26th November 2011

PM cloudy and very very wet

Lords Wood Pond

9 Mallard
2 Moorhen
1 Grey Heron perched very high up in a tree
1 Magpie

Fields between Lords Wood, the College and Glade Wood.

300+ Flock of Mixed Carrion, Rooks, Jackdaw and Crow constantly going up in the air as if they were being disturbed. Very noisy

Regards

Dave

2nd November 2011

PM Dull with a slight breeze

Pond at side of football pitches

10+ Mallard

Lords Wood

1 Wood Pigeon
1 Carrion Crow
1 Magpie

Lords Wood Pond

13 Mallard
3 Moorhen

Fields between Lords Wood, the College and Glade Wood.

100+ Starling flying about
300+ Flock of Mixed Carrion, Rooks, Jackdaw and Crow. (A couple of other groups 100+ each flew in and joined them during the thirty mins I spent watching. Just as it was going dark)

Regards

Dave

17th October 2011

PM Dull and windy with a few spatters of rain.

Lords Wood Pond

37 Mallard
Large flock (30+) of Wood Pigeon in the canopy.

Fields between Lords Wood and College

Large flock of mixed carrion (500+) maily Jackdaw and Crow but also a lot of Rook (At least 20).

Dave

2nd April.

1.00 - 2.20 pm.

1 Nuthatch singing, 1 Goldcrest singing, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Long-tailed Tits.

Had a fascinating 10 minutes or so watching 2 Coal Tits fighting - the first time I have seen this. Both seemed intent in singing from the same perch and interspersed their songs with short flurries of fighting. I went away for 20 minutes and came back and they were still at it! It is possible there was a third bird present...the reason for their antics. I also watched one of the Coal Tits perform a very rapid wing flicking display - not dissimilar to that of a Dunnock - again the first time I have seen this species do that.

A few Meadow Pipits on the surrounding rough grassland, 14 Woodpigeon and 19 Jackdaw and an Oystercatcher flew over.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 2nd of April 2010 04:25:55 PM

21st November.

Early afternoon - slightly smaller flock of Jackdaws of fields at 1.30 pm today - say c250 - with c40 Rooks and c60 Starlings. These fields must be especially rich in invertebrates as there are usually well patronised by several species of birds.....with some large flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare here, usually in the later winter period.

1 Nuthatch in Lords Wood.

Cheers,

Bill.

Steve Collins wrote:

---

Saw a Green Woodpecker today for first time in there having been going in there for a few years. I Know Bill Myerscough heard one several times early last year but not sure if he saw it. We get them breeding around Rochdale but would be nice to get breeding in Hopwood. Just need a lesser spot now!
Steve

---

Hi Steve,

As you say this species was present in the vicinity of Hopwood/Lords Wood for the winter of 07/08 and I understand lingered into the early part of the '08 breeding season in that area - although quite what happened then I am not absolutely sure.

Interestingly, also in the Rochdale area - at Piethorne - a single bird that arrived in the valley in early Sept '08 has "overwintered" there - despite the very harsh winter weather. This is unusual for Piethorne and I had terrific views of it conspicuously "yaffling" its heart out from the top of one of the large trees in the valley on 21st Jan '09 - presumably looking to try and attract a mate? Not certain whether it was male or female - as I understand that both sexes "yaffle".

Cheers,

Bill.