Nigel Troup wrote:

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Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was showing again at 17:30 in the top of a large tree close by the small wildlife pond in the area described in the previous post. What a great find Jon.

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Can someone try and formally submit this excellent sighting then please?

Far too much good stuff going to waste on this forum already and this record is a cracker.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was showing again at 17:30. What a great find Jon.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 23rd of April 2013 05:18:52 PM

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at 2pm. My Dad has seen it twice in the last two weeks in the same spot and I managed to see it today for a good minute.
Also saw a male Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, numerous Nuthatches, 2 Treecreepers, 5 Parakeets and a Sparrowhawk amusingly being chased by two Goldfinches.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 23rd of April 2013 05:19:25 PM

Has a parrot flock been spotted around Fletcher Moss of late? Have just had a description (from a non-birder) of a flock of about 30 fairly large birds briefly landing on an oak tree in her garden near the park - apparently they were greyish and fairly big, with red round the eye and green on the head. Unfortunately, no pics were taken. Can only think they must have been the Ring-necks.

**PS Further detail included a 'trilling' sound and 'mohicans', so they must have been Waxwings - the green colour noted must have been a trick of poor light***

-- Edited by Ollie Wright on Monday 22nd of April 2013 07:10:35 PM

Peregrine, male over Stenners yesterday afternoon.
& 6 Rose-rings
also 70+ Fieldfare over, sounded like it may have had a few Redwing in the flock (picked up on sonogram)

-- Edited by JamieDunning on Tuesday 19th of March 2013 10:44:43 AM

6 Parakeets and the Amazon this morning 11.45.
Song Thrush by the board walk.

Amongst the usual 1 male Stonechat on Millgate Fields opposite Parr Wood Rd entrance this afternoon.

Sat pm - 7 Ring necked Parakeet in Stenner Woods and around the Millgate Lane entrance

Went to see if could see any parakeets today (around 12pm) and saw two groups, one of three (didn't check sexes) and a second of two birds, which were a pair. Both groups were investigating tree holes, and the female of the pair did enter hole and was doing some excavation or cleaning as bits were seen to be coming out. The male just sat on guard.

17 redwing
chaffinch
greenfinch

Woodcock calling at 5.30pm - western end of Millgate Fields (possibly disturbed by Heron flying over)

6/1/12
8 Rose ringed Parakeets at 2pm. 4 departed NW at 2.30.
1 Nuthatch
2 GS Woodpeckers
1 Treecreeper
1 male Kestrel
3 Goosander
1 Grey Wagtail

7/1/12
1 male Tawny calling in Stenner Woods at 6.30pm

Chiffchaff still busy feeding and showing well in the flooded area of the field towards Simons Bridge, in amongst the 12 Pied Wagtails
present this morning.

I've had a few visits over the Christmas period, but this morning produced a pleasant surprise. Whilst
trying to count the 11 Pied Wagtails in the flooded meadow, I found a Chiffchaff feeding on the ground
alongside them. I hope the Winter stays mild enough for it to survive, and that it hangs around
the area.
The usual woodland/ meadow species seen, although Meadow Pipit and Snipe have been absent so far
this Winter.
Watching a Kingfisher catching small fish at the boardwalk pond was a bonus, and there are now three
pairs of Ring-necked Parakeets in the area preparing for Spring.

Tony

Also including Millgate Fields and along the Mersey
9.30am
3 Goosander (1m,2f)
200+ BH Gulls across the river on flooded golf course
1 Heron
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Nuthatch
1 GS Woodpecker
5 Rose Ringed Parakeets
3 Redwing
2 Teal
1 Kestrel (m)
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Jays feeding on crab apples
2 Bullfinch (m,f,)
15 Goldfinch


Scarlet Elf cups beginning to emerge in Stenner Woods
Jelly Ear
Plenty of Mistletoe minus berries in Stenner Woods, around St James Church and Parsonage Gardens
1 Fox along hedgeline in Millgate Fields

Note: very wet - long stretches of the main footpaths are under several inches of water.



-- Edited by Ian Keith on Sunday 23rd of December 2012 06:29:48 PM

Good numbers of finches this morning.

A flock of 100+ Goldfinch with several Siskin mixed in, feeding on Alders.
Bullfinch, Chaffinch, and Greenfinch also present with Redwing, Nuthatch and mixed tit flocks in the area.
The arrival of a Sparrowhawk stirred things up nicely, enabling me to count the Goldfinches as they relocated.
The usual half dozen Ring-necked Parakeets loafing around.

