A quick walk at lunchtime produced the following species: Mallard Feral Pigeon Wood Pigeon Moorhen Herring Gull Sparrowhawk Ring-necked Parakeet Magpie Carrion Crow Blue Tit Great Tit Long-tailed Tit Starling Blackbird Robin House Sparrow Grey Wagtail Goldfinch Bullfinch (heard only)
I think there were 2 Sparrowhawks, an adult male flew across the pond showing a beautiful burnt orange on its underside, then Magpies chased a bird away from the wood up the hill and this one looked bigger...but it was a silhouette and I couldn't get any view of colours
-- Edited by Simon Gough on Friday 10th of December 2021 02:25:43 PM
Simon Gough said
Mon Apr 19 10:37 AM, 2021
Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler singing around the pond this morning. Coot and Moorhen with chicks. I had Willow Warbler singing here on the 18th April last year but it didn't hang around, will be interesting to see what happens this year...
Simon Gough said
Sat Apr 10 10:30 AM, 2021
3 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap singing this morning between 7-8, before a hailstorm and now a Greenfinch is singing outside my living room window while the sleet is falling
Simon Gough said
Mon Mar 15 4:56 PM, 2021
2 Ravens low over the woods at about 4.15 this afternoon, nice little Patch Tick, lovely job.
Tony Koziol said
Sat Jan 30 10:46 AM, 2021
Blustery conditions but fairly sheltered around the Common between 08.30 and 09.15 and the birds did not disappoint us.
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-Tailed Tit
House Sparrow
Blackbird
Magpie
Jackdaw
Crow
Moorhen
Coot
Mallard
Wood Pigeon
Grey Wagtail
Goldfinch
Ring Necked Parakeet
Treecreeper
Nuthatch
Wren
Robin
Dunnock
Black-Headed Gull
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Treecreeper gave us GM bird number 57 for the year.
Simon Gough said
Mon Sep 21 5:32 PM, 2020
A cracking patch tick today in the form of a Little Grebe, which was in the company of Moorhens and a couple of immature Grey Wagtails. I also finally saw a Treecreeper a few weeks ago, this species having eluded me for a mere 7 years. I can now officially declare the wood here a wood, because of my rule that you can only call a collection of trees a wood when you have seen Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper in it.
Simon Gough said
Tue Jun 9 6:49 PM, 2020
A nice little collection of sightings this evening, no Spoonbills but never mind...
3 juvenile Blackcap confirmed a nest site had been productive, similarly a juvenile Chiffchaff attempting to sing with stilted little calls. A juvenile Grey Wagtail was probably from down on the river, but most bizarre were 2 juvenile Coal Tits, never normally present at this site and no idea where they came from! Best guess would be up near Priestnall School but genuinely no idea.
Simon Gough said
Tue Apr 7 8:26 AM, 2020
22 species around the pond area this morning between 07.00-08.00
a singing Blackcap was new this morning, with a female nearby. 4 Chiffchaff singing, they seem to have some demarcated territories now.
Simon Gough said
Fri Mar 27 5:49 PM, 2020
Nearly exactly a year since my last post for this site - somewhat different circumstances...
I am walking around here as my daily exercise at around 7 each morning. I have been averaging around 20 species, very much typical park and garden birds but best has been Coots on a nest on the pond, lovely views of drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 or 3 Chiffchaffs singing. Hoping for a Blackcap to turn up soon and continuing my search for the Treecreeper that must surely be in there somewhere...
-- Edited by Simon Gough on Friday 27th of March 2020 05:50:14 PM
Simon Gough said
Sun Mar 24 1:53 PM, 2019
A quick look around the Nature Reserve pond today for any Chiffchaffs that might be in, nothing doing but an unexpected pleasure was a Kingfisher which defied the murky water to catch a couple of fish. In the sunshine it was really stunning
Simon Gough said
Sun Dec 31 3:10 PM, 2017
A final walk round for the year between about 1 and 2 pm, and another count of 25 species. No woodpeckers today, but Buzzard and Sparrowhawk both over, also some nice views of Robins fighting each other for possession of some brambles.
