UPDATE - Just got back home, spoke to the park manager and rpsb bird ringer - the male canada goose is being monitered daily - he us dirty through lack of self cleaning (not oil), is underweight,walking and swimming, being fed and watered daily. the rspb guy has checked him over and cannot find anything wrong with him - but he is being monitered on a daily basis so hopefully he will get back to full health. i will call and check on him sometime tomorrow.
JamieDunning said
Tue Jan 8 8:25 PM, 2013
I'll pop down to, am that end of town anyway.
Derek Pates said
Tue Jan 8 8:08 PM, 2013
i'm only up the road so i'll go and have a look - i will update when i get back.
Ollie Wright said
Tue Jan 8 7:27 PM, 2013
Just seen a rather distressing tweet from a non-birder - 'goose at Platt Fields dying. Oil on feathers and can't swim. Other geese attacking it and is starving to death.' Anybody passing who could have a looksee?
Henry Cook said
Tue Jan 8 2:46 PM, 2013
There has been a similar (or perhaps the same) oiled goose at Alexandra Park the last few weeks at least. With the additional feeding from all the bread handouts they seem to survive the condition.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 8th of January 2013 02:47:05 PM
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Jan 6 6:45 PM, 2013
On Saturday
4 Grey Heron - thinking about nesting 1 Egyptian Goose 1 Pochard (good for here) 20+ Tufted Duck
Small flock of finches - Chaffinch, Bullfinch but no Brambling :(
John Rayner said
Sun Dec 9 4:35 PM, 2012
29 Ring-necked Parakeets left pre-roost 15.30-15.45 in 2 flocks of 21 and 8. c21 Magpies counted in island roost (probably more) Egyptian Goose
Cheers John.
-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 9th of December 2012 08:25:34 PM
Rob Smallwood said
Sat Dec 8 4:32 PM, 2012
Two flocks of Ring-necked/Rose-ringed Parakeet left the pre roost this evening, one of 15 and one of 10 with a further 2 but no sign of Amazon
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2 Jay - 2 Grey Wagtail - 1 Grey Heron - 1 plus the usual suspects and the Egyptian Goose.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 8th of December 2012 05:31:06 PM
Tim Wilcox said
Mon Dec 3 12:49 AM, 2012
Rose-ringed Parakeet 32 left the pre-roost by the training ground with the Amazon at 3.50pm Magpies 193 counted into the roost up to 4.25pm then there was a fight and a break-out of over 50
Rob Smallwood said
Sun Nov 11 3:40 AM, 2012
Glad you got back in time!
Tim Wilcox said
Sun Nov 11 1:16 AM, 2012
Magpies 148 counted in to roost this evening. Looking good for a high count in December
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Oct 3 12:35 AM, 2012
John Rayner wrote:
Canada Goose 62 (including at least 5 metal ringed individuals, one of which I managed to read and have submitted to EURING) Egyptian Goose 1 (Again close ringed, read and submitted to EURING)
Probably find that both were ringed in Platt Fields Park
The Egyptian Goose was certainly ringed there John, by Steve Christmas if I remember correctly
John Rayner said
Tue Oct 2 10:02 PM, 2012
I tried my luck searching for a large Ring-necket Parakeet flock but no luck.
