75 Pochard (82+ yesterday)
16 Tufted
1 Pink-footed Goose with Canadas on riverbank
1 Kingfisher (2 yesterday)
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Redpoll

90 Pochard
34 Tufted
1 Goosander
2 Goldeneye
8 G/C Grebe
1 Mute Swan

109 Pochard
6 Tufted
2 Goosander
2 Goldeneye
2 Mute Swan

NB: Julians Stonechat is at Chorlton Ees

Buzzard circling over the Water Park at 10.30am, chased off by crows towards Stretford

Martin Cuthbert

24/02/09 around midday

Single male Stonechat showing well on scrubby willow herb filled field in-between what is marked as Hay Meadow and Meadow Pond on the site map. Standing where the footpaths cross in the middle of the field, it was seen perching on a dead elder, flitting then onto the footpath in search of food.

Also, Snipe flushed from wet meadow around Barlow tip.

Julian


-- Edited by Julian Robinson at 12:09, 2009-02-25

1 adult Kittiwake this misty morning on the lake with a 'handfull' of Bl-h and Common Gulls and it flew about a bit. Just after I last saw it at 09.25 the Common Gull numbers swelled to 59+. ( I think it's my first for this site and long overdue )
3 Shoveler (2m, 1f)
96 Pochard
13 Tufted
11 Goldeneye
1 Kingfisher

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 17:18, 2009-02-24

94 Pochard
18 Tufted
2 Goosander
5 Tufted
1 Kingfisher
1 Treecreeper

111 Pochard (147+ yesterday)
17 Tufted
2 Goosander
8 Goldeneye
1 Cormorant
3 Herring Gull (2imm, 1 1st wtr, also 1 ad logged on 19th)
1 L Bl-b Gull (ad)
25 Common Gull
460+ Bl-h Gull
1 Buzzard at Kenworthy Woods still

155+ Pochard
43 Tufted
4 Teal
2 Goldeneye
1 Pink-footed Goose on the lake
1 Tawny Owl

It doesn't take big numbers for something interesting to turn up. The Ferrug in 2000 appeared with 22 Pochard and the Ring-necked in 2006 with only 2 Tufted. How many Pochard were present when the Canvasback turned up at Penny - 3?, and I never thought that would be accepted. I don't carry a scope at work and have a very short time frame to carry out my checks (not just wildfowl ). Feel free to mosy on down and find the big one

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 23:52, 2009-02-18

Hi Pete,


It does now seem to be another flock with a white goose in tow, reappeared last night as i was driving past 1700ish.

Never doubted you for a minute, it was just such a coincedence same number of Canadians and a White one..

Cheers Steve

In the days of interesting Aytheas back in the eighties(2 Ringed Neck Ducks and several Ferruginous ducks) we used to get 3000+ birds at the peak,I don't think 153 is quite enough Rob

C'mon Pete mate- where's that intersting aythya - surely enough Pochard to lure in something a little tastier?!

1 drake Wigeon
153+ Pochard
14+ Tufted
4 Goosander
1 Kingfisher
1 Tawny Owl
1 Woodcock at Kenworthy Woods

167+ Pochard
27 Tufted
2 Goosander
2 Goldeneye
4 Mute Swan
1 Tawny Owl flushed from a garden behind the wardens compound by crows flew towards the beech tree in the car park this morning
1 Buzzard at Kenworthy Woods

PFG skeins logged in the diary for Sat 14th :

3 skeins totalling 300-400 birds SW between 10.05-10.10
3 skeins totalling 350+ birds SW at 10.25

220+ Pochard
13 Tufted
3 Mute Swan

the embdem goose hasn't left here in over 10 years

Pete
It wasn't on the island when I was down, it was on the grass at the bottom of the slope from the carpark with 6 Canada Geese.
Certainly looked like the gang spotted by myself on Saturday morning.
Not been seen down here since Saturday so it either fancied a change of scenery or there is another group about

08.30-.0920

215+ Pochard
22 Tufted
2 Sparrowhawk

Steve, the white feral (Embdem) is a resident bird and it seems it doesn't like the ice, it hasn't left the east island for the last three days !

