Main Lake: Little Grebe 4 Wigeon 4 Tufted Duck 1 Cormorant 4 Siskin 2
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Wed Oct 29 10:49 AM, 2014
A quick look over Main Lake but nothing unusual:
Wigeon 1m Little Grebe 2 Cormorant 6 Black-headed Gull 14
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Mon Oct 27 9:52 PM, 2014
139 Coot 3 Little Grebes 2 Tufted Ducks 4 Cormorants
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Monday 27th of October 2014 10:00:08 PM
John Rayner said
Fri Oct 24 5:36 PM, 2014
24/10/14
North Lake: 3 Mallard 1 Tufted Duck (f)
Main Lake: 5 Wigeons 4 Mandarin Duck (3m, 1f) 3 Little Grebes 4 Cormorants 2 Mute Swans 1 Tufted Duck (flew in from N. Lake) 131 Coot
River Goyt: Dipper singing at Bottoms Bridge
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sat Oct 18 5:00 PM, 2014
18/10/14
Coot 117 (a few down on recent numbers) Little Grebe 2 Cormorant 2 Goldcrest 2
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sun Oct 12 10:27 AM, 2014
12/10/14. A visit before the fog lifted to see if anything new had dropped in. It had - one Tufted Duck
No Great Crested Grebes Coot 127 Moorhen 39 1 Little Grebe 1 Tufted Duck 2 Mute Swan 1 Grey Heron
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Thu Oct 9 8:26 PM, 2014
09/10/14
Main Lake: Only 1 adult Great Crested Grebe. Juvs seem to have left. 2 Little Grebes
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Tue Oct 7 3:13 PM, 2014
A visit during a temporary lull in the rain. Lots of waterfowl today so a complete inventory:
Main Lake: Coot 123 Moorhen 33 Canada Goose 136 Mallard 70 Wigeon 6 Teal 5 Mute Swan 2 Great Crested Grebe 3 (1 ad, 2 juv) Little Grebe 3 Grey Heron 1 Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tits calling Many Jackdaws overhead
The juvenile grebes were feeding independently and making flights across the lake so won't be with us for much longer.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sat Oct 4 7:43 PM, 2014
04/10/14. Evening visit.
All 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes present but only 1 adult 3 Little Grebes 3 Wigeon
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Thu Oct 2 8:45 PM, 2014
02/10/2014. [09.30 - 10.45].
Glorious sunshine! And Coot numbers are still building:
Coot 121 Great Crested Grebe 4 (2 ads, 2 juvs. Couldn't find the 3rd but the other 2, still calling for food, are also diving for their own, so it may be independent enough to have left) Little Grebe 1 Wigeon 1 Jay 4
2 male Wigeon (new in) 1 Gadwall 2 Little Grebes 5 Great Crested Grebes
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Wed Sep 17 10:53 AM, 2014
Late News 16/09/14
All 3 Great Crested Grebe chicks begging food Female Teal Male Gadwall No sign of Green Woodpecker although it was also reported flying from river then over horse paddock and Main Lake on 14th (info Gerry Purslow)
Cheers John
Phil Panton said
Mon Sep 15 3:57 PM, 2014
13.00 - 14.30 hrs
2 Dipper flying upstream under Bottoms Bridge 2 adult Great Crested Grebe, but could only see 2 very vocal juveniles 1 Male Gadwall 1 Kingfisher downstream under the Roman Packhorse Bridge 1 Grey Wagtail & last but not least my first sighting of a Green Woodpecker in the Borough of Stockport. Have heard them previously in the area, but this was the first positive sighting. It flew from the woods above the railway tunnel, close to Windy Bottom Farm, crossing the river & landing in a tree on the opposite bank. It then dropped to the ground but disappeared from view.
