Lovely amble around the Mersey valley yesterday (Friday 3rd June), Kenworthy-Chorlton WP-Mersey-Chorlton Ees-Sale WP and back the same way. Over fifty species seen or heard, the highlights were:-
Reed Warbler - showing well at Chorlton and Sale
Sedge Warbler - singing and showing well on Chorlton Ees
Swifts, Swallows, House and Sand Martins - eye level views along the Mersey
Kingfisher - perched on flotsam around a storm drain for c5 mins near disused bridge
Grey Wagtail - lovely male, same place as Kingfisher
Buzzard - 3 birds over Chorlton Ees area interacting
Sparrowhawk - male soaring over golf course near Jackson's Boat
Kestrel - female hunting over fields behind Broad Ees Dole
Little Grebe - lovely views of 3 adults Broad Ees Dole
Jackdaw - mob of c20 watched at close quarters in paddock, Hardy's farm area
Greenfinch - several on Barlow tip including a smart male wheezing!
Lots of Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler
Stock Dove - 3 of this attractive and underrated bird, 1 of which showed well on the river bank
Reed Bunting - nice male with a beak full of insects Chorlton Ees on return leg
Willow Tit - working the tree line at the edge of Chorlton Ees
Bullfinch - nice male near Willenhall Lane exit of Kenworthy Wood
-- Edited by Mike Brown on Saturday 4th of June 2016 02:21:47 PM
Joel Tragen said
Fri May 20 5:15 PM, 2016
Nice to see that the reed bed was being maintained today and that it didn't phase the reed warblers. 1 reed warbler 3 great crested grebes 3 male tufted ducks 2 grey wagtails on river 2 pied wagtails on river
-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Friday 20th of May 2016 05:27:51 PM
Tony Darby said
Tue May 17 5:46 PM, 2016
3 Reed Warblers seen this morning.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 17th of May 2016 05:50:26 PM
12 swift 5 swallow 3 sand martin c20 house martin 1 kingfisher 3 grey wagtail 2 pied wagtail
Doc Brewster said
Fri May 13 9:35 AM, 2016
Liam_Langley wrote:
Maybe common is the wrong word but I'm sure they must breed at a low density in the wider area. I often spend long periods sky-watching on the tip in the vain hope of fly-over waders/raptors and this is usually when I pick them up. Might be worth a go for a couple of hours if you're really keen to get them on the list.
I used to do the same Liam, always hoped for an Osprey following the R.Mersey but always to no avail, but got Stock Doves
Liam_Langley said
Thu May 12 10:31 PM, 2016
Maybe common is the wrong word but I'm sure they must breed at a low density in the wider area. I often spend long periods sky-watching on the tip in the vain hope of fly-over waders/raptors and this is usually when I pick them up. Might be worth a go for a couple of hours if you're really keen to get them on the list.
Tim Wilcox said
Thu May 12 9:17 PM, 2016
Liam_Langley wrote:
Just to add to the Stock Dove discussion, I've been birding the site on and off for the last 10 years and have been giving it a good go this year for Patchwork Challenge (Although sadly not for a couple of weeks). I record Stock Dove pretty regularly on Barlow Tip, often as flyovers but have flushed them from the deck, and have had them over Kenworthy too. I've had them on 4 separate occasions this year so far and according to Birdtrack have recorded them on 22% of my visits. They seem to be a pretty common bird in the Mersey Valley in general so hopefully you should catch up with one on patch soon Tim!
-- Edited by Liam_Langley on Wednesday 11th of May 2016 06:51:06 PM
Thanks Liam Hardly common! They've eluded me at Chorlton WP and in the Mersey valley for 16 years!
Liam_Langley said
Wed May 11 4:13 PM, 2016
Just to add to the Stock Dove discussion, I've been birding the site on and off for the last 10 years and have been giving it a good go this year for Patchwork Challenge (Although sadly not for a couple of weeks). I record Stock Dove pretty regularly on Barlow Tip, often as flyovers but have flushed them from the deck, and have had them over Kenworthy too. I've had them on 4 separate occasions this year so far and according to Birdtrack have recorded them on 22% of my visits. They seem to be a pretty common bird in the Mersey Valley in general so hopefully you should catch up with one on patch soon Tim!
-- Edited by Liam_Langley on Wednesday 11th of May 2016 06:51:06 PM
Rowan Avery said
Wed May 11 12:15 PM, 2016
Here is a photo of the reed warbler spotted with Paul yesterday. Superb views!
I usually bird the Mersey valley, stretford ees to kenworthy woods, twice a week. It have gotten out of the habit of posting my sightings. Might have a look for that common sandpiper and still haven't gotten the reed warblers this year as well.
The Common Sandpiper was on the Parkway side of the kenworthy bridge Joel, flying to both sides on the stones. We last saw it head round the corner in the direction of Princess Parkway! You'll know that the Reed Warbler is in the small reed patch near the playground, singing & showing better than probably any Reed Warbler that I have ever seen before, the group will think they're always like that
Joel Tragen said
Tue May 10 10:38 PM, 2016
I usually bird the Mersey valley, stretford ees to kenworthy woods, twice a week. It have gotten out of the habit of posting my sightings. Might have a look for that common sandpiper and still haven't gotten the reed warblers this year as well.
