8.10-12pm lots of activity around the deer park this morning.
2 green woodpecker, more heard 12+ great spotted woodpeckers 14+ nuthatch 4 treecreeper 4 goldcrest 8 siskin amongst a flock of goldfinch 2 jay 18+ stock doves 10+ song thrushes 3 mistle thrush lots of redwings around singing 1 grey heron 1 buzzard 19 teal 14 tufted duck 2 skeins of pink-footed goose, 61 & 131, both heading north west. plus all the usuals around.
Dropped in this afternoon to have a look around the park.
Highlights were 3 Green Woodpeckers 2 Nuthatch and 1 Goldcrest. In a plowed field just outside the park near the scout camp there were 50 Lapwings 50 Black-headed Gulls and 8 Common Gulls.
On duty today from 12 to 3pm. A quiet day bird wise due to the huge number of visitors today. Highlights were:
20+ Great Tit feeding among the Beech mast on Langham Grove 10+ Long Tailed Tit 1 Coal Tit 3 Shoveler 1m 2f on Island Pool 100+ Black Headed Gulls throughout the park
A single Green Woodpecker, two Great spotted, a couple of Nuthatch and a dozen Goldcrest in a walk through the park today. As per Ann, no winter thrushes or finch flocks.
Helping out with the midday Bird Walk in the Park today, 25 participants, and with the poor light we had to work hard to see the birds. Notably, no winter thrushes or finches but a good count of common woodland birds.
Tawny Owl - 2 roosting together Raven - pair over WNW ish Fieldfare - 9 over east ish Redwing - 45 over east ish Dunnock and Treecreeper singing. Goosander - 1 male 15 feet away in the arm of the moat right by the courtyard, furtling in the submerged leaves. Retreated when i appeared, but soon moved back. I found myself wondering if the NT puts up nestboxes anywhere?
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 27th of November 2016 12:38:51 PM
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Walking along the path from the Park to the Bollin, a Green Sandpiper called loudly overhead before flying down into the ditch in the field, where it could then be viewed from the stile into the Park.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
The weather was atrocious with heavy rain for most of the time but at the end there was a brief clear spell where there was some activity.
I saw my first Spotted Flycatcher for five years here along Main Drive near the Slaughterhouse. This used to be a breeding species about 8 years ago but this was only my second sighting since then. This was obviously an autumn migrant but was great to see again in the park.
Also seen was a mixed flock of what seemed to be Juvenile Chiffchaff, Coal Tits and Nuthatch.
It looks like the three Cygnets have faired better than the other two and survived to a decent enough size not to be taken by Mink as the first two were. The Rangers have caught three Mink and are hoping that's the lot.
I have not been able to get into the park for a few weeks so it was a nice surprise this morning to see the five well grown Mute Swan cygnets on Smithy Pool.
I was able to read the leg ring on the adult male, it was silver in colour and coded ZZ8049. I have tried to find where it was ringed but with no joy, - anyone know the location please?
I'm assuming that it didn't have a Darvic ring, Sid?
(p.s. thanks so much for your call regarding my car accident, very kind & much appreciated )
Paul the Swan was ringed as an adult in Dunham Massey Park in November 2013.
I have not been able to get into the park for a few weeks so it was a nice surprise this morning to see the five well grown Mute Swan cygnets on Smithy Pool.
I was able to read the leg ring on the adult male, it was silver in colour and coded ZZ8049. I have tried to find where it was ringed but with no joy, - anyone know the location please?
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 19th of June 2016 04:32:10 PM
I'm assuming that it didn't have a Darvic ring, Sid?
(p.s. thanks so much for your call regarding my car accident, very kind & much appreciated )
I have not been able to get into the park for a few weeks so it was a nice surprise this morning to see the five well grown Mute Swan cygnets on Smithy Pool.
I was able to read the leg ring on the adult male, it was silver in colour and coded ZZ8049. I have tried to find where it was ringed but with no joy, - anyone know the location please?
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 19th of June 2016 04:32:10 PM
Brood of Mallard on Island Pool, and drake Gadwall here. One of the heron nests contains 3 quite well-grown young. Several Stock Doves were singing and display-flighting. Reed Buntings singing on both Island and Smithy Pools.
Highlight was a White Wagtail on Bollington flood, initially seen from the stile, two male and one female Pied were nearby.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 17th of April 2016 07:26:43 AM
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Little Grebe calling on Island Pool, 2 - 3 Stock Doves singing, at least 3 Green Woodpeckers yaffling, Siskin over, and young Grey Herons being fed in the nest in the deer-only area on the southern side of the park.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Family visit this afternoon. Plenty of yaffling going on around the woods from at least three different birds. I managed to get good views of two of them as well. Strangely though I didn't see any Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Monday 11th of April 2016 07:07:38 PM
Took a bird walk this morning in the pouring rain. Thankfully the birds were obliging.
3 Green Woodpecker seen and 4 heard 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Oystercatcher still present on flooded field 2 Grey Wagtail flycatching on island pool 6 Nuthatch 1 chiffchaff seen and 1 heard 2 Song Thrush
Dunham Golf Course and Woods - Treecreeper 3. Great Spotted woodpecker 1. Redwing 6. Coal tit 2. Goldcrest 3. Common Buzzard 2. Jay 2. Greenfinch 2. Nuthatch 2. Mistle Thrush 1.
