MANCHESTER BIRDING MONTHLY BIRD SIGHTINGS ROUNDUP

This monthly sightings summary of birds in Greater Manchester was collated and written by Judith Smith

JUNE'S SIGHTINGS

Please note that county rarities mentioned in this report are as yet mostly unauthenticated and mention in this report does not imply acceptance by the County Rarities Committee.

Please note that permits are required at Audenshaw and Heaton Park Reservoirs

 Highlights:  A Red Kite drifted over Woodford 4th and one was reported from Sharples, Bolton 16th.  A Little Tern was at Elton Resr 6th and the only Black Tern this spring was at Pennington Flash 14th-17th.

Wildfowl: June is a month when we expect to find broods of the less common breeding species such as Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler and Tufted. Whether it was the effects of the cold winter, or low water levels, numbers of broods have been very low this year, with only one brood of Pochard, 3 of Gadwall and around the same of Tufted by the month end – probably a quarter of what we would normally see.

Interestingly, Mandarin and Goosander broods appear around the same – but they breed in trees…a brood of 14 young Goosanders was on the Roch at Bury ETW 12th. Grebes too seemed unaffected, with 4 broods of Black-necked at a private site and normal numbers of Great Crested Grebes.  A Bittern was reported from Bryn Marsh 15th.

Waders: Up to 56 Black-tailed Godwits still summered in the Wigan Flashes – Pennington Flash corridor. By the end of the month the largest counts were to be found at Pearson’s Flash where water levels had dropped and mud flats made it attractive to them. Redshanks were successful at Horrocks Flash with one young well on the way to fledging by the month end. Two Green Sandpipers were at Pennington Flash 25th increasing to 4 by the month end and commuting to Hope Carr NR, and singles were at Red Moss 27th and Irlam Moss 29th.

Raptors and Owls: the frequency of (female) Marsh Harrier sightings suggested that a bird may have summered in the west of the county. Sightings came from Tinker Joe’s Flash, Bickershaw 5th, the Wigan Flashes 8th, 12th, 13th, and Astley Moss from 25th to the month end. Hobbies were reported from Pilsworth 6th, Lightshaw 12th, Hope Carr NR 18th, Dunham Massey 21st, and Atherton 25th. Sightings on Chat Moss related to a pair breeding outside the county. One of the juvenile Peregrines from the CIS building was killed after a collision with the glass, and the other was taken into care after concussing itself, but was released after a few days and reintegrated with its parents. Five pairs of Long-eared Owls bred in one area in the east of the county – how many pairs go undetected? 16 Barn Owl chicks were found at 6 farms visited 28th, with one pair still on eggs.

Gulls and terns: an adult Mediterranean Gull was at Rumworth Lodge 21st. Common Terns were successful at Doffcocker, Rumworth and Moses Gate CP, but broods were predated or disturbed by human activity at Horrocks Flash.

Other passerines: at least one Black Redstart was singing in the city centre but there were fears that one bird was taken by a Kestrel. Another continued to sing at a different location. Ring-necked Parakeets at the Fallowfield allotment reached 9 on 1st, including at least 3 juveniles; 5 juveniles were there 14th. Cuckoos were present at Astley Moss, where one was seen feeding another (very rare) and Dovestones. It was an excellent breeding season for many species, with the dry, warm weather and early reports suggest Yellow Wagtails and Willow Tits in particular have had a successful season.

Escapes: A Black Swan was at Sale WP, 23rd.

Thanks to the following for their records:

R. Ashcroft, S. Ashton, A. Askew, D. Atherton, I. Boote, D. Broome, L. Brown, I. Campbell, J. Canovan, S. Collins, H. Cook, M. Cooper, A. Dancy, M. Dignam, A. Dixon, R. Donkin, J. Eccles, J. Fisher, K. Foulkes, F. Fouracre, K. Gartside, P. Greenwood, N. Grounds, G. Hargreaves, C. Harper,  P. Heaton, S. Herring, ,  T. Hill, P. Hines, B. Hulme, N. Isherwood, A. A. Johnson, I. Johnson, Simon Johnson, P. & N. Johnson, P. Kelly, R. Kenworthy, P. Lane, J. Lyon, I. McKerchar, A. Makin, H. May, J. Meadows, G. Mills, J.Moot, B. Mulhern, W.R. Myerscough,  S. Nelson, C. Owen, J. Platt, C. Ramsden, J. Rayner, S. Reid, P. Rhodes, M. Rigby, P. Risley, R. Smallwood, D. Steel, S. Suttill, S. Sweeney, D. Thacker, R. and T. Thorpe, J. Tymon, D. Wallace, G. Walton, S.& A. Warford, M. Whalley, D. Wilson, E. Wilson,  I. Woosey,  Birdguides, Mersey Valley Wardens. Apologies for any accidental omissions.