Lovely evening walk tonight. Lots of activity. Highlights were:
Pair of mandarin Buzzard Cormorant 2 grey wagtails Loads of chiffchaffs heard, one seen 3 female goosander Reed bunting 3 sand martins (large number reported this afternoon)
Paul Dewey said
Wed Apr 8 12:47 PM, 2015
Wander along river today produced following, as well as usual tit species
Buzzard Sparrowhawk Goosander 5f 1m Mallard Grey wagtail Pied wagtail Moorhen 2 Herring gull, Parrs Wood field Singing Reed bunting, v handsome Singing Blackcap Singing Dunnock Calling Nuthatch 5 Sand Martin, who will hopefully go somewhere better without mink And probably best birds today as not seen here in an age, 2 Meadow pipit
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Mar 30 9:35 PM, 2015
Originally posted today by Barry Collison:
10:45 to 12:15
Whilst walking in a cold wind from Cheadle Bridge to the footbridge and back today saw several birds of note.
Male and female Mandarin ducks (sleeping), 2 Buzzards, greenfinch, goldfinch,wagtails, heron and a solitary Sand Martin flying around its usual haunts.
Star bird for me today was a single Oystercatcher on field, far side of patch island, at 13.00. Two buzzard also over same field.
Also had 3 separate pairs of mandarin between Geoff's bridge and patch island. 2 Pied wagtail on horse field. Many Grey wagtail, lots of interaction, I assume for territory, max seen at one time was 6 near to playing field, all within 20 yards of each other.
Chris Harper said
Wed Mar 25 8:40 AM, 2015
Dipper pair Mandarin pair 10 Goosander Bullfinch 8 Chiffchaff 3 Grey Wagtail Great Spotted Woodpecker Nuthatch Stock Dove
From Stenner Woods down to Burnage Rugby Club. Some work going on to pave the bank on the north side, I hope nothing gets too disturbed. Sightings of interest: Sparrowhawk over between Millgate Fields and Kingsway Numerous Goosander, at least 4 pairs together and a small group by Patch Island Kingfisher at the Railway bridge 3 pairs of Grey Wagtail plus a couple of singles Nuthatch singing in the isolated trees above the opposite bank to the Parrs Wood school fields 2 Goldcrest in the hedge along the golf course
Daylist 43, which I was happy with but I missed some dumb ones. Also no gulls on the fields there, has been plenty of Black-headed and the odd Common and Lesser Black-back, I guess they have gone to breeding areas? No Sand Martins yet, still felt too cold for them, it was pretty windy down there.
Chris Harper said
Wed Mar 18 8:49 AM, 2015
Dipper by pyramid, 2 reported at Cheadle Bridge 3+ Chiffchaff Stock Dove at Patch Island 4 Goosander Fieldfare 30 Redwing 7 Grey Wagtail
Yesterday at 4.15 Kingfisher at Patch Island Coot(unusual here) at weir
Chris Harper said
Mon Mar 16 3:16 PM, 2015
2 Chiffchaff, one M60 bridge. one garlic bend 3 Goosander 50 Redwing Grey Wagtail Pied Wagtail
Chris Harper said
Wed Mar 11 8:50 AM, 2015
1+Chiffchaff between M60 bridge and horse field at 7.20 Reed Bunting 20 Redwing Kingfisher at Cheadle Bridge Grey Wagtail Drake Mandarin Garlic bend 5 Goosander
Chiffchaff singing by horse field Dipper at Cheadle Bridge Peregrine over Vernon Park Fieldfare 20 Redwing Kestrel Reed Bunting Bullfinch Grey Wagtail 5 Goosander Grey Heron Cormorant on pylon
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Mar 3 4:03 PM, 2015
An interesting (and often frustrating) subject close to my heart Jamie.
