Another morning at Stockport Rugby Club watching the juniors. I noted a couple of Fieldfares flying away from a garden as we arrived. I managed to nick off for 20 mins in the small wood at the end of Headlands Road before the kids started playing, and about 40 mins afterwards. I saw a couple of Goldcrest and an industrious Jay in that first little period. Also noticed a few birds while the games were on, a Mistle Thrush, a male Goosander zooming overhead and a Buzzard over the distant woods being mobbed by at least 10 crows of assorted sizes.

The best birds were in the second spell in the wood. I was sure there must be some Siskins about, and I soon got onto one, then one of those mixed flocks just materialised! Suddenly there were a few Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, 6 or 7 Goldfinch, a male Chaffinch, and even 2 or 3 Lesser Redpolls. Then I noticed an adult male Siskin and in fact there was a small group of them, I think 5 birds. So I was really delighted, the 2 less common finches were the first ones I've seen somewhere that urban. Very enjoyable!

The nephew is looking handy, if anyone is interested. He's got a great step and runs nice and straight looking to offload. Appears to be allergic to tackling though. I suppose this is forgivable for a 9 year old.

I was at Stockport Rugby Club this morning watching my nephew playing minis, had a quick walk down the footpath from the 'Happy Valley' sign, no bins so had to rely on my rudimentary knowledge of calls:
several Great, Blue, Long-tailed Tits
Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard only)
Nuthatch (heard only)
Song Thrush (heard only, singing really loudly but just could not see where it was )
Coal Tit
Goldcrest 2, these were only 20 feet away

Later up at the rugby ground itself, 2 Buzzards low over the pitches, possibly considering if small children in rugby kit were edible, they drifted off towards the river

It looked a smashing walk off in the Hazel Grove direction on a nice day

2 Herring Gulls and 4 LBB Gulls on school 5-a-side astroturf - not a lot of worms here!

Noisy family of young Great-spotted Woodpeckers sticking their heads out of nest hole being fed by female.

Nuthathes busy feeding young at their nest hole.

2 Treecreepers.

Lots of Song Thrushes.

Cheers, John

Just over the road from the Happy Valley entrance is the Ladybrook club house (just after the roundabout on the left heading towards Happy Valley). As you drive into the car park you go over a bridge over the Ladybrook. This evening I saw a Kingfisher fly down stream. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker was also on the trees around the car park and a pair of Jays.
It's not a brilliant spot by any means, but may be worth popping in if you are walking past. Dippers have also been seen along the river recently.