Claire Joures
Chiff-Chaffs singing.
Michael Laurent
Sale garden: Sparrowhawk seen trying to pull a Pigeon out of a garden pond! Pam and Phil eventually removed the Pigeon and left the Sparrowhawk to deal with it.
Pam and Phil Grundy
Tuesday 14th March 2017 - Woolston Eyes and Sale
At Woolston Eyes: A Sand Martin, 4 Black-necked Grebes and 3 Chiff-Chaffs singing. Toads on the path mating and lots of reports of frogspawn.
Friday 17th February 2017 - Mistletoe in Ashton on Mersey
Third Mistletoe found in our area - this time in Ashton on Mersey.
Not wonderful photos, but didn't seem appropriate to climb into a back garden - and we were definitely being watched and deemed suspicious!
We think the host tree might be Hybrid Black Poplar (the bark is deeply fissured), which is fairly frequently a host tree for Mistletoe. Need to return when there are leaves on (preferably with the owner's permission). This is the third location we are aware of locally for Mistletoe. Does anybody know of other specimens in our area?
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| Mistletoe (Viscum album) |
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| Mistletoe (Viscum album) |
Not wonderful photos, but didn't seem appropriate to climb into a back garden - and we were definitely being watched and deemed suspicious!
We think the host tree might be Hybrid Black Poplar (the bark is deeply fissured), which is fairly frequently a host tree for Mistletoe. Need to return when there are leaves on (preferably with the owner's permission). This is the third location we are aware of locally for Mistletoe. Does anybody know of other specimens in our area?
Pat Hill, Cathy and Mike Pettipher
Friday 10th February 2017 - Dunham and Bridgewater Canal
The Winter Gardens at Dunham have something of interest throughout the winter:
Claire had previously seen numerous snails 'hibernating' in the cracks of the wall supporting the bridge on Woodhouse Lane under the Bridgewater canal. We took a look to see if they were still there - and they were, perhaps about 100 of them. It seemed surprising to see them in such an exposed position. Perhaps there had been vegetation covering the wall when they chose the location. Interesting that these were all on a south west facing wall, with none on the opposite side of the road. A few more had chosen a spot near the top of the wall, above the road.
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| Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) |
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| Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) |
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| Snowdrop variety (Galanthus nivalis) |
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| Algerian (Winter) Iris (Iris unguicularis) |
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| Black Hellebore/Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) |
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| Black Hellebore |
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| Witch-hazel (Hamamelis) |
Claire had previously seen numerous snails 'hibernating' in the cracks of the wall supporting the bridge on Woodhouse Lane under the Bridgewater canal. We took a look to see if they were still there - and they were, perhaps about 100 of them. It seemed surprising to see them in such an exposed position. Perhaps there had been vegetation covering the wall when they chose the location. Interesting that these were all on a south west facing wall, with none on the opposite side of the road. A few more had chosen a spot near the top of the wall, above the road.
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| Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum) |
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| Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum) |
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| Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum) |
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| Winter sun lighting the Bridgewater Canal |
Claire Joures, Cathy and Mike Pettipher
February 2017 - Parakeet, Jackson's Boat
Sunday 25th December - Parakeet in Chorlton Meadows
Pre-dinner exercise on Christmas Day took us to the Mersey Valley via Chorlton Meadows. We heard the distinctive screech of a Ring-necked/ Rose-ringed Parakeet, and then saw it fly into a tree. Spent a few minutes looking for it, convinced it had not flown out, and then noticed a couple of large holes in the trunk. Just beginning to wonder whether it might have gone in when out it popped:
Continuing on to the Mersey, we noticed some Willow catkins just starting to emerge, and Hawthorn leaves, both perhaps indicative of the warm winter so far - about 14C today!
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| Ring-necked or Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) |
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| Ring-necked or Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) |
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| Ring-necked or Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) |
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| Ring-necked or Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) |
Cathy and Mike Pettipher
Sunday 18th December - Pennington Flash
Another trip to Bent's Garden Centre and another visit to Pennington.
Bumped into Dave and Gill Higginson-Tranter, both recovering from winter aflictions, but their species list was already 48, including the Long-tailed Duck and a pair of Scaup, all of which eluded us again.
Saw the Water Rail again at Pengys hide:
Teal hide was particularly good, with Mallard, Coot, Goosander, Teal a few Wigeon and a Little Egret also dropped in - not a common occurrence. The Bittern of course was keeping quiet and out of sight.
Also bumped into Dennis Atherton (who has given us excellent talks), and he showed us a Yellow-legged Gull amongst Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, from Horrock's hide. Even with a scope and a knowledgeable and helpful consultant, we had to admit difficulty in identifying.
Bumped into Dave and Gill Higginson-Tranter, both recovering from winter aflictions, but their species list was already 48, including the Long-tailed Duck and a pair of Scaup, all of which eluded us again.
Saw the Water Rail again at Pengys hide:
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| Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) |
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| Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) |
Also bumped into Dennis Atherton (who has given us excellent talks), and he showed us a Yellow-legged Gull amongst Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, from Horrock's hide. Even with a scope and a knowledgeable and helpful consultant, we had to admit difficulty in identifying.
Cathy and Mike Pettipher
Saturday 17th December - Dunham Park
A short morning walk before our Christmas pub lunch. This time in Dunham Park - a popular venue at any time, but particularly around Christmas. Many Fallow Deer around, generally ignoring the human disturbance to their home. Quite damp and a few fungi around. Without Fungalpunk Dave around, the only names we risk offering are Buttercap, with dark stem and cap and pale gills:
and Oyster Mushroom:
Not much birdlife seen or heard, but occasional squirrels. Always something of interest, and a little exercise in an attempt to justify an indulgent lunch.
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| Buttercap (Rhodocollybia butyracea) |
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| Buttercap (Rhodocollybia butyracea) |
and Oyster Mushroom:
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| Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) |
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| Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) |
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| Photographing Oyster Mushroom |
Not much birdlife seen or heard, but occasional squirrels. Always something of interest, and a little exercise in an attempt to justify an indulgent lunch.
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