Walk along the Rochdale Canal this morning - Slattocks roundabout to Higher Boarshaw. Usually plenty of birds here - as there was today! c25 House Sparrow, 11 Rook, 60+ Mallard, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Mistle Thrush, 7 Moorhen, 2 Teal, An absolute minimum of 25 Snipe - didn't quite realise how good a count this was for this area until I later looked through some old county reports! Looked for Jack Snipe - no luck but they must visit here surely? Flocks of c18 and later c50 Redwing - first Redwings I have seen for weeks! A mixed flock of c80 birds - mostly Starlings but a few Fieldfares in with them. There were 36 Goosanders (18 males) on Ogden Reservoir @ Piethorne on 6th - the second highest count I have ever had of this species in the valley. Cheers, Bill.