Went for a non-birding stroll with a friend last night, and called in at the hide and we were rewarded by a couple of passes by the kingfisher and Mandarin swimming and flying.

Loads of Mandarin about today, in the usual place and also on the canals. Moorhens in the center of the lake, not seen that before, they are usually near the banks. Not a lot else, but always good to see Nuthatch.

Must go up to the top of the hill sometime and see what is about.

Spent some time in the Hide at the NR this lunchtime. Just after two couples left, a Kingfisher arrived on a branch in the river 50 ft away, and proceeded to fish for 5 mins. it then flew to the opposite bank slightly upstream and did the same. I think it was the best view I have ever had.
A Woodpecker,Nuthatch and some Blue/Great tits came to the feeder.


All in all, very good

Not bad today.

11 Male Manderin behind the pump house.

Redwing in trees opposite hide

Robin 6" from our noses on the window ledge of the hide
Tuffties,
Teal
Mallard
Little Grebe


Feeder by hide
LT Tits
GS Woodpecker
Great Tits
Nuthatch
Coal Tit
Kingfisher seen by other hide occupants.

For interest Ian/Judith, the other hide occupants Man and wife, have been going there for 15 years a few days per week, and have been recording everything they see as it happened. They said they are not on the Internet - pity, as I said that MB would like that info.

Geoff




















-- Edited by Geoff Walton at 16:11, 2008-12-19

A nice hour in the Park at dusk 3.30 - 4.30.

Highlight a water rail seen briefly, then heard loudly (!) on the pond behind the weir. Also seen:-

19 cormorants
c10 tufted duck
6 Mandarin
1 teal
20+ redwing
kingfisher (almost fishing by moonlight on Compstall Lodge at 4.30)

Perhaps best was an enormous number of jackdaws overflying the Park and leaving a pre roost. Easily 1000 birds involved.

Bottom end of Etherow near the VS is a haven for plastics and weirdos. Saw the Birdguides report and knew it was wrong.

Ian, does that mean they are still a mancy tick for us sub 200 clubbers

cheers geoff

A proper wild goose chase

12.00 - 1.00.

I, too, had a stroll round Etherow with Dave Evans this lunchtime. Checked the waters near the car park then also walked up to Keg Pool more in hope than expectation. No sign of any White-fronts anywhere but the usual Egyptian Goose is still there.

With my cynic's hat on, is it co-incidence that the feral flock of grey-lag/chinese geese also number 20 and have a thin white blaze above the bill? They were certainly showing well !!

On the other hand there have been a number of White-front sightings reported from up and down the country today so the record fits in with a pattern of movement.

Surely anyone who bothers to subscribe to Rare Bird Alert wouldn't report these rag-bag ferals in as White-fronts. Does anyone know who might have phoned these in?

I called in to the ranger's office but he knew nothing. He did say I wasn't the first to ask about these birds (presumably Paul and Riggers also enquired)

Cheers, John

Judith,

i may be interested as i visit Etherow regular, not always birdwatching but could make it that way. I would just need to know whats involved.

Thanks

Andrew

20/7/07 AM

Two GGGrebe with 1 very young chick

Tuesday 29/5 20.15 to 22.30

Visited to try and get woodcock but no luck

Mandarin with 4 young
Malard with 7 young
Great Crested Grebe sat on nest
Coot sat on Nest
Tree Creeper
2 Grey Herons
Male Tufted Duck
Lots of Bue and Great Tits with young
Tawny Owl lifer for me
Female Pied flycatcher another lifer
Song Thrush loads singing and spotted 2
2 Mute Swan
GS Woodpecker

After seeing the GSW as we walked back down the hill i caught movment of to my left, as we stopped and looked it was a badger staring back looked at us for 30 seconds and the pegged it. What an experience as the only othess ive seen other than on the TV have been dead at the side of the road. ALso saw a little vole.

You deffo need a torch on the way back as it get very dark, i would reccomend to anyone as its a great walk, on the way back in the dark i wondered where all those canada geese slept, i said this just as i shone my torh down the path in between the to ponds to see about 50 of the blighters covering the path !!!!. was an interesting few minutes navigating through them.

so its back for me sometime next week to try and find those bloody wodcocks.

cheers

Andtew

Dipper showing well on river, a short distance downstream from weir.

Male Mandarin on river just behind pump house

Buzzrd flew over valley towards woodland above cottage.

Plenty of Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and Song Thrush very vocal but sightings were few and far between.

Tawny Owl heard in distance.

Two species of bat flying about, smallest came very close to my head as I was seated on bench overlooking Keg woodland and valley

Had to wait till 21.48 for my first Woodcock of the year.

On route back something came at speed right across the path and down through the wood. Spooked me, as it was pitch black amongst the trees. Could have been just a small deer.

Not far from the car park I came across what at first glance was large cat, domestic that is, until it came further into the fading light and I realised I was witnessing only my second living badger.

theres dippers showing on the river medlock around daisy nook if thats of any use, tony

Glad you got there Tony.
Don't think there are or have been any signs. I am only 2 miles away.

You had the best of the weather I think. It was almost raining at 12.30 when we left. You had the sun and blue sky - don't know why rain was forecast all day.

The mandarin are nice arn't they? I missed the Heron off the post below as well.

Did you make the hide - over the weir and into the nature Reserve?