Sorry Phil, meant to say that. Yes Mere Farm Quarry.
Phil Oddy said
Wed Apr 24 6:00 AM, 2024
Paul Flackett wrote:
On the South Pool this afternoon I found 5 Bar-tailed Godwits. The path is unbelievably muddy at the moment and viewing is getting increasingly difficult now that the small trees aren't small any longer. But hey we don't like it too easy do we?
was that at Mere Farm Quarry?
Paul Flackett said
Tue Apr 23 10:44 PM, 2024
On the South Pool this afternoon I found 5 Bar-tailed Godwits. The path is unbelievably muddy at the moment and viewing is getting increasingly difficult now that the small trees aren't small any longer. But hey we don't like it too easy do we?
Paul Flackett said
Sun Jan 14 6:15 PM, 2024
Slavonian Grebe today on Mere Farm Quarry. Found yesterday on the south pool by Philip Gilman, the local birding farmer. Took us ages to find it today because overnight it had moved to the east pool which is really tricky to view. Plenty of wildfowl around - Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall & Great Crested Grebes plus the odd Oystercatcher and Lapwing. Wasn't really expecting to see a Chiffchaff but there was one happily foraging in the pool-side shrubs.
John Williams said
Mon Nov 28 6:21 PM, 2022
Mere Farm Quarry Pools 09.30-11.00
North Pool : 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 6 Pochards, 1 Egyptian Goose, 9 Lapwings,
An end of day dash to Mere Farm Quarry Pools saw me add Great Northern Diver to my yearlist. This area is producing some cracking birds at the moment. The bird was on the Big Pool accessed at the end of the path between the North and South Pools and was present until dusk. Also seen en route to the area was a large flock of Fieldfares, my first sighting of this species this year!!
John Williams said
Wed Nov 17 5:31 PM, 2021
Mere Farm Quarry Pools.
North Pool : 75 Lapwings, 1 Great crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Cormorants, 1f Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 17 Teal
4 Pochards and 5 Wigeon. Also huge numbers of feral geese, mainly Greylags.
South Pool : Apart from a few Canada Geese and Coots the only other waterfowl noted on the pool were 4 Teal.
John Williams said
Fri Oct 15 10:34 PM, 2021
Lunchtime visit to Mere Farm Quarry Pools. (Highlights)
North Pool : 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Little Grebes and a huge raft of Black headed Gulls.
South Pool : 2 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Pochards.
3 Buzzards were riding thermals above the pools. Also seen here today were 1 Kestrel and 1 Raven.
John Williams said
Fri Aug 13 9:38 PM, 2021
Lunchtime visit to Mere Farm Quarry Pools.
1 Kestrel, 202 Greylag Geese, 16 Lapwings, 3 Great Crested Grebes (All adults), 2 Little Grebes and 2 Ravens.
A brood of 8 tiny Tufted ducklings, and 2 more Tufted Duck mums with just 1 youngster each in tow.
John Williams said
Wed Apr 21 5:11 PM, 2021
Morning visit to Mere Farm Quarry pools.
North Pool : 2 Green Sandpipers, 12 Oystercatchers*, 6 Lapwings, 2 Buzzards and 20+ Sand Martins.
* Highly vocal birds, at one point a pair mobbed a Buzzard. One of the pair passed close to the underside of the Buzzard and attempted to peck it, the raptor though made a sudden lunge with it's talons and almost grabbed the wader.
South Pool : 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, a further 5 Oystercatchers and 5 Reed Buntings.
Big Pool : 2 Great Crested Grebes.
Julian Robinson said
Tue Aug 11 10:55 PM, 2020
Visit late afternoon today to Mere Farm Quarry. Highlights single Golden Plover and 2 Common Sandpipers.
Mark Jarrett said
Wed May 27 7:40 PM, 2020
Paid a visit to Mere Farm Quarry today, two hours around midday, in very warm and sunny weather. Thought I would see it in its present state, given the depressing news of planning permission having been granted to turn the north lake area into a Watersports and Outdoor Activity Centre.