A quick meander this lunchtime between 1200-1345 produced

Too many Pochards too count hiding under all the branches etc.( especially during lunch)
Tufties same.
6 Goldeneye 3m 3f
2 Goosanders asleep on the ice

5 Mute Swans

And I refound the Canadian Geese with the White Feral which I originally found down on Mile Road Flixton...


Steve

181 Pochard
5 Tufted
2 Teal
3 Goosander
4 Goldeneye
12 Mute Swan
1 Pink-footed Goose on the lake
Siskin

163 Pochard
7 Tufted
3 Teal
8 Goldeneye
12 Mute Swan
3 Meadow Pipit
20+ Siskin

Really enjoyable "Wild Fowl Watch" at CWP. Pochard, Teal, Tufties, Great Crested Grebes, Common Gulls, LBB Gull, BH Gulls, GS woodpeckers (I'm sure Pete will post bird numbers). Lovely to see two male Goldeneye displaying - spring must be on its way.
Good to meet you Pete.

193 Pochard
14 Tufted
7 Goldeneye
1 Goosander
2 Skylark over west
3 Redpoll

1 Woodcock & 1 Buzzard at Kenworthy Woods
174+ Pochard
57 Tufted
1 Pink-footed Goose grazing on the river bank with Canada's
3 Goldeneye
2 Cormorant
1 Treecreeper

179 Pochard
49 Tufted
7 Goldeneye
2 Goosander
1 Kingfisher
Redpoll & Siskin

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 20:09, 2009-02-03

170+ Pochard
60 Tufted
1 Goosander
3 Goldeneye
1 Cormorant
1 Mute Swan
70+ Fieldfare flew over east

1 drake Gadwall
1 drake Teal
164 Pochard
43 Tufted
5 Goosander
1 Mute swan
c20 Redpoll
2 Treecreeper

31/01/2009 - In amongst the throngs of joggers and packs of dog walkers was the following:
1 Great Crested Grebe
c100 Pochards
c80 Tufted Ducks
1 Herring Gull
2 Common Gulls
c60 Black-headed Gulls
1 (m) Reed Bunting
1 Goldcrest

Large finch flock just over the metal bridge near kenworthy field.
12 Goldfinch
20 Redpoll
7 Greenfinch
and 5 Blue tits

Pochard flock still on water.
and the fancy cormorant.

keep birding

102 Pochard
42 Tufted
9 Goosander (2m)
11 Goldeneye
1 Mute swan
177 Canada Geese this morning in the fog was an unusually high number
Siskin
1 Redpoll

Brendan the best strategy to connect with Kingfisher is to scan any perches at the waters edge ie overhanging branches, fence posts, peer into the compounds. I've also watched them fishing from rocks at the edge of the mersey when the water level is low. Many views are of the fast, straight flight, low over the water showing the flash of blue on the upperparts. They are easy to pick out on call once you get your ear in and when there are two birds chasing each other about is when they are most vocal. They don't occur at the pond as there are no fish in there.

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 21:21, 2009-01-28

I never see this kingfisher when i walk round the lake or the newt pond, is there any specific place it likes to hang out?

89 Pochard
23 Tufted
9 Goosander (3m)
4 Goldeneye
2 Mute Swan
1 Kingfisher
30+ Siskin at Kenworthy
1 Kestrel at Kenworthy

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 20:47, 2009-01-26

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 20:48, 2009-01-26

1 Pink-footed Goose on the lake again this afternoon
94 Pochard
47 Tufted
6 Goosander
4 Goldeneye
2 Cormorant
2 Mute swan
1 Treecreeper
mixed flock Siskin / Redpoll / Goldfinch

111 Pochard
51 Tufted
53 Mallard
3 Goosander
3 Goldeneye
2 Little Grebe
3 G/C Grebe
14 Coot
10 Moorhen
1 Mute Swan
1 Kingfisher

102 Pochard
66 Tufted
4 Goosander
Siskins

1 Pink-footed Goose on the lake with Canada's this morning
104 Pochard
55 Tufted
8 Goosander (5m 3f)
6 Goldeneye
1 Cormorant
1 Mute swan
2 kingfisher
mixed flock 40+ Redpoll / Siskin 50/50

