Feb 27 2012
The scheduled visit to Bramhall Park woods was slightly altered so we could go to Poynton Park to try to see the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers that have been widely seen there. Unfortunately we didn’t see any. This was not the first time I had tried to see these birds but this time I was hoping that with a local member of the group and lots of eyes would be luckier but it wasn’t to be.
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Feb 21 2012
This was only my second visit with the birding group to Sandbach Flashes and it was Anne’s first time there. As usual, we only went to one of these flashes, Elton Hall Flash. The weather was reasonable and we were hoping for as good a day as we had last time when we saw thirty-one species. We had a fair number this time also.
Feb 19 2012
We wanted to visit Poynton Park because on of our birding group had been there recently and had seen Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers there. The web site describes the site thus : “The park is situated just a few minutes walk from the centre of Poynton village covering 21 hectares including the pool, which is fished by Stockport Federation Angling Club. A surfaced circular path takes you from the car park at South Park Drive, alongside the pool, the lime avenue and through the grassland. There is a linear public footpath from the car park at Anglesey Drive, which takes you alongside the western edge of the pool. The grassland is maintained solely by the sheep grazing.”
Feb 16 2012
The weather forecast was a bit doubtful for our day out to Hilbre but the rain managed to stay off for the morning at least. It was around 10.30am before we set out from the pier across the sands to Little Eye, turning right there via Middle Eye to the main island. the wind was howling and it was pretty cold but the walk was well worthwhile when our first sightings on the island were half a dozen Brent Geese sitting on the rocks below. A single Shelduck put in an appearance and we saw Turnstones bobbing around amongst the rocks at the waters edge. The few Brent Geese to be seen here were dwarfed by those on the north eastern side of the island.
Feb 14 2012
We went for our first walk after coming back from holiday. Neither of us had been feeling particularly bright after both of us getting a dose of the flu. It was a bright day however and we thought it might be good to blow the cobwebs out so we did a regular walk of ours along Brook Burn in Chorlton up to the Mersey and along the Mersey crossing at the railway bridge and then dropping down to Sale Water Park passing Broad Dole Ees and along to the Mersey Valley Visitors Centre and returning back home via Jackson’s Boat bridge. Our first sighting was encouraging as we encountered a female Goosander on the Mersey.