Six of us met up at 7.30am on a very sunny day at the car park by the top reservoir dam in the Goyt Valley.
Bird of the day was Spotted Flycatcher. Which was everywhere; but they had no spots! But the juveniles (which we had seen) will do.
It was only after we had walked up and down the valley we saw the expected Pied Flycatchers. They were near to nest boxes on a couple of trees.
Tree Pipits were going up and down and you could see the row of black spots on their wings. Barbara was the first to spot a Redstart on a fence.
We had good views of a Mistle Thrush and also a Siskin.
We heard a Cuckoo and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
As usual Common Sandpipers were on the edge of the reservoir.
I learnt that Chaffinches have an alarm call similar to a nuthatch’s call.
We drove up to Derbyshire Bridge where we saw Red Grouse, Swallow, and a Curlew mobbing a Buzzard. The toilets were not open there. There was no sign of the short-eared owl.
Moving on to Danebower there were Wheatear, Meadow Pipits and House Martins but no sign of ring ouzels.
Near Wildboar Clough we saw a Dipper in a stream with food in its mouth. Brian thought it was waiting for us to move away, as its nest must be under the bridge we were standing on. Meanwhile a couple of Ravens where flying overhead.
We finished at Trentabank Reservoir in Macclesfield Forest looking at the Heronry and also the Cormorant colony. There were at least 15 cormorant nests in the top of the trees.
Great Crested Grebe and Mandarin Duck were looking good too.
Total birds seen: - 47.
We all had a very pleasant day. Thanks to Brian, Alison, Barbara Chris and John.
Photo by Chris Sadler.
MAGGIE W