Platt Fields Park, Manchester

Derek Pates · Status: Offline

RE: Platt Fields Park, Manchester

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

I'll pop down to, am that end of town anyway.

Derek Pates · Status: Offline

i'm only up the road so i'll go and have a look - i will update when i get back.

Ollie Wright · Status: Offline

Just seen a rather distressing tweet from a non-birder - 'goose at Platt Fields dying. Oil on feathers and can't swim. Other geese attacking it and is starving to death.' Anybody passing who could have a looksee?

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

There has been a similar (or perhaps the same) oiled goose at Alexandra Park the last few weeks at least. With the additional feeding from all the bread handouts they seem to survive the condition.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 8th of January 2013 02:47:05 PM

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

On Saturday

4 Grey Heron - thinking about nesting
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Pochard (good for here)
20+ Tufted Duck

Small flock of finches - Chaffinch, Bullfinch but no Brambling :(

John Rayner · Status: Offline

29 Ring-necked Parakeets left pre-roost 15.30-15.45 in 2 flocks of 21 and 8.
c21 Magpies counted in island roost (probably more)
Egyptian Goose

Cheers John.

-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 9th of December 2012 08:25:34 PM

Rob Smallwood · Status: Offline

Two flocks of Ring-necked/Rose-ringed Parakeet left the pre roost this evening, one of 15 and one of 10 with a further 2 but no sign of Amazon

Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2
Jay - 2
Grey Wagtail - 1
Grey Heron - 1
plus the usual suspects and the Egyptian Goose.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 8th of December 2012 05:31:06 PM

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Rose-ringed Parakeet 32 left the pre-roost by the training ground with the Amazon at 3.50pm
Magpies 193 counted into the roost up to 4.25pm then there was a fight and a break-out of over 50

Rob Smallwood · Status: Offline

Glad you got back in time!

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Magpies 148 counted in to roost this evening. Looking good for a high count in December

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

John Rayner wrote:

Canada Goose 62 (including at least 5 metal ringed individuals, one of which I managed to read and have submitted to EURING)
Egyptian Goose 1 (Again close ringed, read and submitted to EURING)

Probably find that both were ringed in Platt Fields Park

The Egyptian Goose was certainly ringed there John, by Steve Christmas if I remember correctly

John Rayner · Status: Offline

I tried my luck searching for a large Ring-necket Parakeet flock but no luck.

Of interest:

A Sparrowhawk made a couple of passes at the Feral Pigeon flock, which numbered about 110.
Cormorant 11
Grey Heron 2
Tufted Duck 5
Great-crested Grebe 1
Mute Swan 5 (2 ads, 3 juvs. 1 adult - Blue Darvic HJ4)

Canada Goose 62 (including at least 5 metal ringed individuals, one of which I managed to read and have submitted to EURING)
Egyptian Goose 1 (Again close ringed, read and submitted to EURING)

Probably find that both were ringed in Platt Fields Park

Cheers, John

Tony Darby · Status: Offline

The Moorhen chicks are now back up to 3,

they're difficult to see
under the overhanging branches. 2 Greylag Geese were an addition to the
usuals yesterday. The mute Swan pair raised 3 cygnets last year, not 5 as
previously stated (must check notes in future). There are now 2 Terrapins
on the Grebes' old nest

Tony

Tony Darby · Status: Offline

The Great Crested Grebes now have 2 chicks, swimming around when not
hitching a ride on the adult's back.

Moorhen chicks down to 1 unfortunately.
Mute Swan cygnets down to 4, although they're pretty large and healthy
looking now.
That mysterious group, 'the ringers', have been busy here. A few of the young
Coots are now sporting very handsome looking Darvic-type rings; white with
black lettering.
The now vacated Grebe's nest was occupied this afternoon by a large Terrapin.

Tony

Tony Darby · Status: Offline

Platt Fields is my local park and I've given the lake a few visits over the Bank
Holliday weekend. There seems to have been a bit of a breeding frenzy since I
was last here a few weeks ago.

The juvenile Herons have moved out of the nest and can be found mooching
around the edge of the island like surly teenagers.
Mute Swans, HI4 & HJ4 have 5 out of 5 cygnets still going strong (this same
pair successfully raised 5 last year also).
The Moorhen pair have 3 small chicks and the tallest nest I've ever seen, it's
about 2ft high and constructed from twigs and crisp packets...fantastic.
The Great Crested Grebes are still on the nest.
However the prize for breeding, above and beyond the call of duty, must go to
the Coots! These often overlooked birds have managed to produce 22 chicks so
far this year. Alright, there's more than 1 pair, but hey, that's still good going
on what is a relatively small boating lake.

Tony

Phil Owen · Status: Offline

Quick early afternoon visit:

1 Ring necked Parakeet
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Grey Heron
1 Cormorant

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

04/01/2012 - 11-12pm:

42 Tufted Ducks
5 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
1 Muscovy Duck
1 Egyptian Goose
c50 Canada Geese
c20 Coot - several colour ringed
9 Moorhens
3 Common Gulls
c40 Black-headed Gulls
1 Jackdaw
1 Nuthatch
4 House Sparrows
1 Pied Wagtail
12 Magpies
etc

Graham Gill · Status: Offline

15:30--15:50

Amazon parrot - 1
Ring-necked Parakeet - 6
Tufted Duck - 49 (!)
Canada Goose - c70
Mallard - 10 (plus the usual hybrids)
Moorhen - 8
Coot - 15
Muscovy Duck - 1
Embden Goose - 6 (+1 hybrid)
Magpie - 100+ (on island)
BH Gull - c50

Got soaked, only 2 mins from home.

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

3.30 - 4.00 with Tony Darby

Magpies 182 counted in to roost

Merry Christmas all!

Tony Darby · Status: Offline

Bill Myerscough wrote:

I notice that in keeping that with several other local water bodies that floating island/rafts have been put on the lake presumably to act as refuges for fish from foraging Cormorants.

Bill, I think you'll find the floating islands were put there to accommodate the huge numbers of Common Terns we have nesting here every Summer; a hitherto well kept secret.

Bill Myerscough · Status: Offline

27th November - am.

2 Ring-necked Parakeet - what looked to be a female seen. One bird appeared to indulge in what might possibly have been a circular, undulating display flight? - not sure if they are recorded as doing this?

Also a Mistle Thrush living up to its name of stormcock by singing loudly in the teeth of a strong wind.

On the playing fields, before the dog-walkers seriously got going, there was a mixed flock of foraging gulls - c200 Black-headed and c30 Common.

5 Cormorant. I notice that in keeping that with several other local water bodies that floating island/rafts have been put on the lake presumably to act as refuges for fish from foraging Cormorants. Well it hasn't taken the birds long to work that one out,

as 3 were foraging around and under a small raft! Maybe the rafts/islands need to be much bigger?

Also 2 Grey Heron, 1 Egyptian Goose and c50 Feral Pigeon.

Cheers,

Bill.

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Haha, yeah it's a giant spot light with a bat on it!

A bat detector (by that I mean heterodyne detector) allows you to hear the social calls and the echo location 'clicks' of bats as they fly over.
you can then (just about) identify the bat on the combination of the calls and the GISS.

good fun!

J

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

JamieDunning wrote:

Tim Wilcox wrote:

Magpies 144 counted in the roost on the island 4.30-4.45

3 bats probably Pipistrelle though it's always baffled me how you I'd them zooming about in near darkness

I occasionally go down with one of my bat detectors and am yet to find (hear) anything other than pips!

What's a 'bat detector' Jamie? Intrigued Is it a Robin in a mask?

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Tim Wilcox wrote:

Magpies 144 counted in the roost on the island 4.30-4.45

3 bats probably Pipistrelle though it's always baffled me how you I'd them zooming about in near darkness

I occasionally go down with one of my bat detectors and am yet to find (hear) anything other than pips!

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Magpies 144 counted in the roost on the island 4.30-4.45

3 bats probably Pipistrelle though it's always baffled me how you I'd them zooming about in near darkness

Tony Darby · Status: Offline

8.00am around the lake.

Of interest:
8 Ring-necked Parakeets
1 Amazon
15 Tufted Ducks
1 Egyptian Goose
8 Cormorants - I wonder if thats a record for here?
2 Herons
+ all the other usuals

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

06/10/2011 - 1 Egyptian Goose still present (on the basketball court!), also 2 Cormorants.

Graham Gill · Status: Offline

19:15--19:50

Ring-necked parakeet - 12
Amazon -1
(All roosting in big tree at W end of lake @ 19:45.)

Canada goose - 75
Emden - 1
Egyptian - 1
Muscovy duck - 1
Coot - 10 + 3 juv
Moorhen - 2
Mallard - 20
Tufted - 1 f + 3 juv
Mute swan - 2 (HJ4 + HI4) + 3 cyg

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

16/06/2011 - 5.30-7am, some of the species seen included:

1 Ring-necked Parakeet + at least 1 juv heard screaching
1 Kingfisher - flew along the water culvert, unexpected!
9 Tufted Ducks - 1 brood of 6 juveniles
5 Coots + 5 juvs
c30 Mallards + 4 juvs
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
7 Feral Geese
112 Canada Geese
1 Mute Swan + 3 cygnets still
2 Grey Herons - no sign of juvs
1 Grey Wagtail + juvs around MHSG
1 Blackcap
1 Mistle Thrush
2 Treecreepers
1 Nuthatch

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Rose ringed parakeet flew over twice last night (about 20:50)

along with the usuals
& the unusual Muscovy duck?!

Tony Darby · Status: Offline

Mute Swans HJ4 & HI4 now have 3 cygnets.
Also 3 juvenile Herons out of the nest on the island

birdgirl · Status: Offline

1 parakeet (couldn't see it well enough to know if it was ring necked)
Saw it on Sunday 20th about 3 in the afternoon

Tony Darby · Status: Offline

Usual stuff +
2 Mute Swans HJ4 & HI4
Heron on nest on the island

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

2 Cormorant
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
30+ Tufted Duck
Mallards of various ancestry

Nuthatch
LTT, Blue and Great Tits
Goldfinch

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

1 Grey Heron
1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
20+ Canada Geese
12 Tufted Duck
6 Coot
4 Moorhen
male Sparrowhawk
small groups of Redwing 10 birds in total

Phil Owen · Status: Offline

Quick visit with dog this afternoon:

1 Egyptian Goose
1 Treecreeper
6 Redwings

amongst others

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

02/01/2011 - Quick check of the lake at 10am:

1 Egyptian Goose
1 Muscovy Duck
9 Tufted Ducks
2 Mute Swans
45 Canada Geese
9 domestic Geese
3 Hybrid ducks
c20 Mallards
6 Moorhens
8 Coots
1 Treecreeper
2 Redwings
3 Ring-necked Parakeets

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

One last count of the Magpie roost for 2010 yesterday evening only netted 118 on the island before a mass gang fight broke out and about 40 birds flew off in various directions. Heavy fog thickening over the ice

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Egyptian Goose was feeding on the grass near the skateboard park, with about 10 Canada Geese.

Now where do those elusive Shoveler hang out ??

Sean Sweeney · Status: Offline

Popped in to the park myself on passing through to south Manchester, but couldn't find the Egyptian Goose, must have been hiding on the island somewhere (any hints on where it normally rests??). Lots of Tufties though and very approachable (16 in all), plus 4 Herons, a Muscovoy Duck and the usual CG, MA, MH, and COs.

Lots of titmice knocking about too, but nothing unusual with them.

Route back to north Manchester via as many berry trees and bushes as I could, but not a Waxwing in sight

.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

1 Grey Heron
1 Egyptian Goose
10 Tufted Duck
various Mallards -> farmyard Ducks
5 Common Gull
10+ BH Gull
Nuthatch Calling

200+ Santas

Graham Gill · Status: Offline

Lunchtime 20 mins round Lake; 60% frozen

Usual suspects as previously, including:
Shoveler - pr
Common gull - 6
Heron - 1
Greylag hybrid goose - 1

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Today 4.00 - 4.35pm Magpies 224 counted into the roost on the island

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

12 Tufted Duck
5 Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
2 Common Gull
30+ BH Gull

very vocal Parakeet on the island

no Shoveler :(

Graham Gill · Status: Offline

Lunchtime 20 mins round lake

Shoveler - 2 (m+f; m very brightly coloured)
Tufted duck - 12
Cormorant - 5 (How does a small lake support 5 sometimes 7 of them?)
Mallard - 14
Coot - 16
Moorhen - 4
Canada goose - 45 (32 flew in with 1 Canada/Embden hybrid)
Embden goose - 7
Hybrid goose - 5
BH gull - 30
Ring-necked parakeet - 1 (on the island

)

Debs Wallace · Status: Offline

Really glad that you saw a Parakeet. They were being very vocal when they came to feed later on in the afternoon an they seem to be hanging out in bigger groups too, so where there is one, there may well be another ten of its pals. I'm glad you like them too.

Bill Myerscough · Status: Offline

30th October.

Morning visit.

At last!.....on my umpteenth visit to a south Manchester park, my first ever sighting of a Ring-necked Parakeet!

Only a single bird but very vocal (and loud!)

and visible and with such a distinctive in-flight profile! Terrific.

Also c70 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Gull, c16 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant (plenty of jostling amongst them for the best drying out perches!), 3 Grey Heron, 1 immature Mute Swan, 7 Mistle Thrush, 2 Pied Wagtail and 1 Nuthatch. 7 Embden Geese and 1 Muscovy Duck.

Cheers,

Bill.

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

Had pretty much the same as you today, Steve the hydra, with the addition of a couple of Chiffchaffs singing away. No sign of parakeets or gyppo goose in the half an hour I was there.
Henry.

stevethehydra · Status: Offline

First time i've been to Platt Fields in a few weeks today (Fri 30th April), did a quick circuit of the lake - saw most of the usuals - Mallards, "manky" Mallards (the same 2 "outsize" pairs that are usually there), Canadas, Tufties, 1 Mute Swan, grey/white domestic geese, the Muscovy Duck (on the water this time, which was unusual - he's usually on land)... and one very small (around Teal size if not smaller), obviously exotic duck that i had no hope of identifying... mistook it for a Little Grebe at first, then thought it might be an early (and lost) Mallard duckling, but as it came closer to the bank it was obvious it wasn't anything native - it was mostly light brown, with distinctive white markings on its head and some dark green in the wing, a long bill for its size and a *very* distinctive loud call (something like a bike horn crossed with a baby crying!) - anyone know of any exotic small ducks currently roaming Manchester?

I got some reasonable photos, will upload them when my photo upload site isn't being glitchy like it is tonight...

Also at least 2 GC Grebes on the lake, at least 4 Swallows swooping around, and a Grey (or Yellow?) Wagtail on the island. No sign of the lone Egyptian Goose that was hanging around with a group of Canadas in February and March - perhaps this new exotic has replaced it? (No Goosanders or Pochards either, but i don't know if they're seasonal there...)