Of interest:
A Sparrowhawk made a couple of passes at the Feral Pigeon flock, which numbered about 110. Cormorant 11 Grey Heron 2 Tufted Duck 5 Great-crested Grebe 1 Mute Swan 5 (2 ads, 3 juvs. 1 adult - Blue Darvic HJ4)
Canada Goose 62 (including at least 5 metal ringed individuals, one of which I managed to read and have submitted to EURING) Egyptian Goose 1 (Again close ringed, read and submitted to EURING)
Probably find that both were ringed in Platt Fields Park
Cheers, John
Tony Darby said
Sat Jun 30 9:14 PM, 2012
The Moorhen chicks are now back up to 3, they're difficult to see under the overhanging branches. 2 Greylag Geese were an addition to the usuals yesterday. The mute Swan pair raised 3 cygnets last year, not 5 as previously stated (must check notes in future). There are now 2 Terrapins on the Grebes' old nest
Tony
Tony Darby said
Fri Jun 29 12:29 AM, 2012
The Great Crested Grebes now have 2 chicks, swimming around when not hitching a ride on the adult's back. Moorhen chicks down to 1 unfortunately. Mute Swan cygnets down to 4, although they're pretty large and healthy looking now. That mysterious group, 'the ringers', have been busy here. A few of the young Coots are now sporting very handsome looking Darvic-type rings; white with black lettering. The now vacated Grebe's nest was occupied this afternoon by a large Terrapin.
Tony
Tony Darby said
Wed Jun 6 12:06 AM, 2012
Platt Fields is my local park and I've given the lake a few visits over the Bank Holliday weekend. There seems to have been a bit of a breeding frenzy since I was last here a few weeks ago.
The juvenile Herons have moved out of the nest and can be found mooching around the edge of the island like surly teenagers. Mute Swans, HI4 & HJ4 have 5 out of 5 cygnets still going strong (this same pair successfully raised 5 last year also). The Moorhen pair have 3 small chicks and the tallest nest I've ever seen, it's about 2ft high and constructed from twigs and crisp packets...fantastic. The Great Crested Grebes are still on the nest. However the prize for breeding, above and beyond the call of duty, must go to the Coots! These often overlooked birds have managed to produce 22 chicks so far this year. Alright, there's more than 1 pair, but hey, that's still good going on what is a relatively small boating lake.
I notice that in keeping that with several other local water bodies that floating island/rafts have been put on the lake presumably to act as refuges for fish from foraging Cormorants.
Bill, I think you'll find the floating islands were put there to accommodate the huge numbers of Common Terns we have nesting here every Summer; a hitherto well kept secret.
Bill Myerscough said
Mon Nov 28 7:21 AM, 2011
27th November - am.
2 Ring-necked Parakeet - what looked to be a female seen. One bird appeared to indulge in what might possibly have been a circular, undulating display flight? - not sure if they are recorded as doing this?
Also a Mistle Thrush living up to its name of stormcock by singing loudly in the teeth of a strong wind.
On the playing fields, before the dog-walkers seriously got going, there was a mixed flock of foraging gulls - c200 Black-headed and c30 Common.
5 Cormorant. I notice that in keeping that with several other local water bodies that floating island/rafts have been put on the lake presumably to act as refuges for fish from foraging Cormorants. Well it hasn't taken the birds long to work that one out, as 3 were foraging around and under a small raft! Maybe the rafts/islands need to be much bigger?
Also 2 Grey Heron, 1 Egyptian Goose and c50 Feral Pigeon.
Cheers,
Bill.
JamieDunning said
Sat Nov 12 9:48 PM, 2011
Haha, yeah it's a giant spot light with a bat on it!
A bat detector (by that I mean heterodyne detector) allows you to hear the social calls and the echo location 'clicks' of bats as they fly over. you can then (just about) identify the bat on the combination of the calls and the GISS.
good fun!
J
Tim Wilcox said
Sat Nov 12 9:39 PM, 2011
JamieDunning wrote:
Tim Wilcox wrote:
Magpies 144 counted in the roost on the island 4.30-4.45
3 bats probably Pipistrelle though it's always baffled me how you I'd them zooming about in near darkness
I occasionally go down with one of my bat detectors and am yet to find (hear) anything other than pips!
What's a 'bat detector' Jamie? Intrigued Is it a Robin in a mask?
JamieDunning said
Sat Nov 12 7:10 PM, 2011
Tim Wilcox wrote:
Magpies 144 counted in the roost on the island 4.30-4.45
3 bats probably Pipistrelle though it's always baffled me how you I'd them zooming about in near darkness
I occasionally go down with one of my bat detectors and am yet to find (hear) anything other than pips!
