Willow Tits were regular breeders up to the 1980s. There are also records from Etherow CP of Marsh Tits in the late 1970s but I think that they were probably wrongly identified. Wood Warblers were more or less annual in small numbers until a few years ago. I did find 3 breeding pairs in the early 1990s. Around that time there were records from a number of sites along the Etherow valley. Sadly just as they appeared to becoming well established they crashed to almost nothing in the space of 2 years. This was also the case for a number of sites just over the border into Derbyshire. A pair bred at Etherow successfully 2 or 3 years ago but this appeared to be a one off as I have not seen a Wood Warbler anywhere in the region for the past 2 years despite visiting at least 10 sites where they were recorded in past years. It would appear that the decline is due to something in their wintering quarters. Tree Sparrows were also regular breeders at Etherow CP into the early 1980s. We have also lost Yellowhammers, Cuckoos, Spotted Flycatchers and sadly in the past couple of years Pied Flycatchers. Garden Warblers appear to have ceased breeding at Etherow CP - the last site where they bred was unbelievably destroyed by the wardens 2 winters ago.
Have seen Willow Tit & Wood Warbler at the Etherow, but not for many a long year, also remember a Great Grey Shrike up near the wardens house, but we're going back 35 years or more.
Reminiscing with young Adam (13) about walks round the Keg Pool back in the mid to late 1980s - I'm not a great keeper of records so I've nothing written down but I can recall either a Marsh Tit or a Willow Tit hanging round the trail where it splits and you can go downhill to the Keg Pool - I can remember it scolding me so I will have identified it by its call but it's so long ago that I've simply forgotten which it was - recent sightings of Willow Tit at Pennington Flash and Marsh Tit at Leighton Moss have obviously stirred my memories - Can any birders of a certain age who were Etherow CP regulars (not so many in those days) back then please help me out? Which is the most likely? I'm sure it was a Willow Tit but stand to be corrected. I also seem to recall regularly hearing Wood Warbler but could simply be losing my marbles.
A morning visit today produced. 1 Egyptian goose right of keg pool at the bottom of the field. A lifer for me! Single counts of common buzzard and sparrowhawk over the woods 6x nuthatch 27x mandarin largely males, including a small gathering of five birds high up in the trees at the path start to keg wood. 2x great crested grebe 2x goosander in flight A single dipper flying up river from in front of the hide 1x green woodpecker heard at first then seen taking off from field leading up to the woods. Great morning especially with the Egyptian goose and the photos I got! Thanks for the info on the site!
I managed 25 years of not knowing there was a hide... :)
Go up beyond the weir and where the path goes up into Ernocroft Woods, head instead on the level up what looks like a private farm road with a pond fringed with reeds on your left. After this pond is a [private] gate to the farm flanked by fields but immediately to your left is a small gate held closed with string through into the nature reserve - follow the path in there round to the hide.
For a supposedly pretty silent species this one often makes a hell of a racket. Sometimes it's up on the main lake near the front but I've also seen it on or by Keg Pool, or close to the hide, or even sitting ON the bird table by the hide or with other geese in the field adjacent to the nature reserve area where the hide is. I think it's always around somewhere - listen for its harsh incessant honking!
There used to be quite a gang of them there when I was a kid - usually at the sandy area by the grass where they'd all come out to be fed.
Hello! Would really like to see an Egyptian goose as it would be a life tick for me! Is It easy to locate here or does it come and go? I'm gonna take a trip there on Sunday, any advice would be great! Kevin
1 Grey Wagtail Buzzard over Woodheys Plenty of Mandarin, as previously mentioned, Male outnumbering female. Blue, Great, Coal & Longtailed Tits Good numbers of Nuthatch & a couple of Treecreepers
Watched a pair of Dipper 'to' ing & 'fro' ing from what looks like a possible 'des res'
Popular place today Can only add 3pm-4pm Keg lots of Nuthatches and treecreepers as stated Great Spotted Woodpecker five Goosander pool six Tufted Ducks Pool similar river near pool and back of sluice house Cormorant over Egyptian Goose side of pool making a racket Several Signs saying keep dogs on leads so as not to fret the mute swans and no one taking any notice. and saw four Great Crested Grebes on main res
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 4th of March 2012 09:24:08 PM
Late post for yesterday ,13:00 - 14:30 ... Great crested grebe on main lake , I counted 21 male mandarin on the canal section, ( probably more though,) And 27 males behind the pump - house . The males appear to outnumber the females by about 2:1 !!! Also great spotted woodpecker ,teal and treecreepers from hide + all usuals.. including several mating pairs of Canada geese .
