Chorlton ees

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

RE: Chorlton ees

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Lesser Whitethroat - location as previous posts. Seems to sing actively in the morning but quiet in the afternoon.
Whitethroat, blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff, reed warbler - in same area
Noticable influx of hirundines - over the River Mersey

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Lesser Whitethroat (2) - one in location described below, other another 50 yards up the path in a hawthorn under the next set of tall Silver Birch. Both very vocal and showing well.
Whitethroat (2) on banks of the Mersey
Plenty of Chiffchaff and Blackcap but did not hear any Willow Warbler.

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Lesser Whitethroat - singing and showing well on Hardy Farm. Circa 30-50 yards from Jacksons Boat bridge along the path towards the pump station / football club. Showing in a hawthorn below the tall clump of silver birch trees on the right - but moving to each side of the path (i.e. into the orchard area).
Thanks to local birder Justin for initially locating the bird.
Chris

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

A few hours spent here in the morning and early afternoon; nice to meet Michael, too. :)

16 chiffchaff (most singing)
12 blackcap (most singing, males and females)
1 or 2 whitethroat (first of the year, in the same place as Michael)
3 treecreeper
2 nuthatch (one heard only)
2 greenfinch
3 chaffinch
2 bullfinch
2 house martin (first of the year)
4 song thrush
4 jay
1 stock dove (around the hay crop field)
2 ring-necked parakeet
4 grey heron
1 black-headed gull
1 or 2 kestrel

Plenty of the usuals, with blue tit and dunnock seen with nesting material, and a pair of long-tailed tit taking food to a nest site.

Michael Seal · Status: Offline

7.45am. My first whitethroat this year on the bramble patch on Ivy Green. Great view.

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

6-8pm

Countless Chiffchaff's singing
1 Willow warbler (great views and lots of singing)
Pair of Willow tit
Pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker
4 Jay
Pair of Bullfinch
3 Grey Heron
1 Reed Bunting
Lots of Song thrush
2 Ring necked parakeet

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Day spent around here today; highlights:

17 chiffchaff (most singing)
7 blackcap (all singing)
2 or 3 willow tit (one actually seen)
3 coal tit
2 treecreeper
1 nuthatch
4 goldfinch
1 greenfinch
2 chaffinch
3 bullfinch
3 reed bunting (one singing)
2 grey wagtail (by the entrance / car park opposite the Bowling Green pub)
3 song thrush (all singing)
1 mistle thrush (singing)
9 jay
3 ring-necked parakeet
5 grey heron
1 sparrowhawk
2 buzzard

Around the river:

1 willow warbler
2 sand martin
3 swallow
1 pied wagtail

Hardy Farm orchard:

2 chiffchaff
3 bullfinch
1 reed bunting (singing on the scrubby margins)
4 or 5 jay

Barlow Tip (posted here for convenience):

7 chiffchaff (most singing)
1 willow warbler (singing)
2 blackcap (both singing)
3 lesser redpoll
Greenfinch (good numbers), goldfinch & chaffinch
2 bullfinch
1 swallow
2 jay
3 ring-necked parakeet
2 lesser black-backed gull over
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
1 buzzard

-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 17th of April 2016 08:42:41 PM

Liam_Langley · Status: Offline

Around midday today:

Swallow (1)
Willow Warbler (1)
Goosander (1) flew along the river
Buzzard (3)
Sparrowhawk (1)

-- Edited by Liam_Langley on Saturday 9th of April 2016 06:20:17 PM

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Raven (1) over high - calling
Sparrowhawk (2)
Buzzard (1)
Blackcap (m)
Grey Wagtail (2)
plus usuals

steven burke · Status: Offline

around ivy green this evening..

1 brambling, female, I accidently flushed the bird whilst trying to locate a singing blackcap.
2 blackcap
7 chiffchaff
1 willow tit
1 nuthatch
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 ring-necked parakeet
2 bullfinch
1 buzzard
4 mistle thrush
2 song thrush
2 jay

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Evening stroll:

1 Blackcap M (seen twice and singing the second time)
2 Great Spotted woodpeckers
lots of Jay
Song Thrushes
1 Bullfinch M
Water rail (Heard)
lots of chiffchaff
1 Kestrel
2 Goldcrest
1 Buzzard
1 Mute swan over
2 Reed bunting M

Plus lots of the usuals

Also great to meet Jamie, who while we were chatting heard a Willow tit singing.

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Ah, well thank you for alerting me to a rarer sighting than I expected. I spend so much time in different places, that I forget what is common and uncommon in different areas sometimes.

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

I had one in central Ladybarn calling from a tree one evening 5 or 6 years ago, so they must disperse through sites they aren't often recorded on. My girlfriend also claimed to have seen one of the green line in fallowfield last year.
I noticed that here was also oe reported at Dove Stone a few days ago - that's another site that they turn up on form time to time but do not stay.

