Mersey Valley

Jay, Cob Kiln Wood 

I'd managed to rekindle the cold I had last week and added a bit to it so I was feeling a bit delicate today. By teatime I got a touch of the fidgets and decided to get some fresh air. It's one thing lolling about the house when I feel like being idle, it's quite another when I'm not feeling well and I can't be doing with it. The cool, wet morning had become a cool, cloudy afternoon with a wind that had a bite to it, nice walking weather ordinarily. I decided on a potter round Cob Kiln Wood to get a bit of exercise.

Cob Kiln Wood 

The wood was fairly quiet. Chiffchaffs squeaked and wrens scolded as I passed by. Great tits and blackbirds rummaged about in the undergrowth, a robin ran through its scales and hordes of woodpigeons flew around or clattered about in treetops.  

The pylon clearing, Cob Kiln Wood 

Magpies fussed about in the trees by the pylon clearing. As I walked along the path a family of jays were busy gathering acorns from the oak saplings, often getting to within ten feet of me but always keeping a good amount of foliage between me and them. A great spotted woodpecker called from the trees by the edge of the clearing but I couldn't get a decent look at it.

River Mersey, looking towards Urmston 

The plan was to walk down Cob Kiln Lane into Urmston then go home but the clouds were clearing and I wanted to have a look at the river to see what was about. The answer was: not a lot. A couple of woodpigeons and a pigeon were having a drink by the side of the river and that was it as far as the view from the bridge was concerned.

Cormorant, River Mersey

I didn't have the legs for the walk through Banky Meadow into either Ashton on Mersey or Carrington and I didn't want to retrace my steps into Urmston so I wandered along the river in what had become bright September sunlight. Chiffchaffs and wrens called from the hedgerows either side of the river. One of the chiffchaffs flew over and disappeared out of sight in the thistles on the near bank just in front of me. Rooks, jackdaws and starlings fussed about noisily on the golf course over on the other side, blackbirds and magpies fossicked about in the bushes on this side and there was a steady traffic of lesser black-backs and black-headed gulls overhead. A cormorant flew in and fished the river, every dive being successful but the catch being tiny fish, probably minnows, so after a few minutes' snacking it decided to move on and flew downriver.

River Mersey by Kickety Brook Local Nature Reserve 

Kickety Brook Local Nature Reserve 

The stroll through Kickety Brook Local Nature Reserve was fairly quiet, with just the one small mixed tit flock which seemed to be a dozen long-tailed tits and a pair of great tits. A couple of blue tits bounced through the trees as the path turned and climbed towards the motorway bridge.

Stretford Meadows 
As I came over the motorway bridge I was beguiled by the faux mountain scenery backdrop provided by the white poplars on Stretford Ees.

Stretford Meadows 

Over the motorway and onto Stretford Meadows and the scenery looking wonderful in the bold modelling light of a September teatime. The birdlife was mostly woodpigeons and jackdaws going to roost, a few jays and magpies rummaged about in the oaks and hawthorns and chiffchaffs and wrens called from the hedgerows. A couple of swallows passed by, flying North which is odd this time of year.

Stretford Meadows 

As I passed Newcroft Nursery the sparrows in the hedgerow kept the muttering to a discreet quiet as I passed by then descended into excited chirrupings before settling to roost.

What had been planned as a short potter about to get a bit of fresh air had turned into a four mile walk. I was more tired than I should be but I felt better for having had the walk. On my way home I glanced up at the lamppost by the motorway slip road by Barton Clough and found the local buzzard sitting atop it again. I'll have to remember to check each time I pass.

It was only when I got home that I realised I hadn't seen or heard any parakeets all day.