I've studied Cormorants in the county (and beyond) regularly for many years now and it wasn't that long ago when sinensis were really rather uncommon but it seems that's not the case any more. Identifying them can be a real challenge though (hence the occasional frustration) and its important to stress that the whiteness of the head and neck doesn't necessarily have any bearing on the separation of sinensis and carbo as you very rightly point out. The angle of the gular patch is indeed key but critical assessment of it requires very good views indeed and to make matters worse it seems like there's no shortage of ambiguous birds out there too. In the inland breeding colonies down south there is apparently interbreeding of the two races which really complicates matters and I wonder if we get any of those birds up here. Certainly in recent years I've been sent various images of birds suspected of being sinensis in the north-west UK for an opinion which I'm afraid in some cases I just couldn't be confident of either way (coward!).
Coincidentally to your post though, I was looking at Cormorants at Pennington Flash today and out of 27 on the spit just less than half appeared to be sinensis (including many second calendar year birds), with another quarter definite carbo and the rest undetermined due to them largely being asleep. Of the four extremely white headed and necked adult birds present one was certainly a large male carbo and the others sinensis, which reinforced the fact of the whiteness of the bird not necessarily being relative to race. The breeding plumaged sinensis present did appear to be in slightly finer and more advanced breeding plumage though, with wonderful nuchal crests and bright bare skin around the bill but with carbo now generally attaining similar plumage too that's probably of little help too.
JamieDunning said
Tue Mar 3 1:15 PM, 2015
Hi Chris,
I too have seen this bird, assuming you're talking about the one which has developed a whitish head in it's breeding plumage and have wondered the same thing. However, I was under the impression that you can't confirm the spp. on this alone as there's a fair amount of variation in the carbo plumage as it is. It's been suggested that if you can get a close up of the face there are more traits common to seinensis you can use, the angle of the gular patch being the main one. Beyond a few notes from 2012 (when there was another if not the same bird around in the Mersey valley) I don't have a great deal of experience determining the two. would be interested to hear what other think?
Jane Turner's post (#19) on the below link is what I had initially read then- http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=75786&highlight=gular
Cheers,
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Tuesday 3rd of March 2015 01:17:15 PM
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Tuesday 3rd of March 2015 01:27:55 PM
Chris Harper said
Tue Mar 3 8:19 AM, 2015
2 Goldcrest Goosander pair Cormorant again on river-looks like a Sinensis to me although am passing it without my binoculars.
Lots of song thrushes, blue tits, great tits. 3 cormorants, grey heron, moorhen, grey wagtail, 2 bullfinch, long-tailed tit. Usual gulls, Canada geese, mallards.
Chris Harper said
Tue Feb 10 8:49 AM, 2015
Little Grebe 2 Common Buzzard 2 Bullfinch Sparrowhawk 2 Grey Heron 15-20 Song Thrush in song
Simon Gough said
Sun Feb 1 4:42 PM, 2015
A relaxing walk from Millgate Fields down to the Garlic Bend. Is there a better place to watch Goosander than along the Mersey? 3 immaculate males in full breeding plumage and 5 females seen at length. Wonderful.
Also, my first ever Mersey Kingfisher by the flood channel next to the football pitches. It perched for a second about 30 ft away from me then motored off again.
Other things: 2 Grey Wagtail along the river
2 Common Gull, amongst 20 or so Black-headed Gulls 40-50 Redwing 6-8 Mistle Thrush 1 Fieldfare All on the Parrs Wood sports pitches
The Common Gulls were doing that amusing thing of stamping their feet to provoke the worms.
Chris Harper said
Wed Jan 28 8:29 PM, 2015
Kingfisher at 3.30 Little Grebe by weir 5 Grey Heron Minimum 7 Song Thrush calling between Acorn business park and M60 bridge.
Chris Harper said
Mon Jan 19 6:07 PM, 2015
Kingfisher under M60 bridge caught a fish. 1+ Little Grebe Grey Heron
Steve Greenhough said
Tue Jan 13 12:52 PM, 2015
Heaton Mersey to Stockport 10:00 to 11.30:-
Treecreeper - Horse Field Grey Heron x3 Goosander 5(m) 8(f) Kingfisher x3 (could be same bird commuting) Jay + usual Tits etc no sign of the Dipper today.