-- Edited by Phil Panton on Monday 15th of September 2014 03:58:58 PM
John Rayner said
Sat Sep 13 11:50 AM, 2014
Gadwall male 1 (new in) Teal female 1 (new in) Tufted Duck 1 female Kingfishers 2 (over Main Lake) Coot 91 (numbers building) Little Grebe 2 Great Crested Grebes 5 Mute Swan 2
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Thu Sep 11 5:32 PM, 2014
A new mix of birds to complement the old.
1 female Tufted Duck 1 drake Teal 3 Little Grebes Great Crested Grebes still hanging on to all 3 chicks.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Fri Aug 29 8:05 PM, 2014
An hour in heavy rain:
All 5 Grebes still surviving 81 Coot 23 Moorhens 78 Mallard 1 Cormorant 2 Swans 77 House Martins. A steady stream migrating west in small parties (8,20,17,8,9,3,3 and 17). Plus a single bird east.
Cheers John
Mike Passant said
Thu Aug 21 8:35 AM, 2014
Mother's obviously warned them not to take sweets from strange men?
John Rayner said
Thu Aug 21 12:39 AM, 2014
20/08/14 P.M.
4 Swifts c40 House Martins 2 Swallows 4 Sand Martins 5 Great Crested Grebes (A behavioural note: The other day I noticed one adult, presumed male, swim in with a small fish and offer it to each of the 3 chicks in turn. All refused to take it whereupon the adult then offered it to the female, which was carrying one of the chicks on its back. She took the fish and offered it to the chick she was carrying and it wolfed it down immediately. Today much the same thing - they refused to take the fish from the bird that swam in some distance with it but then took it from the adult that was accompanying the chicks).
Cheers John
Phil Panton said
Sun Aug 17 4:45 PM, 2014
Afternoon visit, but not alot showing due to the heavy rain, did however notice that both Little Grebes were on the Mill Pond (the White Dovecote one) off Station Road, on the approach to Strines station. Also Kingfisher sheltering in the bushes on the river, close to the bridge on the same stretch of road.
-- Edited by Phil Panton on Sunday 17th of August 2014 04:46:38 PM
John Rayner said
Wed Aug 13 3:51 PM, 2014
Coot 77 Great Crested Grebe 2 ad, 3 juv Mute Swan 2 House Martins c90 Sand Martin 1 Swallow 1 Blue/Great Tit flock c15 Tree Creeper 1 Chiffchaff 2 juvs
Cheers John
andrew chapman said
Wed Aug 6 9:42 PM, 2014
Kingfisher flying low over the main lake at 19.20 hrs .
Andy
John Rayner said
Mon Aug 4 11:22 PM, 2014
The Great Crested Grebes now have a 2nd brood of 3 small young. Two hitching a ride on parent's back and the third swimming and begging food.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Fri Aug 1 6:44 PM, 2014
Great Crested Grebe pair still sitting Mute Swans 2 Coot 71 (approx 1/3 juvs) Moorhens 4 ads, 10 juvs Mallards 62 (but only a single duckling) Heron 1 juv Dead Canada Goose in the water
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Tue Jul 15 8:15 AM, 2014
14th July:
No sign of Great Crested Grebe chicks. They were well grown on 26th June but still dependent on perents and begging for food. Didnt see them dive for their own food. Would they be old enough now to disperse and fend for themselves, or have they been predated? The adults now seem to be attempting a second brood with both adding material to the original nest and the female sitting.
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 15th of July 2014 08:28:49 AM
John Rayner said
Thu Jun 26 1:42 PM, 2014
Pair of Great Crested Grebes with 2 almost fully grown young Pair Mute Swans still (including Green CCT4) Coot 31 adults and 18 youngsters of various sizes Moorhen 3 ads + 4 young Mallard 2 broods of 9 & 2 Grey Wagtail 1 Grey Heron 1
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Wed May 28 11:43 PM, 2014
Great Crested Grebe pair - now reduced to 2 fairly well grown chicks Mute Swans 2 Coot broods of 1,2,2,3,3,4,4 Mallard broods of 2,3,3,3 But only 1 Moorhen youngster seen Treecreeper carrying food Nuthatch carrying food House Martin 10 Swallow 6 Swift 4
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sat May 17 5:20 PM, 2014
2 Mandarins and 1 Dipper on the river. Stock Dove drinking from the puddle in the horse field.
No sign of the Cuckoo heard singing from the woodland towards the railway line at 06.00-06.15 (info thanks to Gerry Purslow)
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Tue May 13 4:11 PM, 2014
Great Crested Grebe pair have 3 young Mute Swan pair have failed Coot - 6 broods of 4,4,3,3,2,1 Canada Goose - brood of 3 & crèche of 12 Mallard - 3 broods of 5,3,2 c35 mixed hirundine flock of Swallows, House & Sand Martins Grey Wagtail female carrying food
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sat Apr 26 11:32 AM, 2014
Plenty of evidence of birds breeding:
Coot - 25 Adults (5 birds sitting and broods of 2,3 & 4 young & copulation) Great Crested Grebe (pair with 1 carrying at least 2 young on its back) Mute Swan (pair with female sitting) Moorhen (copulation) Canada Goose (4 pairs with evidence of egg predation) Blackbird & Robin (carrying food) Blackcap, Willow Warbler & Chiffchaff (singing on territory)
Also Tufted Duck 2m, 1f Grey Wagtail 1 Cormorant 2
Cheers, John
Phil Panton said
Sun Apr 20 4:19 PM, 2014
Afternoon visit
Fairly quiet, but good to see a pair of Coots taking 5 newly hatched balls of fluff for a swim & another sitting on eggs. i Dipper heading downstream under the railway bridge 5 Swallow & 3 House Martin over
North Lake: A single Mallard (lots of bankside over has been removed)
Main Lake: Coot 25 Tufted Duck 4m, 2f Teal 1m Mandarin 1m, 1f Great Crested Grebe pair at nest Mute Swan 2 Chiffchaff singing but no other migrant passerines.
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Sat Mar 22 10:15 AM, 2014
North Lake: The overhanging willows that sheltered Mandarin Ducks have now been felled.
Main Lake: 2 Mute Swans both ringed. Cob - Green CCT4 and Pen - Blue 7HJH
The latter has not been seen here since Jan 2013 though its sibling Blue 7HPV visited earlier this winter but has since departed. These siblings were ringed in Sep 2012 at Newport, Shropshire.
Fairly quiet on the lake: Still 8 Tufted Ducks 59 Canada Geese 18 Coot (2 sitting) 2 Great Crested Grebes (sitting) 2 Little Grebes 2 Grey Herons 2 Chiffchaffs
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Tue Mar 18 2:05 PM, 2014
North Lake: More chain saw activity, felling some of the crack willows on the far bank.
Main Lake: 2 Mute Swans (Probably the pair that departed in January but could only read the first character of the blue darvic 7??? on one individual) 2 Great Crested Grebes (now sitting) 24 Coot (further reduction in numbers) 8 Tufted Ducks (4m, 4f) 18 Canada Geese 1 Chiffchaff singing 10 Redwings 8 Goldfinches 3 Mistle Thrushes Singles of Cormorant, Grey Heron and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 18th of March 2014 02:08:44 PM
John Rayner said
Tue Mar 11 11:48 AM, 2014
Main Lake:
Coot 29 Great Crested Grebe 2 Little Grebe 1 Stock Dove singing Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
Cheers, John
John Rayner said
Thu Feb 27 5:15 PM, 2014
Main Lake:
34 Coot including 1 on nest (side channels not checked) 2 Great Crested Grebes busy nest building 3 Little Grebes 2 Teal (drakes) 1 Tufted Duck (drake) 2 Cormorants
Main Lake:
Coot 115
Tufted Duck 2
Little Grebe 1
North Lake:
Goosander 4 (2m, 2f)
Kingfisher 1
A lot of mobbing activity high in an Ivy clad Oak.