Deer Park - Green Woodpecker ... 5 seen in different locations but because they were very mobile and vocal , I susspect there were only 2 , maybe 3 birds. I gave the ant-hills at the deer barn a good look , but nothing there so I went towards the slaughter house . Sitting on a tree stump , I heard one behind me .... it was having "a bit of do !" with a Great Spotted Woodpecker . Another landed in a Beech tree next to me (I had to check to see if Steve Burke was behind me). I saw 2 more on the way to the Obelisk and 1 repeatedly at the Obelisk. Nuthatches were conspicuous with 5 seen. A small flock of Siskin c10 , a Grey Heron, 3 Pied Wagtail and 4 Redwing were at the Ox-Bow. Plus 2 Goldcrest.
-- Edited by phillipskelly on Saturday 19th of March 2016 08:01:53 PM
On a lovely spring morning in the park it was good to see several members of the forum present and to meet some new folk. It's unusual for me to see any other birders there so it made a nice change
A good selection of birds was seen including a common Buzzard flying low through the trees near the obelisk, it did this 4 times; never seen that before. Also when I first arrived I noticed a group of 8 -10 Redwings still present feeding on the ground as well as several Siskin near the oxbow. Other species of interest included Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker.
A short circular walk taking in Island pool late afternoon. In addition to the usual tits and nuthatches, we saw a Green Woodpecker fly from the area of the slaughterhouse, and near the main drive were a flock of about 12 brightly marked redwing. More watchers needed at this site which I always feel should hold more birds than it appears to!
A quiet frosty day started hearing a Green Woodpecker while feeding the deer down farm walk
Bollington gate 2 Treecreeper 100+ Black Headed Gulls 1 Grey Heron 1 jackdaw with leucistic sections in its wings (we also have a Carrion Crow with the same issue)
Between Dunham Town (Axe & Cleaver) & Dunham Woodhouses (Rope & Anchor) today on the Trans-Pennine Trail, there were c. 300+ Fieldfare feeding in a field of winter wheat, and a Raven towards the Dunham Woodhouses end. Also a Mistle Thrush singing away for 3 - 4 mins, and a couple of subsinging Song Thrushes.
Cheers.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Monday 4th of January 2016 08:20:43 PM
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
During a very quick walk around the park late on this very chilly afternoon heard the familiar si-si-si-si call of Long tailed Tits. There was a group of twenty or so birds flitting around the coppiced trees on the grassed area in front of the house - brightened our walk considerably.
Took a group on a bird walk today from 11,00am to 1.00pm. Very windy but thankfully dry. There were very few small birds about due to high winds but some water fowl made an appearance.
50+ Canada Goose on the Moat 100+ black headed Gulls and 2 Grey Heron on field by Bollington Mill
Old Mans pool 1f mandarin Duck 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker
Island Pool 1m Teal 2m Gadwall 40+ Mallard 6 Tufted Duck 1 Grey Heron
Smithy Pool 2m Gadwall
Also 1 Cormorant overhead
-- Edited by Lawrence Hindley on Saturday 5th of December 2015 10:52:06 PM
Of interest in the park late morning today - a pair of Mandarins on Island pool and a group of 8 Redwings in the trees around the pool. Also, an unusual sighting for me in the park, a Cormorant on the moat.
1 great spotted woodpecker 7 nuthatch 2 treecreeper 6 goldcrest 9 jay 4 siskin 1 buzzard 2 brambling feeding on berries with redwing near the 7th tee 3 chaffinch 1 greenfinch 2 song thrush lots of redwings all around with several fieldfares also.
deer park...
2 green woodpecker 1 great spotted woodpecker 9 nuthatch 4 treecreeper 4 goldcrest 6 jay 1 peregrine falcon immature female, landed in tree near deer barn for several minutes before being harassed by crows & jackdaws. 4 pied wagtail 3 meadow pipit, over 1 stock dove 3 mistle thrush lots of redwings all around with several fieldfares also.
island pool... 1 mandarin, 1 shoveler, 5 tufted duck.
1 Mistle Thrush 2 Little grebe Tufted Duck in some numbers throughout the park on the ponds 1 Common Buzzard 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Cormorant fishing on the moat.
Well over 100 Black headed Gulls in the park. Throughout the park these gulls were chasing Jackdaws with aerial battles going on all afternoon. Sometimes the Jackdaws would try to coordinate a counter attack but the gulls had the best of the fight. At one point two gulls got so brave that they started dive-bombing a Grey Heron on Island Pool. The agility of both crows and gulls was fun to watch.
-- Edited by Lawrence Hindley on Saturday 10th of October 2015 09:53:14 PM
On duty this afternoon 1-5pm. A large mixed flock of small birds including a number of juveniles was moving through the park today. Numbers were difficult to estimate but would probably be significantly more than I saw at one time.
8+ Long Tailed Tit 10+ Blue Tit 4+ Coal Tit 4+ Goldcrest 6+ Nuthatch 1 unidentified Warbler species
Also 5 Grey Heron 1 Green Woodpecker female 4 Stock Dove 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 20 Black headed Gulls
1 Ruff (Probably a male in Autumn plumage but distant on flooded field outside Bollington Gate) 7 Grey heron 4 Stock Doves 200+ Black Headed Gulls 3 Lesser Black Backed Gulls 4 Buzzard 1 Pied Wagtail
Smithy Pool 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Green Woodpecker
North Park A pair of Sparrowhawk with young on the nest
The Ruff is a first for me at Dunham Massey and brings the park total to 102
20/07/15, pm Song Thrush, 4 x (singing) Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher (Island Pool), Little Grebe (Island Pool), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Whitethroat, 2 x Blackcap, Yellowhammer
Yesterday evening:- House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows over and around Bollington Mill flats also a Buzzard, and unusually for Dunham, a Raven having a bit of an aerial battle.