This morning

Grey Wagtail over flying up river in Dukinfield
Pair Goosander on river
Pair Long Tailed Tits on corner by canal
Pair of Canada Geese seem to have taken up residence on corner by canal
1 Redwing on grass next to bypass
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Another pair of Long Tailed Tits next to railway line
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Robin

This evening

25+ Pied Wagtail in Ashton
4 Long Tailed Tit
9 Goosander flying up river (highest count this winter)
pair Mallard
Great Tit
Robin

Coopers Ride, Dukinfield
1st visit, nice walk that I never knew about (cheers Karen!)
kingfisher- flew up river towards Stalybridge
2 mallard
pair goosanders
4 woodpigeon
2 magpie
4 blue tits
4 great tits
3 blackbirds
2 longtailed tits
6 goldfinches
2 rooks
song thrush
robin
heard wren
no dippers



-- Edited by Rachael Hill on Sunday 28th of February 2010 07:59:18 PM

Lots of Starlings today in Ashton, singing. Love the way they perch on the spikes put up to prevent the pigeons perching You can tell what they think of some of the stores in Ashton!

Pair of Goosander on river 5.40 this evening.

Nice to be able to still see birds (just about) after 5pm.

3 Goosander on River in Dukinfield (2 drake)
Cormorant over

I did my late winter TTV visit of Dukinfield this morning

Nice day with lots of birds singing and still lots of flocks

Highlights were

112 BH Gull
15 Common Gull
7 Rook
8 Collared Dove seemed to be having a territorial dispute in one area
Also a Crow seemed to be stealing a Magpie nest with the two Magpies present!

This afternoon I went for a walk down by the river.

Around Tulip Foods there was a good number of gulls:

37 BH Gulls (1 first winter bird)
2 Common Gulls
4 LBB Gulls (2 2nd winter birds)
1 adult GBB Gull, an uncommon bird around here
Grey Heron on roof

On the river
Dipper
2 Mallard
Goosander flying in the direction of Audenshaw

TWO ! one legged black headed gulls this morning on top of Tameside College Building.

Mistle Thrush and Dunnock singing this morning in Ashton town centre.

A short walk this afternoon, river still fairly high

Riverside Road from pavement

Dipper unringed
2 Moorhen
4 Mallard (2 drakes)
40+ Feral Pigeon
6 Magpie arriving for roost

Coopers Ride

3 Goosander (2 drake) pushed off by oblivious dog walker. I've noticed they rarely fly when disturbed just swim out of sight round the bend in the river.
Kingfisher approached flying over rough ground and then continued along course of river.
Dipper (presumably same bird from earlier) flew down river, calling and appeared to land in one of its favourite areas
2 Wren
2+ Bullfinch
4 Great Tit
Blue Tit
Robin
30+ B H Gull
2 L B B Gull
1 Common Gull
1 Canada Goose over
2 Woodpigeon
2 Pied Wagtail, one of which appeared to fly towards Ashton, perhaps going to roost.

Sunday 17th Jan and a quick trip of the "Bridges of Stalybridge County" failed to locate any kingfishers. The river was quite swollen with melt water.
However, Bailey Street bridge did reveal a really good dipper . It was there for about 30 minutes. Most of its time was spent in the middle of the river with ocassional sorties back to the bank. Noticed that it seemed to be beating its food against the rock before swallowing and wondered if this is normal behaviour for a dipper. I was also intrigued by the fact that it appeared to be swimming and diving and not just using a rock as a diving platform.

Aside from my two Fieldfare in the garden today, I had a flock of 9 over.

I also went for a walk along the pavement and then onto the snow covered Coopers Ride.

1 Kingfisher showed extremely well
Mixed Tit flock 12 Long Tailed 8 Great and 2 Blue
Bullfinch
5 pairs of Mallard
pair Goosander
2 Robin
10+ Blackbird
Mistle Thrush
Magpie roost seemed to be building
2 LBB Gull
15+ BH Gull
1 Common Gull
Grey Heron

Also watched an imm Cormorant circling, obviously looking for somewhere to land. I peered over the bridge and the Cormorant swam out from underneath, dived, resurfaced and then flew away up river but was circling again. This is the first time I have seen Cormorant on the river.

It's also the first time I have seen the river with ice on it!