Tim Wilcox said
Sat Nov 12 5:06 PM, 2011
Magpies 144 counted in the roost on the island 4.30-4.45
3 bats probably Pipistrelle though it's always baffled me how you I'd them zooming about in near darkness
Tony Darby said
Sun Oct 23 9:47 AM, 2011
8.00am around the lake.
Of interest: 8 Ring-necked Parakeets 1 Amazon 15 Tufted Ducks 1 Egyptian Goose 8 Cormorants - I wonder if thats a record for here? 2 Herons + all the other usuals
Henry Cook said
Thu Oct 6 3:20 PM, 2011
06/10/2011 - 1 Egyptian Goose still present (on the basketball court!), also 2 Cormorants.
Graham Gill said
Fri Aug 19 8:29 PM, 2011
19:15--19:50
Ring-necked parakeet - 12 Amazon -1 (All roosting in big tree at W end of lake @ 19:45.)
16/06/2011 - 5.30-7am, some of the species seen included:
1 Ring-necked Parakeet + at least 1 juv heard screaching 1 Kingfisher - flew along the water culvert, unexpected! 9 Tufted Ducks - 1 brood of 6 juveniles 5 Coots + 5 juvs c30 Mallards + 4 juvs 1 Egyptian Goose 1 Muscovy Duck 7 Feral Geese 112 Canada Geese 1 Mute Swan + 3 cygnets still 2 Grey Herons - no sign of juvs 1 Grey Wagtail + juvs around MHSG 1 Blackcap 1 Mistle Thrush 2 Treecreepers 1 Nuthatch
JamieDunning said
Thu Jun 2 4:36 PM, 2011
Rose ringed parakeet flew over twice last night (about 20:50)
along with the usuals & the unusual Muscovy duck?!
Tony Darby said
Wed Jun 1 3:37 PM, 2011
Mute Swans HJ4 & HI4 now have 3 cygnets. Also 3 juvenile Herons out of the nest on the island
birdgirl said
Mon Mar 21 5:50 PM, 2011
1 parakeet (couldn't see it well enough to know if it was ring necked) Saw it on Sunday 20th about 3 in the afternoon
Tony Darby said
Sat Mar 5 5:22 PM, 2011
Usual stuff + 2 Mute Swans HJ4 & HI4 Heron on nest on the island
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Jan 23 11:17 AM, 2011
2 Cormorant 1 Egyptian Goose 1 Muscovy Duck 30+ Tufted Duck Mallards of various ancestry
Nuthatch LTT, Blue and Great Tits Goldfinch
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Jan 9 11:20 AM, 2011
1 Grey Heron 1 Egyptian Goose 1 Muscovy Duck 20+ Canada Geese 12 Tufted Duck 6 Coot 4 Moorhen male Sparrowhawk small groups of Redwing 10 birds in total
One last count of the Magpie roost for 2010 yesterday evening only netted 118 on the island before a mass gang fight broke out and about 40 birds flew off in various directions. Heavy fog thickening over the ice
Tony Coatsworth said
Mon Nov 29 5:26 PM, 2010
Egyptian Goose was feeding on the grass near the skateboard park, with about 10 Canada Geese.
Now where do those elusive Shoveler hang out ??
Sean Sweeney said
Mon Nov 29 4:37 PM, 2010
Popped in to the park myself on passing through to south Manchester, but couldn't find the Egyptian Goose, must have been hiding on the island somewhere (any hints on where it normally rests??). Lots of Tufties though and very approachable (16 in all), plus 4 Herons, a Muscovoy Duck and the usual CG, MA, MH, and COs.
Lots of titmice knocking about too, but nothing unusual with them.
Route back to north Manchester via as many berry trees and bushes as I could, but not a Waxwing in sight .
