Dipper seen this morning.

Elton Bury,

1 Grey Wagtail
1 Grey Heron, Attacked by a Crow, then chased off
Swift, Sand Martin and Swallow
2 Female Goosander

Sunday 8th June 2015

9 red-head Goosander on the River Irwell viewable from the bridge adjacent to The Riverside just north of The Meadows Nature Reserve

Single Female Goosander on Irwell this morning.

3 Female Goosander and 1 Grey Wagtail on Irwell this morning, Kingfisher heard only.

Pair of Kingfishers seen again today at work.

Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th, Bury

Single Dipper seen yesterday and today
2 Kingfisher
1 Grey Heron
Sand Martin
House Martin
Swallow
Swift
1 Female Goosander, I would imagine a male was about but could only see female from the site I'm working on, I seen a pair last week on same stretch.
1 Grey Wagtail
3 Pied Wagtail

Working in Bury beside Irwell,

Male Sparrowhawk over site I'm working on
Kingfisher
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Swift
House Martin
Sand Martin

Working in Bury right beside River Irwell

Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail on Irwell today, Swift and House Martin around River all day.

Cycle ride from Drinkwater Park along the Irwell to Clifton Country park and back,

8 Buzzard,
2 Kestrel,
1 Sparrowhawk ,
3 Heron,
1 pheasant
2 Goosander one had 2 chicks the other had 8!

Yes I hope so. There are some preliminary plans in place which I can forward if you like?

Walked from littleton rd upriver for a bit and back to agecroft bridge with six blackcap singing, three willow warblers teal pair at same location

should be a good wetland here after work is finished

The footpath upstream of Cromwell Rd will be closed for several months as the EA are constructing a flood storage basin in the area of land in the cliff opposite Kersal dale. It is a pain you can't walk down there without making a big detour.

Strictly speaking I got on upriver as it was closed like you said but I saw the sand Martin at Cromwell bridge ... Wonder why it's closed

Adelphi bridge to Cromwell road: Chiffchaff singing Jay pair Grey wagtail x2 pairs Pied wagtail x 2 pairs Tufted duck x4 pairs Little Ringed plovers Sparrowhawk Goosander x2 Teal pair Little grebe pair plus usual tits and finches Ps John - which path did you take from Cromwell bridge to philips park as the bridge is closed?

Walk from Cromwell Bridge Salford to Philips Park, Prestwich produced

Swallow, Nuthatch, Lapwing, Teal pair, ten Goosanders, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Buzzards, many Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap in Philips Park Hall gardens, 1 Goldcrest in same conifer, Jays etc etc

-- Edited by John Doherty on Friday 10th of April 2015 09:52:36 PM

22 Cormorants roosting near the university Tufted Duck pair

Footpath from Cromwell road to Castle irwell still completely closed off but highlights from this afternoon in heavy rain from Adelphi footbridge to Cromwell road:

Lapwing flying over
Sparrowhawk
Mute swan pair
Coot pair - first time seen a pair here
3 Sand martins
1 Teal drake
singing birds: Song thrush, Mistle thrush, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Robin, Wren, Dunnocks, Great tit, Blue tit
Still no Chiffchaffs

From the weir downstream of Adelphi bridge to Cromwell Rd: (WEBS):

4 Goldeneye
25 Tufted duck
1 Goosander drake
Teal pair
5 Little Grebe
5 Moorhen
1 Mute swan
20 Mallard

Magpie on nest
3 Sand martins - first seen this year

From the weir downstream of Adelphi bridge to Cromwell Rd: (WEBS)

Coot 1
Black-headed Gull 105
Canada Goose 31
Common Gull 7
Cormorant 3
Grey Heron 1
Goldeneye 6
Grey wagtail 1
Little grebe 7
Herring gull 1
Lesser black-backed gull 3
Mallard 26
Moorhen 7
Pied wagtail 2
Teal 2
Tufted duck 65

17 Goldeneye this aftenoon
also, 4 Mute Swan, one from Chorlton WP and another from Sale.

A small phyllos gleaning in the trees between the crescent and the river, didn't get a good ID in bad light.

River irwell near the university:
3 little grebe
8 tufted duck
10 mallard
14 goldfinches in peel park
nuthatch heard in crescent meadows
Lesser black-backed gull flying over
cormorant flying over
2 moorhen
lots of magpies and woodpigeons
Great spotted woodpecker right next to crescent road

Tim Roberts wrote:

---

Amazed reading these posts. Shows what progress has been made since the early 70s when I worked at a computer centre on Mary Street adjacent to the river. In those days we used to joke that the river was so polluted you could walk across it - at least hop from one abandoned shopping trolley to the next. Our caretaker had an air rifle to fend off the coypu-sized rats. Birds were few and far between, the only relief came between June and August when a fabulous colony of swifts took over a derelict wharehouse on the Salford bank.

