Early evening visit here tonight after calling for new work boots round the corner.
Still lots of vehicles on the plot and as a result after a good scan round, I could find no birds whatsoever on the ground but heard a Whitethroat and a Dunnock in the shrubbery surrounding the plot.
I asked somebody who was in their car on the site if they had any info on what's happening here. Manchester city council have granted parking permission for staff that are working on a new project at Sharp on Oldham Road, possibly until July. A real shame for this site!
It is with regret to write this post but I was passing this site in the wagon approx 30 minutes ago so I stopped for a quick look and it seems that it could be under development of some kind or being used as an overflow car park for the GMP complex. There was a minimum of 29 cars parked up on the land (I've never seen a single vehicle on here before) and some of them right in the same area where a lot of the sightings below were. This site is of particular interest to various Plover species, and it would be a travesty if any have had nests or eggs etc destroyed either accidentally or otherwise. No sign on the gates to say who the company is that are managing or letting the land so I'm unable to give any more info.
A tacho break would you believe whilst delivering near Oldham Road. A Plover trio... Lapwing 4 Ringed Plover 2 Little Ringed Plover 2 A handful of House Sparrow
Late post for yesterday approx 1pm. Managed a lunch break here whilst on route to Oldham from City Centre.
Fairly active, of note... 6 Ringed Plover chasing each other about so presuming they were pairing up 2 Lapwing 1 Oystercatcher 4 Pied Wagtails Small number of Swifts through, maybe 8, quick screaming and feeding session and off they went House Martin approx 10-15 Sand Martin 5-10 (Both hard to count as constantly moving, although House Martin singles landed on poolside for split seconds Goldfinch flock 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (1 adult in clean perfect condition, the other was a younger bird but probably not that far off adult, plumage still had a bit of juv look)...thanks Ian
What a difference 2 weeks makes, called whilst on same delivery route about a fortnight ago about the same time but not a single bird here to report
I can't tell you how pleased I am (I am going tomorrow evening myself to see what's around) but I envisaged that this urban site would pull in the waders - looking forward to seeing what may appear soon!
In recent winters there have been good counts of Golden Plover (both by Bill Myerscough I think) from the site of the old Monsall Hospital and Grimshaw Lane, just north of City's ground. Don't know this area at all well but they are in the same general area.
Haven't seen any goldies on Ashton Moss for a couple of years either
-- Edited by Steve Suttill on Friday 22nd of November 2013 05:31:20 PM
Put my sightings for this locations in Bits and Bobs last week, have been watching this place for over a year, thought I was the only one, I often park quite close to the gate, and use the van as a hide, the golden plover often roost on the factory roof, close to Oldham road.
I arrived at the site just after 11am and there was no sign of any Golden Plovers. I counted the Gulls and was about to leave when the 16 Golden Plovers arrived around 1115.
Gull numbers at that time as follows:
Black-headed Gull 150+ Common Gull 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
50 each of Lapwings and Black Headed Gulls 2 Golden Plovers Everything went up after a gull circled calling, a Lesser Black Back, and so everything was literally 'up in the air' as I was walking away. Plus a starling was bathing.
What I'm sure had to be 1 Golden Plover in with the Lapwings (25) - bird disappeared into the rubble after a brief look (had its back to me) 4 Lesser Blackbacked Gulls Multiple Pied Wagtails Quite a few Starlings
A patch concerning ex-building land on the in between Thorpe Road, (Moston/Newton Heath borders) and the roundabout, near police HQ- pools have formed and attracted some interesting species. It will be a site of promise and I trust it warrants its own thread! Sightings today:
Lapwings - 25 Pied Wagtails - 2 Starlings - 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1, flew off when everything went up briefly. Blackheaded Gulls - 20
Shall be checking regularly through the winter and beyond.
-- Edited by John Doherty on Thursday 20th of September 2012 05:09:56 PM
