how are you? im sarfraz from rossendale....hae done a bit of bird watching in and around rossendale..especially grane..used to do quite a bit around holden wood reservoir.......have noticed one thing that back in 1997-1998 there were quite a lot of birds there - mallards, great crested grebes, coots - but now there are hardly any.....whats changed there?
anyway what are other good places to go bird watching in rossendale and surrounding areas? would love some tips from more experienced birders.
We still get those species at Holden Wood, but they tend to be fewer in number than they were a few years ago. I'm not sure why. The reservour is fished quite frequently, but I don't think that is the problem. We had problems with Mink a year or two ago but I've not heard mention of them recently. The whole Grane valley has become better used by walkers and dog-walkers and that could well have an effect.
There tend to be some interesting species around in Rossendale in the breeding season nowadays, but at this time of year reservoirs are the best bet. Clowbridge can turn up some interesting species as can Ashworth Moor Res, just outside Rossendale. Jumbles and Wayoh at Edgworth have always been popular with ROC members in winter and slightly further afield Stocks res at Slaidburn gets good mentions on the East Lancs site.
Just keep plugging away at it and something will turn up - thats half the fun of birding.
