6 green woodpecker and a kingfisher in the park this morning Chris
Chris Shaw said
Wed Aug 2 10:29 AM, 2017
Kingfisher on the river bollin yesterday pm
Chris Shaw said
Tue Jul 11 12:45 PM, 2017
Hours walk yesterday(10th)from 1400.
Green sandpiper and snipe flushed from oxbows.
10 juvenile goosanders with their mother on the bollin
Swifts and swallows galore.
-- Edited by Chris Shaw on Tuesday 11th of July 2017 12:47:21 PM
Nick Hilton said
Sun Jul 9 8:15 PM, 2017
a wander this pm down the Trans Pennine Trail from The Rope and Anchor pub to Black Moss Covert, quiet, highlights were 2 Common Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff, 5 Yellowhammer and a Kestrel
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jul 3 10:28 AM, 2017
There was a Green Sandpiper present on the oxbows near the River Bollin on both the 27th and 30th of June.
Info thanks to Chris Shaw
sid ashton said
Thu Jun 29 6:51 PM, 2017
Swifts, too many to count, obviously feeding around the area over the obelisk in the park late on this afternoon.
Steven Nelson said
Mon Jun 26 6:42 PM, 2017
A Hobby flew low over Dunham Woodhouses towards the NT park at 16.35 this afternoon.
Nick Hilton said
Sun Jun 25 9:24 PM, 2017
An evening stroll around the deer park produced excellent views of a Green Woodpecker, plus another bird calling. 2 singing Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler were also noted.
Lawrence Hindley said
Sun Jun 4 7:28 AM, 2017
Took a bird walk yesterday morning with some success, but the park was a bit quiet. Had 27 on the walk and the weather was sunny. 2 grey heron 6 Treecreeper including one juvenile 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker heard 3-4 Nuthatch 1 Kingfisher 1 Little Grebe
After the walk a Tawny Owl and 1 young Owlet was found in the North Park and we got good but brief views of the Adult
Nick Hilton said
Fri Jun 2 8:40 PM, 2017
Good views of a Green Woodpecker were the highlight of an evenings stroll through the Deer Park earlier.
sid ashton said
Fri May 26 4:40 PM, 2017
Female Mandarin with seven ducklings on the Bollin upstream of the weir near to Bollington Mill flats.
Information thanks to John Barber.
Chris Sutton said
Sat May 13 5:48 PM, 2017
Afternoon Walk 4-5pm but park still very busy. Not much Woodpecker activity but .... Spotted Flycatcher (1) - next to island pond .... and a couple of treecreeper nearby. Chris
bernard hooley said
Wed May 3 5:58 PM, 2017
Late post for yesterday .Birds seen as follows blackbird wood pigeon carrion crow jackdaw mute swan green woodpecker moorhen mallard magpie Canada goose jay tufted duck robin swallow house martin raven starling garden warbler It was fascinating watching the jackdaws sitting on the backs of the Fallow Deer pulling out their fur to use as nesting material.
Mike Duckham said
Fri Apr 21 8:32 PM, 2017
Pair of Gadwall on the island pool. Pair of Mandarin on the river, then flew over the park, then came back and landed in the field between the oxbows and the footpath. Grey Wagtail below the footbridge over the river.
steven burke said
Sun Apr 9 10:42 PM, 2017
a short visit from 4.15pm was worth while...
1 wheatear, near the deer barn 1 green woodpecker 3 swallows, over 2 chiffchaff 1 willow warbler 1 buzzard 1 tawny owl 4 mandarin just outside the deer park on the river.
A Kingfisher on the oxbow viewed from the obelisk was beating a fish on a twig - initially calling, so perhaps more than one bird present. Up to 3 Buzzard high over circling. No sign of the Tawnies in their roost hole but a Wren did sound the alarm as it passed over it so maybe there's a female in there with chicks?... 17 Tufties versus 15 Mallard on the Moat Pool (i can still remember my excitement when the first Tuftie turned up there in the early 80's). A gorgeous Tawny Mining Bee digging a hole for a nest. One Redwing between the obelisk and the watermill.
