Good news. The missing 4 cyggies are on the moat, whilst the other 2 are with their parents on Smithy Pool (info from John Butterworth today). Swan families do walk quite considerable distances and get separated. I would think they are now large enough to feed OK without parental help (ie mum pulling food up for them)
-- Edited by ChrisBeesley on Monday 3rd of August 2009 05:52:53 PM
sid ashton said
Mon Aug 3 3:58 PM, 2009
Chris
I missed them last week - see my posting 28th below - a real bummer I have been watching them since they were hatched.
Henry Cook said
Mon Aug 3 3:43 PM, 2009
Now you mention it Chris, I only saw two cygnets at the weekend. Very saddening to hear. Signs at the park entrances say dog's to be kept on a lead. The ultimate punishment given to out of control dogs ought to be applied to the dog's owners in my opinion, for allowing this cruel act.
ChrisBeesley said
Mon Aug 3 3:02 PM, 2009
I am not a birdwatcher (I take photos of them though), but I have just heard that 4 of the 6 cygnets at Dunham Massey were killed recently by a dog attack, possibly on purpose. What a shame that there are people around who would such a nasty thing. Anyone else aware of this?
Regards, Chris
Henry Cook said
Sat Aug 1 2:33 PM, 2009
01/08/2009 - A Green Woodpecker kept me company during the downpour as I hid under a Sweet Chestnut tree. It's yaffle carried right across the large open area towards the SE of the park even with the noise of the rain. Little else to be seen in some of the grimmest (typically autumnal) weather of the summer so far!
sid ashton said
Tue Jul 28 9:20 PM, 2009
Did a walk from Dunham Town along the canal past the Swan and back through the park - by the time we got to the park it was pouring down but of interest to Judith we found two new broods each of four Tufted Ducks - one on the small canal in front of the stables and the other on Smithy Pool. There were also just two of the cygnets with the adult Swans on the stables canal. By now too wet to linger.
sid ashton said
Wed Jul 8 1:59 PM, 2009
An hour or so in the park this morning before the chance of another wet day took over produced:-
On Smithy pool - the Swans and 6 cygnets continue to thrive as does the Little Grebe with one chick, a lone female Tuftie, several Coot with one adult apparently gathering more nesting material. On Island pool - there was another Little Grebe with a very young chick constanly chasing two older chicks - from an earlier brood?? Old mans pool held nothing but Coot and the Moat only Mallard (60+) and a couple of Moorhens. There were a good number of Treecreepers around the park and a noisey Jay family near the stables.
sid ashton said
Mon Jul 6 8:40 PM, 2009
Nice little colony of about twenty House Martins from the five nests on Bollington Mill flats.
mark gilligan said
Fri Jun 26 10:02 AM, 2009
Rob Thanks. I checked that out and its on the money. Cheers!
Geoff Hargreaves said
Thu Jun 25 10:27 PM, 2009
Mark, rnp is my best bet,they are very difficult to see in the canopy,
The first part is by far the commenest call I hear, not the later chattery bit...
mark gilligan said
Thu Jun 25 8:01 PM, 2009
Wasnt squirrels Sid. Not unless they were 'flying' faster than a jay! A noise I hadnt heard. Havent heard the RNP so maybe, I dont know. Still, a very pleasant stroll!
sid ashton said
Thu Jun 25 4:48 PM, 2009
There are plenty of Grey Squirrels in DMP and they can make a very odd noise
-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 25th of June 2009 04:50:13 PM
Mike Duckham said
Thu Jun 25 4:24 PM, 2009
Yep RNP's a likely candidate. Just in case - was it a loud flutey whistle? Kind of tropical sounding? Might be worth doing a net search for calls of Golden Oriole, try Tarsiger.com maybe. Just that i've always felt it was a potential visitor to Dunham! Cheers.
Rob Smallwood said
Thu Jun 25 4:20 PM, 2009
Ring-necked Parakeet perhaps?
mark gilligan said
Thu Jun 25 3:22 PM, 2009
Just had a pleasant couple of hours at the park. Nothing outstanding just the usal Saw; Nuthatch Treecreeper Coal Tit Great Spotted Woody Lapwings bombing a Buzzard in a field alongside the Bollington gate. Whilst walking over towards the the lodge I heard a noise high up in the tree tops of something I hadnt heard before. Way above the crows. It stood out and moved on high from canopy to canopy. Couldnt get a glimps and have no idea what on earth it was. Very loud and it seemed to echo. Intriguing!