Doc Brewster said
Tue May 10 9:32 PM, 2016
Never kept a site list, it's all in old notebooks like we used to do! With full descriptions of stuff I found (inc crappy drawings!) & got accepted like Ferruginous Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Red-crested Pochard & the like! In the halcyon days when the aythya flock was over 1000 regularly. Never got Ring-necked Parakeet though!! Nor Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but did have the Firecrest there one year. I never in all my walks had a Lesser Whitethroat though, even when birding mates such as Kevin McCabe & good birders like him joined me, so you did really well to get those the other day, but the habitat is perfect now for them & back in the day wasn't as good. The patch (I always have a defined patch rather than do sites) was from my house too (in West Didsbury) and had Ring Ouzel on it (got piccies!) and Wheatear was regular every year. How times have changed! As Joel says for him & Liam, for Shannon earlier this year & for my group today, we all saw Stock Dove over Barlow Tip, so that seems your best bet I'd say
Plenty of Bullfinches about today too, that was always a feature when I was there though, so that's still good
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 09:49:08 PM
Tim Wilcox said
Tue May 10 9:27 PM, 2016
Doc Brewster wrote:
I know, I have seen them over in the past but as a patcher prob only got them about five times a year (I was unemployed so walked the site every day!), got at least half the group onto them and my wife (a very good birder) saw them too, so IDed by at least 3 good birders. Had them throughout the Mersey Valley before, Tim, my last GM Bird Report that I have, before I left the County, was 1999 (the year I moved to Cheshire) and included in the Stock Dove summary were 20 at Chorlton Ees, just along the river from Barlow Tip!! Hopefully you'll get it on your site list soon, just go every day, worked for me
PM me your site list Paul! I've had Stock Dove close to home on the Fallowfield Loop but Chorlton WP would be good. Missing Raven too but I do have Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (twice!)
Joel Tragen said
Tue May 10 9:23 PM, 2016
Tim Wilcox wrote:
Doc Brewster wrote:
Joel Tragen wrote:
So I've had a pretty aweful visit today after someone tried to nick my saddle and no one passing by tried to stop him. I managed to get it all back luckily but stil shaken up and won't be got back for a few weeks. Just a warning, anyone planing to lock your bike up, it will probably be missing wheels, saddle and handle bars when you get back to it.
Sorry to hear that Joel, I will add my comments on this later with relevant info from today!
I had organised a bird ID walk for a Manchester University group today at Newchurch Common but given the awful waether in Cheshire we decided to switch venues from my new patch back to my old patch from when I lived in West Didsbury in the 1990s!
We had fine weather for the whole session and with 8 students, 1 PhD student and 2 lecturers attending we had a great walk. Bird song was concentrated on as a few of them had visual ID skills but had had no practise on calls/song. Highlights included a Common Sandpiper from the bridge over the R.Mersey from the Water Park to Kenworthy Fields and on that stretch of the river at least 4 different Grey Wagtails. One Reed Warbler sang its little head off and gave stunning views allowing close approach and folk ended up with superb photos even just using phones! Warblers seen and heard included Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. At least 10 Swifts were seen but only one Swallow. Two Stock Doves flew over us on Barlow Tip as did a Buzzard. A group of 5 Ring-necked Parakeets were over the pond area and singles were seen in 4-5 other areas, part of the group or extra birds, hard to tell! Broods of Mallard and Canada Geese were seen and the 6 Mute Swan cygnets performed beautifully for the group, clambering onto mums back giving great phot opportunities at the very end of our session, a great way to end with mega-cuteness! All in all a very succesful trip with a great group, really eager to learn, hopefully I'll get a chance to take many of them to my new patch in the future
An aside for Joel, one of the students came on his bike & I told him of your experience. He decided to risk it and returned to his locked bike with no problems at all, nothing removed and all intact. I appreciate your warnings as I could pass this on, but today showed that it will not always happen, but personally I wouldn't risk it either.
Stock Dove is an excellent bird and would be a site tick for me
I have done it many times and came back to my bike with it being ok, I was just unlucky but when I do go back I will be on foot. Tim I have had stock doves several times when I was with Liam, I've seen them from kenworthy and Barlow tip. I would recommend just spending 15-20 minutes stood there sky watching.
Doc Brewster said
Tue May 10 9:22 PM, 2016
I know, I have seen them over in the past but as a patcher prob only got them about five times a year (I was unemployed so walked the site every day!), got at least half the group onto them and my wife (a very good birder) saw them too, so IDed by at least 3 good birders. Had them throughout the Mersey Valley before, Tim, my last GM Bird Report that I have, before I left the County, was 1999 (the year I moved to Cheshire) and included in the Stock Dove summary were 20 at Chorlton Ees, just along the river from Barlow Tip!! Hopefully you'll get it on your site list soon, just go every day, worked for me (I was unemployed & did Chorlton WP daily!!)
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 09:26:40 PM
Tim Wilcox said
Tue May 10 8:59 PM, 2016
Doc Brewster wrote:
Joel Tragen wrote:
So I've had a pretty aweful visit today after someone tried to nick my saddle and no one passing by tried to stop him. I managed to get it all back luckily but stil shaken up and won't be got back for a few weeks. Just a warning, anyone planing to lock your bike up, it will probably be missing wheels, saddle and handle bars when you get back to it.
