Bumped into Chris this morning - nice to say hello!
Didn't see the wood duck, which was my main reason for going, but there was a kingfisher doing fly bys, 2 x grey wagtail, 3 x female goosanders and 2 x cormorant going up and down.
Chris - did you see the wood duck a bit further downstream than where the electricity cables cross the river?
Chris Harper said
Mon Oct 19 4:07 PM, 2015
Yep still there at 3.30 just downstream of sewage outfall on Garlic Bend 2 Kingfisher 2 Goosander Teal 10 Redwing am Grey Wagtail
chrisneild said
Mon Oct 19 3:07 PM, 2015
Any news on the Wood Duck today?
-- Edited by chrisneild on Monday 19th of October 2015 03:44:04 PM
Simon Owen said
Sun Oct 18 6:54 PM, 2015
11am - 1pm today...
2x views of Kingfisher near the weir Male and Female Teal at Garlic Bend Wood Duck at Garlic bend Buzzard 4x Goosander 5x Grey Wagtail c100 Pink footed geese flew over Wren Great Tit Cormorant flying over
Good to meet you today James.
Nigel Richards said
Sun Oct 18 4:59 PM, 2015
Wood Duck still in it's usual spot Is it likely we will ever determine if it is an escapee or not?
James Walsh said
Sat Oct 17 7:18 PM, 2015
Chiffchaff with tit flock in large willow tree 300 yards west of Vale Road Weir, also 3 Goldcrest
James Walsh said
Sat Oct 17 2:31 PM, 2015
Mersey Vale Nature Reserve
Drake Wood Duck still present at 2:30pm on River Mersey 300 yards west of Vale Road Weir Pair of Teal 1 Goosander 1 Goldcrest
James Walsh said
Wed Oct 14 6:11 PM, 2015
Mersey Vale Nature Reserve area
Wednesday 14th October
drake Wood Duck (unringed & fully-winged) on River Mersey 300 yards west of Vale Road Weir
1 juvenile Goosander
1 Kingfisher
c50 Redwing
5 Grey Wagtail
Tuesday 13th October
drake Wood Duck
2 Teal
Chris Harper said
Mon Oct 12 8:13 AM, 2015
7.20 am GREAT WHITE EGRET flying East quite low across sewage works up river towards Stockport.
Also Kingfisher
Paul Dewey said
Thu Oct 8 3:42 PM, 2015
Drake wood duck near garlic bend at 2.00pm, around area where two trees have branches in water, it went behind the pine branches a couple of times. Pity can't count it.
Also 4 Goosander 2 or 3 Grey wagtails Gt spotted woodpecker Black headed gull and Common gull on Parrs Wood fields.
Chris Harper said
Mon Oct 5 8:00 PM, 2015
Dipper at Cheadle Bridge 18.30 Kingfisher between Patch Island and Garlic Bend 6 Goosander 3 Grey Wagtail 12 Mistle Thrush 10 Pied Wagtail heading to sewage works 3 Grey Heron
Chris Harper said
Mon Sep 28 8:12 AM, 2015
2 Raven again on pylon by Garlic Bend at 7.25, then flew East Mandarin 6 Goosander Grey Wagtail Pied Wagtail 5 Grey heron Chiffchaff
Simon Owen said
Sat Sep 26 6:15 PM, 2015
Simon Gough wrote:
Had a walk down to the river today to try and tune up for a trip to Spurn tomorrow, figuring views of Goldcrests buzzing about should help prepare me for a Yellow-browed Warbler or two.
It was lovely in the bright sunshine. I mainly stayed around the Garlic Bend. In the trees and bushes around the pond there were at least 6 Goldcrest and 4-5 Chiffchaff, along with Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits and a Dunnock. Not one finch, which is unusual, normally there are Greenfinch and Chaffinch around there. I picked up one Goldfinch on the other side of the river but that was it. Also 3 Jays moving around between the various stands of trees.
My first Goosanders of the autumn were on the river, I saw a group of 3 in flight at least 3 times, the same birds I suspect. Also a Mandarin and the 2 Grey Wagtails I normally see.
There were 3 Common Gulls in with the Black-headed Gulls idling on the Parrs Wood playing fields, then finally I picked up another couple of Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff in the trees at Cheadle Bridge
Great to meet Simon Owen down there, he'd seen a Kingfisher but they evaded me
Good to meet you too Simon, from the confines of my little hide. I must have seen the kingfisher 7-8 times today whizzing up and down, sat opposite me twice, but never on the perch I had put out for it to film. I've never seen a Goldcrest - would love to. 3x Heron, 8 views of Kingy, 8-10 Goosander, 2x Cormorant, 6x grey wagtail - one almost landed in my hide and lots of the usuals mallards, Canada geese etc.