Tony

15/06/2012 - 2-4pm, torrential rain spells interspersed with drizzle:

4 Ring-necked Parakeets - looked to be an adult and 3 juveniles (short tails, white bill base)
4 House Martins
9 Swifts
1 Treecreeper
1 Nuthatch
1 Jay - a stranded, soggy youngster on the ground, I offered it a worm but it sqwaked in disgust signalling an angry adult to swoop in and feed it itself!
1 Coal Tit
3 Chiffchaffs
2 Blackcaps
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Bullfinches
1 Reed Bunting

The Great Spotted Woodpecker brood fledged prior to Sunday morning, and the
Nuthatches must have fledged between then and this morning.
No sign of the Nuthatch family but did catch up with a juvenile GSWoodpecker being fed
by the adult female.

Tony

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 29th of May 2012 05:55:54 PM

Saw GS Woodpecker nest site today with young peering out. Also nuthatch nesting in same tree.

River Mersey
3 Sand Martin
6 Swallow
2 Grey Wagtail

Stenner Woods
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Ring-necked Parakeet
Nuthatch

A trip to Millgate fields to take some nice pictures of my parents dogs soon turned into nothing but a birding trip. Sightings between 12:30 - 14:00 included:

2 parakeet
2 nuthatch (singing males)
2 jay
1 buzzard
2 gs woodpecker
4 reed bunting
2 meadow pipits
3 grey heron

But the highlight was 1 woodcock flying straight past us as we walked through stenner woods on the way back to the car. An unexpected surprise that rounded off a really nice walk!

Scott

This morning, 8.30 to 11.00
Highlights
6 Ring-necked Parakeets + the Amazon
2 Treecreepers
2 Nuthatches
4 Redwings
4 Mistle Thrushes
3 Song Thrushes
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Jays
2 Chiffchaffs, 1 heard as well as seen
10 Meadow Pipits
1 Reed Bunting
2 Goosander
Plus all the usual Finches, Blackbirds, Starlings,Tits, etc.
And Robins galore
Tony

This morning, 9.00 till 10.30
The highlight was a Woodcock flushed from the edge of Stenner Woods, a site
1st for me.

Tony

Thanks Tony, I'm really quite excited about seeing the pipits, which as I said, I haven't seen before on this site. I wonder if they are on passage?

Alan Hill

Hi Alan, yes you did see Meadow Pipits on the hayfield, in Winter there are
usually a few around. You can also flush the odd Snipe in that area.
By the way Alan, on Sunday morning, there was a Redwing flock feeding
in the cow field numbering 100 - 130. They're still around..
Cheers Tony

Originally posted by Alan Hill today:

Was it possible I saw three meadow pipits in the Hay Meadow this afternoon? If so that's a first for me in this area.

Alan Hill

Redwings now numbering 100+ this morning
10 Goldfinch
1 Jay
1 Treecreeper
3 Ring-necked Parakeets inc. the one with no tail feathers
c100 Pink-footed Geese low over

Happy New Year
Tony

c70 Redwings in the park this morning, a good number for this area.
The local Blackbirds & Mistle Thrush were not impressed

Fletcher Moss/Stenner Woods this morning.
3 Wrens
2 Mistle Thrushes
1 Nuthatch
A flock of c12 Long-tailed Tits
c20 Redwings
1 Grey Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
60 Fieldfare over S.
5 Ring-necked Parakeets. Not trying for a 2nd brood as per previous post; the f. was in this year's G S Woodpecker's nest hole doing some excavation work whilst the m. looked on....which is how things should be

Millgate Fields & River, afternoon.
More Fieldfare, probably same bunch as earlier
A flock of c20 Goldfinches
1 Goldcrest
1 Heron
2 Bullfinch
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail. Both species perched on same boulder at times
2 r/h Goosanders

Stenner Woods on my usual Sat. morning dog walk.
2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers, one drumming.
A pair of Nuthatches.
1 Jay
6 Ring-necked Parakeets in total: 3 flew off N, 1 was heard only and 2, M and F,
were at a new nest hole. They seem to be trying for a late 2nd brood

Along the river from Cheadle Bridge to Simons Bridge late afternoon.
Pretty quiet:
7 Goosanders, 6 r/h + 1 nice ad. male
1 Cormorant
Tony

02/06/2011 - Lower numbers of birds than usual but many were keeping low and around nests still, so easy to pass by. Some of the sightings from this morning included:

1 Sparrowhawk
4 Swifts
1 Ring-necked Parakeet
2 Grey Wagtails
2 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
1 Goldcrest
1 Nuthatch
1 Bullfinch
1 Reed Bunting

On the River this damp afternoon between Millgate Lane overflow and Simons Bridge.

