Looking Back

I have been looking on the internet at some of the old records from Astbury Mere way back some 20 years it was then called Astbury sand quarry. On 4th of December 1996 a immature female Long-tailed Duck was recorded , and on 30th January 1997 a winter plumaged Red-necked Grebe graced the quarry. But I have been birding all over the UK now for over some 42 years and I am looking forward to the challenge of a new patch , and meeting some of the local birdwatchers who have been doing this mere on a regular basis. Lots have changed in the area over the last ten years with more houses being built close by which brings a new challenge to birdwatching with the added pedestrian traffic. Joggers ,Dog walkers , Sailing and Fishermen have all increased in numbers but still the birds arrive . A Sandwich Tern 2011 , Scaup 2013 , Slavonian Grebe 2013 , Whooper Swan 2013 , Med Gull 2014 , Common Scoter 2014 and just recent a Black-necked Grebe last year 2015. I moved here to Cheshire just over five years ago and have visited and photographed birds at Astbury many times but now myself and my partner Tracey live just a stones throw away , so there is now no excuse for not doing it almost daily.