seven day report to sun 6th may.[my first spring here]
crows,rooks,jackdaws all doing well,jays seem to be plentifull. only 1 pr col/dove grey heron several. canada geese several mallard and chicks everywhere[strange nest site on foot bridge] 1m 2 fe goosander[no young yet] 2 pr dipper[1 pr with 2 young appeared 4/5/07] 2 pr grey wags[nesting] several pied wag usual tits[several in nest boxes] bull/chaff/green finch all breeding house sparrows breeding[only 2/3 pr ??] several dunnock with young robins plentifull wrens everywhere[1pr nesting in my hanging basket] chiff chaff & willow warbler several prs 1 pr each sedge/grasshopper warbler 3 pr blackcap]1 pr with nest in my back garden] only seen 1 goldcrest 1 lonley linnet blackbird plentifull song/mistle thrush doing well[especially mistle] at least 2 pr gswoodpecker 1 green woodpecker flying above river 1 common sandpiper on river[2 days only] swallows/swifts/house martins in the sky[no nest sites] 1 buzzard in distant skies 1 m sparrowhawk quite regular sightings strange pintail disappeared[i fear the worst]
Quite a respectable list, Brian. Your 1pr Collared Dove does seem unusually low. Whereabouts were your Sedge and Grasshopper Warblers? Re the Buzzard - which direction (from you) was it in and which way flying?
The buzzard was flying north over lumb towards helmshore on tuesday evening around 1930 hrs The grasshopper was just north/east of my house[grid ref SD790186] and the sedge just due west[can pinpoint if you wish] Col dove~~does seem strange ? .
HI Brian Re your 'strange mallard nest site'. I've been keeping my eye on that. Do you think they will survive the drop? It's one thing to be a tree nesting duck and land on grass, but with the river that low I hope they bounce when they hit the stones. Regards. Ina
Hi Ina,i think they will be ok they have very soft bones for the first few days,do you know how long she has been sitting,incubation is about 28 days,would like to know if you have any idea.
I should have mentioned it earlier but I saw a shelduck on the Irwell 200 yds upstream fron Irwell Vale Bridge last week, a couple of years ago I saw one with young near to Strongstry, is this unusual as I always thought they were coastal breeders?
Hi Dog nobbler, Very interesting about shelduck,i will keep an eye open thanks,yes they are coastal breeders,mainly esturine , but have been known to breed inland,especially in scotland.