J

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

I've had overwintering Green Woodpecker on Barlow Tip 10 years ago but none in the Mersey valley since. They are uncommon GM birds at best so good work there

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Sunday 3rd of April 2016 11:51:58 PM

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Is it? For the Ees in particular or Manchester area as a whole? I heard it calling near the Car park next to the school which back on to the old cow field.

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Green Woodpecker is a good one for this area Eugene.

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

2 Willow Tit, seen and calling for a positive i.d
A lot of Jays
Green Woodpecker
at least 1 Water Rail (Heard)
Lots of chiffchaffs
1 Heron
2 Buzzard
3 Pheasant
2 Bullfinch (Pair)
1 goldcrest
2 Reed buntings

Lots of the usuals...

Eugene.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 4th of April 2016 10:06:06 PM

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Of note:

Lots of chiffchaffs and song thrush singing and seen
1 Bullfinch
1 Mistle Thrush
1 Kestrel
1 Buzzard
3 Goosander
2 Grey Wagtail

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 4th of April 2016 10:08:07 PM

Michael Seal · Status: Offline

Chiffchaff x2 - one heard and seen, one heard only. Close together in the thicket between Ivygreen meadow and the small playing field. First this year for me.

Michael Seal · Status: Offline

Rather quiet round here this morning (7-9am), if you discount the jays, magpies and carrion crows. Walked through the wood by Chorlton Brook. Nice little group of goldfinches (6-ish) feeding in the undergrowth with a single siskin in tow. Glimpse of a gadwall male on the dipping pond of all places. He disappeared down the far leg of the pond so not sure if he was alone. Then two buzzards circling low directly overhead. Pair of mute swan on the embankment pond by Hawthorn Lane - fairly unusual. Also the two resident moorhen pootling about.

Copland Smith · Status: Offline

And the Welsh name for a Jay is Sgrech yn y Coed - screech in the woods.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

David Walsh wrote:

Shannon Llewellyn wrote:

13 jay (including 5 quarrelsome individuals together; I don't know what the collective noun for jays is, but it should be a 'screech'.)

There are several, but by the sounds of it, "scold" would be most appropriate for you today

That works just as well! biggrin

David Walsh · Status: Offline

Shannon Llewellyn wrote:

13 jay (including 5 quarrelsome individuals together; I don't know what the collective noun for jays is, but it should be a 'screech'.)

There are several, but by the sounds of it, "scold" would be most appropriate for you today wink

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Day spent all around the Mersey Valley area here from about 9 - 12

4 goldcrest
3 chiffchaff
1 singing coal tit (heard only)
2 willow tit
1 treecreeper
Goldfinch, greenfinch & chaffinch, with bullfinch heard only.
2 reed bunting (another singing by the dry weir)
3 song thrush (2 singing)
1 singing mistle thrush (heard only)
13 jay (including 5 quarrelsome individuals together; I don't know what the collective noun for jays is, but it should be a 'screech'.)
4 ring-necked parakeet
2 water rail heard at the meadow pond
1 cormorant over
2 grey heron
1 sparrowhawk (two sightings, presumed same bird)
Multiple buzzard sightings, but never of more than one together
All the usuals

2 (at least) grey wagtail on the river

Hardy Farm orchard:

1 bullfinch seen, and others seen
2 reed bunting (around the edges)
1 woodcock flushed; very brief blurry view as it shot off.
2 buzzard around the clearing behind the wood

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Pretty good today,

1 Kingfisher flying up the river and stopping to fish
2 Reed Bunting
2 Willow tits
5 Greenfinch
2 Sparrowhawks
1 Kestrel
2 Buzzards
1 Goosander flying down the river
2 Song thrush
4 Grey wagtails

plus all the usuals

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

today between 1-3.30

1 Water rail heard
1 Pheasant Heard
Lots of long tailed tits, blues and greats
4 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
4 Herons

Gary Edwards · Status: Offline

Pheasant calling again around 11:00 from Hardy Farm
Buzzard
2x Sparrowhawk high over towards the Mersey.
Greenfinch everywhere!!!!
1x Reed Bunting in the old Horse Paddock ( where the Short Eared Owl was in winter).

