Chorlton ees

David Morris · Status: Offline

Chorlton ees

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

If it is any help I have visited the area at around 9am , 1, 3 and 4 pm over the last 3 days with only the 4 pm slot being productive for me on wed and today - although Phil Kelly saw it around mid-day yesterday. Both times I picked it up high coming onto the field being mobbed. When it was hidden in the field its presence was given away by an attendant circle of magpies on the ground, and at one stage a mobbing group of c. 40 crow and jackdaw above. I hope this helps anyone wanting to catch up with the bird over the weekend. ps great sunset tonight bird or no bird. Chris

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Chris Sutton wrote:
Short-eared Owl showing again on the cow field by the cobbled road on Chorlton Ees.
Flew in from the direction of Hardy Farm at 4pm. Stayed in the field mainly hidden on the ground with occasional flights. Harassed by Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies throughout. Still hidden in field when I left at 4:50.
Chris

Darn it! Was there earlier - too early

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Short-eared Owl showing again on the cow field by the cobbled road on Chorlton Ees.
Flew in from the direction of Hardy Farm at 4pm. Stayed in the field mainly hidden on the ground with occasional flights. Harassed by Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies throughout. Still hidden in field when I left at 4:50.
Chris

Colin Nicholls · Status: Offline

I understand there's been a large movement of SE Owls coming across the North Sea with sightings all over the country. With a bit of luck we might see a few more around!

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Stayed until 5 pm at the cowfield . No further sign of S .E.Owl.
The cowfield can be reached by going down the cobbled road at the school on Brook burn rd. Chorlton-cum-hardy until you reach the tall Lombardy poplar trees. Parking is at the public Carpark.
Or cross the R.Mersey at Jackson's Boat pub ,turn left , walk 300m and turn right at stile with adj. Lombardy poplar trees ...the old cowfield is on your right.

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Nigel Richards wrote:
Not being familiar with the area whereabouts is the owl located and which side of the river should I be on

The old cow field is north of the river at Jackson's Boat alongside the track that runs north to Chorlton Ees. No further sign here c1.30-2.30pm. A fox was actively hunting here so would've moved it off. 5 of us searched the other hayfields but no sign. It may still be about though or gone to Barlow Tip or Stretford Tip maybe.

Nigel Richards · Status: Offline

Not being familiar with the area whereabouts is the owl located and which side of the river should I be on

James Walsh · Status: Offline

Short-eared Owl showing at midday in the old cow field Info thanks to Phil Kelly

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Chris Sutton wrote:
Short Eared Owl x 1
Coming back from Broad Ees Dole along the Mersey to Jackson Boat I picked up a Short Eared Owl over the tall poplar trees over in Chorlton Ees. A quick dash round the other side of the river found it quartering over the field adjacent to the cobbled road. I watched it from 3:45 to 4:10 while it was regularly mobbed by magpies. It was finally disturbed by a dog walker and it gathered height (pursued by Jackdaws) before heading off North East.
I had great views as it flew around in the fading light and gathering mist. Amazing bird to see on my local patch.

That's an absolutely fantastic sighting. Do please, please formally submit this to County Recorder and Forum administrator, Ian McKerchar (details on the home page). Sightings posted only on the forum do not count...

Chris Sutton · Status: Offline

Short Eared Owl x 1
Coming back from Broad Ees Dole along the Mersey to Jackson Boat I picked up a Short Eared Owl over the tall poplar trees over in Chorlton Ees. A quick dash round the other side of the river found it quartering over the field adjacent to the cobbled road. I watched it from 3:45 to 4:10 while it was regularly mobbed by magpies. It was finally disturbed by a dog walker and it gathered height (pursued by Jackdaws) before heading off North East.
I had great views as it flew around in the fading light and gathering mist. Amazing bird to see on my local patch.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Nice to meet you again, too. Cheers for the kestrel, would have probably walked past it. :) My sightings were from the morning and early afternoon:

Numerous goldcrest (four seen, many others heard)
2 treecreeper
1 coal tit
2, possibly 3 willow tit
c6 siskin (two possitively id'd, four presumed)
4 lesser redpoll
3 bullfinch seen, others heard
3 chaffinch
5+ goldfinch
2 reed bunting
10+ redwing (mainly over in a small flock, one perched)
2 song thrush
4 jay (others heard)
1 great spotted woodpecker
1 water rail heard at the meadow pond
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
All the usuals

3 goosander and a grey wagtail on the river, and two teal on the dry weir.

steven burke · Status: Offline

afternoon til dark.