Sorry to hear that Joel, I will add my comments on this later with relevant info from today!
I had organised a bird ID walk for a Manchester University group today at Newchurch Common but given the awful waether in Cheshire we decided to switch venues from my new patch back to my old patch from when I lived in West Didsbury in the 1990s!
We had fine weather for the whole session and with 8 students, 1 PhD student and 2 lecturers attending we had a great walk. Bird song was concentrated on as a few of them had visual ID skills but had had no practise on calls/song. Highlights included a Common Sandpiper from the bridge over the R.Mersey from the Water Park to Kenworthy Fields and on that stretch of the river at least 4 different Grey Wagtails. One Reed Warbler sang its little head off and gave stunning views allowing close approach and folk ended up with superb photos even just using phones! Warblers seen and heard included Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. At least 10 Swifts were seen but only one Swallow. Two Stock Doves flew over us on Barlow Tip as did a Buzzard. A group of 5 Ring-necked Parakeets were over the pond area and singles were seen in 4-5 other areas, part of the group or extra birds, hard to tell! Broods of Mallard and Canada Geese were seen and the 6 Mute Swan cygnets performed beautifully for the group, clambering onto mums back giving great phot opportunities at the very end of our session, a great way to end with mega-cuteness! All in all a very succesful trip with a great group, really eager to learn, hopefully I'll get a chance to take many of them to my new patch in the future
An aside for Joel, one of the students came on his bike & I told him of your experience. He decided to risk it and returned to his locked bike with no problems at all, nothing removed and all intact. I appreciate your warnings as I could pass this on, but today showed that it will not always happen, but personally I wouldn't risk it either.
Stock Dove is an excellent bird and would be a site tick for me
Doc Brewster said
Tue May 10 7:23 PM, 2016
Joel Tragen wrote:
So I've had a pretty aweful visit today after someone tried to nick my saddle and no one passing by tried to stop him. I managed to get it all back luckily but stil shaken up and won't be got back for a few weeks. Just a warning, anyone planing to lock your bike up, it will probably be missing wheels, saddle and handle bars when you get back to it.
Sorry to hear that Joel, I will add my comments on this later with relevant info from today!
I had organised a bird ID walk for a Manchester University group today at Newchurch Common but given the awful waether in Cheshire we decided to switch venues from my new patch back to my old patch from when I lived in West Didsbury in the 1990s!
We had fine weather for the whole session and with 8 students, 1 PhD student and 2 lecturers attending we had a great walk. Bird song was concentrated on as a few of them had visual ID skills but had had no practise on calls/song. Highlights included a Common Sandpiper from the bridge over the R.Mersey from the Water Park to Kenworthy Fields and on that stretch of the river at least 4 different Grey Wagtails. One Reed Warbler sang its little head off and gave stunning views allowing close approach and folk ended up with superb photos even just using phones! Warblers seen and heard included Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. At least 10 Swifts were seen but only one Swallow. Two Stock Doves flew over us on Barlow Tip as did a Buzzard. A group of 5 Ring-necked Parakeets were over the pond area and singles were seen in 4-5 other areas, part of the group or extra birds, hard to tell! Broods of Mallard and Canada Geese were seen and the 6 Mute Swan cygnets performed beautifully for the group, clambering onto mums back giving great phot opportunities at the very end of our session, a great way to end with mega-cuteness! All in all a very succesful trip with a great group, really eager to learn, hopefully I'll get a chance to take many of them to my new patch in the future
An aside for Joel, one of the students came on his bike & I told him of your experience. He decided to risk it and returned to his locked bike with no problems at all, nothing removed and all intact. I appreciate your warnings as I could pass this on, but today showed that it will not always happen, but personally I wouldn't risk it either.
David Morris said
Sat May 7 12:18 AM, 2016
Joel Tragen wrote:
So I've had a pretty aweful visit today after someone tried to nick my saddle and no one passing by tried to stop him. I managed to get it all back luckily but stil shaken up and won't be got back for a few weeks. Just a warning, anyone planing to lock your bike up, it will probably be missing wheels, saddle and handle bars when you get back to it. No sign of any reed warblers, today or yesterday. 5th may, Barlow tip, kenworthy woods and water park 5 whitethroats 2 blackcaps 1 Chiffchaff 4 tufted ducks 1 great crested grebe Today, Barlow tip and water park 3 whitethroats 1 blackcap 2 Chiffchaff 1 willow warbler 7 tufted ducks 1 great crested grebe
Sorry to hear about your bike Joel- I was hoping to start cycling to Chorlton WP rather than driving to be a bit more eco-friendly, stuff like this puts me off!
Joel Tragen said
Fri May 6 4:38 PM, 2016
So I've had a pretty aweful visit today after someone tried to nick my saddle and no one passing by tried to stop him. I managed to get it all back luckily but stil shaken up and won't be got back for a few weeks. Just a warning, anyone planing to lock your bike up, it will probably be missing wheels, saddle and handle bars when you get back to it. No sign of any reed warblers, today or yesterday. 5th may, Barlow tip, kenworthy woods and water park 5 whitethroats 2 blackcaps 1 Chiffchaff 4 tufted ducks 1 great crested grebe Today, Barlow tip and water park 3 whitethroats 1 blackcap 2 Chiffchaff 1 willow warbler 7 tufted ducks 1 great crested grebe
Mike Brown said
Thu May 5 11:06 PM, 2016
Early morning walk/cycle around Chorlton Water Park, Chorlton Ees and Sale Water Park, 630 - Noon.
