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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD SIGHTINGS -> Goyt Valley Local Nature Reserve - Offerton
Post Info TOPIC: Goyt Valley Local Nature Reserve - Offerton
Matt Potter


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RE: Goyt Valley Local Nature Reserve - Offerton
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A short visit with Mrs P today. Missed the Mandarin cos I mis read the left at home directions! (sorry mr Rayner!) But got fantasic views of the Little Owl in the tree sat right out in the open in front of the Magpie nest. Also 1 Stock Dove, many Woodpigeons, Blue and Great Tits, Finches, Nuthatch etc etc.

Cheers

Matt

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Chris Harper


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Re Grey Partridge. It's a long shot, but I'll try ang get the exact date(Sadly I do keep a diary--it's just finding the thing!)
The exact spot was at the top of the sloped field opposite Goyt Fm, where the grass meets the crop. A year or so back it was set aside and lapwing bred.
Chris H


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Paul Dewey


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First visit to this site, brought on by hope of seeing little owl, which obligingly was there and quite active, moving branch a couple of times.

Also c50 redwings on fields and nuthatch nr bridge. Plenty of tit activity.

Later at opposite end saw 4 comorants in flight and c50 Mandarin ducks behind kennels. Got a bit confused about where best to see them from as couldn't see how to see river from mill lane so viewed from bongs lane, where i also put up buzzard from nearby trees.

Did i miss a path on the correct side? Also the Mandarins seemed to be flying in and out of kennels. Are they feeding them?

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John Rayner


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Chris Harper wrote:


PS have seen a Grey Partridge near Goyt Hall fm, but not since summer of 2000, anyone seen one since then?


Hi Chris,

I would be interested in deciding the last date for Grey Partridge in SJ98. Have you a date for your summer 2000 sighting?

Does anyone else have a more recent sighting for this area?

Cheers, John

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Chris Harper


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On the topic of Little Owls, just a few hints and tips of where I've seen them over the years.
Evenings in summer on the building in Middle Farm as you head towards Bredbury Hall
At Goyt Farm, often on the chimney, in tree adjacent to chimney, or on pole in sloped field opposite(early/late best here)
Still around the wood often in morning,in trees on left especially as you head down the first steep bit of track.
Sometimes on fence posts at top of the 'bull' field opposite where the track joins Midshires way.
At waterside,unsure if a different pair, often on farm building, sometimes on telegraph pole in middle of their BIG field opposite the kennels.
Hope this may be of some use.
Chris H
(PS have seen a Grey Partridge near Goyt Hall fm, but not since summer of 2000, anyone seen one since then?)

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 27th of January 2010 10:38:13 PM

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Geoff Walton


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Per bird Rob?smile.gif

After talking to our lead birder, and looking back though this thread, I suspect they were meadow pipits

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Rob Thorpe


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Geoff Walton wrote:


We also saw 6 small birds on a telegraph wire, but could not identify them. redpoll or sparrows? any offers?



£10.00

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Geoff Walton


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A little owl in the larger of the two trees at the back corner of the building this morning.

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Geoff Walton


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Loads of fieldfare plus some redwing, but did not see a little owl. The farmer said they are usually in the two trees just behind the building where the old car is.

We also saw 6 small birds on a telegraph wire, but could not identify them. redpoll or sparrows? any offers?

-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Tuesday 26th of January 2010 03:33:55 PM

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Anthony Dixon


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John and Geoff thank you very much.
I had a feeling it was that one...I pass it quite often and have never known the name!

I last walked through it the other week on the Tuesday we had the heavy snow...I briefly chatted with the farmer, who seems like a very nice man.

I've looked around the area for Little Owls before without much luck, but never around the farm site...Hopefully might prove more fruitful now!

Thanks again
Anthony

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John Rayner


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Which farm is Goyt Hall John?
Been meaning to ask for a while now!

Anthony



Hi Anthony,

Nothing to add to Geoff's info. Park at Otterspool and keep walking past the kennels - about a mile.

