Simon Warford, Bolton (COVID-19 Garden Lockdown)

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

RE: Simon Warford, Bolton (COVID-19 Garden Lockdown)

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Another nice insect sighting in the garden was this Small Skipper which roosted overnight on the window ledge! It finally departed at 11.00am!

25 Lapwings over the fields to the east and a female Chaffinch in the bushes by our feeder was decent as don't see many inside the garden itself. Also one of the fledged Robins already has most of its red breast.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Yesterday 30/06/2020 a Hobby flew over heading towards Elton also a Siskin heard over.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Highlights of the last week-

103 Starlings counted from photo when they got spooked and all landed on the roof of the house opposite

2 Oystercatchers regular flying over with food

Goldcrest singing again (not heard since the garden birdrace day)

Fledged Robin, Dunnock and two family parties of House Sparrow, one of which nested in our roof

Best sighting though has to be this afternoon when this Lunar Hornet Moth was in the back garden!

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

02/06/2020 - the male Bullfinch was back on his own yesterday feeding on seed, first time since 7th April; two sightings of Bullfinch in one year is good for this garden. Also yesterday unfortunately could see the fire at Dovestones. cry

03/06/2020 - first summer Mediterranean Gull flew low past the house this morning heading east. Recent fledged birds seen include Robin, House Sparrow and loads of starlings which have numbered over 70 in the garden at times.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Wednesday 3rd of June 2020 03:55:45 PM

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

20/05/2020 - typically the Coal Tit has re-appeared since it did its vanishing act on the big garden bird race day, singing and showing on and off today! I was delighted with my 42 species seen from the garden, that is undoubtedly a record for here, who knew so many birds were possible from the garden?!

The first summer Mediterranean Gull was back this morning briefly, maybe we are on its flyway between Elton and Belmont..

Good to see 18 fledged Starlings in or around the garden this morning, and yesterday 3 House Martins kept landing on the house roof opposite at the back which was nice to see.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

16/05/2020

#gardenbirdrace day from the rooftop -

06:10 6 Canada Geese over

06:30 Grey Wagtail over

06:45 2 Mute Swan over, Mallard over

06:50 Swift over, Herring Gulls over

06:55 7 Swallow north

07:00 Goldcrest singing from bottom of road, then flew through garden

07:10 2 Grey Heron's north, Cormorant over

07:15 2 Lapwing over distant fields

07:30 First summer Mediterranean Gull, flying around rooftops! What a mega for the garden! Same bird thats been seen at Elton as has obvious string attached to its legs.

07:45 Oystercatcher over (known to be breeding on nearby rooftops)

08:00 2 House Martins over, now several Swifts and Swallows in the airspace

08:05 2 fledged Starlings being fed by adults in the garden 09:10 Kestrel hovering to the east 09:35 Sparrowhawk through garden 09:50 Goldcrest singing again 10:15 First year Mediterranean Gull again briefly 10:30 5 Lapwings over fields to the east 10:45 Great Crested Grebe present on Starmount Lodge, from the upstairs window 11:15 Chaffinch flew over! 11:30 finally 3 Buzzards in the eastern airspace also 20+ Swift 14:20 Great Tit finally showed up. 15:25 Hobby through at speed heading north! 17:45 Drake Shoveler over east with several Mallard, first one ever seen from the garden! (photo) 18:35 Grey Wagtail over west 19:25 male Sparrowhawk landed in tree 10 feet from me, then 10 mins later circling with prey 19:30 drake Shoveler flew over heading west, on its own this time. 20:10 2 Stock Dove flew east 20:30 Jay! flew over in the distance 20:45 29 Lesser Black-backed Gulls heading NW.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 16th of May 2020 08:58:13 PM

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

05/05/2020 - todays highlights whilst working from home include the same first summer Common Gull over a couple of times, its almost becoming regular now! Shame the Med Gulls havent come by yet. Seemed to be a bit of Swift movement this afternoon with over 30 birds moving over northwards. Raptors visible out to the east included Kestrel, Sparrowhawks, Buzzards and a Peregrine that was stooping on prey and lost to view towards Starmount Lodge.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

03/05/2020 - Can't claim it on my garden lockdown list (yet) but early this morning when I went out for a bike ride into Darcy Lever, I stopped to check 20 odd Black-headed Gulls on the large playing field about 500 yards from the house, and to my amazement were two pristine adult Meditteranean Gulls, never seen any on that particular field before, so a cracking record for the housing estate!

