Peregrine Falcon over town centre at 09.25. Into a stoop but didn't catch feral pigeons. 4 Pied Wagtail too.

Burnage Rugby Club to Mersey Vale Nature Park 6.15-8.45

The value of getting up early demonstrated this morning with 42 species seen and lots of birds showing well. Normally on this route I manage about 25-30, but there was tons of activity in the bright sunshine.

Main point of note was some nice sightings of Whitethroat, there was a male on territory on the main footpath, which was flying really high from its perch, 20m or more. I was presumably a bit early for them last month. Two more males were locked in a song battle on the high ground within the Nature Park, they were incessant and again flying high off their perches. Also around here a very prominent singing Willow Warbler, not that common down here in my experience, it is far more normal to find Chiffchaffs.

The scrub and light woodland up on the embankment there at Mersey Vale looks great for a Garden Warbler or Lesser Whitethroat, but there was no sign today, despite plenty of other birds being in there.

Cheers Chris, I guess I must have missed you- I have a very similar photograph of the Cormorant.  Not as ridiculous an identification mistake as it might seem, without binoculars and obscured by the tree branches it wasnt easy to identify the bird.

Originally posted today by Mike Crawley:

 

hi folks,

I'm friends with the CAWOS county recorder and he has just sent me a messag.  I plan to go into the town centre and take a look.

Here's the message

 

Chiffchaff still in song at Heaton Mersey Vale yesterday morning, also 2 Dipper, Kingfisher and 10+ Goosander on the river Mersey.

A large creche of 45+ Goosander (all redheads/juvs) on the River Mersey near Heaton Mersey Vale yesterday (23/8).

5 Mallards in the bus Station @ 16:05

Oystercatcher heading South this morning at 07:20, on the A6 over Stockport old infirmary.

Chris Harper wrote:

---

...Also a rarely seen sight and sound of a pair of Redwing singing and displaying near Kennels...

---

Hey Chris, there was a Redwing singing the other day when I saw the Firecrest on the riverbank. I'd never heard one before. Maybe all the snow has made it feel at home? We ought to see if they stick around, breeding Redwing in GM would be good!

My first Chiffchaff of the year around the M60 bridge. Up to 3 calling. Also a rarely seen sight and sound of a pair of Redwing singing and displaying near Kennels.

Other birds: Kingfisher, 5 Bullfinch, 5 Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest  Sparrowhawk  3 Pied Wagtail  5 Cormorant, 3 Grey Heron, Pheasant  Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay.

Simon, re: linnet records this winter, Iâve had individual birds on three occasions since early Nov, primarily around the scrub surrounding the dipping pond by Patch Island. All three have been very vocal (calling) and were heard before they were seen on each occasion. Two raven were hanging around the same general area for a day a couple of weeks ago.

Mersey Vale Nature Park.

Walk in from Craig Road, turn right at the community orchard ignore the meadow in front of you and look for the path that turns right again and goes up to what I think is called the upper meadow.  There are some hawthorns and small trees up there and three Linnet were foragoing in the grassy footpath.  Unsurprisingly they left quickly as soon as they spotted us.  

I only know this area of the Park from scything the grass last summer as a volunteer with HMCG and Cheshire Wildlife Trust 

Good Luck 

From the M60 bridge to Cheadle bridge (B5095 Manchester Road)

Notable
Kingfisher (near the weir)
Goosander (8 three drakes, five ducks)
Dipper (perched momentarily on the bridge about 10 inches above the water)

Also
Redwing
Fieldfare both on Parrswood School playing field

Bullfinch

Great spotted Woodpecker

Song Thrush all on the Mersey Vale Nature Park

Coot, Mallard, Grey Heron, Rook, Crow, Jay, Ring-necked Parakeet, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, House Sparrow, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Robin, Linnet, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Canada Goose, Mistle Thrush

Good fun

-- Edited by Mike Crawley on Sunday 4th of March 2018 04:56:39 PM

Three cormorants and two goosander on river. Redwings, fieldfares, thrushes on horse field.

Originally posted today by Barry Collison:

My wife and I usually walk along this stretch of the River Mersey 2 or 3 times a month mainly to look at the wildlife. Last night we watched The Plastic Tide on Sky tv, I recommend watching this program to anybody who has not seen it. With this in mind we did a 1.5 mile stretch from the green footbridge to just past Burnage Rugby club not quite up to the bridge at Cheadle. Today instead of just looking at the fauna and flora we decided to do our bit for the enviroment and pick up all the plastic bottles we saw at side of the footpath. You would not believe how many we collected. We also added plastic bags and cans but soon filled up our bags. There were other "plastic bags" that we did not pick up. These are the ones left by the dog walkers who have a lower IQ than their dogs. On the nature front it was a bit quiet but got some great views of the Buzzard over the horse field. I recommend more people do this whilst walking, then the message might get through.

Heaton Mersey

Kingfisher 1
Goosander 3
Cormorant 5
Goldcrest 2

Common Buzzard on old railway bridge, Kingfisher, 4 Goosander, 6 Redwing, 8 Grey Heron

Kingfisher 1+, Sparrowhawk. Goosander, 6 Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail

2 Kingfisher and 5 Goosander on this morning's commute.

This morning: Dipper, 1+ Kingfisher, 2 Goosander, 3 Grey Heron

Goosander, Ring Necked Parakeet, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 8 Grey Heron, 5 Mistle Thrush, 2 Grey wagtail so far on this weeks commute.

Swift with the group ay 15.30.

Swift by Cheadle Bridge this afternoon at 3.30 with 40 House Martin and 10 Swallow between here and Patch Island. Also Kestrel and 6 Mistle Thrush .

Kestrel over Stockport baths @15:50