Below is hopefully of interest beyond what would be expected.
Blakbird....high numbers, lots of young of various ages.
Song Thrush.....good numbers mostly in the woodland habitat.
Mistle Thrush....one pair feeding in fields along Helmshore road, have not seen many this year.
Chaffinch...now established as the most common finch in this patch, many family parties all round the route and still singing especially the rain call.
Golcrest....family party of 5 in conifers in Ravenshore.
Greenfinch....three on feeders in Irwell vale.
Lesser Redpoll....one individual flying down Alden road.
Blackcap....a couple of groups especially along the river including several young.
Willow Warbler/Chiffchaff....I am sure they are still there but with no song heard they were very difficult to find.
Whitethroat.....good results this year, two pairs have bred near Lumb viaduct and are still there feeding several young and adults are still in song.
House Sparrow....the group around the stables at Iron gate appear to have had a good breeding season, lots of young in evidence.
Buzzard....a pair have successfully bred just of the Helmshore road, two juveniles have fledged and are being fed by parents.
Sparrowhawk....a pair have bred somewhere in Lumb vale, a young male and female have been seen along the cycle track, the male was in this area this morning.
Green Woodpecker...two juveniles still around Strongstry woods.
Kingfisher....an adult and one juvenile seen in Irwell vale.
Dipper....Several along the river inclouding young.
Swift...good numbers high over
Swallow.....reasonable numbers around the route especially around the cut silage fields.
Sand Martin...several around the route, the colony in Strongstry has now diminished to around 9 pairs feeding young, these are second broods, with no flooding so far this summer this species has done extremely well.
Lapwing....flock of 23 including juveniles in same fields.
Starling....two flocks of 30 plus along the moorland edge.
Kestrel....one male hunting the Moor road, and one Female in Lumb.
I walked down to Strongstry from EBSW today and can only add the following
lapwing - flock of 37 over Helmshore Road
lesser-black baked gull - c200 birds in mowed fields between Ravenshore and Lumb Vale
hirundines - min 500 birds at EBSW @ 10:30am, appeared to be mostly house martins, probably 400+ (where do they all come from?) The remainder were made up of c50 sand martins and c30 swift. Hardly any swallows seen here, but c30 seen along the valley to Strongstry
grey wagtail - juvenile at Alderbottom & 2 near Lumb Vale
chiffchaff - singing birds at Alderbottom & Strongstry
willow warbler - family of 4 near Lumb Vale
goldcrest - singing bird at Lumb Vale
blackbird - a male appeared to be anting at Strongstry
redpoll - 2 at Irwell Vale
siskin - 1 pr collecting nest lining material near Alderbottom
cheers Kevin
-- Edited by KEVIN LISTER on Sunday 17th of July 2016 07:56:00 PM
Glad you saw some Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, I struggled o find them, great pictures, the young Green Woodpeckers have been very active recently, the Siskin is very interesting as I have never recorded a nest site in that area, I would appreciate if you could send me the best location of the bird carying nesting material.
