Female mandarin with seven ducklings on the Goyt by the bridge this afternoon.

Little egret giving ridiculous views down to less than 10m on the stream next to the A627. When I accidentally flushed it, it flew into a tree giving those in the traffic jam a great chance for a car-tick! Also seen on site: 1 treecreeper in car park, 1 dipper on small stream next to R. Goyt along path on Marple side, a pair of goosander by Stockport Hydro. Both ring-necked parakeet and stock dove heard. It still seemed incredibly quiet though (finches and thrushes - apart from a couple of song - invisible). 

A local high count for me of at least 35 stock doves, which were down on the newly mown wildflower meadow.

A Little Egret was down at the mainly dry edge of the river (Goyt) west of the footbridge this afternoon. When it saw me, it flew upriver towards Romiley. Kingfisher also heard in same area.

There were very definitely two kingfishers in the same place at the same time yesterday, on the river from the Chadkirk bridge (upstream near the Marple bank)

At 4:15pm yesterday I stood on the iron footbridge over the River Goyt watching a large group of hirundines feeding along the river.
This group included all four species of Swallow, Swift, House Martin and Sand Martin.
They were flying close above and below the bridge and I even had to duck a couple of times to avoid a parting from a low flying Swift.
A fantastic sight !

Cheers,

Steve.

My first chiffchaff of the year calling (unseen) loudly this p.m. Possibly as many as 10 lapwings.

Very late post sorry.

Fri 5th

8 Lapwing in the Pylon Field. Reminds me of my youth, when they were common down here. Hope for the breeding season?

This evening 16:00-17:30

Buzzard took a Rabbit in the left hand field before the chapel and carried it into a nearby tree.

6 Lapwing in and around Scrape as well as 1 (visible!) Snipe.

Female Kingfisher showing well on the river.

A lovely evening walk filled with much birdsong with the many Robins in particular fine voice!

Definitely not parakeet  weather this morning with heavy snow but there was one sad looking lapwing by the pond in the big field 

3 buzzards and a sparrowhawk overhead and 2 snipe flying across to the pool this morning. Also a kingfisher on the river nearby seen from the A627

A female goosander with 7 young near the cycle bridge, a mixed flock of swallows and house martins around the bridge and robin, chaffinch and grey wagtail hawking for insects upstream from the bridge. Also 2 grey wagtails near the hydro.

Walked through here on way to Goyt Valley, and saw the first three of a buzzard fest and a pair of sparrowhawks which displayed very briefly. The lapwing pair is reunited, there were 4 teal, but couldn't see any snipe.

Just on a walk yesterday p.m. (without bins!), saw/heard first ring-necked parakeets (2) for a few months. As I left the site, they flew overhead towards Bredbury Green.

Even after 40-odd years of birdwatching, you can still see behaviour that is new to you. Today it was a treecreeper making several trips to the ground to pick up nesting material. I'm sure I've only ever seen them in flight or creeping up a tree before. I was looking for butterflies (successfully) so only noted the more obvious stuff like ring-necked parakeets (2), two female sparrowhawks interacting, chiffchaffs, male goosander on the river, kestrel, buzzards, of course, and I disturbed a mallard duck from her nest which had about 7 eggs in it.

Ravens and Buzzards around now on a regular basis. a pair of buzzards and a raven were circling together for about five minutes last Sunday just enjoying the thermals over Kirk Wood.

There were 2 there yesterday morning

A site first this p.m. with 3 ring-necked parakeets enjoying the sunshine. We're there when I got there and remained when I left (c90 mins) so they may like the place. Only other thing of note was a returning lapwing on the meadow, otherwise very quiet (only mallard on river).

Much needed leg-stretch. Best bird was a peregrine flying strongly NE at 2.30 p.m. Others seen included regulars goosander (1 fem), dipper (on small stream flowing between car park and road), cormorant, 2 grey wagtails and buzzard. Just off site (canal to north), 4 bullfinches (2 prs) were together, and about 10 redwings.

A flock of 20 or so house martins over the river with 15 or so swallows low over the neighbouring field and the odd swift at 10.30 today.

3.50 pm - 3 young Lapwing in the same place.

As well as 2 pr stock doves, 2 pr of mandarin (on the river bend by the main road), and buzzard, the highlight was both dipper (at 3 meters) and kingfisher on the brook that runs between the main car park and the road. With the river being in spate, this was the safe option for them. Getting both at rest in the same binocular view is not an everyday occurrence.