Happy New Year to everyone on the forum
Simon Gough said
Sat Dec 23 5:10 PM, 2017
14.00-15.30 Saturday 23rd December
25 species around the pond and in the wood, nothing flash but I got some nice views of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Redwings, also the first Greenfinch there for a while
Simon Gough said
Mon Aug 14 12:50 PM, 2017
Late post for yesterday 13/08/17, an eclipse male Mandarin was on the NR pond with the usual Mallards.
Alex Lees said
Fri Feb 10 7:48 PM, 2017
2 Ravens over here this morning, my first within the ring road
I was too lazy to head out anywhere very far today, so I went for an enjoyable mooch around the small NR this afternoon. 28 species, which I was happy with as it is generally pretty quiet there. I also heard some Pink-footed Geese flying over and a Siskin which I couldn't locate. 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker were showing well, one in fact was seen at around 10m range feeding on the base of a tree by the water's edge. It got flushed by a Moorhen at one point; not seen that before! My best views of this species for a long time.
The major highlight was also seen around the pool edges. As I looked across the water a low-flying blue bird could only be one thing. I lost it and then a minute later a Woodpecker flew up, and I told myself I'd imagined the other one. Walking around the pool, a Kingfisher suddenly flushed out from in front of me. I hadn't imagined it! I managed to pick it up in a bush and then enjoyed a sublime 20 mins or so watching it dive for food no more than 25m away. Bliss. And only a five minute walk home!
Chris Harper said
Sun Jan 17 7:13 AM, 2016
10 Siskin yesterday 11.15.
Also Nuthatch, no sign of the Wood Duck
John Rayner said
Wed Jan 13 3:30 PM, 2016
Wood Duck drake (on pool with Mallards and a single Coot) Ring-necked Parakeets 2 Siskins 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Nuthatch 1
Cheers John
Paul Dewey said
Fri Dec 4 2:59 PM, 2015
Pair of Ring-necked parakeets
Nuthatch
Usual tit species
House Sparrow
6 Bullfinch, 2m, 4f. Think this is my highest ever count here.
John Rayner said
Thu Nov 5 5:05 PM, 2015
John Rayner wrote:
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets appeared to be prospecting a nest hole.
Cheers John
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets exiting same enlarged woodpecker hole as on 18 Feb 2014.
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers back at the old nest. Other notables included:
Several chiffchaff 2 blackcaps lots of great tits song thrush
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 21st of April 2015 12:57:12 PM
Paul Rafferty said
Fri May 16 7:21 AM, 2014
More great views of the woodpecker last night. Watched it coming and going for ages. At least 3 parakeets next door, at one point appeared to attack the woodies' nest. The parakeets all fled when a sparrowhawk entered the scene. A pair of sparrowhawks was then circling high for a considerable time, presumably looking for a meal. Great scenes for a dog walk!
Paul Rafferty said
Thu May 15 6:52 AM, 2014
Watched the woodpecker feeding their young this morning. No sign of parakeets. Other highlights were a jay, greenfinch, song thrush filling the air and Mistle thrush.
Paul Rafferty said
Wed May 14 7:06 AM, 2014
Finally saw a lone parakeet on the Common this morning. First one I've seen here. No sign of the woodpeckers though. Other than that lots of sparrows, great tits and goldfinch. I also think woodpigeons are taking over the world.
Jon Beckett said
Tue May 13 10:13 AM, 2014
Vicious fights between the male woodpecker and parakeet this morning again. 4 parakeets close to the woodpecker nest, sounds like they have young in the nest. One trying to stop the woody taking food in.
Paul Rafferty said
Fri May 2 7:09 AM, 2014
A lovely jay showing very well this morning. Didn't seem remotely bothered by my presence, or the dogs.
Mark Battersby said
Thu Mar 13 12:35 PM, 2014
Apparently, they have been on HM golf course for a few years.