In the fields near the park towards the Crematorium a Lapwing was displaying and 5 Buzzards circling together.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Wednesday 29th of March 2017 01:14:57 PM
Simon Gough said
Fri Mar 24 6:22 PM, 2017
A day off work and an early start in beautiful conditions saw me on Dunham Forest Golf Club at around 7am. Lots of the usual birds around, but I was quite surprised to see 3 Mandarins flying through the wooded area off towards Altrincham. On the deer park there were 4-5 more in the trees around the Obelisk. They roost in trees I believe, I haven't been early enough to see them before I suppose. The call/quack was interesting, a bit more goose-like than many ducks I have heard before.
Also of note a lovely pale-phase Buzzard that I happened upon on the golf course, perched low on a dead tree. What a handsome creature, later seen gliding around with a couple of others.
All in all a splendid morning and well worth a day of holiday, always nice when the days off land on decent birding weather.
Ian Campbell said
Thu Mar 16 4:00 PM, 2017
Excellent 3 hours spent today with Malcolm, saw all the target birds including Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. Cheers Ian
Simon Gough said
Sun Mar 12 5:46 PM, 2017
A pleasant mooch around the Deer Park and Dunham Forest Golf Club this morning with Chris Chandler.
All the usual birds showing well, stacks of Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker being noisy and obvious. I saw a Green Woodpecker on the golf course which Chris missed, and we both saw 1 in the Deer Park, and Chris spotted a second in the park. Heard a couple more too. We were also pleased to see 4 Redpoll in the park, always nice to see these pretty little finches. 2 Buzzards showed well over the woods on the golf course.
steven burke said
Mon Feb 20 4:42 PM, 2017
19th feb 8-12pm.
golf course...
green woodpecker, heard only 7 great spotted woodpeckers 11 nuthatch 5 goldcrest 2 buzzard 3 jay 9 siskin several redwings, song thrush & stock doves around. plus all the usuals.
deer park...
1 green woodpecker, more heard 5 great spotted woodpeckers lots of nuthatch around 2 treecreeper 2 goldcrest 2 jay 1 buzzard 1 snipe, on stream just over Bollington gate 2 skylarks, over 1 little grebe 9 tufted duck 5 teal again several redwings, song thrush & stock doves around. few fieldfares over plus all the usuals.
was not sure where to put this but as it says "dunham massey area" in the title, I had a little walk along the trans pennine trail at dunham massey & there was 15 pink footed geese in the fields just west of barns lane, also 11 yellowhammers, 7 lesser redpoll.
-- Edited by steven burke on Monday 20th of February 2017 04:53:02 PM
phillipskelly said
Tue Feb 14 4:08 PM, 2017
A walk through Dunham Forrest /Golf course from Bradgate rd. to the NT Deer park 7.20am - 12pm. Lots of Tits , Chaffinch and Blackbirds about in the woods also - Great Spotted Woodpecker 1. Nuthatch 1. Common Buzzard 3. ( interacting with each other near the club house, just a few feet off the ground). NT park - Lots of Jackdaw , with two in the same tree with nest material. Nuthatch 2. (Lots more heard ) Treecreeper 2. Snipe 3. on stream near the mill. Little grebe 1. on the island pool. Redwing 6. Mistle Thrush 5. Ps. No Green woodpecker seen in the park but 2 heard (always distant ) , until I spooked 2 on the way back on the golf course.
Also 7 Great spotted woodpecker seen in the park lots more heard .
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Tuesday 14th of February 2017 04:11:30 PM
steven burke said
Sun Feb 5 10:51 PM, 2017
8.10-12pm lots of activity around the deer park this morning.
2 green woodpecker, more heard 12+ great spotted woodpeckers 14+ nuthatch 4 treecreeper 4 goldcrest 8 siskin amongst a flock of goldfinch 2 jay 18+ stock doves 10+ song thrushes 3 mistle thrush lots of redwings around singing 1 grey heron 1 buzzard 19 teal 14 tufted duck 2 skeins of pink-footed goose, 61 & 131, both heading north west. plus all the usuals around.
Justin Garner said
Sat Jan 14 6:17 PM, 2017
Dropped in this afternoon to have a look around the park.
Highlights were 3 Green Woodpeckers 2 Nuthatch and 1 Goldcrest. In a plowed field just outside the park near the scout camp there were 50 Lapwings 50 Black-headed Gulls and 8 Common Gulls.
Nick Hilton said
Thu Dec 29 9:32 PM, 2016
The deer park was quiet (bird-wise) again today with just Nuthatch and Goldcrest of note. Two Teal stood on the ice on the frozen Island Pool
The field adjacent to the path from the park to the Bollin held at least two Snipe and a Buzzard.
