Newsletter 126
Bird Report
April
A flock of 150 Fieldfare was seen moving north at White Coppice on 2nd April and 19 were seen there on the 11th. A Redwing was at Yarrow Valley Park on the 5th. Waxwings were also still around with a flock of 30 by the entrance to the cemetery (9th), 34 were seen in Stump Lane (16th), 30 in Park Road (18th&20th) and 19 in Stump Lane (21st). Siskin passage was noted in the first week.
Summer visitor first arrival dates, including March and May arrivals for completeness, were as follows:-
| Species | Arrival Date 2009 | Arrival Date 2008 | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swift | 25th April | (26th April) | Chorley |
| Swallow | 29th March | (5th April) | Chorley and Belmont |
| House Martin | 10th April | (9th April) | Coppull and Eccleston |
| Sand Martin | 29th March | (30th March) | Clayton Green |
| Wheatear | 21st March | (23rd March) | Withnell Moor |
| Whinchat | 2nd May | (20th April) | White Coppice |
| Ring Ouzel | 6th April | (20th April) | White Coppice |
| Chiffchaff | 17th March | (16th March) | Cuerden & Yarrow VP |
| Willow Warbler | 2nd April | (31st March) | Stronstrey Bank |
| Garden Warbler | 22nd April | (2nd May) | E-shaped Pond |
| Blackcap | 2nd April | (30th March) | Stronstrey Bank |
| Wood Warbler | 3rd May | (4th May) | Roddlesworth |
| Sedge Warbler | 19th April | (27th April) | Croston Reed Bed |
| Reed Warbler | 26th April | (28th May) | Croston Reed Bed |
| Grasshopper Warbler | 19th April | (22nd April) | Black Coppice |
| Whitethroat | 17th April | (26th April) | Cuerden VP |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 28th April | (26th April) | E-shaped Pond |
| Cuckoo | 25th April | (23rd April) | White Coppice |
| Tree Pipit | 9th April | (22nd April) | White Coppice |
| Redstart | 12th April | (25th April) | White Coppice |
| Pied Flycatcher | 18th April | (23rd April) | Anglezarke |
| Spotted Flycatcher | 13th May | (4th May) | Anglezarke |
| Whimbrel | 13th April | (21st April) | Eccleston |
| Common Sandpiper | 21st April | (15th April) | Anglezarke |
| Little Ringed Plover | 30th March | (4th April) | Buckshaw Village |
| Common Tern | 7th May | (19th May) | Eccleston |
Last year’s first arrival dates are shown in brackets for comparison. With one or two exceptions this year’s first dates were more typical of the average than last year when a few were late arriving.
Other sightings of interest included a female Mandarin in a tree at Cuerden Valley Park (3rd), and 2 White Wagtails on Croston Finney (4th). A Jack Snipe was at Buckshaw (6th). A Little Egret was reported on the River Douglas at Bretherton (11th), and a Willow Tit in Yarrow Valley Park (20th).
May
Mute Swans produced two young at Yarrow Valley Park by 15th (reducing to one by 25th), and 4 at Lower Healey by 31st. A Coot was seen with 4 young in Astley Park (16th). Canada Geese had 6 goslings at Lower Healey (24th) and 14 at Withnell Fold Flash (30th), when a Shelduck was also present.
Whimbrel were still passing through with 8 at Anglezarke Reservoir (3rd), 12 at Euxton (9th) and 2 at Eccleston (20th). Little Ringed Plover were at Anglezarke reservoir and at Buckshaw, where there was also a Ringed Plover until at least the 2nd. Common Sandpiper were at Anglezarke Reservoir with two together (20th).
It was a good month for Tawny Owl sightings with birds seen at Eccleston, High Bullough and Lower Burgh Meadow (10th) and in Euxton (24th). A Barn Owl was seen in Eyes Lane, Bretherton (13th) and a Little Owl on Croston Finney (16th). Buzzards were seen during the month from all the regular sites, and Peregrines were noted in Chorley, at White Coppice and at Whittle. Family parties of Raven were also seen at the latter two sites.
