Had a stroll up the river Bollin away from the Bollington flats this afternoon. I was surprised to see a minimum of eight Mandarins (4 each male and female, possibly more but a bit tricky to count) on and around the small tree lined pond, on the other side of the river, in the field opposite the oxbows. Have seen them around that pond previously but never so many.
The Grey Herons look ready to colonise the heronry. I counted six birds in the surrounding trees at one point, making a bit of a din.
2 green woodpeckers more heard 1 great spotted woodpecker 5 nuthatch 3 treecreeper 4 goldcrest 1 ring-necked parakeet 4 buzzards 2 stock dove 2 siskin 2 sparrowhawk 22 tufted duck on the moat 5 grey herons on the stream over bollington gate just outside the deer park in field across charcoal road, 44 yellowhammers, 18 reed buntings, 1 chaffinch, 2 jays.
Kingfisher - Moat Pool, caught a fish. No sign of the Firecrest near the Orangery, 1 Goldcrest calling, and oddly a Great Tit sounded to be impersonating it or another! 2 Robins were paired up, rather nice though i suspect the cold weather forecast in the next few days may lead to them going it alone for a bit longer.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Not sure how i managed to miss the Firecrest report, as i usually keep an eye on this thread; i happened to be standing around in the area of the Orangery/Bark House/Well House today! As it happens i did have a crest - not the Firecrest but what i thought was a Goldcrest giving a single, quiet contact call. It got me thinking about the chance of a Firecrest too, ironically. If i'd checked the thread beforehand i may have waited around a bit longer, but nonetheless there was a Redpoll over the gardens and nearby a Kingfisher on the Moat Pool sheltering from the wind.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Little Egret in the ditch coming out of the park towards the Bollin this afternoon, i think a patch first for me and possibly my first in Greater Manchester. Took my time - i can remember when the first one was reported from Sale Water Park!
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Kingfisher on the Moat Pool - at the back, left hand side in a willow bush next to a birch with a lot of golden foliage. Otherwise quiet; Meadow Pipit over south; nice to hear my first Blackbird of the "season" singing fairly quietly and not for particularly long, in the mild weather.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
One Green Sandpiper in the stream viewed from the Dunham stile, nice views, i think the closest i've seen it there.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
An unusually high number of Canada Geese grazing on the meadow beside the stream over Bollington Gate stile today. Approximately 160 birds there late afternoon.
A walk along the Bollin this afternoon produced two Grey Wagtails on the weir upstream of the footbridge near the Bollington flats and two Green Woodpeckers feeding on the ground at the oxbows where there was also a small group of Goldfinches. Several Swallows and two Buzzards were also seen. No sign of the recently reported female Garganey however.
Had a walk along the Bollin late this afternoon, away from the flats at Bollington and noticed a lot of wing flapping in a small copse on the opposite side of the river from the oxbows. It turned out to be a startled looking, apparently very young common Buzzard seemingly making its first journey into the big wide world
Super walk this afternoon in hot sunshine along the R.Bollin from the Bridgewater Canal bridge on Dunham Rd, down to Bollington Flats then down the riverside path to the A56 and back again.
Sightings: Family of Mandarin ducks on the river - female plus 5 well grown young. 3 almost full grown Goosander on the river. Female Mallard plus 4 young which included 1 white duckling 2 Grey Wagtail 6 Pied Wagtail Lots of Swallow 6 House Martin 2 Sand Martin 3 Blackcap 2 Chiffchaff singing 1 Nuthatch heard 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker Green Woodpecker heard calling from inside the deer park 2 Stock Dove 4 Buzzard circiing together 1 Kestrel Flock of c.15 Goldfinch at ox-bow
Lots of insect sightings- see other wildlife thread
Goosander 1m 2f Island Pool. Water level a lot lower in recent visits than int olden days. 2 Coot chicks bottom pool below island pool. Grey Wagtail Bollington weir. Goosander 1f with c. 13 ducklings above the weir. One later got lost. Mallard - 4 well grown ducklings above the weir. R N Parakeets - pr prospecting on the oxbows. Mandarin - 2m 1f up the river. Went alongside the boggy bit of woodland (next to the park wall and adjacent to the field with the Bollin public footpath) where Willow Tits used to occur but no sign, i assume they went 20+ years ago.
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 6th of May 2018 12:38:40 PM
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Led a bird walk this morning from 11am to 1pm, which proved productive despite the heavy rain. highlights were. 1 little Egret 1 Ring necked Parakeet 1 Swallow 3 Treecreeper 3 Green Woodpecker 2 great Spotted Woodpecker 4 Goosander 2m 2f 2 Little Grebe 1 Chiffchaff 1 Jay 2 Buzzard 1 Song Thrush in full song 3 Grey heron
1 green sandpiper on flood in field over Bollington gate then flew onto the stream. 2 teal & 2 gadwall also on the stream. 2 shoveler over 2 great spotted woodpecker green woodpecker heard 9 nuthatch 5 treecreeper 1 ring necked parakeet 1 mistle thrush 2 buzzards
Walk round with Malcolm this morning was very productive, saw all the expected birds except Green Woodpecker which was leading us a merry dance with its Yaffling (laughing) at us without ever being found. Biggest surprise were 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, I've not heard of them here before. Cheers Ian
Just checked back and Dave Broome heard one here on 6th March, shows what little I know !!!!!!!!!
-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Friday 16th of March 2018 01:30:26 PM
2 Green Woodpecker calling - 1 seen 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker having a drumming battle - 3 seen 1 Goosander (f) on Island Pool A flock of c.50 Redwing engaging in that funny singing they do at this time of the year in the tops of the trees near the Obelisk 2 Treecreeper- one bird feeding up the side of a wall! 3 Nuthatch 1 Jay 1 Grey Heron 1 Oystercatcher over 15 Teal on the flooded fields next to the R.Bollin just outside the park.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 9th of March 2018 07:57:58 PM
Birds today included female Stonechat still by Smithy Pool, a Ring-Necked Parakeet calling somewhere in the deer park, 1 Green Woodpecker and 22 Fieldfare
1 Stonechat (f) was a surprise in the rushes around Smithy Pool 1 Raven sat at the top of a large tree calling for over 10 mins. The local Jackdaws didnt like it being there. Eventually it flew off SW calling. Another distant Raven heard to call back. 3 Nuthatch 13 Tufted Duck 1 Coal Tit 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - heard only 1 Buzzard 13 Redwing
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 5th of March 2018 07:28:21 PM
4 great spotted woodpeckers 3 green woodpeckers 7 nuthatch 3 treecreeper 1 jay 1 buzzard 2 grey heron 30+ redwings 3 little egrets on stream over Bollington gate.
firstly I would like to apologise as the hawfinch I seen actually flew over island pool & not smithy pool. there was one of the national trust volunteers stood with me (Richard) but he didn't get onto it, sorry Richard. other birds around...
10 nuthatch 7 treecreeper 3 goldcrest 2 buzzard 1 jay 9 linnet & 2 meadow pipit, over several redwings around 3 grey heron on stream not a single woodpecker seen or heard on the walk around.
island pool.. 13 gadwall, 6 shoveler, 1 tufted duck, 2 little grebe, 2 yew trees on the island had several redwing, mistle thrush, song thrush & blackbirds feeding in them.
large flock of finches across charcoal road in field next to the golf course 150-200 majority linnets, chaffinch, goldfinch, 2 reed bunting, couldn't find any brambling.
A single hawfinch flew overhead as I was stood watching the ducks on smithy pool at 11.20am, it made its tik call & I managed to pick it up & get an decent look at the 2 white wing bars as it went south in the park. Could easily be feeding in the park.
This morning, a walk down the Bridgewater Canal from Dunham Town to Agden Bridge produced by first Fieldfare (4) of the autumn. 8 Redwing, a Kestrel and a Bullfinch were also noted.
Spent some time along the Bollin, but no sign of the Yellow- Browed; there's a lot of willows in the fields on the other side of the river so it needn't have moved far to have "gone".
Mike, John Barber who originally reported the Yellow-browed noted that the bird was calling/singing from the Cheshire side of the river, probably in those willows.
Swallow - 1 contact calling as it flew over Charcoal Lane and above the Park (i was only thinking, i've not seen one for yonks but usually see an October bird). The fact it was calling makes me wonder if it was from the brewery farmyard or somewhere similar. Stock Dove - 1. Spent some time along the Bollin, but no sign of the Yellow- Browed; there's a lot of willows in the fields on the other side of the river so it needn't have moved far to have "gone".
-- Edited by Mike Duckham on Sunday 1st of October 2017 09:56:29 PM
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
A report on Birdguides of a Yellow Browed Warbler at Dunham Massey Park by the River Bollin, 150m upstream from the weir. Think that would put it in the alders by the oxbows..
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
3 Green Woodpeckers - an adult and juv feeding together near the enclosed area plus another adult near Smithy Pool 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Treecreeper 3 Nuthatch plus numerous others calling 1 Goldcrest 2 Little Grebe
Dusk on Sun 27th (late news), 2 Tawny Owls calling from trees next to the grass avenue near the Hall. Little Grebe chicks begging loudly on the pond nearby.
Earlier, Green Woodpecker calling.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
a wander this pm down the Trans Pennine Trail from The Rope and Anchor pub to Black Moss Covert, quiet, highlights were 2 Common Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff, 5 Yellowhammer and a Kestrel