Amazingly a wood warbler was singing from a sycamore south of the river in the golf course, south of Mersey bank playing fields earlier.
Also several house martins (finally) feeding with several swift, sand martins and a couple of swallows over the river.
James Richardson said
Mon Feb 14 8:43 AM, 2022
One drake Mandarin on the river south of Merseybank playing fields (on Friday 11th)
James Richardson said
Tue Jan 11 3:04 PM, 2022
One dipper and a pair of little grebes on the Mersey at West Didsbury this morning, to the east of Merseybank playing fields.
James Richardson said
Fri Nov 19 12:42 PM, 2021
One little grebe and one kingfisher foraging on the Mersey to the east of Merseybank playing fields this morning, along with the regular moorhens and mallards.
A few redwings around, and the regular flock of black headed/common gulls was flushed by a sparrowhawk over the fields.
if this is the wrong thread for this location please advise!
Copland Smith said
Thu Nov 3 4:52 PM, 2016
4:08 at Burton Road metro station flock of 25 Ringnecked Parakeets over and another one calling somewhere behind me.
Tim Wilcox said
Sun Oct 16 10:07 PM, 2016
Loonts Lake WeBS count today was good with 22 Tufted Duck and 2 Mute Swans present. There were no queues either.....
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 16th of October 2016 10:07:50 PM
Tim Wilcox said
Mon Dec 17 4:12 PM, 2012
Yesterday's WeBS at Loonts Lake held out a morsel of promise!
Back on the River a female Kestrel flew from wires near Simon's Bridge and landed right in front of a Poodle which sniffed at it and the Kestrel flew back to its wire. Weird!
Chris Harper said
Sat Jul 7 4:13 AM, 2012
Blackcap busy feeding young this morning on Elizabeth Slinger Rd.
Phil Owen said
Thu May 24 12:47 AM, 2012
John Rayner wrote:
One and the same sighting Jamie,
RBA reported 'late news' at 17.34 yesterday of an Osprey on the morning of the 21st. They probably picked up the record from this website.
Cheers, John
Apologies for the confusion, I obviously didn't read the report on RBA carefully enough!
John Rayner said
Wed May 23 9:07 PM, 2012
One and the same sighting Jamie,
RBA reported 'late news' at 17.34 yesterday of an Osprey on the morning of the 21st. They probably picked up the record from this website.
Cheers, John
JamieDunning said
Wed May 23 12:05 PM, 2012
Saw the Osprey on the morning of the 21st over Didsbury driving school (see other Disbury thread) Though assumed it was just passing over, interesting to hear of another sighting.
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Wednesday 23rd of May 2012 12:09:11 PM
Phil Owen said
Wed May 23 3:46 AM, 2012
Osprey reported flying over Didsbury this morning according to RBA.
Ollie Wright said
Sun May 13 4:34 AM, 2012
26 species recorded tonight (6:45 - 8:45) on walk Ford Lane / Mersey / Simon's Bridge / scrubland in front of Stenner Woods as far as the Didsbury Flood Basin sign.
Most exciting find was 1 Garden Warbler
At least half-a-dozen Common Whitethroat, with four seen in exuberant songflight Blackcap male carrying nest material Skies full of Swifts, also a House Martin 1 Reed Bunting m
Ollie Wright said
Sat May 5 10:41 AM, 2012
Post from yesterday evening (Northenden / Ford Lane / Simon's Bridge / Millgate Fields)
25 species definitely seen or heard. Only real surprise was two Stock Doves on playing fields just past Simon's Bridge.
Saw Grey Herons everywhere, including two separate occasions of a Heron being mobbed by a single Carrion Crow. Interesting to watch a Heron standing by the riverbank, extending its neck out to watch the crow as it wheeled overhead, then emitting an alarm call as the attacker divebombed.
