A walk by the River Goyt in icy fog didn't produce too many birds
1 female goosander, 1 Kingfisher and 3 Grey Herons.
Two notices caught my attention.
By Otterspool Bridge a notice regarding a compulsory purchase order of adjacent land (including the river bed) for the purposes of 'hydro electric power supply'
A little futher on a notice taped to a tree regarding the confiscation of an illegal 5 metre gill net.
Yesterday between 11:30 and 14:30 , Blue ,great and long -tailed tits , wrens ,drumming G.S. woodpecker , dozens of redwing and a single jay , in woods near Poise Brook. Large flock of mixed fieldfare and redwing, ( 200+ birds ) , in fields before Goyt Hall Farm . Also grey and pied wagtails , robins , wrens and starling . Even larger flock of redwing , feeding in field next to Middle Farm, also several goldfinch feeding with them . 100+ woodpigeon , and 2 herons in field adjacent to river. Large white object near the river turned out to be a downed Chinese lantern , and not a Little Egret !!! ( really must get my eyes tested again ! ) Cheers Chris.
Walk from 8.30-10.30 down Holiday Lane, past Goyt Hall Fm, quick look at Chadkirk, and back via Bongs Lane. Highlights: 30 Waxwing over the farm towards Pear Mill 42 Mandarin by kennels Male Sparrowhawk after 50 Redwing 5 Goosander(3 Drake) 4 Stock Dove Many Nuthatch, tits, wrens Goldcrest 4 Bullfinch(end of holiday lane) Great Spot drumming Grey and Pied Wagtails Cheers, Chris H
An evening visit and not a lot to report. 5 LBB gulls and a Great Spot flew over and a mixed tit flock of about 40 individuals also held 2 Nuthatches and 2 Treecreepers. Too many shotguns around tonight for enjoyable birding.
I notice that new signage has appeared by Otterspool Bridge. "Goyt Valley Local Nature Reserve" has gone and replaced by "Goyt Valley leading to Poise Brook Local Nature Reserve". I think the new sign is more accurate but one way or another quite a waste of money by Stockport MBC in these times of austerity.
monday night, 8.45pm. sat outside with a glass of red waiting for the swifts and house martins to settle and the bats come out, when a hobby flew low over my garden (near to wrights arms) giving me amazing views. a birding first, brilliant.
Don't know if the rest of you locals are aware of this but the plans for a hydro-electric generating scheme at Otterspool have been approved (which will apparently supply electricity to about two and a half homes!!). If anyone knows of any breeding birds that might have used the area this year, you might wish to make it known to whom it may concern. Even better, we might try to influence whoever is going to build this white elephant, sorry I mean excellent carbon saving contraption, so that they incorporate some nesting sites into the design. What do you think?
A pair of Linnets reluctant to leave the hedgerow near the kennels. Family party of Swallows at GHF Yellowhammers singing from at 5 different places from Jim Fearnley Bridge (unusual this far from GHF) to GHF fishing pools. At least 4 individual males involved. A brood of 7 fairly well grown Mandarin ducklings on the Goyt but no sight of a parent. Skylark singing above fields behind GHF
Never would I have thought I would ever have this as a garden tick, but as I was bashing a bit of leftover cat food against the fence (hedgehog scoops it up), a Common Quail stepped out o my overgrown log pile, looked at me in shock, and took off over the fence heading towards the playing fields behind Offerton High School and on to Woodland s Park. I'm still in a state of shock and awe Chris H
...but as Little Owl is a category C species in the UK, can it really be called "nature"?
Well I suppose the jury is out on that one Rob...They've been around in the wild in the UK for a couple of hundred years now, so is that long enough for them to be regarded as part of nature?
Probably not for the purest, but yes for me...I think they're cracking little birds.
Little Owl sadly making light work of a Swallows nest at the farm early this evening...Quite distressing scenes really as the two adults constantly mobbed the Owl to no avail.
Speaking to the farmer, this has now happened for the last two years...Nature can be cruel sometimes.
Pleasant walk down Bong's Lane, via garden centre(drinks break), and back over Jim Fernley bridge through Woodland's Park. Highlights: Calling Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiff Chaff. Many Swifts, Swallows and House Martins. 7 mandarin, some eclipse, with young. Mallards too. At least 1, probably 2 Kingfisher(1st since January) Many Grey and Pied Wagtails, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch. Singing Goldcrest. No sign of Yellowhammer or Linnets, but didn't go as far as Goyt Hall Fm. Chris H
Chilly walk this morning from Woodlands Park to Goyt Hall Fm Pair of Goosander up from Jim Fernley bridge Singing Blackcap and Chiff chaff 15+ Swallows, 3 Swift, 2 House Martin Little Owl in tree by farm Yellowhammer in field opposite farm 2 Grey Wagtails Lovely Bluebell show in the woods Chris H
A pleasant walk enlivened mostly by the years first butterflies. However, highlights in the bird world between Chadkirk car park and Goyt Hall Farm were 3 chiffchaffs (including what seemed to already be a pair at the old tree nursery), treecreeper also in song there. 1 male blackcap. A pair of great spotted woods that were showing interest in a nearby hole. At Goyt Hall, a yellowhammer was heard but unseen, and three lapwings were around. Buzzard was seen a couple of times. Good job weather was fine really or it would have all seemed a bit ordinary.
Little owl at the farm today playing hide and seek! Great to see it though. Thanks to Chris E for showing it to me, you may regret it on 31/12/10 when I have seen more species this year though.
9.30-10.30 from Hall Pool Drive to GH Fm. Kingfisher(Under Jim Fernley bridge) Female Sparrowhawk 2 Treecreepers 9 Nuthatch(No GS Woodpeckers, any link?) 24 Redwings Cormorant 2 Stock Dove 1 Little Owl(Chimney pot) 4 Mistle Thrush Many singing Tits, especially Great. A few Green, Gold and Chaffinches.
1000+ Starlings displaying at dusk towards Goyt Hall Farm/ Bredbury Hall...Seen from Otterspool Bridge so I couldn't quite pin point the exact location. Will have a look tomorrow from Bredbury Hall side.
Gone goggle eyed looking at 2000 and 2001 diaries but can't find a mention of the Partridge, John. Sorry about that. Sure it was before the footand mouth outbreak, as I was frustrated about not being allowed on the farm for so long after. Chris H
36 Mandarins in field next to kennels 8 Grey Herons around Goyt Hall Farm 1 Little Owl on farm chimney pot 4 Cormorant on river 1 fem Goosander on river 1 Treecreeper c35 Fieldfare in horse field with 5 Redwing and 1 Meadow Pipit
-- Edited by John Rayner on Wednesday 3rd of February 2010 09:07:17 PM