Dreich

Adult (left) and juvenile goldfinches, Irlam Moss

A mild, very wet Wednesday was succeeded by a cool, wet Thursday. The rain (and a refill of the fat ball feeders) brought the blue tits out of hiding and they brought a couple of small primrose yellow youngsters with them. The youngsters aren't up to tackling the feeders themselves, settling for sitting in the rose bushes fluttering their wings as they begged for bits.

Juvenile blue tit, Stretford 

Juvenile blue tit, Stretford

I got fidgety and decided I needed to go for a walk anyway before the joints seized up with the damp weather. I got the lunchtime train to Irlam, timing it just right to watch the swifts swooping round the station as the train pulled in. I wondered if I might be better just having a quick look at Wellacre Country Park rather than across the mosses. If it was still pouring down at Irlam I'd wait the five minutes for the train back to Flixton.

Wren, Irlam Moss 

Robin, Irlam Moss 

The rain had eased along the way and was barely drizzle as I arrived at Irlam Station so I headed over to Astley Road. Blackbirds, collared doves and robins sang and house sparrows bustled about in the hedgerows. As I moved onto Irlam Moss they were joined by goldfinches, wrens and woodpigeons. There were more woodpigeons and blackbirds feeding on the fields with a few lapwings and a pair of grey partridges over on the Roscoe Road side of the fields just beyond a patch of grey something in the young barley. Pairs of stock doves and collared doves flew by and a few crows and jackdaws commuted between fields. One pair of lapwings were being particularly skittish so I had a close look to see what was disturbing them. It turned out to be another lapwing encroaching on their nesting territory. 

Greenfinches, goldfinches and a blackcap squeaked and sang in the hedgerows by the Jack Russell's gate. The only chiffchaff of the day was singing by the lane to Prospect Grange. About fifty woodpigeons were rummaging about in the field here.

Pheasant, Irlam Moss 

I decided not to push my luck by crossing over the motorway into Chat Moss, the clouds looked a bit threatening, so I turned onto Roscoe Road. A couple of pheasants strutted about the field edge with a small flock of starlings. Goldfinches, blackbirds and robins bounced about the boundary fences and along the path margins. A couple of juvenile goldfinches were still young enough for their parents to respond to their begging once every so often. A couple of fields away a couple of dozen lesser black-backs were dancing for worms in the wet grass.

Goldfinch, Irlam Moss 

Blackbird, Irlam Moss 

I looked in vain for the partridges, a couple of blackbirds and a song thrush were the only birds on that stretch of field. The patch of grey something turned out to be half a dozen drake mallards having a siesta.

Song thrush, Irlam Moss 

I walked into Irlam and got the buses home. As I sat having a cup of tea the carrion crows brought a youngster into the garden to show it off. They look almost innocent straight off the nest.

Juvenile (top) and adult carrion crows, Stretford