Thankfully the pollution seems to have stopped the culvert is running clear.
Steve Greenhough said
Wed Jan 7 12:39 PM, 2015
Walk along the Mersey from Heaton Mersey to Stockport 10:30 - 12:00:
Goosander (m + f) upstream of Geoff's Bridge. Dipper between the Old Woolpack Bridge and the weir. Usual Tits etc.
Worryingly the white pollution from the culvert from the Yew Street Industrial Estate is still there. I have reported it to the Environment Agency this morning and referenced Barry Collinson's post.
Chris Harper said
Tue Jan 6 4:17 PM, 2015
Little Grebe Common Buzzard Bullfinch Pied Wagtail 4 Grey Heron Drake Goosander Song Thrush
Paul Rafferty said
Mon Dec 29 11:54 PM, 2014
Seeing a buzzard or 2 most days by the sewerage works. Another mixed flock of thrushes on field opposite the rugby club with particularly large numbers of redwings.
Roger Baker 3 said
Mon Dec 29 11:43 PM, 2014
This pollution needs to be reported.
I don't know any Stockport contact No's but a call to Tameside Countryside Ranger Service. 0161 330 9613 should hopefully set the wheels in motion.
This is their main office at Park Bridge.
Hope this helps.
Roger.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Dec 29 4:59 PM, 2014
Originally posted today by Barry Collison:
Walked from Cheadle Bridge along the Mersey to the green footbridge and back. Have not done this walk for a couple of years. Birds seen Long tailed tits, blue and great tits, thrush, cormorants, jay, little grebe, kestrel, heron, treecreeper and 4 mergansers including a splendid male near the footbridge. More worryingly a culvert that seemed to be coming from the industrial estate at the back of Yew street, was milky white constantly and as we walked back towards Cheadle could see this pollution floating on top of the water
alanhill said
Mon Dec 29 3:27 PM, 2014
Monday 29th 1.00pm.
Large mixed flock of thrushes, redwing, fieldfare on south side of river opposite Parrs Wood playing fields. Treecreeper near weir.
Paul Rafferty said
Sat Dec 27 10:26 PM, 2014
Early afternoon dog walk along the Mersey today:
2 buzzards
2 kingfishers at garlic bend
Small flock of long-tailed tits
Cormorant
At least 6 female goosanders but no males showing today
Large mixed flock of mistle thrush, redwings and fieldfare.
1 grey heron
5 moorhens
Derek Pates said
Fri Dec 19 1:40 PM, 2014
ok thanks for the update chris
Chris Harper said
Fri Dec 19 11:06 AM, 2014
Works going on at present so cant get along it. Cheadle Bridge is on the main road from Parrs Wood to Cheadle village where it crosses the river. Steps go down to river, and walk upstream past playing fields to a meander, the 'garlic bend'. Island before that is Patch Island. Hope it re opens soon.
Derek Pates said
Fri Dec 19 10:23 AM, 2014
hi chris can you tell me where 'Cheadle Bridge to Garlic Bend' is as i work nights in burnage so it may be worth having a look on my way home one morning thanks derek
Chris Harper said
Tue Dec 16 8:27 AM, 2014
Half the route from Cheadle Bridge to weir cut off for works at present, but Little Grebe still at weir most mornings still. 4 Grey Heron
Chris Harper said
Thu Dec 4 12:35 PM, 2014
Late post for Wed 3rd Dec: 4 Goosander Grey Wagtail Kingfisher (If interested seems to commute between Cheadle Bridge to Garlic Bend between 7.15-7.30 every morning at present) Redwing over
Paul Rafferty said
Tue Dec 2 1:45 PM, 2014
Highlights of the weekend:
4 grey heron (Saturday and Sunday) 3 pied wagtails Grey wagtail Song thrush Fieldfare Redwing Goosanders Kingfisher Buzzard
Just missed the kestrel apparently!
