Chris Harper wrote:

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This am 9-11:

Also whilst in woods a bird flew over that was very egret shaped, light coloured and had the flight jizz of an egret. Saw for 1 second then hidden by trees. Might be worth looking for locally?

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Chris,

Which 'woods'? There are a lot of trees out there!

Phil it is a large area, much larger than I had originally guessed at, just hope it's managed correctly and not allowed to dry out.

On to today's sightings though;

10 Chiffchaff seen or heard
5 Blackcap all male with a possible 6th female but I didn't get a good enough look
1m and 1f Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Treecreeper
3 Nuthatch

Interestingly no Willow Warblers heard anywhere

Plenty of blue great and coal tit's about though.

Cheers

Mark

Early morning walk around the park produced a good amount of the common woodland birds.

7:30 - 10:15ish Keg woodland and then a quick walk round Ernocroft.


12 Chiffchaff seen or heard
3 Willow Warbler
7 Blackcap all male
5 Treecreeper
4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (3m + 1f)
1 Dipper on the river near Keg pool.
1 Swallow
2 Buzzard
2 Sparrowhawk


Interesting development around the marshy area near the king fisher statue on keg pool, looks like they're clearing the willow out to help native plants to come through as well as hopefully creating a suitable marsh habitat for birds. Handled well it could be a nice area.

Cheers

Mark


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 14th of April 2014 02:45:14 PM

On the path back from the Hide to the gate

Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, from the hide Nuthatches, Treecreeper, obliging kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, several Mandarin, Tufted Ducks Coal Tit, further on 2 Buzzard, top of wood more of the species listed Goldcrest Keg Willow Tit and Egyptian thing, and on lodge 6 Swallow.

Fantastic walk 4-6pm in great weather.

Lots of dogs and children meant there weren't many birds around the weir when I first arrived, so decided to pop into the hide.

Hide:
6 Mandarin (2m, 4f)
4 Tufted Duck (2m, 2f)
1 Teal (m)
2 Grey Heron
10 Cormorant gathering in one of the trees
Lots of small birds feeding on or around the feeders-
Blue, Great, Coal and Long-Tailed Tits
Chaffinch
Reed Bunting (1m)
Goldcrest
Nuthatch

Keg Pool and Keg Wood:

1 Egyptian Goose - honking loudly the entire time
2 Grey Heron
9 Coot
Lots of Tufted Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker inspecting nest holes
1 Tawny Owl - flew west out of the wood, being mobbed by 2-3 small birds

I then returned to the weir at about 5.40 and was rewarded with great views of 2 Dippers and 2 Grey Wagtails.
The Dippers performed a courtship dance to one another that involved displaying their white throats and then dancing from side to side with their wings fanned. A lovely sight to end a productive couple of hours!

I don't know if the regular ECP users have seen the notice recently put up near the start of the path to Whitebottom Farm. If you haven't, take a look AND OBJECT unless, as it appears, you would like to be birding to the accompanyment of 'live' music events and such (yes, really).

Go to the following web address for more info and act as you think fit. http://www.stockport.gov.uk/services/business/licensing11/fooddrinkentertainment/licensingat2003appsrep/currentlicenceapplications

Is nothing sacred?

Pair of Mute Swans near weir were both ringed. Blue ZP4 and Blue 4AOL
28 Mandarin Ducks
Egyptian Goose near hide

Cheers John

Forgot great-crested grebe!

Saw pair of buzzards on path to Low from park and small murder of rooks and jackdaw on Low/Nuthatch and coal tit on table near Sunny Corner.Also saw two groups of long tailed tits.Egyptian goose on table at hide and chaffinch and cormorants up river.

20 mandarin
Greylag goose
Mute swan
2 buzzards
Lots of black headed gulls
Robins
Heard 2 woodpeckers but couldn't find them

First visit. Lovely place but need to spend more time there.

Nice late morning wander around before the heavens opened.