A Grey Wagtail was at the footbridge over the Bollin.
Lawrence Hindley said
Sat Dec 24 5:27 PM, 2016
On duty today from 12 to 3pm. A quiet day bird wise due to the huge number of visitors today. Highlights were:
20+ Great Tit feeding among the Beech mast on Langham Grove 10+ Long Tailed Tit 1 Coal Tit 3 Shoveler 1m 2f on Island Pool 100+ Black Headed Gulls throughout the park
Nick Hilton said
Mon Dec 19 9:07 PM, 2016
A single Green Woodpecker, two Great spotted, a couple of Nuthatch and a dozen Goldcrest in a walk through the park today. As per Ann, no winter thrushes or finch flocks.
Graham Smith said
Mon Dec 12 9:01 PM, 2016
A Egret seen on stream no bins with me so could not tell which spices it was
Ann Ribbands said
Sat Dec 3 4:28 PM, 2016
Helping out with the midday Bird Walk in the Park today, 25 participants, and with the poor light we had to work hard to see the birds. Notably, no winter thrushes or finches but a good count of common woodland birds.
Park: Jackdaws, Rooks, Crows, Magpie, 2 Jays. Goldcrest, Long-tailed tits, Blue tit, Great Tit, Coal Tits, Tree creeper. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch. 2 Grey heron. Robin, Blackbird.
Mike Duckham said
Sun Nov 27 11:15 AM, 2016
Tawny Owl - 2 roosting together Raven - pair over WNW ish Fieldfare - 9 over east ish Redwing - 45 over east ish Dunnock and Treecreeper singing. Goosander - 1 male 15 feet away in the arm of the moat right by the courtyard, furtling in the submerged leaves. Retreated when i appeared, but soon moved back. I found myself wondering if the NT puts up nestboxes anywhere?
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 27th of November 2016 12:38:51 PM
sid ashton said
Sat Nov 19 5:14 PM, 2016
A quick walk round the park this afternoon - noted 4 male and 2 female Goosanders on the moat.
Charlie Schouten said
Mon Nov 14 10:49 AM, 2016
8 Goosander on the moat yesterday, around 3pm - 4 males and 4 females.
Also good numbers of tufted duck, black headed gull, canada geese and mallards.
Cheers
Charlie
Lawrence Hindley said
Sun Nov 6 2:38 PM, 2016
On duty yesterday from 12.20 to 15.30 and saw some winter visitors
1m 2f Goosander on moat also large numbers of Black headed Gulls (including many juvenile) on moat and Smithy pool
Langham Grove 1f Grey Wagtail 2 raven 1 Jay
Island pool 1f 1m Shoveler 2 Little Grebe
Graham Smith said
Thu Sep 22 9:10 PM, 2016
A pleasant walk around the gardens this afternoon plenty of woodland birds
Highlight as we stood by the lake in front of the house was a Kingfisher
Also at least 25 Pied wagtails around the house
Chris Sutton said
Thu Sep 22 8:52 PM, 2016
Green sandpiper showing in ditch at 2 30. Could not be seen from the stile only from banking inside the park. Chris
Mike Duckham said
Tue Sep 20 10:13 PM, 2016
Walking along the path from the Park to the Bollin, a Green Sandpiper called loudly overhead before flying down into the ditch in the field, where it could then be viewed from the stile into the Park.
Lawrence Hindley said
Sun Sep 4 8:28 AM, 2016
On duty again yesterday from 1.00 - 5.00pm
The weather was atrocious with heavy rain for most of the time but at the end there was a brief clear spell where there was some activity.
I saw my first Spotted Flycatcher for five years here along Main Drive near the Slaughterhouse. This used to be a breeding species about 8 years ago but this was only my second sighting since then. This was obviously an autumn migrant but was great to see again in the park.
Also seen was a mixed flock of what seemed to be Juvenile Chiffchaff, Coal Tits and Nuthatch.
It looks like the three Cygnets have faired better than the other two and survived to a decent enough size not to be taken by Mink as the first two were. The Rangers have caught three Mink and are hoping that's the lot.
Lawrence Hindley said
Sat Aug 20 5:48 PM, 2016
On duty this afternoon from 1 to 5 pm.