Simon Gough said
Sat Sep 26 1:35 PM, 2015
Had a walk down to the river today to try and tune up for a trip to Spurn tomorrow, figuring views of Goldcrests buzzing about should help prepare me for a Yellow-browed Warbler or two.
It was lovely in the bright sunshine. I mainly stayed around the Garlic Bend. In the trees and bushes around the pond there were at least 6 Goldcrest and 4-5 Chiffchaff, along with Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits and a Dunnock. Not one finch, which is unusual, normally there are Greenfinch and Chaffinch around there. I picked up one Goldfinch on the other side of the river but that was it. Also 3 Jays moving around between the various stands of trees.
My first Goosanders of the autumn were on the river, I saw a group of 3 in flight at least 3 times, the same birds I suspect. Also a Mandarin and the 2 Grey Wagtails I normally see.
There were 3 Common Gulls in with the Black-headed Gulls idling on the Parrs Wood playing fields, then finally I picked up another couple of Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff in the trees at Cheadle Bridge
Great to meet Simon Owen down there, he'd seen a Kingfisher but they evaded me
Simon Owen said
Thu Sep 24 10:10 PM, 2015
2x Heron
4x Grey Wagtail
3x Goosander
1x Kingfisher - lucky to see it dive, catch and eat. Think it's a juv.
1x juv Mandarin
2x Cormorant
1x Jay
Simon Owen said
Wed Sep 23 6:56 PM, 2015
Chris Harper wrote:
Garlic Bend is just upstream of rugby pitch, going up the hill by pylon. Patch Island is the braid in river by the club, currently over run with Himalayan Balsam. 4 Goosander and a singing Chiffchaff this morning
Thanks Chris - I thought it was, but glad to know for sure.
Chris Harper said
Wed Sep 23 12:32 PM, 2015
10 Goosander this morning by Patch Island Mandarin also
Chris Harper said
Tue Sep 22 8:52 AM, 2015
Garlic Bend is just upstream of rugby pitch, going up the hill by pylon. Patch Island is the braid in river by the club, currently over run with Himalayan Balsam. 4 Goosander and a singing Chiffchaff this morning
Simon Owen said
Tue Sep 22 7:45 AM, 2015
Sorry yes - the Burnage Rugby club golf course! Had no idea it was that big. Can anyone help with where Garlic Bend and Patch island are?
Simon Gough said
Mon Sep 21 12:16 PM, 2015
You could live without your driver or any irons above a 7 though, to be fair
Nice Sparrowhawk over Craig Road yesterday afternoon as I was passing
-- Edited by Simon Gough on Monday 21st of September 2015 12:18:03 PM
Mike Crawley said
Mon Sep 21 11:16 AM, 2015
Simon Owen wrote:
Stunning view of kingfisher between pitch & put and Cheadle Bridge. Perched on old traffic cone, hovered dived and caught fish. Not bothered by my presence. Also saw a Jay, 2x herons, 5x grey wagtails
Presumably you mean the 9 hole par 3 golf course at Burnage rugby club (open to non-members as are all the other facilities)
Stunning view of kingfisher between pitch & put and Cheadle Bridge. Perched on old traffic cone, hovered dived and caught fish. Not bothered by my presence.
Also saw a Jay, 2x herons, 5x grey wagtails
Chris Harper said
Wed Sep 9 8:11 AM, 2015
2 Raven this morning on pylon by Garlic Bend. 1+ Kingfisher Also 3 Chiffchaff Female Goosander 3 Grey Heron
Chris Harper said
Tue Sep 8 10:04 PM, 2015
Female Mandarin Duck today, but have seen Drake and eclipse Drake there previously too. Cock Pheasant by kennels 3 Chiffchaff 2 Grey Wagtail 30 Sand Martin last week but none for me so far this week. 6 Grey Heron
Simon Gough said
Mon Sep 7 7:46 PM, 2015
1720-1845 Burnage Rugby Club to Vale Farm and back
A lovely evening tempted me out for a first walk by the river for a long time
Best birds: 6 Chiffchaff moving together with Long-tailed Tits through bushes and trees by Garlic Bend, also a Reed Bunting there Kingfisher at the Weir by the stables, a first for me on this side of Cheadle Bridge. Nice view of it perched and then diving into the water, but against the sun I couldn't see if it had a fish. 1 lone Sand Martin over the river back at the rugby club, but that was it for hirundines 1 Mandarin, I think a female but not exactly looking pristine and I don't know what the juveniles look like, or even if males in eclipse plumage resemble females. Any duck experts feel free to chip in here...