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

pheasant called once at hardy farm with a male goosander flying up and down the river twice.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Tim Wilcox wrote:
Doc Brewster wrote:

Michael Seal wrote:
Earlier this morning. Interesting group at Hawthorn Lane pond. 1 coot 2 Moorhen 1 reed bunting (m) 1 grey heron on the bank 2 male mallard Canada goose pair 1 gadwall male Sparrowhawk leisurely fly over the river into the woods on the Broad Ees Dole side. Elsewhere: Ring-necked parakeet pair - bonding behaviour 2 redwing - is it getting a bit late for visitors?
Not too late Michael. In my last post for Newchurch Common you will see that I had 200 Fieldfares & 30 Redwings still, and I expect to record them for a bit yet I'd swap a few for a Ring-necked Parakeet though

Listen out for Redwings singing. I had one singing at the Ees last year and a flock at Dunham Massey last week held several birds in song

Yep, I've had some singing at Newchurch, none of the ones in the big flocks (drowned out by 200 chacking Fieldfares!!) but isolated pairs have started doing this in the last couple of weeks, great to hear

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Doc Brewster wrote:
Michael Seal wrote:
Earlier this morning. Interesting group at Hawthorn Lane pond. 1 coot 2 Moorhen 1 reed bunting (m) 1 grey heron on the bank 2 male mallard Canada goose pair 1 gadwall male Sparrowhawk leisurely fly over the river into the woods on the Broad Ees Dole side. Elsewhere: Ring-necked parakeet pair - bonding behaviour 2 redwing - is it getting a bit late for visitors?
Not too late Michael. In my last post for Newchurch Common you will see that I had 200 Fieldfares & 30 Redwings still, and I expect to record them for a bit yet I'd swap a few for a Ring-necked Parakeet though

Listen out for Redwings singing. I had one singing at the Ees last year and a flock at Dunham Massey last week held several birds in song

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Michael Seal wrote:
Earlier this morning. Interesting group at Hawthorn Lane pond. 1 coot 2 Moorhen 1 reed bunting (m) 1 grey heron on the bank 2 male mallard Canada goose pair 1 gadwall male Sparrowhawk leisurely fly over the river into the woods on the Broad Ees Dole side. Elsewhere: Ring-necked parakeet pair - bonding behaviour 2 redwing - is it getting a bit late for visitors?

Not too late Michael. In my last post for Newchurch Common you will see that I had 200 Fieldfares & 30 Redwings still, and I expect to record them for a bit yet smile I'd swap a few for a Ring-necked Parakeet though wink

Michael Seal · Status: Offline

Earlier this morning. Interesting group at Hawthorn Lane pond. 1 coot 2 Moorhen 1 reed bunting (m) 1 grey heron on the bank 2 male mallard Canada goose pair 1 gadwall male Sparrowhawk leisurely fly over the river into the woods on the Broad Ees Dole side. Elsewhere: Ring-necked parakeet pair - bonding behaviour 2 redwing - is it getting a bit late for visitors?

Michael Seal · Status: Offline

Extended early morning walk today on a rare Tuesday off work. Fairly quiet around the meadow pond but: 2 male reed bunting in smart breeding colour Buzzard flew down into the middle trees 1 Ring-necked parakeet (an everyday sight on the Ees this year) Lone male goosander on the river and a pair further downstream. A pair of mallard on Chorlton Brook wouldn't normally raise comment but these two were 10 feet up a willow tree. That's a new one on me.

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Cylce from sale water park to chorlton water park early am
highlights:
4 grey herons, 1 on the dry weir, 2 flying out of the woods next to chorlton brook and 1 flying off sale golf course.
a pair of mistle and song thrush feeding together on the path.

Pete Hines · Status: Offline

Pheasant 5 together Hardy Farm 1m 4f
Buzzard 2

steven burke · Status: Offline

2 oystercatchers flew from the direction of chorlton water park & headed kind of in the direction of sale water park at 5.20pm.
also in the area 2-3 buzzard, 1 ring-necked parakeet, 1 jay, 16 redwing.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Day spent around here today:

3 goldcrest
1 treecreeper
2 coal tit
1 chaffinch
3 goldfinch
4 greenfinch
8 bullfinch (others heard)
3 reed bunting
2 grey wagtail (under bridge where brook meets river)
2 song thrush
2 mistle thrush
8 jay
1 water rail heard briefly at the meadow pond
23 common gull on the playing fields before the dry weir
3 ring-necked parakeet
4 grey heron around the heronry, two pair bonding.
1 kestrel
2 buzzard
Plenty of the usuals (lots of wren to be heard, particularly)

1 pied wagtail, 3 jay, and 3 goosander (over, heading towards Sale Water Park) around the river

Hardy farm orchard:

1 coal tit
6 long-tailed tit
5+ goldfinch
2 greenfinch
7 bullfinch

2 mistle thrush on the football pitches at Hardy Farm

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Couple of walks across the meadows today. Highlights;

Kingfisher (1) - along Chorlton Brook - regular sightings this week
Stock Dove (2) - Hardy Farm - unusual for this site
Sparrowhawk (1)
Kestrel (2)
Buzzard (2-4)
Reed Bunting - at least 3-4 pairs around hardy farm playing fields
Ring Necked Parakeet (2)
Note - earlier in the week had 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming (7am)
Goldcrest

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

A quick trip around the Ees on my bike 4:30-5 - highlights;
Willow Tit (2-3)
Herons on nest and noisy
Pheasant (1)
Crow - one carrying a blackbird sized egg which it carefully buried and covered with grass on the meadow field.
Fox (3)

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Late yesterday afternoon of note

2 Shoveler flying over Jacksons boat
1 Goosander flying down river
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
2 Song Thrush in full song

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Paul Heaton wrote:

2 Willow tit one ringed
Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, small flock of Redwing, and Herons nesting.
Keep Birding

Willow tits in this area metal ringed on the left leg are highly likely to have been ringed at Chorlton ees.

