Looking at your map Lakes Road is easily driveable up to Bottoms Bridge over the Goyt (just before Low Lea Road). After that it is very pot-holed but I still drove in today to the angling centre where there is a tea/coffee kiosk.
The first water on the LHS is North Lake and rarely gets anything good. I did find a Goldeneye here once and Goosander/Kingfisher visit every now and again.
Main Lake is the one by the angling centre where there is a motley collection of Geese, Peacocks etc. The water to the east is called either Bottom's Reservoir or Linnet Clough Reservoir - a nice habitat for spring migrants.
I've seen a lone Barnacle Goose at Etherow CP near the visitors' centre before. Is this the same bird perhaps?
I've not been to the Roman Lakes before aside from walking past a couple of times. I seem to recall the immediate area has some badly-surfaced roads that don't look very car-friendly. Is it best to park up above on Longhurst Lane and walk down Old Hall Lane or is there a route in that's actually OK for a small non-4by4?! Once there, where is the best area to go? Are there any hides around?
I take it the two lakes on the left are the ones you refer to and the one on the right towards the scout camp is not included?
Thanks for any tips/suggestions.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 18th of February 2011 09:20:41 PM
Water levels on the lakes very high and the Goyt almost bursting its banks.
North Lake: 10 Mallard
Main Lake: 32 Siskin 42 Coot 2 Mute Swans 1 long stay drake Gadwall 1 feral (but free flying) Barnacle Goose. I don't know if I mentioned it before but this bird has come in on its own and is not part of the wildfowl collection.
Main Lake: Continues its good run with a male Wigeon newly in. Also the usuals in the form of: 1 Male Tufted duck 35 Mallard 32 Coot 8 Canada Geese 2 Mute Swans
Main Lake: 4m, 3f Mandarin female Pochard (2 locally in 2 days ) male Gadwall (rare around here my 1st since a drake in Feb 2009 ) Barnacle Goose (feral but free flying and not part of the collection) 34 Coot 2 Cormorants 1 ad and 1 imm. Mute Swan
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 18th of January 2011 03:36:51 PM
A last thrash round Stockport Borough turned up a couple of surprises (but no new birds )
En route to Roman Lakes there were 5 Goosander (4m, 1f) on the canal basin at Lockside, Marple.
Roman Lakes, Main Lake: There was only a minute area of open water, which held 2 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Coot and a male Goldeneye. Quite a turn up for this site. Also 31 Coot 7 Moorhens 29 Mallard 3 Bullfinches 2 Wrens 2 Jays 4 Great Tits 2 Blue Tits
This was the sum total of all passerines seen. No Thrushes, Robins, Finches
Just a word of warning, I got my car stuck here this morning. The very top part of Lakes Road is gritted which lures you on further - straight onto packed ice. No joke down a single track 1 in 6 hill, with a steep drop on one side and drystone wall on the other, and no chance of reversing. I somehow managed to slither down to Bottom's Bridge where another 3 cars had already been abandonded plus a lorry driver who said his lorry had been stuck at the nearby farm for 3 days. I was very lucky that a local farmer put some grit down whilst I was there and after another 1.5 hours I managed to drive out.
Put me right off birding here but I did have a quick look over Main Lake and it only held the usual.
Glad to hear the Kingfisher is still about, haven't seen it for ages. Had a quick wander around yesterday, but apart from a flock of Longtailed Tits, there wasn't much to report.
Fired with that 'anything-can-turn-up-anywhere' enthusiasm following an early morning visit to Moses Gate CP (57 Swans, 3 Teal, 1 Wigeon as well as the Gannet) I visited Roman Lakes, which is a similar sized patch of water, although heavily disturbed as it is mainly used as a fishing pool.
Main Lake: Amazed to find 7 Teal and 2 WIGEON. (This is only the 2nd sighting of Wigeon in Stockport Borough this year following a pair at Reddish vale in February). Usual numbers of Coot and Moorhen plus 1 Cormorant.
North Lake: Usually dead but 2 Teal, 5 Moorhens and 1 Heron
56 Coot 28 Mallard 12 Moorhen 1 Grey Heron Mute Swans (2 ad, 1 juv) resting on the bank. Confirms the one with the green darvic CV38 is still in residence.
General Area:
4 Nuthatches 5 Jays 4 Wrens 1 Mistle Thrush 1 Goldcrest A largish Tit flock (c25-30) with a Chiffchaff expending much energy chasing Blue Tits and Wrens out of its feeding territory.