1st December
A Skylark was present in the south field at HGF this morning – the first for a while. Five Grey Partridges and a Fieldfare were also feeding here. The Goldeneye remains on the pool.
2nd December
A couple of Mistle Thrushes in the garden this morning started the birding day. Yet another look at the feeding station bore fruit in the form of two Tree Sparrows – the first birds here since 82 birds were present on 5th November. I decided to put some fresh food down to see if this would attract anything.
No change at HGF. On the way to work I noted a lone Corn Bunting on the usual wires in Culcheth.
Late afternoon I had a wander round Rixton. On Moat Lane pools a Green Sandpiper was present along with a couple of Wigeon and 6 Mute Swans. Around 4000 Starlings were on the tip and 5 Kestrels and 4 Grey Partridges were on the mosses. Around 40 Pink-footed Geese flew over, heading NE again. At dusk I hung around to see if the Short-eared Owl was still around. Very late on when the light was very poor, the owl flew up from its roost site and simply motored off over the mosses.
3rd December
No birding today
4th December
No birding today
5th December
An interesting bird at HGF this morning following a night of very high winds was a juvenile Whooper Swan. The bird flew a circuit around the pool and was calling all the time. Eventually the bird flew off NW. I would assume it somehow got separated from its family group in the bad weather. I hope it finds its family. A drake Shoveler was also a welcome addition to the pool.
6th December
An adult Goldeneye had joined the usual immature drake at HGF this morning. There was no sign of yesterday’s Shoveler though. 27 Lapwings lined the edge of the pool.
A wander round Rixton was enjoyable this afternoon. The Green Sandpiper was on Moat Lane pools again with several Tufties, a Pochard and six Gadwall. Past the tip I noticed that there were quite a few large gulls loafing about in a field behind the tip. Eventually I managed to get some views and trawl through the flock. Nothing spectacular, however there were 70+ Great Black-backed Gulls, 180+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 140+ Herring Gulls. In one of the fields off the A57 were 200+ Fieldfares while Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Grey Partridges and 5 Kestrels were also observed on the mosses.
Late afternoon I decided on the spur of the moment to go to Risley Moss. Lots of little brown jobs were dropping suddenly into roost – these included 5 Yellowhammers and 4 Reed Buntings. A tit flock passed through and tagging along at the rear where 3 Goldcrests with a fourth seen later. Eventually two Short-eared Owls flew up though very late and began flying around, dodging the numerous corvids. They then flew up high and off towards Rixton whereupon I found a third bird still hunting the moss. 12 Snipe and 5 Woodcock also flew off and the usual Tawny Owl started calling.
7th December
A brief look at the feeding station late afternoon – nothing. Four Grey Partridges were in a nearby field and Buzzard and Kestrel were both seen.
8th December
The immature drake Goldeneye still remains at HGF. A single Canada Goose was new in today.
9th December
No birding today.
10th December
Another Saturday when I was just too knackered to go and do some serious birding so I stayed local today and had several brief visits to various places. This started at Newton Lake after dropping Karen off at the hairdressers. The lake had flooded and a lot of the Teal were hiding at the back under the tree roots again. Nevertheless I counted 89 Teal floating on the water. A single Little Grebe, 31 Canadas, a handful of Tufties and a ringed, juvenile, Mute Swan were also spotted. The latter bird is CT6 and was ringed earlier this year at Crompton Lodge in Bolton.
After dropping Karen off at home I then took Bill for a wander around HGF. The Goldeneye is still there, Buzzard and Kestrel observed hunting and a flock of 36 Lapwings lounging about on the eastern side. The Wigeon flock varies daily but today numbered 48 – well down on what it should be at this time of year.
For a change the feeding station had picked up a bit today with the star visitors being 5 Corn Buntings which just about pipped another rare visitor in the form of a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 17 Tree Sparrows (good to see them back from wherever they have been) and 2 Yellowhammers plus various other commoner species were also around. It was enjoyable watching the place which has been like a morgue for 5 weeks.
In the garden today were a Coal Tit, a few Goldfinches and 16 Collared Doves. Eight Blackbirds had come out of the roost earlier.
Later on this afternoon I visited Rixton. The Green Sandpiper was still on Moat Lane pools, as were 2 Pochard, 49 Tufted Ducks, 4 Cormorants, a pair of Gadwall and 6 Mute Swans. A handful of Redwings flew over. Around 5000 Starlings were again on the tip but no gulls today. I stayed around for dusk and again observed the Short-eared Owl emerge from its roost and speed off over the mosses.
11th December
The Lapwing flock at HGF is steadily increasing and numbered 46 birds this morning. The Goldeneye is still there and four Great Black-backed Gulls floated on the water. There have been relatively few large gulls in the last couple of winters – a few years ago I was recording large gulls in their hundreds at times on here. A few more Great Crested Grebes have popped in.
18 Chaffinches and 10 Tree Sparrows were at Waterworks Lane feeding station today while in nearby Highfield Lane a flock of 230+ Fieldfares was having lunch. Late afternoon I paid a visit to Highfield Moss. 33 Redwings and 6 Fieldfares came into roost in nearby trees while 7 Snipe and 3 Jays plus a Kestrel were also seen. Unfortunately no owls.
