Happy New Year 2023

Our area from Redesmere in the north to Knypersley in the south . And from Mow Cop in the west to Macclesfield Forest in the east , and all areas in between. We have a creditable total of 145 species recorded. Thank you to all who contributed to getting that total. And a big thank you and Happy New Year to all who read this blog. Let's all have a good and safe evening and a Bird filled 2023. 🍾🥂🍻

December 31st

Astbury Mere

Chiffchaff , 12 x Siskin , 12 x Redwing. 

Bent Lane 

Lapwing approx x 120.

December 30th

Astbury Mere 

Pochard x 2 , Shoveler fem.

December 29th

Astbury Mere 

Wigeon drake , Gadwall drake , Shoveler fem , Siskin x 6 and Raven.

December 27th

Astbury Mere 

Pochard x 7 , Goldeneye fem.

Scholar Green 

Lapwing x 74  along A34.

Lawton Lake

Goosander x 5 .

December 26th

Astbury Mere 

Pink-footed Geese x 100 over N/E @8-00 , Shoveler  x 3  Pochard x 2.

Redesmere 

Goosander x 6 , Goldeneye x 8 , Kingfisher  , Little Egret,  Fieldfare  x 300+ , Lapwing x 21 , Redwing x 80+ and adult Common Gull.

Bent Lane / Quarry

Shelduck x 28 , Redwing x 60 , Fieldfare x 20 , Shoveler x 2 and single Yellowhammer. 

Merry Christmas

To everybody that contributes to the blog and everyone who reads the blog a very Happy Christmas to you all. 🍻

Astbury Mere 

Chiffchaff x 3 still present , also single drake Wigeon , Pochard x 2 , and Raven x 2 .

Redesmere 

Goosander x 3 , Goldeneye and Common Gull. Also good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing. 

Astbury 

Goosander x 2 on golf course pond.

December 24th

Rudyard Lake 

Wigeon x 18 , Teal x 27 , Goosander  x 4 , Snipe x 5 , Raven , Kingfisher,  Grey Wagtail. 

Knypersley Reservoir 

Woodcock , Little Egret  and Mandarin x 5.

Biddulph CP

Goosander x 6

December 23rd

Congleton 

Grey Partridge x 2 in fodder beet crop at Bridestone Farm . That takes us to 145 species in our small area around Congleton for this year.

Brook St Congleton 

Little Egret over early morning. 

Astbury Mere 

Pochard x 4 .

Annual Bird Report 2021

 

The Cheshire and Wirral Bird Report 2021 is now out , all members receive a free copy.  If you aren't already a member why not. 

Membership Secretary is Carolyn Baily .

E mail   memsec@cawos.org 

December 22nd

Rudyard Lake

Pink-footed Geese x 2 in with Canada flock , drake Pintail and Wigeon 20 +.

Biddulph 

Goosander x 3 over garden 10-55.

Astbury Mere 

Chiffchaff , Pochard x 8 and Goldfinch x 30.

December 21st

Astbury Mere 

Peregrine fem over this morning. Also Little Grebe  x 8 .

Rudyard Lake

Little Egret x 8 , Water Rail , Siskin x 11 and Snipe x 4 all south end of Dam along feeder stream.

December 20th

Biddulph Grange CP 

Little Egret over mid-morning  , also 30+ Redwing.

December 19th

Scholar Green 

Little Egret over A34 mid afternoon .

Astbury Mere 

Pochard x 12 , Wigeon x 1 pair , Chiffchaff still and Lesser Redpoll. 

December 18th

Astbury Mere 

Goldeneye x 3 , Cormorant  x 17 , Shoveler  x 4 , Pochard x 7 , Little Grebe  x 8 , Gadwall  x 2 (drakes).

Congleton (River Dane)

Dipper by weir  , further along Goosander  x 5 and Kingfisher. 

December 17th

Redesmere 

Really sad news , the Great Northern Diver which gave so much pleasure to so many people has been found dead ontop of the ice at the Mere. It was feeding well so can only assume it was the lack of open water and cold conditions that finally took its toll.

Astbury Mere 

Shoveler x 7 , Gadwall  x 2 drakes.

December 16th

Astbury Mere 

Goldeneye fem , Common Snipe x 1 , Pochard x 11 , Shoveler  x 7 , Chiffchaff x 2 , Lapwing  x 6 f/o , single Fieldfare  and Redwing x 10.

Congleton Park

Woodcock .

Rudyard Lake 

Dipper on the Dam , Common Snipe x 12 , Kingfisher  x 2 , Grey Wagtail and Little Egret. 