Shoveler - 2 (m+f; m very brightly coloured) Tufted duck - 12 Cormorant - 5 (How does a small lake support 5 sometimes 7 of them?) Mallard - 14 Coot - 16 Moorhen - 4 Canada goose - 45 (32 flew in with 1 Canada/Embden hybrid) Embden goose - 7 Hybrid goose - 5 BH gull - 30 Ring-necked parakeet - 1 (on the island )
Debs Wallace said
Sat Oct 30 10:42 PM, 2010
Really glad that you saw a Parakeet. They were being very vocal when they came to feed later on in the afternoon an they seem to be hanging out in bigger groups too, so where there is one, there may well be another ten of its pals. I'm glad you like them too.
Bill Myerscough said
Sat Oct 30 3:04 PM, 2010
30th October.
Morning visit.
At last!.....on my umpteenth visit to a south Manchester park, my first ever sighting of a Ring-necked Parakeet! Only a single bird but very vocal (and loud!) and visible and with such a distinctive in-flight profile! Terrific.
Also c70 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Gull, c16 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant (plenty of jostling amongst them for the best drying out perches!), 3 Grey Heron, 1 immature Mute Swan, 7 Mistle Thrush, 2 Pied Wagtail and 1 Nuthatch. 7 Embden Geese and 1 Muscovy Duck.
Cheers,
Bill.
Henry Cook said
Sat May 8 1:02 PM, 2010
Had pretty much the same as you today, Steve the hydra, with the addition of a couple of Chiffchaffs singing away. No sign of parakeets or gyppo goose in the half an hour I was there. Henry.
stevethehydra said
Sat May 1 2:16 AM, 2010
First time i've been to Platt Fields in a few weeks today (Fri 30th April), did a quick circuit of the lake - saw most of the usuals - Mallards, "manky" Mallards (the same 2 "outsize" pairs that are usually there), Canadas, Tufties, 1 Mute Swan, grey/white domestic geese, the Muscovy Duck (on the water this time, which was unusual - he's usually on land)... and one very small (around Teal size if not smaller), obviously exotic duck that i had no hope of identifying... mistook it for a Little Grebe at first, then thought it might be an early (and lost) Mallard duckling, but as it came closer to the bank it was obvious it wasn't anything native - it was mostly light brown, with distinctive white markings on its head and some dark green in the wing, a long bill for its size and a *very* distinctive loud call (something like a bike horn crossed with a baby crying!) - anyone know of any exotic small ducks currently roaming Manchester?
I got some reasonable photos, will upload them when my photo upload site isn't being glitchy like it is tonight...
Also at least 2 GC Grebes on the lake, at least 4 Swallows swooping around, and a Grey (or Yellow?) Wagtail on the island. No sign of the lone Egyptian Goose that was hanging around with a group of Canadas in February and March - perhaps this new exotic has replaced it? (No Goosanders or Pochards either, but i don't know if they're seasonal there...)
i will call and check on him sometime tomorrow.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 8th of January 2013 02:47:05 PM
4 Grey Heron - thinking about nesting
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Pochard (good for here)
20+ Tufted Duck
Small flock of finches - Chaffinch, Bullfinch but no Brambling :(
c21 Magpies counted in island roost (probably more)
Egyptian Goose
Cheers John.
-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 9th of December 2012 08:25:34 PM
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2
Jay - 2
Grey Wagtail - 1
Grey Heron - 1
plus the usual suspects and the Egyptian Goose.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 8th of December 2012 05:31:06 PM
Magpies 193 counted into the roost up to 4.25pm then there was a fight and a break-out of over 50
The Egyptian Goose was certainly ringed there John, by Steve Christmas if I remember correctly
Of interest:
A Sparrowhawk made a couple of passes at the Feral Pigeon flock, which numbered about 110.