7 redwing
17 siskin
5 bullfinch
4 reed bunting
1 chaffinch
2 willow tit, just the 1 seen
1 kestrel, plus 1 on playing field perched on goal post flying on to the ground & eating worms.
3 great spotted woodpecker
3 jay
3 song thrush
2 treecreeper
plenty of goldcrest around
water rail heard only around the reedbed
tawny owl heard only

3 grey wagtail & 1 goosander on river Mersey.

nice to meet Shannon llewellyn again.

Pete Hines · Status: Offline

Water Rail 1 calling at the meadow pond

Willow Tit 1 heard by the meadow pond

Reed Bunting 9 in the meadow field

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

an afternoon wander produced
Highlights:
4 wrens
2 jays
3 grey wagtails
1 grey heron behind the dry weir
3 house martins above Stretford ees
and what amazed me the most was a flock of 30c meadow pipits on Stretford ees which was a lovely sight as I have never seen them here before.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

4 Goosander on the Mersey
pair of Buzzards over
Plenty of Woodpigeon feasting on the Elderberries
Jays
Male Blackcap by the pond
Bullfinch family near the weir

Missed out on the Wiilow Tits though :(

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Gervase Cooke wrote:

I thought it might be you Shannon that I chatted to near to the weir. That's definitely the spot for Willow Tits in my experience.
Didn't see the sissiness in the car park but wasn't really in birding mode.

Ah, nice to meet to you. :)

The willow tits were extremely active; saw one in the concrete channel, two around the meadow pond field and pond itself, and heard again around the heronry. Hence not sure exactly how many I encountered; two very mobile ones, or several.

Gervase Cooke · Status: Offline

I thought it might be you Shannon that I chatted to near to the weir. That's definitely the spot for Willow Tits in my experience.
Didn't see the sissiness in the car park but wasn't really in birding mode.

Shannon Llewellyn wrote:

Today:

1 goldcrest
5+ chiffchaff
4 blackcap
20+ long-tailed tit
2 (at least) willow tit
5 siskin*
2 greenfinch
10+ goldfinch
3 reed bunting
2 treecreeper
16 jay
2 great spotted woodpecker
4 grey heron
2 goosander over
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
3 buzzard

2 grey wagtail and a mute swan on the river.

*Maybe the 'redpoll' from last week were actually siskin. All I saw that week was a streaky breast through foliage, so could just as easily have been a female siskin, and they were seen in the same area. Don't know why siskin didn't occur to me at the time as a possible, actually.

-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 27th of September 2015 07:14:25 PM

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Today:

1 goldcrest
5+ chiffchaff
4 blackcap
20+ long-tailed tit
2 (at least) willow tit
5 siskin*
2 greenfinch
10+ goldfinch
3 reed bunting
2 treecreeper
16 jay
2 great spotted woodpecker
4 grey heron
2 goosander over
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
3 buzzard

2 grey wagtail and a mute swan on the river.

*Maybe the 'redpoll' from last week were actually siskin. All I saw that week was a streaky breast through foliage, so could just as easily have been a female siskin, and they were seen in the same area. Don't know why siskin didn't occur to me at the time as a possible, actually.

-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 27th of September 2015 07:14:25 PM

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

This morning until early afternoon:

10+ chiffchaff (a couple giving snatches of song)
1 (possibly 2) willow tit
20+ long-tailed tit
10+ blue tit (these four species all featuring in a largish, loose mixed flock around the meadow pool)
Bullfinch heard only
2 pied wagtail over
1 swallow
9 jay
1 great spotted woodpecker
1 kestrel

Also pretty sure there were a few redpoll around, but unfortunately they were not showing well, and silent, so it's only a possible; if they weren't, though, I've no idea what else they could have been, going the meagre glimpses I did get.

On the river:

1 (possibly 2) grey wagtail
2 coal tit (one seen, one heard in song)
1 little grebe (beautiful views of it fishing close to the bank, good enough to see it snaking along beneath the water, which was fabulous to watch)
1 buzzard

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Late post for yesterday.
Hardy farm: 2 very vocal kestrels, I saw one but the other remained out of view (it was the very first time I have heard them) and one 1 swallow which flew straight over.
In the copse opposite hay meadow there was: 3 blackcaps, 1 jay and 2 chiffchaff.
Meadow pond area: 2 willow tits, male reed bunting, 1 kestrel, 4 willow warblers and 3 jays.
On the river: 2 grey wagtails and 7 canada geese.
Dry weir and Stratford ees: 3 kestrels, 1 juv. Reed bunting, 2 moorhens, 4 mallards and lots of house martins and I managed to pick out 7 swallows. Also last winter there was a bit of a wetland area in that field where I managed to watch teals, goosanders and once I had a surprise of a lapwing and female wigeon. I has hoping it would stay as a little pool over the summer but it looks like some saplings have started to grow in there which might be a good place for migrants but it will be a shame not be able to watch what turns up over the winter.

