Mersey Valley

Long-tailed tit, Barlow Tip

A break in the weather, and I've kicked most of last week's cold, so I went for a stroll from Hardy Farm this afternoon. Lots of jays being very conspicuous as they quietly collected acorns and a few ring-necked parakeets making themselves almost invisible in the treetops as they screeched to high heaven. It amazes me how something as big, brash and electric green as a ring-necked parakeet can just disappear into a tree but they do it.

A mixed tit flock at Jackson's Boat included a couple of nuthatches, a chiffchaff and a willow tit. There may have been more but they were moving away from the river path towards the golf course.

A very swollen River Mersey at Jackson's Boat

The Mersey was very high indeed, a good three or four feet above the rocks along the bank. A couple of grey wagtails flew up and down trying — and failing — to find anywhere that wasn't either underwater or being walked by dogs. A couple of flocks of mallards were taking advantage of the seeds and vegetation being washed down the river, when they weren't avoiding golden retrievers taking advantage of the big sticks being washed down the river just shouting to be picked up and brought ashore. For a while they were joined by a cormorant which soon got fed up of trying to see through all the silt and moved on. Flying overhead a buzzard and a goosander added to the gaiety.

Barlow Tip away from the metalled path used by the methane inspectors was a quagmire, with fast-running streams running off the land and along this path. A couple more mixed tit flocks and a few blackbirds then the sky turned black and it started pouring down so I took the hint. The dream of finding some rare Sylvia warbler (which I'll struggle to identify) here will have to wait another day.

Tufted ducks, Chorlton Water Park

The rain eased off and Chorlton Water Park was busy with people but relatively quiet with birds. Nearly all the mallards seemed to be on the river, the only other ducks being a small flock of tufted ducks and two pairs of gadwall. The usual great crested grebes were nowhere to be seen. I scanned through a few dozen black-headed gulls on the off-chance but they were all black-headed gulls.