Time for an update with the latest sightings at Dove Stone. Starting up at Binn Green, on and around the feeders there's plenty to see with regular sightings of Treecreepers, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Siskin, plenty of Blackbirds and Chaffinches, Greenfinch and Coal, Blue and Great Tit and less often Lesser Redpoll. From the viewing platform at Binn Green you can look out across to Dove Stone rocks and from here yesterday you could watch one of the Peregrines regularly flying across the face of the quarry, perching, then flying again. Manchester Peregrines are sitting on at least one egg so hopefully the Dove Stone birds will be doing the same soon. We're at Dove Stone throughout the week throughout the summer watching to see what happens with the Peregrines and at Ashway Gap Thursdays to Sundays from 11am to 3pm with scopes for anyone interested in taking a look.
Out on Dove Stone reservoir there are a fewer number of Black Headed Gulls then of late. No sign of the Oystercatchers but we'll be reporting on them as and when. A Cormorant flying over Dove Stone res. brings our Dove Stone 2013 reserve list up to 49.Elsewhere around Dove Stone this week there have been sightings of Dipper, a male Stonechat just past Chew Brook and displaying Meadow Pipit (50) above the fields, Reed Buntings in the 6-Scots Pine field also past Chew. As well as some of the same birds that you can see at the Binn Green feeding area, in the woods around the main trail there's Wren and Long tailed tit. In one of the woods we've also had Grey Heron at one of the ponds we've created and Brown Hare - probably more unusual for us to see Brown Hare then it is Mountain Hare here. Up on the moor tops there's Golden Plover to be seen as well as a sighting of Skylark bringing our list total up to 51.
Also reports on Manchester Birding recently of an Osprey flying over Dove Stone and an Osprey in the Arnfield area, probably the same bird ? More soon, as soon as we get reports of any spring migrants. Bets on what will be first. I lay my money on Wheatear...