Macclesfield Forest

Phil Hampson · Status: Offline

RE: Macclesfield Forest

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Thursday 29th March 10.00-12.00

Standing Stone car park:
6 Crossbill
2 Goldcrest
3 Siskin
1 Curlew
3 Grey Herons

Wildboar Clough:
2 Dippers
2 Grey Wagtails

Lynne Webster · Status: Offline

Standing Stone car park 7.15 am

10 crossbills ( 5 M, 5 F ) , the males glowing almost luminously brick red in the dawn sunshine, feeding in the trees around the car park.

Also flock of around 20 redpolls, several siskin, lots of chaffinch.

Lynne

Chris Chandler · Status: Offline

Late report from Sunday 26th March

11.30am - 4pm Walk from Standing Stones Car Park to Ridgegate Reservoir then Shutlingsloe.

Carpark
4 Crossbill (All f) Very vocal and showed well
Siskin
Lesser Redpoll
Dozens of Chaffinch
Pied Wagtail
Great, Blue, Long-Tailed and Coal Tits

Ridgegate Reservoir
2 Pairs of Great Crested Grebe
Tufted Ducks
2 Cormorant
Grey Heron
Several Chiffchaffs singing and showing well

Shutlingsloe
Skylarks singing and displaying all over
Lapwing
Meadow Pipit
More Chaffinches and a Greenfinch
Lots of Buzzards enjoying the sunny weather

Beautiful day to be out

sid ashton · Status: Offline

After an unsuccessful look for the Danebower Ring Ouzel the Manx birder, Mr Barber and I headed down to Wildboarclough - standing on the bridge over Cumberland brook at Clough House car park we were watching a Dipper. Suddenly it flew towards us and to our surprise it didn't go under the bridge but flew up and over our heads then down onto the brook again. We then watched it in a display routine with its mate - amazing

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Standing Stone car park 6.45am

Good numbers of Crossbills once again this morning giving very good views.
Also present were:
30 Lesser Redpolls
8 Brambling
5 Siskins
3 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Common Buzzard

A great morning.

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Standing Stone early am.

Much the same as Phil below (nice to meet you at last), with Crossbills a lifetime first for me

Great to see some Bramblings and Lesser Redpolls around too.
Nice to meet Sid, his friend, and John as always.

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Yes guys, nice to meet all of the forum members there. After Standing Stone we too went to Danebower and found the two Wheatear as well as pairs of Kestrel, Peregrine and Buzzard and 2 Ravens but no sign of any early Ring Ouzel. On the moors at Burbage Edge a nice flock of 60+ Golden Plover and several Red Grouse - a really nice day in the hills in great company

.

-- Edited by sid ashton on Saturday 24th of March 2012 09:16:40 PM

Phil Hampson · Status: Offline

14 crossbills, 2 greater-spotted woodpeckers, many siskin, brambling and redpoll. Good to meet Sid and his friend up there along with John R and Adam J. Danebower had 2 wheatear and a pair of stonechat.

Phil

Phil Hampson · Status: Offline

As yesterday 10 crossbills, maybe more as they were flitting around, at Standing Stones - excellent views. Also plenty of brambling, siskin and redpoll around. Danebower was a waste of time with thick cloud/mist.

Phil

Phil Hampson · Status: Offline

Standing Stones - 10 crossbills, siskin, redpoll and a flock of c.80 bramblings.
Pair of dipper in Wildboarclough.

Phil

Phil Hampson · Status: Offline

Red grouse aplenty around Cat & Fiddle area. Wheatear at Danebower. 4 crossbills in and around Standing Stones Car Park.

Phil

Phil Barnett · Status: Offline

16th Nov 8.00am

9 Crossbills (1 singing)
1 Siskin
7 Redpolls
1 Little Grebe on Trentabank

6 Red Grouse Near Shutlingslow

Rick Donkin · Status: Offline

Today 11:00 to 14:00:-

At Bottoms Reservoir -
3 Male Mandarins
Gt Crested Grebes
Tufted Ducks
Willow Warbler

At Ridgegate Reservoir -
Tufted Ducks
Mallard
1 Pied Wagtail

At Trentabank - Small Nature Reserve opposite visitor centre -
Male Pied Flycatcher singing away and showing very well

Along track leading up to Shutlingsloe -
Blackcaps
Willow Warblers
Chiffchaffs
Chaffinches

Then black clouds came over Shutingsloe and I beat a hasty retreat to Trentabank just before the heavens opened.

