Birdreport

Foot and Mouth restrictions were lifted at a few more sites, so that Withnell Fold received its first visit since February. It was well worth it since the 'scrapes' and the surrounding farmland held a post-breeding flock of some 40 Curlew on the 8^th. Also there on the same date were 4 Teal, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Snipe and 4 Oystercatcher. A couple of days earlier, Oystercatchers had been touring Chorley town, with one over Pilling Lane (5^th), two over Astley Road on the same day, and one flying round Birkacre on the 7^th. Common Sandpiper was recorded at Lower Rivington reservoir on several dates with the best count being seven together on the 25^th. It was also recorded on the River Douglas at Bretherton on the 19^th. Withnell Fold continued to be the principal site for waders with other noteworthy records including Greenshank (26^th) and Dunlin, 7 Snipe, 2 Curlew and 110 Lapwing all there on the 28^th. Top count of Snipe during the month was 15 on the 25^th, and of Lapwing 200 on the 15^th.

July continued its record as a good month for raptors with two Peregrines high over Hordern Stoops on the 14^th, and a female Merlin over Anglezarke moor on the 17^th. A Buzzard was noted over the terraced gardens, Rivington, being mobbed by crows (21^st), and another was observed over Jolly Tar Lane, Coppull on the 26^th. Kestrels, each with 3 young, were noted at Rivington (15^th) and at Healey Nab (29^th). Four owl species were recorded including Short-eared quartering the moors near Hordern Stoops (14^th), Tawny at Rivington (20^th), Little at Jepson's Gate (22^nd), and Barn Owl at Bretherton (30^th).

Great Crested Grebes seemed to be having a successful breeding season with pairs with young being noted at Birkacre (2^nd), Heapey Lodges (4^th) and Anglezarke and Lower and Upper Rivington reservoirs, which held a total of 4 pairs with 6 young (18^th - 20^th). A female Tufted Duck and 4 young appeared on High Bullough Reservoir (27^th). Two pairs of Canada Geese with 7 young were recorded on several dates at Birkacre. Post breeding flocks of Mistle Thrush included 18 in Astley Park (12^th), 17^th at the south end of Cuerden (18^th), and 12 off Sheephouse Lane, Rivington on the 31^st.

Grey Wagtails with young were noted at White Coppice (1^st), Birkacre (14^th) and Lead Mines Clough (23^rd). A family group of Redstarts was at White Coppice on the 1^st and a female and juvenile were there on the 22^nd. Family parties of Long-tailed Tits were noted at Withnell Fold (8^th), and at Rivington (12^th & 28^th), and of Willow Warblers at Birkacre (14^th & 28^th) and at Withnell Fold (26^th). A juvenile Greenfinch was in a Chorley garden (14^th), and a family group was a regular visitor to a Rivington garden, where a family party of Bullfinch was noted on the 16^th. Great Spotted Woodpeckers bred at Rivington. At Birkacre a juvenile Nuthatch was observed on the 28^th, when there was also a family group of Reed Buntings.

An unusual record for the time of year was one of three female / juvenile Goosander circling Lower Rivington Reservoir then continuing south (15^th). Other interesting records included Cuckoo at Black Coppice (2^nd), Woodcock roding around Leicester Mill Quarry (2^nd & 9^th), small parties of Tree Sparrow at Anglezarke (2^nd), Heath Charnock (27^th) and Withnell Fold (28^th). Four Ravens over Anglezarke moor on the 16^th may well have been a family group. Kingfishers were seen at Birkacre (9^th), Upper Rivington Reservoir (18^th) and Anglezarke (28^th). A couple of pairs of Red Grouse were noted on Anglezarke moor on the 23^rd. At Birkacre on the 28^th, a Spotted Flycatcher was at Top Lodge, and a Grasshopper Warbler was still reeling.

August was a fairly quiet month but it got off to an exotic start for one observer who bumped into a Ring-necked Parakeet behind Morrison's supermarket in Chorley on the 1st. The first week in August is also the time when the local Swift population bids farewell for another year, and the 100 or so over Croston Moss on the 4^th could well have been an assembly of local birds preparing to depart. Records of other summer visitors during the month included three Sedge Warblers at Burgh Hall meadow (4^th), Redstart on Anglezarke Moor (14^th), Wheatears at Siddow Fold (21^st) and Hordern Stoops (31^st) and Whitethroat on Grey Heights (23^rd). A Common Tern was noted over Lower Rivington Reservoir on the 25^th.

The high water levels throughout the area meant that wader passage was disappointing. Withnell Fold continued to be the place most likely, but records from there - apart from a Green Sandpiper on the 16^th - were confined to Snipe and Lapwing, for which the best counts respectively were 21 and 84, both on the 25^th. In fact the 25^th saw spectacular numbers of birds at Withnell Fold, on the fields between the canal and Brindle. A Grey Heron flapping lazily overhead prompted most of the avian population on the ground to join it, producing the sort of spectacle normally associated with Marshside or Martin Mere. Included in this feathered frenzy were some 500 Black-headed Gulls, 100 Rooks, 100 Jackdaws, 150 Starlings, the 84 Lapwings mentioned above, 50 Woodpigeons and a dozen each of Stock Dove and Teal. Only the 70 or so Canada Geese remained on the ground.

Returning to waders, the only other records received were of Common Sandpiper at Lower Rivington Reservoir (21^st & 25^th), the first of these being a juvenile, Oystercatcher over Lower Rivington (25^th), Greenshank over Heapey Lodges (26^th) and Curlew over Spitlers Edge (28^th).