Nothing out of the ordinary but good numbers of the commoner wildfowl including

16 Tufted Duck (9 m & 7 f)

19 mandarin (11 m & 8 f)

1 very vocal Egyptian Goose at the Keg Pool

4 Mute Swans (2 Adult & 2 Juvenile)

5 Longtailed Tits

Unable to get round to the hide, due to contractors blocking the road by the weir, who appeared to be carrying out strengthening work on the wall

 

Car park-weir-hide 12.00-2.00 Lots of blue tit, great tit and robins around the main lake. 20 long tailed tits moving through. 1 dipper,3 nuthatch,80 jackdaw heading towards Brabyns park but the highlight was approximately 125 lapwing over towards Werneth low.

Thought I'd rescue the thread from the murky depths of page 6.


A trip to Ludworth this morning turned into a trip to Etherow when I realised how long its been since I last birded there in earnest. I have been once or twice but it's just to busy over the weekend.


Anyway not much out of the ordinary;


2 large tit flocks through the park.
3 Goldcrest mixed in with the above.
11 Nuthatch seen in various places.
11 Tufted Duck
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
4 Bullfinch
1 Chiffchaff heard calling while I was walking to the hide, took me a while to locate but managed to see it on the other side of the river low down.


Cheers


Mark

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Thursday 31st of October 2013 07:57:03 PM

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Thursday 31st of October 2013 07:57:59 PM

16:30 - 19:30

A walk round the park produced;

5 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Blackcap (f)
5 Grey Wagtail
Large tit flock of 60 - 80 birds in Ernocroft.

Cheers

Mark

Visited on Sunday 7th for the first time in many years primarily for Mandarin.

Was not disappointed saw 19.

Also seen Egyptian Goose in exactly in the same place as described on 29 June. Preening on steps above weir.
Nuthatch plenty
Spotted Flycatcher 2

7.45p

Egyptian Goose preening on the top stone of the Weir.
Dipper in the usual place in the opposite direction.

this a.m. Egyptian Goose above weir and female Mandarin(3) with 2 young from hide, lots of Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Chiffchaff, Blackcap but no Dipper seen.
Cheers Ian

Three broods of mandarin at least. One coot took a pop at one of the duckling. It was duffed up by Mum Mandarin. Also Dipper, pair Grey Wagtails, Buzzard, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Lots of Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Gold Crest, Little Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tufted Duck and Swifts. No Egyptian Goose or Great Crested Grebes on main lodge

Car park-Keg Pool 2.45-4.45
High Lights:

Little Grebe pair
15 Mandarin, some with young
2 Tufted Duck
3 Willow Warbler
4 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
Mute Swan pair with 3 cygnets
Many Swallow and Swift
4 Stock Dove
Cormorant

Etherow CP 16:00 - 18:20

1 Willow Warbler seen, several more heard
2 Chiffchaff seen though loads heard
1 Jay
1 Treecreeper
2 Nuthatch
2 Lapwing
1 Siskin

Cheers

Mark

Whilst scanning from a vantage point 11 Buzzards in scattered groups was noteworthy.

Cheers, John

First stroll round Etherow for a few weeks, a lot of people in the park reminded me of why I tend to go in the evening (that and I'm too lazy to get up early).

Nevertheless an enjoyable walk.

4 Chiffchaff, 2 seen 2 heard
1 Nuthatch
1 blackcap (female)
2 Goosander, Keg pool (female)
1 Treecreeper
10 Long Tailed Tits
3 Lapwing in the usual field


Mark

-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Sunday 21st of April 2013 05:01:44 PM

1.30-3pm
Car Park to hide, via woodland path:
3 Lapwing
Chiffchaff
15 Mandarin
Coot with young
Nuthatch
Dipper, below weir
Kestrel

Hide:
Kingfisher
2 Treecreeper
4 Mandarin
2 Swallow during shower
House Martin with swallow
2 Jay
Chiffchaff