Paul Rafferty said
Thu Mar 13 7:01 AM, 2014
Not quite the common but saw 2 tawny owls in Thornfield Park this morning about 5 o'clock. Couldn't believe my luck. Was very foggy and dark but managed to catch a few glimpses as they moved from tree to tree before heading off down Curtis Rd where I could still hear them for a time.
John Rayner said
Tue Feb 18 11:11 AM, 2014
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets appeared to be prospecting a nest hole.
Cheers John
Simon Gough said
Sun Jan 19 3:54 PM, 2014
Saturday 18th 10-11.30am
Same species as Paul below minus Nuthatch and Bullfinch, plus Grey Heron and Goldcrest. The highlight for me being a lovely pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker fussing about, but the other difference was 3 Ring-necked Parakeets.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 19th of January 2014 04:03:08 PM
Paul Dewey said
Thu Jan 9 4:18 PM, 2014
Walk through common for a change on way to nature park
Redwing (20 - 30 poss more, flying through trees so count hard)
Bullfinch (2m, 1f)
Gt Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
House Sparrow
Magpie
Jay
Carrion crow
Mallard
Moorhen
Blue, Great and Long-Tailed Tit
Also heard a Ring Necked Parakeet. It called twice, I searched in the direction of the sound and it called a 3rd time from close by. I didnt see it and it didn't call again in the 15 mins i waited around.
Scott Reid said
Fri Apr 8 11:34 AM, 2011
1 Brambling in my Nan's back garden (backing on to the common) at 11:15. Stayed for 5 minutes before flying off over the fence on to the common.
It's the first one I've had in Heaton Mersey since 2003 in the exact same spot!
Also 1 greenfinch with the Brambling and a Sparrowhawk killing and flying off with a wood pigeon earlier this morning.
Andy Graham said
Tue Apr 5 11:41 PM, 2011
05/04/11 - 1000hrs - 1030hrs
Wooded area near to Priestnal Astro pitch:
2 GSW (Male very vocal chasing female through sycamore trees
1 Mistle Thrush.
Pond:
6 Mallard (5m/1f)
3 Canada Geese
1 Heron
2 Moorhen
1 Chiffchaff (right next to steps leading up to woods in the Elderberry trees)
Feeders at rear of flats on Mersey Road:
loads of smalls, but highlight was Chiffchaff in surrounding trees.
Andy.
Scott Reid said
Sat Jan 29 12:01 AM, 2011
John Rayner wrote:
Have you ever seen the Fog Lane Park Ring-necked Parakeets flying around here? It's only a stone's throw from Heaton Mersey Common.
It's funny you should mention that John. I have never seen them there but I was chatting to a friend today who was telling me he saw a pair of them flying down heaton moor road, literally a few hundred meters from the common, several months ago. So I am sure they will visit the area. I will keep my eyes peeled.
John Rayner said
Fri Jan 28 10:57 PM, 2011
Hi Scott,
Have you ever seen the Fog Lane Park Ring-necked Parakeets flying around here? It's only a stone's throw from Heaton Mersey Common.
Cheers, John
Scott Reid said
Fri Jan 28 10:00 PM, 2011
Henry Cook wrote:
Sounds like a good spot Scott. Can you say where this site is exactly please and where's good access and perhaps a spot to park? Might get a chance to pop along soon. Cheers. Henry.
Hi Henry. It's in Stockport, you can gain access to it from a few different directions, probably the best and easiest to park is via the bluestone drive estate. From the A34, coming from Manchester, turn left down lane end road half a mile or so before parrs wood. Go through the lights and take the first right after tesco on to Alwinton avenue. At the end of Alwinton you will see a small pond on your right and a path way between the houses leading in to the Common ahead of you.
It is a lovely little spot and even though it is a fairly small area, you can really explore it and find some lovely birds. Plus with Mersey Vale NR and Reddish Vale NR only a stones throw away, you can have a good days birding!
Henry Cook said
Fri Jan 28 8:36 PM, 2011
Sounds like a good spot Scott. Can you say where this site is exactly please and where's good access and perhaps a spot to park? Might get a chance to pop along soon. Cheers. Henry.