Rick.

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Monday 2nd May 6.30-7.30am

Couldn't resist another look at the Pied Flycatcher and so went back and caught up with one in the same area as yesterday. Again in fine voice, clearly looking for a mate.
On Trenatbank Reservoir was a Great Crested Grebe, 4 Tufted Ducks and the obviously noisy Herons.
On Ridgegate Resevoir:
2 Mandarin (m)
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Sunday 1st May 6.15-8.30am

Macc Forest
I managed to find the Pied Flycatcher this morning, thanks mainly to some helpful hints from Sid Ashton. A first timer for me, so very pleased.

Also a pair of Blackcaps and lots of finches around.

Teggs Nose Reservoir/woods
Common Redstart once again this morning. In the same area as yesterday.
A Willow Warbler was also nearby and seemed to be having a competition with the Redstart.

A great start to my Sunday.

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Saturday 30th April 6.00-8.30am

A very strong cold easterly wind made the morning a little less enjoyable than it could have been. Having said that, a very active male Common Redstart went a long way to making up for it.
I think I was watching it for a good 45 minutes as it flitted around an area of trees in about a 10 metre radius. At first it was hard to pin down and it seemed to move invisibally, but once I got locked on it was quite mesmerising. Such a fantastic looking bird.
I failed in my quest for Pied Flycatchers, but will be back over the weekend.
Other birds included, a pair of Nuthatch with nesting material and several Willow Warbler.

sid ashton · Status: Offline

A morning visit to the Macc Forest area produced of note:-

Langley, Bottoms reservoir woods - spent some time trying to pin down Redstart and although I heard plenty of calling couldn't get a sighting - best I could manage here was a Garden Warbler.

Trentabank - Blackcap and good views of a male Pied Flycatcher in the small wood next to the Heronry viewing lay-by. Also my first House Martins this year.

Wildboarclough - nice views of 2 Dippers on the stream.

Danebower area and moors - Definitely 2, possibly 3 Ring Ousel (2 male & 1 female) giving good views, several Wheatear, 2 souring Buzzards and summer plumage Golden Plover.

Lamaload Reservoir- finally caught up with a pair of Redstart and another singing male as well as two Common Sandpipers.

Not a bad mornings birding considering the cold weather on the hills. Also, nice to meet another forum member Pete Rolph

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 27th of April 2011 09:57:00 PM

Tony Mossman · Status: Offline

Monday 25th April with Holly Page

Trentabank

Male Pied Flycatcher but no sign of Wood Warblers.

Teggs Nose CP

Redstarts singing all over the place! Couple of Garden Warblers showing very well and Common Sandpiper and Mandarin Drake on upper fishing lake.

Dane Bower and Moors

No Ring Ouzel at Danebower but found 1 Male and 2 Females at a nearby location. Probably too much disturbance at the quarry. Curlew, Raven, Red Grouse and haunting calls of Golden Plover all over the place. Vanessa and Anthony, hope you got better views of the Ouzels.

Brilliant day out, good weather, excellent birds and great company!

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Teggs Nose CP
Monday 25th April 6.30-9.00am

Thankfully there was no fog this high up, just glorious sunshine.
9 Waxwings landed in front of me in a conifer tree and stayed for a good 15 minutes.
4 Skylark
3 Willow Warbler
3 Mipits
1 Bullfinch (m)
6 Linnet
1 Jay
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Swallow
2 Wheatear

sid ashton · Status: Offline

RE: Macclesfield Forest Area

sid ashton · Status: Offline

roy ewing wrote:

It was by the bridge near the Ship inn ,wincle. Is that Danebower?
No Danebower is on the A54 above Wildboarclough at SK0069. You can't miss it, the old mine chimney is still there.

roy ewing · Status: Offline

RE: Macclesfield Forest

sid ashton · Status: Offline

roy ewing wrote:

Ring Ouzel---Danebridge

Roy do you mean Danebower?

roy ewing · Status: Offline

Ring Ouzel------Danebridge

jason fisher · Status: Offline

white throats on ridge gate one either side.

single mandarin on trentabank close to the heronry which was making a right racket.

entering the small nature reserve flushed 2 common sands

1 pied fly catcher (my latest lifer)

sid ashton · Status: Offline

06.30 - 10.00, Very misty to start then overcast with some light rain

One of those cracking birding mornings when all that was sought was found

Teggs Nose Woods

Redstart singing high in a tree was the first bird I saw, followed by Garden Warbler.

Trentabank

Got out of the car in the visitor centre car park and immediatly found Pied Fly in one tree and Wood Warbler in another - amazing. Later there was another Pied Fly sighting in the small nature reserve opposite the car park and another Wood Warbler south of the visitor centre down the newish track, through the large wooden gate and about 200m up the "Walkers Only" path. Also in the small nature reserve a Lesser Whitethroat.
On the water a Kingfisher flew by but there weren't too many other birds on there - the water level does look extremely low.

Wildboarclough

Finally - a Dipper near the bridge after several unsuccessful attempts so far this year. The Dipper had a two rings on its right, leg blue and silver grey and a single silver grey one on its left leg.

richard howells 2 · Status: Offline

Visited Danebower couple of times over the morning, while also visiting Derbyshire Bridge and Wildboarclough. No sign of Ring Ousels, though it was bitterly cold.
Wheatears, Meadow Pipits, Raven, Red Grouse, Lapwing and Curlew there. In fact everywhere we went along the Danebower Road we saw Red Grouse, calling, flying (mainly in pairs), standing (a la Famous Grouse advert), feeding.

Wildboarclough produced two Dippers, Derbyshire Bridge a flock of 20+ Meadow Pipits, Clough House more Meadow Pipits (6+).

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Just re-read my post from 8th April - that should have read 2 female and 1 male Ring Ouzel

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

13:00 today

No Ouzels near chimney - lots of walkers though. A few Wheatears on the walls.

Golden Plover calling on the tops and plenty of Red Grouse around.

Nice pair of Mandarin ducks on Trentabank Res.

Cormorants here have really obvious white thigh patches and white necks and look very smart.

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Did last week's trip in reverse order starting on the moor above Derbyshire Bridge with loads of Red Grouse and Mipits. Then to Danebower for 0715 ish- where I found three Ring Ouzel (2m & 1F) sitting on the chimney. Watched them for a while coming and going. There were also at least 16 Wheatear and several Skylark in the area. I could hear another male Ring Ouzel calling and just as I was leaving found a separate pair just down from the layby.

Also of interest a single male Mandarin on Trentabank where the Cormorant colony is flourishing with 8 occupied nests that somehow I missed last week.

-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 8th of April 2010 10:15:07 PM

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

sid ashton wrote:

but by now the snow had set in and finally at Derbyshire Bridge several Red Grouse watching me watching them in the snow storm.

Snow! Whilst I'm baking my backside off here in the middle east (no not Tameside ). I sincerely hope British Airways are on strike when I'm due to fly back...snow indeed

sid ashton · Status: Offline

More in hope than expectation I headed for the hills mid morning, by the time I reached Langley the rain had started so the birding involved nipping in and out of the car and found:-

2 Grey Wagtails at Bottoms Res,

2 Male and 1 female Mandarins at Ridgegate Res,

The Heronry at Trentabank had what looked like 4 nests occupied,

The only "dipper" at Wildboarclough was me.

No sign or sound of Ring Ouzel at Danebower but by now the snow had set in and finally at Derbyshire Bridge several Red Grouse watching me watching them in the snow storm.

-- Edited by sid ashton on Wednesday 31st of March 2010 05:21:40 PM

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Had a ride up this morning on my motorbike and while I slowed up for some horses, I spotted a Little Owl on a wall - just outside Wildboarclough.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Hiked up to Shutlingsloe today and saw a Golden Plover.

Nice pint in the Hanging Gate on the way back.

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Brilliant views of Pied Flycatcher at Trentabank this morning just as the rain was starting at 0600. Both the male and female were showing well in the small enclosed reserve on the opposite site of the road to the car park.

Geoff Walton · Status: Offline

We three went around this area today. Thought we would risk it, and it stop raining as we got to Teggs Nose.Covered the Reservoirs and walks, and ended up at Derbyshire bridge

Over the day.
Crows
Robins
Blue Tits
Great Tits
LT Tits
Redstart
Tree creepers
Meadow Pipit
Garden warbler
Wheatear
Heron
Little grebe
GC Grebe
Mallard
Tufties
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
lapwing
Red grouse
Blackcap
Common Sandpiper,
Pied wagtail
and best of all, in the same view
two Perigine Falcons on posts, one Curlew on a wall, and a Little owl flying above.

brandon mulhern · Status: Offline

Thanks Sid i now know which one you mean and i KNOW the hill VERY well. I kinda know it as the resovoir carpark but i enjoy the long walk on a sunny day so i will for the time being at least pay n display still. Unless i cycle up there.

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Out of the house at 05.30 this morning - headed over to Danebower in the
hope of Ring Ouzel - could just about hear the singing but in the strong
wind impossible to pin-point. Plenty of Mipits and Wheatear though. Then
down into Wildboarclough - two Dippers and a Grey Wag right by the bridge
the Dippers were both ringed - blue and silver on right leg, mauve on left.
Trentabank produced Wood Warbler and three drake Mandarin but no sign of the Pied Fly Catchers. The Wood Warbler was on the newly surfaced track as reported by Nigel.

I finished off at the lower carpark of Teggs Nose - too windy there for anything to want to be around.

Brandon this car park is reached from Langley - going from Macc turn left down Hole House lane and up to the reservoir. However if you then want to go up to Teggs Nose there is one cracker of a hill to climb, steeper than from the visitors centre !!!!!

-- Edited by sid ashton on Wednesday 13th of May 2009 01:16:18 PM

brandon mulhern · Status: Offline

been to teggs many times in the past but would love to know which lower car park you mean i park in the pay n display one near the visitor centre i never knew there was another! And i have been going since the mid 80's before you had to pay? Is it down by the resovoir? Goes to show you think you know an area! all that up hill walking i could have avoided!

-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Tuesday 12th of May 2009 11:18:03 PM

Nigel Troup · Status: Offline

Tegg's Nose is a great site in early spring. It's worth parking in the lower car park and working upwards. Redstart and Pied Flycatcher are pretty much guaranteed, while Garden Warbler is generally reliable by now, plus the commoner warblers. Spotted Flycatcher is also to be found later in the year. I have not found Tree Pipit myself, but know that others have.

I was there about three back and had decent views of Green Woodpecker, which is a difficult bird to locate in South Manchester / North Cheshire. I also saw 6+ Green Hairstreak: a tiny butterfly that favours the gorse stands.

The reservoir and small mill pond are worth checking. A redhead Smew frequented the latter a few winters ago.

Mike Crawley · Status: Offline

Tegg's Nose used to be the local (to Macc Resrs) hot spot for Tree Pipit.
Not ventured up there for a few years but it was our Tree Pip banker site for May Bird Races.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

I've seen Crossbills there right at the top of the hill near a ruined cottage but they are very elusive.

Never heard or seen Tree Pipit (Tripit ?) though

Dean Macdonald · Status: Offline

Willy Warblers

lol

Nigel Troup · Status: Offline

Hi Tony,

I wasn't sure whether your observation on Woodcocks was a prurient response to my Willy Warblers. However, the comment is perfectly accurate. I used to take an annual jaunt here for what must be one of birding's strangest, but most captivating, events.

I haven't tried for a few years, since Etherow CP provides the same opportunity, and is much closer to home. I also find wintering Woodcocks with some regularity on Adswood Tip.

I seem to recall that Tree Pipits were to be found in the conifer plantations just above Trentabank car park, but I haven't seen one here for a few years now, perhaps because the trees have become too mature. I generally have to get out to the Goyt Valley for a good chance of locating one.

I have also seen Crossbills in this area on a couple of occasions; once a flock of a dozen or so. It is a lovely part of Cheshire.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

I've heard Wood Warbler to the north of the Trentabank visitor centre near the Heronry 'viewpoint'. Good spot for roding Woodcock at sunset as well.

Nigel Troup · Status: Offline

Wood Warbler used to be a pretty sound bet in Trentabank car park at this time of the year. It took patience actually to get a view of the bird, but the song was generally soon audible. I had had no success in the last couple of years, perhaps a simple consequence of timing. Today, I soon had great views today on the newly-surfaced track immediately to the south of the visitor centre. No bird can match Wood Warbler for embodying the essence of upland springtime.

I had hoped for Garden Warbler, but I suspect that the strong gusts of wind are either drowning their song or discouraging them from singing.

There were four drake Mandarins on the reservoir and a pair of Pied Flycatchers in the small enclosed reserve opposite the visitor centre.

My eight year old son found a private spot by a dense group of bushes that offered the opportunity of meeting a discreet call to nature. I warned him that there may be a bird hiding in there waiting for just such a tasy morsel. "That'll be a Willy Warbler, then", he said. What an answer! There were certainly plenty around.