Dipper under Cheadle Bridge this morning
Kingfisher
Still large mixed thrush flock by rugby club
9 Goosanders
2 Bullfinches

400+ mainly Redwings this morning near rugby pitches.
Kingfisher
Stock Dove
Grey wagtail
5 Goosander

Dipper this am just down from Weir lane weir
Common Buzzard on Parrs Wood playing fields
14 Goosander
4 Teal yesterday by Garlic Bend
Little Grebe on Mon

This weeks high lights:
Little Grebe Monday, not since.
Had a good luck at a gull on playing fields Thu pm, seperate form 2 groups of Common/Black Headed, very pale and thought it may be an Iceland. Didn't have the bins, so couldn't get a great view, but might be worth checking the flock. No doubt it was just a paler Common.
Many Goosander doing impressions of ones in the Highlands by scooting up/down the weirs.
Kingfisher Thu by M60 bridge.
2 Bullfinches.
100+ Starling roosting in trees by Parrs Wood fields, together with a few Redwings/ Fieldfares.
Single Grey Heron.
Max 5 Cormorants.

Had a quick cycle along to Cheadle Bridge and there were 2 Dippers there which was a nice sight.

Quick walk with dog down the River at Cheadle Bridge:

1 Goosander
1 Little Grebe
1 Moorhen
5 Mallards
2 Pied Wagtails
No sign of Dipper or Kingfisher

Also, 1 Treecreeper heard by The Gallion and a large flock of Common and Black-Headed Gulls over on Parrs Wood fields.

No sign of drake Wigeon this am, in a brief cycle past.
6 Little grebes
8 Goosanders

Went to see wigeon as first for me on this stretch, wish I'd read John's post as would have gone for dipper as well. Not as good in numbers terms as other posts but

Wigeon m
Teal 2m, 1f
goosander 2f
fieldfare
redwing 2
mistle thrush 5
bh gull 40
common gull 3
cormorant 8
mallard
little grebe
grey wagtail
pied wagtail
grey heron

Miserable weather

Wigeon (m)
Teal (m)
Goosander (1m, 3f)
Dipper (singing at Cheadle Bridge)
Grey Wagtail
Redwing (c20)
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Common Gull (9)
BH Gull (c50)

Cheers, John

Wigeon this am by Patch Island
3 Little Grebes
5 Goosander
2 Teal yesterday

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 9th of February 2012 08:50:51 AM

Single Wigeon this morning on river by Rugby pitch.
Little Grebe
4 Goosander

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 7th of February 2012 10:20:22 AM

Mandarin pair just downriver from Acorn business park this afternoon.
Other maxima for the week:
3 Little Grebes
12 Goosander
Grey Wagtail
Sparrowhawk
1 Teal
2 Bullfinches
6 Grey Heron
8 song Thrushes singing between viaduct and Cheadle Bridge
7 Cormorants
10 Redwings
1 Kingfisher
Possible Dipper by Patch island Tue pm, behind it, so couldn't see properly(no bins)

Late post for Thu 26th:
2 Little Grebes
Kingfisher
Grey Wagtail
300+ mixed flock of mostly Starlings, with 40 Fieldfare and a few Redwings
6 Goosanders

50+ Fieldfares at 3.30 in Poplar trees by rugby club, with a few Redwings.

Snipe this morning. Flew from boggy ground at top of garlic bend to sewerage works across the river
2 Little Grebe, Goosander too

No sign on the way home.
Sparrowhawk just behind a fleeing Song Thrush
2 Bullfinches
6 Goosander

Owl species this morning at 7.40.
Have seen Tawny there before, but had the shape/size of a Long Eared and the behaviour of a Short Eared.
Flew across fields opposite Patch Island, over river, and glided into the copse behind Garlic Bend.
Only seen in sillhouette really, but definately an Owl.

4 Littel Grebes too

3 Little Grebes above weir this am(7.30)
Kingfisher by M60 bridge (3.45)
4 Goosander
Sparrowhawk
Grey Wagtail

Friday afternoon, mixed flock of redwings, starlings and a mistle-thrush on the Parrs Wood school playing fields. Mixed flock of blue tits and long-tailed tits in trees between the fields and the river.
Sole male goosander on river, also cormorant. Heron under pressure from three crows.

Still present early morning, with 4 Goosanders too.

4 Little Grebes above weir this morning.

Little Grebe this morning
Pair of Goldeneye yesterday by playing fields
8 Goosander
Grey Wagtail
7 Grey Heron

2 drake Teal this morning
2 Little Grebes
1+ Kingfisher
12 Goosander
3 Herring Gulls over
4 Bullfinches

At least 3 Little Grebes this am. One by weir, pair by Playing Fields
15 Goosander in various plumages
Grey Wag by Cheadle Bridge.

Same again this am, lots of vizmig too. Many thrushes, mipits, wagtails over.
Also Goldcrest and GS Woodpecker.

1+ Kingfisher, Little Grebe, 10+ Goosander, all adjacent to playing fields this am.