Cormorant 11
Grey Heron 2
Tufted Duck 5
Great-crested Grebe 1
Mute Swan 5 (2 ads, 3 juvs. 1 adult - Blue Darvic HJ4)
Canada Goose 62 (including at least 5 metal ringed individuals, one of which I managed to read and have submitted to EURING)
Egyptian Goose 1 (Again close ringed, read and submitted to EURING)
Probably find that both were ringed in Platt Fields Park
Cheers, John
under the overhanging branches. 2 Greylag Geese were an addition to the
usuals yesterday. The mute Swan pair raised 3 cygnets last year, not 5 as
previously stated (must check notes in future). There are now 2 Terrapins
on the Grebes' old nest
Tony
hitching a ride on the adult's back.
Moorhen chicks down to 1 unfortunately.
Mute Swan cygnets down to 4, although they're pretty large and healthy
looking now.
That mysterious group, 'the ringers', have been busy here. A few of the young
Coots are now sporting very handsome looking Darvic-type rings; white with
black lettering.
The now vacated Grebe's nest was occupied this afternoon by a large Terrapin.
Tony
Holliday weekend. There seems to have been a bit of a breeding frenzy since I
was last here a few weeks ago.
The juvenile Herons have moved out of the nest and can be found mooching
around the edge of the island like surly teenagers.
Mute Swans, HI4 & HJ4 have 5 out of 5 cygnets still going strong (this same
pair successfully raised 5 last year also).
The Moorhen pair have 3 small chicks and the tallest nest I've ever seen, it's
about 2ft high and constructed from twigs and crisp packets...fantastic.
The Great Crested Grebes are still on the nest.
However the prize for breeding, above and beyond the call of duty, must go to
the Coots! These often overlooked birds have managed to produce 22 chicks so
far this year. Alright, there's more than 1 pair, but hey, that's still good going
on what is a relatively small boating lake.
Tony
1 Ring necked Parakeet
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Grey Heron
1 Cormorant
42 Tufted Ducks
5 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
1 Muscovy Duck
1 Egyptian Goose
c50 Canada Geese
c20 Coot - several colour ringed
9 Moorhens
3 Common Gulls
c40 Black-headed Gulls
1 Jackdaw
1 Nuthatch
4 House Sparrows
1 Pied Wagtail
12 Magpies
etc
Amazon parrot - 1
Ring-necked Parakeet - 6
Tufted Duck - 49 (!)
Canada Goose - c70
Mallard - 10 (plus the usual hybrids)
Moorhen - 8
Coot - 15
Muscovy Duck - 1
Embden Goose - 6 (+1 hybrid)
Magpie - 100+ (on island)
BH Gull - c50
Got soaked, only 2 mins from home.
Magpies 182 counted in to roost
Merry Christmas all!
Bill, I think you'll find the floating islands were put there to accommodate the huge numbers of Common Terns we have nesting here every Summer; a hitherto well kept secret.
2 Ring-necked Parakeet - what looked to be a female seen. One bird appeared to indulge in what might possibly have been a circular, undulating display flight? - not sure if they are recorded as doing this?
Also a Mistle Thrush living up to its name of stormcock by singing loudly in the teeth of a strong wind.
On the playing fields, before the dog-walkers seriously got going, there was a mixed flock of foraging gulls - c200 Black-headed and c30 Common.
5 Cormorant. I notice that in keeping that with several other local water bodies that floating island/rafts have been put on the lake presumably to act as refuges for fish from foraging Cormorants. Well it hasn't taken the birds long to work that one out, as 3 were foraging around and under a small raft! Maybe the rafts/islands need to be much bigger?
Also 2 Grey Heron, 1 Egyptian Goose and c50 Feral Pigeon.
Cheers,
Bill.
A bat detector (by that I mean heterodyne detector) allows you to hear the social calls and the echo location 'clicks' of bats as they fly over.
you can then (just about) identify the bat on the combination of the calls and the GISS.
good fun!
J
I occasionally go down with one of my bat detectors and am yet to find (hear) anything other than pips!
