A call from Mr Wizzal (cheers Phil) alerted me to the possible presence of a redhead Smew and a Slavonian Grebe at Cheshires finest mere Rostherne (well it used tobe). Both were claimed yesterday and reported on the Mancunian Bird Spotting website...thanks for telling the rest of us chaps.
With no chance now of reaching the 200 milestone (yet again) for a Cheshire year list I still thought why not give it ago anyway as theres bugger'all on the local patch. Mr Wizzal to his credit was already there when I arrived and had sussed out the location of the Smew but no sign of the Slav. Still it took a good 15 minutes before the bird swam out of the reeds on the far side and showed well before disappearing again...whap! A jaunt into the field (don't tell the warden) by the stream that feeds Rostherne gave good views of a female Goosander as it dived in the far east bay but no Slavonian Grebe alas.
Thats only the 6th Smew I've ever seen in Cheshire and even some of those could be returning birds. Checking my old records I forgot that I've actually seen one within spitting distance of Moss Side/Moore Nature Reserve. On 3rd January 1996 there was a redhead Smew on Moore Sand Quarry a definate first for the old patch (elastic boundary theory coming into play). On the same day I wrote in my note book ...big flock of 28 Grey Partridge on the fields (Moss Side)...TWENTY EIGHT!!! amazing, where have they all gone too ? must be global warming ?
CHESHIRE YL 186
UK YL 257
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Saturday, 5 December 2009
NEARLY RIGHT
Well so much for predictions...one out of three and its the flipping USA first up for England on 12th June 2010...33.3% right!!
Closer to home a welcome garden visitor to the feeding station was this very obliging Coal Tit...
The local patch Neumann's especially is saturated beyond belief, great for ducks though with good numbers of Shoveler (70+), Teal (250+ no Green-winged yet!), Mallard, Gadwall and the odd Tufted Duck. Three very red Lesser Redpoll males were showing down to a couple of metres by Scrapyard Hide and yes you guessed my camera was back at home...doh!ttfn
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
2010 'Le Hand' WORLD CUP
Here we go with one of the most eagerly anticipated Football World Cups for ages...unless of course you're Irish or a Sweaty Sock or even an egg chasing ex Coal Miner (bring on the referendum I say). By the way its Football not f'in soccer and yes you Yanks its a WORLD CUP just like you're 'World' Series Baseball....NOT!!! yes its for everyone dorks.
Prediction for ENGLAND'S group of death!!!!!!(not heard that before)
AUSTRALIA or even worse the f'in USA
IVORY COAST ....Drogba v Terry...nice! or URUGUAY?
PORTUGAL ...Ronny returns to inflict more agony, stay cool Roonster.
or FIFAS favorites FRANCE ....merde!
Can't wait so if theres anyone out there willing to sponsor me I'm quite up for doing a World Cup Blog whilst ticking off all those South African birds inbetween matches and sampling the fine wines along the way........bring it on as us Bare-faced Birders would say.
ttfnSunday, 29 November 2009
RAIN,RAIN AND MORE RAIN...
A seriously wet weekend once again washed out any chance of a decent days birding. With the Reds of Mancunia easily sinking Avram's Portsmouth nohopers (penalties again eh! Avram oh dear me) and securing another three Premiership points to boot despite fielding our geriatric trio of Giggs, Scholesey and Neville.
With nowt else on the box apart from some minor 'derbys' I decided to brave the rain and nip down to Moss Side hoping to see the Little Egrets coming in to roost later on.
Despite the recession Moore Nature Reserve carrys on booming...a new car park and yet another hide.
Its looking like 115 is what I'll finish on for Moss Side (Moore) this year, bloody hard work trying to do a double patch year list theres just not enough hours in the weekends...lesson learnt me thinks!
ttfn
With nowt else on the box apart from some minor 'derbys' I decided to brave the rain and nip down to Moss Side hoping to see the Little Egrets coming in to roost later on.
Despite the recession Moore Nature Reserve carrys on booming...a new car park and yet another hide.
The new hide at the north end of Birchwood Pool, just right for that wintering Slaty-backed Gull...
At the pond feeders in the pouring rain I just missed getting a piccy of one of the resident Willow Tits but did get a Great Spot and Coal Tit on the nuts.
Its looking like 115 is what I'll finish on for Moss Side (Moore) this year, bloody hard work trying to do a double patch year list theres just not enough hours in the weekends...lesson learnt me thinks!
ttfn
Sunday, 22 November 2009
CHAMPIONS...
No its not Man Utd just yet but THE COMBERBACH CASUALS...way back on the 9th of May we competed against Groucho's mob and the Sandbach Flashers in a Cheshire Daylist (see blog earlier) and scored 140...we won (we being Gregs, Malc, Fred and I). I'd also entered us in the national event run by Birdwatch Magazine known as the Big Day 2009.
Well as Cilla would say...surprise...surprise we bloodywell won the Big Day 2009 by the skin of our teeth. Remember chaps that reeling Gropper down at Moore well it proved to be the clincher and get us that extra tick to pip a team from Durham by one species.
Don't know why its taken them (Birdwatch mag) so long to produce the results but I'm not complaining...hopefully theres a bit of silverware winging its way towards Comberbach.