Kingfisher and Little Grebe still by patch island this am.
10 Goosanders

Little Grebe again
Cock Pheasant in horse field
Kingfisher by Geoff's Bridge
Many tits and finches, including some pristine Bullfinches near Acorn Business Park.
7 Goosanders
8 Grey herons
100+ Mallard

At least 2 Little Grebe this morning, one above weir, the other adjacent to playing fields.
Also 3 Goosander
4 Bullfinches
400+ gulls on playing fields

My highlight yesterday was seeing a Heron and a Cormorant sat next to each other on the iron structure (not sure what it is) half way between the business park and the rugby club. Was as if they were watching the world go by together..would have made a great photo. The Heron flew off and the Cormorant followed it.

High lights of Thu-Fri were:
Little Grebe still above weir
Kingfisher by pyramid
2 Stock Doves in field behind garlic bend
8 Goosanders, some with white on the wing
Buzzard over playing fields
Kestrel at Sewerage works

1 cormorant over the river next to Stockport town centre bus station
1 female goosander on the same bit of river 3 mornings in a row (on my way to work)
1 mallard

Never saw myself as a John Clare!
Less seepage today , but still lots of movement around
Little Grebe above weir
4 Goosander
Meadow Pipit by Patch island
Pied Wagtails, Goldcrests, Starlings and Gulls numerous
Herons, Cormorants and Mallards still in abundance.
Usual tit and finch flocks.

Chris Harper wrote:

---

There were many this morning ........ seemingly seeping from every thicket.

---

I know you meant their calls, Chris, but it conjours up a lovely image

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 14th of October 2011 10:56:31 PM

There were many this morning from Stockport to Didsbury, seemingly seeping from every thicket.
Also a goldcrest, bullfinches.

Lots of redwings over heaton moor/chapel this morning. Probably around 120 in 3 flocks all heading south.

Female pheasant this morning just up from M60 bridge.
2 redwings by Patch Island
9 Goosanders
Single Chiff chaff hanging around sewerage works
Many Herons/ Mallards
Possible Redshank calling opposite 'garlic bend'?

3 female goosander.
4 Cormorant.
Huge flock of 50+ starlings, and flock of gulls
Heard bullfinches
Kingfisher by business park

Kingfisher this afternoon by pyramid, Buzzard too. Kestrel on lamp post.
4 Goosander upstream from Geoff's bridge.
At least 8 Chiff Chaff, mainly just up from garlic bend.
Lots of tits/ finches in mixed flocks, inc. Bullfinches.

4 Goosander today near Geoff's bridge.
Many hirundines around sewerage works, Bullfinches and Chiff chaffs too.

Between Stockport and Flood Sluices yesterday around 4pm.

Kingfisher by green footbridge
Buzzard calling over the pylon by Garlic bend and a Kestrel hunting on the meadow by the ponds.
30+ Black-headed gulls on the playing fields.
3 Swallows by Rugby club and about 10+ House Martins by Cheadle Bridge. No Sand Martins. Cormorant over the bridge
Another family group of swallows (3 juvs + adults) still present by the stables across from flood sluices.
SS

High Lights of the daily commute this week:
Max 3 Goosander
9 Grey Herons
Vocal Chiff Chaffs
Max 4 Bullfinch
Many Sand Martins and Swallows up until Thursday, none today at all
Hunting Kestrel and Sparrowhawk
40+ Canada Geese
Max 12 LBB Gulls
Kingfisher on Thursday
Max 3 Cormorants

Lots of Speckled Woods.

Quick run from Stockport to Cheadle Bridge and back.

Kingfisher just by Cheadle Bridge, flying up-river.

Juv Cormorant also over bridge and nothing much else of note except 20+ Goldfinch feeding on thistles across river from Rugby club.

SS

Bit of an odd sighting today of what I think is an eastern rosella parakeet around the pond in the nature park. Was calling a whistling for a while.

Reed Bunting up from garlic bend this morning.
Kestrel by pyramid.
2 parties of Bullfinches
4 Herons, 6 Cormorants
Still a fair number of Sand Martins, many over playing fields.

Amazing how close those houses were to the river. Breeding Chiffchaff's there now!
Great photos.
Pretty quiet last few weeks, although a few juvenille Bullfinches, and 2 Sparrowhawks dog fighting have brightened up the commute.

http://members3.boardhost.com/marionsboard/msg/1310755718.html

Some interesting old photos of spots people may well recognise..
Can't spot the Kingfisher tho!

Kingfisher again today around Geoff's bridge.
Peregrine Falcon actively hunting yesterday around Stockport viaduct at about 3.45- spectacular stuff!

Kingfisher right up near Acorn business park this morning on old car tyre.
2 Buzzards and 2 Stock Doves last week near playing fields.

20/06/2011 - a late evenng look for Dipper drew a blank but there was:

1 Ringed Teal - flew upstream
6 Canada Geese + 13 juvs
1 Grey Heron
6 Swifts
1 House Martin
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker + juv