-- Edited by mark gilligan on Thursday 25th of June 2009 03:24:47 PM
Rob Smallwood said
Tue Jun 23 2:49 PM, 2009
There is 1, possibly two pairs in the Lymm/Dunham area.
My own casual observations suggest that there may be a teritory closer to Carrington Moss, not very scientific but I seem to see too many "casual" sightings in the Timperley area, including multiple sightins late last summer which might suggest breeding nearer than the "known" pairs.
Hobbies are remarkeably inobtrusive on territory and could easily get overlooked.
Tony Coatsworth said
Tue Jun 23 8:18 AM, 2009
I had one crossing Reddy Lane (to the south of Lymm Road) which isn't a million miles away. I believe a pair bred near Lymm last year.
sid ashton said
Mon Jun 22 9:48 PM, 2009
Nev - not too far from the bird I reported seeing last Friday under Warburton Hobby thread also Rob S has mentioned the Cheshire pair in the same thread.
Nev Wright said
Mon Jun 22 9:31 PM, 2009
20.30hrs Hobby chasing swallows crossed Bridgewater Canal from Dunham Massey towards field 139 (only just on the Carrington Map!), great view! Never seen one around here - have any of the other Dunham area regulars?
Henry Cook said
Tue Jun 16 7:16 PM, 2009
I've not seen Spotted Flycatchers reported from any other sites in the county so it would be a shame if the tenuous Dunham population had gone the way of the rest. Thanks for the confirmation though Sid.
sid ashton said
Tue Jun 16 4:22 PM, 2009
Henry
Don't think that you "dipped out" on the Lesser Peckers or the Spot flys - just don't think that they are there in "unusual" numbers - one of the earlier reports could have been misleading. As you know I am in the park frequently - don't report every visit - but try as I might I could not find them apart from singles of each species at the end of May.
Henry Cook said
Tue Jun 16 1:20 AM, 2009
15/06/2009 - Had a very similar walk to Sid (from 07/06/2009) and dipped out on LSW and Spot.Fly etc etc. Great views of a male Kingfisher were witnessed along the Bollin River, it sat low in branches of an overhanging tree by the weir from the footbridge. Also seen were 1 Treecreeper, 1 Little Grebe, 8 Tufted Ducks, 3 Stock Doves, 2+GSWs and a Yellowhammer heard from the Cheshire side but over in fields south of the Bollin. Henry.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 16th of June 2009 07:14:38 PM
Tony Coatsworth said
Wed Jun 10 11:47 AM, 2009
Did my TTV today (east end of Dunham Massey)
Saw the RN Parakeet by Smithy Pool while I walked up - no sign of Spotted Flycatchers at Island Pool though.
Bizarre sight of a calling Oystercatcher overhead, flying low west -> east
Family party of Treecreepers at the end of Farm Walk
Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground just north of the Slaughterhouse.
Lesser Whitethroat singing on the corner of Oldfield Lane.
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Wednesday 10th of June 2009 12:29:03 PM
sid ashton said
Sun Jun 7 11:18 AM, 2009
In the park from 0630 to 0900 no sign of the Spotted Flycatcher or its reported young but it was only just getting warmed up as I was leaving and the Swallows and Swifts had only just started to take insects around the pool. The six cygnets on Smithy pool are looking well as are the two very small Little Grebe, a young Grey Wag was flitting about. On Island pool Coot with 3 chicks, Mallard with 5 chicks and the Little Grebe chick almost adult sized now.
Plenty of Great Spotted Pecker activity but no sign of the Lessers or Greens.
Phil Owen said
Sat Jun 6 10:01 PM, 2009
Incubation period I think is normally anywhere between 10-15 days.
Seems very early for fledglings!!
sid ashton said
Sat Jun 6 6:58 PM, 2009
The Spotted Flycatchers seem to have been amazingly fast to fledge given their arrival time, normal incubation and fledging periods - could it have been due to the warm weather last week?
stuartherring said
Sat Jun 6 6:16 PM, 2009
quick visit today revealed lots of nuthatch families,little grebe families a few lesser spotted woodpeckers ,greater heard also ,treecreepers and the spotted flycatchers feeding fledged young at the edge of one of the islands
Phil Owen said
Tue Jun 2 10:00 PM, 2009
7.00pm to 8.30pm evening visit .