The Reed Warblers are definitely present, watched both flitting about for 30 mins around 7 am, I think they keep their heads down once it gets as busy as it was today!
Otherwise pretty much what Steve said, lots of Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. There was A Garden Warbler singing from deep cover about 50m downstream of the bridge at Jackson's Boat but I couldn't see it, try as I might. Also of relevance, 1 Willow Tit in trees adjacent to the slipway about 30m past Broad Ees Dole. 1 lapwing and 6 Little Grebes on said reserve. Oh yeah, 2 Ring Necked Parakeet in Wythenshawe Park, in large oaks close to the Wythenshawe Rd entrance.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 6th of May 2016 05:29:11 AM
steven burke said
Thu May 5 10:39 PM, 2016
afternoon visit including kenworthy & barlow tip.
9 tufted duck 6 great crested grebe 2 grey heron, 1 adult, 1 juvenile 3 ring-necked parakeet 8 swift 1 jay 1 swallow 23 blackcap 17 chiffchaff 9 whitethroat no sign of the reed warbler.
Tony Darby said
Wed May 4 6:05 PM, 2016
1st Reed Warbler of the year here (heard only) this afto'.
Tony Coatsworth said
Mon May 2 11:30 AM, 2016
3 Swift over the lake this morning
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun May 1 2:41 PM, 2016
From about 11.30 - 12.30:
2 chiffchaff c15 sand martin 1 house martin c20 swallow 1 mistle thrush heard singing 13 coot 4 great crested grebe 8 tufted duck 15+ mallard (including two ducklings) 1 mute swan 1 ring-necked parakeet 1 black-headed gull 1 grey heron
Lesser Whitethroat singing in Hawthorns along the tarmaced road towards the M'way. Near the barred metal gate on the left headed south but moved further down. The same or a different Lesser Whitethroat heard behind a Whitethroat between Gropper hill and the river.
Of interest was that the bird in the Hawthorns I first heard above my head unseen for over a minute making a faint jumbled subsong like a very quiet Garden Warbler. It was easily drowned out by a Dunnock that set up camp nearby. Then finally it moved, came forward enough to catch a glimpse and broke into a familiar loud Lesser Whitethroat rattle. Then it flew across the road and started up again, eventually showing well in good light back on the left side. I can't find this subsong on xeno-canto but it certainly issued from that bird and certainly left me puzzled.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Thursday 21st of April 2016 08:35:11 PM
Liam_Langley said
Tue Apr 19 11:08 PM, 2016
Quick walk around late evening:
Redwing (1) Barlow Tip Mute Swan (2) Great Crested Grebe (3+) Lesser Black-backed Gull (2ad) flew north Goldcrest (1) singing in the car park
Liam_Langley said
Sun Apr 17 9:31 PM, 2016
Wander round this afternoon with Joel Tragen and Elliot Montieth:
Goosander (1m) flew west over Barlow Tip Tufted Duck (3,2m) Cormorant (1) Buzzard (4) Sparrowhawk (1+) Lesser Black-backed Gull (7+ ad) Stock Dove (2) Kenworthy House Martin (1) Sand Martin Swallow Willow Warbler Chiffchaff Blackcap
Joel Tragen said
Sat Apr 16 11:39 AM, 2016
early morning with liam langley, I arrived at 7:30 and stayed till 11 highlights (including barlow tip and kenworthy woods): 2 cormorants 2 tufted ducks 1 great crested grebe 3 mute swans 1 sparrowhawk 3 buzzard (2 of displaying) 1 male kestrel 1 pied wagtail 4 chiffchaff 1 willow warbler 1 male whitethroat 6+ swallows 2 house martins 20+ sand martins 7 song thrushes 1 mistle thrush 4 lesser redpoll 3 bullfinch 1 male reed bunting
Joel Tragen said
Mon Apr 11 10:29 AM, 2016
highlights from yesterday 1 cormorant 3 goldeneye, 2 females and 1 male 4 tufted ducks 3 great crested grebes 3 mute swans 1 adult lesser black-backed gull 50+ sand martins (20+ on the river which later joined the ones on the water park) 2+ swallows (2 seen on the river but saw another one over the water park with the sand martins) 1 chiffchaff
Liam_Langley said
Sun Apr 10 2:02 PM, 2016
Highlights from this morning 09.10 - 11.50:
Goldeneye (3, 1m) Goosander (1) flew west over Barlow Tip. Tufted Duck (5) Kestrel (1) Barlow Tip Sparowhawk (1) Buzzard (2) Lesser Black-backed Gull (2ad) flew northwest over Barlow Tip Black Headed Gull (2) Stock Dove (2) Barlow Tip Great Spotted Woodpecker (2) Barlow Tip Swallow (2) Sand Martin (2) Willow Wabler (3m) Blackcap (4+m)
-- Edited by Liam_Langley on Sunday 10th of April 2016 02:14:44 PM
Liam_Langley said
Sat Apr 9 6:19 PM, 2016
Mid-morning to early afternoon today:
Oystercatcher (1) flew SW over the river just to the east of Jackson's Boat Goldeneye (3) Tufted Duck (9) Buzzard (4) Sparrowhawk (2) Swallow (2) along the river Sand Martin (c5) along the river Willow Warbler (1) Blackcap (3)
Tony Coatsworth said
Fri Apr 8 11:46 AM, 2016
Female Goosander on the river
2 Blackcap
5+ Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler in Birches by the Mersey
Tim Wilcox said
Wed Apr 6 8:55 PM, 2016
This afternoon 2-3pm with Tony Darby
Willow Warbler 2 (first of the year) Sand Martins 100+ low over the water later flying up higher Chiffchaff 3
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 31st of March 2016 09:40:12 PM
Liam_Langley said
Wed Mar 30 12:07 PM, 2016
Quieter this morning 07.50 - 10.30:
Goldeneye (3, 1m)
Gadwall (1m)
Black Headed Gull (4)
Treecreeper (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)
Redwing (3) Barlow Tip
Liam_Langley said
Tue Mar 29 10:43 PM, 2016
Nice visit to the patch in the rain this evening with the following highlights:
Oystercatcher (2) flew east over the water park calling at 18.17, a patch tick!
