An Osprey was seen at Grane late May soaring over Ogden and then moving West.
Friday 5th July
64 Lapwings in the fields above Troy Quarry
1 adult Mediterranean Gull in fields opposite the gate of Ogden Res
Female Mallard with 8 Ducklings
Skylarks- 2 in song above Clough Head
5 Ringlet Butterflies 2 at Holden Wood and 3 at Calf hey
Minimum of 20 Cinnabar Moths just above Holden Wood
1 Common Hawker Dragonfly at Calf Hey
Min 10 Painted Ladies
3 Copper 1 at Holden Wood and 2 at Calf hey
Min 20 Small Heath
Monday 8 July
Garden Warbler singing at the car park of Holden Wood
Wednesday 10 July
1 min Curlew still at farm around Holden Wood could have young?
Thursday 11 July
1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Kingfisher at Holden Wood
Friday 12 July around Grane
Mallard - min 20 around adults around
Cormorants 4 - usual number of what I see during the day
Kestrels - 2
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher approx. 12
Lapwing approx. 30 at Ogden
Black-headed Gulls - min 50
Great Black-Backed Gulls - 2 at Ogden
Woodpigeons - min 60
Stock Dove - min 4 pairs at Jamestones
Green Woodpecker - 1 at Holden Wood
Swallows - min 80 many family parties assume first broods.very late?
House Martins - 4
Sand Martins - 5
Meadow Pipits - min 40 around reservoirs and quarries
Pied Wagtails - min 20 around reservoirs and quarries
Robin - min 4 around
Song Thrush 2 but only 1 in song
Willow Warbler - min 1 in song
Long Tailed Tit min 6
Great Tit min 2
Magpies min 6
Jay family of 6 in lone tree
Carrion Crows - min 30
Jackdaws - min 40
Chaffinches - min 10
Goldfinch - min
Reed Buntings - min 3 -min 8 on 5th July
Wren 2
Butterflies
Min 30 Meadow Brown
Min 10 Ringlet around
1 Skipper species
Min 5Painted Ladies
Min 10 Tortoiseshells
2 Red Admiral
4 Speckled Wood
A Few white species
Stonefold14/07/2019
1 family party of Lesser Black backed Gulls - 2 adults with begging juvenile among the hundreds of individuals seen
2 Collared Dove
Stock Dove- 5
Woodpigeon- 3
Sparrowhawk- 1- male caught a Starling
Kestrel- 5 min. - a single and a family party of 4 min
Swallow- min 50 sightings, approx. 40 Mobbing Sparrowhawk
Pied Wagtail- 2
Yellow Wagtail- 1- flying south, calling
Meadow Pipit-11
Blackbird min 2 of which 1 was in song
Willow Warbler-min of 3
Blue Tit-min 3
Great Tit-2
Wren - 3
Jackdaw- approx. 45
Crow min 12
Starling min 50
Redpoll min 3
Goldfinch min 24
Chaffinch - 8
Reed Bunting- 2
House Sparrows- min 20
Butterflies:-
Ringlet- min 30
Meadow Brown- min 20
Painted Lady - `1
Small Heath min 5
Tortoiseshell- min 2
Holden Wood 16/07/2019
No change in bird numbers but
Min 20 Gatekeeper
Min 40 Skipper species
Min 20 Meadow Browns
Min 20 Tortoiseshells
Min 5 Ringlet
1 Painted Lady
1 Speckled Wood
POSSIBLE Little Egret visible from Grane Road as driving back to Haslingden in the bay area next to King Hillocks Wood ...could not be verified from a slowing down car - 16/07/2019
-- Edited by sarfraz on Wednesday 17th of July 2019 12:12:02 AM
-- Edited by sarfraz on Wednesday 17th of July 2019 09:11:35 PM
Curlew calling at Holden Wood on 24, 26, 30 July - later stayer - did it breed successfully around the farm at Holden Wood?
min 30 Swifts from Haslingden Moor to Belthorn on 02/08/2019
02/08/2019 at Grane Reservoirs
No sign of Curlew or Oystercatchers
2 Common Sandpipers - 0 on the 28th when a flock of 65 were at Elton dropping because of the rain.
0 Wood Sandpipers over the last 7 days - a massive influx in the UK with over 100 recorded at Cley in Norfolk alone but the North West seems to have missed out with just small numbers recorded.