Rather wet with not too much about with the exception of :
4 Green Woodpecker by deer barn 2f 1m 1juv 2 Grey Heron 1 Stock Dove 3 juvenile Great Tit 30+ Black Headed Gulls including 10 + Juvenile on moat
Ian Boote said
Sun Jun 26 4:51 PM, 2016
Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Buzzard, Heron, and Nuthatch.
sid ashton said
Tue Jun 21 1:53 PM, 2016
Doc Brewster wrote:
sid ashton wrote:
I have not been able to get into the park for a few weeks so it was a nice surprise this morning to see the five well grown Mute Swan cygnets on Smithy Pool.
I was able to read the leg ring on the adult male, it was silver in colour and coded ZZ8049. I have tried to find where it was ringed but with no joy, - anyone know the location please?
I'm assuming that it didn't have a Darvic ring, Sid?
(p.s. thanks so much for your call regarding my car accident, very kind & much appreciated )
Paul the Swan was ringed as an adult in Dunham Massey Park in November 2013.
Doc Brewster said
Sun Jun 19 10:35 PM, 2016
sid ashton wrote:
I have not been able to get into the park for a few weeks so it was a nice surprise this morning to see the five well grown Mute Swan cygnets on Smithy Pool.
I was able to read the leg ring on the adult male, it was silver in colour and coded ZZ8049. I have tried to find where it was ringed but with no joy, - anyone know the location please?
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 19th of June 2016 04:32:10 PM
I'm assuming that it didn't have a Darvic ring, Sid?
(p.s. thanks so much for your call regarding my car accident, very kind & much appreciated )
sid ashton said
Sun Jun 19 4:06 PM, 2016
I have not been able to get into the park for a few weeks so it was a nice surprise this morning to see the five well grown Mute Swan cygnets on Smithy Pool.
I was able to read the leg ring on the adult male, it was silver in colour and coded ZZ8049. I have tried to find where it was ringed but with no joy, - anyone know the location please?
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 19th of June 2016 04:32:10 PM
sid ashton said
Thu May 12 2:57 PM, 2016
John Barber reported two Hobbies over the Bollin, near the oxbow early afternoon.
Mike Duckham said
Sat Apr 16 12:19 PM, 2016
Brood of Mallard on Island Pool, and drake Gadwall here. One of the heron nests contains 3 quite well-grown young. Several Stock Doves were singing and display-flighting. Reed Buntings singing on both Island and Smithy Pools.
Highlight was a White Wagtail on Bollington flood, initially seen from the stile, two male and one female Pied were nearby.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 17th of April 2016 07:26:43 AM
Mike Duckham said
Tue Apr 12 8:37 PM, 2016
Little Grebe calling on Island Pool, 2 - 3 Stock Doves singing, at least 3 Green Woodpeckers yaffling, Siskin over, and young Grey Herons being fed in the nest in the deer-only area on the southern side of the park.
Nick Isherwood said
Mon Apr 11 7:06 PM, 2016
Family visit this afternoon. Plenty of yaffling going on around the woods from at least three different birds. I managed to get good views of two of them as well. Strangely though I didn't see any Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Monday 11th of April 2016 07:07:38 PM
Lawrence Hindley said
Sat Apr 2 10:03 PM, 2016
Took a bird walk this morning in the pouring rain. Thankfully the birds were obliging.
3 Green Woodpecker seen and 4 heard 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Oystercatcher still present on flooded field 2 Grey Wagtail flycatching on island pool 6 Nuthatch 1 chiffchaff seen and 1 heard 2 Song Thrush
Heard my first singing Chiffchaff for this year, in the garden behind the orangery yesterday.
phillipskelly said
Sat Mar 19 7:59 PM, 2016
Dunham Golf Course and Woods - Treecreeper 3. Great Spotted woodpecker 1. Redwing 6. Coal tit 2. Goldcrest 3. Common Buzzard 2. Jay 2. Greenfinch 2. Nuthatch 2. Mistle Thrush 1.