Chris Harper said
Tue Dec 2 8:40 AM, 2014
Little Grebe 7 Grey Herons 4 Song Thrush singing, including one doing a credible impression of a Buzzards' mewing.
Chris Harper said
Mon Dec 1 3:16 PM, 2014
Kingfisher Little Grebe
Both this morning at 7.30
Chris Harper said
Wed Nov 26 7:55 PM, 2014
2 Little Grebes 4 Goosander
Paul Rafferty said
Mon Nov 24 9:55 PM, 2014
Weekend highlights
4 pied wagtails
2 grey wagtails
2 grey heron
Cormorant
2 moorhens
2m & 6f goosanders
Kingfisher at garlic bend
1 buzzard
1 kestrel at garlic bend
Chris Harper said
Mon Nov 24 10:13 AM, 2014
Kingfisher perched on Garlic Bend Little Grebe 6 Grey Heron
Chris Harper said
Wed Nov 19 8:57 AM, 2014
Kingfisher downstream from M60 bridge 2 Little Grebe Grey Wagtail 5 Grey Heron Goldcrest
9 Goosander yesterday evening
-- Edited by Chris Harper on Wednesday 19th of November 2014 08:58:14 AM
Chris Harper said
Tue Nov 18 8:18 AM, 2014
Little Grebe still 6 Grey Heron Grey Wagtail Pied Wagtail Redwing First singing Song Thrush of the season by pyramid
Chris Harper said
Mon Nov 10 8:40 AM, 2014
Little Grebe by weir 11 Goosander, including a Drake 6 Grey Heron Grey wagtail Bullfinch 12 redwing over Mistle Thrush
Great to see lots of tits and finches back around. Highlight over the weekend was kestrel hovering around patch island and 2 buzzards circling low around the same area.
Chris Harper said
Wed Oct 22 10:13 PM, 2014
2 Raven over East at Cheadle Bridge Peregrine Goosander 3 Redwing 2 Grey Wagtail 7 Grey Heron, including 5 together in horse field Kingfisher heard
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Oct 19 7:44 PM, 2014
Quick walk round Fletcher Moss - Stenner Woods - Mersey this morning
F Goosander on Mersey 2 Redwing overhead Small flock of Goldfinch 1 or 2 vocal Parakeets but didn't see them.
Pair of mandarin
Buzzard
Cormorant
2 grey wagtails
Loads of chiffchaffs heard, one seen
3 female goosander
Reed bunting
3 sand martins (large number reported this afternoon)
Wander along river today produced following, as well as usual tit species
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Goosander 5f 1m
Mallard
Grey wagtail
Pied wagtail
Moorhen
2 Herring gull, Parrs Wood field
Singing Reed bunting, v handsome
Singing Blackcap
Singing Dunnock
Calling Nuthatch
5 Sand Martin, who will hopefully go somewhere better without mink
And probably best birds today as not seen here in an age, 2 Meadow pipit
10:45 to 12:15
Whilst walking in a cold wind from Cheadle Bridge to the footbridge and back today saw several birds of note.
Male and female Mandarin ducks (sleeping), 2 Buzzards, greenfinch, goldfinch,wagtails, heron and a solitary Sand Martin flying around its usual haunts.
5 Chiffchaff
7 Goosander
Grey Wagtail
Reed Bunting
From 7.15-7.30
Star bird for me today was a single Oystercatcher on field, far side of patch island, at 13.00. Two buzzard also over same field.
Also had 3 separate pairs of mandarin between Geoff's bridge and patch island.
2 Pied wagtail on horse field.
Many Grey wagtail, lots of interaction, I assume for territory, max seen at one time was 6 near to playing field, all within 20 yards of each other.