0 Common Scoters - 500+ flying over Longridge area and 200+ over Elton alone on Sunday 28 July.
min 8 Stonechat - 2 family parties between Holden Wood and Ogden
Grasshopper Warbler reeling and making a funny calling noise at Calf Hey
Last singing Blackbirds and Song Thrushes 26th July
min 15 mixed tit flock on side of Ogden
min 15 Cormorants
min 10 juvenile Goldfinch too
2 separate Mallard females with young ducklings noted at Calf Hey on 31/07/2019 and one last week - the former lost at least one duckling to a Grey Heron.
Butterflies and Dragonflies
min 15 Painted Ladies around mainly at Holden Wood - big influx this week again
min 50 Tortoisesehells
2 large Whites
5 Small Coppers - of which only 1 was female
10 Peacocks
min 30 Meadow Browns
min 40 Gatekeeper
min 80 Skippers
min 4 smaller whites
2 Small Heaths
Painted Ladies - min 3 around Haslingden on 2nd and 3rd of August
Haslingden 3 August
min 15 Swifts over the town at 7.45pm
min 40 House Martins over
-- Edited by sarfraz on Saturday 3rd of August 2019 10:27:28 PM
Swifts seemed to have evacuated Haslingden by 5th of August
Some highlights over last few days. The reservoirs at Grane are sadly now all full of water. All that mud and the fresh vegetation has been truly covered since the 11th if not before that.
7th August - approx 20 Linnets at Holden Wood
14 August - 7 Teal at Holden Wood, Black
Birds fledged around car park being fed by the father
16 August - 1 swift over Holden Wood , a Whitethroat near car park still
Monday 19 August - 2 Swifts over Holden Wood, min 15 Cormorants
Wednesday 21 August - Whitethroat near scrub at car park of Holden Wood
Friday 23 August
Full work around reservoirs and Quarries
Mallard approx 30 Great Crested Grebe - 2 Buzzard - 2 Kestrel - 2 Oystercatcher 2 - in Jamestone no2 - calling when Raven flew over so I assume they have some young? Black-headed Gulls - approx 60 around# Swift 2 - over Quarries heading West Sand Martins - min 20 with some still attending nests in Jamestone's Swallows - approx 100 around if not much more House Martins - min 20 Meadow Pipit - approx 40 Pied Wagtails - approx 20 - mostly in a flock at Calf hey A few Robins and Blackbirds Blackcap - 1 female at Crow Trees Willow Warblers - min 5 around# Goldcrest - min 3 Spotted Flycatcher - min 3 = 2 adults and at least 1 juvenile at Crow Trees Farm area Small numbers of Great and Blue Tits Jays - min 5 around A few Carrion Crows and Magpies min 30 Jackdaws 2 Raven Linnet - min 12 Chaffinch - a few
Butterflies
Small Copper - min 3 Speckled Wood - min 2 Painted Lady - min 3 Large White - 3 Green Veined White - 2 min Small Heath - min 3 Tortoiseshell - 1 Peacock - min 3 Wall - min 2
Dragonflies
A few Brown Hawkers today
-- Edited by sarfraz on Friday 23rd of August 2019 10:58:45 PM
Just a note a Fishing Match at Holden Wood on Sunday 1st September from 8.30am
Forgot to add Tuesday 20 August a probable Marsh Harrier heading towards Hog Lowe Pike, visible from road
Tuesday 27 August - 5 Teal at Holden Wood, 1 Kingfisher and min 3 Willow Warbler
Friday 30 August
Min 3 Teal at Holden
Min 40 Mallard around the reservoirs
1 each of Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard
2 Oystercatcher at Jamestone's - latest I have seen this species in Rossendale.
5 Great Black-backed Gulls - 2 adults and 3 juveniles
Black-headed Gulls min 50
Swift - 1 over Ogden heading south-east - latest I have seen in Rossendale, beating my 2012 record of August 28. Will I see one in September? Looking likely.
