Went shopping for Mum early morning and on returning filled up the feeders in back garden (Dane Bank).
Within a minute we had...
- c40 Starling - c10 House Sparrow - 1 Blue Tit - 1 Robin - 1 fem Blackbird - Dunnock pair - Jackdaw pair - 1 Woodpigeon - 1 Collared Dove - 1 Magpie - Few Goldfinches in back bush singing but they didnt come closer due to all the activity
An unexpected sighting Saturday teatime, I was stood in the drive and a single Curlew flew right over the house in Dane Bank. It was flying SW in a direct line from Audy Res.
Doing a bit of work in the garden this morning (Dane Bank) when a Grey Wagtail flew over the garden and the house calling away. Cant remember that happening here before.
Took Mum for her regular Diab type-2 blood tests / check up late morning. A noisy party of 9 (min) Long-tailed Tits with 1 Blue Tit and a Robin, in the trees opposite Millgate Medical practice.
My brother had a male Tawny Owl calling somewhere near his Dane Bank garden over the weekend.
Ive not heard one myself in Dane Bank for many years, we used to listen to a pair and see the male when he used to call from the roof of the large Tudor house just beyond the back garden.
Stood at the lounge back window with Lucas watching the feeders and a single drake Goldeneye has just flown right over the garden and over Manchester Rd towards Audy Res.
Shortly after the sightings below... - 1 Great Tit on feeders - 1 Dunnock - 2 Robins still - 2 Blue Tits still
...and the 3 male Blackbirds were still present and their squabbling was getting even more heated developing into proper scraps, chasing each other around up near the greenhouse at the top of the garden. By this time a female Blackbird had turned up, taking in all the action!
A flurry of activity in our Dane Bank garden on and around the feeders just before lunchtime.
Following birds all present virtually at the same time. - 9 Long-tailed Tits in a single group - 2 Robins - 2 Blue Tits (1 driving off the L-t Tits) - 2 Collared Doves - 1 Woodpigeon - 10+ Starling - 3m Blackbirds squabbling
Shortly after... - 2 Carrion Crow (visiting regularly daily) - 1 Ring-necked Parakeet (heard only) flying over Pair of Jackdaws visiting daily too but no sign today
Almost forgot a group of around 7 Parakeets calling as they flew SW over the garden yesterday morning, by the time I?d got to the back door they were distant so just couldn?t make out how many.
- 1 Ring-necked Parakeet flying S over Hulme Rd, Dane Bank Wednesday morning - 2 Ring-necked Parakeets flying W over Hulme Rd, Dane Bank Saturday morning - 5 Redwings flying NE over Hulme Rd Saturday morning
Just been watching a Swift sp flying and gliding around near the house in Dane Bank and has flown NW towards Denton roundabout and possibly Audenshaw Reservoirs (3.45pm).
From what I observed with size and flight, there was nothing to suggest anything other than that of a Common Swift.
Plenty of Redwings seen throughout the day today (Saturday).
- Few heard over Dane Bank whilst still dark around 6am - 21 over Morrisons Denton around 8.30am. - 25+ over Dane Bank whilst dropping shopping off at Mums 9.30am
Dane Bank. In the back garden with Lucas mid afternoon.
Bird call all around and then another Tit flock moving through, couldve been the one Id seen a little earlier, only 2 streets away, it was very similar but slightly different.
- c10 Long-tailed Tits - 4 Blue Tits - 1 Great Tit - 2 Goldcrests - 1 Robin seemingly with them - No Treecreeper or Coal Tit
A walk with Lucas this afternoon on the mini field and woody scrub area just off Kensington Grove, Dane Bank, incidentally where many of us used to play as kids.
- 5 Redwings flew close passed us into a berry laden Hawthorn tree - another 42 Redwings over, 3 flocks (21,12 and 9)
...and a roving Tit flock consisting of... - at least 8 Long-tailed Tits - 3 Blue Tit - 1 Great Tit - 1 Coal Tit (calling in immediate area but not seen) - 1 Goldcrest (calling and then seen briefly) - 1 Treecreeper tagging along
A number of Redwings heard last night flying over the house (Dane Bank) during a 10 minute period as I sat in the car chilling out. Well over 30 calls heard, probably more birds.
- Ring-necked Parakeet over Dane Bank garden this morning, towards Hyde Rd / Denton Golf club and possibly same bird has flown back over the garden towards M60 / Windmill Lane direction.
- Blackcap singing distantly beyond the garden last few days, surely non-territorial now as the young will have fledged so not entirely sure as to why. Bond reassurance with the female, practice...?
- Blackcap singing just beyond the garden boundary early morning and early afternoon - Grey Heron heard calling at dusk yesterday whilst I was watching the Bats at the front then seconds later it came flying low over the house towards Audy Res.
Late evening on Anson Road, Dane Bank. I counted no fewer than 64 Common Swifts flying around along the full length of the road. I thought I was seeing things so I did it again and counted 76 with more birds on neighbouring roads. Surely mustve been some non-local birds possibly from Audy Res as I never see that many in one go here!
Obviously flight speed and the possibility of duplication was on my mind, hence the reason why I did it again. There was at least 2 groups screaming round with around 10 birds in each group.
Late evening on Anson Road, Dane Bank. I counted no fewer than 64 Common Swifts flying around along the full length of the road. I thought I was seeing things so I did it again and counted 76 with more birds on neighbouring roads. Surely mustve been some non-local birds possibly from Audy Res as I never see that many in one go here!
Blackcap singing in Silver Birch tree outside the house in Dane Bank yesterday around 5.30am then again this morning approx 6am. Was heard singing yesterday lunchtime in nextdoors garden again.
Circling high over the garden this lunchtime, it was getting further away, then circled over Denton roundabout but was lost to view when it put the rockets on heading towards Sainsburys.
A Blackcap and a Chiffchaff singing in the bushes actually on Denton roundabout as I was at the traffic lights waiting to turn on to the M60 mid-morning.
On way home from work I clocked a single Ring-necked Parakeet in a small tree on Thornley Lane near Granada Park, Dane Bank. Then it flew right along the edge of the park and over the houses out of view.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 5th of April 2020 09:11:09 AM
Good Friday. A flurry of activity in and around the garden today.
- Blue Tit pair in and out of the birdbox all day (and for the last few days) with seemingly nothing in their bills for the most part, but then what looked like small pieces of moss so I can only assume they are putting the finishing touches to the nest. - Blackbird pair constantly on the bird table and flying off towards the back of the garden so a possible 1st brood on the go. - Dunnock pair also very active
What I was surprised at was a singing Blackcap, a first for around here for years, couldnt locate it though! We had a male and female visiting the Baux bush under the bird table for a few days back in the 80s, I remember my Dad took a photo and we sent it off to the kids BBC program Wildtrack.