An afternoon vigil from the rooftop produced huge amount of gulls spiralling very high, mostly Lesser Black-backs, Black-headed, few Herrings and several Great Black-backed seen. Also the same first year Common Gull showed up again right over the house, it has something stuck on its leg, so clearly the same bird thats been seen a week or so back.

Late afternoon as some heavy clouds came over from the east at least 18 Swifts were noted moving west, my first of the year here. Things got even better when I saw 2 Curlews flying in the distance from the back window in the direction of Elton. 2 more additions takes me to 61 species.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

01/05/2020 - hardly anything different for days here but must admit I have not been looking as much during the last week. Today around 4.15pm Simon Johnson rang me to say he was watching an Osprey heading our way from Radcliffe, so I immediately got the ladders out and climbed up on the extension roof but despite scanning that way for 30+ mins unfortunately I couldn't pick it up. That would of been the first one ever from the house, but never mind! doh

Whilst scanning east I did connect with a single House Martin at last which was flying west.

The displaying Sparrowhawks put on a good display and possibly the same lingering first summer Common Gull flew over again.

Garden lockdown list now 59 with House Martin, maybe 60 is achievable before the end of the lockdown!?

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Little of note last few days, this weekend seen a few more Linnets flying over, the newly discovered Stock Dove flyway between Darcy Lever and Ainsworth is still active with a few sightings from the back window of birds flying back and forth. Both Herring and first year Great Black-backed Gulls still occasionally circling out to the east. Buzzards and Sparrowhawks still daily.

19/4/2020 - two sightings of note today included a Coot finally seen on the small section of Starmount Lodge that is visible from the upstairs bedroom window and earlier this evening a male Blackcap, presumably a new migrant passed through the garden. Despite looking not seen any hirrundines passing over this weekend.

Coot takes my garden lockdown list to 58. (Edit - Common Gull was bird no. 57).

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Sunday 19th of April 2020 08:16:48 PM

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

14/04/2020 - Speckled Wood and either a Common or Holly Blue briefly in the garden. Great Crested Grebe still on Starmount Lodge visible from the upstairs office window. Buzzards and Sparrowhawks being seen everyday now.

15/04/2020 - pair of Linnets feeding on a patch of grass outside the front garden, another interesting record.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

I haven't been locked up yet, so did another rooftop vigil from 14:00 to 17:00 when it got too cold biggrin

14:15 2 Buzzards and a Sparrowhak thermaling

14:30 Oystercatcher over towards Elton, different Buzzard more distant

14:35 Kestrel hovering out to the east

15:00 2 Linnet over calling, Swallow north

15:20 3 Swallow over

15:35 2 Stock Dove sw

15:45 Common Blue butterfly flew through garden

16:00 Linnet over, 2 Herring Gull east and another 1st summer Common Gull over and then circling out to the east

16:05 2 distant Jays over

16:10 Stock Dove east ish, 3 Mallard circling high over heading towards Starmount Lodge

16:30 1 Great Crested Grebe still visible pm Starmount Lodge

It seems Stock Dove and Linnets have been somewhat under recorded in the past!

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Sunday 12th of April 2020 08:01:58 PM

Rob Thorpe · Status: Offline

Simon Warford wrote:

10/04/2020 garden lockdown highlights-

Did a Rob Thorpe style watch from the extension rooftop this afternoon 14:00 - 18:30 -

14:00 Linnet over north calling

14:15 Linnet over south calling

14:19 first summer Great Black-backed Gull circling towards Elton.

14:25 male Sparrowhawk displaying

14:30 female Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail over

14:35 4 Buzzards distant

15:28 3 Sparrowhaks, 6 Mallards over

15:40 4 Linnet over

15:45 adult Great Black-backed Gull over towards Elton, 2 unidentified passerines very high north

16:00 Raven over, Swallow circing out to the east

16:35 Grey Heron over, Jay distantly flying above trees towards Bradley Fold

16:38 2 Mistle Thrush over

16:50 Sand Martin flew west, first summer Common Gull low over heading east.

17:19 Rook flew SW

17:34 Stock Dove over to the north

17:40 first summer Common Gull back over heading low west this time.

18:10 male Sparrowhawk displaying again, 2 other Sparrowhawks in the airspace

18:15 8 Meadow Pipit over heading north

18:20 2 Kestrel out to the east hovering over fields

18:25 3 Meadow Pipits north, Stock Dove, probably same bird flying back low south

with Linnet, Great Black-backed Gull and Jay, lockdown list now 56.

send me some of them common gulls!!! Edit: and GBB Gulls!

