Details of August sightings compiled by John Thompson will appear on the Monthly Sightings page.
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John 31st August 2021
Pretty quiet, a cool wind with occasional drizzle this morning on Meremoor Moss and environs: It was a case of ‘Bring it & you won’t need it. Leave it at home & you’ll want it!” as I walked out from under the railway bridge, 2 groups of waders were flying above the cattle in the fields, occasionally forming one group of c25 birds. They didn’t appear spooked as they flew around for about 2/3 minutes before I lost them. My guess was they were Snipe, if so that’s good news for this site. It was just after 8am and there was c100 Stock Dove / Woodpigeon and c100 Jackdaw / Carrion Crows plus a few Rooks all presumably foraging for breakfast? 2 Raven flew overhead ‘cronking’. All along Englesea Brook there were Reed Bunting and the odd family group of Whitethroat.
On the fishing pools, a Muscovy Duck, a Shoveler, 3 mallard-types, ‘tufties’ up to 7 & Mallard juvs down from 9 to 8.
John 30th August 2021
23 – 29 Aug
EHF/PHF: L Grebe, Curlew, Dunlin, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Med, GBb & Y-l Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Kingfisher, Hobby, Peregrine, Wheatear
MGT/RF: Wigeon, GW Egret, L & C Whitethroat, Wheatear, Tree Sparrow, Yellow Wagtail
Alsager: Kestrel, Hobby, Tree Sparrow, Linnet & Yellowhammer
Cloud: Kestrel, Raven, Meadow Pipit
Congleton: Redshank
Crewe: Sparrowhawk
Doddington: L & GC Grebe, GW Egret
Lea Forge: Stock Dove, Hobby, Peregrine, Kingfisher, Jay, Spotted Flycatcher, Linnet
Middlewich: Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher
Mow Cop: Kestrel, Raven, Meadow Pipit
Queens Park: Barnacle Goose, Mandarin
Scholar Green: Spotted Flycatcher, Yellowhammer
David Cookson 28th August 2021
At Lea Forge this morning 28th. Highlights were a Kingfisher, Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Mike& Andy 27th August 2021
Best bird at Lea Forge this morning was a Peregrine as well as Goldcrest,Linnet,Whitethroat,Chiffchaff.G.S.Woodpecker and Stock Dove.Little of any note to add to Colin and Sylvia’s list at Doddington.
Colin & Sylvia 27th August 2021
Worth a visit to Doddington Pool this morning for the cute great crested grebe chicks. A total of 20 adults with 17 juvs, most quite small (it’s been a late breeding season). Two broods of three on the back pool watched closely as they sailed on their mother’s back, then were dumped in the water, then they scrambled back on again.
Around 250 geese, mixed canada and greylag, on the water when we arrived but then a mixed flock of around 500 flew in, stayed on the water for 20 minutes then flew off again. It seemed as if they had been feeding in fields somewhere nearby and decided to fly here for a drink and then flew back. The final count was 557 canada geese and 220 greylag geese so along with the 644 coot it was quite crowded! A lot of birds although few species.
John 24th August 2021
A circuit of the inner walk on Wybunbury Moss this morning: bumped into Mike and Andy at the beginning, so we walked the route together. Birds of note: Sparrowhawk, Jay, possible Willow Warbler ( a very bright, but mobile bird ) & Bullfinch. Mike and Andy may have others to add as they were there for a while before me?
Before a walk at Lea Forge I had a brew where you park the cars, first a Hobby cruised past then a Raven ( both heading East ). Other birds of note: Stock Dove & Linnet. I also saw pieces of snail shells on a flat stone – presumably a Song Thrush anvil?
Distant views of Doddington Pool while having lunch: I hadn’t got my scope up when I saw a large white bird flying below the treeline bordering the pool – a Great W Egret. It circled the pool, briefly perched in one of the trees close the avenue to the Hall before flying off, gained height & flew off to the North. Other birds of note: Mute Swan, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, L & GC Grebe, a Curlew heard a Jay. The L Grebes appear to have done well: something disturbed then as an adult with 4 juvs and 3 unaccompanied juvs scuttled out from separate areas of the bank and into open water.
