Chorlton Water Park 19th May 2011

Walk to Chorlton Water Park

We went for a walk across the Meadows to Jackson’s Boat bridge and then along the Mersey to Chorlton Water Park.  As we walked along the Mersey a Heron fledgling flew by and stopped at the water edge for a while. The lake at the water park was as empty as I think I have ever seen it and was decidedly lacking in the usual large numbers of Black-headed Gulls and even Feral Pigeons which are usually everywhere. On the water there were around 20 Canada Geese and around 10 Mallard. There were around 4 Coots and 3 Great Crested Grebes and some Swallows flying overhead as well but that was about it.

In the trees around the lake we saw a Greenfinch and some Whitethroats and could hear a couple of Chiffchaffs. We did actually see some other Warblers but we could not get a good enough view to identify them properly but one at least sounded like a Willow Warbler. On our way back we encountered a little flock of Long-Tailed Tits and a much larger flock of Jackdaws. We also watched from Jackson’s Bridge as a female Mallard and her five ducklings snatched and snapped at clouds of insects hovering just above them. We also passed a tree with a nest box attached and we stood and watched for a while as two parent Great Tits came and went with food – we could even hear their young chirping from inside the nest box.

Bird List