---

How well I remember those days Tim. We used to play by the river where it flowed to the east of the Ordsall area, and you describe it very well (although you haven't mentioned the smell). The nearest thing I have seen recently that reminded me of how it was then, was the pictures of the tsunami hitting the Japanese coast and pushing a huge wave of detritus along in front of it. The Irwell really was as full of rubbish as that. Still, you don't get the massive flocks of tufted duck and pochard that you used to get by Trafford Road swing bridge any more, so it's swings and roundabouts as always with birds.

Amazed reading these posts. Shows what progress has been made since the early 70s when I worked at a computer centre on Mary Street adjacent to the river. In those days we used to joke that the river was so polluted you could walk across it - at least hop from one abandoned shopping trolley to the next. Our caretaker had an air rifle to fend off the coypu-sized rats. Birds were few and far between, the only relief came between June and August when a fabulous colony of swifts took over a derelict wharehouse on the Salford bank.

8 goosander near Woden St Bridge yesterday (3/12/13) 4m 4f, all happily fishing.

Thursday 24th- 27 Tufted Duck just upstream of Trinity Way off Mary Street, also a Coot there around old brick structures exposed by low water levels; at least 12 Goosander from there downstream to Prince's Bridge off Water St; Grey Heron at the Irwell-Irk confluence; 10 Mute Swan by Water Street

15 Tufted Duck today a short distance upstream of the city centre, near Strangeways, just off a sandbank opp Mary Steet

A walk from Clowes Park to Prestwich Clough via Drinkwater Park:

Two separate Coal Tits singing from the suburban gardens near Clowes Park, a Greylag Goose stuck out like a sore thumb from the feeding Canada geese within the park.
Grey Heron about the best on the river.
Lots of Chiffchaff and Blackcaps about
Murky pond in Drinkwater park produced a juvenile Coot squealing, to be fed by a parent which appeared (best sight of the day actually) and another Coot was nearby.
Swallows around the old treatment works

Nuthatch in Prestwich Clough

Drinkwater Park area

Pair Goosander
Drake Teal
2 drake Tufted Duck
1 Great crested Grebe
2 singing Song Thrush
1 Common Toad

A mega day's walk all the way from the city centre to Forest Bank Bridge upriver - about 5 miles all in.

Loads of good things seen:

On the river -

16 Goosanders in different groups, the highest featuring 7 individuals
40 or more Goldeneye, some in large groups.
over 40 Tufted Ducks
7 Teals
4 Grey Wagtails
Not a single swan

Trees along route:

2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and another Woodpecker not able to be seen, but definitely drumming on a pylon!
2 cracking Song Thrushes seen singing away, and LOADS more heard.
6+ Mistle Thruses
2 Goldcrest at edge of playing fields opposite Kersal Dale, waited 20 minutes for them to show from the conifers, one did, then they both flew out.
Pair of Coal Tits at the same location
Handful of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch seen throughout
No Bulfinch
2 Jays together
Redwing flocks in the tress on both sides of the river near Kersal Dale
Some Starling
Plus lots of the usuals



Football pitches (belonging to the Uni??) downriver from Agecroft Bridge - a mixed flock of Starlings and Fieldfares, about 80, feeding with a few Redwing and Mistle Thrush thrown in and some arriving from and departing to trees across the river.

Scrub near Forest Bank:

1 Kestrel in a tree.
A single Buzzard over, escorted by ten or so Crows.

Drinkwater Park ponds:

A lone Great Crested Grebe
1 Grey Heron

Cheers






-- Edited by John Doherty on Wednesday 14th of March 2012 04:39:45 PM

-- Edited by John Doherty on Wednesday 14th of March 2012 04:50:25 PM

Upriver from the city centre today in filthy drizzle - waiting for my pal before Pennington.

7 Tufted Ducks, 3 Goosander (2m1f) chilling out on one of the banks. Looks good, I am going to do Manchester City Centre to Agecroft Bridge soon.

Plus - lots of Passerines, mainly Dunnocks, and some Greenfinchs unfazed by the rain in a tree.

adjacent to peel park

16 tufted duck
4 mallard

Mid morning until lunch time

South from Agecroft Bridge to first footbridge

1 Green Sandpiper seen in flight several times
10 Goosander
1 Gadwall (drake)
c20 Mallard
6 Goldeneye
2 Tufted Duck
1 Cormorant
1 Little Grebe
1 Grey Wagtail seen but may have been a pair around
c30 Redwing in Agecroft Cemetery
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk

Kestrel taking voles by forest bank today perching on the pylons

1 Greensandpiper south of Agecroft Bridge on the side facing the sun in amongst the Canada Geese and Mallards.

Also saw a Little Grebe and a pair of Gadwall plus a few Black-headed Gulls on the water some with full head colour.

Thanks for that. I will keep on trying.

Green Sandpipers are usually just south of Agecroft Bridge

Lunch time walk from Clifton CP along the Irwell past 13 Arches and back.
Miserable weather but plenty of birds.

Disappointed not to see Green Sandpiper - is it usually further down river towards Agecroft? Still waiting for a life tick!!

Did get great views of Goldcrest and Treecreeper though - just in the CP.

post-afternoon from Prestwich to Clifton CP and back - weather depressing.

Sightings: Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Robin, Goldfinch + usual tits, Jay numbers into double figures, 2 Great Crested Grebe (in summer garb) on Clifton Lake + c25 Tufted Duck, also what was likely a calling Curlew on the opposite bank from the Country Park, 1 Grey Wagtail over the sewage works, also 2 Kestrels nearer 13 arches.



-- Edited by John Doherty on Monday 20th of February 2012 07:05:50 PM

I visited the location where the Green Sandpipers usually are. Today, two Green Sandpipers, two Dunlin (seen by Bill Myerscough yesterday) and 2 Common Snipe and all the other usual suspects.

Agecroft Bridge to 13 Arches today, 1.30-3.30 - not so cold, but barely a soul about!

The highlights:

Teal (2)
Tufted Duck (6)
Little Grebe (3)
Mallard and Moorhen
At least 2 Nuthatches (heard in woods)

Clifton Road area: At least 1 more Nuthatch, 1 Jay, Lots of Greenfinch, a flock of Goldfinch with a single Female Siskin mixed in (feeding in a tall tree)

Cheers

Agecroft Bridge to 13 Arches

0745-1200

40 species

2 Green Sandpiper
drk Gadwall
4 Goosander
10 Song Thrush (9 singing males)
Male Bullfinch
2 Dunnock
10 Goldeneye
10 Tufted Duck
5 Little Grebe
5 Grey Heron
c70 Redwing
2 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
5 Siskin
5 Jackdaw
5 Cormorant
c70 Mallard
3 Moorhen
2 Canada Goose
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Pied Wagtail
5 Wren
15 Great Tit
15 LT Tit
20 Blue Tit
1 Goldcrest
9 Blackbird
2 Mute Swan
4 Coot
10 Wood Pigeon
5 Magpie
5 C Crow
c50 BH Gull
c20 Feral Pigeon
7 Goldfinch
1 GS Woodpecker
3 Chaffinch
7 Robin
8 Greenfinch
6 Jay

Tawny Owl tonight near Kingfiher lodge.

I remember seeing a pheasant down to about 6 feet there, it didn't recognise me otherwise it would have erupted!! Lapwing can sometimes be around there too (just up from thirteen arches on the meadows)

keith mills wrote:

---

Bill Myerscough wrote:

In surrounding woodland/scrubland - 2 singing Song Thrush, excellent views of a singing Willow Wit near the Thirteen Arches, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 1 male Siskin, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Pheasant, 4 Bullfinch and c15 Redwing. Plenty of vocal Dunnocks, Wrens and Robins.

Cheers,

Bill.


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Wednesday 18th of January 2012 01:55:39 PM

---

Willow Wit....surely worth a .Bill.

---

Definitely worth a Keith... it could have been even worse if I'd typed Tillow Wit..... that might have got the listers and twitchers interested

Bill Myerscough wrote:

In surrounding woodland/scrubland - 2 singing Song Thrush, excellent views of a singing Willow Wit near the Thirteen Arches, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 1 male Siskin, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Pheasant, 4 Bullfinch and c15 Redwing. Plenty of vocal Dunnocks, Wrens and Robins.

Cheers,

Bill.


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Wednesday 18th of January 2012 01:55:39 PM

---

Willow Wit....surely worth a .Bill.

17th January - am.

From the Agecroft Bridge upstream to the Thirteen Arches Viaduct. Along this stretch the south/west bank of the river is in Salford and the north/east bank in Bury!

Totals along this small strecth of river:- 8 Moorhen, 78 Mallard, 9 Goldeneye, 10 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 5 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron and 1 Goosander.

In surrounding woodland/scrubland - 2 singing Song Thrush, excellent views of a singing Willow Wit near the Thirteen Arches, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 1 male Siskin, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Pheasant, 4 Bullfinch and c15 Redwing. Plenty of vocal Dunnocks, Wrens and Robins.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Wednesday 18th of January 2012 01:55:39 PM

29th November.

Green Sandpiper approx 300 yards downstream of the Agecroft Bridge this morning. Presumably the same individual bird that has wintered here for a few years now?

Also 3 Goldeneye together on the river here.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Tuesday 29th of November 2011 09:09:39 PM

This morning from town (where possible) to Cheetham Hill:

1 Cormorant
6 Grey Herons
3 Goosanders (2F 1M)
1 M Tufted Duck
Lots of Blackheaded Gulls and some Lesser Black-Backed
60-70 Canada Geese
1 Moorhen