Sand Martin (21+)
Kingfisher (1)
Goldeneye (3, 1m)
Tufted Duck (11)
Shannon Llewellyn said
Fri Mar 25 11:23 PM, 2016
Around 5.30 - 6.30:
Lots of blackbird in song; one mistle thrush, too. Long-tailed tit, chaffinch, etc. 2 moorhen 15+ coot c10 tufted duck 1 pochard (male) 4 goldeneye (two of each) 1 goosander (female) 20 mute swan Mallard & Canada geese 3 great crested grebe 1 ring-necked parakeet 1 lesser black-backed gull over
Barlow tip, earlier:
3 or 4 chiffchaff Lots of long-tailed tit 2 bullfinch Lots of greenfinch 1 reed bunting singing c15 redwing 1 song thrush singing 1 kestrel
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 25th of March 2016 11:52:29 PM
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Wed Mar 23 1:23 PM, 2016
Morning visit.
Goldeneye 1m 2f. Goosander 2f. Great Crested Grebe 2 Tufted Duck 4m 2f. Coot 20+ Mute Swan 18 Mallard 12+ Moorhen 4 Cormorant 2 Canada Geese Rose-ringed Parakeet 1 Siskin/Lesser Redpoll 20+ mixed flock. Chiffchaff 1 singing on West island and 1 flitting along southern bank of lake. Goldcrest 1 singing. etc.etc.etc.
Gary Edwards said
Sun Mar 20 12:32 PM, 2016
Some fantastic activity on the feeders around 9:00 am today.
4x Ring Necked Parakeets at least 2x Brambling 2x Lesser Redpoll.
an abundance of Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Robin. A few Long Tailed Tit dropped in too.
Buzzard high over the feeders towards the water park.
Joel Tragen said
Sat Mar 19 10:14 PM, 2016
3pm till 4:30pm on the lake: 2 grey herons 1 kingfisher 3 great crested grebes 1 male goldeneye 1 pochards 6 tufted ducks 2 female goosanders 5 redwings car park feeders: 1 reed bunting 5 siskins 11 chaffinch 1 jay blue and great tits barlow tip: 40+ redwings 2 reed buntings 4 mallards
-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Saturday 19th of March 2016 10:26:07 PM
plus the usuals.... quite a few Mute Swans (15 counted).
Joel Tragen said
Mon Mar 14 6:32 PM, 2016
early am highlights 1 grey heron 5 male pochards, all feeding out in the open
Joel Tragen said
Sat Mar 12 8:30 PM, 2016
very late post from thursday I went down in the search of the oystercatchers and with the 7 kittiwakes in the county the night before, I liked my chances of one being around. When I got down I notice a decrease in gulls since last time I was here with only 1 1st winter common gull and 40 odd black headed gulls. others included: 2 goldeneye 7 pochards 3 great crested grebes tufted ducks
Liam_Langley said
Sat Mar 12 1:04 PM, 2016
Great visit to the patch this morning 06.50 - 10.08 with the following highlights:
CURLEW (1) flew east over Barlow Tip calling (07.28)
Lapwing (1) flew west over Barlow Tip (07.40)
Jack Snipe (1) Barlow Tip
Goldeneye (2, 1m)
Pochard (7,6m)
Goosander (1) River Mersey
Gadwall (1)
Stock Dover (2) Barlow Tip
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) Barlow Tip
Shannon Llewellyn said
Sun Mar 6 10:35 PM, 2016
Late this afternoon:
6 long-tailed tit 5 grey wagtail 2 blackbird singing (first I've heard this year) 2 song thrush Blue tit, great tit, robin, with dunnock and wren both heard 3 moorhen c30 coot 15+ tufted duck 12 pochard (all male) 4 goldeneye 1 gadwall 5 great crested grebe (two who looked to be starting to nest build, before a coot saw them off) 6 mute swan Canada geese and mallard in decent numbers 1 kingfisher 30+ black-headed gull 3 common gull 1 grey heron
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 6th of March 2016 10:37:10 PM
Doc Brewster said
Fri Feb 26 8:25 PM, 2016
A flying visit to my old patch whilst visiting Chris my birding buddy in Manchester. Couldn't stay long, but long enough to see a female Ring-necked Parakeet on the feeders as well as at least 20 Siskins.