Monday 31st August
Turn moss: about 50 swallows feeding on turn moss then taking food to their young which were sat on some rugby posts (sorry I don't know the correct term for them) but now sigh not any stock doves.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

A couple of willow tit heard calling here today, seemed to be associating with a small flock of blue tit.

Also of note:

3 willow warbler; seemed young (quite yellow), so presumably post-breeding dispersion, as I've heard none singing on the Ees itself this year.
Several chiffchaffs heard calling
2 blackcap
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 very active kestral (possibly two pairs of two; on one sighting one bird seemed to have moulted a tail feather, but on another sighting, neither seemed to be missing one)
1 cormorant over

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

At least three tawny owls here this evening; one very vocal bird located (a lovely view of it in silhouette, actually, and then a nice look at it flying off), and others responding.

Also a couple of grey heron around.

Dry weir (an hour or so earlier):

Fully grown juvenile little grebe
House martin and swallow feeding over the adjacent meadow
Sparrowhawk over

aquinn · Status: Offline

sedge warbler still singing in the rosebay meadow.
reed warbler carrying food near the meadow pond and a small flock of reed buntings.
house martins, swallows and swifts overhead.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Yesterday:

9 chiffchaff (a couple in song)
12 whitethroat (several in song, one with a beak full of food)
2 reed warbler
5 reed bunting (two in song)
1 bullfinch
4 house martin

Plenty more house martin and a few swallow over the river

Dry weir:

1 grey heron
Little grebe with a single chick
1 stock dove
House martin

Also a pair of stock dove near the bridge across to Jackson's Boat

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Today:

5+ chiffchaff
10+ whitethroat
3 blackcap
1 reed warbler
Sedge warbler heard (the first I've noted here this year)
5+ reed bunting (at least four singing males around the reed bed, and others doted about)
2 greenfinch
8 long-tailed tit (one adult with seven fledglings)
4 jay

On and around the river:

More whitethroat, chiffchaff and blackcap
3 grey wagtail
1 pied wagtail
15+ swallow
20+house martin
5 sand martin
15+ swift
1 kingfisher
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
2 mallard females with 13 chicks between them (five and eight respectively)
2 black-headed gull

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Very late report for last weekend.
Saturday
Turnmoss playing fields
1 starling
1 black bird
1 mistle thrush
At the open to chorlton brook from the Mersey there was a pair of great spotted woodpeckers were in the same tree.
Dry weir
2 wren
1 mallard with a nest close to bank with 6 young in all looking ready to fledge. If I had to guess I would say one day till they fledge
6 sand martins
20+ house martins
8 swallows
5 swifts with one gliding as low as the swallows.
2 little grebes
1 moorhen
3 black headed gulls

Sunday
Whilst on turn moss playing fields walking the dog I spotted what looked like a stock dove so I took some photos and I was amazed to find that it was. It was with a pair of wood pigeons. Defiantly a stock dove as well because it later was joined by a juv. Wood pigeon which gave a good comparison
Dry weir
The mallards had fledged
1 little grebe
1 moorhen
1 wren

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Late report from yesterday
Quick walk to jacksons bridge from East disbury and Chorlton football club.
From the bridge there was
4 swallows
2 swifts
1 female mallard with 5 medium sized young.
Up to the bridge
1 chiffchaff
3 male blackbirds having a fight on the path
3 whitethroats calling none of which I could see
3 blackcaps calling
And the field behind the football club which used to be ploughed and was the only place I had seen wheatears and white wagtails in Chorlton and a friend of my had 3 yellow wagtails there one year, in the winter I had seen flocks of winter thrushes and wagtails is now going to be turned into a football field. It's such a shame cry

-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Saturday 6th of June 2015 10:41:14 AM

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

This afternoon:

6 chiffchaff
7 blackcap
3 whitethroat
3 reed warbler (two singing simultaneously and one diving into the reeds)
2 bullfinch
5 goldfinch
1 reed bunting
2 song thrush
long-tailed tit, wren, blue tit, chaffinch, blackbird, etc
1 cormorant over
1 kestrel

On river and in habitats alongside it:

1 willow warbler
20+ house martin
c15 swallow
4 pied wagtail
1 grey wagtail
1 greenfinch
3 song thrush
10+ swift
5 black-headed gulls

Spent a lot of time watching the hirundines, swifts, wagtails and gulls all feeding over the river; was really interesting to see each individual species' technique.

