Longford Park and Rye Bank Fields

Longford Park and Rye Bank Fields

Longford Park's a fair-sized urban park in Stretford, Rye Bank Fields in Chorlton used to be Manchester Metropolitan University's recreation ground and is now a patch of "waste" liable to have a housing development put on it. From a birdwatching perspective neither is spectacular — "just" the usual parks and garden birds you'd hope to expect round here — but Rye Bank Fields does seem to be a regular point for passage migrants to stop of for a day to rest and feed.

Longford Park

Longford Park

Redwing, Longford Park

Goldcrest, Longford Park

Spotted flycatcher, Rye Bank Fields

Long-tailed tit, Rye Bank Fields

Rye Bank Fields

Rye Bank Fields

There are lots of entrance points to both and the boundary between the two areas is very porous. If you're coming in from elsewhere:

• The 15 bus travels between Manchester and Flixton via the University. If you're travelling from Manchester you want the stop on The Quadrant (a big roundabout filled with trees) where Greatstone Road crosses Kings Road), the entrance to Longford Park is next to the community centre by the bus stop. From Flixton the stop on Kings Road immediately before The Quadrant just round the corner and across the road.

• All buses going between Stretford and Chorlton go down Edge Lane. There are bus stops by the entrance at the southwest corner of Longford Park, the stops near the southeast corner are a couple of minutes' walk away.

The entrance to Turn Moss and beyond into this stretch of the Mersey Valley is on the other side of Edge Lane halfway between the bus stops.