Despite having been going to ECP since at least the mid 80s, I never knew the hide existed until I chanced across this thread. Well I went down this morning - stunning weather - and sat in there for a couple of longish periods and walked around Keg Pool in between.

Initially one young Cormorant in the tree up the river but 4 by the time I was leaving (13:30). Loads of Nuthatches and Treecreepers around plus Blackcaps singing from across the river. Great Spotted Woodpecker came and sat on the bird table for awhile as did a Jay and a pair of Mandarin Duck. Plenty of Tufted Duck, Canada Geese, Coot and Moorhen around and all 4 common tits were seen. Heard a Goldcrest across the water. Saw dippers below the weir.

Also what I took to be a Chiffchaff (since it said nothing and I heard no Willow Warblers) was repeatedly collecting lots of feathers below the bird table and flying across the river with them.

I didn't stray from the path in the reserve - is there anywhere else in there you can go or is it off limits? The reedbed looks interesting - is there anything seen there of interest - any warblers?

I did hear a Little Grebe a few weeks ago while I was at Keg Pool in the direction of that flooded reedy area by the river. Never seen one at ECP though (not that I go all that often for anything apart from a stroll around!)


Sorry, just saw the rule about new usernames - please feel free to change!

-- Edited by Cantoris on Saturday 17th of April 2010 04:00:55 PM

Dipper down from the weir this am.

21st March.

8.00 to 10.20 am.

First visit to this site - maybe not an ideal time on a Sunday morning, also with fairly heavy fog/mist first thing. Still the site I wanted to visit at 7.15 was so fog bound I made a long detour and ended up here! Very busy with people later on - I've never seen so many people carrying bags of bread to feed to the wildfowl!

Pleased I did visit though, really beautiful mature woodland and more than enough birds of interest. The wet woodland in the spring sunshine was just starting to smell of wild garlic.

Wall to wall Nuthatch songs and calls all the way round - at least 3 pairs and 2 singles seen. 7 Mandarin - a party of 3 (2 males) and 2 other pairs - never really looked at the females so close up before - how beautiful they are in a dapper, subdued way... not like the males which are a bit OTT! 3, probably 5 Goldcrest - a single bird singing, and 2 (a pair?) in another location and possibly even another pair as well. 1 Dipper, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker "yaffled" twice, 1 Siskin flew over calling, a Woodcock was flushed by a dog, 1 Raven flew over "pronking". A brief burst of song heard sounded remarkably like that of a Blackcap but despite a 20 minute wait it didn't start up again. 2 Mute Swan, 9 Tufted Duck, plenty of Cormorants flying over. 4 singing Song Thrush.

Highlight of the morning though was the sighting of a single Buzzard, which quickly became 2 and then 5 and then 6 - all circling and "miaowing" at height over the area for approx. 90 seconds, before all departing in different directions.

Will definitely visit Etherow again later in spring and summer!

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 21st of March 2010 03:25:59 PM

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 21st of March 2010 03:55:38 PM

7-9.30am this Morning

11 Mandarin
1 male Goosander (on main backwater)
1 Dipper on river
4 Cormorant
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Barnacle Goose

Nothing of note from the hide.

Anthony

Thurs 4/3/201
Main lake
4 Egyption goose
Small lake
2 Cormarant
50+ B H gulls
Hide
6 Mandarin
Female Reed Bunting
2 Jay
Treecreeper
Tawney Owl having a mid day hoot in woods across from hide.(not seen)
Little grebe
15 Cormorant in tree down river

A tick-fest in the Borough today. Started with the first Great-crested Grebe here this year and a supporting cast of:

23 Mandarin Duck (starting to pair off now, 4 separate pairs in this total)
GS Woodpecker 2 (drumming and courtship)
4 Nuthatches singing
Dipper at weir (unringed)
Little Gebe above weir
Siskins and Sparrowhawk overhead
2 Egyptian Geese (1 on Keg Pool aggresively chasing the Canada Geese)
Feral Barnacle Goose (not countable on the Borough list)
Teal (3m, 1f)
Goosander (1m, 2f on Keg Pool)

A total of 40 spp.

Cheers, John

During the cold snap at the start of the year there was a Juvenile Great Crested still with traces of 'humbug' plumage, on the small area of water which wasn't frozen over, on the main stretch of water at the Etherow.

Also had a couple of Goldcrest in a conifer along the path between the Roman Lakes entrance & the railway bridge near the weir at Marple, & another with a flock of tits close to the pelican crossing just before the turn off to Chadkirk.

A 4 hour flog round Etherow produced 1 new borough bird.