Not being one to brag (loud cough!!) but as you also know I entered the Sitewatch (Big Sit to you Americans) and with a crap score of 58 I managed to win that as well. I'm trying to find out who else if anybody actually entered this particular daylist. Another challenge for next May what?
If anyone out there knows someone in Cheshire with a helicopter or a fast speedboat or both The Casuals would be very interested, especially if there available next May.
Bring it on I say...
ttfn
Well as Cilla would say...surprise...surprise we bloodywell won the Big Day 2009 by the skin of our teeth. Remember chaps that reeling Gropper down at Moore well it proved to be the clincher and get us that extra tick to pip a team from Durham by one species.
Don't know why its taken them (Birdwatch mag) so long to produce the results but I'm not complaining...hopefully theres a bit of silverware winging its way towards Comberbach.
Not being one to brag (loud cough!!) but as you also know I entered the Sitewatch (Big Sit to you Americans) and with a crap score of 58 I managed to win that as well. I'm trying to find out who else if anybody actually entered this particular daylist. Another challenge for next May what?
If anyone out there knows someone in Cheshire with a helicopter or a fast speedboat or both The Casuals would be very interested, especially if there available next May.
Bring it on I say...
ttfn
Friday, 20 November 2009
LUNDY CONSTRUCTION
Big things are a happening in Marbury C.P especially at Haydn's Pool/No.1, if you thought the London Olympic superdome was big then just go take a look at whats being built at Cheshire's premier dog walking park...
Lundy Construction the main Civils Contractor on the project are doing a fine job and its forseen that the British Birdwatching Fair will be moving here in 2010...well done the folks from FOAM.
ttfn
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
SPUGGIES RETURN
The 'nuts' did the business at the weekend with no less than 17 House Sparrows attending the front garden bird feeding station.
Did a sort of mini day list on Sunday after finding out 'The Insomniac' was doing his tetrad survey...I love a challenge as you might of guessed.
Starting at home with Spuggie I proceeded along Warrington Road (well Debs gave me a lift) and did Marbury Country Park for a good hour amassing 45 species...highlights being a male Lesser Pecker that flew from the slipway across the mere to the heronry. A flock of 6 Siskin in the elders along the mereside path and 2 Kingfishers. A Grey Wagtail in Big Wood was a bit bizarre, acting more like an asian Forest Wag than our stream hugging Grey.
Onto No.1 and it was a case of spot the bird...totally deserted apart from 2 Green Sandpipers and distant Feral Pigeons over Winnington Works.
Neumann's though was a veritable bird fest with probably 500+ individuals of varying species such as Golden Plover, Snipe, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Lapwing, Tufty and even a showy Water Rail. Other good stuff along the footpath towards the layby included a flock of Lesser Redpoll, a lone juv Sparrowhawk and one Reed Bunting (60 species).
Passing the Salt Barge (Freds ex local ) in Marston was not an option, so I ventured in for a delightful pint and a half of 'Boatman's Ale'...a fine beverage brewed locally in Warrington me thinks.
Turning left out of the Salt Barge I walked via the public footpath across the Marston Hall Farm fields to the bend on the A559 up the road and back home via Budworth Lane. Adding a few more padders to the list the final total for the day was 66 species, I then crashed out for the rest of the day with aching legs (getting old you know).
I missed/dipped/walked past Little Grebe, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Skylark, Mipit, Greylag, Green Woody and Treecreeper with Black Swan and Redshank seen yesterday a possible score over the weekend could have been 76 a serious patch daylist even rivalling a May days attempt.
ttfn
Did a sort of mini day list on Sunday after finding out 'The Insomniac' was doing his tetrad survey...I love a challenge as you might of guessed.
Starting at home with Spuggie I proceeded along Warrington Road (well Debs gave me a lift) and did Marbury Country Park for a good hour amassing 45 species...highlights being a male Lesser Pecker that flew from the slipway across the mere to the heronry. A flock of 6 Siskin in the elders along the mereside path and 2 Kingfishers. A Grey Wagtail in Big Wood was a bit bizarre, acting more like an asian Forest Wag than our stream hugging Grey.
Onto No.1 and it was a case of spot the bird...totally deserted apart from 2 Green Sandpipers and distant Feral Pigeons over Winnington Works.
Neumann's though was a veritable bird fest with probably 500+ individuals of varying species such as Golden Plover, Snipe, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Lapwing, Tufty and even a showy Water Rail. Other good stuff along the footpath towards the layby included a flock of Lesser Redpoll, a lone juv Sparrowhawk and one Reed Bunting (60 species).
Passing the Salt Barge (Freds ex local ) in Marston was not an option, so I ventured in for a delightful pint and a half of 'Boatman's Ale'...a fine beverage brewed locally in Warrington me thinks.
Turning left out of the Salt Barge I walked via the public footpath across the Marston Hall Farm fields to the bend on the A559 up the road and back home via Budworth Lane. Adding a few more padders to the list the final total for the day was 66 species, I then crashed out for the rest of the day with aching legs (getting old you know).
I missed/dipped/walked past Little Grebe, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Skylark, Mipit, Greylag, Green Woody and Treecreeper with Black Swan and Redshank seen yesterday a possible score over the weekend could have been 76 a serious patch daylist even rivalling a May days attempt.
ttfn
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