The usuals on the main lake. No Goosanders at all for me today. 4 Manadarins and 2 Cormorants. 3 Dipper sightings on the river Goyt.
From the hide: 4 Teal 3 Tufted Ducks 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker Kingfisher seen on 4 occasions Flock of 8 Siskin Many Nuthatch, Great, Blue, Long Tail and Coal Tits. 2 Treecreepers 12 Cormorants 2 Mandarins
Lots of Mandarins between the main lake and the weir. Are they taking over the neighbourhood? Not seen so many here before.
Such a beautiful morning, squeezed in a v. quick circuit by bike. 17 male and at least 8 female mandarins looking stunning by the pump house, three goosander (2 female) still on the big lake though there could have been more hiding somewhere.
Good on you Chris. As I was still under the weather, we all went for a coffee at Bruntwood Park and a stoll. We had never been before, but will go again.
Main lake 12:15... 8 male and 4 female goosanders present. No sign of a deceased goosander around the lake ,so hopefully, the mysterious dissappearing goosander from Wednesday is OK Also present on main lake 2m and 1f tufted duck,amongst the usual bread-munchers.
Now you've got me worried,I'll nip back to have a look in the morning,but chances are they have moved on( either three or four of them) I suppose there is a chance that the male might have re-surfaced at the other side of the island,but I would say that was about 60 yards away at the time.
Thanks Jeoy. Chris, I must have been half and hour behind you, so it does not sound good. I would go back, but have been smitten with something, and at all well.
I found this on the University of Michigan's website. It's the same species (I think) just a different name:
Common mergansers can remain underwater for up to 2 minutes, but maximum recorded dive times are 52 seconds in 2 to 3 m water and 37 seconds in 18 to 37 m water, with a typical dive lasting less than 30 seconds.
So it doesn't look too good if it didn't resurface anywhere in that time
Hi Geoff, nice to see you again. Funny you should say that you only saw three goosanders,because on the way back to the car park ,I was watching the four goosanders, one of the males dived under the remaining thin sheet of ice that the bh gulls were stood on ... I watched for a good 3 or 4 minutes, but didn't see him re-surface ! By this time my missus was getting worried, so I reassured her that goosanders, can swim a long way underwater ( hopefully !!! ) and we carried on . Also 6 teal upstream from hide ,and good numbers of treecreepers and nuthatch.
Nice to see you both again Chris. Did not find any Dippers, but loads of Tuffties behind the pump house. Mandarin on the Canal and 75% of two pairs of Goosander on the main lake. Assume the other male was somehwre.
Short walk 12.30 - 2.30, highlight was 2 kingfishers darting up and down river from hide. Also views of nuthatch , treecreeper and usual tits along main path.
Two male and two female shovellers, on main lake,between islands,this afternoon at about 2pm. Female greater spotted woodpecker, from C.W.T. hide, Two male teal far upstream, 28 cormorant in roost tree , 20+ tufties on river.
Brief visit to hide today,@ 13:00 ; All usual birds present plus: Large flock of long-tailed tits,feeding on suet pellets and fat balls, Great views of goldcrest - about 8 feet away for a few minutes, Two treecreepers, At least two jays, Little grebe, cautiously eating a stickleback!
What birds would likely visit the table if you were there for a day
The usual birds that visit the table by the hide are:chaffinches, blue,great and coal tits,plenty of nuthatches, robins and dunnocks.Quite often jays and great spotted woodpeckers put in an appearance. The Egyptian goose has also been known to visit the table for an easy meal!!!
Cheers Chris P.S Don't forget to take food to put on the table,as it's usually empty!!