1 Buzzard over the U.M.I.S.T. playing fields Kenworthy
1 Kestrel Barlow Tip
129 Pochard
58 Tufted
7 Goosander
3 Goldeneye
1 Little Grebe
2 Mute Swan

1 Kingfisher, previous two days

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 20:17, 2009-01-15

Had a nice morning here in spite of weather and a nice chat to Pete. Had a stomp over the tip but no luck, however many other birds, best being:

Redpoll 20+
Siskin (only saw 2)
bh, Common and LBB (1) gulls
kingfisher
Pochard 110+
Tufted 35+
goldeneye fem
goosander fem
Gt crested grebe
mute swan
bullfinch (male on tip, female on kenworthy fields)
sparrowhawk
Grey heron (2 behind dipping pond)
redwing

However best bird was a buzzard perched in tree on Kenworthy fields. Got nice view before it flew off over sub station.

-- Edited by Paul Dewey at 17:58, 2009-01-13

sunday 11/01/09
Brief views

1 LBB gull, 18 Common gull,on the ice on the lake making it vey easy for gull id. 13 Goldeneye, 3 gooseander. Harris hawk with jesses on by the river causing chaos to other birds

Dave Mcintyre

145 Pochard
44 Tufted
8 Goosander (4m4f)
3 Goldeneye
1 Cormorant

3 Wigeon
2 Teal
146 Pochard
44 Tufted
18 Goldeneye
3 Goosander
1 Sparrowhawk
20+ Redpoll

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 19:59, 2009-01-11

93 Pochard present at 13.20 (only 2 at 09.20)
15 Tufted
5 Teal
2 G/C Grebe
2 Goldeneye
2 Mute Swan + 2 over
1 sparrowhawk
mixed flock of c50 Siskin / Redpoll / Goldfinch + another Redpoll flock I couldn't count

78 Pochard (only 13 present this morning)
15 Tufted (14 this morning)
6 Teal
9 Goldeneye
3 Goosander
5 Mute Swan
1 Kingfisher (surprised to see as lake frozen around the perimeter)
52 Common Gull
1 Meadow Pipit on riverbank
12 Siskin
2+ Redpoll
1 Kestrel at Barlow Tip

3 Shoveler (1m 2f)
1 Teal
61 Pochard
23 Tufted
1 Goosander
7 Goldeneye
4 ad Mute Swan
20+ Redpoll
2+ Siskin

I saw a female Sparrowhawk yesterday in the car park.

I received a pm re Twite and I'd vouch for the observer. Very busy along the river banks this afternoon. I covered from approx SJ833916 Mersey Bank Park to SJ814920 back of Barlow Tip, also Mersey Bank and Parkway Playing Fields and only saw a Reed Bunting in the fallow of the latter site.

64 Pochard
28 Tufted
3 Teal
1 Little Grebe
8 Goosander (5m 3f)
14 Goldeneye
6 ad Mute Swan
35 Common Gull
mixed Redpoll / Siskin flocks

Tony Coatsworth wrote:

---

Damn - I didn't walk down as far as that coz it was so cold.

Someone did say there were Redpolls in the area so you'd need to be confident of your ID skills to phone in a Twite.

---

If only that was always the case Tony

Damn - I didn't walk down as far as that coz it was so cold.

Someone did say there were Redpolls in the area so you'd need to be confident of your ID skills to phone in a Twite.

Birdguides report yesterday :

19:00 01/01/09 Twite Manc'r Chorlton Water Park
two on riverbank between Water Park and bridge over Prince's Parkway.

Any details anybody?

Mostly frozen today. On the patch of clear water were

2 Little Grebe
1 GC Grebe
3 Common Gull
20+ Pochard
10 Teal

On the Mersey was a drake Goldeneye

4 Wigeon (2m & 2 f) flew off west at 09.25
33 Pochard
23 Tufted
5 Goosander
1 Goldeneye
1 Little Grebe
1 Cormorant
1 Kingfisher
100+ Jackdaw at dusk

-- Edited by Pete Hines at 19:46, 2008-12-23