-- Edited by Ollie Wright on Saturday 5th of May 2012 07:18:07 PM
Ollie Wright said
Mon Apr 30 4:35 AM, 2012
From Northenden down Ford Lane via Simon's Bridge to the edge of Millgate Fields (after the flood, 4 - 6:30pm)
26 species recorded. Nothing outrageous, but interesting to see a Redwing and a Swallow on the same day!
The Redwing has been in the same spot the last three times I've visited - feeding with Blackbirds and Song Thrush in a field used by golfers to practise. The same field held three Grey Heron today, hunched under a bush.
One Swallow hawking over the River Mersey at Simon's Bridge.
Two Nuthatches near Simon's Bridge Seven Goosander overhead, in two groups
Ollie Wright said
Mon Apr 23 8:24 PM, 2012
Another enjoyable stroll from Northenden to Simon's Bridge and back. Total of 19 species definitely seen or heard.
The highlight was the surprise of a Redwing on field between Mersey and Didsbury Golf Club.
-- Edited by Ollie Wright on Tuesday 24th of April 2012 07:56:58 AM
Ollie Wright said
Mon Apr 23 5:19 PM, 2012
7:15 - 8pm last night
Short and very pleasant stroll up the Mersey from Northenden to Didsbury Golf Club
1 pair of Blackcaps 1 Song Thrush 1 Grey Heron overhead 1 Dunnock Lots of Blue Tits all around (to within a couple of feet), Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Great Tits, Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows, etc...
Chris Harper said
Wed Mar 14 3:37 PM, 2012
Goldcrest pair present most mornings for last couple of weeks at junction of Palatine and Barlow Moor Road, West Didsbury
Tim Wilcox said
Sun Mar 11 4:36 PM, 2012
Last WeBS of the season at Loonts Lake 9.00am. Another very poor winter was enlivened slightly by:
With thanks to Didsbury GC for letting me use their car park as the N side of the river is still flooded after the gates were opened last week.
The usual poor lack of birds alleviated by:
Goldeneye 8
BUT totally unexpectedly Lapwing 2 on the edge of a fairway within yards of the lake
Lapwing 2
Sometimes the pleasures of birding are finding things even if just be a common species where you didn't expect it. These were my first Lapwings in the Mersey Valley after years of birding here. They flew off over the lake not to be seen again.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 13th of February 2011 09:51:00 PM
Henry Cook said
Thu Dec 23 4:37 PM, 2010
23/12/2010 - An opportunistic 30 mins around the gardens and Stenner Woods then back along the Mersey produced:
Mallard 3 Goldeneye 21 (inc 10 adult m 1 + 1st winter male - v. good count - probably shared w Chorlton WP birds - displaying mm) Tuftie 1 Coot 6 Heron 1 Cormorant 1 Moorhen 1 BH Gulls 9
improvement on yesterday but where are the usual Tufties?
Tim Wilcox said
Sat Jan 12 5:45 PM, 2008
Didsbury area of: Fletcher Moss Gardens, Stenner Woods, Millgate Fields, Mersey between Kingsway and Simon's Bridge and Loonts Lake. NB the latter is a private site. This area mostly hosts common species but odd rarities have been found.
Stenner Woods:
Treecreeper 1
Siskin 19 - a good count in short supply last winter
GS Woodpecker 1
common species
Mersey at Simon's Bridge:
Meadow Pipit 2
Goldeneye f
Loonts Lake:
Doing WeBS early in case weather forecast turns out to be as bad as predicted - it's a 45 minute walk each way to get there from Simon's Bridge so plenty of opportunity to get soaked.
very disappointing as it was all last winter:
Goldeneye 8 4m
Coot 6
L Grebe 2
Mallard 3
no Tufties at all for the first time ever on my visits
Canadas 15 on GC with odd feral hybrid which has been present all winter - was subject of article in South Manchester Reporter
Millgate Fields:
Heron
Crows 90 assembling for Stenner Woods roost late pm
1 Snipe flushed
A few redwings around, and the regular flock of black headed/common gulls was flushed by a sparrowhawk over the fields.
if this is the wrong thread for this location please advise!
flock of 25 Ringnecked Parakeets over and another one calling somewhere behind me.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 16th of October 2016 10:07:50 PM
Goosander 2 adult males, 1 female
Goldeneye 3 males
Tufted Duck 3
Mallard 2
Back on the River a female Kestrel flew from wires near Simon's Bridge and landed right in front of a Poodle which sniffed at it and the Kestrel flew back to its wire. Weird!