-- Edited by Chris Greene on Wednesday 4th of January 2012 05:19:38 PM
A pleasant walk on a stormy day with the river higher and faster flowing than I had seen before. The birds were mostly hiding in the shrub or sheltering in calm waters. The mandarins are absolutely beautiful at the moment. The egyptian goose (does it count as a wild bird?) and mute swans on keg pool were out hunting walkers. Four goosanders (2m, 2f) had moved from the river to the calm waters of keg pool. The tufted ducks were flocking on the river upstream from the hide, and the little grebe was on the opposite side from them sheltering under branches. Cormorants fishing on the higher reaches of the river in the fastest running water: funny to see the snake-like necks sticking out of the water in the most unexpected places, well away from each other. Two jays in the shrubbery opposite the hide. 'All the usuals' were hiding apart from some siskins braving the wind. It was interesting to see the different ways birds react to the conditions.
Quick visit with the family High Lights were at least 37 Mandarin Ducks, males now in all their splendour Female Goosander on the river 20 Tufted Ducks Keg Pool Plus all the usuals
Brief visit yesterday pm , between showers !! Highlights from CWT hide : Little grebe, 30+ tufted ducks, 2 M and 1 F teal, Female goosander , 16 cormorants in roost tree ... 2 grey wagtails near weir .
12.30-4.30pm 1 kingfisher 6 teals 8 tufted ducks 1 grey wagtail 1 egyptian goose 29 cormorants (all in the usual tree) all the above seen from the hide, also water rail (heard only). lots off mandarins around,mainly on the river. 1 buzzard green woodpecker (heard only) tawny owls (heard only) nice flock off 50+ siskins & goldfinches (mostly siskins) redwings, fieldfares, nuthatches, treecreepers huge numbers off jackdaws over going into roost. plus all usual birds around.
A semi-rarity for the park yesterday with only my second ever record of a goldeneye there in over 25 years. A female, it was on the keg pool but wary, swimming to the other side when I or other walkers used the path round it.
Not a great deal else. About a dozen siskins, 4+ goldcrests, 4 treecreepers, a few redwings heard, loads of mandarins going through the early stages of courtship, and mid-teens of cormorants.
Late post for yesterday ,03/11/11 @ 11:30 - 13:00 Highlights from hide : Two very vocal kingfishers showing well . M+F teal seen upstream, 20 + tufted duck, Male greater spotted woodpecker, 3 jays seen at once, Plus usual tits ,finches and nuthatches On leaving hide : three goldcrest,feeding with blue tits- in bushes near the semi-submerged punt on the pond near the gate. No sign of any Mandarin ducks anywhere, I presume they are lurking along the river .
Highlight this morning was a flock of 10 Bullfinches and 14 Redpoll in Keg Wood above the path down to Keg Pool. Feeding in the birch over head, they stayed in the same area while I watched for a good 25 minutes. Nothing else out of the ordinary on a lovely bright morning. 4 Cormorant 1 Grey Wagtail (by weir) 8 Nuthatch 1 Buzzard 9 Mandarin Ducks Lots of Tit flocks
12-3pm in the drizzling rain. 1 dipper 1 kingfisher 1 grey wagtail 3 teal 6 cormorants 2 grey herons plenty off mandarins around,also nuthatches & jays. 4 goldcrests in with flock off tits. plus all usual birds around.
c20 Mandarin in various plumages 1 Dipper viewed from platform by river 1 Grey Heron on pool opposite nature reserve entrance 2 Great Crested Grebe 1 Tufted Duck
3 young manderin in different locations plus one adult female manderin. From the hide kingfisher, cormerant, egyptian goose and two mute swans with only one cygnet
Myself and a friend set out to keg wood after sunset this evening with a goal to photograph tawny owls, and we weren't dissapointed. Between 21:30 and 23:30 we heard atleast 6 individuals, saw atleast 3 individuals and managed to photograph one bird that happily sat within range of our spotlights for around 30 seconds, allowing us to get the desired shots. A great adventure with brilliant results!! Topped off by an EXTREMELY close encounter with a badger on the walk back to the car!
1 Kingfisher flew up and down river etherow twice this evening, with 5 young grey wags visible on the river itself. 4 young Manderin on the far end of the lake.