Another Pied Wagtail roost to note is on the roof of the Spinning Jenny Shopping Centre in Leigh Town Centre where up to 150 birds were seen at dusk recently. This has been a roost for a fw years now.
Last winter, while popping into the Asda, at the dreaded Trafford Centre, I found a large roost in their car park. Most of the trees outside the store were filled with Pied Wagtails, numbering around 500 or more, as they were still dropping in from the roof of the Asda when I was leaving. I have not been back since, so am not sure of numbers this winter, but would assume there are still good numbers there.
Being at school in Manchester until this year I wasnt in the city much after dark but the Albert Square roost left plenty of evidence (on the floor!) and peregrines often showed overhead.
The pied wagtail roost was at st annes square (city centre ) Dec 06, but not as many as last year , approx 200÷ . Not seen them this year but i did see a dead one this morning 03/01/07 in at annes sq . boo
Last year on my works Christmas do I had a large roost (around 700 I think) in Albert Square in Manchester at Christmas when the German market was on (and whilst trying to acess the beer tent there ), with the birds roosting in a couple of trees obviously warmed by the lights and cooking going on below. Unfortunately, this year they didn't appear to be there, although I was very, very drunk of course
One evening a week before Christmas I ventured down to Mersey Square in the middle of Stockport. The shops were shut, but I was not shopping I was looking for the annual Pied Wagtail roost. Its location varies annually, but it is always around the bus station or shopping precinct. This year it is in Mersey Square occupying the three trees, draped in Christmas lights, nearest to Debenhams. I counted 327 but there may have been a few more as surprisingly for December there were still some leaves on the trees. It may not be the hottest piece of news in the county, but it is an annual event and to my knowledge the roost has been present for the last 15 years.