Garden warbler singing in the beeches in Keg Wood just beyond the wooden "bus shelter" by the picnic area.

[I'll add my support for the Egyptian goose. :)]

This discussion requires its own thread if possible please, it could (and perhaps should) run and run.

Tim Wilcox wrote:

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Can we have a campaign to restore the poor harmless goose to its home alongside all the other harmless wonky ducks and geese there? Who do we complain to? None of this has any bearing on the loss of native passerines and woodpeckers btw.

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Saturday 27th of April 2019 07:54:55 PM

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Julie Gardiner wrote:

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I know what has happened to the Egyptian Goose at Etherow.  I spent a very long time trying to find out and did!  He apparently was found curled up somewhere in Etherow around bonfire night. A gentleman got him to the RSPCA and they looked after him.  Apparently there wasn't much wrong with him.  Those awful fireworks must have distressed him.  Anyhow, we were told at first that he would be released into the park but then Natural England put a stop to it and wouldn't issue a license for his release as he is not an indigenous species.  Along with a friend of mine we are in contact with Natural England and are at stage 2 of trying to get a license for release.  It's really hard as they have quote an EU law.  But our friend the Egptian Goose in Etherow is no threat to the wildlife there.  He's lived all his life in Etherow and around 15 years.  He's more of a domestic goose than a wild one.  And he teamed up with the swan family.  I just can't believe this lovely gentle goose cannot get back to the place he loves.  He is apparently with some private "collector" whatever that means and they won't reveal where he is.  But I really am trying to get him back where he belongs. We are expecting a reply from Natural England any day now.

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 The Egyptian goose was always nice to see, but I'd rather 'Un-Natural England' restored willow tit, lesser spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, redstart, garden warbler etc... which have also all disappeared from the park. If the goose does return, I trust it has grown used to the rock music, bikers, drunken revellers and so on who have turned the park into a sad joke. Stand up Stockport Council.

Got to try and keep the place on the map! No signs of anything unusual, but there was a very large cormorant roost of 25+ birds. Two great spotted woodpeckers were having a drumming competition, and the number of jackdaws overflying the park at dusk was the most I've seen for some time (750+). Also noted 1 male goosander and a few teal on the river. Much of the open water was frozen so I expecgted more on the river but was disappointed.

09.30-11.30 this morning. 

140 Fieldfare in fields beyond Sunny Corner .20 Redwing. Also Egyptian Goose, 8 Goosander,  Kingfisher, 5 Mute Swan, 2 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Common Buzzard. 

Evening stroll from 19.30-21.00 yesterday .

2 Raven over weir, 14 Mandarin, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Nuthatch, 2 Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mute Swan.

Nesting nuthatches and treecreepers. Great spotted woodpeckers, blackcaps and chiffchaffs very much in evidence. Just the one willow warbler.

Egyptian goose on Keg Pool.

vic chatterton wrote:

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Re Andy's count of Tufted Duck

During the late 1970s and early 80s there were some fairly high counts during the much harsher winters.

On 13/1/1979 I had 48 Tufted Duck all visible from the hide. All still water was frozen on that day and even parts of the river. There were also 22 Teal and 5 Pochard on the river. I counted 48 Tufted Duck again on 1/2/1979.

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Way before my time Vic. 

Andy.

Really testing conditions which I thought might have brought something unusual in, but hadn't really. The following were recorded as notable.

Lodge:

20 tufted duck (14 male); possibly a site record?

18 cormorants (at least).

6 goosander (4 male)

River Hide:

pr of goosander

1 dabchick, a real scarcity in the park these days

1 snipe; attempted to land on mud bank (covered in ice), but flew off up river at once. A first for me here after 33 years of visits!

No sign of teal or water rail, which with carrion crows and a grey heron patrolling where it had been is perhaps understandable. Only saw 5 small passerines in total (robin, blackbird, wren, long-tailed tit, goldfinch), all singles.

John Rayner wrote:

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There is a notice on the hide closed from 14th December. Does anyone know is this is seasonal or permanent? The way the door and windows are screwed and boarded up make it look permanent.

Cheers John

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Dropped in to shelter from the foul weather in the cafe. Quick look showed a single goosander on boat club lake. The (?) Egyptian goose was sitting disconsolately up on the edge of the path, this meant I could test out the close focus on my new bins (Thanks FocalPoint!) and read its BTO ring (1044333). Is this well known, or worth reporting?

Mandarin 42
Egyptian Goose 1
Kingfisher 1
Little Grebe 1
Great crested Grebe 2
Buzzard 1

6-8.30 pm yesterday 

Dipper, Tawny Owl, 2 Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Treecreeper, 4 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 8 Mandarin, 2 Mute Swan with cygnet, 4 Tufted Duck, 8 Swift, 5 Swallow, 4 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, 3 Goldcrest, Goosander and at least 3 pairs of Great Spotted Woodpecker. 

Plus the usuals 

Chris Harper wrote:

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19.00-20.30 Highlights 

Drake Teal, Kingfisher, Dipper, 7 Tufted Duck, 18 Mandarin Duck, 5 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 2 Swallow, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great Crested Grebe, 3 Goldcrest 

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 Earlier in the afternoon (in addition to the above), there was a single raven over the park which hung around for about 5 minutes. Also drake goosander, a few sand martins, and a tantalising glimpse of what was near certainly a woodcock which rose from the ground near Sunny Corner (whilst I was not looking in that direction) and made off over the trees in a direct line away from me.