Main Lake was 90% frozen. Best bird here for many a day ..
1 Whooper Swan (constantly harrassed by resident pair of Mutes until it was forced off at 10.35) 2 Mute Swans 59 Coot 10 Moorhens 2 Gadwall 2 Pochard 2 Wigeon 15 BH Gulls 1 Sparrowhawk 35 Redwing 3 Mistle Thrushes (1 singing) 1 Dipper on river (metal ringed) 5 Goosander flew upstream (1m, 4f) 2 Bullfinches Plenty of Blue, Great and LT Tits but a shortage of small birds in general.
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Saturday 17th of December 2011 02:13:57 PM
3 Redhead Goosanders (North Lake) 4 Wigeon (2f and m joined by another f) Pochard (pair) Gadwall (pair) 1 Shoveler (f) 1 Little Grebe Cormorant (5, including 'orange CIF') Kingfisher (a male that perched and posed) 2 Buzzard c20 Siskin 105 Redwing (in parties of 20 - 30) 26 Fieldfare 6 Stock Doves 1 Kestrel (f) 2 Dippers (both 1st w. 1 unringed, 1 metal ringed)
3 (1 drake) Wigeon - a rare sighting around here, and my 90th Stockport species of the year. 2 Gadwall 1 Pochard (female type) 2 Mute Swans 1 Cormorant Many Coot, Moorhens, Canada Geese, Mallards.
I was pretty sure that I could hear Siskins in the alders, but couldn't get a sighting. They have eluded me so far this year.
A first visit for me, and a great Stockport site.(Thanks to John R for your help this morning) North Lake: 1 Goosander 1 Grey Heron 1 Cormorant 3 Goldcrest (Seen on my way back John) 2 Nuthatch 12 Siskin (between North and Main lakes)
Main Lake: 1 Pochard (Borough first) 3 Widgeon (County and Borough first) 2 Gadwall
1 Dipper along the Goyt 2 Redwing Lots of Wrens, and Long Tailed Tits
Very "hit and miss". I went there as soon as I had posted below, and only saw Coote and Mallard on the main lake, but did see a female Goosander on the North lake.
Only a partial clear out Geoff,
Pochard (1f), Gadwall (pair), Wigeon (1m, 2f) still present.
Also: 44 Coot 8 Moorhen 23 Mallard 84 Canada Geese 10 Cormorants (overhead including the orange colour ringed individual) 1 Green Woodpecker (overflew the horse paddock opp. Main Lake) 2 Goosander (North Lake & River Goyt) 1 Grey Wagtail 2 Dippers (male with bill sky-pointing as it sang to nearby female)
Had a wander around a couple of sundays ago, spent about an hour there & had virtually given up seeing anything, then 3 sparrowhawks glided over taking advantage of the thermals, & i spent the next 20 minutes spellbound as they gave fantastic close up views above my head. Think thats the beauty of our hobby...you never know whats going to happen next.
Very "hit and miss". I went there as soon as I had posted below, and only saw Coote and Mallard on the main lake, but did see a female Goosander on the North lake.
It tends to be relatively free from disturbance around the carp pools this time of year too, which are always worth a detour from the main lake, (lesser spotted woodpecker in the alders in this spot earlier this year).
2 female Goldeneyes 4 Wigeon (yesterday's 3 plus an immature male) and still 2 Gadwall and singles of Teal, Pochard, Shoveler
2 female Goosanders (1 North Lake, 1 Goyt)
Yesterday's Cormorant (orange CIF) was ringed at Abberton Reservoir, Essex on 26th April 2009. It has previously visited Tittesworth Res, Staffs (23rd May 2010) and Farnham Gravel Pits, N. Yorkshire (16th July 2010).
13 Cormorants (a large flock perched on the dead tree on the island included one bird with orange-red darvic ring on left leg - couldn't read lettering with binocs before it flew) 3 Teal (new in) 4 Wigeon 1 Kingfisher 47 Coot 17 Moorhens 2 Mute Swans 39 BH Gulls c70 Canada Geese c30 Siskins 19 Long -tailed Tit flock loosely associated with ... 1 Treecreeper and ... 1 Nuthatch
Cheers, John
Edit: 2 Mute Swans not 23!
-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 11th of November 2011 08:20:53 PM
The colour ringed Dipper was again at Bottoms Bridge. Tony Wilkinson tells me that it is a male ringed at Torrs Weir, New Mills in 2007. So it's moved down 5 miles of the Goyt since then.
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 14th of October 2011 10:54:32 PM
Bottoms Bridge: 2 Dippers. At least 1 ringed WHITE over RED (left) and PALE GREEN over METAL (right)
North Lake: 2 Mallard
Main Lake and environs: 1 Little Grebe 1 Grey Heron 2 Mute Swans 81 Canada Geese 14 Moorhens 34 Coot 55 Mallard 3 Nuthatches 8 Jays c30 Great/Blue/Long-tailed Tits in one mixed feeding party
Noisy family party of Jays 1 GS Woodpecker 1 Greylag with 48 Canadas Feral Barnacle Goose c30 Coot with 1 still sitting on nest 2 adult Mute Swans but no young 3 Grey Wagtails c20 House Martins alarm calling as Sparrowhawk circled through them 2 Chiffchaffs but very few other passerines
I just missed the Redshank which was flushed by a couple of walkers at about 15.00. Then walked with Scott to the railway tunnel where a Green Woodpecker flew high overhead from one side of the valley to the other.
There must be many birds that migrate along the Goyt Valley and briefly drop in to Roman Lakes, it is much under-watched. Quiet today but it can be absolute bedlam on a sunny weekend, best to get there early.
Fancy that John, I was there in the afternoon (without the rain which had stopped). Considering it is the school hols it was deathly quiet (excellent!!). Apart from the prs of wigeon and gc grebe, there was also a pr of goosander on the north lake. A dipper was sat close to Bottoms Bridge, and in the trees there were 35 siskin, nuthatch and gs wood. Walked well beyond the lakes, but no green or lesser spot woods.
Think I prefer this place to Etherow CP now. At least it is quiet SOME of the time.