Poor quality picture attached of the Wood Duck (i have more but this was the only one that would upload!)
-- Edited by MooreA on Sunday 24th of July 2016 02:32:26 PM
A male Wood Duck in eclipse plumage spotted around Kingfisher Island at Chorlton WP this morning. A feral escapee? Or a possible vagrant?
Was very shy and wary, sticking close to the undergrowth and only tentatively joining the mallards.
also Kestrel at the river
Heron 1
Brief visit after Platt field park but too busy. Great views of Ring-necked Parakeet though.
Lovely amble around the Mersey valley yesterday (Friday 3rd June), Kenworthy-Chorlton WP-Mersey-Chorlton Ees-Sale WP and back the same way. Over fifty species seen or heard, the highlights were:-
Reed Warbler - showing well at Chorlton and Sale
Sedge Warbler - singing and showing well on Chorlton Ees
Swifts, Swallows, House and Sand Martins - eye level views along the Mersey
Kingfisher - perched on flotsam around a storm drain for c5 mins near disused bridge
Grey Wagtail - lovely male, same place as Kingfisher
Buzzard - 3 birds over Chorlton Ees area interacting
Sparrowhawk - male soaring over golf course near Jackson's Boat
Kestrel - female hunting over fields behind Broad Ees Dole
Little Grebe - lovely views of 3 adults Broad Ees Dole
Jackdaw - mob of c20 watched at close quarters in paddock, Hardy's farm area
Greenfinch - several on Barlow tip including a smart male wheezing!
Lots of Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler
Stock Dove - 3 of this attractive and underrated bird, 1 of which showed well on the river bank
Reed Bunting - nice male with a beak full of insects Chorlton Ees on return leg
Willow Tit - working the tree line at the edge of Chorlton Ees
Bullfinch - nice male near Willenhall Lane exit of Kenworthy Wood
-- Edited by Mike Brown on Saturday 4th of June 2016 02:21:47 PM
1 reed warbler
3 great crested grebes
3 male tufted ducks
2 grey wagtails on river
2 pied wagtails on river
-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Friday 20th of May 2016 05:27:51 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 17th of May 2016 05:50:26 PM
adult mute swan with 8 cygnets
barlow tip..
2 blackcap
5 chiffchaff
4 whitethroat
1 willow warbler
1 grey heron
over/on the river Mersey..
12 swift
5 swallow
3 sand martin
c20 house martin
1 kingfisher
3 grey wagtail
2 pied wagtail
I used to do the same Liam, always hoped for an Osprey following the R.Mersey but always to no avail, but got Stock Doves
Thanks Liam Hardly common! They've eluded me at Chorlton WP and in the Mersey valley for 16 years!
-- Edited by Liam_Langley on Wednesday 11th of May 2016 06:51:06 PM
Here is a photo of the reed warbler spotted with Paul yesterday. Superb views!
The Common Sandpiper was on the Parkway side of the kenworthy bridge Joel, flying to both sides on the stones. We last saw it head round the corner in the direction of Princess Parkway! You'll know that the Reed Warbler is in the small reed patch near the playground, singing & showing better than probably any Reed Warbler that I have ever seen before, the group will think they're always like that
Never kept a site list, it's all in old notebooks like we used to do! With full descriptions of stuff I found (inc crappy drawings!) & got accepted like Ferruginous Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Red-crested Pochard & the like! In the halcyon days when the aythya flock was over 1000 regularly. Never got Ring-necked Parakeet though!! Nor Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but did have the Firecrest there one year. I never in all my walks had a Lesser Whitethroat though, even when birding mates such as Kevin McCabe & good birders like him joined me, so you did really well to get those the other day, but the habitat is perfect now for them & back in the day wasn't as good. The patch (I always have a defined patch rather than do sites) was from my house too (in West Didsbury) and had Ring Ouzel on it (got piccies!) and Wheatear was regular every year. How times have changed! As Joel says for him & Liam, for Shannon earlier this year & for my group today, we all saw Stock Dove over Barlow Tip, so that seems your best bet I'd say
Plenty of Bullfinches about today too, that was always a feature when I was there though, so that's still good
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 09:49:08 PM
PM me your site list Paul! I've had Stock Dove close to home on the Fallowfield Loop but Chorlton WP would be good. Missing Raven too but I do have Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (twice!)
I have done it many times and came back to my bike with it being ok, I was just unlucky but when I do go back I will be on foot. Tim I have had stock doves several times when I was with Liam, I've seen them from kenworthy and Barlow tip. I would recommend just spending 15-20 minutes stood there sky watching.
I know, I have seen them over in the past but as a patcher prob only got them about five times a year (I was unemployed so walked the site every day!), got at least half the group onto them and my wife (a very good birder) saw them too, so IDed by at least 3 good birders. Had them throughout the Mersey Valley before, Tim, my last GM Bird Report that I have, before I left the County, was 1999 (the year I moved to Cheshire) and included in the Stock Dove summary were 20 at Chorlton Ees, just along the river from Barlow Tip!! Hopefully you'll get it on your site list soon, just go every day, worked for me (I was unemployed & did Chorlton WP daily!!)
