THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS OF BREEDING WARBLERS[INCLUDING GOLD CREST]ARE FOR THE AREA EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER IRWELL FROM STUBBINS TO IRWELL VALE TO DATE.
CHIFF CHAFF~~MINIMUM 4 PR,2 PR SEEN FEEDING YOUNG. WILLOW WARBLER~~MINIMUM 6 PR,DEFINATE 4 LOCATIONS,YOUNG SEEN. SEDGE WARBLER~~1 PR WITH YOUNG. GRASSHOPPER WARBLER~~1 LOCATION,NO YOUNG SEEN,BUT BOTH ADULTS SEEN CARRYING FOOD INTO THE SCRUB WHITETHROAT~~1 PR,NO YOUNG SEEN,BOTH ADULTS OBSERVED CATCHING INSECTS AND DISAPPEARING INTO UNDERGROWTH[I AM HAPPY THEY ARE BREEDING] BLACKCAP~~MINIMUM 6 PR[POSSIBLE 8/9]MOST COMMON WARBLER SEEN IN THIS AREA,TWO FAMILY GROUPS WATCHED REGULAR. GOLDCREST~~1 PR IN A SMALL AREA OF CONIFERS,NO YOUNG SEEN,BUT CONVINCED THEY HAVE BRED.
IN CONCLUSION, I LOOKED LONG AND HARD FOR MORE SEDGE &GRASSHOPPER BUT FOUND NO MORE, I HAVE PROBABLY MISSED SOME, ESPECIALLY C/CHAFF & WILLOW,THE BLACKCAPS WERE VERY PROMINENT,NO WOOD OR GARDEN SEEN,I HAVE RECORDED THESE NOW AS I AM AWAY FOR A WHILE,MAYBE I WILL RETURN TO SECOND BROODS !!!!.
