Glad I took my big scope today as the Smew was way off on the north bank of the north lake. Took half an hour to find. Never been to this site before but it's ringed with trees and bushes and only the anglers' pitches provide any decent viewing. Kingfisher amongst other common species seen

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Tuesday 27th of October 2015 08:52:59 PM

No problem John 

I agree it is a female Smew, been there 3 winters (if you read back in my posts!!). The pagers tend to like to put 'redhead', I put it out as female on my grapevine. There have been several reports from Cheshire sites for a number of years now regarding Ruddy Shelducks & we don't know whether they refer to more than one bird, so hard to say which this one is.

The fishermen in the E.bay viewing location had been there from early doors, how dare they  A walk a bit further round gives a great viewing location from another fishing peg.

Saw on the pagers a report of a drake Bufflehead in Cumbria and was tempted, but seeing as it wasn't a lifer & the escape potential was high we decided to do a 'local patch' walk instead. A good decision as it turns out as the Bufflehead bore a plastic ring marking it as an escape!

Got down pretty early to Newchurch Common and soon located the redhead Smew lurking in the edge of the SW corner of the Big Lake, it later was feeding out in the middle performing for the relatively large numbers of birders & photographers on site today, the biggest number that I have ever seen down there!! A scan of the lake soon had my second 'find' of the autumn/winter in the shape of a Ruddy Shelduck with the Canada Geese. Again later on the assembled throng seemed to be enjoying this bird too. Bothe scarce ducks were duly reported in to RBA Pagers once I could get mobile reception (which for me is q.patchy across this site).

Other birds of note were 3 Fieldfares flying over (my first this winter end), a Green Woodpecker again in its usual area, 2 or possibly 3 Kingfishers, 12 Wigeon, 10 Gadwall, 8 Cormorants, 5 Great Crested Grebes & 4 Little Grebes. Usuals included Common Gull, Jay, increased numbers of Tufted Ducks, 2 Greylag Geese and a Buzzard.

 

That's 2 good ducks found so far this year end, looking forward to more visits

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Sunday 25th of October 2015 01:19:22 PM

Popped down again to spend a sunny morning at Newchurch Common. At first sight the signs looked bad, many of the Tufted Ducks had shipped out and no Wigeon at all on the Big Lake. A Teal out in the centre was a start but I thought that I had better check the Small Pool. A few Tufted Ducks were on there as well as 4 Gadwall, 4 Wigeon and 2 Little Grebes, but still no Smew.

Over 50 Redwings were flying about over the track as well as 20+Goldfinch and a mixed tit flock containing lots of Long-tailed Tits. A Robin was chasing a Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in the west fishermans car park with no chance of catching it! I walked to other viewpoints to see more of the Big Lake & eventually found the redhead Smew tucked away near the overhanging vegetation in the bay at the SE end of the lake. Settling down on a nearby fishing peg I enjoyed stunning close views and got some nice pics of this scarce sawbill. Despite a thorough search no sign of Joel's Scaup and even my very white-faced Tufted Ducks had left the lake, leaving this samller flock behind. Hopefully the Scaup will return when more Tufted Ducks return, I'll keep an eye out for that and any other goodies. Other birds on the lake were the usual suspects, Grea Crested Grebes (feeding a well grown young bird with several sizeable fish!), hundreds of Coot, 60 Canada Geese and a few Common Gulls amongst the Black-headed Gulls.

The Smew was still in the same bay when I left at 11.55am, and the only significant additions to the daylist were Nuthatch and Bullfinch, both by the main track. I intend to keep an eye on the site all winter now since the 'Marbury Patch' has enough dedicated watchers!! Hope to meet a few more Forum Members down there, please say hello & we can do some birding together I hope

Late report for Sunday.
1:50 till 5:00
The red headed smew was first viewed asleep in the middle of the pool and to the western side of the middle but the way I found it was unusual...
So I arrived and went straight to the area sticking out on the east side to eat lunch and scan the lake with the best panoramic view. As I arrived I quickly picked up on a pale aythya in the east bay, I decided to move around the lake to the middle of the east bay and got great views of it. I got some nice photos which were later identified as a first winter drake greater scaup. As I was watching I noticed the smew behind it which I thendecided to move around the lake to the south side where it had apparently woken up and was feeding in the east bay. I rushed around to the best point on. The east side and saw it fishing 2 meters out from the shore.
Other birds of note.
2 little grebes
7 great crested grebes
7 common gulls
19 black headed gullsl
A pair of gadwall
2 female wigeon
7 mute swans with 2 jugs and I accidentally stumbled across a headless swan with its chest ripped open, couldn't see legs or rings.
9 moorhens
Many coots
1 greylag goose
37 Canada geese
78 tufted ducks
7 mallards
As I arrived 3 cormorants which circled high above the lake flying off South.
19 lapwings flew off from a field South of the lake circled very low over the lake before landing on the field North.
1 kingfisher
179+ redwing (it was all I could fit into on photo.) flew over circled and landed on a field to the east.
1 fieldfare
1 kestrel
Brilliant day out and I must visit this site a lot more this winter than last.