Today walked from Dukinfield to Audenshaw, long walk in poor conditions underfoot, a few birds along the way though.

Dukinfield birds

50+ Gulls mainly Black Headed, but also at least one Common and 2 LBB flying around further up the street (Tulip Foods flock?)
10 Redwing Charles Street area, just off Astley Street (they'd finished eating berries when I got back and I saw them fly away)
2 Long Tailed Tits
Peregrine flying towards Ashton along Railway Street
3 Fieldfare Globe Square area
Collared Doves lots
There seemed to be lots of thrushes around generally in small numbers

Dukinfield/Audenshaw border (River Tame)

2 Heron
1 Moorhen
2 Mallard

I went for a walk later (River Tame, Dukinfield) and caught up with Kingfisher, Heron and Long Tailed Tit (3)

Also Cormorant from front of house just before 4pm flying down river, bird also seen yesterday morning flying up river.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 10:27:39 PM

Hi Karen,

Have you seen the male Mandarin on the Huddersfield canal outside Tesco's Stalybridge. He's in with a flock of mallards and seems quite happy though a little bossy!

Not quite snowed in today but certainly need wellies to get out. Resorted to watching birds in garden (no bad thing).

10 Fieldfare through north
Female Sparrowhawk low over bungalows opposite
6 Crows hanging around for a short while

Plenty of birds coming to feeders
4+ Greenfinch
2 Chaffinch
6+ Blue Tit
2+ Great Tit
2 Robin
4+ Blackbird
Dunnock
Song Thrush
Wren

Black Headed and Lesser Black Backed Gulls overhead 2+ Jackdaw and 2 Magpie, Collared Dove and Woodpigeon

I went down to the river in Dukinfield for the last time this year this afternoon and was not to be disappointed.

I was able to watch a Kingfisher fishing out in the open
A pair of Goosander were also down towards Asda along with a pair of Mallard in spite of the presence of a fisherman close by.
There were also a couple of Moorhens, one on the river and one foraging in the leaf litter
Plenty of BH Gulls going over towards Audenshaw possibly
A couple of Long Tailed Tits were out and about and a Goldfinch was the only finch around.

Also plenty of birds around the garden. Still lots of Blackbirds and Blue Tits.

I did visited my TTV square in Stalybridge today. It was pretty quiet taken all round but I did manage to find a Nuthatch and GS Woodpecker in a small woodland and a pair of Goosander on the river behind Tesco in the centre of Stalybridge.

There were also a couple of Collared Doves that seemed to be interested in one of the Christmas Trees!

Tawny Owl hooting late last night (11.45pm) at front of house.

Today lots of Blackbirds around including 7 on the lawn at once.
Wren, male Chaffinch, male Bullfinch and good numbers of Blue and Great Tits and pair of Coal Tits all frequent visitors to the garden over the last three days.

Collared Doves displaying and indulging in some mutual preening.

Had to kick neighbour's cat out

c40 Lapwing seen heading west from the front room about 3pm today.

Tawny Owl hooting again tonight, even though the weather's disgusting!

Also earlier today Peregrine seen from the house.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 14th of December 2009 10:24:10 PM

Tawny Owl was hooting late last night. Sadly too far away to go and find.

Had me first mooch along Coopers Ride for a while.

Heard Dipper calling and it came and landed close by, almost crash landing A silver ringed bird, started to sing and then flew down river. I looked at the slab he had been on and it was obviously a regular spot River still very full and quite fast flowing so not many rocks visible at the mo.

Also three Goosander present (2 males)

2 separate flocks of Long Tailed Tits, one with at least five birds (was watching Dipper while they passed through behind me) and the other with at least 15 birds (on other side of river without bins)

Grey Heron and lots of extra sand banks (no doubt caused by recent rain)

Two Goosander (m&f) flying away down river this morning. First I've seen in the area for a while. River still very swollen.

Karen

Am

All reports from Ashton under Lyne

c50 Lapwing flying towards Gala Bingo, didn't have time to go and look though.
300+ Starling seen from office mid morning

No sign of any Lapwings on Gala Bingo at lunchtime

3.25 Peregrine flying south
10+ Pied Wagtails going to roost

This am very windy with threat of rain

Mistle Thrush guarding tree with yellow berries in (been there all week) between Ashton bypass and railway line.

