Lots of the usual common woodland birds to be seen (great tit in particular evidence), but apart from those a party of seven bullfinch feeding.

By Jackson's Boat:
One male kestrel, that dive-bombed a pair of magpies
Two grey wagtail
A ring-necked parakeet heard (later told there were two of them)
Two dunnock
One wren

Also walking back from the water park, spied a male goosander and a little grebe on the river.

I've flushed Teal from the reed bed in last few weeks to.

I did see 1 Wigeon at Chorlton WP a couple of weeks (maybe three weeks) ago...

Dry Weir

One Wigeon swimming with 11 Mallard. I've never seen one there before, indeed until recently I hardly saw them anywhere in the Mersey Valley.

Sorry Pete, will keep my reference as per site guide from now on!
I half make up names for locations in my notes as we all do.

JamieDunning wrote:

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The area behind the river banking, the meadow which is usually covered in Willowherb & balsam where the Whinchat was earlier in the year.
sorry - couldn't think of anything better to call it.

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The meadow field. See maps on the site guide, it contains the meadow pond. Cheers, thought that would be favourite.

The area behind the river banking, the meadow which is usually covered in Willowherb & balsam where the Whinchat was earlier in the year.
sorry - couldn't think of anything better to call it.

Perhaps the old sandstone overflow?

Pete Hines wrote:

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JamieDunning wrote:

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A single male Stonechat on the flood basin this evening.

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Flood basin ?

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JamieDunning wrote:

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A single male Stonechat on the flood basin this evening.

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Flood basin ?

A single male Stonechat on the flood basin this evening.

Bit late (connection problems) but on the 14th got some great views of a juvenile Whitethroat. Also, the pond area was very active with Reed Warblers frequently showing well. A party of Bullfinch passed through while a Buzzard came in low to settle in a nearby tree. Didn't last long before being hounded off by a Magpie. Non-bird sightings - a variety of damsels, scorpion fly, male & female banded demoiselles and a male broad-bodied chaser dragonfly.

Also, along the Mersey just off Hawthorn Lane there was a Small Skipper.

Cheers Tim.....
Didn't think it would hang around

Steve Scrimgeour wrote:

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Clutching at straws here I think, any sign today, news would be appreciated
for a cheeky peak on the way home...

Thanks.

---

No sign here now 4.20pm. It did seem to have disappered by around 6pm last night as it clouded over.
Reed Bunting 1

Clutching at straws here I think, any sign today, news would be appreciated
for a cheeky peak on the way home...

Thanks.

Where was the Willow Tit Steve ?. I thought I heard one briefly at the end of the brick channel on Friday but couldn't locate it. Good to know they're still about. I managed to get my mum down in a wheelchair for the Whinchat, you need a Radar key for the gate at Chorlton Ees car park. See the link below for a Whinchat movie...

...totally forgot in the Whinchat commotion, I also had 1 male Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, and a Whitethroat was heard but not seen.
And I'm glad I came back to point the Whinchat out to you Simon, otherwise you've been searching Brambles for time like I was!


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 21st of April 2014 11:19:52 PM

Simon Gough wrote:

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Great sighting for me, a lifer. Got the tip from Tony Coatsworth, much appreciated mate thanks. I thought I'd have to put a shift in at Dove Stones to be honest so this was a result. The bird was immaculate too, it just needed a female to impress really.

Met a few more Birding Forum stalwarts which I always enjoy, Rob obviously, Tim Wilcox, Phil Kelly, Steven Burke and Jamie Dunning. We hung around for a while looking for other things, Steven dismally failed to fish a Redstart out of his pocket though, most disappointing. We did see a few Whitethroat, my first of the year. Good to have a natter as well.

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nice to meet you to simon & others sorry I could not get the redstart out of my pocket quick enough !

apart from the stunning looking male whinchat, other birds...
1 willow tit
2 whitethroats
2 greenfinches
several blackcaps & willow warblers
few sand martins over
2 jays

Great sighting for me, a lifer. Got the tip from Tony Coatsworth, much appreciated mate thanks. I thought I'd have to put a shift in at Dove Stones to be honest so this was a result. The bird was immaculate too, it just needed a female to impress really.

Met a few more Birding Forum stalwarts which I always enjoy, Rob obviously, Tim Wilcox, Phil Kelly, Steven Burke and Jamie Dunning. We hung around for a while looking for other things, Steven dismally failed to fish a Redstart out of his pocket though, most disappointing. We did see a few Whitethroat, my first of the year. Good to have a natter as well.

The stunning male Whinchat was still showing well up to 4.25 pm when I left, tending to favour a particular branch in the Bramble bush for carrying out his fly catching from.

Also 2 Buzzards being mobbed by a single Carrion Crow.
A few Grey Herons over (towards the Heronry).
Long Tailed Tits.
Plus usuals.

