Mosses

Long-tailed tit, Chat Moss

November borrowed one of September's frocks for the day and treated us to a bright, mild day. After yesterday's efforts I really didn't want to be having anything to do with trains today but I needed to get out and about and get a walk in after a few particularly lazy days and I didn't want to waste a nice day.

By Cutnook Lane 

I got the 100 from the Trafford Centre to Irlam and walked up Cutnook Lane. I was barely over the motorway when I bumped into the first mixed tit flock of the afternoon. Picking the runners and riders out of the flock was hazardous because it's a blind corner and the noise of the motorway traffic masks the noise of oncoming vehicles. I left it that there were a couple of dozen long-tailed tits, a few great tits and blue tits and one, possibly two, treecreepers and moved on. But not very far. 

Pigeons

There were no birds at all in the horse paddocks to my right, not even a magpie or two. On my left a field of turf had been stripped, turned over and seeded and was heaving with birds. At a glance the most conspicuous were the fifty-odd pigeons feeding in tight formation. Way over the other side were a couple of dozen magpies. What really caught my eye, though, was the very skittish flock of finches feeding in the near corner and retreating to the hedgerows whenever a pigeon opened its wing. There were about a hundred chaffinches, a lot more than I've seen for a couple of years, together with handfuls of linnets and goldfinches and at least one male brambling. A few pied wagtails were flitting about the centre of the field, it was a nice surprise to find a female white wagtail amongst them showing ghostly grey against the dark peat.

By Cutnook Lane 

I bumped into the next mixed tit flock just after the entrance to the fishery. There were fewer long-tailed tits, a few more blue tits and as well as a treecreeper and at least one goldcrest a couple of chaffinches were along for the ride.

Walking up to Croxden's Moss

I walked up to Croxden's Moss expecting to bump into another mixed tit flock and not finding one. The mallards on the pools were heard not seen. The pools can be seen now the leaves have fallen from the birch scrub but scanning them from the path is like having a net curtain over your binoculars.

Croxden's Moss 

Croxden's Moss looked big and empty and the illusion woukd have been successful had the carrion crows and blackbirds kept quiet.

Although the weather was lovely it was very damp underfoot, the sort of conditions where it's best to stick to firm surfaces so I headed back to Twelve Yards Road, adding a buzzard and a couple of bullfinches to the day's tally. Half a dozen black-headed gulls made a racket as they flew by. I wasn't sure if the mixed tit flock at the crossroads was my third one or the second one doubled back on itself. Picking out the runners and riders was complicated by its sharing a stand of hawthorns with a grey squirrel and a bunch of blackbirds, and by the warm breeze rattling all the leaves.

Twelve Yards Road 

The finches were leaving the fields for their roosts in the trees as I walked down Twelve Yards Road. A couple of dozen linnets fidgeted about as a flock. A few more linnets and a handful of greenfinches passed overhead with about sixty chaffinches, the chaffinches passing over in fives or sixes and all of them flitting between the trees along the hedgerows like they were stepping stones. Another mixed tit flock in the dense hawthorn hedge by the farmstead I nearly missed until the long-tailed tits decided to take umbrage and scold me on my way. A lesser black-back passed high overhead, a meadow pipit flew over the road. A meadow pipit. A bit further along a yellowhammer flew by. No flocks of pipits or buntings today. Three mallards flew past with a volley of quacks, a cormorant grunted as it flew over to the fishery.

Twelve Yards Road 

Twelve Yards Road 

I was approaching Four Lanes End when I saw the first kestrel of the afternoon hovering over a field of rough pasture. As I got to Four Lanes End I saw a short-eared owl rise from the rough pasture on the other side of Lavender Lane and quickly float back down again. I stood on the corner and scanned round. The field was ringed with birdwatchers and photographers, most of whom were standing in the field. I honestly couldn't think that the three yards' difference between standing on the lane and standing in the field would make or break a photograph. I decided I wasn't for walking past them and into Little Woolden Moss and turned onto Astley Road instead.

Kestrels

I hadn't gone far when I saw two dark shapes in a tree and wondered if they were my first woodpigeons of the afternoon. It was the pair of kestrels settling down before sunset. There were a couple of woodpigeons further down, in the trees by the empty stables. Chat Moss without woodpigeons is a bit spooky.

Chat Moss from Astley Road 

Between the school run, the lorries and the tractors the road was very busy. The fields were nigh on empty save a few carrion crows. A buzzard was digging for worms on the far side of the turf field by the motorway. I've not seen this individual before, it was a golden brown shade which was heightened by the setting sun and it had a very big white bib.

Shaggy ink cap

Over the motorway I walked down Roscoe Road and got into conversation with a lady walking her dog. Her house overlooks the fields and she sees the local peregrine go by most days. I know there's a local peregrine and I see reports of it frequently, I've never seen it. But it's good to know it's about.

Irlam Moss

I walked down to the bus stop and struck lucky, I had a minute to wait for the 100 back to the Trafford Centre. It had been a splendid afternoon, I'd got my exercise and there'd been plenty of birds about.