Etherow Country Park

Female mandarin duck 

It was a grey and cold start to the day but by the time the day's errand was done and dusted it had become bright and sunny, albeit still on the cool side. I headed over to Etherow Country Park to look at mandarin ducks.

I got the 25 over to Stockport and didn't have long to wait for the 384 to Compstall, it was late lunchtime when I walked through the car park to the lake.

Mallards, black-headed gulls, Canada geese and coots

The lake had a full complement of black-headed gulls, Canada geese, moorhens and mallards. A few tufted ducks kept themselves to themselves and the mute swans seemed to be stalking the anglers on the causeway.

Black-headed gull

Mallards

Etherow Country Park 

The footpath between the canal and the river was closed for repairs so I had to walk down the road to the weir, which was okay as it wasn't particularly busy today. 

Mandarin duck

A few mandarins pottered about with the mallards by the canal bank but most of the mandarin action was going on amongst the drowned willows in the pool by the weir. A couple of dozen of them had congregated there so the lads could show off to the ladies and bark at their rivals. (Most of the time mandarins have a nice gentle whistle but the drake's bark sounds like a Brussels terrier with a sore throat.)

Mandarin ducks 

Mandarin duck 

Mandarin duck 

Mandarin duck 

Mandarin duck
This chap had just finished a sustained bout of barking at his rivals which is why he is so fluffed up with flags and whiskers bristling.

River Etherow 

The river was very high and the weir was a sheet of water. A few rocks were still exposed downstream but I looked in vain for dippers or grey wagtails. I haven't seen a dipper on the Etherow all year, which I'm hoping is just my bad luck.

Keg Wood 

I had a bit of a wander round Keg Wood despite my knee's suggesting let's not and pretend that we did. The fact that the jays were the most conspicuous birds illustrates how quiet it was. Blue tits and great tits bounced about in the bushes, blackbirds, carrion crows and woodpigeons clattered about in the trees, while robins and wrens fussed about in the undergrowth. I couldn't find where the nuthatch was calling from.

Keg Wood 

Keg Wood

Mandarin ducks 

On the way back I checked the river just in case and only found a fishing cormorant. The mandarins obviously had designs on a busy evening so I made an excuse and left. A raven cronking in the trees over the other side of the river was good to see, as was the family of long-tailed tits flitting about the dead leaves on a beech sapling by the path.

Etherow Country Park 

I got the 384 back to Stockport and we wandered into the sunset after another very pleasant walk. (My boots have suddenly become very comfortable, this is usually a sign that they're going to fall to bits any day now.)