Cheers, John
North Lake - almost completely frozen over
Main Lake - half frozen:
Coot 111
Mallard 79
Moorhen 18
Tufted Duck 2
Little Grebe 2
Goosander 3 (1f, 2m)
Cheers John
Main Lake:
Coot 113
Moorhen 33
Teal 1m, 2f
Tufted Duck 2m, 1f
Mute Swan 2
Little Grebe 2
North Lake:
Goosander 5
Cheers John
North Lake:
7 Goosanders
Main Lake:
3 Little Grebes
2 Tufted Ducks
2 Mute Swans
Siskins heard
27 Long-tailed Tits
Linnet Clough Res:
1 Little Grebe
1 Woodcock
1 Song Thrush singing
Cheers John
1 Wigeon
2 Tufted Ducks
3 Little Grebes
2 Mute Swans
1 Kingfisher
Cheers John
Pair of Goosander still on North Lake
Main Lake:
130 Coot
4 Little Grebes
2 Wigeon (pair)
2 Tufted Ducks (females)
33 Black-headed Gulls
Cheers, John
North Lake:
Pair of Goosanders
Main Lake:
3 Little Grebes
1 drake Wigeon
Pair Tufted Duck
Pair Mute Swans
5 Cormorant
+ Usual Coot etc
Cheers John
WHOOPER SWAN 2 (adults)
Mute Swan 2
Wigeon 3
Cormorant 10
Little Grebe 1
Pink-footed Goose 160 (SE)
Cheers John
Goosander 1 male
Main Lake:
Little Grebe 4
Wigeon 4
Tufted Duck 1
Cormorant 4
Siskin 2
Cheers John
Wigeon 1m
Little Grebe 2
Cormorant 6
Black-headed Gull 14
Cheers John
3 Little Grebes
2 Tufted Ducks
4 Cormorants
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Monday 27th of October 2014 10:00:08 PM
North Lake:
3 Mallard
1 Tufted Duck (f)
Main Lake:
5 Wigeons
4 Mandarin Duck (3m, 1f)
3 Little Grebes
4 Cormorants
2 Mute Swans
1 Tufted Duck (flew in from N. Lake)
131 Coot
River Goyt:
Dipper singing at Bottoms Bridge
Cheers John
Coot 117 (a few down on recent numbers)
Little Grebe 2
Cormorant 2
Goldcrest 2
Cheers John
No Great Crested Grebes
Coot 127
Moorhen 39
1 Little Grebe
1 Tufted Duck
2 Mute Swan
1 Grey Heron
Cheers John
Main Lake:
Only 1 adult Great Crested Grebe. Juvs seem to have left.
2 Little Grebes
Cheers John
Main Lake:
Coot 123
Moorhen 33
Canada Goose 136
Mallard 70
Wigeon 6
Teal 5
Mute Swan 2
Great Crested Grebe 3 (1 ad, 2 juv)
Little Grebe 3
Grey Heron 1
Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tits calling
Many Jackdaws overhead
The juvenile grebes were feeding independently and making flights across the lake so won't be with us for much longer.
