Green Woodpecker 1 on Urmston side of river on horse paddock fence post viewed from the Sale Model Flying Club field Siskin 1 over Chiffchaff 5 (few singing)
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Mandarin Duck plus 8 Ducklings - sat up on the exposed banks of the river. Pleasing to see they have successfully fledged from the owl box. Sand Martin c. 20 - colony of circa 20 birds has set up in the area where I experienced the landslide in 2016. Chris
If anybody sees mandarin duck with young around the Banky Meadows/Urmston/Flixton area please let me know.
We had a Manderin on eggs in one of our owl boxes last month. I assume they will have headed for the River Mersey (subject to the local watching buzzard). Any sighting would be gratefully received.
Chris
-- Edited by Chris Sutton on Friday 8th of June 2018 09:34:50 AM
Afternoon walk from Church Lane to the wier below Carrington Spur and onto Banky Meadows. Highlights;
Woodcock (1) - flushed Teal (4) on river 150+ blackheaded gulls feeding frantically in a flooded field Buzzard (2) other than that quiet
The most interesting sight was the banks of the river collapsing in front of me (on the sandy meandering stretch west of the wier). Suspect the land slip was caused by the banking being undercut in the recent high waters. The banking in this area looked great for Sand Martin - must check this out on the spring.
Remembered what it was all about today, why I love birding, not a rarity or a record number but a new patch tick.
2 Green Woodpeckers made my day, both flitting around the trees near Kickerty brook where it meets the mersey, a site first for me. But the supporting list was just great, Great Spotted Woodpecker. Bullfinch Grey Wagtails Kingfisher Buzzard.
Thrushes and Robins singing everywhere, Finches all over it was just old skool birding on a local patch. Nice to have days that make smile.
Juvenile and adult buzzard this morning opposite horse paddock on Banky meadow. 4 Jays 1 Garden Warbler amongst small feeding flock of mixed birds tits, finches chiff chaffs,
3 hour stroll this morning, won't list everything, all the common birds, one area just behind the water works plant, was most productive, Chiff chaffs and Willow warblers feeding well, party of Bullfinch on an elder bush looking smart.
Then the text about the Dotterel, some birders are jammy, well done the moors men:big grin:
I will keep slogging away, one day, I will find something.
19/04/2011 - 7-9am around Banky Meadow and upstream to the wier:
1 Redstart - a beautiful male, at grid ref - SJ769935 in hedgerow between the two large grass fields towards the wier upstream from Banky Meadow itself
i crossed the bridge next to carrington spur road on my way back from carrington moss & headed towards urmston banky meadow as i had seen some distant passerines they were over the mersey where there is an island there was not loads but got my fist swallows for the year 6 off them & 23 sand martin.
1130-1320 Managed to catch up with one of the Garden Warblers in the dip on the path opposite the entrance across the model aircraft flying field (thanks to Paul for the guidance below) despite the planes! Sedge Warbler along the path towards the mersey crossing. Loads of blackcap, chiffchaff and willow warbler. Pair of Goosander on mersey.
Similar walk to the previous post, yesterday 07/02/10, 9:30-11:30.
Good numbers of collared doves along Little Ees Lane, with a rough count of 200. Decent numbers of crows, rooks and jackdaws too, with at least 30 of all. Similar-numbered corvid flocks could also be seen reeling around the sewage farm on the north side of the Mersey.
A surprise was the lack of house sparrows along the lane. Though I did spot a singing nuthatch in the conifers, a first for me on this site (since moving to Ashton-upon-Mersey in May 09). Another pleasing sight was the high numbers of redwings (50 minimum) feeding with the starlings in the horse pasture to the sides of Church Lane.
Looking at some records from last year, my first sand martin was on the 15/03 at Dunham. I reckon Ive got a fighting chance of beating it this year on this site!
Species list 07/02/10:
Black-headed Gull Blue Tit Canada Goose Carrion Crow Chaffinch Collared Dove Coot Blackbird Kestrel Dunnock Goldfinch Goosander Great Tit Greenfinch Grey Wagtail Heron House Sparrow Jackdaw Jay Little Grebe Long-tailed Tit Magpie Mallard Moorhen Nuthatch Pied Wagtail Redwing Robin Rook Song Thrush Starling Stock Pigeon Teal Woodpigeon Wren
-- Edited by Julian Robinson on Tuesday 9th of February 2010 07:21:59 PM
Ashton on Mersey in Sale today, 10:30-12:30. Circular walk starting at Little Ees Lane, then along Mersey to Carrington Spur. From there along track by sewage works to Banky Meadow before joining Mersey again and returning to Carrington Spur, walk ending at Church Lane.
Crow, jackdaw, rook, starling, house sparrow and collared dove numbers lowest estimates along Little Ees Lane.
New records for me on this patch were Snipe, Gadwall and Meadow Pipit.
Sale sewage treatment works Pair of Gadwall, 3 Teal, single male Shoveler and 2 Coot on pool at back of the works - very hard to see from path through dense trees and bushes - possibly more stuff there but not visible. Also 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and 2 Willow Warbler singing there plus single Treecreeper and GS Woodpecker
R.Mersey Common Sandpiper 1 Goosander 1f Grey Heron 1 Sand Martin 4
also 2 Sparrowhawk, single Kestrel and 2 LLB Gulls over