Neil McCall said
Sat Jul 25 4:36 PM, 2015
Walk from Cheadle Bridge to Heaton Mersey, Saturday around 13:00
2 Grey Heron 2 Moorhen 10 Grey Wagtail including 5 together at Rugby Club weir 30+ Sand Martins 1 Blackcap (female) 20+ Canada Geese 5 Swift 1 Swallow over horse paddock 1 Cormorant flying over Several Goldfinch on thistles.
Liz O Riordan said
Thu Jul 16 9:40 PM, 2015
Hi I'm new to this, so go easy if I've posted in the wrong place, to the wrong people etc Also, I'm a newbie birdwatcher (just in the garden), so I'm not 100% au fait with identifying them all!
last night 1x parakeet this morning 2x parakeet, plus wood pigeon, 2x magpie, 1x rook (or crow, I'm not sure which) this evening - 3x parakeet! All on our bird feeder.
Chris Harper said
Mon Jul 13 8:19 AM, 2015
This am: 4 Bullfinch Whitethroat 30 Sand Martin 4 Swift 5 Swallow 3 Chiffchaff 6 Grey Heron 2 grey Wagtail Pied Wagtail
Paul Rafferty said
Sun Jul 12 10:04 PM, 2015
Saw a pair of kingfishers on the river by garlic bend. First time in a few months I've seen any but they were very generous with their time! Other highlights include:
Reed Bunting pair Chiffchaff with young 3 Blackcap 2 Whitethroat Cormorant 7 Grey Heron 30 Swift 4 Swallow 4 House Martin 30+ Sand Martin 3 Grey Wagtail Pied Wagtail with young Mistle Thrush
Simon Gough said
Fri Jul 3 6:21 PM, 2015
I happened to be passing Cheadle Bridge at about 430 pm and noticed a few interesting numbers of a couple of the common birds:
11 Mistle Thrush in the playing fields on the Cheadle side of the river 6 Grey Heron all on the bank on the Cheadle side - I had no bins but some looked like juveniles. A family group perhaps. They are normally nearer Vale Farm and tucked away more
Some lovely views as ever of the hirundines and Swifts.
I also have a question. A couple of the Swifts (or 1 twice) made low passes over the water in a glide, and rippled the surface. Would that be drinking, or scooping up some kind of aquatic dinner? It's the first time I've seen them touch the water like that.
Chris Harper said
Tue Jun 30 8:17 AM, 2015
Mandarin with young 2 Whitethroat 3 Blackcap 4 Chiffchaff 6 Grey Heron Grey Wagtail 15 Sand Martin 5 Swallow Large crèche of Canada Geese 50+ flock of Lesser Black Backed and Black Headed Gulls
Chris Harper said
Mon Jun 29 3:14 PM, 2015
710-7.25 AM Pheasant Great Spotted Woodpecker Whitethroat 20 Sand Martin 3 Blackcap 4 Chiffchaff 3 Swallow 6 Grey Heron 3 Grey Wagtail
Chris Harper said
Tue Jun 23 8:31 AM, 2015
Willow Warbler 4 Chiffchaff Whitethroat Great Spotted Woodpecker 7 Grey Heron 8 Sand Martin(Many of the nests appear to have been dug out) 5 Swallow Bullfinch
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 23rd of June 2015 09:03:16 AM
Steve Smith said
Wed Jun 10 6:36 PM, 2015
Female Mandarin with 4 ducklings by patch island last night about 21:30.
Chris Harper said
Mon Jun 8 8:20 AM, 2015
Goosander with 5 young Reed Bunting Grey Wagtail 6 Chiffchaff 2 Blackcap 5 Mistle Thrush Grey Heron
Chris Harper said
Mon Jun 1 2:34 PM, 2015
7.15-7.30
Dipper 3 Whitethroat Blackcap Willow Warbler Swift 40 Sand martin 6 Swallow Bullfinch 3 Grey Heron
Chris Harper said
Mon May 18 8:19 AM, 2015
30 Lesser Black Backed Gull 3 Common Whitethroat Blackcap Willow Warbler Chiffchaff 30 Sand Martin 3 House Martin 5 Swallow Bullfinch Grey Wagtail Pied Wagtail Grey Heron
Highlights from the morning dog walk:
Buzzard in tree by sewerage works
Chiffchaffs
2 blackcaps
50+ sand martins - most active I've seen this year. Hope the mink leave them alone.
Lots of goldfinch
Chaffinch
Bullfinch
Pair of mandarin
Moorhen
2 grey heron
Nuthatch
2 grey wagtails
Tony Darby said
Thu Apr 16 12:28 PM, 2015
2 Dippers at Cheadle Bridge. One flew off downstream and the remaining one aggressively chased off a Grey Wagtail.
Steve Greenhough said
Mon Apr 13 4:00 PM, 2015
I saw this duck this morning at 11.50 in the same spot. I didn't know what it was but I got clear photographs. That a lifer for me!
Small flock of swallows on the river and the Horse field and a Chifchaff showing well near the motorway bridge otherwise fairly quiet.
Simon Warford said
Mon Apr 13 1:26 PM, 2015
female Common Scoter on the River Mersey at 1.20pm, just upstream of the weir, at the bottom of Vale Road.
Simon Gough said
Fri Apr 10 8:28 PM, 2015
A walk down the river between about 1800 and 1900, a bit quiet, no Sand Martins, but 2 new birds on the river for me; male Reed Bunting and a pair of Mandarin
Didn't see the wood duck, which was my main reason for going, but there was a kingfisher doing fly bys, 2 x grey wagtail, 3 x female goosanders and 2 x cormorant going up and down.
Chris - did you see the wood duck a bit further downstream than where the electricity cables cross the river?
2 Kingfisher
2 Goosander
Teal
10 Redwing am
Grey Wagtail
-- Edited by chrisneild on Monday 19th of October 2015 03:44:04 PM
2x views of Kingfisher near the weir
Male and Female Teal at Garlic Bend
Wood Duck at Garlic bend
Buzzard
4x Goosander
5x Grey Wagtail
c100 Pink footed geese flew over
Wren
Great Tit
Cormorant flying over
Good to meet you today James.
Is it likely we will ever determine if it is an escapee or not?
Drake Wood Duck still present at 2:30pm on River Mersey 300 yards west of Vale Road Weir
Pair of Teal
1 Goosander
1 Goldcrest
Mersey Vale Nature Reserve area
Wednesday 14th October
drake Wood Duck (unringed & fully-winged) on River Mersey 300 yards west of Vale Road Weir
1 juvenile Goosander
1 Kingfisher
c50 Redwing
5 Grey Wagtail
Tuesday 13th October
drake Wood Duck
2 Teal
7.20 am GREAT WHITE EGRET flying East quite low across sewage works up river towards Stockport.
Also Kingfisher
Drake wood duck near garlic bend at 2.00pm, around area where two trees have branches in water, it went behind the pine branches a couple of times. Pity can't count it.
Also
4 Goosander
2 or 3 Grey wagtails
Gt spotted woodpecker
Black headed gull and Common gull on Parrs Wood fields.
Kingfisher between Patch Island and Garlic Bend
6 Goosander
3 Grey Wagtail
12 Mistle Thrush
10 Pied Wagtail heading to sewage works
3 Grey Heron
Mandarin
6 Goosander
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
5 Grey heron
Chiffchaff
Good to meet you too Simon, from the confines of my little hide. I must have seen the kingfisher 7-8 times today whizzing up and down, sat opposite me twice, but never on the perch I had put out for it to film. I've never seen a Goldcrest - would love to.
3x Heron, 8 views of Kingy, 8-10 Goosander, 2x Cormorant, 6x grey wagtail - one almost landed in my hide and lots of the usuals mallards, Canada geese etc.
It was lovely in the bright sunshine. I mainly stayed around the Garlic Bend. In the trees and bushes around the pond there were at least 6 Goldcrest and 4-5 Chiffchaff, along with Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits and a Dunnock. Not one finch, which is unusual, normally there are Greenfinch and Chaffinch around there. I picked up one Goldfinch on the other side of the river but that was it. Also 3 Jays moving around between the various stands of trees.
My first Goosanders of the autumn were on the river, I saw a group of 3 in flight at least 3 times, the same birds I suspect. Also a Mandarin and the 2 Grey Wagtails I normally see.
There were 3 Common Gulls in with the Black-headed Gulls idling on the Parrs Wood playing fields, then finally I picked up another couple of Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff in the trees at Cheadle Bridge
Great to meet Simon Owen down there, he'd seen a Kingfisher but they evaded me
Thanks Chris - I thought it was, but glad to know for sure.
Mandarin also
Patch Island is the braid in river by the club, currently over run with Himalayan Balsam.