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Walk along the river from Jacksons Boat to the Tram Bridge at Stretford. Very quiet.
Of note;
Grey Wagtail (2) - along the edge of the river
Skylark (1) - flushed by dog walkers on Stretford Ees - not a regular sighting in this area
Goosander (1)
Cormorant (1)
Buzzard (1)
Kestrel (1)
Ring necked parakeet - heard

Other sighting of note in the last few weeks;
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2 drumming near the cobbled road, and one on hardy farm - Sunday 14th early. Also Pair of kestrel in display flight over the cow field.
Widgeon on river (1m) at junction with Chorlton brook - Not a regular bird on these parts.

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Lots of Robins and Blackbirds
2 Coal tit
4 Great spotted woodpecker
3 Goldcrest
2 Ring necked parakeets
1 Jay
Lots of blue and great tits
1 Treecreeper
1 Heron
1 Siskin
3 lesser Redpoll
small flock of Goldfinch
1 Kestrel
1 Songthrush
1 Redwing

Between the Ees and Chorlton WP
4 Buzzards together, 2 pairs. Most i've seen at once in the area

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

2 Willow tit one ringed

Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, small flock of Redwing, and Herons nesting.

Keep Birding

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Pair Kestrels
Pair of Buzzards, circling for some time, also 1 earlier in the afternoon.
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Would have got a great photo, had I not have forgotten my memory card)
2 Jay
1 Bullfinch, M
3 Lesser redpoll (First for me at the ees)
2 Coal tits
Lots of blue tits, great tits, robins, Blackbirds
Chaffinch

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Sightings mostly from the morning until early afternoon:

1 goldcrest
1 treecreeper
1 willow tit
5 goldfinch
3 greenfinch
11 bullfinch
Long-tailed tit, blue tit and great tit in good numbers
3 song thrush
3 jay
24 magpie in one small area of the old cow field alone
1 great spotted woodpecker (with another heard)
3 ring-necked parakeet (also around the old cow field)
3+ common gull over
2 cormorant over
1 grey heron
1 kestrel
1 buzzard

On and around the river:

2 pied wagtail
1 little grebe
2 goosander (flying SE along the river's course)

Hardy farm orchard:

1 goldcrest
1 coal tit
3+ goldfinch
1 chaffinch
2 bullfinch

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

A couple of hours in the persistent rain around the meadow pond, dipping pond and environs (1:15-3:00).

Willow Tit (3) - brief views
Great spotted woodpecker (1)
Treecreeper (2)
Nuthatch (1)
Goldcrest (9)
Great tit, Blue tit, Long tailed tit, Chaffinch, robin, wren etc
Buzzard (2) likely to be the same bird coming out of the trees on the meadow pond area
Sparrowhawk (1) nearly took my hat off as it pursued Goldfinch flock on way home
Song thrush (6)
Bullfinch (3)
Cormorant, Grey Herons (4), and Gulls movement to SWP over
No sight or sound of Water Rail.
Big Jackdaw roost starting to build.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

First chance I've had for a proper day's birding since new year, so seemed polite for it to be on my local patch:

1 goldcrest
1 treecreeper
2 coal tit (both in song)
8 siskin
3 greenfinch
1 chaffinch
1 bullfinch
Long-tailed tit, dunnock, wren, great tit (many in song), etc
c25 jackdaw
2 great spotted woodpecker
12 lapwing over
16 common gull over
1 cormorant over
1 water rail heard at the meadow pond
2 mute swan over
1 grey heron
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk

Hardy Farm orchard:

1 willow tit heard only
8 bullfinch
1 goldfinch
Small long-tailed tit flock

Eugene Dillon-Hooper · Status: Offline

Nice long Jaunt around Chorlton Ees and Sale WP this pm.

Chorlton Ees:
1 Nuthatch
1 redwing
2 Heron
2 Jays heard calling
Blue and Great tits
2 Kestrels
Long tailed tit flocks

Sale WP and Broad Ees dole:
Numerous BH gulls
c15 Cormorant
2 Greater Black Backwd gulls
1 Common Gull
c10 Great Crested Grebes
7 Little Grebe
1 Goldeneye
c10 Tufted Duck
c15 Pochard
8 herons