It was a good month for Kingfisher sightings with Anglezarke reservoir producing the majority (9^th, 25^th, 30^th & 31^st), three of which were below the Yarrow overflow. (15^th), Other records came from Withnell Fold nature reserve (11^th), the Kem Mill end of Cuerden (15^th), Birkacre (18^th), Heapey Lodges (25^th) and Lower Rivington reservoir (28^th).

It was also a good month for Grey Partridge records, with two noted at Withnell Fold (25^th), 8 on Anglezarke Moor (26^th) and 7 on Grey Heights (28^th).

Other records of interest included Willow Tits at Withnell Fold nature reserve (4^th) and Chisnall (8^th). Two Ravens were seen over Rivington Moor (17^th) and Hordern Stoops (31^st). An adult and two juvenile Sparrowhawks were observed at Rivington (8^th), and another juvenile was noted on Grey Heights (23^rd). A flock of 38 Mistle Thrush by the canal at Whittle was noteworthy.

The only wildfowl record of note was that of the Tufted Duck family which moved between High Bullough and Anglezarke reservoirs during the month. At Birkacre, somewhat depressingly, the powers that be had decided to introduce Teal, Pintail and Wigeon of sorts to Top Lodge, thus raising a question mark over any records we receive of those species from now on.

Several late Swift records were received, possibly of birds on passage, with 3 over Harrison Road on the 4^th, and singles over Lower Rivington reservoir (8^th), Cowling (12^th) and Upper Rivington reservoir (15^th). Swallows and House Martins were in evidence to the end of the month with groups of 20 - 60 over the reservoirs on several dates. Sand Martins were less in evidence as often seems to be the case in Autumn, but several were over Withnell Fold nature reserve on the 9^th.

Chiffchaff were in song at White Coppice, Withnell Fold, Rivngton and Birkacre between the 23^rd and 26^th. Other summer migrants still around included three Willow Warblers on Grey Heights (20^th), a male Blackcap in a Rivington garden (14^th) and two male Wheatears at Hordern Stoops (6^th) and a female at Heath Charnock (25^th).

As summer visitors were leaving, so winter visitors were arriving. On the 23^rd & 24^th there was a noticeable arrival of Goldcrest with birds noted at White Coppice, Withnell Fold, Rivington and Grey Heights. On the 22^nd there was an evident influx of thrushes around Grey Heights, including 12 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrushes and 16 Mistle Thrushes. There had been significant numbers of Mistle Thrushes noted on the 16^th with 12 at White Coppice and 6 around Heapey Lodges. Other birds on the move were Meadow Pipits with flocks of 25 at Lead Mines Clough (14^th) and 60 over Anglezarke Moor (24^th), where there was also a male Stonechat.

Resident birds were also gathering into flocks. At Withnell Fold on the 2^nd there was a flock of 50 - 60 Tree Sparrows. At Eyes Lane, Bretherton, on the 19^th there were flocks of around 70 Skylark and 50 Linnets. At White Coppice on the 23^rd there was a small flock of Redpoll, and at Grey Heights on the 24^th there was a flock of 70 Chaffinch.

Apart from a Common Sandpiper at Upper Rivington reservoir on the 1^st, wader records were again confined to Lapwing and Snipe. 90 of the former were at Withnell Fold on the 2^nd but these had reduced to 13 by the 23^rd. There were 8 Snipe at Withnell Fold on the 2^nd, 14 were noted over Anglezarke reservoir on the 19^th and another 16 on the 27^th.

Wildfowl records produced further evidence of birds on the move. On the 1^st a Mute Swan dropped onto Lower Rivington reservoir then flew off north. Another pair was on the River Douglas at Bretherton. At Withnell Fold scrapes on the 2^nd there was a flock of 106 Canada Geese, as well as approximately 30 Teal. The latter had increased to over 100 by the 9^th, at what appears to be an autumnal staging post for the species. On the 15^th, six Shoveler were seen high over Upper Rivington reservoir when a male Goosander was seen flying

south. A female Goosander was seen flying south over Anglezarke reservoir on the 29^th. The WeBs count on the 16^th noted a male, female and two juvenile Tufted Duck on High Bullough reservoir plus a total of 14 Great Crested Grebe including juveniles on all waters. Later in the month, six Wigeon were on Anglezarke reservoir on the 27^th with two there on the 29^th. A female Pochard was on Anglezarke reservoir on the 28^th. A flock of Canada geese which dropped onto Anglezarke reservoir on the 27^th also contained a Bar-headed Goose.

Three Cormorants seen flying north up Upper Rivington reservoir on the 20^th could well have been the same birds noted over Grey Heights heading north west on the same day.

The increase in the Buzzard population is being reflected in local records. Birds were noted at Lower Rivington reservoir (15^th), Grey Heights (11^th & 24^th), and Burgh Lane (25^th) and (29^th), when three were seen together. The only other raptor record, other than Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, was of a Merlin chasing House Martins over Anglezarke Moor on the 6^th.

Thanks to the following without whose records the compilation of this report would be impossible:-

D.Beattie, J.Burgoine, B.Derbyshire, D.Downing, R.Hoyle, C.Johnson, M.Moss, A.Porter, C.Rae, V.G.Rhodes, J.Riley, P.Ross, J.Sharples, N.Southworth, C.Smith, R.Spencer, A.Stott, N.West