Saturday the 31st saw 17 members assemble in their respective groups for the off at 10
am. The weather was a bit miserable with torrential rain at the start, but the forecast was
for a better day ahead.
Ian and Jenny’s group headed for Clegg Hall Pools whilst Paul’s group headed down
Branch Road and Jan’s group started at Shaw Lane, so we were maintain the rule of 6
requirements. All groups followed the roughly circular route in an anti-clockwise walk.
The rain soon stopped, and a pleasant morning helped with our birdwatching with some 47
species observed during our walks. Birds were seen throughout the walk but there were a
few hotspots with Clegg Hall Pools and Hollingworth Lake Nature area most productive.
Highlights of the 3 groups were The Little Egret fly over at Clegg Hall Pools for Karen’s
group, not a common bird for our area, Jan’s group was the mixed finch and tit flock
sheltering from the weather in the hedges along Deep Lane and Gadwall at Clegg Hall
Pools, And Paul’s group was the Sparrowhawk flushing the Gulls and Lapwing at the
nature reserve.
Low point for all was probably the torrential downpour for 5 minutes at around 12.30 which
wasn’t as bad for one lucky group who made it to the bird hide.
The List of Birds seen on the day : Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Blue Tit,
Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long tailed Tit, House Sparrow, Goldcrest, Blackbird, Redwing, Mistle
Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall,
Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Little
Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Pheasant, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Wood Pigeon,
Feral Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Lapwing, Starling, Sparrow Hawk, Kestrel, Black Headed,
Herring, Common, Lesser Black Backed Gulls.
A great result, just a shame we missed the following birds from the Recce the week before
– Wigeon, Fieldfare, Stonechat, Dipper, Goosander and Grey Wagtail but that’s Birding.