Apologies for the confusion, I obviously didn't read the report on RBA carefully enough!
RBA reported 'late news' at 17.34 yesterday of an Osprey on the morning of the 21st. They probably picked up the record from this website.
Cheers, John
Though assumed it was just passing over, interesting to hear of another sighting.
-- Edited by JamieDunning on Wednesday 23rd of May 2012 12:09:11 PM
Most exciting find was 1 Garden Warbler
At least half-a-dozen Common Whitethroat, with four seen in exuberant songflight
Blackcap male carrying nest material
Skies full of Swifts, also a House Martin
1 Reed Bunting m
25 species definitely seen or heard. Only real surprise was two Stock Doves on playing fields just past Simon's Bridge.
Saw Grey Herons everywhere, including two separate occasions of a Heron being mobbed by a single Carrion Crow. Interesting to watch a Heron standing by the riverbank, extending its neck out to watch the crow as it wheeled overhead, then emitting an alarm call as the attacker divebombed.
-- Edited by Ollie Wright on Saturday 5th of May 2012 07:18:07 PM
26 species recorded. Nothing outrageous, but interesting to see a Redwing and a Swallow on the same day!
The Redwing has been in the same spot the last three times I've visited - feeding with Blackbirds and Song Thrush in a field used by golfers to practise. The same field held three Grey Heron today, hunched under a bush.
One Swallow hawking over the River Mersey at Simon's Bridge.
Two Nuthatches near Simon's Bridge
Seven Goosander overhead, in two groups
The highlight was the surprise of a Redwing on field between Mersey and Didsbury Golf Club.
-- Edited by Ollie Wright on Tuesday 24th of April 2012 07:56:58 AM
Short and very pleasant stroll up the Mersey from Northenden to Didsbury Golf Club
1 pair of Blackcaps
1 Song Thrush
1 Grey Heron overhead
1 Dunnock
Lots of Blue Tits all around (to within a couple of feet), Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Great Tits, Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows, etc...
Mute Swans pair
Great Crested Grebe pair
Tufted Duck 6
Mallard 3
Gadwall 2 (first I've seen there)
Moorhen 1
Coot 5
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 11th of March 2012 04:38:38 PM
Loonts Lake
Tufties 14
Mallard 3
GC Grebe 1
Coot 1
Moorhen 1
This passes for excitement at this time of year!
With thanks to Didsbury GC for letting me use their car park as the N side of the river is still flooded after the gates were opened last week.
The usual poor lack of birds alleviated by:
Goldeneye 8
BUT totally unexpectedly Lapwing 2 on the edge of a fairway within yards of the lake
Lapwing 2
Sometimes the pleasures of birding are finding things even if just be a common species where you didn't expect it. These were my first Lapwings in the Mersey Valley after years of birding here. They flew off over the lake not to be seen again.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 13th of February 2011 09:51:00 PM
3 Goldeneyes (1m, 2f)
2 Goosanders (2f)
1 Teal (m)
1 Mandarin (f)
1 Nuthatch
30+ Long-tailed Tits
4 Coal Tits
2 Siskins
2 Lesser Redpolls
Loonts Lake WeBS:
Mallard 3
Goldeneye 21 (inc 10 adult m 1 + 1st winter male - v. good count - probably shared w Chorlton WP birds - displaying mm)
Tuftie 1
Coot 6
Heron 1
Cormorant 1
Moorhen 1
BH Gulls 9
improvement on yesterday but where are the usual Tufties?