A Skylark was present in the south field at HGF this morning – the first for a while. Five Grey Partridges and a Fieldfare were also feeding here. The Goldeneye remains on the pool.
2nd December
A couple of Mistle Thrushes in the garden this morning started the birding day. Yet another look at the feeding station bore fruit in the form of two Tree Sparrows – the first birds here since 82 birds were present on 5th November. I decided to put some fresh food down to see if this would attract anything.
No change at HGF. On the way to work I noted a lone Corn Bunting on the usual wires in Culcheth.
Late afternoon I had a wander round Rixton. On Moat Lane pools a Green Sandpiper was present along with a couple of Wigeon and 6 Mute Swans. Around 4000 Starlings were on the tip and 5 Kestrels and 4 Grey Partridges were on the mosses. Around 40 Pink-footed Geese flew over, heading NE again. At dusk I hung around to see if the Short-eared Owl was still around. Very late on when the light was very poor, the owl flew up from its roost site and simply motored off over the mosses.
3rd December
No birding today
4th December
No birding today
5th December
An interesting bird at HGF this morning following a night of very high winds was a juvenile Whooper Swan. The bird flew a circuit around the pool and was calling all the time. Eventually the bird flew off NW. I would assume it somehow got separated from its family group in the bad weather. I hope it finds its family. A drake Shoveler was also a welcome addition to the pool.
6th December
An adult Goldeneye had joined the usual immature drake at HGF this morning. There was no sign of yesterday’s Shoveler though. 27 Lapwings lined the edge of the pool.
A wander round Rixton was enjoyable this afternoon. The Green Sandpiper was on Moat Lane pools again with several Tufties, a Pochard and six Gadwall. Past the tip I noticed that there were quite a few large gulls loafing about in a field behind the tip. Eventually I managed to get some views and trawl through the flock. Nothing spectacular, however there were 70+ Great Black-backed Gulls, 180+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 140+ Herring Gulls. In one of the fields off the A57 were 200+ Fieldfares while Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Grey Partridges and 5 Kestrels were also observed on the mosses.
Late afternoon I decided on the spur of the moment to go to Risley Moss. Lots of little brown jobs were dropping suddenly into roost – these included 5 Yellowhammers and 4 Reed Buntings. A tit flock passed through and tagging along at the rear where 3 Goldcrests with a fourth seen later. Eventually two Short-eared Owls flew up though very late and began flying around, dodging the numerous corvids. They then flew up high and off towards Rixton whereupon I found a third bird still hunting the moss. 12 Snipe and 5 Woodcock also flew off and the usual Tawny Owl started calling.
7th December
A brief look at the feeding station late afternoon – nothing. Four Grey Partridges were in a nearby field and Buzzard and Kestrel were both seen.
8th December
The immature drake Goldeneye still remains at HGF. A single Canada Goose was new in today.
9th December
No birding today.
10th December
Another Saturday when I was just too knackered to go and do some serious birding so I stayed local today and had several brief visits to various places. This started at Newton Lake after dropping Karen off at the hairdressers. The lake had flooded and a lot of the Teal were hiding at the back under the tree roots again. Nevertheless I counted 89 Teal floating on the water. A single Little Grebe, 31 Canadas, a handful of Tufties and a ringed, juvenile, Mute Swan were also spotted. The latter bird is CT6 and was ringed earlier this year at Crompton Lodge in Bolton.
After dropping Karen off at home I then took Bill for a wander around HGF. The Goldeneye is still there, Buzzard and Kestrel observed hunting and a flock of 36 Lapwings lounging about on the eastern side. The Wigeon flock varies daily but today numbered 48 – well down on what it should be at this time of year.
For a change the feeding station had picked up a bit today with the star visitors being 5 Corn Buntings which just about pipped another rare visitor in the form of a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 17 Tree Sparrows (good to see them back from wherever they have been) and 2 Yellowhammers plus various other commoner species were also around. It was enjoyable watching the place which has been like a morgue for 5 weeks.
In the garden today were a Coal Tit, a few Goldfinches and 16 Collared Doves. Eight Blackbirds had come out of the roost earlier.
Later on this afternoon I visited Rixton. The Green Sandpiper was still on Moat Lane pools, as were 2 Pochard, 49 Tufted Ducks, 4 Cormorants, a pair of Gadwall and 6 Mute Swans. A handful of Redwings flew over. Around 5000 Starlings were again on the tip but no gulls today. I stayed around for dusk and again observed the Short-eared Owl emerge from its roost and speed off over the mosses.
11th December
The Lapwing flock at HGF is steadily increasing and numbered 46 birds this morning. The Goldeneye is still there and four Great Black-backed Gulls floated on the water. There have been relatively few large gulls in the last couple of winters – a few years ago I was recording large gulls in their hundreds at times on here. A few more Great Crested Grebes have popped in.
18 Chaffinches and 10 Tree Sparrows were at Waterworks Lane feeding station today while in nearby Highfield Lane a flock of 230+ Fieldfares was having lunch. Late afternoon I paid a visit to Highfield Moss. 33 Redwings and 6 Fieldfares came into roost in nearby trees while 7 Snipe and 3 Jays plus a Kestrel were also seen. Unfortunately no owls.
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