Crossed Hawthorn lane from Turn Moss. Kestrel - 1 perched in dead tree, later hunting quite close to me. Phylloscopus Warbler types heard but not seen clearly - 3.
1 male stonechat, rock hoping and flycatching, occasionally flying over to the sale water park side. 2 grey wagtail 1 pied wagtail
Nice to run into you Steven . Thanks for sending me back for the Stonechat - rather an excellent bird for the site. And my first regular spring migrant Chiffchaff of the year
i am posting this on stretford and chorlton ees as we heard it more on the chorlton side but also on the stretford side to begin with. A CUCKOO we trailed it for a good two hours (we can't believe it as we are planning a trip to Rindle Road to see or hear the one there!) now to be specific about where we SAW it, we walked down the mersey (on the stretford side) until you come to the bridge over the little stream from there we took the left hand fork down the small path and heard it first there! (brandon heard it i laughed at him then ate my laugh as i heard it) it called for 4 or 5 times then deadly silence ( and doubts from both of us ) i asked a courting couple who were in the football field just off from the path and they said they had heard it for at least half an hour) we stood motionless waiting for about 10 mins and then again we heard it and over the next hour or so traced it to a small area to the right of the football pitches. we walked through this area examining every tree listening and finally we both saw it Brandon first then me although i only saw it as Brandon was trying to photo it unsuccessfully( maybe not we have 1 photo that shows something similar to a cuckoo but not conclusive)I watched it fly across the path behind us over the green bench which is on a path parallel to our original path (there are many paths here tbh) the section of woodland we saw it in has an old burnt out car in it that must have been there years! we heard a gropper nearby and saw grey wagtails as well as the usual stuff for this area. But tbh we were like a pair of demented idiots asking people if they heard it (which they had ) one chap walks his dog there every night and never has he heard one there before. i recorded it on my phone although it is very quiet in the background of a lot of other bird as it was very gloomy and almost dark by the time i thought of it!
-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Monday 20th of April 2009 08:59:22 PM
The small hybrid goose of questionable parentage which frequented Didsbury golf course last winter, and documented in the local rag 'The South Manchester Reporter' on 03.01.08, was present with Canadas' on the river bank opposite the dry wier (behind Broad Ees Dole). The first time I've seen it. Small size. dark, blackish/brown plumage, white face with black spot on cheeks, white vent, bright orange legs and feet and small pink beak. Very odd
__________________
Updated birding videos on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/c/PeteHinesbirding
3 L-r Plover ( one flew across the Mersey, presumably to Broad Ees Dole, so probably commuting between the two sites, so 3-5 birds in the area today ) 2 Lapwing
__________________
Updated birding videos on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/c/PeteHinesbirding