Birding Group Visit To Macclesfield Forest 14th May 2013

Birding Group Visit To Macclesfield Forest 14th May 2013

Despite the weather forecast being a bit iffy, we went out to Macclesfield Forest and the weather was kind to us remaining dry and sunny if a bit windy. We parked up at the bottom of the woods next to the reservoir and walked up into the woods. The first impression was of Song Thrushes singing everywhere – though, strangely, we did not manage to any. Chiffchaffs were plentiful but it was for Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers we were hoping to see.The first sign was encouraging with an early view of a Treecreeper. We stood quietly for a long time and our patience was rewarded when we got  a fair view of a Redstat a few trees away from us but it did not linger. We got a view of a second male a little later but it was immediately above us so we had to deal with a bright sky as a backdrop. Next we had a fleeting view of a female Pied Fycatcher and then a view of a Garden Warbler that was so brief that I didn’t feel that I could really count it but it is worth noting that they are in these woods and can be found with perseverance.

As we stood in the woods we could hear a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming and a Pheasant croaking; in the background and more common birds, Robins, Chaffinches, Great, Blue, Long-tailed and Coal Tits. We spent quite some time trying to get better views of the Garden Warblers that we felt were there in amongst the brambles. Eventually we gave up and thought we might get better views along the lane that runs by the side of the reservoir so we headed off that way.

As we passed the reservoirs we saw a pair of displaying Great Crested Grebes and the inevitable Mallard and Canada Geese but on the roof of the small cottage that you look down on from the path we saw a nice Grey Wagtail and a small group of Swallows swooped over the surface of the water and as we walked up the lane we saw a couple of Pied Wagtials.

We had high hopes of getting better views of Redstarts and Pied flycatchers but to no avail. As we walked down the path we heard a Curlew call but apart from a Willow Warbler we saw very little. This was perhaps because it was pretty windy. The group decided to head back to the woods but my lift was leaving so I had to go early. However, the weather had stayed OK and we did get actual, if brief, views of both of our target species. It was just a pity we could not get more of the Garden Warblers.

Bird Sightings : Macclesfield Forest