leftover pasty! Adult and young Moorhen Bullfinch calling across river 2 Great Tit 3 Mallard
Ashton in search of Black Redstarts. Thank you for the post Karen. Weather terrible...........heavy showers and overcast. Bad light. No sign of Starts.........probably sheltering......more sense than me.
Did 50 slow laps of Caledonia Hotel, Molly Malones and surrounding district.
7 Pied Wagtails 1 Kestrel......was hovering over bus station area then flew across and landed on St Michaels Church.
Highlight of morning was a scalding coffee on Flea Market to thaw me out. Weather bucked up as soon as I got home.
Will have another go as soon as I get chance.
Roger.
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Kingfisher...........first one I have ever seen on this length. Heron. At least 6 singing Blackcaps. Few Goldfinches. Couple of Jays screeching in trees across in Kappa.
Roger
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Jay ripping a paper bag to bits in a dead tree. Singing Blackcaps (4) Greenfinches Goldfinches
River from County Bridge to Park Rd foot-bridge.
Heron Moorhen Kingfisher (facing Amphoria Packaging) shot off downstream towards County Bridge. Jays flying to and fro across river. Think two. Singing Blackcaps. Singing Chiffchaff (not far off touching distance). Tits, Great and L/Tails.
River from Sandy Lane to Tame St. More singing Blackcaps. Another Chiffchaff (doing a bit of flycatching then started singing). Grey Wagtail (female) feeding on weir. Sand Martins. (4)
River running very low and gin-clear.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 23rd of August 2010 02:50:27 PM
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 23rd of August 2010 05:03:22 PM
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Had a slow walk round the coach road. Plenty of tits on the Poplars, back of the bungalows.......unusually the Coal seemed to outnumber the Great & Blue. Plenty of Wrens. 3 Willow Warblers. Counted 5 singing Blackcaps. Bullfinches piping in the Hollies but the foliage was too dense for me to spot. Goldfinches.
All in all.....plenty of bird-life.
Was just going to exit onto Quarry Rise when I noticed two pigeons gritting on the road near the pens (in front of a green container), put my bins on them, turned out to be a pair of Stock Doves. Let me approach quite close before flying into trees at side of car-park. Never seen them round here before and I've been pawming round here for over 50 years. ( You wouldn't believe that bit if you saw me as I only look in my early 40's and am often mistaken for Brad Pitt ).
Was quite pleased with this as Iains sighting on Harrop Edge is only a couple of miles away and could mean a few more pairs in the area.
Roger.
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Walked down to Rising Moon (was going to Godley but turned back.....rain stopped play).
Glimpsed a female Bullfinch in the hollies facing R.Moon.......near the pylon....heard another piping nearby. Plenty of Goldfinch flying overhead. Female Blackbird carrying a worm.
At least 12 Linnets keeping in front of me in hawthorns walking back up Y T Lane. Willow warbler (1) looking for food on the hawthorn bark.
Walked down Early Bank Rd, no sign of life (used to be good). Think this new golf course extension has killed it stone dead.
Climbed Early Bank......couple of Linnets flew out of the gorse.
Top field and down to Range Rd alive with low flying Swallows.
Stopped for a chat with famer at Broadbent Fold Farm (now all riding stables), he told me at least 10 pairs of Swallows had nested in the stables and all had raised 2 broods.
Junction of Range Rd & Y T Lane.....counted 9 greenfinch in the trees above the golf course stile.......they're always here to feed on the rose-hips underneath.
Roger.
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Singing warblers.... Willow, Chiffchaff and Blackcap. Chiffchaff feeding in hanging basket hung on cottage wall.
Not much more sign of life until I reached a big ivy clad oak.......... never seen as many tits on one tree, L/Ts Blue and Great.....all feeding silently on both the Oak and the Ivy.
A few Jays making a racket in trees near river.
Roger.
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Just before heavy shower. 15 - 20 sand martins flying low over Tame St bridge and council yard, always a few round here.
Sun 1 Aug
06-15 hrs. 3 immature gulls (Herring or L/B Back) on S/Bridge Tescos car park. Enjoying last nights throwaway kebabs. Vital vitamin supplement to their diet.
