Parks and gardens

Grey wagtail, Alexandra Park

Business as usual in the garden this morning with the sparrows and collared doves making inroads on the mixed seed I put out yesterday and the goldfinches returning to the nyger feeders. The male wren is being very visible lately, splitting his time between fossicking round in the boysenberries and sitting on the back fence singing. A singing blackcap was a welcome burst of Spring on a chilly grey morning.

• Blackbird 2
• Blackcap 1
• Collared Dove 2
• Blue Tit 1
• Coal Tit 1
• Feral Pigeon 3
• Goldfinch 3
• Great Tit 2
• House Sparrow 18
• Jackdaw 2
• Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
• Magpie 1
• Robin 2
• Starling 1
• Woodpigeon 4
• Wren 1

Dabchick, Alexandra Park

I had to go into Whalley Range for my Coronovirus jab and seeing as it was literally five minutes' walk away from Alexandra Park I decided to have another look at the ring-necked duck. So she chose today to bob over to Platt Fields for a day out. A pair of grey wagtails was a consolation even though both weren't for staying in a pose while the camera did its magic. Three of the nests in the heronry looked occupied, with two birds evidently sitting on something more than just sticks and twigs.

Moorhen, Alexandra Park

Heronry with grey herons, Alexandra Park

There's definitely a passage of lesser black-backs going on at the moment, on top of the regulars that are getting ready to breed in Trafford Park.