Sickening news from the Reddish Vale website...

http://www.reddishvale.moonfruit.com/#/our-mute-swan/4538497780

In brief, some poor excuse for a human being shot the resident Cob Swan with a air weapon resulting in the poor bird having to be put down.
£250 reward for information leading to the conviction of this lowlife.

Anthony

Rachael, as I left today they were clearing snow from the road with a digger so it shouldn't be bad at all now.
I managed to drive right down into the carpark before that without any problems.

Anthony

-- Edited by Anthony Dixon on Sunday 10th of January 2010 04:55:08 PM

8.45am-12.15pm today

3 Grey Heron
1 Kingfisher (on river)
1 Kestrel
1 GSW
1 Male Shoveler
1 Male Goosander (on river)
1 Dipper (on river) *First time I've seen a dipper at Reddish*
Most of the Canada Geese are now on the river because the lake is 95% frozen.

I took plenty of feed with me, but there are not many people about at the moment and the birds are starving...If anyone is passing please pop in because this wonderful place is sadly overlooked!

Anthony

This Morning 8-10am...
Had a look for possible American Robin which was reported on The Reddish Vale website, but no signs.

Lovely morning and highlights included...

1 Kingfisher (showing well on the main lake)
4 Cormorant
2 Heron
6 Tufted Duck

and a Mallard with 12 newborn chicks...Hope the mild weather continues for them.

This morning...
Excellent views of Kingfisher and GS Woodpecker.

One of the 3 ever-present Mute Swans seems to have disapeared though...A young cob which I think must have been chased off by it's father.
Since mother Swan died early last spring, the father has had his mating eye firmly on his daughter and has for some time been aggresive towards the young male.
The older cob has already seen off 3 visiting males so far this year!

7.30-10.00am (Very cold and wet!)

2 Indian Runner Ducks (new arrivals)
2 Kingfisher
5 Goosander
1 Grey Heron
2 Cormorant
14 Tufted Duck
6 Long Tailed Tit
4 Dunnock
3 Fieldfare
3 Robin
2 Blue Tit
4 Blackbird
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Muscovy Duck
3 Graylag Geese
8 Collard Dove

+ The usual Mallards, Canada Geese and Coots


Anthony



-- Edited by Anthony Dixon at 17:50, 2008-11-23

8.10pm...

Driving (ok...was a front seat passenger) along the M60 where it crosses the river and something large flew across. It was a good 4 cars ahead over the motorway so obstructed view, and could only see its outline in the darkness by the time we drew level..was light in colour and fairly large...initial thoughts were heron, do they fly at night?

11am-12.30pm

13 Goosander
15+ Tufted Duck
2 Pochard
2 Grey Heron
1 Cormorant
2 Kingfisher
1 Great Crested Grebe

+ the usual suspects.

-- Edited by Anthony Dixon at 14:15, 2008-11-09

First day birding for nearly 2 months since tearing a muscle in my back, but had a pretty decent morning...

1 Goldeneye
2 Cormorant
2 Grey Heron
6 Pochard
7 Tufted Duck
20+ Black Headed Gull
5 Robin
12+ Long Tailed Tit
3 Blackbird
2 Great Crested Grebe
25+ House Sparrow
7 Magpie
1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker
4 Dunnock
5 Collard Dove
1 Muscovy Duck

+ all the usual subjects!

Anthony



-- Edited by Anthony Dixon at 16:13, 2008-10-31

I'm at Reddish Vale along with other sites at least 3 times a week, so I will try to keep this often overlooked wildlife haven updated the best I can.

Monday 18-08-08
4 Kingfisher *
1 Yellowhammer**
3 Dunnock
1 Greenfinch
1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker
2 Tufted Duck
4 Greylag Geese
4 Grey Heron
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Muscovy Duck
12+ Collard Dove
6+ Long Tailed Tits
5 Black Headed Gull
25+House Sparrow
3 Chaffinch
3 Wood Pigeon
1 Jay
4 Magpie
4 Blackbird
3 Robin (1 Juvenile)
The usual 3 Swans, Canada Geese, Mallards, Coots and Moorhen.
Pair of Great Crested Grebes seem to have left now after unsuccessful breeding.

* All four seen together...Three on one branch and another on the next tree along.
I'm not 100% sure but there could actually be five of these beautiful birds.
Three are young birds and are currently spending hours chasing each other around the main lake towards the viaduct...That is inbetween the countless dives for fish of course!

**The second time I've seen a single Yellowhammer in the last month.

Other species of note that I've seen recently include Weasel and Terrapins!

Anthony


-- Edited by Anthony Dixon at 21:36, 2008-08-18

Been trying to get here again over past couple weeks.......
15th March 08 11.15-12.45pm
Small pond (had to wait quite a while, busy with orienteering teams everywhere):
2 kingfishers together briefly, 1 flew back to river, 1 remained,
1 grey heron
2 coot
2 mallard
2 canada geese
Main lakes:
50+ canada geese
40+ mallards
14 coots
12 tufted ducks,
3 moorhens
4 mute swans
2 greylag geese
2 great crested grebes (building nest)
2 common gull
1 blackheaded gull
2 muscovy ducks
1 cayuga duck (nice duck even for an escapee captive bred- looks like a black mallard with irridescent green all over)
6 collared doves
20+ starlings, flock
18+ house sparrows
4 robins
4 blue tits
7 great tits
2 long tailed tits
6 magpies
2 tree sparrows
2 blackbirds
5 woodpigeon
2 chaffinch
3 dunnocks
Oh & a frog!
Rae

Hi Rachael,

You did well with the Tree Sparrows; it must be one of the biggest flocks seen in Stockport for many a year. (Unless Judith knows otherwise!)

Tony

Pair of kingfishers are regularly seen on small mill pond (from carpark turn right away from main lakes, just very short 2 mins walk). They are very tame- seen both once & I've seen one of them every time, close up- worth a visit.

Saturday 16th Feb 08, 12.30pm

Kingfisher,
coots,
moorhens,
mallards,
great tits,
blue tits,
robins,
wren,
magpies,
robins,
chaffinch,
long tailed tits,
blackbirds,
Main lakes- again coots, moorhens, mallards & tits plus
goosanders- pair,
mute swans,
canada geese,
tufted ducks,
jackdaw,
goldcrest.

Have also seen recently grey herons, pochard, little grebe and apparently shovelers have been spotted too.

Thanks for that, Zara. Presume the grebes were Great Crested. Hope there aren't any problems with the swans and angling tackle - I know you and the rangers were trying to eliminate those problems.

What's happening with SEMMMS these days? It all seems to have gone quiet.