06-30 hrs. Walked H/field canal. Knowl St to Grove Rd and back. A few Greenfinches near foot bridge. Plenty of L/tail tits all along length plus a few Great and Blue. Female Blackbird carrying food. 3 singing Chiffchaff towards Grove Rd end. Female Sparrow Hawk just before power-station. Shot of across canal and river into trees. Walk back.....gone quiet. 2 herons flew over together and dropped down on river. 1 young heron on canal, trying to fish off tow-path, allowed me to approach quite close. 2 singing Blackcaps.....one on canal, the other on Grove Rd. 4 Jays near Kappa entrance feeding under a Beech.
Roger
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Stable Block. 5 Goldfinch and 3 female Chaffinches feeding on ground. Will get better later in year.
Old Quarry. 1 Grey Partridge picking up grit at side of road, soon scuttled of into long grass on verge. Walked into quarry and a pair of Kestrels lofted before I had spotted them. Kept circling then male vanished from view. Female began hovering over fields on Matley side of road,got some great close up views. Lasted about 15 minutes then she took off towards motor-way. When I emerged back onto road male was hovering over grass verge until seen off by 3 Meadow Pipits.
Covered Reservoir. 1 Jay on grass....flew into bush at side....gave good views for a change.
Kennels. 1 Willow Warbler. Charm of Goldfinch (50+) passed overhead, dropped down near Jacksons Farm (might have nosey round there soon).
Counted 9 Meadow Pipits altogether, including the 3 "mobsters". Plenty of Dunnocks at side of road.
3 Linnets landed on heather near Old Quarry on walk back.
Roger B.
__________________
Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
This is my first ever post so please bear with me.
I work in a yard at side of river in Stalybridge so see it's many moods. Have watched the Dippers for last 6 years. Breeding success every year but raising chicks another story.Starts off with 2 or 3 chicks but soon whittled down to one. I always suspected mink (seen regular) but actually witnessed a chick picked up by a heron so wondered if this was the regular culprit ?
Had an odd visitor last Friday night (23rd) around 8-30.......always gulls circling over the piggeries and Bailey St tip, B/heads, Herring and odd Lesser B/backed but this night a Greater Blackback turned up, I saw it coming from piggeries then it circled over yard a couple of times before it vanished over the horizon. Probably only around for about for 5 minutes but would have been a surprise in winter let alone July.
Made up a good day for me as I had nipped up to Binn Green near Greenfield in the morning and seen a small flock of Crossbills (14). Completely unexpected.
Female Grey Wag pottering around river bank, looked like she may have been collecting food. 2 Blackcaps still singing locally (both Dukinfield), will they ever stop?
5 Goldfinch between railway and bypass (family party) (Ashton)
Portland Basin Pr Grey Wagtail feeding young Long Tailed Tit family c12 birds in total Pr Mistle Thrushes Chiffchaff
Just outside Marina area there was another Chiffchaff singing Unfortunately I found a Canada Goose creche (two pairs) with 21 goslings all quite well grown Looks like even more to add to the local population
Plantation Farm and canal
Chiffchaff Willow Warbler (at least two singing) Whitethroat Bullfinch calling Pr Mistle Thrushes
Plenty of other birds in the area also including at least 6 singing Wrens along one short stretch
TTV visit to Stalybridge today, between showers, gave great views of a family of 5 Grey Wagtails on the river in the centre of town. Also had Blackcaps galore, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. Dipper flew up river also.
portland basin area within about a mile radius. yesterday pm
3 chifchaf 10 blackbirds blackcap f 2 mistle thrush blue tits nesting robin pair with 4 newly fledged young c 20 canada geese +7 goslings total 5 gold finch bathing in river 1 dipper possibly 1 pair reed warbler 1 unidetified probable warbler singing what appeared to be something like the theme from the magic roundabout in song structure can't find anything like it.
Tawny Owl even closer to the house last night/this morning making a right noise, still couldn't see it though, and I wasn't going outside at that time. I think some birds must know how much you want to see them! Maybe third time lucky!
Cutting through Asda car park to get into Ashton this morning, I heard a warbler singing low down in the bushes and my initial thought was Blackcap, the bird came up higher in the bush and it was a Garden Warbler singing in open view! A local cracker! The only downside was the litter picker who startled it by coming to have a nosey
I watched a pair of House Martins visit an old nesting site in the centre of Ashton this morning. Quite clearly House Martins have bred previously at this site, but there is only one nest, and this is the first time I have noticed it!
Showy male Blackcap between railway and bypass this morning, there are now 3 Blackcaps singing in a small area Chiffchaff along Coopers Ride (back of Asda) and behind Whitelands Garden Centre 4+ Sand Martins near canal 1 Swift high and distant Sparrowhawk (mobbed by Sand Martins)