Smew 1 redhead.
Little Grebe 1
Great Crested Grebes
Tufted Ducks
Wigeons 15+
Skylark 1 singing.
Siskins
Goldcrests
Green Woodpecker 1
Nuthatch 1
Coots
Mute Swans
Greylag Geese
Buzzard 1

etc.etc.etc.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 16th of October 2015 09:15:25 PM

Not wanting to head out too far, after coming down with a horrid cold but wanting to make the most of the October sunshine, we headed out to Newchurch Common again. The star bird by far was a redhead Smew, the returning bird from last winter in with the growing Tufted Duck flock. A single Wigeon was in the same flock, all on the Big Pool north of the track through the site that continues on from Novia Scotia Lane, where you park. So that is the usual spot for anyone who went last winter! Also on this pool were Great Crested Grebes with well grown young, Little Grebes and a Cormorant. On the smaller fishing pool south of the track there were a couple of Gadwall, more Tufted Ducks and a Common Gull with the Black-headed Gulls. Plenty of Jays were in evidence in this oak-rich area and a yaffling Green Woodpecker flew over the main track.

As winter progresses this site will keep getting better, and I will keep checking it, but nice to see that the Smew is already back in residence

Quick visit seeing as though we were only down the road at Winsford.

Mainly usuals including...
Plenty of Blackbirds
Robins
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Rooks
Jay (2 heard, 1 seen)
2 Common Buzzard - both perched up in separate trees
1 Bullfinch
Few Chaffinch
Great Crested Grebe at least 4
Gadwall
Tufted Duck
Lots of Woodpigeon
Green Woodpecker (heard only)
1 Great Black-backed Gull

John Williams wrote:

---

AM

Amongst the Tufted Ducks were the 2 females with prominent white bases to their beaks, one certainly shows a tuft, the other has a much

rounder/smoother head. If only she stayed on the surface long enough to check her other features.

---

I noticed the same thing that only one of them had a tuft it would be interesting to get a photo of her to have a better look at.

AM

Thanks to the couple who pointed out the Smew to me, it was tucked into the NW corner of the pool and I was focussing too much on

the area around the island. I later followed the path further along the Eastern bank and got great views of the bird.

Also on the pool, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Little Grebe, 60+ Wigeon, 11 Great Crested Grebes and a single drake Pochard.

2 Buzzards flew over and flushed all the gulls. 30 Redwings were resting with Starlings on a nearby big oak.

A charm of 16 Goldfinches on the alders.

Amongst the Tufted Ducks were the 2 females with prominent white bases to their beaks, one certainly shows a tuft, the other has a much

rounder/smoother head. If only she stayed on the surface long enough to check her other features.

It's the first time I've been to this mere and I'm impressed by the amount of waterfowl, and by the extensive area of gorse in the NE corner.

I'll be back.

Joel Tragen wrote:

---

Thank you every one for your help (it seems like Dunham Massey is the place to go). Also does anyone know if the smew has been seen recently. Finally I have had a look on google maps to see which pool it in but there are four in that area, from previous posts, I guess that it is on the big pool but is that the very biggest one with an island in the south-East bank. Sorry for all the questions.

-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Friday 9th of January 2015 10:13:36 PM

---

Joel look back at my last post there's a link to Streetmap & it says which pool the Smew is on, it IS the largest pool, N.of or to the R.of the main track that continues on from Novia Scotia Lane. No news was put out but I heard on a grapevine that it was there yesterday. Hope this helps

Thank you every one for your help (it seems like Dunham Massey is the place to go). Also does anyone know if the smew has been seen recently. Finally I have had a look on google maps to see which pool it in but there are four in that area, from previous posts, I guess that it is on the big pool but is that the very biggest one with an island in the south-East bank. Sorry for all the questions.

-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Friday 9th of January 2015 10:13:36 PM

Joel Tragen wrote:

---

Hi I was thinking of heading down at the weekend and would like some tips for seeing the green woodpeckers (I haven't seen any for a while). Also where would be the best place to park the car. Cheers

---

Hi Joel,
As Simon and Doc mention its a tough one with Green Woodpeckers as they are quite vocal birds but notoriously difficult to spot, even my last few visits to Dunham has proved to be a no show although I've heard them. Infact, my last few sightings of Green Woodpeckers were mainly by chance whilst not expecting them. My guess is you're not the only one on the forum who hasn't seen them in a while.

...a quick note regarding the Water Voles, as Doc says none reported despite being a well surveyed area, in my opinion probably indicates there are none here as Mammal groups are usually right on top of declining species. Although widespread they are NOT common and are getting rarer. A quick check of my most up to date Mammal site book seems to show what I expected, it favours extensive reedbeds nowadays and especially where Mink numbers are controlled or even eradicated!
Cheers
Rob

Simon Gough wrote:

---

Hi to Telesman too, its weird referring to an alias on here by the way, the forum owner Ian normally mandates people use their proper name as their username. I haven't worked out how to pronounce Telesman...

