Hey Mike. Could well be although I only deal with the mega-lepidoptera so this doesn't qualify. Had a bee-moth in my trap so that could seem a good possibility around bees?
The fly?! well... probs new to science or a micro-species or summin crazy yeah, then what's a species... Discuss!
Henry.

Hi H, you're into moths - while watching the bees through the scope, i noticed there were 2 smallish brown moths waiting to get into the bees gaff. Waxmoths? Also a reddish fly (dipterid) which i think was new to science. Any help etc.
Ta,
Mike.

1 Med Gull on the flood today amongst loads of B.H.Gulls. Also Kingfisher and heard Ring-necked Parakeet at the obelisk although its usual hole has been taken over by bees!
Info thanks to Mike Duckham.

Wouldn't say the Barnacle was wild but it didn't look very happy!!!

earlier than you sid on my dinner break,same picture but lots of mallard 150+ plus two herons and the same lone barnacle (come on ian this ones 'wild') g s pecker and nuthatch heard.

cheers geoff

Quick stroll between showers (Showers!!) this evening found the Little Owl basking in the sunshine, lots of Mistle Thrush around the park and on the meadow over to Bollington Mill c.250 Canadas and a lone Barnacle Goose plus at least 4 Green Sandpiper and lots of House Martins and Swallows.

Green Sandpiper, and a Greenshank (never seen one at Dunham before), in the puddle just over the wall today at 12.30. Greenshank flew off calling towards River Bollin, but heard again later.
Also Parakeet calling near obelisk, and a few green and great peckers about.

The Little Owls have one fledgeling, there are three Little Grebe chicks and two adults on Smithy Pool along with three very new Coot. Lots of Green Pecker seen and calling The five swans cygnets are doing well.

Judith I have seen young Tufties in the park this year and have seen the Spotted Flycatcher - see my post 31 May. Last year I saw the young flycatchers away from the house up the main drive near to Island pool but this year since the early sighting nothing.

Sid - have there been any broods of Tufties at Dunham Massey this year (usually on the noat round the house- or Spotted Flycatchers, they breed on the house?

Little Grebe with two brand new chicks on Smithy Pool and Little Owl near lime circle showing well late afternoon

Had a quick walk round the park this morning not much activity but I did meet a really friendly couple John and Cynthia Robins from the Leigh area and pointed them in the direction of the Green Peckers and the Little Owl. Glad that you were able to get some nice shots of both John. I don't think that the bloke with the big lens was pleased to see me though!!!!

Malcolm - welcome to the forum it was also my intention in my post 2.13 pm to keep to one thread. We do seem blessed with a fair number of Hobby this year. Risely Moss should be a good place this month as well.

Sid

I was just trying to keep sightings from Dunham on the one thread Malcolm so it forms a more useful reference work to the birds of this site.
Henry.

Big Malc wrote:

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guess I'm classed as a stranger

---

I can assure you this has no bearing at all Malc, 90% of users of this forum were strangers to one an other before it came along.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 22:19, 2008-08-02

Henry and Sid thanks for mentioning my spot I haven't had any replies to my Hobby post (guess I'm classed as a stranger). My first time at DMP and wasn't sure if the Hobbies were regulars. I nearly didn't pack the Leica's as it was a family day out. Glad I did in the end.

Never seen them so close to home but have watched them many times in the New Forest and Exmoor. In case it's of interest the bird was spotted around 19:00 flying down the ride that leads from the obelisk to the shop area. It landed in the very top of a tree on the edge of the ride and after a short stay flew out over the wall away from the park.

Malcolm

Henry

The Kestrels were both female (not wood pigeons!!!!) didn't have my scope with me to get close up when they were perched, but clearly when they were flying around over head they were female. When perched they weren't on adjacent posts and there was quite a distance between them not the behaviour of siblings or perhaps it was!!

Apparently to see Hobby you should get over to Risley Moss in the next month according to some local guys I meet in June when the birds first arrived.

There is another place not far away Wixall Moss?? - not exactly sure where it is - near Droitwich I think - that is meant to be very good for Hobby as well I believe.

Sid

P. S. at 2100 hours - The correct spelling is Whixall Moss and there are lots of sites to give you more directions etc - just Google

-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:00, 2008-08-02

Hi Sid.
Are you sure the Kezzas were both females? On my last visit recently there was a very vocal family of them around the walk to the mill which had at least 2 juveniles.
Hobbies are certainly in the area and well done to Malcolm on seeing them. A real bogey bird of mine, never seen one!
Thanks. Henry.