Deer Park - Green Woodpecker ... 5 seen in different locations but because they were very mobile and vocal , I susspect there were only 2 , maybe 3 birds. I gave the ant-hills at the deer barn a good look , but nothing there so I went towards the slaughter house . Sitting on a tree stump , I heard one behind me .... it was having "a bit of do !" with a Great Spotted Woodpecker . Another landed in a Beech tree next to me (I had to check to see if Steve Burke was behind me). I saw 2 more on the way to the Obelisk and 1 repeatedly at the Obelisk. Nuthatches were conspicuous with 5 seen. A small flock of Siskin c10 , a Grey Heron, 3 Pied Wagtail and 4 Redwing were at the Ox-Bow. Plus 2 Goldcrest.
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Saturday 19th of March 2016 08:01:53 PM
sid ashton said
Sun Mar 13 8:11 PM, 2016
On a lovely spring morning in the park it was good to see several members of the forum present and to meet some new folk. It's unusual for me to see any other birders there so it made a nice change
A good selection of birds was seen including a common Buzzard flying low through the trees near the obelisk, it did this 4 times; never seen that before. Also when I first arrived I noticed a group of 8 -10 Redwings still present feeding on the ground as well as several Siskin near the oxbow. Other species of interest included Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker.
Chris
Kingfisher on the river bollin yesterday pm
Hours walk yesterday(10th)from 1400.
Green sandpiper and snipe flushed from oxbows.
10 juvenile goosanders with their mother on the bollin
Swifts and swallows galore.
-- Edited by Chris Shaw on Tuesday 11th of July 2017 12:47:21 PM
There was a Green Sandpiper present on the oxbows near the River Bollin on both the 27th and 30th of June.
Info thanks to Chris Shaw
Swifts, too many to count, obviously feeding around the area over the obelisk in the park late on this afternoon.
2 grey heron
6 Treecreeper including one juvenile
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker heard
3-4 Nuthatch
1 Kingfisher
1 Little Grebe
After the walk a Tawny Owl and 1 young Owlet was found in the North Park and we got good but brief views of the Adult
Female Mandarin with seven ducklings on the Bollin upstream of the weir near to Bollington Mill flats.
Information thanks to John Barber.
Spotted Flycatcher (1) - next to island pond .... and a couple of treecreeper nearby.
Chris
blackbird
wood pigeon
carrion crow
jackdaw
mute swan
green woodpecker
moorhen
mallard
magpie
Canada goose
jay
tufted duck
robin
swallow
house martin
raven
starling
garden warbler
It was fascinating watching the jackdaws sitting on the
backs of the Fallow Deer pulling out their fur to use as
nesting material.
Pair of Gadwall on the island pool.
Pair of Mandarin on the river, then flew over the park, then came back and landed in the field between the oxbows and the footpath.
Grey Wagtail below the footbridge over the river.
1 wheatear, near the deer barn
1 green woodpecker
3 swallows, over
2 chiffchaff
1 willow warbler
1 buzzard
1 tawny owl
4 mandarin just outside the deer park on the river.
Yesterday Mon 27th 4pm ish.
A Kingfisher on the oxbow viewed from the obelisk was beating a fish on a twig - initially calling, so perhaps more than one bird present.
Up to 3 Buzzard high over circling.
No sign of the Tawnies in their roost hole but a Wren did sound the alarm as it passed over it so maybe there's a female in there with chicks?...
17 Tufties versus 15 Mallard on the Moat Pool (i can still remember my excitement when the first Tuftie turned up there in the early 80's).
A gorgeous Tawny Mining Bee digging a hole for a nest.
One Redwing between the obelisk and the watermill.
In the fields near the park towards the Crematorium a Lapwing was displaying and 5 Buzzards circling together.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Wednesday 29th of March 2017 01:14:57 PM
Also of note a lovely pale-phase Buzzard that I happened upon on the golf course, perched low on a dead tree. What a handsome creature, later seen gliding around with a couple of others.
All in all a splendid morning and well worth a day of holiday, always nice when the days off land on decent birding weather.
Cheers Ian
All the usual birds showing well, stacks of Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker being noisy and obvious. I saw a Green Woodpecker on the golf course which Chris missed, and we both saw 1 in the Deer Park, and Chris spotted a second in the park. Heard a couple more too. We were also pleased to see 4 Redpoll in the park, always nice to see these pretty little finches. 2 Buzzards showed well over the woods on the golf course.
golf course...
green woodpecker, heard only
7 great spotted woodpeckers
11 nuthatch
5 goldcrest
2 buzzard
3 jay
9 siskin
several redwings, song thrush & stock doves around.
plus all the usuals.
deer park...