December 15th

Astbury Mere 

Shoveler  x 4 , Pochard x 7.

Redesmere 

G N Diver still on small patch of unfrozen water , also Common Snipe x 3 , Little Grebe and Tawny Owl.

Lawton Lake

Mandarin  x 7 (6 × drakes).

December 14th

Redesmere 

Mere is 95% frozen over , G N Diver still , also G W Egret , Teal x 5 , Goosander  x 7 ,  Goldeneye x 6 , Shoveler  x 1pair , Water Rail and Cettis Warbler.

Astbury Mere 

Pochard x 10 , Little Grebe x 7 . Shoveler x 3 and Wigeon x 2.

December 13th

Astbury Mere 

Whooper Swan very briefly late morning,  also Teal x 21 which is highest count for 27 yrs. Shoveler x 4 , Wigeon x 4 ,Pochard x 9 .

Scholar Green 

Whooper Swan still present off Stone Childs Lane. 

Redesmere 

G N Diver still viewable from car park.

Rudyard

Snipe x 2 and Reed Bunting x 4 the best I could manage.

December 12th

Biddulph / Mow Cop

Approx 200 Pink-footed Geese going west towards Sandbach @10-55

Astbury Mere 

Pink-footed Geese over at 10-20 (heard only in foggy conditions). Also this afternoon Tufted Duck x 140 , Pochard x 11 , Little Grebe x 7 , Shoveler  x 4 , Lesser Redpoll x 4 and Siskin x 3 .

Scholar Green 

Whooper Swan still in flooded field off Stone Childs Lane. 

December 11th

Astbury Mere 

Shoveler  x 4 and Chiffchaff. 

Redesmere 

G W Egret , G N Diver and Kingfisher. 

December 10th

Congleton 

Barn Owl early morning Wall Hill Lane.

Astbury Mere 

Goosander  x 5 , Teal x 5 , Shoveler  x 4 , Gadwall (drake) , Pochard x 11 , Little Grebe x 7 , Cormorant  x 15 and Siskin x 5 .

Scholar Green 

Whooper Swan x 1 still present in flooded field off Stone Childs Lane. 

Biddulph Moor

Pink-footed Geese x 50 towards Congleton late afternoon. 

December 9th

Redesmere 

3/4 Frozen over , Wigeon x 1 pair , Goosander  x 8 , Goldeneye x 21 , G N Diver , Common Gull adult , Snipe , Cettis Warbler and Kingfisher. 

Kingfisher Redesmere. 

Astbury Mere 

Pochard x 11 , Goosander x 3 and drake Gadwall. 

Scholar Green 

Whooper Swan x 1 still in flooded field off Stone Childs Lane. 

December 8th

Astbury Mere 

Mandarin x 1 pair , Little Grebe x 7 , Pochard x 7 and Chiffchaff  calling.

Redesmere 

Great Northern Diver  , Great White Egret , Goldeneye x 24 , Goosander x 5 and drake Mandarin.

December 7th

Astbury Mere 

Pochard x 8 , Shoveler x 1pair , Siskin x 5.

December 6th

Biddulph 

Pink-footed Geese x 80 approx over east at 8-50.

New Lane off A34

Stock Dove x 70 in stubble field.

December 5th

Astbury Mere 

Chiffchaff  x 3 , Shoveler pair , and Gadwall drake.

Redesmere 

Great Northern Diver still from car park,  also Teal x 22 , Goldeneye  x 23 , Kingfisher x 2 , Raven and drake Mandarin. 

December 3rd

Scholar Green 

Sad news this morning as one of the Whooper Swans has died during the night , possibly due to avian flu. The other remaining bird is asleep by the waters edge possibly waiting the same fate.

Redesmere 

Great Northern Diver still visible from car park . Also drake Mandarin,  Teal x 12 and Goldeneye x 21.

December 2nd

Astbury Mere 

Teal x 4 , Wigeon  x 4 , Gadwall x 4 and Pochard x 6.

Redesmere 

G N Diver still viewed from car park also 21 x Goldeneye. 

Scholar Green 

Whooper Swans x 2 still in flooded field off Stone Childs Lane , also Common Snipe.

December 1st

Astbury Mere 

Gadwall x 4, Teal (drake) , Pochard x 4 .

Also Hedgehog Congleton Town centre.

Scholar Green 

Whooper Swan x 2 still present in flooded field off Stone Childs Lane (19 days).

Redesmere 

Great Northern Diver still from car park also Goldeneye  x 21.