John 23rd August 2021
16 – 22 Aug
EHF/PHF: Mandarin, Goosander, R Plover, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Common & Green Sandpiper, GB-b & Y-l Gull, Common Tern, Hobby, L Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail
MGT/RF: Wigeon, L Grebe, GW Egret, Kingfisher, Raven, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Whinchat, Wheatear, Tree Sparrow, Yellow Wagtail
Bosley Locks: Hobby
Congleton: Goosander, Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Doddington: L Grebe
Rode Pool: Hobby
Darron Boulton 22nd August 2021
Hobby chasing Hirundines at Bosley Locks today (apologies if just off patch). Seem more of them around these days?
Nigel Henderson 19th August 2021
Congleton
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk
Grey Wagtail
Dipper
Kingfisher (Pam)
River Dane – Steamboat
Goosander 1 x immature
Colin 17th August 2021
At Rode Pool this morning the damp drizzly weather brought in a lot of hirundines, at least 60 but maybe double that since it was not clear whether some of the birds were moving through and just stopped for a feed. Whatever the reason, they brought in a Hobby which gave brief but close views as it darted unsuccessfully for a sand martin.
Mike&Andy 16th August 2021
Still quiet at Doddington so a single Oystercatcher was very welcome.8 Swifts and around 30 Sand and House Martins were also noted.On the water just 8 Little Grebes worth a mention.
John 16th August 2021
9 – 15 Aug
EHF/PHF: Bl-t Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Common & Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Y-l Gull, GW Egret, Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Peregrine, Raven, L Whitethroat
MGT/RF: Gadwall, Common Sandpiper, GB-b Gull, GW Egret, Tree Sparrow
Astbury: Barn Owl, Hobby
Astbury Mere: Osprey
Congleton: Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Doddington: L Egret
Lea Forge: Hobby
John 16th August 2021
Bike ride yesterday lunch: Weston Rd, David Whitby Rd, Weston Ln, Casey Ln, Back Ln, Crewe Rd ( Shavington & Gresty ). Only noted raptors: Buzzards and a Kestrel plus a couple of Sparrowhawks stooping and talon tapping above the trees & tracks between B5472 & A500 ( land earmarked for development ). One bird looked scruffy, the other tidy – adult & juv?
Lots of Swallows hawking above the cereal crops in Weston/Basford
Nigel Henderson 14th August 2021
Congleton: River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk
Kingfisher Flying upstream towards the road bridge
Grey Wagtail Many sightings; also from the Steamboat to the weir
Dipper Perched on a rock in the river near the road bridge
GLYN JONES 13th August 2021
13th August 2021 – 1330
Passage of Swifts feeding over top field at Borrow Pit Meadows, 80 at first and then a steady passage of birds for about an hour I was there, in total approx. 300+ birds, also 40 Swallows and 30 House Martins.
John 12th August 2021
MGT/RF this morning: quiet on RF – 2 gents in hi-vis taking water samples by Fowle Brook. Mutes + 5 juv ( down from 6! ), Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted, L Grebe + juv ( new pool ), GW Egret, juv Buzzard with adults, pair Kestrel, Raven & Reed Bunting
Tuesday at Meremoor Moss & environs: quiet, but with a field recently spread with ‘muck’, grazing cattle, low cloud/pressure and the fishing pools there was plenty of hawking Swift & hirundines. Other birds of note include Muscovy Duck, Tufted Duck ( couldn’t find mum with her 2 juvs! ), Moorhen with very recently hatched juvs. A singing Willow Warbler, family parties of Chiffchaff. Fewer Whitethroats noted, are they quieter or have some left already?
Congleton
River Dane – between the weir and Steamboat
Dipper on a rock near the far bank
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk
Kingfisher Flying downstream
Goosander 1 x ♀; 8 x Immature
American Mink
Colin 6th August 2021
At Doddington on a sunny Friday afternoon the pool appeared to be covered in Coots with a few swans round the edge; and so it was with 750 coot, 51 mute swans and not much else
Nigel Henderson 6th August 2021
Congleton
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk – Cormorant (an unusual sighting for this stretch of the river.)
John 3rd August 2021
A walk along some of the footpaths in the Barthomley area this morning: only species of note was a singing Yellowhammer in the hedge in the middle of fields of cereal ( between M6 and ROF Radway Green ) – presumably their territory extends all the way to South Alsager ( Fannyscroft )?