min 100 House Martins over the reservoirs
min 100 Swallows
min 10 Sand Martin
min 60 Meadow Pipits - possibly some movement
min 5 Pied Wagtails
1 Grey Wagtail
a few Robins - some singing
No Thrushes seen
2 Stonechat families - Ogden and Calf hey - min 10 seen
min 60 Jackdaws
1 Raven
min 5 Firecrest
1 Treecreeper
1 Green Woodpecker
min 80 Goldfinch none over finches seen
6 Wren - family party at Crow Trees
Small numbers of Tits seen
min 20 Woodpigeons
-- Edited by sarfraz on Friday 30th of August 2019 11:06:56 PM
Some catch up - more or less regular trips made to Holden Wood but not much of note since the water levels have risen again. Hoping the forecasted dry spell lasts a while - a very long while!
Min 2 Willow Warblers at Holden Wood on 3/9/19
min 5 Chiffchaff at Holden Wood on 5/9/19
Ewood Bridge 6/9/19
approx 150 Wagtails - including a minimum of 10 Grey and a minimum of 2 Yellow
min 30 Swallows and Martins
1 Swift - first September Rossendale Swift for me.
min 40 Starling flying to Rising Bridge from Windy Hill
Grane 13/9/19
Have had a lot of bad luck this year with passerine passage migrants - the only ones noted are Yellow Wagtail and Spotted Flycatcher. No Redstart, Whinchat, Tree Pipit seen of heard or even Ring Ouzel but that changed.
8 Ring Ouzel - 6 just past ruined building above Ogden and 2 at Rossendale's migration central Crow Trees Farm
min 20 Mistle Thrush - at Crow Trees Farm with 2 Ring Ouzel
approx 500 Meadow Pipit around the reservoirs and quarries - some grounded, others passing through
min 30 Long Tailed Tits at Holden Wood with other tit species and goldcrest
1 Sparrowhawk trying to flush Meadow Pipits
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
min 1 Raven
approx 20 Pied Wagtails
4 Grey Wagtails
30 Swallows
Haslingden 13 September
min 50 House Martins
-- Edited by sarfraz on Saturday 14th of September 2019 12:32:04 AM
Tuesday 17 September - at least 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Willow Warbler at Holden Wood - both seen and heard calling
Friday 20 September - Holden Wood and Musbury
a white rumped Bird of Prey up in Musbury----probably a Hen Harrier
a pinging sound that sounded identical to a Bearded Reedling over head in Musbury - if I heard it at Swillington Ings or Leighton Moss would have said it was that
2 Great Crested Grebes
a few Swallows
4 Wrens
3 Reed Bunting
min 200 Meadow Pipits - moving south mainly
min 10 Pied Wagtails moving south
Skylarks on the move
Other Wildlife
Painted Ladies 0 - last Friday 3
Red Admiral min 10
peacock min 5
Tortoishell min 4
Speckled Wood 1
2 types of dragonflies - a red one and a brown hawker?
2 Linnet at Holden Wood
Haslingden 20 September - min 40 House Martins still over.
-- Edited by sarfraz on Saturday 21st of September 2019 12:30:14 AM
25 Sept - approx 13 Swallows at Holden and min 25 Cormorants in trees 5.30pm........
30 Sept - min 2 House Martin over Haslingden - none seen since then
2 Oct - about 10 Redpoll and Siskin flying my house eastwards AND 2 Swallows at Holden Wood, 2 Chiffchaff too, 11 Long Tailed Tits in Haslingden around HPS
4 October at Grane
Holden Wood:-
min 40 Meadow Pipits wit all but 2 grounded near farm
min 4 Stonechat near farm too
2 Wren
3 Teal
min 20 Goldfinch
2 Reed Bunting
6 Dunnock
3 Robin
Tit flock - mainly Long Tailed and Blue
3 thrushes travelling high across the valley, watched landing in trees near tram track turned out to be 3 Ring Ouzel....on ACTIVE migration ....they were restless and were then seen on the side of Ogden
6 Pied Wagtails
a Jay dropping an acorn in front of me
1 Great Crested Grebe
Ogden:-
3 adult Great Black Backed Gulls noted and a juvenile - However, 3 juveniles noted on Wednesday - so 6 different birds involved
2 Wren on sides
min 10 Meadow Pipits
Buzzard on a post
Calf Hey:-
min 20 Goldfinches
min 4 Stonechat annoyed at Goldfinches and chasing them in tops of tree.
