As I had an emergency dental appointment in West Didsbury today I combined it with a visit to my old local patch and have a lovely, shortish, visit in the bright sunshine.
Highlights were up to 8 Ring-necked Parakeets, at least two of them 'singing' territorially from trees which they left but kept returning to to carry on repetitively 'singing'. I only checked out the eastern end of the lake but still picked up 3(2 drake) Goosanders and a female Goldeneye amongst the commoner waterfowl. Plenty of Tufted Ducks and a pair of Gadwall too as well as a female Pochard. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling on Kenworthy Fields and a few Redwings were flying about. At least 5 Nuthatches were seen, several visiting the feeding station.
Great to be back and a bonus to make up for my pain
25+ goldfinch 7 house sparrow 2 redwing 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 ring-necked parakeet 8 moorhen 30+ coot 8+ gadwall 4 shoveler 44+ tufted duck 19 pochard (one female) 2 goldeneye 4 goosander 6 mute swan 1 little grebe 4 (possibly 6) great crested grebe (two in an almighty scrap) 5 cormorant c130 black-headed gull 6+ common gull 1 lesser black-backed gull
Also what sounded very much like a linnet over the Barlow Tip end; only heard very briefly, and no chance of an ID on sight, so not 100% certain, but still, a pretty distinctive call.
A mixed finch flock of approx 60 birds, mainly Goldfinch with a small number of Siskins and Redpolls, on the Alders at the south side of the lake this afternoon.
Didn't pay a proper visit here today, but 10+ coot, 4 gadwall, 1 tufted duck and 7 mute swan were of the most interest when looking across the lake from Barlow Tip.
Hardy farm and Barlow Tip, from about 2 until dusk:
1 goldcrest Lesser redpolls heard, sounded perhaps five or so, so far as I could tell. 4 goldfinch 2 greenfinch 4 bullfinch c20 redwing 5 jay 6 ring-necked parakeet 1 goosander over 4 cormorant over 17 common gull 1 buzzard heard
Amazing impromptu visit today 12.26 - 14.34, highlights as follows:
SKYLARK (9) flew low east over Barlow Tip calling at 13.32. A patch tick! Willow Tit (1) calling repeatedly and showing occasionally in the area north of the path to the gas station on Barlow Tip. Only my second patch record! Wigeon (4) Gadwall (c13) Tufted Duck (c15) Common Gull (2)
This afternoon, from about 4.20 - 6. Quite quiet, people wise, considering what a nice afternoon it was; a very pleasant stroll around.
1 goldcrest 1 chiffchaff Lots of long-tailed tit (the most numerous small bird throughout the day) 2 goldfinch 1 kingfisher Ring-necked parakeet heard 6 moorhen c80 coot 18 gadwall 3 wigeon (only the second time I've had them here) 2 tufted duck 2 or 3 great crested grebe 7 mute swan 100+ black-headed gull
Usual water birds and an impressive rainbow, too.
Barlow Tip and Hardy Farm (visited earlier) were both pretty quiet; a couple of chiffchaff and a goldcrest were the best I could do here.
Two ospreys (possibly one osprey and something else - only a brief look at the second bird) seen from Chorlton WP area, circled then headed southwest. Sadly, out running so no camera gear to get a snap.
Mandarin Duck (1m) Mute Swan (7, 5juv) Cormorant (1) over BT Great Crested Grebe (1ad) Black-headed Gull (21+) Ring-necked Parakeet (4) Reed Warbler (2+, 1+juv) -the juvenile Reed Warbler was in the reedbed at the eastern end and was very fresh with an obvious gape. This is the first time I've been able to confirm breeding here and I wonder how many other years recently fledged juveniles have been seen.
Young Reed Warblers have been recorded several years in succession this century, though you will have to trawl back through this thread a few a years. I used to watch them from the boat whilst on water safety.
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Mandarin Duck (1m) Mute Swan (7, 5juv) Cormorant (1) over BT Great Crested Grebe (1ad) Black-headed Gull (21+) Ring-necked Parakeet (4) Reed Warbler (2+, 1+juv) -the juvenile Reed Warbler was in the reedbed at the eastern end and was very fresh with an obvious gape. This is the first time I've been able to confirm breeding here and I wonder how many other years recently fledged juveniles have been seen.
Mandarin (1m) under the willows on the western island. Mute Swan (7, 5juv) Great Crested Grebe (1) Common Gull (1) over the Mersey Black-headed Gull (c50) Stock Dover (1) over Barlow Tip
Lovely amble around the Mersey valley yesterday (Friday 3rd June), Kenworthy-Chorlton WP-Mersey-Chorlton Ees-Sale WP and back the same way. Over fifty species seen or heard, the highlights were:-
Reed Warbler - showing well at Chorlton and Sale
Sedge Warbler - singing and showing well on Chorlton Ees
Swifts, Swallows, House and Sand Martins - eye level views along the Mersey
Kingfisher - perched on flotsam around a storm drain for c5 mins near disused bridge
Grey Wagtail - lovely male, same place as Kingfisher
Buzzard - 3 birds over Chorlton Ees area interacting
Sparrowhawk - male soaring over golf course near Jackson's Boat
Kestrel - female hunting over fields behind Broad Ees Dole
Little Grebe - lovely views of 3 adults Broad Ees Dole
Jackdaw - mob of c20 watched at close quarters in paddock, Hardy's farm area
Greenfinch - several on Barlow tip including a smart male wheezing!
Lots of Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler
Stock Dove - 3 of this attractive and underrated bird, 1 of which showed well on the river bank
Reed Bunting - nice male with a beak full of insects Chorlton Ees on return leg
Willow Tit - working the tree line at the edge of Chorlton Ees
Bullfinch - nice male near Willenhall Lane exit of Kenworthy Wood
-- Edited by Mike Brown on Saturday 4th of June 2016 02:21:47 PM
Nice to see that the reed bed was being maintained today and that it didn't phase the reed warblers. 1 reed warbler 3 great crested grebes 3 male tufted ducks 2 grey wagtails on river 2 pied wagtails on river
-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Friday 20th of May 2016 05:27:51 PM
Maybe common is the wrong word but I'm sure they must breed at a low density in the wider area. I often spend long periods sky-watching on the tip in the vain hope of fly-over waders/raptors and this is usually when I pick them up. Might be worth a go for a couple of hours if you're really keen to get them on the list.
I used to do the same Liam, always hoped for an Osprey following the R.Mersey but always to no avail, but got Stock Doves