1 green woodpecker, more heard
5 great spotted woodpeckers
lots of nuthatch around
2 treecreeper
2 goldcrest
2 jay
1 buzzard
1 snipe, on stream just over Bollington gate
2 skylarks, over
1 little grebe
9 tufted duck
5 teal
again several redwings, song thrush & stock doves around. few fieldfares over
plus all the usuals. was not sure where to put this but as it says "dunham massey area" in the title, I had a little walk along the trans pennine trail at dunham massey & there was 15 pink footed geese in the fields just west of barns lane, also 11 yellowhammers, 7 lesser redpoll.
-- Edited by steven burke on Monday 20th of February 2017 04:53:02 PM
Lots of Tits , Chaffinch and Blackbirds about in the woods also -
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1.
Nuthatch 1.
Common Buzzard 3. ( interacting with each other near the club house, just a few feet off the ground).
NT park -
Lots of Jackdaw , with two in the same tree with nest material.
Nuthatch 2. (Lots more heard )
Treecreeper 2.
Snipe 3. on stream near the mill.
Little grebe 1. on the island pool.
Redwing 6.
Mistle Thrush 5.
Ps. No Green woodpecker seen in the park but 2 heard (always distant ) , until I spooked 2 on the way back on the golf course. Also 7 Great spotted woodpecker seen in the park lots more heard .
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Tuesday 14th of February 2017 04:11:30 PM
2 green woodpecker, more heard
12+ great spotted woodpeckers
14+ nuthatch
4 treecreeper
4 goldcrest
8 siskin amongst a flock of goldfinch
2 jay
18+ stock doves
10+ song thrushes
3 mistle thrush
lots of redwings around singing
1 grey heron
1 buzzard
19 teal
14 tufted duck
2 skeins of pink-footed goose, 61 & 131, both heading north west.
plus all the usuals around.
Dropped in this afternoon to have a look around the park.
Highlights were 3 Green Woodpeckers 2 Nuthatch and 1 Goldcrest. In a plowed field just outside the park near the scout camp there were 50 Lapwings 50 Black-headed Gulls and 8 Common Gulls.
The field adjacent to the path from the park to the Bollin held at least two Snipe and a Buzzard.
A Grey Wagtail was at the footbridge over the Bollin.
20+ Great Tit feeding among the Beech mast on Langham Grove
10+ Long Tailed Tit
1 Coal Tit
3 Shoveler 1m 2f on Island Pool
100+ Black Headed Gulls throughout the park
A Egret seen on stream no bins with me so could not tell which spices it was
Moat: Goosanders,3m 4f, 5 Tufted duck, Coot, mallard, Black-headed gulls, 2 Canada Geese.
Smithy Pool: pair of Gadwall, Moorhens
Park: Jackdaws, Rooks, Crows, Magpie, 2 Jays. Goldcrest, Long-tailed tits, Blue tit, Great Tit, Coal Tits, Tree creeper. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch. 2 Grey heron. Robin, Blackbird.
Tawny Owl - 2 roosting together
Raven - pair over WNW ish
Fieldfare - 9 over east ish
Redwing - 45 over east ish
Dunnock and Treecreeper singing.
Goosander - 1 male 15 feet away in the arm of the moat right by the courtyard, furtling in the submerged leaves. Retreated when i appeared, but soon moved back.
I found myself wondering if the NT puts up nestboxes anywhere?
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 27th of November 2016 12:38:51 PM
A quick walk round the park this afternoon - noted 4 male and 2 female Goosanders on the moat.
Also good numbers of tufted duck, black headed gull, canada geese and mallards.
Cheers
Charlie
1m 2f Goosander on moat
also large numbers of Black headed Gulls (including many juvenile) on moat and Smithy pool
Langham Grove
1f Grey Wagtail
2 raven
1 Jay
Island pool
1f 1m Shoveler
2 Little Grebe
A pleasant walk around the gardens this afternoon plenty of woodland birds
Highlight as we stood by the lake in front of the house was a Kingfisher
Also at least 25 Pied wagtails around the house
Chris
Walking along the path from the Park to the Bollin, a Green Sandpiper called loudly overhead before flying down into the ditch in the field, where it could then be viewed from the stile into the Park.
The weather was atrocious with heavy rain for most of the time but at the end there was a brief clear spell where there was some activity.
