Hi Simon,
They are definitely around Stockport, I remember seeing a video of one a couple years ago in the town centre. It was on angling around stockport Facebook page.
https://fb.watch/mTkpHA4pSN/
Simon Gough said
Mon Aug 21 7:15 PM, 2023
Just after I first joined Manchester Birding Forum I went to Pennington Flash and saw a large brown mammal slipping through shallow water in front of me. I reported it as an otter and was informed by someone that it was probably a mink. If somebody tries to tell me that the large brown mammal I saw at Cheadle Bridge at about 6 this evening wasn't an otter, I will arrange to meet them in person to discuss the matter!
I was looking casually off the bridge as I often do, expecting a Dipper to skim across and land on one of their normal perches, when I saw the water disturb by the bank on the Manchester side. It looked fairly likely what it was but I didn't have my bins so I was open-minded, but it was abundantly clear within moments. Oh my god! The otter proceeded to swim along the bank, breaking the water or diving a few feet under the surface, before it hopped onto a rock, looked up at me, jumped back in the water and carried on. It was the luck of the moment that with the angle and the light I had a perfect view of the animal under the surface as well as when it came up, so I had a perfect view really. It moved under the bridge and some resting Mallards flushed away, and as I tried to track it from the bank I had one final view as it lifted its head, but the vegetation on the east side of the bridge is such that the viewing chance had gone.
Unbelievable in one sense, but actually quite believable when you consider what has happened to the species in recent years. But point blank views in broad daylight 15 minutes walk from home...I need to buy a lottery ticket this week...
Paul Dewey said
Tue Jun 21 3:47 PM, 2022
During my wander today had:
Small tortoiseshell, small white, red admiral and meadow brown.
Banded demoiselle, common blue and blue tailed damselfly
One hawker dragonfly, which I'm pretty sure was an emperor
Six spot burnet moth
Tony Koziol said
Tue Apr 20 9:38 PM, 2021
Came across a Common Plume Moth this morning on a customers front door......extraordinary and a first for me.
Simon Gough said
Sun Jul 12 3:36 PM, 2020
A few bits today around Mersey Vale and the Vale Farm paddocks, singles of the following: Ringlet Holly Blue Brown Hawker Banded Demoiselle
Simon Warford said
Wed Jun 19 8:56 PM, 2019
Several Banded Demoiselle's along the Mersey at the Mersey Valley Nature Park SBI today also a Water Shrew seen along the river.
Simon Gough said
Mon Jul 30 4:33 PM, 2018
A quick look around the Garlic Bend around 2pm today presented 3 Ruddy Darters in addition to at least 5 Brown Hawkers, including a female or possibly 2 laying eggs in the pond
Simon Gough said
Thu Apr 19 7:37 PM, 2018
I had a quick walk round Heaton Mersey Common this evening, and as well as a couple of Peacock butterflies and a Comma, a great sighting was a Tawny Mining Bee. When I saw it flying around I saw a little hole that they evidently make with a cone like mound of soil around it, and then I noticed 4 more holes around the square foot or so of soil. Assumption would be that they belonged to other bees; although they are supposed to be solitary I presume a cluster of nests isn't unusual. The bee was stunning, a rich russet orange looking superb in the sunshine
I've been out a couple of times looking for Dragonflies and Butterflies, just locally around the Heaton Mersey NR and down by the river. So far I've seen the following butterflies commonly:
Large White Small White Red Admiral Comma Meadow Brown Speckled Wood
...and these less frequently:
Small Skipper Large Skipper Gatekeeper Holly Blue Brimstone
...and the following dragonflies:
Emperor Brown Hawker Common Darter
and a Banded Demoiselle Damselfly
I think I've seen some nice stuff for a pretty built up area.
Chris Harper said
Mon Sep 19 8:14 AM, 2016
Group of Salmon swimming up the River Mersey this morning near M60 bridge.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 19th of September 2016 08:36:19 AM
I was looking casually off the bridge as I often do, expecting a Dipper to skim across and land on one of their normal perches, when I saw the water disturb by the bank on the Manchester side. It looked fairly likely what it was but I didn't have my bins so I was open-minded, but it was abundantly clear within moments. Oh my god! The otter proceeded to swim along the bank, breaking the water or diving a few feet under the surface, before it hopped onto a rock, looked up at me, jumped back in the water and carried on. It was the luck of the moment that with the angle and the light I had a perfect view of the animal under the surface as well as when it came up, so I had a perfect view really. It moved under the bridge and some resting Mallards flushed away, and as I tried to track it from the bank I had one final view as it lifted its head, but the vegetation on the east side of the bridge is such that the viewing chance had gone.
Unbelievable in one sense, but actually quite believable when you consider what has happened to the species in recent years. But point blank views in broad daylight 15 minutes walk from home...I need to buy a lottery ticket this week...
During my wander today had:
Small tortoiseshell, small white, red admiral and meadow brown.
Banded demoiselle, common blue and blue tailed damselfly
One hawker dragonfly, which I'm pretty sure was an emperor
Six spot burnet moth
Came across a Common Plume Moth this morning on a customers front door......extraordinary and a first for me.
Ringlet
Holly Blue
Brown Hawker
Banded Demoiselle
Large White
Small White
Red Admiral
Comma
Meadow Brown
Speckled Wood
...and these less frequently:
Small Skipper
Large Skipper
Gatekeeper
Holly Blue
Brimstone
...and the following dragonflies:
Emperor
Brown Hawker
Common Darter
and a Banded Demoiselle Damselfly
I think I've seen some nice stuff for a pretty built up area.
Group of Salmon swimming up the River Mersey this morning near M60 bridge.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 19th of September 2016 08:36:19 AM