-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 31st of May 2015 10:03:17 PM

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Gervase Cooke wrote:

Hi

First trip on to the Ees this spring. Thought I'd take my 2 week old boy on his first birding trip. Had a good feeling about his lucky charmless.

Lo and Behold I saw a kingfisher flying high upstream on the brook. Upstream of the little bridge. First time I've ever seen one on the brook having walked up it countless times.

Can't really say he saw it but he was there.

Also good blackcaps and whitethroats. Couldn't hear reed or sedge warblers at the reedy pond though.

Coupl of house martins and swallows on the river. Gosh it looks beautiful down there in the flush of spring.

Will try to take him again soon.

Gervase

Excellent news on the Kingfisher Gervase, they used to be very regular there but I've not seen one on the brook for a few years

Gervase Cooke · Status: Offline

Hi

First trip on to the Ees this spring. Thought I'd take my 2 week old boy on his first birding trip. Had a good feeling about his lucky charmless.

Lo and Behold I saw a kingfisher flying high upstream on the brook. Upstream of the little bridge. First time I've ever seen one on the brook having walked up it countless times.

Can't really say he saw it but he was there.

Also good blackcaps and whitethroats. Couldn't hear reed or sedge warblers at the reedy pond though.

Coupl of house martins and swallows on the river. Gosh it looks beautiful down there in the flush of spring.

Will try to take him again soon.

Gervase

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

This afternoon:

10+ chiffchaff (with a couple seen)
5+ blackcap (with three seen)
7 whitethroat, two with nesting material
1 reed warbler (heard only)
2 reed bunting
4 dunnock
3 bullfinch
1 greenfinch (heard only)
2 jay
2 pheasant
2 buzzard
Plenty of the usuals

Along the river:

5 swallow
1 sand martin
2 grey wagtail
2 pied wagtail
1 greenfinch
1 willow warbler (heard only)
more chiffchaff, blackcap and whitethroat

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Reed warbler heard in the reed beds early this evening.

Also:

6 blackcap
4 chiffchaff
2 bullfinch
5+ song thrush heard singing (actually located: 0)
1 jay
1 pheasant
1 cormorant on the river
Usuals

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

2 whitethroat here today.

Also:

10+ chiffchaff
5+ blackcap
2 coal tit
2 reed bunting
2 bullfinch
1 greenfinch
5 goldfinch
3 song thrush
4 jay
3 great spotted woodpecker heard drumming
2 grey heron
1 kestrel (same male twice, both times giving spectacular views)
1 buzzard
2 water rail heard

All the usuals

Along the Mersey, and the various habitats off the path until the golf course:

5+ chiffchaff
1 willow warbler
2 greenfinch
2 swallow
1 sparrowhawk

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

3 blackcap today (two males in song and one female), first I've seen this year.

Also:

10+ chiffchaff
1 dunnock in song
Numerous wren, one with nesting material
5 long-tailed tit
3 greenfinch (with two that looked a pair)
4 bullfinch
1 reed bunting in song
3 song thrush
1 mistle thrush in song
6 jay
3 great spotted woodpecker (one seen, one heard calling, one heard drumming)
2 grey heron
1 cormorant over
1 lesser black-backed gull over
1 kestrel

Water rail heard

2 pied wagtail on the river

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Beautiful day today. Don't often get to come here in midweek, so lovely for it to be so quiet.

Several chiffchaff singing all over
A few dunnock, including a couple in song
Wren heard everywhere
About 20 long-tailed tits
4 reed bunting
2 bullfinch
3 greenfinch (two males trying to impress a single female)
2 treecreeper
2 goldcrest (one singing)
3 song thrush
2 great spotted woodpecker
3 buzzard
2 sparrowhawk
1 kestrel (stunning views of all of the raptors)
2 water rail heard in the reed bed

2 buff-tailed bumblebee. :)

Loads of the usuals, including 27 carrion crow together.