Mixed Tit flock c12 Long Tailed, 2 Great Tit, 5 Blue Tit along Coopers Ride

Riverside Road Dukinfield

c15 Goldfinch
2 Robin
2 Crow
2 Bullfinch

Heron
2 Moorhen

There also seem to be more Dunnocks around than normal at the moment

A quiet week this week, with the change in daylight hours, no after work birding to be done

A heron around a couple of days
Dipper this morning, singing again
5 Crows also

Pied Wag roost back in Ashton in usual area on Thursday, they've been putting the Xmas lights up recently in their usual trees so lots of disturbance, and still plenty of leaves on trees so unable to count yet.

Karen

This evening I stopped by the river, to catch the last dregs of light.

1 Kingfisher, very active back and forth
1 Dipper bathing from just over bridge and another flying down towards it calling
2 Goosander
3 young Moorhen

The Dipper was singing this morning

Pied Wagtail numbers in Ashton on the rise, should get a better idea of numbers next week

Karen

Superb views of Kingfisher this morning as I stopped to look at a Heron, the Kingfisher was perched on a branch in the foreground.
Also a small group of Long Tailed Tits, about 6 of them.

Distant Goosander this evening flying up river.

10/10/09

A Dipper gave excellent views, very close on occasion, there only seems to be one in the area near Asda from Coopers Ride at the moment.

Kingfisher also flew up river
Grey Heron on river
Mixed Tit flock still around
5 Wrens
3 prs Mallard
2 Moorhen
Still lots of Blackbirds

c.20 BH Gulls and 3 LBB Gulls around Tulip Foods
9 Magpies also in this area

7/10/09

3 Goosander on River Tame in Dukinfield from pavement
1 Grey Heron on river
2 Moorhen
30+ BH Gulls on Tulip Foods Roof
1 LBB Gull
1 Grey Heron on roof

8/10/09

2 Goosander on river from Coopers Ride
1 Dipper on rubbish in river
9 Mallard
1 Moorhen
3 LBB Gulls
10 BH Gulls

Thanks for all of that Karen.I will have a wander some time.

Dipper this morning before the rain came

After torrential rain, two Goosander had braved it to Dukinfield Bridge visible from the pavement.

10 Pied Wagtails flying to roost in Ashton Town Centre.

Geoff (and anyone else who's interested)

It's like anywhere, if you put the time and effort in. Sometimes I don't see very much, and other times, you don't know where to look. I've seen more this year because I've been working in Ashton. I normally look from Dukinfield Bridge near Tulip Foods, the area known locally as the Piggeries; I walk up the river on the pavement most nights, even in the rain! Unless its flooded the bridge is the best area to see the Dippers.

Then there's a footpath near Tulip Foods called Coopers Ride, this comes out near Asda in Ashton. It goes under Tulip Foods conveyor belt, where you'll hear the sound of squealing pigs and also not a very nice smell, but if you persevere, you can get rewarded, normally nothing out of the ordinary, but it's easy to become blasé about Kingfishers, Dippers and Goosanders, the star regulars. This footpath can get very muddy after heavy rain and is often full of dog faeces and if the local Reporter is to be believed, full of syringes, (although I've never seen one).

The canal's not too far away, the river and the canal run almost parallel with one another at this point. Definitely worth a look

Like anywhere, if you put the legwork in, and the time and the effort, you never know what you might find. I'm still hopeful of a Med Gull on Tulip Foods' roof!

If you want any more info, let me know

Think I will swap Romiley for Dukinfield KarenMy Gt.Grandmother was the oldest resident at one time. You seem to see a lot on the River, a far cry I think from 100 years ago?
Whereabouts do you observe?

