John Spottiswood's A birder in Holmes Chapel

Going with the flow.

4/7/12, Blackwall Basin, London Docklands:
During a site visit for work I watched 16 Common Terns on rafts in the London Docklands near Canary Wharf. There were at least four young.

5/7/12, Dane Valley, Radnor Bridge (near Congleton):
7 Chiffchaffs (4 singing).
4 singing Blackcaps.
Singing Garden Warbler.
As with my end of the valley, it is unlikely anybody would see anything very exciting on a casual visit but regular birding walks would probably eventually bring some rewards.

6/7/12, Chelford:
Little Owl.
Steve and Gill Barber were fortunate enough to see a Honey Buzzard pass southeast over Acre Nook Sand Quarry at 20.25 mobbed by Oystercatchers. I had a scan from an open area nearby soon afterwards but it must have carried on.

Andy Goodwin had 4 Pochards at Brereton Heath. I still need this species for my home patch list.

8/7/12, Three Shires Head:
I had a walk with our Andy in this area straddling the boundaries of Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
12 Curlews
11 Wheatears
Golden Plover heard (Cheshire)
Peregrine
4 singing Skylarks
2 Stonechats
Tree Pipit heard (Derbyshire)
Snipe heard ‘chippering’ (Derbyshire/ Cheshire)
10 Small Heaths
5 Ravens tumbling and calling over Cheeks Hill
A Red Grouse was also there (Derbyshire/ Staffordshire).
The highlight was a singing Willow Tit watched in a Hawthorn on the 375m contour just northeast of Three Shires Head (Staffordshire) at SK 013 687. It’s great to get the species anywhere these days but we were surprised to see one at that altitude. Perhaps the species is not so unusual in the uplands, the second part of the Latin name means ‘mountaineer’. I don’t know of any Cheshire sites near there but my Staffordshire contact (Chris Waring) tells me the species still occurs in 'decent numbers' in his county. Back in Cheshire it is now a county rarity!
At least 10 Large Skippers
Dipper on the Dane (Cheshire/ Derbyshire)
Willow Warbler.

9/7/12, Bent Farm Sand Quarry:
2 singing Common Whitethroats
18 Tufted Ducks
Green Sandpiper
4 Little Grebes.

10/7/12, Astbury Mere:
2 drake Common Scoters were diving frequently towards the middle of the water. Andy Goodwin found them early in the afternoon. I was glad when Dave Robinson came to get them for his Cheshire year list, partly so I could have a look through his scope. I didn’t have mine today because I had initially planned to have a bird-free lunch hour.
6 Crossbills quite high west overhead calling at 13.35 were a pleasant surprise.

Photo: me birding near Three Shires Head by a tributary of the River Dane. Taken by Andy Spottiswood.

Posted by John Spottiswood