3 bats probably Pipistrelle though it's always baffled me how you I'd them zooming about in near darkness
Of interest:
8 Ring-necked Parakeets
1 Amazon
15 Tufted Ducks
1 Egyptian Goose
8 Cormorants - I wonder if thats a record for here?
2 Herons
+ all the other usuals
Ring-necked parakeet - 12
Amazon -1
(All roosting in big tree at W end of lake @ 19:45.)
Canada goose - 75
Emden - 1
Egyptian - 1
Muscovy duck - 1
Coot - 10 + 3 juv
Moorhen - 2
Mallard - 20
Tufted - 1 f + 3 juv
Mute swan - 2 (HJ4 + HI4) + 3 cyg
1 Ring-necked Parakeet + at least 1 juv heard screaching
1 Kingfisher - flew along the water culvert, unexpected!
9 Tufted Ducks - 1 brood of 6 juveniles
5 Coots + 5 juvs
c30 Mallards + 4 juvs
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
7 Feral Geese
112 Canada Geese
1 Mute Swan + 3 cygnets still
2 Grey Herons - no sign of juvs
1 Grey Wagtail + juvs around MHSG
1 Blackcap
1 Mistle Thrush
2 Treecreepers
1 Nuthatch
along with the usuals
& the unusual Muscovy duck?!
Also 3 juvenile Herons out of the nest on the island
Saw it on Sunday 20th about 3 in the afternoon
2 Mute Swans HJ4 & HI4
Heron on nest on the island
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
30+ Tufted Duck
Mallards of various ancestry
Nuthatch
LTT, Blue and Great Tits
Goldfinch
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
20+ Canada Geese
12 Tufted Duck
6 Coot
4 Moorhen
male Sparrowhawk
small groups of Redwing 10 birds in total
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Treecreeper
6 Redwings
amongst others
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
9 Tufted Ducks
2 Mute Swans
45 Canada Geese
9 domestic Geese
3 Hybrid ducks
c20 Mallards
6 Moorhens
8 Coots
1 Treecreeper
2 Redwings
3 Ring-necked Parakeets
Now where do those elusive Shoveler hang out ??
Lots of titmice knocking about too, but nothing unusual with them.
Route back to north Manchester via as many berry trees and bushes as I could, but not a Waxwing in sight .
1 Egyptian Goose
10 Tufted Duck
various Mallards -> farmyard Ducks
5 Common Gull
10+ BH Gull
Nuthatch Calling
200+ Santas
Usual suspects as previously, including:
Shoveler - pr
Common gull - 6
Heron - 1
Greylag hybrid goose - 1
5 Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
2 Common Gull
30+ BH Gull
very vocal Parakeet on the island
no Shoveler :(
Shoveler - 2 (m+f; m very brightly coloured)
Tufted duck - 12
Cormorant - 5 (How does a small lake support 5 sometimes 7 of them?)
Mallard - 14
Coot - 16
Moorhen - 4
Canada goose - 45 (32 flew in with 1 Canada/Embden hybrid)
Embden goose - 7
Hybrid goose - 5
BH gull - 30
Ring-necked parakeet - 1 (on the island )
Morning visit.
At last!.....on my umpteenth visit to a south Manchester park, my first ever sighting of a Ring-necked Parakeet! Only a single bird but very vocal (and loud!) and visible and with such a distinctive in-flight profile! Terrific.
Also c70 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Gull, c16 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant (plenty of jostling amongst them for the best drying out perches!), 3 Grey Heron, 1 immature Mute Swan, 7 Mistle Thrush, 2 Pied Wagtail and 1 Nuthatch. 7 Embden Geese and 1 Muscovy Duck.
Cheers,
Bill.
Henry.
I got some reasonable photos, will upload them when my photo upload site isn't being glitchy like it is tonight...
Also at least 2 GC Grebes on the lake, at least 4 Swallows swooping around, and a Grey (or Yellow?) Wagtail on the island. No sign of the lone Egyptian Goose that was hanging around with a group of Canadas in February and March - perhaps this new exotic has replaced it? (No Goosanders or Pochards either, but i don't know if they're seasonal there...)