3 Goldcrest
1 Nuthatch
3 Wren
1 Great Crested Grebe
4 October - 16 Pied Wagtail over Haslingden heading south to roost 6.30pm
On Monday 30 Sept a few Red Admiral, Peacock and a Tortoisehell and a Painted Lady around Grane
-- Edited by sarfraz on Friday 4th of October 2019 05:44:43 PM
-- Edited by sarfraz on Friday 4th of October 2019 05:45:00 PM
-- Edited by sarfraz on Saturday 5th of October 2019 12:56:12 PM
No sign of the House Martins since Saturday 12 October at Rock Street, Haslingden - should have mentioned on Friday 11 October the parents were hovering outside the nest trying to get the young to leave.
Friday 18 October at Grane:-
Holden Wood:-
2 Grey Heron
1 Redwing over flying West over Ogden
1 Mistle Thrush
1 Blackbird
2 Wren
2 Reed Bunting
2 Dunnock
min 10 Mallard
min 2 Moorhen
min 3 Pied Wagtails
min 10 Meadow Pipits
min 1 Stonechat
1 Jay
min 10 Long Tailed Tits
min 7 Great Tit
min 4 Great Tit
2 Robin
1 Sparrowhawk
min 6 Cormorants
51 Starlings - 2 flocks off 33 and 18
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Ogden:-
3 Great Black backed Gulls - 2 adults and an immature
min 8 Cormorants
6 Mallard
1 Wren
min 10 Stonechat
Calf Hey:-
3 Lesser Black Backed Gulls
40 Black Headed Gulls
min 4 Mallard
2 Nuthatch
min 1 Treecreeper
min 10 Coal Tit
min 20 Long Tailed Tit
min 10 Blue Tit
min 10 Great Tit
min 10 Goldcrest
2 Chaffinch
min 20 Goldfinch
min 4 Wren
min 80 Woodpigeon
Quarries:-
1 Tufted Duck
min 20 Black-headed Gulls
2 Raven
4 Magpies
min 2 Carrion Crows
min 20 Jackdaws
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
min 10 Meadow Pipit
1 Siskin
a few Redpoll
min 20 Long Tailed Tits
Some Blue and Great Tits
2 Robin
3 Chaffinch
min 10 Goldfinch
1 Mistle Thrush
-- Edited by sarfraz on Friday 18th of October 2019 09:40:28 PM
Monday 21 October - approx 60 Redwing moving West in 3 flocks, 1 Fieldfare at Calf hey, approx 160 Woodpigeons at Calf Hey and min 20 at Holden Wood
Friday 1 November
Holden Wood:-
approx 4 Song Thrush, a few Redwing and about 6 Blackbird in the scrub, min 2 Dunnock, min 15 Tits, a Few Robin.......on the way back about approx 20 Blackbird, approx 15 Chaffinch, approx 6 Robin
Min 10 Mallard
1 Teal
1 Grey Heron
Ogden:-
2 Great Black Backed Gull
min 10 Cormorant
a few Meadow Pipit
min 7 Fieldfare passing East
Calf Hey:-
1 Mistle Thrush
2 Stonechat
1 Kestrel
min 20 Tits mixed flock with a few Goldcrest, 2 Treecreepers, 4 Nuthatch near car park
Quarries:-
4 Great Black Backed Gulls at Jamestone One - 1 adult and 3 immatures
1 possible Goldeneye
Approx 40 Blackbirds around
min 30 Chaffinch
min 30 Robin
26 Wrens counted without going into woods at far side of Calf Hey
Quick visit to Mitchell's House Reservoir on 13/11/19 - no gulls of interest except about 40 Herring Gulls and 20 Black Headed Gulls, 14 Goosanders and biggest surprise of all approx 20 Greenfinches with Chaffinches and 2 Bullfinch.
Not much to add bird wise except a visit to Grane on 25th December and 3 skeins of Pink Footed Geese - 28, 180 approx, 38 flying West-North-West and a Song Thrush in song
28 December - Song Thrush and Great Tit in song at Asda car park, Rawtenstall.