Mandarin pair
10 Goosander
Bullfinch
8 Chiffchaff
3 Grey Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
Stock Dove
7 Chiffchaff
10 Goosander
Reed Bunting
Grey Wagtail
Dipper
13 Goosander
6 Chiffchaff
3 Grey Wagtail
3 Pied Wagtail
Bullfinch
Sparrowhawk over between Millgate Fields and Kingsway
Numerous Goosander, at least 4 pairs together and a small group by Patch Island
Kingfisher at the Railway bridge
3 pairs of Grey Wagtail plus a couple of singles
Nuthatch singing in the isolated trees above the opposite bank to the Parrs Wood school fields
2 Goldcrest in the hedge along the golf course
Daylist 43, which I was happy with but I missed some dumb ones. Also no gulls on the fields there, has been plenty of Black-headed and the odd Common and Lesser Black-back, I guess they have gone to breeding areas? No Sand Martins yet, still felt too cold for them, it was pretty windy down there.
3+ Chiffchaff
Stock Dove at Patch Island
4 Goosander
Fieldfare
30 Redwing
7 Grey Wagtail
4 Goosander
40 Redwing
Grey Wagtail
2 Cormorant
All this morning.
Yesterday at 4.15 Kingfisher at Patch Island
Coot(unusual here) at weir
3 Goosander
50 Redwing
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Reed Bunting
20 Redwing
Kingfisher at Cheadle Bridge
Grey Wagtail
Drake Mandarin Garlic bend
5 Goosander
Reed Bunting
30 Redwing
Sparrowhawk
4 Bullfinch
Nuthatch
Chiffchaff singing by horse field
Dipper at Cheadle Bridge
Peregrine over Vernon Park
Fieldfare
20 Redwing
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Bullfinch
Grey Wagtail
5 Goosander
Grey Heron
Cormorant on pylon
I've studied Cormorants in the county (and beyond) regularly for many years now and it wasn't that long ago when sinensis were really rather uncommon but it seems that's not the case any more. Identifying them can be a real challenge though (hence the occasional frustration) and its important to stress that the whiteness of the head and neck doesn't necessarily have any bearing on the separation of sinensis and carbo as you very rightly point out. The angle of the gular patch is indeed key but critical assessment of it requires very good views indeed and to make matters worse it seems like there's no shortage of ambiguous birds out there too. In the inland breeding colonies down south there is apparently interbreeding of the two races which really complicates matters and I wonder if we get any of those birds up here. Certainly in recent years I've been sent various images of birds suspected of being sinensis in the north-west UK for an opinion which I'm afraid in some cases I just couldn't be confident of either way (coward!).
Coincidentally to your post though, I was looking at Cormorants at Pennington Flash today and out of 27 on the spit just less than half appeared to be sinensis (including many second calendar year birds), with another quarter definite carbo and the rest undetermined due to them largely being asleep. Of the four extremely white headed and necked adult birds present one was certainly a large male carbo and the others sinensis, which reinforced the fact of the whiteness of the bird not necessarily being relative to race. The breeding plumaged sinensis present did appear to be in slightly finer and more advanced breeding plumage though, with wonderful nuchal crests and bright bare skin around the bill but with carbo now generally attaining similar plumage too that's probably of little help too.
I too have seen this bird, assuming you're talking about the one which has developed a whitish head in it's breeding plumage and have wondered the same thing. However, I was under the impression that you can't confirm the spp. on this alone as there's a fair amount of variation in the carbo plumage as it is.
It's been suggested that if you can get a close up of the face there are more traits common to seinensis you can use, the angle of the gular patch being the main one. Beyond a few notes from 2012 (when there was another if not the same bird around in the Mersey valley) I don't have a great deal of experience determining the two. would be interested to hear what other think?
Jane Turner's post (#19) on the below link is what I had initially read then-
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=75786&highlight=gular
Cheers,
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Tuesday 3rd of March 2015 01:17:15 PM
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Tuesday 3rd of March 2015 01:27:55 PM
Goosander pair
Cormorant again on river-looks like a Sinensis to me although am passing it without my binoculars.
Kingfisher M60 bridge
3 Grey Wagtail
15 Redwing
Bullfinch
Cormorant
2 Common Buzzard
2 Bullfinch
Sparrowhawk
2 Grey Heron
15-20 Song Thrush in song
Also, my first ever Mersey Kingfisher by the flood channel next to the football pitches. It perched for a second about 30 ft away from me then motored off again.
Other things:
2 Grey Wagtail along the river
2 Common Gull, amongst 20 or so Black-headed Gulls
40-50 Redwing
6-8 Mistle Thrush
1 Fieldfare
All on the Parrs Wood sports pitches
The Common Gulls were doing that amusing thing of stamping their feet to provoke the worms.
Little Grebe by weir
5 Grey Heron
Minimum 7 Song Thrush calling between Acorn business park and M60 bridge.
1+ Little Grebe
Grey Heron
Treecreeper - Horse Field
Grey Heron x3
Goosander 5(m) 8(f)
Kingfisher x3 (could be same bird commuting)
Jay
+ usual Tits etc no sign of the Dipper today.
Thankfully the pollution seems to have stopped the culvert is running clear.
Goosander (m + f) upstream of Geoff's Bridge.
Dipper between the Old Woolpack Bridge and the weir.
Usual Tits etc.
Worryingly the white pollution from the culvert from the Yew Street Industrial Estate is still there. I have reported it to the Environment Agency this morning and referenced Barry Collinson's post.
Common Buzzard
Bullfinch
Pied Wagtail
4 Grey Heron
Drake Goosander
Song Thrush
I don't know any Stockport contact No's but a call to Tameside Countryside Ranger Service. 0161 330 9613 should hopefully set the wheels in motion.
This is their main office at Park Bridge.
Hope this helps.
Roger.
Walked from Cheadle Bridge along the Mersey to the green footbridge and back. Have not done this walk for a couple of years. Birds seen Long tailed tits, blue and great tits, thrush, cormorants, jay, little grebe, kestrel, heron, treecreeper and 4 mergansers including a splendid male near the footbridge. More worryingly a culvert that seemed to be coming from the industrial estate at the back of Yew street, was milky white constantly and as we walked back towards Cheadle could see this pollution floating on top of the water
Large mixed flock of thrushes, redwing, fieldfare on south side of river opposite Parrs Wood playing fields. Treecreeper near weir.
Cheadle Bridge is on the main road from Parrs Wood to Cheadle village where it crosses the river.
Steps go down to river, and walk upstream past playing fields to a meander, the 'garlic bend'.
Island before that is Patch Island.
Hope it re opens soon.
4 Grey Heron
4 Goosander
Grey Wagtail
Kingfisher (If interested seems to commute between Cheadle Bridge to Garlic Bend between 7.15-7.30 every morning at present)
Redwing over
4 grey heron (Saturday and Sunday)
3 pied wagtails
Grey wagtail
Song thrush
Fieldfare
Redwing
Goosanders
Kingfisher
Buzzard
Just missed the kestrel apparently!
7 Grey Herons
4 Song Thrush singing, including one doing a credible impression of a Buzzards' mewing.
Little Grebe
Both this morning at 7.30
4 Goosander
Little Grebe
6 Grey Heron
2 Little Grebe
Grey Wagtail
5 Grey Heron
Goldcrest
9 Goosander yesterday evening
-- Edited by Chris Harper on Wednesday 19th of November 2014 08:58:14 AM
6 Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Redwing
First singing Song Thrush of the season by pyramid
11 Goosander, including a Drake
6 Grey Heron
Grey wagtail
Bullfinch
12 redwing over
Mistle Thrush
4 Grey Heron
2 Grey Wagtail
2 Redwing
Highlight over the weekend was kestrel hovering around patch island and 2 buzzards circling low around the same area.
Peregrine
Goosander
3 Redwing
2 Grey Wagtail
7 Grey Heron, including 5 together in horse field
Kingfisher heard
F Goosander on Mersey
2 Redwing overhead
Small flock of Goldfinch
1 or 2 vocal Parakeets but didn't see them.