A drake Shoveler was on Ellesmere Lake today, where there were also 18 Gadwall, 11 Tufted Duck and 1 Little Grebe. Another Little Grebe was on the water by the visitor centre, with 20 Redwing and 6 Blackbird around the building and meadow.
Stonechat this morning around Moon Bridge Water by the visitor centre 2 Reed Bunting 2 Ring-necked Parakeet 19 Gadwall 3 Tufted Duck 4 Little Grebe 6 Pink-footed Goose low west 1 Grey Wagtail
A male Merlin over the meadow this morning at the RHS Bridgewater. A stunning bird as it perched on a small tree in the sun but unfortunately easily seen by first a female Kestrel and then the male who both chased after the Merlin until it headed back over the canal.
Over sightings around the gardens include;
2 Buzzards.
2 Grey & 5 Pied wagtails.
A flock of 13 Long tailed tits.
2 Bullfinch.
4 Song thrush, all singing.
9 Redwing
Mistle thrush
Great spotted woodpecker
3 Nuthatch
3 Wrens
This morning,
5 Ring-necked Parakeets continually flying over the meadow.
Tawny owl sleeping beside the path in the children's play area.
3 Great spotted woodpeckers
3 Nuthatch
Treecreeper
2 Bullfinch
Chaffinch
2 Snipe
2 Little grebe
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels.
Highlights of a wander in the sun: 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Buzzard, 3 Little Grebe, 11 Tufted Duck, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Kestrel and 3 Chaffinch as well as good numbers of all the usual woodland species.
Birds present this evening included a flock of approx 100 Goldfinch feeding, 6 Mistle Thrush, 32 Pied Wagtail in a pre-roost flock on the visitor centre roof (departed east) 11 Coot and singles of Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch
Kestrel Goldfinch Nuthatch Coot Canada Goose Little Grebe Woodpigeon Carrion Crow Pied Wagtail Swallow Swift Buzzard
Although the gardens seem to concentrate on ornamental horticulture, (which attract plenty of pollinators and butterflies), there is plenty of space put aside for wildflower meadows, open water and woodland with dead timber and cleared rhodedendron. There seems to be a strategy of improving the biodiversity of the site in general.
I saw plenty of dragonflies over the lakes and ponds...who knows perhaps a hobby from the neighbouring mosses will be teased, I can imagine a barn owl would like the habitat too.