Little Grebe (2 on river)
Teal (10 on river)
Mandarin (15 near weir)
Tufted Duck (13 near weir)

The woodlands were incredibly quiet:
Siskin (c30)
Nuthatch (2)
GS Woodpecker (1)
A scattering of Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits

Keg Pool (almost ice free):
Mute Swan (2)
Mallard (2)
Coot (4)
Egyptian Goose (1)

It is difficult to get duck other than common stuff in Stockport Borough. Waters are small, few and much disturbed. So, not a sniff of Shoveler, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Gadwall, Stifftail nor even a Great Crested Grebe yet. Come to that I haven't seen a local Goldcrest yet either.

Cheers, John



-- Edited by John Rayner on Thursday 18th of February 2010 09:10:43 PM

There were 18 Cormorants in the roost near the bird hide above the weir, and roughly as many birders enjoying a guided tour. A few Tufties and a couple of Little Grebe were on the river.

Chaffinch, Dunnock and Nuthatch were singing, but there was little else going on. I been hoping to see a Dipper, but was not successful.

The pool had its usual collection of feral and exotic birds clamouring for the attention of those who had brought bread; these included a Barnacle Goose.

18 Mandarin Duck (11m, 7f) along the Goyt and by the brick blockhouse near the weir
12 Tufted Duck (8m, 4f) by the brick blockhouse near the weir
1 feral Barnacle and 1 Egyptian Goose towards the visitor centre

Cheers, John

17/1/10 am

Mandarin - 18
Egyptian Goose - 3
Goosander - 2
Teal - 7

Brilliant , thank you anthony.

Good morning everyone, was wondering if you could help me. I was hoping you could tell me where the hide is at E.C.P and also is it public access, or do i need to apply for a key.
many thanks
William

Not today, but i will be back.....with more bread!

Dave

Had a pleasant morning walking around;

11 Raven....yes 11! At one point mobbing a buzzard, got a few pics of the group but only ever managed to get 3's and 4's in at once. Circled around for a bit before they appeared to move on.
1 Buzzard
8 Cormorant
5 Mandarin (3 male)
2 Egyptian Goose
2 Little Grebe

Cheers

Dave

Cheers guys a great help, will have a look in the next few days.

Dave

David Winnard wrote:

---

I was just wondering if the male mandarins are back in all their glory yet? I may have a trip down there in the next couple of days and would like to photograph the males.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Dave

---

Really is pot luck with the males at Etherow David...They can show well one day, not the next and will be back the day after.
Behind the Pump house near the weir is always the best bet and will offer nice close up views for photography if your luck is in.

In saying that, they could show up just about anywhere from the main lake to the Keg Pool.

Good luck.
Anthony

I was just wondering if the male mandarins are back in all their glory yet? I may have a trip down there in the next couple of days and would like to photograph the males.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Dave

Hi Andy,

Yesterday was a very peculiar day in Poynton also where not only the finches were missing at our ringing site, but also were the Jackdaws, Jays and Wood Pigeons. The wind (drift) was from the NW so perhaps the birds were anticipating a cold snap had legged it further south? If so we might get an influx of Siskins. Greenfinches are looking fluffed up, and there are other less obvious signs of Trichomoniasis.

Tony

8th Nov (11.30 - 13.00)

Now 3 Egyptian Geese. The warden said they have not been deliberately introduced, that the extra 2 flew in and have been on Keg Pool associating with swans. All 3 are now in the vicinity of the visitor centre.

Also 4 Mandarin not far from the visitor centre ignored scores of walkers on the nearby path. One of these was a female with very pale, ragged head.

On the river by the weir only 5 Mandarin on show but others probably lurking under the willows.

From the hide. Usual Blue, Great, Long-tailed and Coal Tits, 2 Nuthatch, 1 female Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, Jays at feeders, 1 male Bullfinch and 18 Cormorants roosting.

Cheers, John


-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 8th of November 2009 02:51:49 PM

Quick visit mid-afternoon,
Close views of Nuthatch & Treecreeper on the path leading to the hide,
20 odd Cormorant in the tree,
i Buzzard
& 18 Redwing flying over

Another 6 Redwing in Brabyns Park near the Iron Bridge.

PM
Dipper on the river below the weir
Jay in the wood at the rear of the Chapel.

Henry Cook wrote:

---

Looks like the 'real' thing, or as real as Egyptian Geese in the UK get!

---

thanks for prompt reply Henry looks like a new tick in the book for us then!

-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Sunday 4th of October 2009 04:23:48 PM

At least 10 m & f mandarin still in the same area at the end of the main res. Lots of dog walkers annoying them and us!! There was some kind of egyptian goose near the cafe this afternoon look at the pictures and let me know whether it's a hybrid or not as we are no experts as most of you know!

https://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z302/agent-c/egyt1a.jpg
https://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z302/agent-c/egypt2a.jpg

would be interested to know for sure!

-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Sunday 4th of October 2009 04:23:03 PM