In response to the post "Dunham Massey Hobby" from Malcolm Ferritty - we were in DMP yesterday and had two female Kestrel on the posts next to the stream over to Bollington Mill, 2 Common Buzzard and a Sparrow Hawk. The has been a Perigrine regularly over the meadow to Bollington Mill but I haven't seen it lately. Although not actually in the park I too had a Hobby over field 107 Henshall Lane on Thursday. There was also a Little Owl near the Lime Circle in the park last week - hope that helps.

John Rayner wrote:

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2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers calling by the deerhouse near Lime Circle and another juvenile but the perimeter wall by the southeast wall, Great Spotted Woody overhead but nothing much else.

Cheers, John

---

I took Wednesday off work to do the green woodpeckers but it rained too much. When I decided to go later on I had an accident, pulled my knee ligaments and twisted my back. I'm not a happy bunny. I will have to have a go at the green woodpecker at the weekend. If I can't locate them I will probably have a tin of meal worms going cheap

2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers calling by the deerhouse near Lime Circle and another juvenile but the perimeter wall by the southeast wall, Great Spotted Woody overhead but nothing much else.

Cheers, John

Adrian

Sorry about the delay in response but our BT phone connection has been out all weekend.
You can easily get within 10 - 20 m of the Green Woodpeckers or should I say they will get within that distance of you if you stand around a while!! You can hear and see them all around the park at the moment. I have found them near the Lime Tree circle - turn left over the stile from Woodhouse Lane and past Smithy pool to your right. They quite often sit up nicely on the wooden fences built around the newly planted saplings. They are also around the stream over to Bollington Mill - had a Kingfisher and a Green Sandpiper there yesterday as well.

As to the timing it's always nicer in the park when it's quite but have seen the Greens at all times of the day - yesterday for example is was there between 07.30 and 09.30. There are always Nuthatch and Tree Creeper to be seen. Good luck

Sid

I would like to try and photograph green woodpecker but can only do week-ends. Can you let me know what distance you can view them at. My guess is I will have to get there early to avoid the masses.....or would I be wasting my time. I wouldn't be wasting time if I can get decent nuthatch, tree-creeper or buzzard.

Any tips on Dunham Massey are welcome.

Thanks

Adrian

sid ashton wrote:

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Pleasant stroll around the park 11.00 - 13.00 found 5 Sand Martins busy over Smithy Pool then as I was watching a family of Green Peckers up by the Lime circle a couple of Crows disturbed a Little Owl from one of the limes - the Owl then flew off into a tree next to the wood carving of Old Stumpy where I had a good view before it vanished into the foliage. Also had Great Spot and young Nuthatch

(Mike B please note this was definitely a Little Owl and not a Woody!!!!)

---

Are you sure the Green Peckers weren't Woodies that had been rolling in moss?

Pleasant stroll around the park 11.00 - 13.00 found 5 Sand Martins busy over Smithy Pool then as I was watching a family of Green Peckers up by the Lime circle a couple of Crows disturbed a Little Owl from one of the limes - the Owl then flew off into a tree next to the wood carving of Old Stumpy where I had a good view before it vanished into the foliage. Also had Great Spot and young Nuthatch

(Mike B please note this was definitely a Little Owl and not a Woody!!!!)

Birdguides reported today:

14:04 14/07/08 Mediterranean Gull Manc'r Dunham Massey Park 13:30
adult at Bridgewater Canal then flew east towards Altrincham

Dodging showers today for the late TTV

Some fledged Treecreepers was a bonus. 5 Cygnets. Fledged Tufted Ducks but numbers seem well down on last year.

No sign of Spotted Flycatchers today.

It's been great to read through all the posts and take a trip down memory lane...spent SO much time around here as a young birdwatcher. Still remember finding my first Little Grebes in the park, so excited! Interesting to hear that a Ring-Necked Parakeet has taken up residence. In Rusholme too? Are they quite widespread in small numbers? There used to be Grey Partridge and Corn Bunting along Oldield Lane and Willow Tits just over the wall inside the Scout Camp down the southern end but i think they disappeared. A mate of mine Pete Brown used to work Dunham religiously.
When i was a kid i used to dream about seeing a Buzzard over the golf course...last time i went i saw 2!
Keep it up!
Cheers,
Mike.

county bird sighting Tony

Stuck in work - implementing a new computer system :(
12 hour shift yesterday as well

Hopefully get out to watch the footie tonight !

Spent a very quiet hour in the park today and drew blank on most things but had:
4 Cormorants (flew over)
1 Grey Heron
6 Tufted Ducks (4 juvs, all on Island Lake)
Coots
Moorhens
2 Stock Doves
10+ Swifts
20+ House Martins
1 Chiffchaff
3 Long-tailed Tits + the usual suspects

Thanks. Henry.

