Walk around Stretford Meadows to the Water Park (Sat 1st July 2017)

A nice sunny day today, so a good opportunity to get outside and enjoy the sunshine for a few hours.

Started on the meadows in a circular route so that I would end up at the café at the water park.

Some of the highlights from today's walk, in the main butterfly's. All taken with a Sigma 17-70mm lens, trying it out properly for the first time.

Small Tortoiseshell - Sun loving caterpillar's feed on nettles

Comma - feeds on nettles, note the ragged edged wings

Stretford House from the meadows

Meadow Buttercup

Bridge under Chester Rd

Red Admiral - Summer migrant, often in good numbers.

Stretford house from Stretford Ees.

Stretford Ees

Common Blue Damselfly - have to look close for this one (centre)

Bridgewater Canal

Speckled Wood

Side of the tram lines to SWP



River Mersey

Broad Ees Dole

Swimmers in the lake

Stretford looking good, very summery.

And to finish off the walk with a nice piece of Carrot Cake at the SWP Café - great afternoon!!

Stretford Meadows and Broad Ees Dole - 14th May 2014

A good evening walk, started about 6.30pm and returned home about 9pm

Full Moon over the Mersey Valley

Stretford Meadows

Greenfinch

Great Tit

Reed Warbler (RSPB)

Blackbirds Male and Females together 2pairs, Blackbirds Male 5 (seems to be a lot about all singing from various perches), Robin 1, Woodpigeon 4, Great Tit 1, Magpie 7, Swallow 3, Greenfinch 3, Reed Bunting 4, Swift 2, Reed Warbler 1, Skylark 1, Chiffchaff heard but not seen, Kestrel 1

Reed Bunting (Male RSPB)

Kestrel hovering

Swallow

In and around Broad Ees Dole

Coot nesting, Canada Geese and goslings

Blackcap 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Blackbird 2, Chiffchaff 1, Swift 4, Mallard 3, Swallow 2, Song Thrush 1, Coot (nesting) 1pair, Moorhen 2, Little Grebe (nesting), Lapwing 2, Black Headed Gull 2, Robin 1, 11 Canada Geese with 7 young, Grey Heron 2, Gold Finch 1.

Song Thrush

Grey Heron

Sale Water Park / Broad Ees Dole

Friday 28th March 2014

Teal (Male and Female)
Moorhen x 1
Coot x 3
Lesser Black Backed Gulls x2
Lapwing x 5
Canada Geese x2
Grey Heron x1
Chiffchaff x1 (a first for me) singing just by the hide

 On the main lake;
Great Crested Grebe x 1
55+ Canada Geese
Mute Swan x 2
Mistle Thrush x1 (bushes by the side of the lake)

Broad Ees Dole 28/8/2013

Although a quiet morning, it was nice to be up and out and about early.

Time: 7.15am - 9.00am

Coot 4A +2J
Moorhen 3A +3J
Lapwing 2A+1J
BHGull 7
Canada Goose 1 (7 Flew over heading for the main lake)
Magpie 2
Little Grebe 1A+1J
Grey Heron 3
Mallard 2A+6J
Blue Tit 2
Robin 1
Teal 3
Long Tailed Tit 1
Carrion Crow 2

No photo's as the camera would not power up(even though batteries had been charged), shame as the Heron was very close today, it would have appeared very nice when digiscoping.

Sale Water Park - 31st March 2013

and Broad Eees Dole 

TRIP: SWP and Area
Date: 31/3/2013
Time: 4-6.15pm

Hawthorne Lane:

1 Goldfinch
3 Blackbird
2 Robin
Some Longtailed Tits nr Turn moss
Great Tits

A couple of unidentified birds, a larger brown walking down towards the Mersey, have to watch out for this one again.

Broad Eees Dole:

30+ Black Headed Gulls including 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull*
2 pairs of Teal
7 Canada Geese (more flew in later)
4 Moorhen
5 Coot
1 Grey Heron
2 Little Grebe
Mallards M+F

On the Lake:

2  Great Crested Grebe
1 Mute Swan
# Canada Geese
# Black Headed Gulls
3 Robin

Feeding Station nr Cafe/Visitors Centre:

4 Great Tit
1 Robin
1 Coal Tit*
5 Long Tail Tit
2 Blue Tit
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Nuthatch*

Around the area there were the usual's, Magpies, crows, wood pigeons.

*Some new ones for the list today:

Nuthatch, Coal Tit and Long Tail Tit and Lesser Black Backed Gull

Broad Ees Dole (Sale WP) 4th Sept 2012

TRIP: SWP - Borad Ees Dole
DATE: 4/9/2012

START: 18.00 FINISH 20.00

Sale Water Park is very close to me and easily accesible. It links in to the Mersey Valley, a system of nature reserves across Urmston, Stretford, Sale. Chorlton and including 2 water parks.
At Sale WP there is a small hide made of concrete so it keeps the weather out. This looks over a small area of water called Broad Ees Dole. The Dole is home to many Canada Geese along with many others.
New
Black Headed Gull c35
House Sparrow x7

Others
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Mallards
Canada Geese

Pictures:

Cormorant

Canada Geese

Black Headed Gulls

Mute Swan

Sale WP 14th Aug 2012

Went by SWP and Broad Ees Dole on a bike ride yesterday evening approx 7pm.

On BED there was a new one for me a Little Grebe x1, diving in front of the first Island. Around near the cafe on the platform a Yellow Wagtail x1 fly by, lots of others in the trees by the cafe but unfortunately no time to sit and watch - maybe next time.
Also on the Ees there was the usual birds, Heron, Coots, Lapwings, Moorhen and Canada Geese flying in.