Very brief views of a Spotted Flycatcher on Island Pool but only seen for a few minutes before disappearing altogether around 8.15pm.
Also lots of Great Spotted Woodpecker about and a single Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground.
Tried for the Little Owl down the road on the way back but no luck on the dead trees and the usual trees have far too many leaves now.
Sam Ridgway said
Tue Jun 2 4:18 PM, 2009
Hi Sid Cuckoo's were in the same area as the G.S.W. before the ob.
SAM
sid ashton said
Tue Jun 2 9:47 AM, 2009
The two occupied nests in the Heronry now have young birds.
Has anyone else seen the Cuckoo reported by Sam yesterday? I would like to try to find it and any pointers would be helpful.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Tuesday 2nd of June 2009 09:52:51 AM
-- Edited by sid ashton on Tuesday 2nd of June 2009 12:27:55 PM
Sam Ridgway said
Mon Jun 1 2:56 PM, 2009
Hi All In the park at 11am till 1:30pm G.S.W...L.S.W...Tree Creeper,nuthatch, Wheatear, Cuckoo,Mistle Thrush,Jay,Tit's No green w.p.
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun May 31 11:31 AM, 2009
No sign of Spotted Flycatcher at 10:30 though a guy with a scope had them earlier today.
Little Grebe chick doing well and 6 cygnets on the Island Pool.
sid ashton said
Sat May 30 6:06 PM, 2009
So that's what a Dunham Green Pecker looks like - I have been in the park most days this week and not seen one
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 30th of May 2009 06:39:16 PM
Henry Cook said
Sat May 30 4:26 PM, 2009
My uncle visited the park on Thursday and had good views of a Green Woodpecker - photo here - http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?f=207642 I've never managed to see them this well at the park. Cheers. Henry.
sid ashton said
Wed May 27 10:00 PM, 2009
Well done Geoff I was a little concernerned when it wasn't there this evening not realising of course that you had seen it.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Wed May 27 9:41 PM, 2009
Sid,I managed to get to your bench at 2.30pm the spotted flycatcher showed up (on the dead tree as you predicted)at 2.55 but I had to leave by 3.00 ,none the less a nice county tick.
cheers geoff
sid ashton said
Wed May 27 6:42 PM, 2009
Just been for a quick walk round Dunham - quite a gloomy evening no sign of the Spotted Flycatcher, I didn't hang around too long - it is a sunshine bird I think. As I was peering to the skys a Hobby flew over going North West.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Tue May 26 9:30 PM, 2009
Sid ,thanks for the update I,ll have another go for it as soon as,it,s a much needed county tick,and it would be nice for my mayhem list
cheers geoff
sid ashton said
Tue May 26 7:03 PM, 2009
Pleased to say that the Spotted Flycatcher was present at 18.00 this evening. The single bird was sitting in the sunshine right on the top of the tree with the bare branches on the island of Island pool. As you walk away from the house up the main drive there is a set back bench on the right close to the tree. This seems to be its favourite spot.
P.S. not on the bench of course but the tree
-- Edited by sid ashton on Tuesday 26th of May 2009 07:19:46 PM
Geoff Hargreaves said
Mon May 25 9:11 PM, 2009
Phil,your not alone 'dipping' the spotted fly,I spent this morning 7.00 till 10.00 scouring the park for them but no luckbut i did see all three peckers ,nuthatch,two family parties of tree creeperthe ring necked parakeet,mistle and song thrush in good numbers,very pleasant morning,I gave up when wayne, charleene and the kids turned up in increasing numbers.
cheers geoff
Phil Owen said
Mon May 25 7:36 PM, 2009
Went for an hour this evening between 5.30pm and 6.30pm with dog in tow.
No sign of the Spotted Fly's but then again the cloudy weather with odd spots of rain may have been the deciding factor, however there were still some insects about.
Let's hope that this years arrivals have not just passed through for the day. Last year they hung around for a bit I seem to remember.
Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch amongst others were seen but it was fairly quiet otherwise.
Nice to see the Mute Swans with their 6 Cygnets!!
sid ashton said
Sun May 24 9:10 AM, 2009
6 Cygnets all present and correct this morning.
Also Woodpecker "audio/visual treble" Great spot and Green calling and Lesser overhead when watching two possibly three Spotted Flycatchers in the same place as in previous years close to the Island pool. One week earlier than last year but still extremely easy to see.