Along the river:

2 grey wagtail
1 pied wagtail
1 little grebe

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Couple of hours here this morning before the rain set in.

4 robin
5 long-tailed tit
4 coal tit
7 blue tit
15+ great tit, mainly males, either singing or calling loudly from prominent places
1 dunnock
1 wren
8 bullfinch
1 goldcrest
5+ blackbird
1 mistle thrush, singing, and I could hear others singing all over the wooded areas
2 song thrush, both singing
1 jay (seemingly in a screeching contest with another that I couldn't find)
1 raven cronking overhead (a new species here for me)
2 mallard
woodpigeon, carrion crow and magpie in good numbers, and a few goldfinch heard here and there.

Colin Nicholls · Status: Offline

In the reed area just off the Mersey...

Very vocal Water Rails - 2, maybe 3 (sadly only heard, not seen).
Kingfisher.

In the woods behind me...

Bullfinch
Long Tailed Tit
Great Tit
Willow Tit
Goldcrest
Great Spotted Woodpecker (drumming somewhere)
Song Thrush
... and a fox (doesn't beat the mink at Broad Ees last weekend - it walked up to me for a closer look!)

Overhead...

Kestrel
Buzzard
Grey Heron
Jackdaw

-- Edited by Colin Nicholls on Monday 16th of February 2015 07:23:03 PM

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

A beautiful day for it today. Sightings included:

6 bullfinch
5 coal tit
2 willow tit
15+ long-tailed tit
2 goldcrest
1 goldfinch
1 dunnock
2 great spotted woodpecker
c10 jackdaw
1 jay
1 kestrel (a female, perched in a tree yards from where I was stood)
1 buzzard (two sightings a couple of hours apart, maybe the same bird, both times being hassled by a carrion crow; one would hope that if it was the same bird, that it had at least had some sort of break)
1 sparrowhawk
1 grey heron

plus the usual array of blackbirds, robin, great tit, blue tit, woodpigeon, carrion crow and magpie.

Heard but not seen:

Wren
Water rail

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Joel Tragen wrote:

Went for a run this evening before I head to Wales.
On chorlton brook there was a female kingfisher fly up and down and stopped several times.
Also in the trees by the dry weir was a massive flock of long-tailed tits, there must have been at least 50 is this usual I know they are sociable but I didn't think they were around in that flocks that big. Cheers

Some great sightings there Joel Not seen a Kingfisher on the brook for quite a few years now (they were regular). 50 Long-tailed Tits is a good flock anywhere. Make sure you send these records in to Ian McKerchar

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Went for a run this evening before I head to Wales.
On chorlton brook there was a female kingfisher fly up and down and stopped several times.
Also in the trees by the dry weir was a massive flock of long-tailed tits, there must have been at least 50 is this usual I know they are sociable but I didn't think they were around in that flocks that big. Cheers

Colin Nicholls · Status: Offline

2 Buzzards circling.

Plus, a Kestrel beside the golf course just past Jackson's Boat.

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Hi I also noticed it was very quiet I only saw a pair of nuthatchs and a little grebe on the river.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Very, very quiet here today; two bullfinch, one wren, one kestrel and one pheasant, other than the usual woodland birds, and I didn't even see many of those. Apart from that, one lesser black-backed gull and one common gull flying over.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Lots of the usual common woodland birds to be seen (great tit in particular evidence), but apart from those a party of seven bullfinch feeding.

By Jackson's Boat:
One male kestrel, that dive-bombed a pair of magpies
Two grey wagtail
A ring-necked parakeet heard (later told there were two of them)
Two dunnock
One wren

Also walking back from the water park, spied a male goosander and a little grebe on the river.

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

I've flushed Teal from the reed bed in last few weeks to.

Colin Nicholls · Status: Offline

I did see 1 Wigeon at Chorlton WP a couple of weeks (maybe three weeks) ago...

Paul Wilkins · Status: Offline

Dry Weir

One Wigeon swimming with 11 Mallard. I've never seen one there before, indeed until recently I hardly saw them anywhere in the Mersey Valley.

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Sorry Pete, will keep my reference as per site guide from now on!
I half make up names for locations in my notes as we all do.

Pete Hines · Status: Offline

JamieDunning wrote:

The area behind the river banking, the meadow which is usually covered in Willowherb & balsam where the Whinchat was earlier in the year.
sorry - couldn't think of anything better to call it.

The meadow field. See maps on the site guide, it contains the meadow pond. Cheers, thought that would be favourite.