A Birding Blog: Stretford

Showing posts with label Stretford. Show all posts

Wednesday, 6 May 2020

Swifts Arrive

Today was the first day we have seen a Swift and bang on to time. Swifts usually arrive in the last week of April to first week of May and today is the 6th May.
As the month progresses we shall see if we beet last years 29 Swift/Swallows to be seen in the sky above our house.

Friday, 7 July 2017

Help Preserve Our Local Meadows - SIGNED!!

The campaign is created by Cllr Stephen Adshead

Concerning development of the Stretford Meadows

The Petition is to withdraw any suggestions, ideas etc. to develop industrial units/warehousing on the meadows greenbelt area that links Stretford and Urmston, and instead support the local community and Trafford Council’s strategy to help enhance this green space for the benefit of the local communities.

Why is this important?

These meadows are a former landfill site that has gradually over the years been transformed and enhanced into a green space with a diverse number of uses, Trafford Councils Strategy for the site includes:
• The provision of attractive, accessible links from surrounding residential areas;
• The creation of a strategic route encouraging cycling and walking, linking urban and
Countryside areas, that is highly accessible by a large number of Trafford residents;
• The inclusion of measures to secure improvements to biodiversity, for instance by
Enhancing the area adjacent to the existing wetland to encourage Reed Buntings,
Improving meadow habitat for Skylarks and supplementing naturally regenerating oak trees;
• Tree planting to create woodland to help tackle air pollution and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
All this could now be under threat if Land care develops proposals to industrialise our local greenspace, the local area includes high density housing and some depravation, and this green space is well used and valued by the local community. It is also home a diverse community of wildlife that would also be lost.

SIGN HERE - https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/help-preserve-our-local-meadows-1

up to 32 species of bird on the land (maybe more), lots of butterflies, moths and other animals. it is an important site and needs to be kept to support wildlife. We are loosing a lot of greenspace and we don't have much to begin with in Stretford, our Parks are also under threat of development, soon it could be a concrete jungle is that what we want?

Saturday, 1 July 2017

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!!

Monday, 19 June 2017

Dragonflies in the garden!

Another new visitor to our garden, a Common Darter dragonfly and male Common Blue Damselfly, we have had a couple now.
need to sort some more tubs of wild flowers out for next year.

Friday, 16 June 2017

More Birds in the GARDEN!!!

There seems to be an increase in birds visiting the garden (or just overhead) this year.
We have seen:

Young Sparrows
Young Blue Tits
Robin
Blackbirds
Wood Pigeon
Magpies
Goldfinch
The odd Bat at dusk
Swifts high above the garden.

The main thing is there seems to be more of them which is good. We have been trying to attract more birds for a long time and it looks like it may pay off. We have never had sparrows in the garden, what we have seen though are loads on the other side of the road.

We shall be keeping a close eye on what goes on.