One other event that I not experienced for a while, was while having a cuppa on a roadside verge at ‘half-time’, I heard ‘tapping’ coming from under the nearby hedge – a Song Thrush cracking the shell of a snail.
John 2nd August 2021
25 Jul – 1 Aug
EHF/PHF: Egyptian Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Mandarin, Oystercatcher, LR Plover, Curlew, B-t Godwit, Bl-t Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Common & Green Sandpiper, Med, Common & Y-l Gull, L & GW Egret, Kestrel, Peregrine, Raven, Grey Wagtail,
FF: Red Kite
Alsager: Red Kite
Betchton: Hobby, Yellow Wagtail
Congleton: Mandarin, Goosander, Kingfisher, Dipper
Doddington: GC Grebe, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher
Lea Forge: Hobby, House Martin, Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Linnet
Queens Park: L Owl
Rope/Shavington: Red Kite
Weston/Basford: Yellowhammer
Nigel Henderson 2nd August 2021
Congleton
River Dane – between the weir and Steamboat Immature grey wagtail; ♂ between the Steamboat and weir
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk Immature Mandarin duck Adult dipper
River Dane – Steamboat car park Kingfisher flying downstream
Sunday 01-Aug-2021
River Dane – between the weir and Steamboat 1 x ♀ 8 x immature goosander
John 1st August 2021
4 hours on Meremoor Moss & it’s environs this morning: low cloud, drizzle and a cool northerly wind – hopefully good for low-flying hirundine?
For almost the whole of my visit I could hear one, possibly two, begging juvenile Buzzard, also a female GS Woodpecker plus hawking Swift, Swallow & House Martin. In one hedge I noted family parties of Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat & Reed Bunting. Also I heard an Oystercatcher, a Greenfinch & Linnet.
On the nearby fishery pools, I noted the female Tufted Duck with 2 ducklings, now on the Specimen Pool. Also 2 Muscovy Duck, the 3 mallard-type ducks
31st August 2021
Pretty quiet, a cool wind with occasional drizzle this morning on Meremoor Moss and environs: It was a case of ‘Bring it & you won’t need it. Leave it at home & you’ll want it!” as I walked out from under the railway bridge, 2 groups of waders were flying above the cattle in the fields, occasionally forming one group of c25 birds. They didn’t appear spooked as they flew around for about 2/3 minutes before I lost them. My guess was they were Snipe, if so that’s good news for this site. It was just after 8am and there was c100 Stock Dove / Woodpigeon and c100 Jackdaw / Carrion Crows plus a few Rooks all presumably foraging for breakfast? 2 Raven flew overhead ‘cronking’. All along Englesea Brook there were Reed Bunting and the odd family group of Whitethroat.
On the fishing pools, a Muscovy Duck, a Shoveler, 3 mallard-types, ‘tufties’ up to 7 & Mallard juvs down from 9 to 8.
30th August 2021
23 – 29 Aug
EHF/PHF: L Grebe, Curlew, Dunlin, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Med, GBb & Y-l Gull, GW & L Egret, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Kingfisher, Hobby, Peregrine, Wheatear
MGT/RF: Wigeon, GW Egret, L & C Whitethroat, Wheatear, Tree Sparrow, Yellow Wagtail
Alsager: Kestrel, Hobby, Tree Sparrow, Linnet & Yellowhammer
Cloud: Kestrel, Raven, Meadow Pipit
Congleton: Redshank
Crewe: Sparrowhawk
Doddington: L & GC Grebe, GW Egret
Lea Forge: Stock Dove, Hobby, Peregrine, Kingfisher, Jay, Spotted Flycatcher, Linnet
Middlewich: Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher
Mow Cop: Kestrel, Raven, Meadow Pipit
Queens Park: Barnacle Goose, Mandarin
Scholar Green: Spotted Flycatcher, Yellowhammer
28th August 2021
At Lea Forge this morning 28th. Highlights were a Kingfisher, Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
27th August 2021
Best bird at Lea Forge this morning was a Peregrine as well as Goldcrest,Linnet,Whitethroat,Chiffchaff.G.S.Woodpecker and Stock Dove.Little of any note to add to Colin and Sylvia’s list at Doddington.