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 09:26:40 PM
Stock Dove is an excellent bird and would be a site tick for me
Sorry to hear that Joel, I will add my comments on this later with relevant info from today!
I had organised a bird ID walk for a Manchester University group today at Newchurch Common but given the awful waether in Cheshire we decided to switch venues from my new patch back to my old patch from when I lived in West Didsbury in the 1990s!
We had fine weather for the whole session and with 8 students, 1 PhD student and 2 lecturers attending we had a great walk. Bird song was concentrated on as a few of them had visual ID skills but had had no practise on calls/song. Highlights included a Common Sandpiper from the bridge over the R.Mersey from the Water Park to Kenworthy Fields and on that stretch of the river at least 4 different Grey Wagtails. One Reed Warbler sang its little head off and gave stunning views allowing close approach and folk ended up with superb photos even just using phones! Warblers seen and heard included Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. At least 10 Swifts were seen but only one Swallow. Two Stock Doves flew over us on Barlow Tip as did a Buzzard. A group of 5 Ring-necked Parakeets were over the pond area and singles were seen in 4-5 other areas, part of the group or extra birds, hard to tell! Broods of Mallard and Canada Geese were seen and the 6 Mute Swan cygnets performed beautifully for the group, clambering onto mums back giving great phot opportunities at the very end of our session, a great way to end with mega-cuteness! All in all a very succesful trip with a great group, really eager to learn, hopefully I'll get a chance to take many of them to my new patch in the future
An aside for Joel, one of the students came on his bike & I told him of your experience. He decided to risk it and returned to his locked bike with no problems at all, nothing removed and all intact. I appreciate your warnings as I could pass this on, but today showed that it will not always happen, but personally I wouldn't risk it either.
Sorry to hear about your bike Joel- I was hoping to start cycling to Chorlton WP rather than driving to be a bit more eco-friendly, stuff like this puts me off!
No sign of any reed warblers, today or yesterday.
5th may, Barlow tip, kenworthy woods and water park
5 whitethroats
2 blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
4 tufted ducks
1 great crested grebe
Today, Barlow tip and water park
3 whitethroats
1 blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
1 willow warbler
7 tufted ducks
1 great crested grebe
Early morning walk/cycle around Chorlton Water Park, Chorlton Ees and Sale Water Park, 630 - Noon.
The Reed Warblers are definitely present, watched both flitting about for 30 mins around 7 am, I think they keep their heads down once it gets as busy as it was today!
Otherwise pretty much what Steve said, lots of Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. There was A Garden Warbler singing from deep cover about 50m downstream of the bridge at Jackson's Boat but I couldn't see it, try as I might. Also of relevance, 1 Willow Tit in trees adjacent to the slipway about 30m past Broad Ees Dole. 1 lapwing and 6 Little Grebes on said reserve. Oh yeah, 2 Ring Necked Parakeet in Wythenshawe Park, in large oaks close to the Wythenshawe Rd entrance.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 6th of May 2016 05:29:11 AM
9 tufted duck
6 great crested grebe
2 grey heron, 1 adult, 1 juvenile
3 ring-necked parakeet
8 swift
1 jay
1 swallow
23 blackcap
17 chiffchaff
9 whitethroat
no sign of the reed warbler.
3 Swift over the lake this morning
2 chiffchaff
c15 sand martin
1 house martin
c20 swallow
1 mistle thrush heard singing
13 coot
4 great crested grebe
8 tufted duck
15+ mallard (including two ducklings)
1 mute swan
1 ring-necked parakeet
1 black-headed gull
1 grey heron
Barlow tip, beforehand:
6 chiffchaff
1 blackcap heard singing
2 whitethroat
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Thursday 21st of April 2016 08:35:11 PM
Redwing (1) Barlow Tip
Mute Swan (2)
Great Crested Grebe (3+)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (2ad) flew north
Goldcrest (1) singing in the car park
Goosander (1m) flew west over Barlow Tip
Tufted Duck (3,2m)
Cormorant (1)
Buzzard (4)
Sparrowhawk (1+)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (7+ ad)
Stock Dove (2) Kenworthy
House Martin (1)
Sand Martin
Swallow
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
highlights (including barlow tip and kenworthy woods):
2 cormorants
2 tufted ducks
1 great crested grebe
3 mute swans
1 sparrowhawk
3 buzzard (2 of displaying)
1 male kestrel
1 pied wagtail
4 chiffchaff
1 willow warbler
1 male whitethroat
6+ swallows
2 house martins
20+ sand martins
7 song thrushes
1 mistle thrush
4 lesser redpoll
3 bullfinch
1 male reed bunting
1 cormorant
3 goldeneye, 2 females and 1 male
4 tufted ducks
3 great crested grebes
3 mute swans
1 adult lesser black-backed gull
50+ sand martins (20+ on the river which later joined the ones on the water park)
2+ swallows (2 seen on the river but saw another one over the water park with the sand martins)
1 chiffchaff
Goldeneye (3, 1m)
Goosander (1) flew west over Barlow Tip.
