I woke up early, heard the wind rattling the extractor fan in the bathroom, checked the weather forecast and asked myself if standing on a Wintery windswept beach staring into the distance hoping to see black dots is the most comfortable way I could be using my twilight years. I decided to catch up on my sleep.
I've not been up to Rochdale yet this year. I've not got peregrine falcon or dipper on the year list yet. I decided to head up that way, see if there's been a reappearance of the Town Hall falcons and check out the river for dippers.
On the train I decided to stay on to Littleborough. It wasn't the weather for a visit to Hollingworth Lake but I could get the 458 from the station, get off at Wardle for a quick look at Watergrove Reservoir then catch the 458 into Rochdale. Which is a sound plan, I've done it often before. I didn't do it today. Waiting for the bus I checked the weather forecast, the wind speed numbers offered by the Met Office did not accord with the rattling of the bus shelter. It was so gloomy 91 jackdaws went to roost in the trees by the church. I decided to stay on the bus to Rochdale.
Dozens of jackdaws flew in and gathered in the trees in Hurstead, Wardle and Smallbridge. Black-headed gulls teemed about Rochdale town centre. The weather was set not altogether pleasant.
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| River Roch, Rochdale |
I checked the river by the bus station, a moorhen had it all to itself. Even the usual gaggle of geese was nowhere to be seen. Walking over to the Town Hall I stopped and checked the river as I went along. A pigeon landed and had a drink before joining the crowds on the treetops.
There was no sign of peregrines on the Town Hall. Not even any droppings on the stonework of the clock tower.
I played bus station bingo and got the 409 to Ashton-under-Lyne. If the weather picked up I could get off at Tandle Hill or I could see if the herons were back on the heronry at Alexandra Park in Oldham. I got the 216 at Ashton Bus Station and went back to Manchester and thence home.
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