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Friday 10th of April 2020 07:59:25 PM

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

I'm only surprised the lockdown list has not become the 'locked-up list', the neighbours must either be very understanding or probably just used to it by now biggrin biggrin

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

10/04/2020 garden lockdown highlights-

Did a Rob Thorpe style watch from the extension rooftop this afternoon 14:00 - 18:30 -

14:00 Linnet over north calling

14:15 Linnet over south calling

14:19 first summer Great Black-backed Gull circling towards Elton.

14:25 male Sparrowhawk displaying

14:30 female Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail over

14:35 4 Buzzards distant

15:28 3 Sparrowhaks, 6 Mallards over

15:40 4 Linnet over

15:45 adult Great Black-backed Gull over towards Elton, 2 unidentified passerines very high north

16:00 Raven over, Swallow circing out to the east

16:35 Grey Heron over, Jay distantly flying above trees towards Bradley Fold

16:38 2 Mistle Thrush over

16:50 Sand Martin flew west, first summer Common Gull low over heading east.

17:19 Rook flew SW

17:34 Stock Dove over to the north

17:40 first summer Common Gull back over heading low west this time.

18:10 male Sparrowhawk displaying again, 2 other Sparrowhawks in the airspace

18:15 8 Meadow Pipit over heading north

18:20 2 Kestrel out to the east hovering over fields

18:25 3 Meadow Pipits north, Stock Dove, probably same bird flying back low south

with Linnet, Great Black-backed Gull and Jay, lockdown list now 56.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

08/04/2020 garden lockdown highlights-

Fairly quiet today up until this evening when I did 2 hours scannng the skies from the top of the kitchen roof (better view) which was successful with 2 Rooks which flew directly over the house heading SW, then another 5 flew over, first ones i've seen from the house for a good while. This was followed by a Stock Dove also heading SW towards Darcy Lever.

Lots of butterly action today with lots of Peacocks in and through the garden but best was another Brimstone and a Common Blue!

with Chaffinch and Bullfinch yesterday and Rook and Stock Dove today, my lockdown garden list now stands at 53. smile

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

07/04/2020 garden lockdown highlights-

A good day with a single Swallow circling out the back seen from where I am working and 20+ Meadow Pipits over north this morning as did a Chaffinch.

Constant activity of commoner birds around the garden today started off with a nice dawn chorus, mating House Sparrows, mimicking Starlings, Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits all busy. Dunnock collecting nest material. A Sparrowhawk briefly perched on next doors hedge, but the undoubted highlight was a pair of Bullfinches which appeared around 6.30pm, and stayed for 5 minutes, where I only managed to obtain a photo of the female. This is our first Bullfinch record since December 2015 so pretty noteworthy!

No sign of any Blackcaps all day, they finally seem to have departed, but they have truly given us so much enjoyment this winter!

A brief noc mig listening produced nothing again.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Tuesday 7th of April 2020 10:49:13 PM

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Tuesday 7th of April 2020 10:54:45 PM

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

06/04/2020 garden lockdown highlights-

1 wintering female Blackcap still present, only saw her briefly first thing in the morning and then for a few minutes at lunch, despite looking no other sightings all day.

a Peregrine flew over heading towards Bradley Fold in the afternoon.

A noc mig listening session produced nothing.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

05/04/2020 garden lockdown highlights-

2 female Blackcaps still present.

A prolonged skywatch this afternoon hoping for an Osprey (wishful thinking I know) produced the usual Buzzards, Kestrels, at least 3 Sparrowhawks and many flyover Lesser Black-backed Gulls, but best was 2 flyover Pied Wagtails and then 2 very vocal Mistle Thrushes which landed in one of the tall trees nearby briefly.

Lockdown list now up to 47 species.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

04/04/2020

2 female Blackcaps still present this moring only, no sign this afternoon.

Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk on an afternoon skywatch.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

03/04/2020 garden lockdown highlights-

Both wintering female Blackcaps still present with the dominent one chasing off the second bird as usual. The usual female feeding actively right up to dusk, could it be off tonight?

Today was a day to enjoy everything about the Starling - they've been squabbling, nest building, singing and mimicking all day long making me smile, such awesome birds.

A listen in the garden from 20:30 to 21:30 produced absolutely nothing.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Yesterday 02/04/2020, garden lockdown highlights-

1 female Blackcap still present on and off all day. Skies pretty quiet.

