Across the road from The Barn Owl pub, at least 12 Lapwing flying around, with some on the deck close, a male strutting and nest scraping. 2 Oystercatcher here too, Linnet and Skylark singing.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
A pair of Yellow Wagtails in a field by the bridge was a nice surprise, 2nd species I saw on getting out of the car (the first being Goldfinch).
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Yellow Wagtail perched on overhead telegraph wires near the riding school on our first evening walk for some time. Lots of Swallows around too, many taking insects over the water in the canal. Great to get out even if just for a short time.
Not too far from here at the Swan With Two Nicks, Little Bollington yesterday evening, alarm-calling House Martins gave warning of the arrival of a Hobby, which shot through at high speed. Been waiting to see one here for 20 years!
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
At least 3 Raven, prob a family group, just north of Woolstencroft dairy farm. It's great to have Ravens in lowland Cheshire, fantastic birds. Their diet must be very different to the ones where i live in in north Wales (dead sheep!).
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
One Yellow Wagtail over the Barn Owl pub car park on Mon 9.7., seemed to come out of the crop on the other side of the canal.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Thursday 12th of July 2018 07:00:17 PM
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Barn Owl pub in one and a half hours - one Yellow Wag over north ish, one Tree Sparrow flew past. No Lapwing at all either near or far. 2 skylark. 2 Black Headed Gulls west along the canal and also 3 Collared Doves - is there a spring migration of Collared Doves? Because some big numbers are seen flying out to sea from South Stack each spring. 3 House Martins Agden bridge.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Found my first Swallow of the year on the same telephone wire as in previous years, near the riding school next to the canal. I was quite pleased with this find because of doubt, in certain quarters that I would have been able to do it so late in the day - it was getting on for 6 this evening when I got there
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 3rd of April 2016 10:34:50 PM
Late afternoon walk along the canal towards Agden Bridge from Dunham - in the distance, just before the bridge we noticed what looked like fish jumping out of the water.
We were looking into the sun but as we got closer we realised that the splashing was being caused by 10's of Swallows and a few House Martins diving down, presumably taking insects off the surface of the water. We have seen Swallows doing this before but never with such energy, amazing
Late on yesterday afternoon with Mrs A and her injured foot we were sitting watching the world go by from the bench near the bridge when the Swallows started alarming and a Hobby flew through.
Having spent fruitless hours in the area this summer looking for the species I was very pleased to see this bird.
Then decided to nip to the Barn Owl for a thirst quencher and sitting outside saw two distant Hobbies. Only had my binoculars but fairly sure they were young birds. They were flying around a group of trees were we have seen them in previous years.
Just as we were leaving the pub noticed a group of Grey Partridge in the barley field opposite; two adults and 8 - 10 young
-- Edited by sid ashton on Friday 28th of August 2015 02:35:17 PM
15.00-17.30 Kayak trip along the Bridgewater canal from Dunham Massey to Spud Wood and back again
2 Hobbies seen together over the Barn Owl pub at approx 16.30 this afternoon. Lots of Swallows about. Then 1 Hobby (one of the same or another?) then seen hunting Swallows low over the canal further along towards Dunham at approx 16.50 and 1 seen again (presumably the same bird again) over Little Bollington at approx 17.10
Also a Sparrowhawk causing havoc amongst the Swallows at Little Bollington
Other birds seen: 2 Coal Tit 1 Yellowhammer 2 Buzzard
Walked from the bridge towards the farm, pair of Buzzards best. 3+ Yellow Wags around the Barn Owl pub.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
With John Barber this afternoon saw our first Hobby of the year - cruising around over the fields for a while before heading towards Dunham Massey. Also plenty of Swallows and House Martins about as well as several Swifts and three Red-legged Partridge in one of the ploughed fields near the Barn Owl pub.
It is not possible to sex individual Hobbies Geoff, without comparison to a bird of an opposite sex, without prior knowledge of a known individual or without biometric data
It is not possible to sex individual Hobbies Geoff, without comparison to a bird of an opposite sex, without prior knowledge of a known individual or without biometric data
Come then boy,s is there a trick,it,s not that i,ve seen enough hobby,s(or is it hobbies) but i,m also interested in this pair,I travel through their patch every day and have,nt managed to cop a glancel
Sid, I'm intruigued enough to feel compelled to ask but what criteria are you using to sex the Hobby as a male? I'm aware it's possible if both are seen side by side and that very small differences apparently exist between the two but are all but practically useless for field observations. I just thought I could be missing a trick here
This evening - Male Hobby being chased by Swallows over the canal and a Raven being mobbed by three Crows over the fields back toward Dunham. Smaller birds harrassing larger species.
A lunch time walk along the Bridgewater canal from Dunham towards Lymm. At Agden Bridge within the space of 10 minutes I had a Hobby perched overhead, a family of Linnets in the hedgerow, a male Yellowhammer taking their place and finally a Yellow Wag on the phone wires. I'm not getting up early again if you can get this at lunchtime
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