Bury Wildlife


This is only a selection of some of the visitors that pass through Bury. Some of the pictures are also a bit distant so apologioes. For more fuller reports and picturres see Manchester Birding in links.

Calidris alpina Dunlin The commonest small wader found along the coast. It has a slightly down-curved bill and a distinctive black belly patch in breeding plumage. It feeds in flocks in winter, sometimes numbering thousands. Migrant through Bury.

Haematopus ostralegus Oystercatcher Breeds on almost all UK coasts; over the last 50 years, more birds have started breeding inland. Most UK birds spend the winter on the coast. Comon in Bury;

Charadrius hiaticula Ringed Plover Breeds on beaches around the coast. nMany UK birds live here all year round, but birds from Europe winter in Britain and birds from Greenland and Canada pass through on migration.

Calidris ferruginea curlew sandpiper They like saltmarshes with muddy pools and shallow coastal lagoons. Largest numbers along the E England coast in autumn. Rare migrant through Bury

Limosa lapponica Bar Tailed Godwit A  wading bird which visits UK shores for the winter.  It breeds in the Arctic of Scandinavia and Siberia and hundreds of thousands of them pass through the UK, on their way further south, or stop off here for the winter. Scarse migrant in Bury.

Vanellus vanellus Lapwing Also known as the peewit in imitation of its display calls. This familiar farmland bird has suffered significant declines recently and is now an Red List species. Rapidly declining in Bury


actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper In summer is breeds along fast rivers and by lakes, lochs and reservoirs in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the north of England. In winter it may be seen along the south coast, and on spring and autumn passage it can be found elsewhere in the UK, near any freshwater areas Not an uncommon migrant through bury.

Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover .Found along coasts, preferring large muddy and sandy estuaries where it feeds. 430000 overwinter in the UK. Scarse  migrant through Bury.

Tringa nebularia Greenshank Confined to Scotland in summer around boggy moorland and peatland pools. On migration it can be found across the UK, inland around lakes and freshwater marshes, as well as at coastal wetlands and estuaries, with the largest numbers close to the coast. Rare Bury visitor.

Pluvialis apricaria Golden Plover In summer they inhabit upland moorlands in the S Uplands and Highlands of Scotland, the Western and Northern Isles, the Peak District, N Yorkshire, Wales and Devon. In winter they move to lowland fields, forming large flocks, often in the company of lapwings.

Calidris melanotos Pectoral Sandpiper 13/09/2013W

Charadrius dubius Little Ringed Plover 24/04/2009B

Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe23/03/2013B

Numenius arquata Eurasian Curlew06/04/2013B

Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel19/05/2012B

Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper16/06/2013W

ruff (Philomachus pugnax) Elton august 2014


Cygnus cygnus Whooper Swan. It is mainly a winter visitor to the UK from Iceland.   Its winter population and small breeding numbers make it an Amber List species. Not an uncomon visitor to Bury.

Cygnus olor mute swan Common resident of bury's parks and ponds.  

Ardea cinerea Grey Heron Around any kind of water – garden ponds, lakes, rivers and even on estuaries. Feeds on fish, frogs,and birds. Common.

Botaurus stellaris bittern. Usually resident in Norfold reed beds. The males make a remarkable far-carrying, booming sound in spring. Its dependence on reedbeds and very small population make it a Red List species - one of the most threatened in the UK. Very rare visitor in Bury.

little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, native to the Old World, breeding in Africa, central and southern Europe, western and southern Asia, and Madagascar. Birds from temperate regions in Europe and western Asia are migratory, wintering in Africa and further south in Asia, while those nesting in the tropics are sedentary. It is eceptionally rare in GM. 25/05/14B

little egret (Egretta garzetta) Wigan 2012.  These breed in the UK and are found eveb morcambe bay where this picture is from. Seen personally at Pennington flash Wigan these pop up in Bury as [passers through.

Tachybaptus ruficollis Dabchick A small, dumpy grebe which often appears to have a 'fluffy' rear end. It readily dives when disturbed, surfacing unseen some distance away. Not uncomon in bury

Podiceps cristatus Great Crested Grebe A delightfully elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes which led to its being hunted for its feathers, almost leading to its extermination from the UK. They dive to feed and also to escape. Not uncommon in Bury.  

Podiceps auritus Slavonian Grebe top In the breeding season they are mainly found in Scotland.  In winter they can be found around UK coasts. Rare visitor to Bury.

Pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) Nov 2010 Hollingworth Lake. These are a very rare Americanbreeding Bird. This is a very rare visitor to GM.

Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) Agressive antipodean escapeee on the Irwell

black-throated Diver (Gavia arctica) Tameside Dec 2013 Very Rare only 500 in UK. Breeds in Scotland This is a Juvenile.

red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena) is very rare with a reported 57 birds in the UK in winter with even less  in summer. This is only estimate .  It is in Northern Europe and America and displays a bright red neck when breeding . This is a juvenile passing through Tameside in October 2013.

black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis),  Seen Elton 20.08.14  passage migrant 130 overwinter in UK. There were three on the res and were almost certinaly enroute for the med.

Rallus aquaticus Water Rail It is a fairly common but highly secretive inhabitant of freshwater wetlands.  Difficult to see in the breeding season, it is relatively easier to find in winter, when it is also more numerous and widespread. Although usually secretive they can become confiding but are still far more often heard than seen.

Fulica atra Coot Mainly on freshwater lakes, gravel pits, reservoirs, rivers and town park lakes when deep enough common.

Gallinula chloropus moorhen Around any pond, lake, stream or river, or even ditches in farmland. Moorhens can live in cities as well as the countryside. common

Tadorna tadorna Shelduck, Mainly in coastal areas, though they can also be found around inland waters such as reservoirs and gravel workings. Not uncommon passing through in Bury.

Melanitta nigra Common Scoter An all dark seaduck, the male is totally black and the female lighter, with a pale face. They are often seen as large bobbing rafts offshore. The UK breeding population of this small diving seaduck has substantially declined and it is now a Red List species. Occasional visiter to Bury

Aythya fuligula Tufted Duck Very common.

Anas acuta Pintail A localised species, pintails occur sheltered coasts and estuaries.  Wintering birds arrive from September with numbers peaking in December. The return migration takes place from late February into March.. Bury rare visitor.

Mergus merganser goosander member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871and then since 1970 it has spread across northern England into Wales, reaching south-west England. Common in Bury

Mergus serrator Red Brested Merganser, Breeds in Scotland with a population of 5000. Seen on migration tio wintering grounds. Seen at Castleshaw Res Oldham October 2013 Uncommon in GM. This picture is from a pair taken ast Leighton Moss in summer plumage.i

Bucephala clangula Goldeneye. In summer, mainly in Highlands of Scotland. Best looked for in winter on lakes, large rivers and sheltered coasts, particularly in north and west Britain. Common Winter  visiter  to Bury.

Anas clypeata Shovellor Shovelers are surface feeing ducks with huge spatulate bills. Not uncomon migrant visiitor to Bury.

Anas penelope Wigeon Many birds visit the UK in winter from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia. With large

of wintering birds at a few UK sites it is an Amber List species.. Not  uncommon winter migrant in Bury.

Anas crecca Teal  They are thinly distributed as a breeding species with a preference for northern moors and mires. In winter birds congregate in low-lying wetlands. Not uncommon in winter Bury.

Anas strepera Gadwall Anytime of year, but chances are better in winter when numbers increase as birds migrate to spend the winter in the UK, away from harsher continental weather. Not uncommon in winter Bury.

Aythya ferina Pochard Pochards are most common in the UK during autumn and winter, when large numbers fly from eastern Europe and Russia to escape the bitterly cold weather there. They're quite rare breeding birds in this country. Not uncommon in winter Bury.

Anas platyrhynchos Mallard common everywhere.

Long-tailed Duck or Clangula hyemalis seen wigan 25/04/14 Rare nothern migrant. This sen at Pennington flash

red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) Established and breeding uin the UK these are mainly escapee from collections and not wild from there range in Europe. In GM they  turn up spasmodically. This one from Stockport.

wood duck or Carolina duck (Aix sponsa), The American version of the Mandarin and part of the same genus. This is a female from Moses gate Bolton a escapee.

Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata), Native of East asia this menegarie escapee is now established and Breeding in south GM . Also seen in Radcliffe and Bolton. 2014

lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) 2013 Pennington Flash This is a small Norh American diving duck found at this site in wigan.

ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis 2011 Bury. These were seen around Bury in 20111 but DEFRA instigated a cull of the whole UK population on the grounds this American Duck was driving a European Species to . This is a Libary picture as the cull was successful.

yellow-billed pintail (Anas georgica) Elton escapee Elton. Originates South america.

garganey (Anas querquedula) pennington small  number breed in England and other pass through on migration.

Branta canadensis Canada Goose  Feathered rat.

Anser brachyrhynchus Pink Footed Goose Winter visitor usually seen flying over Bury

Branta bernicla Brent Goose Winter Migrant this is from Greenland. Usually seen on the coast. Very rare in Bury

Anser anser Greylag Goose. Ancestor of domestic geese. Sometimes mixed with feral birds. These were on Swan Lodge and appeared to be true wild birds.

bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) is a goose that breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes and winters in South Asia . Here a escapee in Bolton 2010.

Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile ...Here  at Compstall with  a long established escapee.