C40 Sand Martins
C40 House Martins
C30 Swifts
+4 Swallows in their usual area around the overflow

Cheers Tony

Counting Warblers along the river inc. Millgate Fields, Stenner Woods and Fletcher
Moss, either side of a trip around CWP
Highlights:

15 Blackcaps inc. 1 f
9 Chiffchaffs
1 Whitethroat
1 Reed Bunting
1 G.S. Woodpecker
1 Treecreeper
3 Ring-necked Parakeets + the Orange Winged Amazon
1 Heron(grey)
3 Moorhen
+23 Starlings feeding on the cow field @ Millgate Fields .......see 'Where have all
the Starlings gone?' thread
Cheers Tony

11/04/2011 - A loop around Fletcher Moss Park, Stenner Wood, Millgate Fields and back along the Mersey this afternoon. Stuff seen:

17 Mallards - plus a female with 5 ducklings 300m upstream from Simon's Bridge
1 Moorhen
2 Coots
4 Canada Geese
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull - over
1 Ring-necked Parakeet
2 Grey Wagtails
6 Chiffchaffs
10+ Blackcaps - a few females arriving now
1 Goldcrest
1 Treecreeper
6 Bullfinches
2 Reed Buntings

Shower dodging along the river from Millgate Lane overflow to Millgate Fields and Fletcher Moss Highlights were: 8 Goosander in 4 groups: 2 pairs, 1 single M and a group with 2F and 1M 6 Chiffchaffs 2 Blackcaps, first of the year 1 Reed Bunting 1 Nuthatch 1 Treecreeper 1 Mistle Thrush, usually a feisty pair here, so maybe one on nest 2 Song Thrush Also, a pair of Blue Tits have hijacked one of the bat boxes for a nest.

19/02/2011 - Checked the gull flocks with Phil Owen a couple of times during the day but the Med Gull couldn't be relocated. Otherwise, things seen included:

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c400 Black-headed Gulls
1 Jay
53 Carrion Crows
1 Goldcrest
3 Treecreepers
4 Bullfinches
2 Ringed Teal - probably the recent Fog Lane pair

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 19th of February 2011 05:13:51 PM

18/02/2011 - 2-3pm, wander around Millgate Fields, along the Mersey and back through Fletcher Moss Park. Much of the park severley flooded, this attracted in a good assemblage of gulls:

1 Med Gull - adult in summer plumage on flooded Rugby Pitch
2 Herring Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c100 Common Gulls
c600 Black-headed Gulls
2 Ring-necked Parakeets - looking rather at home in the wet willows area
1 Grey Wagtail
7 Coots
9 Canada Geese
2 Mistle Thrushes
10 Redwings
1 Nuthatch
1 Goldcrest
2 Treecreepers

First time Ive properly birded fletcher moss and surrounding area, well worth a visit.

River Mersey:
2 Whitethroat
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
Several Swallow, particularly around flood basin
1 Sand Martin

Also...

1 GSW Drumming in Stenner Woods
Several Jay - most of which were being mobbed by one thing or another
At least 8 Reed Buntings (males) singing in Millgate Fields withing the space of about 100 metres
1 Sedge Warbler - Millgate Fields
2 Bullfinch
2 Mistle Thrush

Grey Wagtail family, comprising 4 juvs, at a culvert opposite the Millgate oveflow sluice gates.

several Sand Martins, a colony nearby?

Well it's one way to solve the problems of an aging (self-included) population

shooting older people actually! for a city council dignity in care campaign!

Shooting Goldcrest ?

goldcrest whilst shooting in the park this morning. for a few moments whilst locating the bird i was hoping it might be a 20 pointer in the tourny, but (sadly) gold and not fire!

Heared a second hand report of a Goosander with two chicks on the River Mersey by the Millgate Fields sluice gate Didsbury, seen yesterday.

17/3

Green Woodpecker - 2: 1 behind allotments at end of Ford Lane & 1 at edge of Stenner wood
G.S.Woodpecker - 2: 1 Stenner Wood & 1 by Millgate fields
Meadow Pipit - 2
Chiffchaff - 3
Goosander - 1 rh by Simon's bridge
Reed Bunting - 2 males singing by Millgate fields
Cormorant - 1 over east