As Steve mentions below, the path between the north and south lakes is now open and is very dry, given the current weather situation. Fairly quiet, time of day didnt help, the following of note :-
Pochard (1m) Tufted Duck (28) Canada Goose (c.100 incl. goslings) Mute Swan (4) Great Crested Grebe (4) Little Grebe (6) Lapwing Oystercatcher Sand Martin (c.30) Whitethroat Garden Warbler Chiffchaff Blackcap
Talking to a couple of regulars, Cettis, Grasshopper & Sedge Warbler are usually present. Cuckoo, Tree Sparrow and Yellow Wagtail have been seen in recent weeks.
Rows of saplings have been planted to increase tree cover on the east side and there are decent scrub areas inbetween the two lakes and the other larger lake to the east, where there are a few small reed beds.
It remains to be seen what the future will bring to this very pleasant site.
Steve Barber said
Wed May 20 3:52 PM, 2020
Just to let local birders know that the public footpath at Mere Farm Quarry has re-opened in the last few days, the flooding having subsided. It is worth remembering that for parts of its length the path is less than two metres wide.
Steve Barber said
Mon Mar 9 10:41 AM, 2020
It's very disappointing to report that Cheshire East have approved the application for a Watersports and Outdoor Activity Centre on the North Lake of Mere Farm Quarry, Chelford, including new vehicular access, car parking, and multi-use building. This despite objections from CAWOS, Chelford Parish Council and individuals, many of whom are concerned about the effect watersports will have on the ornithological interest of the site. The planning committee voted 5-4 in favour of the application, a couple of its members having expressed themselves satisfied that the effects of watersports on biodiversity on the site were insufficient to merit rejection. Further details can be accessed via the Cheshire East Planning Portal using reference 19/2513M.
In other site news, the public footpath between the lakes remains closed due to flooding. It is said that 14 million cubic litres of water have been pumped from the currently joined north and south lakes, without there being any appreciable reduction in the water level. The closure notice, dated 10th Jan 2020, is for 6 months.
Steve Barber said
Fri Jan 31 12:38 PM, 2020
For information:
The site in question is known as Mere Farm Quarry.
The most recent planning application has not yet been decided.
According to the Cheshire East planning portal the application is due to go before the planning committee on Feb 26th with a decision target date two days later.
There have been delays in considering the application as revised plans have been submitted so it may not be certain that these Feb dates will be met.
John Williams said
Wed Jan 29 4:33 PM, 2020
Former sand workings NE of the roundabout on the A537.
The footpath that gives access to this site is currently closed as the path between the two pools is flooded,
and the unofficial path that ran around the top of the North pool has been fenced off.
An application to develop the site for a water sports centre had been made, and I have not officially heard if the proposal
has been rejected or approved this time. However a local dog walker advised me today that she had heard that the
development had been rejected this time too, after several failed attempts previously.
John Williams said
Mon Dec 9 3:29 PM, 2019
Former sand workings NE of the roundabout on the A537. 10.00-13.30
Sorry Phil, meant to say that. Yes Mere Farm Quarry.
was that at Mere Farm Quarry?
On the South Pool this afternoon I found 5 Bar-tailed Godwits. The path is unbelievably muddy at the moment and viewing is getting increasingly difficult now that the small trees aren't small any longer. But hey we don't like it too easy do we?
Slavonian Grebe today on Mere Farm Quarry. Found yesterday on the south pool by Philip Gilman, the local birding farmer. Took us ages to find it today because overnight it had moved to the east pool which is really tricky to view. Plenty of wildfowl around - Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall & Great Crested Grebes plus the odd Oystercatcher and Lapwing. Wasn't really expecting to see a Chiffchaff but there was one happily foraging in the pool-side shrubs.
North Pool : 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 6 Pochards, 1 Egyptian Goose, 9 Lapwings,
6 Cormorants, 1 Buzzard, 12 Teal, 4 Reed Buntings and 11 Tufted Ducks.
Apart from the Egyptian Goose the only other geese were a couple of Canadas, which is very odd as this pool
and the adjoining fields are usually packed with feral Canadas and Greylags?.
In the NE corner of this pool there are quite a number of young Rowan trees which surprisingly were still laden with
berries, and appeared to be a magnet for lots of Fieldfares and Redwings.
South Pool: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Tufted Ducks and 6 Gadwall.
North Pool : 13 Tufted Ducks, 4 Egyptian Geese, 14 Lapwings, 5 Cormorants and 2 Great Crested Grebes.
Huge numbers of feral Greylag and Canada Geese.
South Pool: 14 Tufted Ducks, 1m Pochard, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 9 Gadwall.
The area around the pools contained 4 Meadow Pipits, 4 Stonechats, 1m Reed Bunting, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker,
2 Song Thrushes, 1 Raven and a flock of 10 Redwings.
1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 76 Lapwings, 9 Pochards, 6 Cormorants,
1 Raven, 12 Meadow Pipits and 1 Reed Bunting.
North Pool : 1 Little Ringed Plover, 11 Lapwings, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Buzzards and 2 charms of Goldfinches.
South Pool : 4 Little Grebes.
Large Pool : 2 adult + 2 young Great Crested Grebes.
North Pool & South Pool: 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 8 Oystercatchers, 7 Great Crested Grebes,
4 Shelducks, 3 Cormorants, 4 Little Grebes, 9 Lapwings, a flock of 6 Linnets and a pair of adult Herring Gulls.
Amongst the Canada and Greylag Geese present was a rather odd looking hybrid, photo below.
At one point a Cormorant caught and tried to swallow a sizeable Perch, after struggling with the fish for a minute or so
the bird gave up and released it.
No hirundines or raptors were seen.
An end of day dash to Mere Farm Quarry Pools saw me add Great Northern Diver to my yearlist. This area is producing some cracking birds at the moment. The bird was on the Big Pool accessed at the end of the path between the North and South Pools and was present until dusk. Also seen en route to the area was a large flock of Fieldfares, my first sighting of this species this year!!
North Pool : 75 Lapwings, 1 Great crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Cormorants, 1f Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 17 Teal
4 Pochards and 5 Wigeon. Also huge numbers of feral geese, mainly Greylags.
South Pool : Apart from a few Canada Geese and Coots the only other waterfowl noted on the pool were 4 Teal.
North Pool : 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Little Grebes and a huge raft of Black headed Gulls.
South Pool : 2 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Pochards.
3 Buzzards were riding thermals above the pools. Also seen here today were 1 Kestrel and 1 Raven.
1 Kestrel, 202 Greylag Geese, 16 Lapwings, 3 Great Crested Grebes (All adults), 2 Little Grebes and 2 Ravens.
A brood of 8 tiny Tufted ducklings, and 2 more Tufted Duck mums with just 1 youngster each in tow.
North Pool : 2 Green Sandpipers, 12 Oystercatchers*, 6 Lapwings, 2 Buzzards and 20+ Sand Martins.
* Highly vocal birds, at one point a pair mobbed a Buzzard. One of the pair passed close to the underside of the Buzzard and
attempted to peck it, the raptor though made a sudden lunge with it's talons and almost grabbed the wader.
South Pool : 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, a further 5 Oystercatchers and 5 Reed Buntings.
Big Pool : 2 Great Crested Grebes.
Visit late afternoon today to Mere Farm Quarry. Highlights single Golden Plover and 2 Common Sandpipers.
As Steve mentions below, the path between the north and south lakes is now open and is very dry, given the current weather situation. Fairly quiet, time of day didnt help, the following of note :-
Pochard (1m)
Tufted Duck (28)
Canada Goose (c.100 incl. goslings)
Mute Swan (4)
Great Crested Grebe (4)
Little Grebe (6)
Lapwing
Oystercatcher
Sand Martin (c.30)
Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Talking to a couple of regulars, Cettis, Grasshopper & Sedge Warbler are usually present. Cuckoo, Tree Sparrow and Yellow Wagtail have been seen in recent weeks.
