6-9am walk Ivy green-Meadow-Reedbed-River-SWP and back over Jacksons Boat.
Blackcap & Common Whitethroat both in numbers everywhere! Couldn't hear the Lesser Whitethroat at the Brook Bridge .
In the meadow: 3 Sedge Warblers So many Reed Buntings Heard 1 Gropper faintly by the reedbed but it stopped before we approached. First time I've heard one this year. Yet to see one. Pair of what I assume to be Marsh Tits busy in an elder next to the reedbed. Not quite sharp enough to tell the diff between Marsh and Willow tit and there was no call/song. So assumption based on abundance. First in Greater Manchester for me. Lovely. 3 Reed Warblers being very obliging by flying up into the willows on the island. Got some great views. Bullfinch (m)
River Cormorant Young Heron next to nest with 2 adults in
Broad Dole Ees Little Grebe 3 Lapwing plus 4 chicks Tufty Pair Juv Heron Coot + chicks
1 Willow Tit singing from Lombardy Poplars along the cobbled road 3 Sedge Warbler in song 2 Reed Warbler in song 5 Common Whitethroat 1 Willow Warbler 2 Chiffchaff Blackcap 3 House Martin 3 Swallow 3 Swift 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker 2 Bullfinch 7 Reed Bunting 1 Sparrowhawk - Ivy Green
-- Edited by Pete Hines on Monday 14th of May 2012 01:46:22 PM
__________________
Updated birding videos on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/c/PeteHinesbirding
2 sedge warblers,1 seen singing from tall reeds another heard only. 2 reed warblers,heard only in the reed beds. 5 whitethroats 4 reed buntings 2 swifts plenty off singing blackcaps.
also there was 1 wheatear on hardy farm around 1.30pm.
An early morning walk through the ees down the river to Barlow tip and kenworthy from 6.30-9 am Saturday 5th May
2 Reed warblers heard in the beds Beautiful Sedgie seen singing in the meadow very near to the reeds Blackcaps everywhere 7+ Whitethroats along the way, very active 1 Chiffchaff seen a few heard 1 Willow Warbler heard Several Reed Buntings on the meadow
Couple of Swallows on the river and CWP
Heard a blackbird doing a very passable version of a police siren near the golf course before barlow tip. Strangeset thing. Would like to post up the vid I took of the sound. Is youtube the only way?
Other usual suspects. Stunning walk. So lucky to have this patch.
Reed Warbler heard chuntering away very quietly and very occasionally at the reed bed this afternoon. No sight nor sound of Sedge or Grasshopper Warblers for me here or at CWP, although some to**er riding round Kenworthy Fields on a trail bike didn't help matters.
went in search again for whitethroats,still no luck but very happy with what i did see down here tonight..
1 swift (first for the year) 1 grasshopper warbler (first for the year) 1 willow tit 2 great spotted woodpeckers 3 blackcaps 2 chiffchaffs 1 kingfisher,flew over the reed pool at 7.25 & headed towards sale water park. 4 reed buntings
a pleasure to meet phil owen,henry cook & tony coatsworth,was it about 40 mins before we got a good sight off the little blighter
again no signs off any owls seen or heard on my cycle back home
came down here tonight to try find the whitethroat arrived just after 7pm til 7.50pm but no signs off any whitethroats on the bright side as i was watching 6 sand martins heading over towards sale water park and noticed something else higher up,was thinking gulls but no it turned out to be 3 terns heading in a north westerly direction at 7.16pm.they looked to off had long tail streamers so possibly arctic but they were high up, maybe gone straight over or possibly ended up at pennington flash !
also another 4,6 & 3 sand martins over towards sale water park whilst stood around. 5 song thrushes 1 willow warbler 2 chiffchaffs 2 reed buntings all singing 1 goosander (male ) over
1 goosander (f) on river 1 grey wagtail on river 2 bullfinches 2 reed buntings 8 jays 3 grey herons blackcaps, willow warblers, chiffchaffs & song thrushes all around,all in song
Pretty quiet at the heronry mid afternoon, with only 7 visibly occupied nests. Numbers are well down on previous years 5 Chiffchaff in song 1 male Reed Bunting at Brookburn School pond
Ivy Green
1 Blackcap in song (1 was singing in my garden on 24th, plus resident pair of Goldcrest) 4 Chiffchaff in song
__________________
Updated birding videos on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/c/PeteHinesbirding
Late post for last Sunday 15th Jan. Walking through Chorlton/ville
A Nuthatch on a roadside cherry tree on Claude Rd A Siskin singing from an alder on St. Clements Rd A Goldcrest singing from a yew tree in my garden on Edge Lane
__________________
Updated birding videos on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/c/PeteHinesbirding
A Quick walk around the Ees this afternoon produced Buzzard Blackbird Song Thrush Wren Robin Goldfinch L/T tit Blue tit Great tit Willow tit (first for me in Chorlton) Carrion crow Magpie Jay
The Mersey Valley wardens tell me that the burning is an annual event by (they believe) the same individual. He starts and finishes at the same time each year (roughly early March to early April as I recollect). Although they think they know who it is, they haven't managed to catch him at yet. I was asked to keep my eyes open so I invite anyone else passing that way to do the same.
had a walk to here from longford park. 1 whitethroat next to large reedbed. first for the year lots off blackcaps,chiffchaff and willow warblers 1 goosander (over) 3 swallows 1 buzzard 1 kestrel 1 reed bunting 2 bullfinch 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 jays 2 pheasants plenty off goldfinch,greenfinch, blue/great & long tailed tits
Jackdaws at Claude Road, Chorlton cum Hardy between Brookburn Road and North Meade. 1124+, lots flew over from different directions and didn't land. All left at 5.08pm.
My last post refered to 'lots of Jackdaws over at dusk'. From early Dec 2010 I have noticed a steady movement of Jackdaws over Chorlton (and recently Withington) starting about an hour before dusk, all heading in the same direction. The birds are congregating in tall trees along Darley Avenue / Hardy Lane and Chorltonville and then clustering in a pre-roost gathering in the tall trees at the pumping station at the end of Brookburn Rd. 1100 - 1200 birds were there this evening before all departing en-mass over Chorlton Ees in the direction of Stretford (Cemetary ?) by 17.15. I suspect I missed hundreds more which had passed over the Ees earlier. Now to find the roost.
Large reedbed/scrub area north of river mersey: 1 Grasshopper Warbler - showed really well after tracking its reeling for a good 15 mins 5+ Reed Warbler 2 Sedge Warbler 1 Pied Wagtail
Also, amazing sight on the River Mersey near Chorlton Ees - a 40 strong party of Canada Geese, made up of 5 adults anf 35 goslings.
Ollie, this will undoubtably be a young Grey Wagtail. Check out the photos on the Manchester Birding galleries for images of juveniles of both species. It would be very early indeed for juveniles of Yellow Wagtail and in a most unusual habitat for them whereas the time/habitat (not to mention description) fit that for Grey Wagtail.