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
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...
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