Steven Nelson said
Wed May 20 9:52 PM, 2009
The Mute Swans on Smithy Pool now have 6 newly hatched young
sid ashton said
Tue May 19 9:21 AM, 2009
Birds on only two of the nests in the Heronry this morning as far as I could see.
Martin Cuthbert said
Tue Apr 21 10:17 PM, 2009
I went on a woodpecker watch today at 7.45am. Sunny windless day, supposedly ideal. No drumming around the obelisk but saw one Greater Spotted plus nuthatch and pheasant. At 9am went to the picnic area, and for an hour it was an occasional green woodpecker, and a succession of great spotteds, an adult pair, young ones, and again a nuthatch. Sadly no lesser spotted. Must try harder, as my teacher used to say.
Martin Cuthbert
sid ashton said
Tue Apr 21 7:39 PM, 2009
Quick walk around the park this evening after getting of the train - nice - 3 Green Peckers - haven't seen one in there for ages and 2 recently fledged Nuthatches - these seem very early.
sid ashton said
Sat Apr 18 3:05 PM, 2009
Tony
I noticed earlier this week that the Mute Swans also appear to have set up home on Smithy Pool.
Does the reference to the two occupied nests refer to the Heronry? Sid
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 18th of April 2009 02:06:42 PM
P.S. Thanks Tony I noticed you have editted your post to include the ref to the Heronry
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 18th of April 2009 06:45:45 PM
Tony Coatsworth said
Sat Apr 18 2:26 PM, 2009
Looks like only 2 occupied nests out of 5 or 6 in the Heronry. Well down on last year :(
On the plus side - I found a new Rookery at Headsmans Covert - alongside the eastern wall of the park. Also a Coot on a nest near here, Mistle Thush on a mossy nest balanced on a high branch, and Carrion Crow on nest so that's 4 definite breeders out of 37 species for SJ78N so far.
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 18th of April 2009 03:14:15 PM
Swan families do walk quite considerable distances and get separated. I would think they are now large enough to feed OK without parental help (ie mum pulling food up for them)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fancithat/3581324238/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fancithat/3559245101/
What a sad day
-- Edited by ChrisBeesley on Monday 3rd of August 2009 05:52:53 PM
I missed them last week - see my posting 28th below - a real bummer I have been watching them since they were hatched.
Very saddening to hear. Signs at the park entrances say dog's to be kept on a lead. The ultimate punishment given to out of control dogs ought to be applied to the dog's owners in my opinion, for allowing this cruel act.
Regards, Chris
On Smithy pool - the Swans and 6 cygnets continue to thrive as does the Little Grebe with one chick, a lone female Tuftie, several Coot with one adult apparently gathering more nesting material. On Island pool - there was another Little Grebe with a very young chick constanly chasing two older chicks - from an earlier brood?? Old mans pool held nothing but Coot and the Moat only Mallard (60+) and a couple of Moorhens. There were a good number of Treecreepers around the park and a noisey Jay family near the stables.
Thanks. I checked that out and its on the money.
Cheers!
cheers geoff
http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/ring-necked_parakeet.htm
The first part is by far the commenest call I hear, not the later chattery bit...
A noise I hadnt heard. Havent heard the RNP so maybe, I dont know.
Still, a very pleasant stroll!
-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 25th of June 2009 04:50:13 PM
Just in case - was it a loud flutey whistle? Kind of tropical sounding? Might be worth doing a net search for calls of Golden Oriole, try Tarsiger.com maybe. Just that i've always felt it was a potential visitor to Dunham!
Cheers.
Saw;
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Coal Tit
Great Spotted Woody
Lapwings bombing a Buzzard in a field alongside the Bollington gate.
Whilst walking over towards the the lodge I heard a noise high up in the tree tops of something I hadnt heard before. Way above the crows. It stood out and moved on high from canopy to canopy. Couldnt get a glimps and have no idea what on earth it was. Very loud and it seemed to echo.
Intriguing!
-- Edited by mark gilligan on Thursday 25th of June 2009 03:24:47 PM
My own casual observations suggest that there may be a teritory closer to Carrington Moss, not very scientific but I seem to see too many "casual" sightings in the Timperley area, including multiple sightins late last summer which might suggest breeding nearer than the "known" pairs.
