Dipper @ Cuerden Valley Park - 9th April 2011

I finally took the advice of some of the blog readers and visited Kem Mill at 7 this morning with hope of finding the Dipper. I wasn’t disappointed as it appeared within seconds of my arrival so I took the opportunity to take plenty of photos at close range as it hunted along the river lostock. It wasn’t until I checked through my photos as I awaited its return that I realised I hadn’t turned the image stabiliser on so some very poor results. I watched the stretch for about 45 minutes and early on it kept flying in and out so there is a possibility it could be rearing young close by. Other sightings included Chiffchaff, Wren, Great & Blue Tit, Mallard and a Treecreeper ( IS turned on!)

ABOVE DIPPER BELOW TREECREEPER 

After my brief visit to Kem Mill I headed up to Stags Lodge with the dogs where on the previous evening I’d seen my first Willow Warbler on the patch. It was still calling in the morning on the bank of the river lostock where a male Black Cap was also calling again the first on the patch for the year. Other sightings included Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Robin, Wren, Carrion Crow, Canada Geese, Mallard, Coot, Magpie, Blue and Great Tit.


I also spotted a Blue Tit entering one of the traffic lights at the A49/A6 crossroad, one nested there last year so with any look it will again this year and I’ll try for some photos.

The feeders have been busy and Great and Blue Tits have now returned after not being around for several weeks after the tree was cut down. It also looks like we have a pair of Dunnock in a conifer hedge at the other side of the ginnel, the male has spent most of the day calling its alarm call due to our cat lazing in the sun on top of our shed.

DUNNOCK



Cuerden Valley Park - 12th February 2011

I've covered pretty much all of CVP today at some point starting this morning with a 4 mile walk with the dogs, a few hours this afternoon in search of a Dipper at Kem Mill and then to the local patch of Stags Lodge this evening before sun down.
The morning walk brought the usual woodland birds in the form of Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Robin, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, mixed Tit flocks, Blackbird, Jay, Magpie, Goldfinch, and Chaffinch. The usual Mallard were on the lake though I didn't walk around to see if anything else was about plus c15 Canada Geese in front of the Sue Ryder home. A Buzzard and Bullfinch were a good adition to the Stags Lodge list as I walked to and from the park.

 ABOVE TREECREEPER BELOW MISTLE THRUSH 

I've heard Dipper are present along the Kem Mill section of the river Lostock so I took a walk up this afternoon with the hope of getting some photos. No such look on this occasion though the azure flash of a Kingfisher as it flew downstream more than made up for the lack of Dipper. A Treecreeper obliged for the camera as did a Mistle Thrush that was calling from the top of a tree. Again a mix of Tits plus c12 Redwing, Chaffinch and most of the Corvid species could be seen at this end of the park.

ABOVE SONG THRUSH

Several Song Thrush were calling this evening at Stags Lodge as were Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock and Blue & Great Tit.