The Little Owls like the tree with the magpie nest in it to the RHS of GHF.

Geoff, As you approach the kennels look for Mandarins in the corner of the field to the immediate right of the kennel buildings. There is a small channel that they walk up to feed in field.

Forgot to mention that there was a Great Spot drumming today on the far side of the Goyt in the GHF area.

Cheers, John

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Geoff Walton


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Hi Anthony,
If I can butt in, Goyt Hall Farm is the Black and White with a pond in front.building, way past the kennels, then past the farm on the left at the real entrance to the LNR, then past the left turn to go to the green bridge over the Goyt to Offerton. It is then a couple of hundred yards further on the left. In other words, if you walk on the path from otterspool, you will come to it.. Almost in a away at Bredbury Hall. The lane opposite the Farm leads up to Bredbury Green.

I think it used to be owned by the Davenport Family of Capsthorne. Chadkirk Chapel was a "Chapel of Ease" to that Family in the early days.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bredbury#Goyt_Hall

-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Thursday 21st of January 2010 10:41:03 PM

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Anthony Dixon


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John Rayner wrote:


Otterspool - Goyt Hall Farm 21/01/10

Much as yesterday but a splendid 4 male Yellowhammers over stubble field behind Goyt Hal farm. Little Owl being mobbed by Blue/Great Tits and 2 Treecreepers.

30 Mandarin in field by kennels.

Cheers, John





Which farm is Goyt Hall John?
Been meaning to ask for a while now!

Anthony

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Geoff Walton


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Lucky you John. I went to the river and managed to flush the mandarin of the other side in the water.
Assume most of your sighting were from "your negotiated patch"?smile.gif

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John Rayner


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Otterspool - Goyt Hall Farm 21/01/10

Much as yesterday but a splendid 4 male Yellowhammers over stubble field behind Goyt Hal farm. Little Owl being mobbed by Blue/Great Tits and 2 Treecreepers.

30 Mandarin in field by kennels.

Cheers, John



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John Rayner


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Otterspool - Goyt Hall Farm

34 Mandarin (in field just upstream from kennels)
6 Goosander (2m, 4f)
3 Nuthatch
140 Pinkfeet (west at 10.35)
5 Lapwing (east)
79 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush
1 Yellowhammer (male behing GH Farm)
5 Grey Heron
2 Cormorant
1 Little Owl (at GH Farm)
3 Jay
Sundry other Tits, Finches, Corvids, Gulls etc.

Cheers, John


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Phil Panton


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Good numbers of Redwing & Fieldfare this morning in the right hand field as you walk down from Goyt Hall Farm to Middle Farm.
Also quite a few Mistle Thrush & Meadow Pipits aswell as a single Lapwing.

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John Rayner


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Offerton Sewage Works. On just 3 of the settling beds were:

Pied Wagtail (45)
Grey Wagtail (4)
Meadow Pipit (14)
Robin (2)
Moorhen (3)
Song Thrush (1)

Stock Doves (8) in trees behind Bongs Farm.

Cheers, John

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Chris Harper


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Quick wander with my kids to Jim Fernley this morning. Chilly wind, but a nice snowy scene still. Only did from my estate, across Offerton HS field, and down across bridge to feed the horses. (Of interest Tawny Owl calling 11ish last 2 nights on St John's Wood -female).
Main highlights:
4 Goosander
At least 1 Sparrowhawk with prey. Large female.
2 Nuthatch
Great Spot
5 Redwing
Heron
Quite a few pristine looking Common and Black Headed Gulls flying around.
Large flock of Long Tailed Tits, with 4 Coal Tits too.
River rising, covering the ice that has formed at the sides, a wierd site.
Yours
Chris H

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Rob Smallwood


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There were two Snipe present yesterday, flying low through the trees doing Woodcock impressions!

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Rob
John Rayner


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Rob Smallwood wrote:

60+ Mandarin on the river behind Chadkirk Kennels - showing well and looking great as a flock in flight when I inadvertantly got too close - oops!





We counted 56 Mandarins this morning with 2 Snipe flushed off the footpath and 2 Little Owl at Goyt hall Farm.

Cheers, John



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Rob Smallwood


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60+ Mandarin on the river behind Chadkirk Kennels - showing well and looking great as a flock in flight when I inadvertantly got too close - oops!

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Rob
Chris Harper


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Had a VERY cold walk Thu am(7 Jan), and at 8.45 a female Teal flew over Offerton sand and Gravel towards Poise Brook, then lost to view . Tried to find it, to no avail. Never seen the Goyt with frozen sides before.
5 lapwing flew toward Chadkirk
17 Mandarin by Chadkirk Kennels
2 Treecreepers under the pylons towards Jim Fernley Bridge(my first for a while)
2 Nuthatch
Great Spotted opposite Sewage Works
9 Goosander
6 Meadow Pipit and plenty of Pied and Grey Wagtails on sewage beds (thanks for the tip, John)
Might be out again when my fingers warm up.

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John Rayner


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14.30 - 16.00

River Goyt:
Mandarin 19
Goosander 6
Sparrowhawk 1
Rook 2
Snipe flushed from footpath

Goyt Hall Farm:
Little Owl 1
House Sparrow 37

Cheers, John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 8th of January 2010 04:56:06 PM

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Geoff Walton


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30ish Mandarin on the river at the sewage works
Female goosander flying up the river
cormorant flying above
lapwing flying

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John Rayner


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Hi Chris and welcome to the forum.

Strange this. I have been keeping close tabs on Chadkirk over the past few days and the Little Egret rarely strays for long from its favoured ditch.

It was feeding happily in the ditch at 11.00 this morning and was back in the ditch between 2 and 3 pm (when I took some more piccies which I will send to Ian).

But early on 4th Jan I found a Little Egret opposite the Sewage Works which flew downstream towards Offerton Sand and Gravel and Jim Fearnley Bridge i.e. away from Chadkirk.

The one you saw over Offerton S&G at 11.25 is probably the same bird but it's not beyond possibility that there are 2.

Cheers, John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Wednesday 6th of January 2010 05:20:33 PM

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Chris Harper


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New to this forum malarky, but thanks to John this morning for showing me the egret's location, and telling me about this great site.
As an addition, as I walked back up Bongs Lane, 2 Common Buzzards flew over, with a sparrowhawk, and put up a large flock of corvids and 15 Stock Dove. As I watched, over flew the Little Egret towards Offerton Sand and Gravel.(11.25)
There is only 1 I assume?
Chris Harper

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John Rayner


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66 Mandarin on River Goyt and feeding in field near Chadkirk Kennels.

(Info thanks to Robert Adderley)

Cheers, John

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John Rayner


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Having searched Chadkirk Country Park, in a bitterly cold -10 deg, for yesterday's Little Egret I was most surprised to re-find it on the River Goyt just about opposite Offerton sewage farm. After resting for 30 mins or so it flew downstream in the direction of Jim Fearney Bridge. Also on the river were 3 Goosander and 14 Mandarin.

Cheers, John

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Mark Rigby


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Jesus John, the photo on Manky Birders is much more life like biggrin.gif

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John Rayner


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River Goyt 10.30 - 12.45 (Otterspool Bridge - Middle Farm)

29 species the best of which were

Mandarin (40. Three flocks of 18 and 14 and 8)
Goosander (3-5 females)
Dipper (1 singing)
Pied Wagtail (16)
Grey Wagtail (3)
Grey Heron (3)
Cormorant (3)
Buzzard (1)
Yellowhammer (1 at fishing pools)

Cheers, John

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Phil Panton


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Just spent an hour on the Goyt between Marple Dale Farm & Chadkirk,
plenty of Swifts intersperced with House Martins & a few Swallow hawking the stretch around the weir.
Also 5 fledged Long Tailed Tits
2 pairs of Grey Wag, with a total of 5 young
a couple of Buzzard
Heron
Chiffchaff
Blackcap singing
& female Sparrowhawk

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John Rayner


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Sat in the Hare & Hounds beer garden by the River Goyt at Otterspool this evening and watched around 20 Swifts hawking insects when a Peregrine flew straight through east.