4 Goosander and a singing Chiffchaff this morning
Nice Sparrowhawk over Craig Road yesterday afternoon as I was passing
-- Edited by Simon Gough on Monday 21st of September 2015 12:18:03 PM
Presumably you mean the 9 hole par 3 golf course at Burnage rugby club (open to non-members as are all the other facilities)
4 Goosander
Kingfisher
3 Mandarin (1 Drake)
6 Grey Heron
Chiffchaff
1+ Kingfisher
Also 3 Chiffchaff
Female Goosander
3 Grey Heron
Cock Pheasant by kennels
3 Chiffchaff
2 Grey Wagtail
30 Sand Martin last week but none for me so far this week.
6 Grey Heron
A lovely evening tempted me out for a first walk by the river for a long time
Best birds:
6 Chiffchaff moving together with Long-tailed Tits through bushes and trees by Garlic Bend, also a Reed Bunting there
Kingfisher at the Weir by the stables, a first for me on this side of Cheadle Bridge. Nice view of it perched and then diving into the water, but against the sun I couldn't see if it had a fish.
1 lone Sand Martin over the river back at the rugby club, but that was it for hirundines
1 Mandarin, I think a female but not exactly looking pristine and I don't know what the juveniles look like, or even if males in eclipse plumage resemble females. Any duck experts feel free to chip in here...
2 Grey Heron
2 Moorhen
10 Grey Wagtail including 5 together at Rugby Club weir
30+ Sand Martins
1 Blackcap (female)
20+ Canada Geese
5 Swift
1 Swallow over horse paddock
1 Cormorant flying over
Several Goldfinch on thistles.
last night 1x parakeet
this morning 2x parakeet, plus wood pigeon, 2x magpie, 1x rook (or crow, I'm not sure which)
this evening - 3x parakeet! All on our bird feeder.
4 Bullfinch
Whitethroat
30 Sand Martin
4 Swift
5 Swallow
3 Chiffchaff
6 Grey Heron
2 grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Swifts
Sand martins
Swallows
4 grey heron
Cormorant
2 moorhens
Grey wagtail
Pied wagtail
Greenfinch
Song thrush
Reed Bunting pair
Chiffchaff with young
3 Blackcap
2 Whitethroat
Cormorant
7 Grey Heron
30 Swift
4 Swallow
4 House Martin
30+ Sand Martin
3 Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail with young
Mistle Thrush
11 Mistle Thrush in the playing fields on the Cheadle side of the river
6 Grey Heron all on the bank on the Cheadle side - I had no bins but some looked like juveniles. A family group perhaps. They are normally nearer Vale Farm and tucked away more
Some lovely views as ever of the hirundines and Swifts.
I also have a question. A couple of the Swifts (or 1 twice) made low passes over the water in a glide, and rippled the surface. Would that be drinking, or scooping up some kind of aquatic dinner? It's the first time I've seen them touch the water like that.
2 Whitethroat
3 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
6 Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail
15 Sand Martin
5 Swallow
Large crèche of Canada Geese
50+ flock of Lesser Black Backed and Black Headed Gulls
Pheasant
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Whitethroat
20 Sand Martin
3 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
3 Swallow
6 Grey Heron
3 Grey Wagtail
4 Chiffchaff
Whitethroat
Great Spotted Woodpecker
7 Grey Heron
8 Sand Martin(Many of the nests appear to have been dug out)
5 Swallow
Bullfinch
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 23rd of June 2015 09:03:16 AM
Reed Bunting
Grey Wagtail
6 Chiffchaff
2 Blackcap
5 Mistle Thrush
Grey Heron
Dipper
3 Whitethroat
Blackcap
Willow Warbler
Swift
40 Sand martin
6 Swallow
Bullfinch
3 Grey Heron
3 Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
30 Sand Martin
3 House Martin
5 Swallow
Bullfinch
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Grey Heron
Dipper seen last Wednesday
2 Whitethroat
2 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
40+ Sand Martin
3 Swallow
Dipper
Goosander pair
Grey Wagtail
2 Grey Heron
Kingfisher
Dipper pair
30 Sand Martin
Swallow
Grey Wagtail
3 Mandarin
2 Grey Heron
2 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
3 Blackcap
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Kingfisher
Dipper
2+ Common Whitethroat
3 Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
3 Blackcap
2 Bullfinch
40 Sand Martin
2 Swallow
3 Goosander
2 Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Willow Warbler
Dipper pair
4 Grey Wagtail
Drake Mandarin
2 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
Sparrowhawk
Goosander
3 Swallow
Nuthatch
4 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
Dipper
30+ Sand Martin
Swallow
Goosander
6 Grey Wagtail
Grey Heron
Cormorant
2 Bullfinch
off a Grey Wagtail.
Small flock of swallows on the river and the Horse field and a Chifchaff showing well near the motorway bridge otherwise fairly quiet.