I saw my first Spotted Flycatcher for five years here along Main Drive near the Slaughterhouse. This used to be a breeding species about 8 years ago but this was only my second sighting since then. This was obviously an autumn migrant but was great to see again in the park.
Also seen was a mixed flock of what seemed to be Juvenile Chiffchaff, Coal Tits and Nuthatch.
It looks like the three Cygnets have faired better than the other two and survived to a decent enough size not to be taken by Mink as the first two were. The Rangers have caught three Mink and are hoping that's the lot.
Rather wet with not too much about with the exception of :
4 Green Woodpecker by deer barn 2f 1m 1juv
2 Grey Heron
1 Stock Dove
3 juvenile Great Tit
30+ Black Headed Gulls including 10 + Juvenile on moat
Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Buzzard, Heron, and Nuthatch.
Paul the Swan was ringed as an adult in Dunham Massey Park in November 2013.
I'm assuming that it didn't have a Darvic ring, Sid?
(p.s. thanks so much for your call regarding my car accident, very kind & much appreciated )
I have not been able to get into the park for a few weeks so it was a nice surprise this morning to see the five well grown Mute Swan cygnets on Smithy Pool.
I was able to read the leg ring on the adult male, it was silver in colour and coded ZZ8049. I have tried to find where it was ringed but with no joy, - anyone know the location please?
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 19th of June 2016 04:32:10 PM
John Barber reported two Hobbies over the Bollin, near the oxbow early afternoon.
Brood of Mallard on Island Pool, and drake Gadwall here. One of the heron nests contains 3 quite well-grown young. Several Stock Doves were singing and display-flighting. Reed Buntings singing on both Island and Smithy Pools.
Highlight was a White Wagtail on Bollington flood, initially seen from the stile, two male and one female Pied were nearby.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 17th of April 2016 07:26:43 AM
Little Grebe calling on Island Pool, 2 - 3 Stock Doves singing, at least 3 Green Woodpeckers yaffling, Siskin over, and young Grey Herons being fed in the nest in the deer-only area on the southern side of the park.
Family visit this afternoon. Plenty of yaffling going on around the woods from at least three different birds. I managed to get good views of two of them as well. Strangely though I didn't see any Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Monday 11th of April 2016 07:07:38 PM
3 Green Woodpecker seen and 4 heard
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Oystercatcher still present on flooded field
2 Grey Wagtail flycatching on island pool
6 Nuthatch
1 chiffchaff seen and 1 heard
2 Song Thrush
-2 Oystercatcher (in flooded field)
-1 Green Woodpecker
-2 Nuthatch
-2 Treecreeper
-1 Buzzard
-20+ Tufted Duck
-2 Grey Wagtails
-Chiffchaff heard
Plus plenty usuals.
Heard my first singing Chiffchaff for this year, in the garden behind the orangery yesterday.
Treecreeper 3.
Great Spotted woodpecker 1.
Redwing 6.
Coal tit 2.
Goldcrest 3.
Common Buzzard 2.
Jay 2.
Greenfinch 2.
Nuthatch 2.
Mistle Thrush 1.
Deer Park -
Green Woodpecker ... 5 seen in different locations but because they were very mobile and vocal , I susspect there were only 2 , maybe 3 birds.
I gave the ant-hills at the deer barn a good look , but nothing there so I went towards the slaughter house . Sitting on a tree stump , I heard one behind me .... it was having "a bit of do !" with a Great Spotted Woodpecker . Another landed in a Beech tree next to me (I had to check to see if Steve Burke was behind me). I saw 2 more on the way to the Obelisk and 1 repeatedly at the Obelisk. Nuthatches were conspicuous with 5 seen.
A small flock of Siskin c10 , a Grey Heron, 3 Pied Wagtail and 4 Redwing were at the Ox-Bow. Plus 2 Goldcrest.
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Saturday 19th of March 2016 08:01:53 PM
On a lovely spring morning in the park it was good to see several members of the forum present and to meet some new folk. It's unusual for me to see any other birders there so it made a nice change
A good selection of birds was seen including a common Buzzard flying low through the trees near the obelisk, it did this 4 times; never seen that before. Also when I first arrived I noticed a group of 8 -10 Redwings still present feeding on the ground as well as several Siskin near the oxbow. Other species of interest included Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker.