11 Crossbills this afternoon flying north east from poachers cottage.
Ray

2 Tree Pipit singing tonight, no sign of the Yellowhammer.
Ray

9.45 - 11.30, warm sunny morning, highlights.

Crow Wood
Fantastic close views of Male and female Pied Flycatchers tooing and frowing
from the nest site collecting food for their young.
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Blackcap 2 male birds

26/5/13 1015-1130

Had a look around Crow Wood during a family visit to the park today.

2 Male Pied Flycatchers singing and seem to be holding territories.
1 Spotted Flycatcher.
Plenty Willow Warbler.
A few Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing.
1 Garden Warbler heard at the far end of the wood.
Didn't see or hear any Wood Warbler or Tree Pipit in this area.
Red-crested Pochard on the pool near the Timber Yard, head bobbing to a female Mallard.

The park was getting very busy as we left.

Male and female pied flycatcher and red-crested pochard this morning. Heard wood warbler in crow wood. Grey wagtail on stream.

Early am visit:

Crow Wood:
Pair of Pied Flycatchers
Nuthatches (lots) including one passing food to another. Not sure if the recipient was an over-sized juvenile, as it immediately made itself scarce.
6 Goldfinches

Disley Dam:
Finally caught up with the Red-crested Pochard drake - seems to think it is a Mallard judging by the company it keeps.

2 Pied Flycatchers in Crow Wood, 1 male seen and one heard, Red-crested Pochard still on Disley Dam this evening.
Ray

Today was my first birding trip to Lyme Park, with target species of the Pied Flycatcher and drake Red-crested Pochard which had recently been reported here. Almost immediately I saw the latter on the pool just inside the entrance gates (Disley Dam), and so I stopped at the kiosk and walked back to take some photos. It was associating with two Mallards and, after a brief squabble, all three birds took off and circled the pool before landing again on the far side. Also present here was a Grey Heron, some Coots and Canada Geese, two of which had six chicks. Then, after I had parked on the main car park and was walking towards Crow Wood, I saw another drake Red-crested Pochard in amongst the Mallards on the Mill Pond, which was probably the same bird I'd seen earlier. It seems very tame and I believe it comes for bread, but it's still worthy of a photograph or two.

I wasn't quite sure of where to go in Crow Wood, particularly as it has an adventure playground at one end, but I soon made my way through the screaming kids and on to a woodland path. I found a spot where there were a few bird boxes around and within a couple of minutes had found a female Pied Flycatcher. I then carried on along the path towards a cattle grid and gate overlooking some fields, and in the trees to the left of the path I spotted a Redwing, much to my surprise. I ventured off the path in to the trees to get some photos, but the bird was very elusive. I also saw a Willow Warbler, a Swallow, a Wren, a Robin, some Blackbirds and Blue Tits around here, as well as the ubiquitous Jackdaws and Crows. I walked up to the top of the hill and then circled back down to the path without seeing very much else.

Desperate to find the male Pied Flycatcher, I took the path down to the stream below the playground and was about to try a different fork in the route when I heard a bird calling. I wasn't sure what it was but it soon proved to be the glorious black and white male bird. I spent over an hour and half trying to get some shots, but at best they're only half decent as it moves quickly and the autofocus is often confused by leaves and branches - I may return to this spot later for another go, particularly as I didn't see a single Treecreeper or Nuthatch today.

Mission accomplished, I set off for home quite contented.

Male Pied Flycatcher in Crow Wood, Lyme Park, plus lots of Treecreepers and Nuthatches.
The Red-crested Pochard looks to have moved on.

Male and female pied flycatcher in Crow Wood this afternoon.

Drake Red Crested Pochard on pool near entrance to park. Also Chiffchaff.
Around Hall pretty quiet:
8 Meadow Pipits in Fallow Deer field
4 Swallows top car park
2 Nuthatch

Male Red-crested Pochard on Mill Pool near main car park. Coming to bread with the Mallard and probably the recent New Mills bird.

Cheers John

Late post for yesterday.
No dotterel seen but not really actively searched for(more walking than birding alas).only other things of note were a few wheatear curlew displaying and 2 ringed plover on the reservoir(could have been lrp;no scope and no time to observe).around 100 red deer also about.

Just outside the Lyme Park boundary.

A suberb female DOTTEREL at Dale Top (approx SJ963804).

Found by Ray Scally and the first here since 1981.

Cheers, John

Mixed flock of bramblings and chaffinches just outside the park boundary(30-40 at least). They were moving up and down a small tract of beech woodland situated between mudhurst lane (near millenium wood) and the fields in which the bowstones/kettleshulme footpath runs. 1 buzzard seen too over derelict barn (just off footpath).

Cluse Hay - Cuckoo calling until 08:45; 2 Tree Pipits displaying, Green Woodpecker
Pursefield Wood - male Redstart

Joey Eccles wrote:

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Wood warbler singing yesterday

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It's a big park Joey, can you please be a little more precise ?

Yesterday morning...

17 Redwing flying north
Kestrel

Anthony

Viewed north east of the park late morning, from the elevated position of the Cage, an Osprey over Bollinhurst Resevoir circling then dived down. Subsequently tried to get closer to the reservoir but failed miserably - nevertheless a nice bird on its way south presumably.

andrew tarrant wrote:

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What happened to my photo?

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I think Mr McKerchar may have removed it, I know he's removed one of mine in the past. If you put it on as a clickable link rather than a picture that'll probably be ok.

Thanks Henry.

Unfortunately your post was made after we'd set off. The only bird of note was this one...

Can I assume it's just a hybrid Mallard? It was very white when seen in the flesh, but I don't know what young male mallards usually look like at this time of year.

-- Edited by andrew tarrant on Monday 31st of August 2009 07:58:54 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 31st of August 2009 10:16:12 PM

I've never been before, so I don't expect anything...still I'll take my binoculars!