The park was closed today due to high winds.

I did manage to see a Spotted Flycatcher in Brickkiln Wood though.

Glad to hear the Litle Grebes were successful. They were around in April bus suprisingly elusive at times. It doesn't suprise me that they are even trickier now they have young in tow.

Little Grebes were on Island Pool hidden amongst the Lillies. At least one chick and two adults - presumably the parents. They nested on the Island.

I have seen them on the moat in the winter but don't think they bred there.

Glad that you both found the Flycatcher - there were definitely two birds when I first saw them last weekend but didn't have my scope to determine if they were a pair - not sure that I would have been able to differentiate in any case.

Tony where are the little Grebe - I thought that I had given all pools a good looking at yesterday but must have missed them.

Had another good look around this afternoon after the rain and those Little Grebe are very elusive. Checked on and around Smithy Pool, Island Pool, Old Mans Pool as well as the moat all to no avail all I could see in the way of young birds was "phase2" Coots ie without the red hair do's but with the pale necks.

PS I am doing a personal survey at Dunham of new arrivals and would like to see the Little Grebe on my list



-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:32, 2008-06-01

-- Edited by sid ashton at 06:14, 2008-06-02

Whoops - sorry Phil - I'm hopeless with names !

Met Tony Coatsworth this morning whilst walking the dog.

Spotted Flycatcher (possible pair) in dead tree on island (Thanks Sid!!)

Tony are you sure it was Paul Heaton you saw this morning and not me??

Cheers

Phil

Tony,

Try counting the legs. 2 legs and its one bird, 4 and its two birds etc

Sorry-but I couldn't stop myself!

Quick scoot round this morning before it chucked it down.

Spotted Paul Heaton and his dog.

Also Spotted Fly on the dead tree - couldn't work out if it was one or two birds.
Little Grebes have fledged and a few young Nuthatch around.

No LSW or Parakeet :(

Spotted Flycatcher in the same place as last year on the island in Island pool - really easy to see on high dead branches. Grey wag near the house and the 5 cygnets are doing well on Smithy pool.

Not in the park but also had a single Corn bunt singing on the bushes opposite the entrance to fields 57 and 24 on Black Moss road - coming from Atlantic street direction there is a lay by on the left hand side before the field entrance but be careful if going as it's a fast road

Went for a quick 'mooch' with fellow birder Paul Cliff this afternoon,hoping to see the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers....but they were hiding,in their place we saw 2 Green Woodpeckers and heard a third 'yahling',we were treated to two Nuthatch just before we left

Did my early TTV today. A few new species for the square.

Little Grebe on nest
2 Greylag Geese flew low over the meadow.
Gadwall on oxbow lake
approx 6 Coot chicks on moat
Kingfisher on brook
Sand Martins checking out nest sites
Sedge warbler singing near fishing club - Dunham Woodhouses
Whitethroat also here
Tree Sparrows - Meadow Lane
Bullfinch - Brickkiln Wood

Sid & Henry

thanks for the heronry estimates - keep up the good work.

Steve

-- Edited by Steve Suttill at 17:51, 2008-04-14

Usual stuff this morning.
Parakeet calling and flying round obelisk.

Kingfisher on the brook.

GSW drumming and Green calling but no Lessers.

Sand Martins not back yet.

I managed 42 species so have put them all in as Roving Records.

-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth at 13:26, 2008-04-13

Nothing dead cert on the Lessers this morning. One day (or year) maybe.
Looking over to the heronry there seemed to me to be 7 nests and 4 with adults sat on them. I would guess these 4 are active but couldn't see any young yet.
Several Coal Tits around the Charcoal Road entrance were the first i've seen in the park. Mountains of greens yaffling around the park this morning.

Steve

In the park from 0630 - 0800 there were three of the 6 heron nests occupied and a further 3 or 4 birds flying round. Will keep an eye on progress over the coming weeks. There was also lots of Great Spot and Green Pecker activity but no Lesser Spots either seen or heard. Perhaps Henry who arrived as I was leaving will have had more luck.

Re: heronry counts.

Thanks Henry & Sid for offering to help. I understand it's not that easy to get a good view (like most heronries!) so will be glad of any educated guesses.

Cheers, Steve

Tony
Please see your mail box.

-- Edited by sid ashton at 17:28, 2008-04-07

Steve

There are 4 or 5 nests "occupied" at the moment (had a quick look on Saturday morning but didn't specially count) - but I shall get a better count for you later in the week

Please can someone count the number of active nests in the heronry at Dunham Massey? This is for the National Heronries Census and the GM County Report (and the Atlases).

Post the results here or send me a private message.

Cheers, Steve