A tale of two cities

Goosander, Peel Park

It was one of those days where the sun poked through the clouds every so often for five minutes just to tease then go away again. I was feeling dead lazy but thought I should get a bit of a walk in so I got the bus to Deansgate and had a walk through Castlefield into Salford and along the Irwell from Salford Crescent into Broughton.

Castlefield 

I was just expecting the usual assortment of pigeons, mallards and Canada geese on Castlefield Basin and so there were. A couple of grey wagtails flew about Castlefield Bowl, which was good to see. They used to be regulars around Deansgate Station and Oxford Road and even nested on Deansgate one year but it's been a couple of years since I've seen a pair round there, evidently they've just moved down the road.

Heron, Salford Crescent 

It was an uneventful walk down to Salford Crescent. I had a look at the Irwell as it bends close to the road. A heron sat on a dead branch lodged on the far river bank and almost merged with the detritus of the recent spate. A pair of mallards drifted by and a couple of dabchicks were very busy diving for food.

Dabchick, Salford Crescent 

Goosander, Peel Park 

Drifting down into Peel Park I walked down the river to the bridge. Canada geese and mallards loafed about with some black-headed gulls on the bank and a redhead goosander bobbed about on the water. A subadult lesser black-back which I assumed was loafing on the water was making a terrible racket. Then it picked something out of the water and flew with it onto the bank to feed. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it was but curiosity got the better of me. It was one of the biggest crayfish I've seen. The gull could be forgiven the noise, those claws meant business and were quickly bitten off.

Lesser black-back

Lesser black-back 

Starling, Salford

I didn't have much hopes of seeing much on The Meadows and I was dead wrong. A mixed tit flock bounced about in the bushes by the bridge and the freshly cut meadow was busy with magpies and carrion crows. Blackbirds and starlings fussed about in the trees, chiffchaffs squeaked and a couple of robins sang. I thought there was just a few blackbirds in one of the rowan trees which was particularly full of berries but I took a second look just in case. It was as well I did: as well as a male blackcap and a song thrush there were five redwings in there.

Mute swan, Salford

A stroll down the river into Broughton was productive. A pair of mute swans drifted upstream while a bunch of mallards drifted downstream and a pair of grey wagtails skittered about the banks. A couple of dozen Canada geese loafed by the bridge with a dozen more mallards. I had one last check round to make sure I hadn't missed anything on the river then got the number 10 bus into Eccles and thence home.

River Irwell, Lower Broughton