With a week of good weather thought I would give you a review of my now local patch which I am sure a lot of you are familiar with.
The recording area I am living in is controlled by CAWOS (Cheshire and Wirral ornithological society) see maps, but I am very close to GMC controlled area of Ashley Chat and other Mosses, with the River Glaze creating the border.
All sightings are species of note seen this week accepting that the common species are regular sightings.
Risley Moss.
Curlew 3 displaying pair.
Oystercatcher Several pairs over.
Marsh Harrier There are regular sightings on the moss of a male and female.
Linnet Quite good number all round.
Blackcap Several singing males seen, only one female seen.
Reed Bunting Several over all the Reed beds.
Willow Tit I have only seen one a couple of times but a pair have been observed.
Great Spotted Woodpecker There are several pairs in the Birch woodland that surrounds the site
Green Woodpecker One heard distantly.
Jay good numbers
Chiffchaff Very good numbers lots of singing which has eased of this week as nest building is well under way.
Willow Warbler First one seen and heard was on Monday, numbers have increased but not a lot in song.
Buzzard 2
Kestrel 1
Rixton Moss and Rixton Clay Pits, Holcroft Moss.
Lapwing Good numbers all over the moss with some on Eggs.
Carrion Crow Worth a mention as there are good numbers which is not good for the ground nesters. Strangely I have not seen a single Jackdaw, and only a couple of Rooks.
Corn Bunting They still have a toehold here, and I was privileged to watch a Male today singing and displaying to a female.
Tree Sparrow Another with a tenuous hold here, there are reports of several pair, I saw 2 males yesterday in a known area.
Linnet Again seem to be ok.
Kestrel 2 seen.
Sky Lark Lots of singing birds.
Meadow Pipit. Good numbers of pairs in the open fields.
On the flooded Clay Pits Lots of Canada Geese, Mallard and good numbers of Tufted, odd Grey Heron but not much else.
Holcroft Moss,
This is a small Moss area surrounded by Birch/ Willow woodland,
Lapwing Good numbers In surrounding fields
Curlew Couple of pair displaying.
Willow Warbler Several seen but very quiet.
Chiffchaff One carrying food.
You can cross the River glaze here and enter GMC.
Little Woolden Moss.
This area is known for its Willow Tits but on two visits this week I did not see or heare one, but there is a bonus.
Yellowhammer What I assume was a pair, male and female displaying and chasing along a hedge, and a single Male further on.
Willow Warbler/Chiffchaff Good numbers.
On the flooded areas Where Curlew, Lapwing, Tuffted, Shovler, and Mallard, there had been some Redshank the previous day but I did not see them.
Med Gulls 4 in full breeding plumage.
Grey Heron 2
Marsh Harrier Impossible to tell if this was a duplicate from Risley, but ther are at least 2 breeding pair in the area.
On exiting the reserve you are on Ashley road surrounded by Cadishead, Irlam and Chat mosses.
In this aarea.
Yellowhammer Pair.
Blackcap 3 males in song
Skylarks Lots in song
Meadow Pipit Small groups feeding in open fields
Linnet Again seem to be doing well.
Lapwing Good numbers in several fields
Curlew 2 calling,
Mistle Thrush 2 fully fledged young being fed by adults.
Whitethroat A single bird not singing and very elusive this apparently is early for here.
Buzzard 2
Kestrel 2
Sparrowhawk 1
On Tuesday of this week I visited Moore N R only 20 minutes away, hoping beyond hope for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but no luck.
On the lakes were.
Tufted, Mallard, Pochard,Gadwall,Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe and Teal and several Grey Heron.
Siskin and Redpol seemed to be in good numbers.
Just a note on the commoner species
Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Chaffinch,Bullfinch and the four tits were all recorded.
During some of this week I was accompanied by PaulG (Edenfield) and SamC (Strongstry) who is a young lad I have been mentoring for several years and he is good and very keen, so if any of you come across him please add to his knowledge, thankyou.
When they were with me we found an undisclosed roost site for Long Eared Owl, pics to follow.
Regards Brian.
PS the arrows on the are my location, if anyone fancied a visit just message me.