27th August 2021
Worth a visit to Doddington Pool this morning for the cute great crested grebe chicks. A total of 20 adults with 17 juvs, most quite small (it’s been a late breeding season). Two broods of three on the back pool watched closely as they sailed on their mother’s back, then were dumped in the water, then they scrambled back on again.
Around 250 geese, mixed canada and greylag, on the water when we arrived but then a mixed flock of around 500 flew in, stayed on the water for 20 minutes then flew off again. It seemed as if they had been feeding in fields somewhere nearby and decided to fly here for a drink and then flew back. The final count was 557 canada geese and 220 greylag geese so along with the 644 coot it was quite crowded! A lot of birds although few species.
24th August 2021
A circuit of the inner walk on Wybunbury Moss this morning: bumped into Mike and Andy at the beginning, so we walked the route together. Birds of note: Sparrowhawk, Jay, possible Willow Warbler ( a very bright, but mobile bird ) & Bullfinch. Mike and Andy may have others to add as they were there for a while before me?
Before a walk at Lea Forge I had a brew where you park the cars, first a Hobby cruised past then a Raven ( both heading East ). Other birds of note: Stock Dove & Linnet. I also saw pieces of snail shells on a flat stone – presumably a Song Thrush anvil?
Distant views of Doddington Pool while having lunch: I hadn’t got my scope up when I saw a large white bird flying below the treeline bordering the pool – a Great W Egret. It circled the pool, briefly perched in one of the trees close the avenue to the Hall before flying off, gained height & flew off to the North. Other birds of note: Mute Swan, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, L & GC Grebe, a Curlew heard a Jay. The L Grebes appear to have done well: something disturbed then as an adult with 4 juvs and 3 unaccompanied juvs scuttled out from separate areas of the bank and into open water.
23rd August 2021
16 – 22 Aug
EHF/PHF: Mandarin, Goosander, R Plover, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Common & Green Sandpiper, GB-b & Y-l Gull, Common Tern, Hobby, L Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail
MGT/RF: Wigeon, L Grebe, GW Egret, Kingfisher, Raven, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Whinchat, Wheatear, Tree Sparrow, Yellow Wagtail
Bosley Locks: Hobby
Congleton: Goosander, Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Doddington: L Grebe
Rode Pool: Hobby
22nd August 2021
Hobby chasing Hirundines at Bosley Locks today (apologies if just off patch). Seem more of them around these days?
19th August 2021
Congleton
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk
Grey Wagtail
Dipper
Kingfisher (Pam)
River Dane – Steamboat
Goosander 1 x immature
17th August 2021
At Rode Pool this morning the damp drizzly weather brought in a lot of hirundines, at least 60 but maybe double that since it was not clear whether some of the birds were moving through and just stopped for a feed. Whatever the reason, they brought in a Hobby which gave brief but close views as it darted unsuccessfully for a sand martin.
16th August 2021
Still quiet at Doddington so a single Oystercatcher was very welcome.8 Swifts and around 30 Sand and House Martins were also noted.On the water just 8 Little Grebes worth a mention.
16th August 2021
9 – 15 Aug
EHF/PHF: Bl-t Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Common & Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Y-l Gull, GW Egret, Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Peregrine, Raven, L Whitethroat
MGT/RF: Gadwall, Common Sandpiper, GB-b Gull, GW Egret, Tree Sparrow
Astbury: Barn Owl, Hobby
Astbury Mere: Osprey
Congleton: Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Doddington: L Egret
Lea Forge: Hobby
16th August 2021
Bike ride yesterday lunch: Weston Rd, David Whitby Rd, Weston Ln, Casey Ln, Back Ln, Crewe Rd ( Shavington & Gresty ). Only noted raptors: Buzzards and a Kestrel plus a couple of Sparrowhawks stooping and talon tapping above the trees & tracks between B5472 & A500 ( land earmarked for development ). One bird looked scruffy, the other tidy – adult & juv?
Lots of Swallows hawking above the cereal crops in Weston/Basford
14th August 2021
Congleton: River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk
Kingfisher Flying upstream towards the road bridge
Grey Wagtail Many sightings; also from the Steamboat to the weir
Dipper Perched on a rock in the river near the road bridge
13th August 2021
13th August 2021 – 1330
Passage of Swifts feeding over top field at Borrow Pit Meadows, 80 at first and then a steady passage of birds for about an hour I was there, in total approx. 300+ birds, also 40 Swallows and 30 House Martins.
