highlights of timed tetrad visit for the BTO atlas for Harden Clough today were curlew - 2prs lapwing - 2 prs kestrel - 1 little owl - 1 common tern - 2 flying north over Fletcher Bank Quarry swift - 14 over Harden Moor sand martin - at least 24 birds at a thriving colony in Fletcher Bank Quarry whitethroat - 1 jay - 1 rook - 40 nests at St Mark's church in Shuttleworth
That's interesting about the Sand Martins - never expected a colony there. Re the Rooks - are you sure it was St Marks and not St John in the Wilderness (on the right as you head towards Bury)? There used to be a colony there.
Thev rookery is on the right on the way into Bury. I got the church name from the one across the road from the rookery. I suspect the sand martins have been using Fletcher Bank Quarry for quite a while, which goes to show the value of the atlas as I don't think anybody was aware of this colony before.
Hi Kevin & Jim It's St. John's Church, no other rookery I know of and no St Mark's in Shuttleworth. Have they been messing with the signs outside the church? They were having some work done. Either way the records are in the right square. lol Regards Ina
Just checked my notes whilst typing up my records and realised that I have actually wrote down the church name as St John's. Haven't got a clue where I got St Mark's from.