---

Folk at least get the chance to reply or at least read my private messages to them regarding such matters before I make any changes. I'm not quite the ogre I'm perceived as

Hi I was thinking of heading down at the weekend and would like some tips for seeing the green woodpeckers (I haven't seen any for a while). Also where would be the best place to park the car. Cheers

Hi Simon,just seen your post I was one of the Stockport Birders and nice to meet you and Rob.
I am new to register so this is my first message.
It was indeed a great crisp day and the first time there for us,and very pleased we went,thanks for helping us find the Smew so quick I was expecting it to take much longer!
We also heard Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming and saw two together so they may have paired up?We also heard on two separate occasions a loud plop into the water,which may of been Water Voles? Not sure if they are around there? Also great to know that there are Yellowhammers about,we saw good views of them including a very bright male at Old Moor reserve last week.
All the best and hope to see you again.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 7th of January 2015 11:28:35 PM

It was a bit later than that Simon, you are right. That female Tuftie has been around all winter and as Rob says she makes you look twice as she has an incredible amount of white around her beak, but everything else about her is Tufted Duck and I have seen some like her in the past, especially when Chorlton WP was my old patch in it's heyday of huge aythya flocks

It does look good for Goldeneye but aint seen one there this winter but Teal can get on both Big Pool (which they were when I was there on Sunday - down the cut behind the island) and more often on the smaller fishing pool.

Local info since you bring up the strange road name - Novia Scotia Lane leads to the area called Novia Scotia (never seems to be labelled on many maps as that though) which spawned a local bus company that used to serve our area but Arriva undercut them on all routes and they are now no more, shame really as they were a small local company!! Bit off track but thought I'd drop that bit of Local History in lol

Rob Creek and I went down to see the Smew this morning, arrived at about 10 and there it was no more than 50-60 yards off the bank, seen from one of the little fishing bays at the Eastern end. Smashing little bird, smaller than I expected in fact. Neither Rob nor myself had seen one before. He got some great photos too. As we left the bird was appearing to gravitate more to the open water, it had been hugging the shore over 30 mins or so till then. I guess Doc is talking about later on in the day for an intermission?

Also seen around the lake:
2 Kingfisher
Lots of common water birds including a Tufted Duck female with the classic deceptive Scaup-like white on the face
No Teal we could see but it didn't look muddy enough for them, also looked good for Goldeneye but we didn't see any

In the trees back on Novascotia Lane (great roadnames in Cheshire...) we heard and saw 2 Nuthatch and heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Green Woodpecker

It is a really nice spot to be honest, and the clean, crisp morning was joyous to be sure.

RBA Pager reports Smew still present today

No Smew at 15:45 from the small peninsular - I gather it sometimes visits the smaller Fishing Pool but not today. Any other favourite spots ?

Good to know it is still about Richard, my planned New Years Day start there was rudely interrupted by a Little Bustard turning up in Yorkshire which I had to twitch today

With news yesterday of a juvenile Velvet Scoter on Newchurch Common Big Lake I popped down again to see if it had stayed overnight. Several folk were there but no sign of the scoter, a shame that it didn't linger into 2015 for a good year tick. The redhead Smew was in its usual bay on the eastern side of the Big Pool showing well at pretty close range. Viewed from the eastern shoreline I have seen this bird several times and with patience close views can usually be obtained. Access isn't bad around the lake, but I go there regularly and its a bit off piste in places, wellies are recommended!

This water is only a mile or so from my house but I usually only visit for dragonflies (Downy Emerald is a speciality here) but hopefully can clarify directions for others. The two main pools lie either side of the track running down form the roadside parking at Novia Scotia. Locally the lefthand pool is know as the Fishing Pool/Pit, as it has two fishermans car parks adjacent to it and is a stocked lake so is the preferential fishing lake. The pool on the right is known as the Big Pool/Large Pit and is usually fished mainly by carp anglers. The ducks favour Big Pool, and the Smew has never left this pool during its recent stay. Some info networks have put out its location as fishing pool and folk there today expressed their confusion over this, a couple going straight to the smaller pit in error. If anyone is heading down for New Year ticks the Big Pool is on the RHS, the Smew is in the E.Bay and other species on this pit include Tufted Duck, Pochard, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Dabchick and Cormorant with Siskins, Bullfinches and Redwings in the lakeside alders. The grid ref for the middle of Big Pool is SJ605691, hope this explanation helps

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 31st of December 2014 10:44:16 PM

Redhead Smew still in Eastern part of fishing pool at 11.15
From Sandy Way/Nova Scotia Way along path and pool on the right.
Also many Wigeon, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Peregrine Falcon Common Buzzard and Bullfinch.

Smew showed well this morning from the eastern corner of the pool. Lets hope it stays for another couple of weeks!!!!