Cheers, John

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John Rayner


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Otterspool - Goyt Hall Farm fishing pools

12 House Martins, 3 Swallows and 8 Swifts all hawking insects
Drake Mandarin on the Goyt
2-3 Yellowhammers singing
2 Chiffchaffs singing
2 Skylarks singing
Family party of Blackcaps (at least 3 juvs)
1 Goldcrest (anyone else noticed a population slump - they seem to be quite scare this year round here)
Treecreeper carrying food
Great Spotted Woodpecker heard
Buzzard overhead
1 LBB Gull overhead
1 Linnet near kennels
Many tits and finches (Gold, Green and Chaff)

Cheers, John

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Anthony Dixon


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Andy Bissitt wrote:

Perhaps the characters I met down there on Saturday afternoon complete with a couple of air rifles might have had a hand in that. Sad, tragic people, and two of them were by no means young men. I made sure they knew I had witnessed them shooting, but if I had looked their way for much longer I might have been a hospital case (or worse). Not much you can do in the circumstances.

I have to agree though, compared with last year the area seems very quiet. Where are the lapwings and skylarks?





I ran into this group a couple of Sundays back...6 of them including a young lad and like you say the others were by no means young men.
I didn't see them shoot at any birds but they were shooting into a wooded area the first time I passed them.
When I passed on my way back, they were shooting at tin cans, across the footpath and on a blind bend...I was only a matter of feet away before they spotted me and ceased firing.
One member of the group (a Rambo type dressed in camo) even had the cheek to ask me if I'd spotted anything interesting!



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Geoff Walton


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Phew - walked from Chadkirk to Woodbank and back this morning, but hardly saw a thing, although lots of noise.

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Andy Bissitt


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Perhaps the characters I met down there on Saturday afternoon complete with a couple of air rifles might have had a hand in that. Sad, tragic people, and two of them were by no means young men. I made sure they knew I had witnessed them shooting, but if I had looked their way for much longer I might have been a hospital case (or worse). Not much you can do in the circumstances.

I have to agree though, compared with last year the area seems very quiet. Where are the lapwings and skylarks?

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Geoff Walton


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Just been down up to Goyt Hall Farm. There was nearly more in the Budgetsmile.gif

Two Swallows at GH Farm, and two pairs of Goosander on the Goyt. A chap and his wife said they had seen a Heron and a Mandarin five mins before.

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John Rayner


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21 April

Checked Goyt Hall Farm fishing pools and quieter stretches of the River Goyt.

2 Swallows at Goyt Hall + 2 at Middle Farm
2 Buzzards (GHF)
1 Imm. Mute Swan (fishing pools)
1 Kingfisher
1 Grey Heron
4 male and 1 female Mandarin in widely separated territories
2 Male Yellowhammers (still not seen a female this year)
No Egrets

Cheers, John

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John Rayner


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Oh no! First Red Kite and now Little Egret no.gif

I'm covering this area fairly frequently but now I see I really must get out more frustrated.gif


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Robert Adderley


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Mon 20.4.09

LITTLE EGRET - flew NNE from the direction of Middle/Goyt Hall Farms area at 7.20pm, viewed distantly through my scope from my back bedroom windowjawdrop.gif

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John Rayner


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I was so astonished jawdrop.gif by yesterday's news that I forgot to post my sightings.

Was there again from 07.30 - 11.00 this morning but no sign of large raptors today.

