Withens Clough

On the way back from Oldham early afternoon I had thought of heading up to Whiteholme and Lighthazzles to check for waders but passing Blackstone Edge the westerly wind on the tops put me off so I chanced Cragg Vale to try get out of it. I checked the clough from The Hinchcliffe to the reservoir embankment and the hillsides but not the res'r area.
1 Cuckoo in good song singing most of the time
1 Stonechat
1 Skylark
A few Meadow Pipits
2 Grey Wagtail
A small colony of 4/5 pairs of nesting House Martins was nice to see after the number of nesting colonies in recent years has plummeted.
No sign of Tree Pipits