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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> COVID- 19 GARDEN LOCKDOWN BLOGS 2020: CLOSED -> Ian McKerchar, Astley (COVID-19 garden lockdown)
Post Info TOPIC: Ian McKerchar, Astley (COVID-19 garden lockdown)
Ian McKerchar


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RE: Ian McKerchar, Astley (COVID-19 garden lockdown)
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Sat out most of the afternoon, enjoying the very (very) much appreciated sunshine!

Quiet really bird wise other than the usual ebb and flow of House Sparrows and Woodpigeons onto the feeders but a drake Mallard flew over the house twice, the usual half a dozen or so Buzzards were soaring over Bedford Moss area, both male Greenfinch are still at it (and very nice they are too), Goldfinch have been over a few times and the usual commoner birds have been around all day. Still not seen the Jay which has been about almost every day up to last week...typical.

New birds today have been Mistle and Song Thrush (the latter singing), a Wren which only gave itself away as it was alarm calling at next door's cat and as I typed this while out on the decking, two Pied Wagtails flew over fairly low south calling!!

Butterflies have included a few Peacocks and a Red Admiral. A brief view of another may well have been a Comma but that's hopefully show itself better in the next few days so it can be nailed (not literally of course!).



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Ian McKerchar


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Male Blackbird beautifully singing away for the past 40 minutes...list now 23.



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Ian McKerchar


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I need to stop scanning out of the window and get some 'work' done. Lapwing high over fields just south of the East Lancs, nice!

List now 22 ( I need to set my 'scope up tomorrow!)



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Ian McKerchar


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Male Gadwall through east as I sit at the laptop in the office looking out over the garden; bit of a mega here!

Lockdown list now 21.



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Ian McKerchar


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So, the best of the rest from a couple of hours viewing this afternoon included a single Cormorant over west, adult Herring Gull SW (with plenty more Lesser Black-backs), a few Stock Doves to and from, a small flock of Redwing in bushes alongside the East Lancs, 3 Mallard low east and 2 west, Kestrel, Collared Doves (quite a few moving around), a pair of Blue Tit (wish I'd have got a nest box for them now!), Crow and many Jackdaw.

Two singing male Greenfinch are now at either side of the field with the closest bird just over the garden, constantly singing and often flying round in circles while doing so like they do.

All in all the 'lockdown list' now stands at 20.



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Ian McKerchar


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Love to help Sid but unnecessary travel and all biggrin



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sid ashton


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Ian McKerchar wrote:

Came home from work this morning, which as an essential worker (emergency services) I have to do and spent half an hour in the garden straight off. Amazing how much work I've got through the past couple of days in between shifts and whilst staying at home and I'm well ahead of the curve in the garden stakes with grass cut, buddleia trimmed, bamboo tied back, pond filter cleaned, garden furniture cleaned from its winter grime, shed cleared out (how many rugby balls, cones, bibs and bags does one need?) and conservatory exterior cleaned.

 

If you are free any time Ian I can let you have our address biggrinbiggrin

 



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Ian McKerchar


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Ian McKerchar, Astley (COVID-19 garden lockdown)
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Came home from work this morning, which as an essential worker (emergency services) I have to do and spent half an hour in the garden straight off. Amazing how much work I've got through the past couple of days in between shifts and whilst staying at home and I'm well ahead of the curve in the garden stakes with grass cut, buddleia trimmed, bamboo tied back, pond filter cleaned, garden furniture cleaned from its winter grime, shed cleared out (how many rugby balls, cones, bibs and bags does one need?) and conservatory exterior cleaned.

Anyway, the usual hoards of House Sparrows were on the feeders, down slightly from the depths of winter but still around 60-80 strong but a singing Greenfinch was the first I'd had in the garden for a good while and soon after it was replaced by a singing Goldfinch. Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gulls drifted over and four Buzzards (2 pair) were up over the Bedford Moss area south of the Lancs.

Still lots of common stuff to come but the 'Lockdown Garden List' now stands at 10 and a afternoon sitting is planned in order to boost this!





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Ian McKerchar


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Its only a smallish south facing garden, though with a large Sycamore, massive clumps of bamboo (now some 15 feet high!), the odd ornamental shrub and tree and couple of quite old buddleia. Behind the garden are patches of brambles and rough grass fields (cut in summer for livestock food) lined with several mature Oak trees, mature Hawthornes and other trees and bushes. The A580 East Lancs Road is a few hundred yards away and beyond is the open expanse of Astley Moss, only a ten minute walk from the house, but the garden affords a large vista out across its airspace, though not the moss itself unless I go up into the upstairs bedrooms and then I can see out over much of Moss Lane and the bottom of Rindle Road.






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