Yesterday and today combined produced:

Poise Brook/River Goyt

2-4 Mandarins
2 Grey Wagtails
A noisy mobbing blackbird gave away a roosting Tawny Owl which was out in full view
3 Chiffchaffs singing
Buzzard mobbed by Carrion Crows overhead
6 Jays together in a noisy party
Bullfinch (pair)
Lots of GS Woodpecker activity
Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Great Tit nesting
Nuthatch, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Dunnock, Wren all on territory


Goyt Hall Farm area:

2 Little Owls enjoying the sunshine
2 male Yellowhammers (singing)
1 Swallow
Skylark (singing)
12 Linnets
2 pairs of Lapwing displaying
Song Thrush with nesting material
Imm Mute Swan (fishing pools)
2 Grey Herons (fishing pools)

Cheers, John

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John Rayner


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Andy Bissitt wrote:

In case you don't see it all you Goyt Valley birders, see my Red Kite posting of today. You never know, it might stick around.


Andy B




Bloody Hell, I was working this patch quite hard yesterday and today. Right place wrong time!

Well done Andy,

Cheers, John

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Andy Bissitt


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In case you don't see it all you Goyt Valley birders, see my Red Kite posting of today. You never know, it might stick around.


Andy B

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Nigel Troup


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John,

I went past Goyt Hall farm again this evening and saw neither Swallow nor Yellowhammer.

Nigel.

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John Rayner


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Nigel Troup wrote:

One Swallow back at Goyt Hall Farm this beautiful evening. Sadly, I could find no sign of Yellowhammer, but Lapwing were present, also three Mandarin Ducks on the Goyt near the kennels.





Hi Nigel,

No Swallow at GHF this morning but a male Yellowhammer was in the hedge opposite the farm. Sod's Law!

Cheers, John

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Nigel Troup


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One Swallow back at Goyt Hall Farm this beautiful evening. Sadly, I could find no sign of Yellowhammer, but Lapwing were present, also three Mandarin Ducks on the Goyt near the kennels.

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Andy Bissitt


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Hello John,

There was a bit of banter in the local press about that path but I didn't pay it much attention. I think there was a bit of a dispute about the suitability of the path as it stood, and that it was either dangerously slippy for horse riders or cyclists - I don't remember which.

As for the LNR article - don't knock it!! It took a very heated exchange of e-mails with a very prickly councellor just to get them to mention anything to do with the environment in the 'Review' (other than collecting bottles, of course). As far as I an aware, and as I previously stated, the only LNR in the vacinity is at Poise Brook. Maybe this is their 'gateway' to the LNR. Whatever, any nature there is purely accidental and nothing to do with the Council or the farmer of Waterside farm.

I once proposed the old 'nursery' alongside the river at Otterspool as a nature reserve as it had potential and some species of note (tree sparrow probably the highest rated). Never came to anything though mores the pity.

See you.

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John Rayner


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A late afternoon visit to Otterspool. The fields either side of the farm track were newly muck spread and held some good flocks.

Stock Doves 11
Pied Wagtails 17
Mandarin Duck 6-8 (One pair stood in the middle of the 1st LH field)

Also

Chiffchaff singing
Song Thrush 2 (display)
Buzzards 2 (display)
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Cheers, John

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John Rayner


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Andy Bissitt wrote:


Fogg (Poise) Brook - Jim Fearnley Bridge - Otterspool Bridge

A designated Local Nature Reserve now but nothing has changed apart from new signage.


John,

Exactly right. Except it isn't even a LNR. I sit on the committee of Stockport Nature Network and from what I heard at the last meeting the sign was erected without any designation having been made. The whole thing is indicative of Stockport Council who have zero regard for nature.




Hi Andy,

I was up round Otterspool again recently and wondered if you could shed any light on the new and expensive looking cream tarmac strip that now runs a few hundred yards down the centre of the dead-end road from Otterspool to Waterside Farm.

It surely can't be a cycle track can it? It doesn't seem to have any meaningful purpose except perhaps to use up a bit of budget before year end. I could certainly think of better conservation uses for that money.

The local political rag, 'The Stockport Review', this week carried a small article where Stockport Council were fairly self-congratulatory over the creation of LNRs. Is Offerton LNR still not officially designated then?

I notice that the 'story board' by Jim Fearnley Bridge has already been vandalised.

Cheers, John









-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 24th of March 2009 02:24:22 PM

-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 24th of March 2009 04:31:08 PM

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