thankyou dennis, it's only the second time we've ever been.

we didn't find the lessers but we did get greaters on the feeder and one green calling from the top of the trees to the left and behind from the mere hide. plus 5 heard drumming mostly greaters we think.

the 2 black swans on haydens plus a couple of redshank and oystercatchers on there also. plus one male gadwall.
there were 2 buzzard in a tree to the right of the pool and a further 3 visible above riding the thermals at one point though we saw a total of 12 buzzard in the day.

plenty of ravens usually singly and hassling a buzzard if it got low enough to draw their attention.

one flock of c30 sand martins high above newmans flash.

Not an April fool but I had 3 fieldfare in some trees at Marbury on Thursday - also saw the black swans with young and circa 7 shovelers on Haydns Pool.

Elswhere, lots of swallows adn a few sand martins on the big lake, chiffchaffs singing in most places too. A few days prior I had 5 goldeneye on here.

Hi Jason,


It was the first time i had been so i dont know the area well enough to know where we were, it was in a large open area flying between one small forest area to the next, only no more than five mins walk from the car park, if you are walking away from the car park down the long straight path that is in the open then it would be on your left hand side area in the forest edge closest to the path, two hunderd yards to your left from the path, i hope this helps, the black redstart was in the same area, good luck

Dennis

jason fisher wrote:

---

where abouts in the park do you find the lesser spotted woodies.

we're off tomorrow for a look

---

Had a wander round Neumans/Ashtons and Haydns pool this afternoon - of note were the Black Swans on Haydns with 4 chicks. On the way, as I joined the M56 at J7 a Red-legged Partridge on the slip road was the only other highlight.

where abouts in the park do you find the lesser spotted woodies.

we're off tomorrow for a look

visit today with bolton rspb group, 830 for around 2 hours ish

highlights were, buzzards enjoying the weather, also tree creeper, nuthatch and all 3 woodies, great spotted, green and lesser spotted woodpecker, swallow and chiffchaff singing, also a black redstart had been seen in the area too,

Also managed another manchester birder tick, nice you meet you today Alan

-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Saturday 27th of March 2010 08:22:03 PM

Visited Marbury today with the kids in tow but what an excellent place [bar the crowds] for some good woodland birds and photographic opportunities. Luckily a friend at work had tipped me off about taking some seed and peanuts so I placed some of both at the Woodland hide which bought in loads of birds and eight squirrels - also meant some casual visitors got to see more than they would have! [hope the wardens don't mind some extra feed...]

Then walked up the side of the mere to the far screen and back so didn't cover a big area but still managed:

Great Crested and Little Grebe
Cormorants, various gulls and waterfowl
Kingfisher - fly by
Nuthatch x2
Jays x3
Coal, Great, Long Tailed and Blue Tits
Treecreeper
Goldcrest
Goldfinches
Pristine male Bullfinch - stripping buds from the trees in the middle of the car park near the ticket machine

And all the normal woodland stuff, I'll definitely be back!

A couple of hours with no rain around Marbury and then to Neumans in the fading light found nothing out of the ordinary at either place - lots of Great Crested Grebe and Cormorants at Marbury with what looked likely to be a sizeable Starling roost building up. At Neumans 100+ Curlew and plenty of Lapwing coming in as the evening light faded. At least managed a couple of hours without getting soaked

An afternoon visit to Neumans/Haydns Pool produced on Neumans - Curlew, Peregrine, Black Swan, Buzzard (taking a small bird on the island), Dunlin, House Martins and Swifts and a Pete Antrobus good to meet you at last Pod

On Haydns Pool another or the same Buzzard again taking prey from the ground and eating it in a tree, 4 Green Sandpipers and 2 Blackwits



-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 19th of July 2009 09:56:57 AM

A pleasant early morning stroll around Neumans/Haydns Pool produced Green Woodpecker, lots of Swift, Swallow, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and of course the Black Swans.

Then over to Marbury in the hope of finding the Lesser spotted Woodies at their nest site - too late the young had fledged over the weekend but had nice views of a circling Peregrine and several Garden Warblers alongside the mere.

Late afternoon visit to Neumanns Flash for the Starling roost.

About 5000 swirled around for a while at approx 16.15 before plunging into the reed bed at the north end of the flash between the 2 hides (near the small island)

Plus 2 Black Swans, 60 Snipe, c120 Lapwing on the Flash. 50 Redwing, 10 Fieldfare in nearby bushes and 12 Linnets going to roost.

Really quiet today

4 Black-tailed Godwits on Haydens Pool. 2 Black Swans on Neumanns. Nothing else of note and no other waders apart from Lapwings.

Had a pleasant stroll early this morning.

2 Greenshanks on Neumann's - they flew off and later turned up on Haydn's.
4 Green Sandpipers on Haydn's with 3 juvenile LRP's sunbathing on a rock.

8 warbler species (many feeding young) including a Garden Warbler and a pair of Lesser Whitethroats

GSW's seemed to be everywhere

"We Three" had a good 3 hours today. We saw a Green Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting, plus 3/4 GS Wookpeckers chasing each other around.

Most of the stuff that Phil saw, was also around.

Morning visit with dog included:-

Grey Wagtail
Stock Dove
Shelduck
Peregrine
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
Coal Tit
Buzzard
Shoveler
Teal
Gadwall
Lapwing
Cormorant
Bullfinch

+ other usual species (45+ in total)

A pair of Scaup were on Neumans Flash apparently and I heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling close to the hide looking out to Budworth Mere.

Phil

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 2nd of April 2011 02:30:00 PM