A family of 5 swans and 2 male goosanders on the main lake with a male and female goosander asleep on a log on the north lake. A little egret on the field opposite the main lake.
7 Siskin with 2 Longtailed Tits, 2 Goldfinch & 1 Blue Tit at the far end of the Lake, opposite Bottom's Hall
Horse/Sheep paddock
43 Canada Geese
Main Lake
2 Mute Swans
2 Tufted Duck
5 Moorhen
9 Coot
1 Cormorant
14 Canada Geese
River Goyt
Grey Wagtail on the rocks beneath the Railway Bridge
2 Goosander above the weir
1 Dipper on rocks beneath the Roman Bridge
Windybottom Wood
1 RED KITE being buzzed by 2 Carrion Crow & a Magpie, watched for a couple of minutes before it headed off in the direction of Mellor Golf Course at 13.05
8 goosanders (6m,2f) on N lake (but only 1 male on my return). Plenty of coots, Canada geese and mallards on the main lake plus 9 cormorants, 4 moorhens, 4 tufted ducks and a single black headed gull. No sign of dippers or wagtails on the river even though the level is back to normal.
My first visit for months and the first post on here for even longer. The main lake had 2 swans and a cygnet plus mallards, coots and tufted ducks in double figures but no cormorants or herons. The north lake had nothing on it. There were two dippers, one by the Roman bridge and the other by the mill bridge. Plenty of Canada geese on the fields.
Main Lake (Roman Lakes is still closed so viewed from the road)
Wigeon 4 Tufted Duck 1 Mallard 22 Mute Swan 3 (2ads, 1 juv) Canada Goose 4 Moorhen 11 Coot 5 (woeful count compared with the flocks of 140+ of a couple of years ago) Cormorant 3 Black-headed Gull 1 only
Spent 20 minutes watching a Dipper to & fro from a particular location
Pair of Mandarin with additional single Male further along the river
Kestrel quartering the field near the railway tunnel close to Windybottom Farm, which was then joined by a Buzzard, which the Kestrel & a couple of Jackdaws proceeded to mob.
Interesting to see the comparison in size of the 2 raptors.
Speaking to a fellow birder who informed me that a Merlin had been seen on recent early mornings resting on the telegraph wires by the farm
1 Dipper on far bank singing for 10 minutes just prior to bend in the river at Strawberry Hill but very few perches midstream due to the height of the water. Believe the river had actually breeched here a couple of days ago & the path was flooded
37 species on the dog walk this morning, the one that got away was an almost certain Skylark on call only and only a small snatch so not including it .. Highlights include Woodpigeon 225 over, in groups of 20 or so Tufted Duck 3 Goosander 2 Collared Dove 1 over Stock Dove 1 over Sparrowhawk 1 male Great spot 2 Rook 3 over Starling 19 Redwing 140 approx Mistle thrush 3 Chaffinch 6 Greenfinch 1
More tree felling. Now reduced to 5 feet from RL entrance along the whole length of Lakes Road. Thus the lakes are much more open to disturbance and a zero count of Coot for the first time ever. They could a few be dotted around the site but still no access allowed. Nowhere near the 3-figure counts of previous years.
North Lake: Goosander 1m Mandarin 4m, 3 f
Main Lake: Goosander 2f Mallard 6 Cormorant 4 Mute Swan 4 Moorhen 4 Coot ZERO
More change around Main Lake (tree cutting). The lake was constructed in the 18th century and is clay lined. The road adjacent to the water is built on a dam and the water level is about 8 feet higher than the field on the other side of the road. A line of mature Alders, Birch and Willows have been reduced to a 6 foot hedge. This is good for the dam but bad for wildfowl. Hence much reduced numbers apart from the resident Mallard and Mute Swans.
Couple of hours visit this afternoon,quite quiet birdwise but fairly busy with dog walkers etc.A Common Buzzard over a Grey Heron, at least 50 Mallard,4 Mute Swans,10 Moorhens and at least same no of Coots on main Lake,as well as a fine pair of Wigeon on water (could of been more,as kept going out of view behind larger island).4 Cormorants in tree on smaller island and a Pied Wagtail.
-- Edited by Mark Dean on Saturday 7th of November 2020 07:43:08 PM
Mute Swan pair have 3 cygnets Coots (approx 20 adults) only appear to have 1 youngster between them. This is probably due to the Mink I reported on other wildlife Great Crested Grebe pair with the female still sitting. Sand Martin 3 Blackcap, 4 singing males
Also seen: Buzzard, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker.