Etherow Country Park

Mandarin duck

It was a pretty grey and dismal shortest day of the year so I went to get some pictures of mandarin ducks. Which turned out to be a reminder that taking photos of lively woodland birds in lousy light is a tad challenging.

There was a pair of tufted ducks with the mallards and Canada geese on the pool. There were also more than a hundred black-headed gulls, some of which were closely shadowing a couple of juvenile cormorants in the hopes of stealing a meal.

I'd hoped to see a dipper and/or grey wagtail on the river but no luck. Along the way there there were a couple of fair-sized mixed tit flocks with all the usual suspects and siskins with the goldfinches in the alders by the path. 

Mandarin ducks

After struggling to get pictures of mandarin ducks in dark stretches of the little canal, or hiding under willow branches, it was nice to bump into a couple of pairs perched on the railing by the weir.

Mandarin duck

I had a very brief wander through part of Ernocroft Wood — I didn't fancy the steep slope up on a knee that was objecting to the cold and damp. A couple of pairs of carrion crows made a lot of noise and a few woodpigeons clattered about.

River Etherow and Ernocroft Wood

I wandered into Keg Wood to see what was about. A couple of great tits rummaged in the undergrowth near the gate with a few blackbirds and a couple of robins had a singing contest. About a dozen woodpigeons were gracelessly berry picking in the ivies near the treetops.

Keg Wood, overlooking the River Etherow

My knee strenuously objected to the mad dip-and-rise just before the path to Keg Pool so I decided to not push my luck any. I set off back, taking the top path through the woods back down to the visitor centre. It was fairly quiet, a couple each of great tits and robins, a few blackbirds and magpies and a chaffinch. I finally saw my first grey wagtail of the month as it flew over while I was making patronising noises at a golden retriever.

As I reached the visitor centre fifty-odd jackdaws flew in to roost in the woods. I got the  384 bus to Stockport just as it started properly raining.