Rows of saplings have been planted to increase tree cover on the east side and there are decent scrub areas inbetween the two lakes and the other larger lake to the east, where there are a few small reed beds.
It remains to be seen what the future will bring to this very pleasant site.
Just to let local birders know that the public footpath at Mere Farm Quarry has re-opened in the last few days, the flooding having subsided. It is worth remembering that for parts of its length the path is less than two metres wide.
It's very disappointing to report that Cheshire East have approved the application for a Watersports and Outdoor Activity Centre on the North Lake of Mere Farm Quarry, Chelford, including new vehicular access, car parking, and multi-use building. This despite objections from CAWOS, Chelford Parish Council and individuals, many of whom are concerned about the effect watersports will have on the ornithological interest of the site. The planning committee voted 5-4 in favour of the application, a couple of its members having expressed themselves satisfied that the effects of watersports on biodiversity on the site were insufficient to merit rejection. Further details can be accessed via the Cheshire East Planning Portal using reference 19/2513M.
In other site news, the public footpath between the lakes remains closed due to flooding. It is said that 14 million cubic litres of water have been pumped from the currently joined north and south lakes, without there being any appreciable reduction in the water level. The closure notice, dated 10th Jan 2020, is for 6 months.
For information:
The site in question is known as Mere Farm Quarry.
The most recent planning application has not yet been decided.
According to the Cheshire East planning portal the application is due to go before the planning committee on Feb 26th with a decision target date two days later.
There have been delays in considering the application as revised plans have been submitted so it may not be certain that these Feb dates will be met.
The footpath that gives access to this site is currently closed as the path between the two pools is flooded,
and the unofficial path that ran around the top of the North pool has been fenced off.
An application to develop the site for a water sports centre had been made, and I have not officially heard if the proposal
has been rejected or approved this time. However a local dog walker advised me today that she had heard that the
development had been rejected this time too, after several failed attempts previously.
60 Pochard (Mainly Drakes), 10 Wigeon, 55 Greylag Geese, 19 Lapwings, 1 Little Grebe,
8 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 11 Fieldfares, 10 Redwings,
1 Mistle Thrush and 10 Meadow Pipits.
Also a huge number of Black Headed Gulls were around the pools plus a couple of Lesser
Black Backs.
Sand quarry NE of r/bout good numbers of Pochard (48+) and Snipe (15+). Also 2 Dunlin over.
1 Kestrel, 14 Pochards (Only 3 female), 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Little Grebes, 2 Oystercatchers,
18 Lapwings, 9 House Martins and around the same number of Swallows.
2 Sedge Warblers (1 carrying food), 1 adult + 2 near full grown Egyptian Geese, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe,
1 Buzzard, 6 Oystercatchers, 15 Lapwings, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Skylarks, 7 Reed Buntings and a flock of 12 House Sparrows.
Also a group of 100+ Starlings, plus 30 Rooks on an adjacent pasture.
Swifts, Swallows, House and Sand Martins were skimming across the pools throughout.
The main feature was the large number of Sand Martins feeding around the two smaller pools, the largest pool is
difficult to view but there appeared to be lots of hirundines there too.
A family of 4 Sedge Warblers were beside the path that splits the two smaller pools, the adults being seen feeding a
couple of youngsters. Also here were 4 Linnets, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Kestrel and 26 Lapwings.
4 adult and 2 juvenile Little Grebes were on the pools, 1 youngster was tiny the other near adult sized, both were being fed
by their parents. 52 Greylags were amongst the many Canada Geese. 3 Buzzards were in the area.
This area mainly consists of 3 large pools and newly planted landscaped area. A very muddy footpath crosses the site.
18:00-20.00
1f Scaup (On largest pool), 1m+1f Mandarin Ducks, 1m+3f Goosanders, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers, 10 Little Grebes,
5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 singing Skylark, 15 Tufted Ducks, 2 Lapwings, 3 Buzzards, 1 Grey Heron and a flock of 12 Meadow Pipits.