14:00hrs onwards.
2 Spotted Flycatcher downstream from Strongstry
c12 Swift + 2 Sand Martin feeding over fields
1 Jay
1f Goosander on river
c60 House Martin feeding Alderbottom viaduct
c100 Swifts feeding over tree tops between Alderbottom and Irwell Vale with c20 Swallows.
E.B.S.W.
Massive gathering of hirundines and swifts c1200,
largely H.Martin 700+
Swifts - 300+
Swallows 150+
Sand Martin 50+
figures are pure guesswork and I stand to be corrected, the sheer numbers make individual species counts impossible. Best veiwed from Hardsough Lane.
Bob
There was at least one juvenile Spotted flycatcher with both adults at Strongstry at 1900 hours.
I personally have never seen so many hirundines, the sky was not only black with clouds but also birds, as you said impossible to count, but certainly hundreds of Swift and House martin and many Swallow and Sand martins, this was around Strongstry at the same time as above.
