Sandbach

Ruddy shelduck, Sandbach Flash

I wanted a bit of an explore so today I decided to go to a site that's new to me and bobbed over for a nosy round Sandbach Flash to see if the weekend's ruddy shelduck was still about.

Trent & Mersey Canal

Leaving the station I headed down Moston Road and over the railway bridge and to Hall Lane. The trees along the roadside held singing blackcaps and chiffchaffs, as I got to the canal a couple of willow warblers joined in. Just past the last of the factories the road passes over a small brook leading to Watchlane Flash. A whitethroat flew into the bushes by the brook and started singing. I could scan the flash from here and from a couple of field gates further up the lane. There wasn't much on the water save a couple of Canada geese, a mallard and a great crested grebe.

Sandbach Flash from Clay Lane

I turned into Clay Lane to Sandbach Flash, which turned out to be a small collection of pools and scrapes, most of which can be seen from the lane though there's a short path (about thirty yards) roughly parallel to the lane running from the bridge by the car parking space.

Male blackcap

The trees by the path were thick with blackcaps. They were so busy feeding and fighting they didn't much care who was near. The blackbirds weren't much more fussed either. 

Blackbirds

Shelduck

I'd seen lesser black-backs flying around as I approached the flash. A couple of dozen of them were loafing on a spit with a few black-headed gulls and herring gulls. Shelducks were dotted around in pairs, ditto mallard except for the duck with six ducklings in tow. I scanned round, looking for the ruddy shelduck or perhaps a wader or two, with no luck at all.

I walked down the lane a bit to make sure I hadn't missed any of the site. (The first time I visited Marshside I stood at the corner of Hesketh Road and almost stopped there, thinking that was all of it.) As it is, all the flash that's available for public view can be seen from Clay Lane.

Common and ruddy shelduck

I wandered back for a second look. I'd seen a few shelducks fly in so thought it worth a go. I scanned round for a ruddy shelduck with no luck and was on the point of giving up when I wondered what the gingery brown bird was amongst a group of shelducks. Missing birds hiding in plain sight dead centre of the picture is getting to be a bad habit with me. A nice-looking bird. I think it was a male judging by the limited about of white on its face and the suggestion of a black neck ring.

I walked back to the station along the canal, which was a pleasant stroll on a sunny Spring day with a light cool breeze.