Cheers John
All 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes present but only 1 adult
3 Little Grebes
3 Wigeon
Cheers John
Glorious sunshine! And Coot numbers are still building:
Coot 121
Great Crested Grebe 4 (2 ads, 2 juvs. Couldn't find the 3rd but the other 2, still calling for food, are also diving for their own, so it may be independent enough to have left)
Little Grebe 1
Wigeon 1
Jay 4
Cheers, John
Main Lake:
Usuals +
1 Wigeon
1 Chiffchaff calling
1 Sparrowhawk (large female)
Linnet Clough Reservoir:
2 Little Grebes
2 Mallard
5 Moorhens
1 Chiffchaff singing
Cheers, John
Main Lake:
6 Wigeon
3 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Kingfisher
2 Cormorants
River Goyt:
Mandarin (female)
3 Goosanders
Another Kingfisher
Cheers John
As yesterday but a more careful count:
Coot 116
Moorhen 31
Wigeon 4
No sign of Tufted Duck or Gadwall
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 23rd of September 2014 02:39:20 PM
Coot 113
Moorhen 21
Wigeon 4
Tufted Duck 1 female
Great Crested Grebe 5
Little Grebe 2
Mute Swan 2
Kingfisher 2
Cheers John
2 male Wigeon (new in)
1 Gadwall
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
Cheers, John
All 3 Great Crested Grebe chicks begging food
Female Teal
Male Gadwall
No sign of Green Woodpecker although it was also reported flying from river then over horse paddock and Main Lake on 14th (info Gerry Purslow)
Cheers John
2 Dipper flying upstream under Bottoms Bridge
2 adult Great Crested Grebe, but could only see 2 very vocal juveniles
1 Male Gadwall
1 Kingfisher downstream under the Roman Packhorse Bridge
1 Grey Wagtail
& last but not least my first sighting of a Green Woodpecker in the Borough of Stockport.
Have heard them previously in the area, but this was the first positive sighting.
It flew from the woods above the railway tunnel, close to Windy Bottom Farm, crossing the river & landing in a tree
on the opposite bank.
It then dropped to the ground but disappeared from view.
-- Edited by Phil Panton on Monday 15th of September 2014 03:58:58 PM
Teal female 1 (new in)
Tufted Duck 1 female
Kingfishers 2 (over Main Lake)
Coot 91 (numbers building)
Little Grebe 2
Great Crested Grebes 5
Mute Swan 2
Cheers John
1 female Tufted Duck
1 drake Teal
3 Little Grebes
Great Crested Grebes still hanging on to all 3 chicks.
Cheers, John
All 5 Grebes still surviving
81 Coot
23 Moorhens
78 Mallard
1 Cormorant
2 Swans
77 House Martins. A steady stream migrating west in small parties (8,20,17,8,9,3,3 and 17). Plus a single bird east.
Cheers John
Mother's obviously warned them not to take sweets from strange men?
4 Swifts
c40 House Martins
2 Swallows
4 Sand Martins
5 Great Crested Grebes (A behavioural note: The other day I noticed one adult, presumed male, swim in with a small fish and offer it to each of the 3 chicks in turn. All refused to take it whereupon the adult then offered it to the female, which was carrying one of the chicks on its back. She took the fish and offered it to the chick she was carrying and it wolfed it down immediately. Today much the same thing - they refused to take the fish from the bird that swam in some distance with it but then took it from the adult that was accompanying the chicks).
Cheers John
Also Kingfisher sheltering in the bushes on the river, close to the bridge on the same stretch of road.
-- Edited by Phil Panton on Sunday 17th of August 2014 04:46:38 PM
Great Crested Grebe 2 ad, 3 juv
Mute Swan 2
House Martins c90
Sand Martin 1
Swallow 1
Blue/Great Tit flock c15
Tree Creeper 1
Chiffchaff 2 juvs
Cheers John
Kingfisher flying low over the main lake at 19.20 hrs .
Andy
Mute Swans 2
Coot 71 (approx 1/3 juvs)
Moorhens 4 ads, 10 juvs
Mallards 62 (but only a single duckling)
Heron 1 juv
Dead Canada Goose in the water
Cheers John
No sign of Great Crested Grebe chicks. They were well grown on 26th June but still dependent on perents and begging for food. Didnt see them dive for their own food. Would they be old enough now to disperse and fend for themselves, or have they been predated? The adults now seem to be attempting a second brood with both adding material to the original nest and the female sitting.
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 15th of July 2014 08:28:49 AM
Pair Mute Swans still (including Green CCT4)
Coot 31 adults and 18 youngsters of various sizes
Moorhen 3 ads + 4 young
Mallard 2 broods of 9 & 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Grey Heron 1
Cheers, John
Mute Swans 2
Coot broods of 1,2,2,3,3,4,4
Mallard broods of 2,3,3,3
But only 1 Moorhen youngster seen
Treecreeper carrying food
Nuthatch carrying food
House Martin 10
Swallow 6
Swift 4
Cheers John
Stock Dove drinking from the puddle in the horse field.
