Carrington Moss

Primroses, Sinderland Brook

After a pot of tea and a mid-morning butty I got the 256 into Davyhulme and waited ten minutes for the 247 into Altrincham. I'd decided that I'd have a walk over Carrington Moss but rather than starting from the top of Isherwood Road in Carrington I'd start at Broadheath, pass Altrincham sewage works along the old Irlam to Altrincham railway line then walk through the moss and either end at Ashton on Mersey and get the bus home or, if I was feeling fitter than I imagined I was, walking home via Banky Meadow and Cob Kiln Wood. It was a bright sort of a day, albeit with a brisk, cold wind, so the walking ought to be OK.

Greenfinch and goldfinch, Altrincham Sewage Works

I got off the bus and nipped behind Waitrose and onto the old railway line, now a long line of birch scrub. I was tempted to take a diversion and explore the woodland in Stamford Brook but the day's itinerary was already crowded, it'll do for another day.

The old Irlam to Altrincham railway line 

The trees were noisy with robins, wrens and chiffchaffs, goldfinches and greenfinches bounced around the treetops and great tits and blackbirds foraged in the undergrowth. Pheasants and woodpigeons called from the fields beyond the trees. I could hear but not find a willow warbler singing in an ash tree and found a couple of blackcaps quietly gleaning insects from willow buds.

Sinderland Brook 

The path joined Sinderland Brook by the sewage works. I looked in vain for wagtails on the works but found a pair of moorhens on the brook.

Brookheys Road 

I joined Brookheys Road onto Carrington Moss, barely a path at this end then becoming a path through an avenue of thin birch scrub between the fields.. I'd been sheltered from the wind by the trees and it came as a shock when I walked out into the open. 

Brookheys Road 

A female sparrowhawk barrelled past, low over the fields, and that was pretty much it as far as bird life was concerned for the next couple of hundred yards. A pair of mistle thrushes glowed ghostly olive white in the sunlight against the black of a ploughed field and three woodpigeons sat in the last of the long avenue of birch trees as I neared the crossroads.

A windblown mistle thrush, Carrington Moss

The hedgerow at the crossroads with Ashton Road provided some relief with a handful of chaffinches and a robin and there was a skylark singing in the field. I carried on down Brookheys Road, the woodland becomes thicker here and I was optimistic of more birdlife but only found a couple more robins, a great tit and a singing chiffchaff. It was all in stark contrast to the old railway line.

The Shell Pool 

I'd been hearing black-headed gulls and, sure enough, the colony on the Shell Pool was in full voice. Piecing the jigsaw together through the gaps in the fence and the willows there were at least a hundred birds on the islands though I very much doubt if that would translate into half as many nests in a couple of weeks' time. A couple of herring gulls loafed, coots and moorhens dodged in and out of the crowds and mallards, tufted ducks and dabchicks kept well away. Reed buntings and long-tailed tits fussed about in the depths of the willows.

The long-tailed tits were being unusually coy on Shell Pool

I walked a little way down Isherwood Road then cut onto the footpath to Ashton on Mersey. The farmers were busy ploughing the fields accompanied by fifty-odd black-headed gulls, a few carrion crows and pied wagtails and another pair of mistle thrushes. A buzzard soared high overhead while woodpigeons and a couple of pairs of stock doves passed by. I've had a very thin year for yellowhammers so far so I was glad to see the male flitting about one of the hawthorn hedges but sorry he appeared to be on his own.

Carrington Moss 

I got into Ashton on Mersey, noticed I had ten minutes for the 18 to the Trafford Centre and decided not to push my luck. The weather has held, the birdwatching had been good though fitful, I'd had a few hours' exercise and far, far away there was a teapot calling my name.