Scott Reid said
Fri Jan 28 7:22 PM, 2011
Heaton Mersey Common and the surrounding areas have been my local birding patch since I was 10 years old. I neglected it for a while but now I am visiting the area several times a week and as it seems to be throwing up some nice sightings (as it has done over the years), I thought it was about time it had it's own thread.
Over the last few years the Common has had regular brambling in winter (however none seen so far this year), a lone kingfisher spent the summer at the larger of the two ponds a few years back and lesser redpoll, spotted flycatcher, reed bunting, whitethroat, pheasant, green woodpecker, buzzard and yellow wagtail have all made appearances!
Regular goodies include sparrowhawk, GW woodpecker, goldcrest, nuthatch, blackcap, bullfinch, siskin, jay and chiffchaff in spring.
So, for today...
3 nuthatch 1 GS woodpecker 25 goldfinch 8 chaffinch 6 siskin 2 bullfinch (male) 2 greenfinch 1 treecreeper 14 redwing 2 song thrush 1 grey heron 14 LT tits Plus all the regular tits, sparrows, ducks and corvids in good numbers!
I hope you all enjoy this thread and post your sightings if you visit!
-- Edited by Scott Reid on Friday 28th of January 2011 07:25:44 PM
-- Edited by Scott Reid on Friday 28th of January 2011 07:35:41 PM
Mallard
Feral Pigeon
Wood Pigeon
Moorhen
Herring Gull
Sparrowhawk
Ring-necked Parakeet
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Starling
Blackbird
Robin
House Sparrow
Grey Wagtail
Goldfinch
Bullfinch (heard only)
I think there were 2 Sparrowhawks, an adult male flew across the pond showing a beautiful burnt orange on its underside, then Magpies chased a bird away from the wood up the hill and this one looked bigger...but it was a silhouette and I couldn't get any view of colours
-- Edited by Simon Gough on Friday 10th of December 2021 02:25:43 PM
Blustery conditions but fairly sheltered around the Common between 08.30 and 09.15 and the birds did not disappoint us.
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-Tailed Tit
House Sparrow
Blackbird
Magpie
Jackdaw
Crow
Moorhen
Coot
Mallard
Wood Pigeon
Grey Wagtail
Goldfinch
Ring Necked Parakeet
Treecreeper
Nuthatch
Wren
Robin
Dunnock
Black-Headed Gull
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Treecreeper gave us GM bird number 57 for the year.
3 juvenile Blackcap confirmed a nest site had been productive, similarly a juvenile Chiffchaff attempting to sing with stilted little calls. A juvenile Grey Wagtail was probably from down on the river, but most bizarre were 2 juvenile Coal Tits, never normally present at this site and no idea where they came from! Best guess would be up near Priestnall School but genuinely no idea.
a singing Blackcap was new this morning, with a female nearby. 4 Chiffchaff singing, they seem to have some demarcated territories now.
I am walking around here as my daily exercise at around 7 each morning. I have been averaging around 20 species, very much typical park and garden birds but best has been Coots on a nest on the pond, lovely views of drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 or 3 Chiffchaffs singing. Hoping for a Blackcap to turn up soon and continuing my search for the Treecreeper that must surely be in there somewhere...
-- Edited by Simon Gough on Friday 27th of March 2020 05:50:14 PM
Happy New Year to everyone on the forum
25 species around the pond and in the wood, nothing flash but I got some nice views of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Redwings, also the first Greenfinch there for a while
2 Ravens over here this morning, my first within the ring road
https://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S34277759
I was too lazy to head out anywhere very far today, so I went for an enjoyable mooch around the small NR this afternoon. 28 species, which I was happy with as it is generally pretty quiet there. I also heard some Pink-footed Geese flying over and a Siskin which I couldn't locate. 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker were showing well, one in fact was seen at around 10m range feeding on the base of a tree by the water's edge. It got flushed by a Moorhen at one point; not seen that before! My best views of this species for a long time.