No sign of the Cuckoo heard singing from the woodland towards the railway line at 06.00-06.15 (info thanks to Gerry Purslow)
Cheers John
Mute Swan pair have failed
Coot - 6 broods of 4,4,3,3,2,1
Canada Goose - brood of 3 & crèche of 12
Mallard - 3 broods of 5,3,2
c35 mixed hirundine flock of Swallows, House & Sand Martins
Grey Wagtail female carrying food
Cheers John
Coot - 25 Adults (5 birds sitting and broods of 2,3 & 4 young & copulation)
Great Crested Grebe (pair with 1 carrying at least 2 young on its back)
Mute Swan (pair with female sitting)
Moorhen (copulation)
Canada Goose (4 pairs with evidence of egg predation)
Blackbird & Robin (carrying food)
Blackcap, Willow Warbler & Chiffchaff (singing on territory)
Also
Tufted Duck 2m, 1f
Grey Wagtail 1
Cormorant 2
Cheers, John
Fairly quiet, but good to see a pair of Coots taking 5 newly hatched balls of fluff for a swim & another sitting on eggs.
i Dipper heading downstream under the railway bridge
5 Swallow & 3 House Martin over
9 Swallows
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Mute Swans
7 Tufted Ducks
59 Canada Geese
Cheers John
A single Mallard (lots of bankside over has been removed)
Main Lake:
Coot 25
Tufted Duck 4m, 2f
Teal 1m
Mandarin 1m, 1f
Great Crested Grebe pair at nest
Mute Swan 2
Chiffchaff singing but no other migrant passerines.
Cheers, John
The overhanging willows that sheltered Mandarin Ducks have now been felled.
Main Lake:
2 Mute Swans both ringed. Cob - Green CCT4 and Pen - Blue 7HJH
The latter has not been seen here since Jan 2013 though its sibling Blue 7HPV visited earlier this winter but has since departed. These siblings were ringed in Sep 2012 at Newport, Shropshire.
Fairly quiet on the lake:
Still 8 Tufted Ducks
59 Canada Geese
18 Coot (2 sitting)
2 Great Crested Grebes (sitting)
2 Little Grebes
2 Grey Herons
2 Chiffchaffs
Cheers, John
More chain saw activity, felling some of the crack willows on the far bank.
Main Lake:
2 Mute Swans (Probably the pair that departed in January but could only read the first character of the blue darvic 7??? on one individual)
2 Great Crested Grebes (now sitting)
24 Coot (further reduction in numbers)
8 Tufted Ducks (4m, 4f)
18 Canada Geese
1 Chiffchaff singing
10 Redwings
8 Goldfinches
3 Mistle Thrushes
Singles of Cormorant, Grey Heron and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 18th of March 2014 02:08:44 PM
Coot 29
Great Crested Grebe 2
Little Grebe 1
Stock Dove singing
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
Cheers, John
34 Coot including 1 on nest (side channels not checked)
2 Great Crested Grebes busy nest building
3 Little Grebes
2 Teal (drakes)
1 Tufted Duck (drake)
2 Cormorants
River area:
5 Mallard
2 Mandarin Duck (pair)
1 Buzzard
1 Woodcock
Cheers, John
5 Mandarin Ducks (3m, 2f)
Main Lake:
4 Tufted Ducks (3m, 1f)
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Little Grebe
2 Cormorants
Cheers John
Main Lake:
1 Common Gull (uncommon here)
52 Black-headed Gull
1 Great Crested Grebe
3 Tufted Duck
59 Mallard
48 Coot
19 Moorhen
1 Treecreeper
c50 Siskin
2 Lesser Redpoll
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Sparrowhawk
37 Canada Geese
North lake:
2 Mandarin (pair)
Cheers, John