12th August 2021
MGT/RF this morning: quiet on RF – 2 gents in hi-vis taking water samples by Fowle Brook. Mutes + 5 juv ( down from 6! ), Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted, L Grebe + juv ( new pool ), GW Egret, juv Buzzard with adults, pair Kestrel, Raven & Reed Bunting
Tuesday at Meremoor Moss & environs: quiet, but with a field recently spread with ‘muck’, grazing cattle, low cloud/pressure and the fishing pools there was plenty of hawking Swift & hirundines. Other birds of note include Muscovy Duck, Tufted Duck ( couldn’t find mum with her 2 juvs! ), Moorhen with very recently hatched juvs. A singing Willow Warbler, family parties of Chiffchaff. Fewer Whitethroats noted, are they quieter or have some left already?
9th August 2021
2 – 8 Aug
EHF/PHF: Mandarin, Wigeon, Goosander, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Dunlin, Common, Green & Wood Sandpiper, Y-l Gull, L & GW Egret, Osprey, Kingfisher, Kestrel, Hobby, Peregrine, L Whitethroat
MGT/RF: Tree Sparrow, Linnet
WF: Tawny Owl, Hobby
Astbury Mere: Willow Warbler
Congleton: Mandarin, Goosander, Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Elworth: Hobby
7th August 2021
Congleton
River Dane – between the weir and Steamboat
Dipper on a rock near the far bank
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk
Kingfisher Flying downstream
Goosander 1 x ♀; 8 x Immature
American Mink
6th August 2021
At Doddington on a sunny Friday afternoon the pool appeared to be covered in Coots with a few swans round the edge; and so it was with 750 coot, 51 mute swans and not much else
6th August 2021
Congleton
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk – Cormorant (an unusual sighting for this stretch of the river.)
3rd August 2021
A walk along some of the footpaths in the Barthomley area this morning: only species of note was a singing Yellowhammer in the hedge in the middle of fields of cereal ( between M6 and ROF Radway Green ) – presumably their territory extends all the way to South Alsager ( Fannyscroft )?
One other event that I not experienced for a while, was while having a cuppa on a roadside verge at ‘half-time’, I heard ‘tapping’ coming from under the nearby hedge – a Song Thrush cracking the shell of a snail.
2nd August 2021
25 Jul – 1 Aug
EHF/PHF: Egyptian Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Mandarin, Oystercatcher, LR Plover, Curlew, B-t Godwit, Bl-t Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Common & Green Sandpiper, Med, Common & Y-l Gull, L & GW Egret, Kestrel, Peregrine, Raven, Grey Wagtail,
FF: Red Kite
Alsager: Red Kite
Betchton: Hobby, Yellow Wagtail
Congleton: Mandarin, Goosander, Kingfisher, Dipper
Doddington: GC Grebe, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher
Lea Forge: Hobby, House Martin, Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Linnet
Queens Park: L Owl
Rope/Shavington: Red Kite
Weston/Basford: Yellowhammer
2nd August 2021
Congleton
River Dane – between the weir and Steamboat Immature grey wagtail; ♂ between the Steamboat and weir
River Dane – Dane Street riverside walk Immature Mandarin duck Adult dipper
River Dane – Steamboat car park Kingfisher flying downstream
Sunday 01-Aug-2021
River Dane – between the weir and Steamboat 1 x ♀ 8 x immature goosander
1st August 2021
4 hours on Meremoor Moss & it’s environs this morning: low cloud, drizzle and a cool northerly wind – hopefully good for low-flying hirundine?
For almost the whole of my visit I could hear one, possibly two, begging juvenile Buzzard, also a female GS Woodpecker plus hawking Swift, Swallow & House Martin. In one hedge I noted family parties of Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat & Reed Bunting. Also I heard an Oystercatcher, a Greenfinch & Linnet.
On the nearby fishery pools, I noted the female Tufted Duck with 2 ducklings, now on the Specimen Pool. Also 2 Muscovy Duck, the 3 mallard-type ducks