Hobbies are remarkeably inobtrusive on territory and could easily get overlooked.
I believe a pair bred near Lymm last year.
Hobby chasing swallows crossed Bridgewater Canal from Dunham Massey towards field 139 (only just on the Carrington Map!), great view!
Never seen one around here - have any of the other Dunham area regulars?
Thanks for the confirmation though Sid.
Don't think that you "dipped out" on the Lesser Peckers or the Spot flys - just don't think that they are there in "unusual" numbers - one of the earlier reports could have been misleading. As you know I am in the park frequently - don't report every visit - but try as I might I could not find them apart from singles of each species at the end of May.
Great views of a male Kingfisher were witnessed along the Bollin River, it sat low in branches of an overhanging tree by the weir from the footbridge. Also seen were 1 Treecreeper, 1 Little Grebe, 8 Tufted Ducks, 3 Stock Doves, 2+GSWs and a Yellowhammer heard from the Cheshire side but over in fields south of the Bollin.
Henry.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 16th of June 2009 07:14:38 PM
Saw the RN Parakeet by Smithy Pool while I walked up - no sign of Spotted Flycatchers at Island Pool though.
Bizarre sight of a calling Oystercatcher overhead, flying low west -> east
Family party of Treecreepers at the end of Farm Walk
Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground just north of the Slaughterhouse.
Lesser Whitethroat singing on the corner of Oldfield Lane.
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Wednesday 10th of June 2009 12:29:03 PM
Plenty of Great Spotted Pecker activity but no sign of the Lessers or Greens.
Seems very early for fledglings!!
Very brief views of a Spotted Flycatcher on Island Pool but only seen for a few minutes before disappearing altogether around 8.15pm.
Also lots of Great Spotted Woodpecker about and a single Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground.
Tried for the Little Owl down the road on the way back but no luck on the dead trees and the usual trees have far too many leaves now.
Cuckoo's were in the same area as the G.S.W. before the ob.
SAM
Has anyone else seen the Cuckoo reported by Sam yesterday? I would like to try to find it and any pointers would be helpful.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Tuesday 2nd of June 2009 09:52:51 AM
-- Edited by sid ashton on Tuesday 2nd of June 2009 12:27:55 PM
Wheatear, Cuckoo,Mistle Thrush,Jay,Tit's No green w.p.
Little Grebe chick doing well and 6 cygnets on the Island Pool.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 30th of May 2009 06:39:16 PM
I've never managed to see them this well at the park.
Cheers. Henry.
cheers geoff
cheers geoff
P.S. not on the bench of course but the tree
-- Edited by sid ashton on Tuesday 26th of May 2009 07:19:46 PM
cheers geoff
No sign of the Spotted Fly's but then again the cloudy weather with odd spots of rain may have been the deciding factor, however there were still some insects about.
Let's hope that this years arrivals have not just passed through for the day. Last year they hung around for a bit I seem to remember.
Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch amongst others were seen but it was fairly quiet otherwise.
Nice to see the Mute Swans with their 6 Cygnets!!
Also Woodpecker "audio/visual treble" Great spot and Green calling and Lesser overhead when watching two possibly three Spotted Flycatchers in the same place as in previous years close to the Island pool. One week earlier than last year but still extremely easy to see.
No drumming around the obelisk but saw one Greater Spotted plus nuthatch and pheasant.
At 9am went to the picnic area, and for an hour it was an occasional green woodpecker, and a succession of great spotteds, an adult pair, young ones, and again a nuthatch.
Sadly no lesser spotted. Must try harder, as my teacher used to say.
Martin Cuthbert
I noticed earlier this week that the Mute Swans also appear to have set up home on Smithy Pool.
Does the reference to the two occupied nests refer to the Heronry?
Sid
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 18th of April 2009 02:06:42 PM
P.S. Thanks Tony I noticed you have editted your post to include the ref to the Heronry
-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 18th of April 2009 06:45:45 PM
On the plus side - I found a new Rookery at Headsmans Covert - alongside the eastern wall of the park. Also a Coot on a nest near here, Mistle Thush on a mossy nest balanced on a high branch, and Carrion Crow on nest so that's 4 definite breeders out of 37 species for SJ78N so far.
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 18th of April 2009 03:14:15 PM