14:30-16:45

Barnacle Goose, 4 Common Buzzard, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Treecreeper, 7 Nuthatch, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Goldcrest, Kestrel, Goosander, Jay, 2 Mandarin Duck, Grey Heron, 6 Mute Swan, 700 Wood Pigeon, 20 Redwing, Fieldfare, 2 Stock Dove n

Fleeting visit mid morning. Adult Dipper and 1 young.  Grey Wagtail, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Common Buzzard, 35 Mandarin Duck, 2 Tufted Duck, Chiffchaff. 

You could park at the lay-by on Glossop Road and walk down through Ernocroft Wood

Mike Crawley wrote:

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Hi folks, sorry this is slightly off topic but is the park and car park reasonably quiet ? Trying not to be too paranoid but dont want to be on crowded footpaths etc.

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 Hi Mike,

When I was there on Monday, it was bedlam, but it was a very nice day. There were 4-5 cars parked BY THE WEIR!!! Lots of cars parked around the local housing estate as well (worst I've ever seen it). You are probably best waiting until after (if) the schools return next Wednesday. Having said that, the back part of the park was mostly unused - it's just battling through the crowds to get there!!

A cuckoo was calling in the park along the length of the river from the Keg north-eastwards. Other things; 1 garden warbler in song, goldcrest heard, and fresh from the nest today by the looks of it, juvenile blackcap.

markwoodhead wrote:

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Marsh tit still showing well from Hide. Continental Cormorant still.

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Finally, finally, finally my 2nd eye has been operated on and I've got binocular vision and OK vision in both eyes

Took the opportunity to make the short trip to Etherow CP this morning. On arrival at the hide the bad news was no food but the good news was that a photographer followed me in and had lots of bird seed which he stocked the table, post and ground with. Initially hordes of birds minus the main quarry, Nuthatches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Long-tailed Tits all poured in and out. Then attracted by the feeding frenzy the Marsh Tit appeared from over the river. It then made numerous visits as per previous posts, taking seed across the river to cache. I left the photographer in peace as it was his efforts that had attracted the birds, so if anyone goes I would suggest a bag of bird seed is well worth taking along. At least 12 Mandarins were in courtship display, most halfway along the central causeway. A five tit day at Etherow (and six by visiting Sale WP later), a great way to restart my birding post-op

Made a short visit this afternoon and was disappointed there was no food in/on the feeders but didn't have to wait long for excellent views of the marsh tit in the trees across the river. This made it 6 species of tit for the day after a wet visit to Sale WP this morning. There was also a lesser redpoll in the same trees.

John Raynor thats a very interesting observation regarding the Marsh Tit hiding food behind the lichen, I noted that with the Watergrove Marsh Tit a while back .

Keep Birding 

I didn't see the Marsh Tit today, though didn't spend too long in the hide as the feeders were empty.

Highlights from a nice two hour walk around the area:

30+ Siskin feeding in trees near the weir

21 Mandarin Duck

1 Grey Wagtail

1 Woodcock

1 Great Crested Grebe

Good numbers of mixed tit flocks across the area containing Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Long Tailed Tits

The weir and river were raging unsurprisingly so no chance of seeing any Dippers today.

Marsh Tit still this morning from the hide. Snipe flushed nearby. 

2 Dippers down from the weir, one ringed. Also Siskin near visitor centre, 20 Mandarin Duck, 3 Common Buzzard, 3 Redwing over, Grey Wagtail, 2 Goosander, 3 Cormorant, 5 Nuthatch, 2 Mistle Thrush. 

Lots of large lenses.

Either a Marsh or Willow Tit was coming to food from the hide by the river after 4pm today, though views were inconclusive to secure any more definitive identification and the bird didn't call. Well worth a look for again.

Info thanks to Jeff Burgum

Just a personal thing really. After 34 Winters of visiting the park, I managed to add pink-footed goose to my site list yesterday afternoon when c190 went over going SE. Took me one nearer to 100 species after all these years. It can be grim in the East of the County!

Wander round Etherow CP and Keg Wood 1205 - 1500

Surprised to see a snipe fly in to land in the car park as I walked in. It very quickly decided it was far too busy a place for having a rest in and flew off in the direction of the river. Didn't connect with it again.

2 grey wagtails on the river near the weir.

Three great spotted woodpeckers dotted about in Keg Wood, a male and two females, all showing well.

Two mixed flocks, a relatively small one near the toilet block and a larger, more diverse flock at Sunny Corner which included chiffchaff, goldcrest and treecreepers. Both flocks had at least six coal tits and three or four nuthatches, with a couple of pairs of nuthatches feeding by themselves elsewhere along the path.

Buzzard and sparrowhawk soaring overhead.

Astonishing sight of THREE red kites drifting and circling over Sunny Corner at 4.02 p.m. They were going N-NW, so probably two of the same seen over Rochdale later? Whatever, I hope they settle somewhere safe.

Garden warbler still in residence amongst the good numbers of blackcaps. A tawny owl was heard calling (mid p.m.) as a woodpecker drummed. Then I saw a phoenix. No, I didn't really, but that image is still only slightly less believable than the tree-felling that was going on along the canal. Yes, once again, Stockport Council wins the 'Golden Axe Award' for inappropriate and badly timed tree work.