The major highlight was also seen around the pool edges. As I looked across the water a low-flying blue bird could only be one thing. I lost it and then a minute later a Woodpecker flew up, and I told myself I'd imagined the other one. Walking around the pool, a Kingfisher suddenly flushed out from in front of me. I hadn't imagined it! I managed to pick it up in a bush and then enjoyed a sublime 20 mins or so watching it dive for food no more than 25m away. Bliss. And only a five minute walk home!
10 Siskin yesterday 11.15.
Also Nuthatch, no sign of the Wood Duck
Ring-necked Parakeets 2
Siskins 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Nuthatch 1
Cheers John
Pair of Ring-necked parakeets
Nuthatch
Usual tit species
House Sparrow
6 Bullfinch, 2m, 4f. Think this is my highest ever count here.
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets exiting same enlarged woodpecker hole as on 18 Feb 2014.
Also:
Nuthatch 2
Fieldfare 41 over
Goldfinch c40
Greenfinch c20
Long-tailed Tits 8
Cheers, John
Other notables included:
Several chiffchaff
2 blackcaps
lots of great tits
song thrush
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 21st of April 2015 12:57:12 PM
Cheers John
Same species as Paul below minus Nuthatch and Bullfinch, plus Grey Heron and Goldcrest. The highlight for me being a lovely pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker fussing about, but the other difference was 3 Ring-necked Parakeets.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 19th of January 2014 04:03:08 PM
Walk through common for a change on way to nature park
Redwing (20 - 30 poss more, flying through trees so count hard)
Bullfinch (2m, 1f)
Gt Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
House Sparrow
Magpie
Jay
Carrion crow
Mallard
Moorhen
Blue, Great and Long-Tailed Tit
Also heard a Ring Necked Parakeet. It called twice, I searched in the direction of the sound and it called a 3rd time from close by. I didnt see it and it didn't call again in the 15 mins i waited around.
It's the first one I've had in Heaton Mersey since 2003 in the exact same spot!
Also 1 greenfinch with the Brambling and a Sparrowhawk killing and flying off with a wood pigeon earlier this morning.
It's funny you should mention that John. I have never seen them there but I was chatting to a friend today who was telling me he saw a pair of them flying down heaton moor road, literally a few hundred meters from the common, several months ago. So I am sure they will visit the area. I will keep my eyes peeled.
Have you ever seen the Fog Lane Park Ring-necked Parakeets flying around here? It's only a stone's throw from Heaton Mersey Common.
Cheers, John
Hi Henry. It's in Stockport, you can gain access to it from a few different directions, probably the best and easiest to park is via the bluestone drive estate. From the A34, coming from Manchester, turn left down lane end road half a mile or so before parrs wood. Go through the lights and take the first right after tesco on to Alwinton avenue. At the end of Alwinton you will see a small pond on your right and a path way between the houses leading in to the Common ahead of you.
It is a lovely little spot and even though it is a fairly small area, you can really explore it and find some lovely birds. Plus with Mersey Vale NR and Reddish Vale NR only a stones throw away, you can have a good days birding!
Can you say where this site is exactly please and where's good access and perhaps a spot to park? Might get a chance to pop along soon.
Cheers. Henry.
Over the last few years the Common has had regular brambling in winter (however none seen so far this year), a lone kingfisher spent the summer at the larger of the two ponds a few years back and lesser redpoll, spotted flycatcher, reed bunting, whitethroat, pheasant, green woodpecker, buzzard and yellow wagtail have all made appearances!
Regular goodies include sparrowhawk, GW woodpecker, goldcrest, nuthatch, blackcap, bullfinch, siskin, jay and chiffchaff in spring.
So, for today...
3 nuthatch
1 GS woodpecker
25 goldfinch
8 chaffinch
6 siskin
2 bullfinch (male)
2 greenfinch
1 treecreeper
14 redwing
2 song thrush
1 grey heron
14 LT tits
Plus all the regular tits, sparrows, ducks and corvids in good numbers!
I hope you all enjoy this thread and post your sightings if you visit!
-- Edited by Scott Reid on Friday 28th of January 2011 07:25:44 PM
-- Edited by Scott Reid on Friday 28th of January 2011 07:35:41 PM