A session of nocturnal listening between 20:10 and 21:30 produced several Wigeon calls, a couple of Teal calls and a few Canada Geese, and some unidentified calls.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Yesterday 01/04/2020, garden lockdown highlights-

2 female Blackcaps remain

A skywatch at lunch produced 3 Lapwings going over and then followed by 2 single Grey Wagtails.

In the evening after a tip off from Simon Johnson that migratng Common Scoters were being heard inland again for the second night running I was straight outside in the back garden (obviously with a brew) for a session of nocturnal listening between 21:00 and 22:15 and it was pretty awesome. In that period I heard 5 seperate groups of Common Scoters, the first 2 groups around 21:15 close and clear, what a superb call to hear going over the house at night. Just before 22:00 i heard 3 more groups a little more distantly. I also heard 3 seperate Teal calls to round off a cracking garden day!

Lockdown list is now on 44 species.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Todays garden lockdown highlights -

2 female Blackcaps remain, its almost becoming an addiction watching them!
smile

Main highlight today was a group of about 15 Sand Martins flying north around 1pm while taking lunch break.

Other birds overhead to the east included 2 Oystercatchers, 2 displaying Buzzards and 3 Raven. Pretty sure i had some chaffinches flying over distantly but couldn't be 100%.

With Sand Martin, takes my lockdown list to 40 species.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Todays garden lockdown highlights -

2 female Blackcaps remain
pair of Sparrowhawks circling to the east, then later another one flew over the house
a flyover Kestrel to the east over fields
And suprisingly another male Reed Bunting flew over, which is odd for here.

Kestrel takes my lockdown list to 39 species.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Not much new or different today for us here, the 2 female Blackcaps remain in the garden which are always a delight to see. Not much in the skies either other than a few Mute Swans back and forth to local lodges.

At 8.45pm the international space station came over west to east.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Only things of note today were 2 female Blackcaps still present, a flyover Cormorant, 3 flyover Herring Gulls, Moorhen and 2 Great Crested Grebes still on the lodge viewable from the back upstairs window.

Lockdown list now 38 species.

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Ian McKerchar wrote:

Whilst Ive always an outside chance of the likes of Tufted Duck and Goosander over the garden, both of which have occurred before (Goosander irregularly), how many birders on this sub-forum will have Great Crested Grebe!! What a cracker

Hopefully it's countable about half a mile away on a small lodge, if seen from the house biggrin

Todays lockdown ornithological sightings from ours, in what's been a good day as follows-

First thing this morning a male Reed Bunting flew low over the next street, which was a real surprise, maybe visiting a nearby garden and came from the direction of nearby Darcy Lever.
2 female Blackcaps seen on and off through the day, usually one chases off the other but today not the case. No sign of any males, last seen yesterday.
Oystercatcher flew over calling.
6 Buzzards over
Long-tailed Tit collecting nesting material.
The woodpigeon nest in the front garden seems to have failed as underneath the tree this morning a broken egg.
2 Great Crested Grebes on Starmount Lodge seen from the upstairs office window.

35 species so far since the lockdown started.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Friday 27th of March 2020 07:52:49 PM

David Walsh · Status: Offline

Ian McKerchar wrote:

Whilst Ive always an outside chance of the likes of Tufted Duck and Goosander over the garden, both of which have occurred before (Goosander irregularly), how many birders on this sub-forum will have Great Crested Grebe!! What a cracker

John Rayners pond looks big enough wink

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Whilst I’ve always an outside chance of the likes of Tufted Duck and Goosander over the garden, both of which have occurred before (Goosander irregularly), how many birders on this sub-forum will have Great Crested Grebe!! What a cracker biggrin

Simon Warford · Status: Offline

Great idea this Ian in these crazy times we find ourselves in. Working from home for the forseeable, so plenty of time to do some watching in, around and from the garden.

Our Bolton garden is fairly urban, though we have a good vista both from the front overlooking Darcy Lever and to the rear towards Bradley Fold and can see part of Starmount Lodge.

This winter we've been lucky enough to have up to 4 Blackcaps present since early January and as of today we have at least two still present visiting the garden frequently, though not quite as often now as they were a couple of weeks ago. The male has started singing in the last few days.

So far during Lockdown i've recorded 33 species as follows -

House Sparrow, Wren, Robin, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Starling, Blackbird, Blackcap, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Goosander, Sparrowhawk, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Song Thrush, Raven and Buzzard.

Butterflies since yesterday included a Brimstone flying through and 3 Small Tortishell and 1 Peacock.

Noctule and Pipestrelle Bat flying around yesterday evening.