Chorlton Water Park : 5th February 2016

Chorlton Water Park : 5th February 2016

I had seen reports of a Greater Scaup on Chorlton Water Park and at the first chance of dry weather – at least for a couple of hours – I walked from the car park down to the edge of the water and it didn’t take long before another birder was able to point me in the direction of the bird. It was on the smaller of the two islands (near the car park) and I walked round until I came to the set of steps that lead down to an angling platform. From here, looking straight forward I located the bird hanging around with a bunch of Pochards. It was drifting around from the front of the branches that dip into the water to the back. I got good views in the scope but eventually it disappeared so I walked around to the other side of the island.

From here I got even closer views of the bird and a scope was hardly necessary. thee were also good numbers of Tufted Duck and Gadwall, a pair of Great Crested Grebes and the usual Coots and Moorhens.

I fell into conversation with a couple of other birders who had been having a good day so I decided to stroll around a bit and headed up to Kenworthy Woods.

As soon as I got to the far end of the bridge I could hear the loud noises of Ring-necked Parakeets and it wasn’t long before I located a pair of them feeding in the nearby trees, somewhat acrobatically. As I stood there, more flew by and it was to be a feature of the day that wherever I went I ran into small numbers of these birds. Previously I had only really had brief glimpses of them or simply heard them. Today made up for all those days.

Whilst watching these birds a small flock of birds were roaming around the higher tree tops and when I got my scope on them they turned out to be Siskins !

A further walk around the woods uncovered more of the same and I eventually returned to the fishing platform for another look for the Scaup. This time I couldn’t see it so I walked round to the path leading up to the Mersey and started heading for home. There were quite large groups of Goldfinches foraging and when I got to Barlow Tip I heard a familiar noise and followed it to find a pair of scrapping Jays. There were Long-tailed Tits in the bushes and a Grey Heron flew overhead. Further on was a single Greenfinch.

I walked down as far as the sewage pumping station and I turned in thee because I could hear the sound of a multitude of finches but they were too well hidden in the dense bushes to see them. What I did see started the bird as much as it idi me for, as I took the stone steps down from the sewage building, I flushed a Buzzard that had been feeding on the ground. The heavy rain had turned the whole are into a muddy field so I suppose that little corner had not saeen many visitors for a while and it had seemed like a good place to eat – either something it had caught or perhaps it was worming.

I kept seeing more Parakeets as I walked down the cobbled path to the village and I was attracted to what looked like Thrushes in the trees inside the fenced off woodlands on that path. Closer examination showed them to be Redwings !

All in all I had had a fantastic few hours. Often there isn’t that much around but I think birds and humans alike were trying to take advantage of a rare lull in the rain that has dominated this winter. All in all I managed thirty-two species but when these include RIng-necked Parakeet, Siskin and Greater Scaup on your local turf I think you have to consider the day a great success

Bird Sightings : Chorlton Water Park