A morning walk accompanied by Tony Darby who was something of a good luck mascot with Main Lake holding singles of Pochard, Shoveler and Teal. 8 Goosanders (1m, 7f) were on North Lake.
Shoveler 1m, 1f (now a total 3 this year. Good for a bird that is less than annual) Teal 1f Tufted Duck 1f Goosander 1m, 2f (North Lake) + Grebes, Swans, Coots as in recent posts.
Pochard 1f (almost a year since the last one) Tufted Duck 1f Coot 109 (autumn high count) Moorhen 23 Little Grebe 3 Cormorant 5 Mute Swan 5 Kingfisher 1 Siskin c30 Stock Dove 2 Buzzard 1 Dipper singing on R. Goyt
Canada Goose 173 (including a small individual which was probably just a runt) Little Grebe 4 Wigeon 1 Madarin 1 drake Mute Swan 5 Jay 1 Coal Tit 1 Kingfisher 1 (on River Goyt)
Mute Swan - Just the 2 ads and 3 cygnets. The sub-adult bird seems to have left. Little Grebe 3 Great Crested Grebe - 1 fully grown juvenile Kingfisher 1 Chiffchaff singing.
Highlight was a single female Shoveler. Don't see this species every year locally. Great Crested Grebe 1 almost full sized juv only. The rest of the family may have dispersed or were hidden in the willows. Little Grebe 2ads, 1 juv Coot 75 Moorhen 17 Mute Swan 2 Ads, 3 juvs, 1 sub adult. Cormorant 1
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Thursday 8th of September 2016 12:20:39 AM
Great Crested Grebes have all 3 chicks intact. Now 1/2 grown. Mute Swans have all 4 cygnets still surviving House Martin 26 Sand Martin 2 Swift 1 Buzzard 2
c50 house martins over the main lake (in breezy, cool, damp weather) attracted a marauding Hobby which sailed about amongst them for a couple of minutes, sizing up the menu, before one of the local buzzards escorted it off the site. Worth the entrance fee alone (which is free)!! Also a kingfisher using one of the fishing lodges to bathe. Also see other wldlife for beetle news!!
Great Crested Grebes - male feeding 3 juveniles that were being carried on female's back. Mute Swans still have 4 cygnets but didn't see the 1st summer bird. Best of the rest were 14 House Martins and a single Grey Wagtail
Mute Swan 3 (female sitting on 6 eggs with immature bird in close attendance. Male was far away on the lake. The second immature seems to have departed) Great Crested Grebe pair Little Grebe pair Canada Goose (2 broods of 11 & 2) Coot (4 broods of 1, 5, 3, 6 with 4 birds still sitting on nests) Mallard (single brood of 2) Song Trush 3 singing
Highlights: Great Crested Grebe 2 Grey Wagtail 2 (Carrying food for young) Dipper 1 (Unringed. Taking food to young in nest) Common Whitethroat Green Woodpecker House Martin 5 Buzzard 1 Blackcap 3
House Martin 2 (early date) Sand Martin 4 Swallow 3 Little Grebe 1 Tufted Duck 2 Mute Swan 4 (adults now seeing the 2 juvs as a threat. Constantly chasing and harassing)
It's a South Manchester Ring Group colour ring, John. They ringed virtually the adults on the Goyt and Tame, but I don't think they have ringed in the last 5 years so your bird is probably getting on a bit!
Tony Wilkinson or Nev Powell are the people to check with.
I don't have contact details for either. Could you PM me please?
It's a South Manchester Ring Group colour ring, John. They ringed virtually the adults on the Goyt and Tame, but I don't think they have ringed in the last 5 years so your bird is probably getting on a bit!
Tony Wilkinson or Nev Powell are the people to check with.
Forgot to mention a colour-ringed Dipper singing loudly on the Goyt. With bins only it was a bit distant to be certain, but looked like red over white on left leg (metal ring on right). Does that fit in with any local ringing scheme?
The Mute Swan family at Main Lake is down to 4. I found the 5th youngster about 1/4 mile away waddling along the approach track and looking quite poorly with a badly kinked neck. I have reported this to the RSPCA. Also:
1 Male Gadwall 4 Tufted Duck 4 Little Grebes A few Siskins flying over
Cheers John
The 1st winter Mute Swan was taken into care (eventually) by the RSPCA. If possible it will be released back with the rest of the family.
Forgot a pair of Goosanders on Main Lake this morning, the first of this winter period here.
The Mute Swan family at Main Lake is down to 4. I found the 5th youngster about 1/4 mile away waddling along the approach track and looking quite poorly with a badly kinked neck. I have reported this to the RSPCA. Also:
1 Male Gadwall 4 Tufted Duck 4 Little Grebes A few Siskins flying over