Tufted Duck (5)
Kestrel (1) Barlow Tip
Sparowhawk (1)
Buzzard (2)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (2ad) flew northwest over Barlow Tip
Black Headed Gull (2)
Stock Dove (2) Barlow Tip
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2) Barlow Tip
Swallow (2)
Sand Martin (2)
Willow Wabler (3m)
Blackcap (4+m)
-- Edited by Liam_Langley on Sunday 10th of April 2016 02:14:44 PM
Oystercatcher (1) flew SW over the river just to the east of Jackson's Boat
Goldeneye (3)
Tufted Duck (9)
Buzzard (4)
Sparrowhawk (2)
Swallow (2) along the river
Sand Martin (c5) along the river
Willow Warbler (1)
Blackcap (3)
Female Goosander on the river
2 Blackcap
5+ Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler in Birches by the Mersey
Willow Warbler 2 (first of the year)
Sand Martins 100+ low over the water later flying up higher
Chiffchaff 3
3 Goldeneye (1m 2 f)
1 Gadwall
c.20 tufted duck
1 black headed gull
2 Chiffchaff
1 Ring-necked Parakeet
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 31st of March 2016 09:40:12 PM
Quieter this morning 07.50 - 10.30:
Goldeneye (3, 1m)
Gadwall (1m)
Black Headed Gull (4)
Treecreeper (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)
Redwing (3) Barlow Tip
Nice visit to the patch in the rain this evening with the following highlights:
Oystercatcher (2) flew east over the water park calling at 18.17, a patch tick!
Sand Martin (21+)
Kingfisher (1)
Goldeneye (3, 1m)
Tufted Duck (11)
Lots of blackbird in song; one mistle thrush, too. Long-tailed tit, chaffinch, etc.
2 moorhen
15+ coot
c10 tufted duck
1 pochard (male)
4 goldeneye (two of each)
1 goosander (female)
20 mute swan
Mallard & Canada geese
3 great crested grebe
1 ring-necked parakeet
1 lesser black-backed gull over
Barlow tip, earlier:
3 or 4 chiffchaff
Lots of long-tailed tit
2 bullfinch
Lots of greenfinch
1 reed bunting singing
c15 redwing
1 song thrush singing
1 kestrel
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Friday 25th of March 2016 11:52:29 PM
Goldeneye 1m 2f.
Goosander 2f.
Great Crested Grebe 2
Tufted Duck 4m 2f.
Coot 20+
Mute Swan 18
Mallard 12+
Moorhen 4
Cormorant 2
Canada Geese
Rose-ringed Parakeet 1
Siskin/Lesser Redpoll 20+ mixed flock.
Chiffchaff 1 singing on West island and 1 flitting along southern bank of lake.
Goldcrest 1 singing.
etc.etc.etc.
4x Ring Necked Parakeets
at least 2x Brambling
2x Lesser Redpoll.
an abundance of Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Robin. A few Long Tailed Tit dropped in too.
Buzzard high over the feeders towards the water park.
on the lake: 2 grey herons
1 kingfisher
3 great crested grebes
1 male goldeneye
1 pochards
6 tufted ducks
2 female goosanders
5 redwings
car park feeders:
1 reed bunting
5 siskins
11 chaffinch
1 jay
blue and great tits
barlow tip:
40+ redwings
2 reed buntings
4 mallards
-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Saturday 19th of March 2016 10:26:07 PM
This am...
Single Goldeneye
3 Pochard
3 Goosander
Common Gull
6 Siskin
3 Ring-necked Parakeets near the feeders
plus the usuals.... quite a few Mute Swans (15 counted).
highlights
1 grey heron
5 male pochards, all feeding out in the open
I went down in the search of the oystercatchers and with the 7 kittiwakes in the county the night before, I liked my chances of one being around.
When I got down I notice a decrease in gulls since last time I was here with only 1 1st winter common gull and 40 odd black headed gulls.
others included:
2 goldeneye
7 pochards
3 great crested grebes
tufted ducks
Great visit to the patch this morning 06.50 - 10.08 with the following highlights:
CURLEW (1) flew east over Barlow Tip calling (07.28)
Lapwing (1) flew west over Barlow Tip (07.40)
Jack Snipe (1) Barlow Tip
Goldeneye (2, 1m)
Pochard (7,6m)
Goosander (1) River Mersey
Gadwall (1)
Stock Dover (2) Barlow Tip
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) Barlow Tip
6 long-tailed tit
5 grey wagtail
2 blackbird singing (first I've heard this year)
2 song thrush
Blue tit, great tit, robin, with dunnock and wren both heard
3 moorhen
c30 coot
15+ tufted duck
12 pochard (all male)
4 goldeneye
1 gadwall
5 great crested grebe (two who looked to be starting to nest build, before a coot saw them off)
6 mute swan
Canada geese and mallard in decent numbers
1 kingfisher
30+ black-headed gull
3 common gull
1 grey heron
Barlow tip, beforehand:
4+ lesser redpoll
5+ siskin
2 greenfinch
1 chaffinch
2 bullfinch
c50 redwing
2 jay
Usuals
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 6th of March 2016 10:37:10 PM
A flying visit to my old patch whilst visiting Chris my birding buddy in Manchester. Couldn't stay long, but long enough to see a female Ring-necked Parakeet on the feeders as well as at least 20 Siskins.