Good to meet Steven Burke again, and nice to meet Phil Kelly.
Also bumped into Simon Gough on way back.

Male Whinchat still present and still fly catching from the Brambles.

Thanks to Tony and Steve for the directions.

Male whinchat still currenly present.
rob head towards the river mersey and walk away from jacksons boat, you will come to a clearing with some steps down to you're right.

On site now, anyone have a rough location the Whinchat was last seen please? I'm near the little bridge with the small car park, there's a few bramble patches close to here. That's if the bird is still here.
Thanks for any info

Tony Coatsworth wrote:

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Whinchat showing well 12:45, flycatching from bramble patch

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Hi Tony,
Is the best place to park on Brookburn Road?
I take it the Whinchat isn't far from here, if it decides to stay a while?
Cheers

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 21st of April 2014 01:52:16 PM

Whinchat showing well 12:45, flycatching from bramble patch

Male Whinchat present this morning.

Info thanks to Tony O'Mahony

Pair of Common Whitethroat at Hardy Farm this morning
Treecreeper in song
2 Goldcrest in song
1 Coal tit in song
Willow Warblers
Chiffchaffs
Blackcaps
4 active nests at the Heronry

Robin
Blackbird
Chiffchaff (9 singing, 5 seen)
Magpie
Wood Pigeon
Wren
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Carrion Crow
Song Thrush (3 singing - very loudly!)
Jay
Grey Heron
Goldfinch
Mallard
Jackdaw


At the Dry Weir and Adjacent wet field:

Canada Goose
Moorhen
Dabchick
Mallard
Teal (4 pairs)

1 chiffchaff
1 kestrel
3 bullfinches
4 goldcrests
2 mistle thrushes
lots of song thrushes singing

Little Grebe showing well under Jackson's Bridge this lunchtime. Also Jay and a low flying Kestrel close by.
Plus Common Gull, Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed gull x 1 on the field at Hardy Farm

Goosander over Mersey

Kestrel
Siskin
Redwing
Fieldfare
Bullfinch

No Water Rail or Willow Tit :(

Late report from yesterday:
Grey Heron on the now levelled field on Hardy Farm (soon to be converted into footie pitches) - the first I've seen on here.
Ring-necked Parakeet x 1 (at the back of the existing football ground on Brookburn Rd)
Very tame juvenile Kestrel sat in tree in Chorlton ees orchard area
large party of Long-tailed tits
Redwing x 3
Mistle Thrush x 5

Gervase Cooke wrote:

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steven burke wrote:

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1 water rail heard

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Hi Steve

Water rail, wow! I assume this was in the reed pond. Is it likely to overwinter?

Only seen water rails a couple of times, would be great to catch one so close to home.

Where a bouts in the pond did you hear it?

G

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hi gervase, yes that would be correct, it was heard in that reed pond. I was stood where there is an opening of the reeds & just the one squeal came from somewhere opposite near the trees. I have never heard them there before but have heard them on several occasions just across the river in broad ees dole. still yet to see one there

steven burke wrote:

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1 water rail heard

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Hi Steve

Water rail, wow! I assume this was in the reed pond. Is it likely to overwinter?

Only seen water rails a couple of times, would be great to catch one so close to home.

Where a bouts in the pond did you hear it?

G

12 bullfinches
9 reed buntings
8 greenfinches
5 chaffinches
5 goldcrests
4 song thrushes
6 jays
2 treecreepers
2 great spotted woodpeckers
1 buzzard
1 grey heron
70+ fieldfares over heading west
1 goosander, female flying upstream of the river.
1 water rail heard

Hardy Farm am.

They're ploughing and levelling the meadow at the moment; today attracting 20-30 Pied Wagtails, some
of which were alba. Worth checking out in case something else interesting turns up.

Well it seems like it must have all gone quiet on teh Ees judging by when the last post was. I myself have been away mostly since last Autumn (had a right old time in India and Burma 200 lifers and I didn't even go for birding).

I went down for brief trip through yesterday with the specific hope of seeing the willow tits. After tracking down Blackcaps making a tak tak tai noise around the reed bed pool I came across three willow tits (at least) in an elder between the reeds and the river at the rapids. Finally made positive id from calls although would like to be more certain from appearance.

Over the last couple of years I've seen presumed willow tits 3 times in this area. It seems like it is there home now.

I'll be looking to get down there more in the coming months.

G

This am - Hardy Farm, Chorlton

2 Jays
Common Whitethroat - lots, at least 8 individuals in small groups
3 Swallows feeding low over hardy Farm meadow
1 House Martin
Swift
2 Goldfinch
Buzzard overhead
Kestrel sat on telegraph wires over the Mersey at Jacksons Boat

Butterflies:
Common Blue x 3
Large Skippers x 3
Moths:
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets x 6, plus Nettle Tap, Timothy Tortrix, Cydia nigricana, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Crambus lathionellus and Celypha lacunana

plus Mistle Thrush, Jay, and 6 wood Pigeons on Jacksons Boat football pitch.

1 Treecreeper this morning
1 Willow Tit on Monday (24th)

An afternnon walk around Ivy Green/Chorlton Ees turned up:

Wood Pigeon (in large numbers)
Blackbird - many singing males
Chiffchaff - one singing but also small groups calling to each other as they moved through
Willow Warbler
Blackcap - 7 or 8 singing
Whitethroat
Great Tit
Jay
Swift (2 over)
Carrion Crow (2)
Magpie - far fewer than normal
Great Spotted Woodpecker - a pair moving through the trees of the Heronry
Robin
Song Thrush - one singing
Wren
Reed Bunting - one singing male and a shy female
Sedge Warbler 3 singing
Reed Warbler - one singing
Starling - flock of c. 26 feeding on the playing fields
Mistle Thrush

And at the dry weir and neighbouring field:

Mallard 12
Moorhen 3
Canada Goose 4
Sand Martin 6

Warblers where out in the full today.
Starting at Ivy Green working towards Chorlton Ees and back round.

2x Blackcap
2x Common Whitethroat
6x Chiffchaff
4x Willow Warbler
4x Sedge Warbler
2x Reed Warbler
10x Reed Bunting
M/F Bullfinch
Lesser Redpoll
Kestrel



Also a quick glimpse of possibly Lesser Whitethroat at Hardy Farm but dived down before a good view.

Family of Willow Tits at Ivy Green (see link below)
1 Sparrowhawk at Ivy Green
singing Goldcrest at Chorlton Ees
Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers

After the elation of the Willow Tits it was sad to find a young Heron with a broken neck, barely alive and hanging on to a low branch (behind the fence), then it took its last breath, lost its grip and fell to the ground dead.

-- Edited by Pete Hines on Monday 3rd of June 2013 08:20:31 PM

Late post for 23rd May

1 Willow Tit at Chorlton Brook/Chorlton Ees/Ivy Green
1 Lesser Redpoll at Ivy Green
1 Reed Warbler at Chorlton Ees
2 Sedge Warbler, 1 each at Chorlton Ees and Hardy Farm
2 Common Whitethroat, as above
9 Blackcap at Ivy Green/Chorlton Ees
1 Willow Warbler at Hardy Farm
5 Chiffchaff at Ivy Green/Chorlton Ees
pair Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding young
3 Bullfinch at Ivy Green/Chorlton Ees

Kestrel
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Swallow and Swift
Jay

2 Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
several Blackcap

4 Male Reed Buntings

Sorry for the late post - internet connection conked yesterday...

There was a male Mandarin Duck on the Mersey about halfway between Jackson's Boat and Chorlton WP.

Lesser Whitethroat at Hardy Farm this afternoon. In bushes at the side of the path
that runs from Jacksons Boat to the pump house, where the path meets the field. (heard only)
Also several Reed Warblers in song at the meadow pond. (again heard only)


-- Edited by Tony Darby on Monday 6th of May 2013 04:24:44 PM

Comnon Whitethroat and female Pheasant on Hardy farm
2 Buzzard, 2 Willow Tit and lots of Reed Buntings in the reedbeds by the meadow field at Chorlton Ees.

Unusual plant seen on the ripped up ground of Hardy Farm. I'm informed it is a Spurge, but further id is difficult. There's a photo below if anyone has any thoughts re this.

Hardy Farm

1 Wheatear (female) on ripped ground
2 Redpoll
1 Siskin
2 Stock Dove

Female Redstart still present in same area of Hardy Farm this evening, along with Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Greenfinch, Jays x2.
3 Wheatear on ploughed area - 2 female, 1 male.

No signs of any redstarts this morning, but did accidentely flush a grasshopper warbler from the ground, it flew into a nearby tree then into some brambles, it managed to show itself again where me and Ben got a nice brief full view of it. I did see it again after a walk around just before 2pm.
Also 1 wheatear, 1 whitethroat, 2 blackcaps, chiffchaffs & willow warblers. plenty off bullfinch around, 5 reed buntings, 2 buzzards, 3 swallows, 1 house martin

-- Edited by steven burke on Sunday 21st of April 2013 09:46:37 PM

Never been to Chorlton Ees. Printed off a map and went for a look... Saw a Wheatear by the 'burnt area' (I noticed there were two burnt areas) as well as a Song Thrush, Long-tailed Tit and a Reed Bunting. A couple of Buzzards also flew over. Then a bloke out walking his dog and snapping photos was kind enough to show me where the 'heronry' was and on the way there saw a couple of Jays.

There were quite a few Brimstone butterflappers about as well...