Regards

geoff

4/10/09

I spent a lot of time down by the river watching the Dippers yesterday, the male was singing again
Also saw a fantastic Kingfisher which landed in a tree directly in front
9 Mallards, including what looked like a family group of 5
Mixed tit flock appears to have increased in number with c.30 Long Tailed, 3 Great and 1 Blue
1st winter Grey Wagtail
Blackbirds very conspicuous

Tulip Foods

40 BH Gulls
3 LBB Gulls
1 Grey Heron on container

5/10/09

2 Dipper, the male still singing this morning
2 Moorhen this evening

2/10/09

A wet dark day, don't think its got light this week here in Dukinfield

3 Grey Herons on the river this morning

4 Goosander split into two groups of two, probably the same four as earlier in the week
2 Dipper flying up river
1 Heron perched on Tulip Foods roof being mobbed by Black Headed Gull
Small mixed tit flock, mainly Long Tailed, about 20 birds in total

River Tame Dukinfield

28/09/09

Dipper am
2 Goosander pm
2 Moorhen

29/09/09 pm

4 Goosander (all f/1st winter birds)
Grey Heron
Kingfisher flying up stream

River Tame in Dukinfield this evening
2 Goosander
Kingfisher
Dipper
Grey Wagtail
10 Mallard (quite a good number for this short stretch)
Moorhen

Ashton town centre

500+ Starlings
Still small numbers of Pied Wagtails coming to roost at the moment, but also had Grey Wagtail yesterday.

4 Goosander on river this morning

The ringed Dipper singing this afternoon
Also Kingfisher back and forth a couple of times
6 Mallards, very little else though

Sightings in the last couple of days

16/9

Dipper from Dukinfield bridge am

pm
6 Goosander (female or young birds, including one that attacked a drake Mallard!)
Juv Grey Heron
Jay over

17/9
ad Grey Heron am

pm
Dipper near Asda
Dipper from Dukinfield bridge
Kingfisher perched on rocks on opposite side
Moorhen

Also seen 5.30-5.45

Kingfisher flying up river
Sparrowhawk (female)

There are small groups of Pied Wagtails gathering in Ashton town centre in the evenings. I'm looking forward to the trees losing their leaves

15:30 hrs. - River Tame, Dukinfield Bridge -
1 Dipper
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Grey Heron

-- Edited by Alan Turner on Tuesday 15th of September 2009 06:04:43 PM

3 female Goosander this morning on River Tame in Dukinfield

Also 1 Kingfisher
Grey Wagtail over
6 Long Tailed Tits and at least 4 Great Tits

Plenty of Pied Wagtails also first thing in Ashton. I think the roost is gathering force

The female Mandarin put in an appearance again this evening.

The Dippers are still showing well, but the Grey Wagtails seem to have moved on.

There also seem to be more Pied Wagtails appearing in Ashton in the evening now.

We walked the Ashton canal from Portland Basin to Manchester on Sunday. Pretty quiet really, the highlight being a flock of 10+ long-tailed tits and blue tits not far from MCFC. Also a pied or grey wagtail but it flew away before I could get a decent look. Plus what we think was the caterpillar of an elephant hawk moth.

First Goosander of Autumn on River Tame in Dukinfield today. A very smart female bird in superb plumage.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Tuesday 8th of September 2009 08:16:41 PM

Peregrine at about 8.15 (flying from roost?) this morning in Dukinfield a few metres from the house, nearly a garden tick. Possibly the bird seen in Ashton in July/August. Flew towards Ashton.

Also two Dippers on River Tame this evening and a noisy Jay in the valley.

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 7th of September 2009 07:06:29 PM

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 7th of September 2009 07:43:37 PM

Signs of migration this morning with 2 Meadow Pipits flying in an easterly direction over the Ashton bypass.

On my way home tonight, even though it was raining, I stopped as usual to look for the Dipper from Dukinfield bridge. I couldn't immediately see a Dipper, but something else caught my eye. There was a Kingfisher directly below and to the left of me perched on a couple of rocks. I stood there staring mesmerised by the bird, whilst trying to control my wantaway brolly. Even though the bird must have been aware of my presence it continued to sit there as if it was waiting for the rest of the audience! After the best part of 10 minutes it decided to catch a small fish and landed on a different rock, manoeuvring what looked like a very small fish to a position where it could swallow it. I watched until it managed to swallow it completely, whereupon it took off and started hovering right in front of me. It again landed on the rocks and after a few seconds it left flying down river. and I didn't even get my bins out of my bag.

And there was a Dipper there too.

Success again tonight on the River Tame in Dukinfield with female Mandarin. No rings on this bird.

Also a Dipper showed very well. I was able to see a ring on its right leg.

At least 10 House Martins over Ashton throughout the day today, seen at lunchtime and this evening, and also 250+ Starlings in the town centre (seen from office window).