Mersey Valley

Magpies, Chorlton Water Park

The weather was looking OK-ish so I decided on a walk round Chorlton Water Park. I went for the 23 to Southern Cemetery, which I just missed as it arrived early then spent ages in the drizzle waiting for the next one, which was late (this is an inviolable rule of public transport). I was tempted to jack it in but after giving myself a good talking to it was half an hour later I walked into Chorlton Water Park.

The car park was teeming with bird life despite its being busy with people driving home in the rain. A dozen magpies chattered in the trees, a pair of ring-necked parakeets screamed around the treetops, spadgers and great tits fed on the feeders and a cloud of black-headed gulls wheeled high overhead.

Coots, Canada geese and black-headed gulls, Chorlton Water Park 

Black-headed gull. Chorlton Water Park

Pigeons, Canada geese and more black-headed gulls mugged passersby on the slipway of the lake while coots, mallards and mute swans drifted round the edges soliciting bits of bread and stuff. A small raft of tufted ducks floated just beyond, a couple of them not beyond nipping in quick for a bit of floating bird seed. It was very busy, it being the first Sunday afternoon navigable without the use of gopherwood, so there wasn't much about in the trees bar a few robins and blackbirds. Every dog had a plimsoll line amidships; it didn't matter how big or small the dog was, the mud started just above the armpits. I was surprised to see a redhead goosander emerge from a small clump of reeds near the creepy doll tree, I don't often see them on here. There were gadwalls and shovelers with the mallards feeding round the island at the Barlow Tip end.

Chorlton Water Park 

Barlow Tip 

I decided to stick to the metalled path on my wander round Barlow Tip. It was awash with water but at least was firm underfoot most of the way. It was difficult to find much about that wasn't a robin, woodpigeon or carrion crow until I bumped into a mixed tit flock, including a goldcrest, by the exit to the river.

River Mersey at Jackson's Boat, a bit different to Thursday 

The river was high but appreciably lower than on Thursday. The lower path had re-emerged but only passing spaniels were risking the mud. Mallards pottered about the banks while flocks of gulls — black-headed and common gulls — barrelled around between the river and Sale Golf Course. A jay flew over and sang from a willow tree while a song thrush sang by the tramway bridge.

More parakeets screeched and robins and song thrushes sang in the trees by Jackson's Boat and the path through Sale Ees. The going was decidedly muddy, which resolved me to sticking to Cow Lane when I got to Sale Water Park.

Mute swan cygnet, Sale Water Park

The first thing I saw at Sale Water Park was a Hawaiian war canoe being launched with a full crew of youngsters in waterproofs. The mute swans took it in their stride but the mallards and coots kept their distance and gadwalls were notable by their absence. Some of the fifty-odd black-headed gulls investigated it as a potential source of food and screeched their disappointment as they headed back to the car park over by the watersports club. The majority of gulls, mallards and coots were lurking in a crowd over by the reeds near Broad Ees Dole in the company of a few dabchicks and a redhead goosander.

Herons, gadwalls and wigeon, with goosander in the background, Broad Ees Dole

The hide pool on Broad Ees Dole was busy with gadwalls and herons. A dozen gadwalls loafed and preened with half a dozen herons and a lone drake wigeon on the island. Beyond them half a dozen goosanders, including two drakes, drifted about on the water. A dozen or so teal lurked in the reeds on the far side of the teal pool while half a dozen mallards did a very good job of looking inconspicuous in the willows. I had a speculative look round for any signs of the jack snipe that had been reported as being about during the week but wasn't especially surprised not to find it.

I walked back into Stretford through Stretford Ees with the background music of jackdaws and ring-necked parakeets going to roost.

I'm glad I had that little talk with myself.