Photos
Buzzard at Rixton
Tree Sparrows at Waterworks Lane feeding station
Teal at Newton Lake
24th October
A Sparrowhawk in the garden and 15 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station were the only birds of note today.
25th October
At HGF this morning 31 Redwings flew from a roost site near Myddleton Hall. A flock of 360+ Pink-footed Geese flew over heading SE. In Rixton this afternoon 33 Skylarks were in a ploughed field off Holly Bush Lane.
26th October
No birding today.
27th October
Not much new at HGF this morning - about the only note was the Wigeon flock increasing to 19. Late afternoon I had a quick walk down the path from the end of Moss Side Lane in Rixton. The bushes were full of Redwings and Fieldfares with 3 Jays, a Kestrel and a Buzzard also seen. In the ploughed field off Holly Bush Lane were 19 Skylarks and a further four Kestrels were seen along this lane. A quick look at the feeding station – 68 Tree Sparrows and 3 Grey Partridges were feeding and at Newton Lake at dusk 83 Teal and 4 Little Grebes counted.
28th October
Travelling back from Birmingham today I had the usual Friday traffic disaster with 40 miles of static vehicles on the M6 north bound. Every f***ing Friday is now the same and starting work at silly am to try and get away early and then still be faced with this is gutting.
Anyway after several hours I hade made it as far as the south end of the Thelwall before grinding to a halt a short time before sunset so I diverted off to Rixton – might as well take a punt on some birds on the mosses as well as sit there on the motorway. Driving down Holly Bush Lane I noted two coveys of Grey Partridges in a ploughed field (25 + 4) but not much else around. At the bottom I stopped and got out to scan around (nothing) before getting back in and driving down Prospect Lane. In the gloom I had forgotten to put my headlights on and a large bird flew past briefly and quickly disappeared – what the hell was that?
By the fishing pools I met a birder I see here sometimes who had been watching a Short-eared Owl for around an hour by the farm on Prospect Lane (perhaps that was what I saw). After a quick chat I headed back to see if I could pick up the SEO. I didn’t see it, however turning into Holly Bush Lane again I saw a Barn Owl perched on a fencepost. It allowed me to drive opposite to it and I sat there watching the bird. It then flew around the lane before heading off over the fields. I decided to head back down Prospect Lane (bit of a yo-yo session this) to tell the other birder when the SEO flew across the front of my car! Next three groups of Canada Geese flew past and then in the dark numerous Redwings began flying over. It certainly made up for the trip home.
29th October
Not much doing at HGF this morning. I nipped over to the feeding station just in time to see a large mixed sparrow flock flying off. A few minutes later part of the flock (39 Tree Sparrows) returned, however I didn’t have time to hang around. Later in the morning I returned to find the feeding station quiet – I suspect a load of well fed spadgers were dozing in the middle of that thick hedge as they do. Two Kestrels and two Buzzards were present in Waterworks Lane. One of the latter flew over a stubble strip and flushed a mixed flock comprising 14 Skylarks and 17 Linnets.
Late evening I headed off to Rixton for another stab at the owls. I parked up at the junction of Prospect and Holly Bush Lanes and watched the area from there. Quite soon a Peregrine flew over and headed over to Risley Moss and then two coveys of Grey Partridges (10+8) appeared in the bottom field. I was soon joined by David Spencer. David and I stood there nattering when he spotted an owl quartering over the field south of Prospect Lane – a SEO. We watched this bird for around 20 minutes and then David left. The SEO then disappeared so I started scanning the fence line where I had seen the Barn Owl yesterday. Suddenly in the gloom the Barn Owl flew from somewhere behind me and straight past down the fence line. It quickly disappeared.
Interesting that the local farmer is still building his clay pigeon shooting centre at the end of the track down from the bottom of Holly Bush Lane. Apparently he started developing this before realising he needed to apply for planning permission which was subsequently refused after complaints from locals.
A Sparrowhawk in the garden and 15 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station were the only birds of note today.
25th October
At HGF this morning 31 Redwings flew from a roost site near Myddleton Hall. A flock of 360+ Pink-footed Geese flew over heading SE. In Rixton this afternoon 33 Skylarks were in a ploughed field off Holly Bush Lane.
26th October
No birding today.
27th October
Not much new at HGF this morning - about the only note was the Wigeon flock increasing to 19. Late afternoon I had a quick walk down the path from the end of Moss Side Lane in Rixton. The bushes were full of Redwings and Fieldfares with 3 Jays, a Kestrel and a Buzzard also seen. In the ploughed field off Holly Bush Lane were 19 Skylarks and a further four Kestrels were seen along this lane. A quick look at the feeding station – 68 Tree Sparrows and 3 Grey Partridges were feeding and at Newton Lake at dusk 83 Teal and 4 Little Grebes counted.
28th October
Travelling back from Birmingham today I had the usual Friday traffic disaster with 40 miles of static vehicles on the M6 north bound. Every f***ing Friday is now the same and starting work at silly am to try and get away early and then still be faced with this is gutting.
Anyway after several hours I hade made it as far as the south end of the Thelwall before grinding to a halt a short time before sunset so I diverted off to Rixton – might as well take a punt on some birds on the mosses as well as sit there on the motorway. Driving down Holly Bush Lane I noted two coveys of Grey Partridges in a ploughed field (25 + 4) but not much else around. At the bottom I stopped and got out to scan around (nothing) before getting back in and driving down Prospect Lane. In the gloom I had forgotten to put my headlights on and a large bird flew past briefly and quickly disappeared – what the hell was that?
By the fishing pools I met a birder I see here sometimes who had been watching a Short-eared Owl for around an hour by the farm on Prospect Lane (perhaps that was what I saw). After a quick chat I headed back to see if I could pick up the SEO. I didn’t see it, however turning into Holly Bush Lane again I saw a Barn Owl perched on a fencepost. It allowed me to drive opposite to it and I sat there watching the bird. It then flew around the lane before heading off over the fields. I decided to head back down Prospect Lane (bit of a yo-yo session this) to tell the other birder when the SEO flew across the front of my car! Next three groups of Canada Geese flew past and then in the dark numerous Redwings began flying over. It certainly made up for the trip home.
29th October
Not much doing at HGF this morning. I nipped over to the feeding station just in time to see a large mixed sparrow flock flying off. A few minutes later part of the flock (39 Tree Sparrows) returned, however I didn’t have time to hang around. Later in the morning I returned to find the feeding station quiet – I suspect a load of well fed spadgers were dozing in the middle of that thick hedge as they do. Two Kestrels and two Buzzards were present in Waterworks Lane. One of the latter flew over a stubble strip and flushed a mixed flock comprising 14 Skylarks and 17 Linnets.
Late evening I headed off to Rixton for another stab at the owls. I parked up at the junction of Prospect and Holly Bush Lanes and watched the area from there. Quite soon a Peregrine flew over and headed over to Risley Moss and then two coveys of Grey Partridges (10+8) appeared in the bottom field. I was soon joined by David Spencer. David and I stood there nattering when he spotted an owl quartering over the field south of Prospect Lane – a SEO. We watched this bird for around 20 minutes and then David left. The SEO then disappeared so I started scanning the fence line where I had seen the Barn Owl yesterday. Suddenly in the gloom the Barn Owl flew from somewhere behind me and straight past down the fence line. It quickly disappeared.
Interesting that the local farmer is still building his clay pigeon shooting centre at the end of the track down from the bottom of Holly Bush Lane. Apparently he started developing this before realising he needed to apply for planning permission which was subsequently refused after complaints from locals.
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