Cuckoo being fed by Meadow Pipit
Three Common Terns were seen at Charity fish pond, Eccleston on the 7th. Cuckoo sightings were confined to the Healey Nab / White Coppice areas. Dippers were resident in Yarrow Valley Park and at White Coppice, and were also recorded at Abyssinia (11th) and at Hoghton Bottoms (31st), where they were feeding two young.
Summer visitors arriving / passing through included at least 2 Wheatear at White Coppice during the first week, and 4 on Anglezarke Moor (10th). A Whinchat at White Coppice (4th) was probably also on passage. Here to stay were Sedge Warbler (Lower Burgh Meadow), Grasshopper Warbler (White Coppice and Lower Burgh Meadow), Garden Warbler (Lower Burgh Meadow), Wood Warbler (Roddlesworth and Heather Lea Woods), Redstart (Anglezarke, Lead Mines Clough, White Coppice), Pied Flycatcher (Anglezarke) and Spotted Flycatcher (Anglezarke, Roddlesworth and White Coppice). Whitethroat were well distributed with birds recorded at Croston Finney, Eccleston, Heapey, Hic Bibi, Lower Burgh Meadow, Lower Healey, Whittle and Withnell Fold. Siskin at Eccleston (4th) and in a Chorley garden (21st) were unseasonal.
June
The pair of Little Grebe on Astley Park had a single well grown chick by 14th. A pair of Mallard at Yarrow Valley Park had 7 young on the 4th. Lapwings with 5 young (3rd) in fields off Town Lane were the first seen there by the observer for several years. Waders at Anglezarke Reservoir on the 26th included Little Ringed Plover, Redshank and Common Sandpiper. A group of 8 Oystercatcher at the site was presumably a post-breeding party. Both Red-legged and Grey Partridge were seen at Ulnes Walton (7th). A Dipper and family party of Grey Wagtails were seen on the Goit at Brinscall (11th).
Red Kite
A Red Kite over Yarrow Valley Way on the 8th was a good record. Buzzard sightings during the month included birds at Yarrow Valley Park and Coppull(1st), Ulnes Walton (7th), Heskin (13th), Eccleston (14th), Hic Bibi (17th) and Euxton (23rd). A Short-eared Owl was noted hunting over Anglezarke Moor (8th), and Tawny Owls were recorded at Heskin (13th) and White Coppice (23rd).
Best news of the month, though, was the arrival of a pair of Common Tern at Yarrow Valley Park on the 2nd. They liked the new tern raft sufficiently to set up home on it!
Cuckoos were again recorded on Healey Nab and at White Coppice during the first week. A party of at least 50 Swift were feeding around the quarry at White Coppice on the 4th. A pair of Redstart at White Coppice had at least two young. Other sightings of scarcer warblers included a pair of Garden Warblers at White Coppice (6th) and a Lesser Whitethroat in Hic Bibi Lane (15th). Finally, a member saw a family party of 6 Nuthatch at Yarrow Valley Park, one of which landed on his shoulder!
Many thanks to the following for submitting records:-
I.Ball, D.Barker, D.Beattie, D.Beevers, J.Bolton, J.Catt, P.Catterall, T.Coatsworth, J.Cobham, D.Downing, T.Dunn, R.Else, M.Fishwick, J.Frankland, N.Green, M.Greenhalgh, G.Gorner, D,Griffiths, S&M.Grundy, D.Harrison, L.Harrison, J.Hewitt, R.Hoult, R.Hoyle, A&C.Johnson, P.King, P.Kirk, P.Krischkiw, G.Lilley, B.Makinson, S.Martin, J.Meadows, T.Morton, D.North, M.Pearson, C.Rae, J.Riley, P.Ross, A.Ryding, C.Smith, N.Southworth, R.Spencer, D.Stanley, J.Stringfellow, C.Thistlethwaite, B.Thomas, N.&T.West, P.West, T.Westhead, C.Winder, K.Woan, I.Woosey.
Please continue to send your records to the forum or editor.
Neil Southworth