Details of January sightings will appear on the Monthly Sightings page.
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Glyn Jones 30th January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1400
2 ads & 4 juvenile Mute Swans plus one other juvenile Mute Swan, Black Swan left a couple days ago.
M&F Mandarin Ducks, Barnacle Goose still with 40+ Canada Geese
The Juvenile Mute Swans are to be ringed later this week.
Glyn Jones 29th January 2024
Alsager Road field after farm, no sign of Fieldfares or Redwings, 2 Common Buzzards, one left field before vets and one right hand field.
Borrow Pit Meadows – 1345
2 M & 2 F Goosanders on pool
Colin John Mike Andy 26th January 2024
at Doddington this morning it was good to see our first oystercatcher back, in January as usual nowadays. also a great white egret in its usual sheltered bay , the pair of wintering stonechats on the juncus by the sailing club as usual and as is becoming more usual very few birds on the water.
Colin 25th January 2024
made a sixth – and final!- visit to Doddington last night to check on the gull roost. During December it reduced in numbers and ultimately failed completely. During January it has started to be used again but in much reduced numbers. Last night I had totals of just 400 bh and 400 lbb with just a few herring gulls. Most winters it totals between 6,000 and 10,000 birds.
Glyn Jones 24th January 2024
Nantwich Lake – 1430
2 ads and 4 juvs Mute Swans still, Tufted Ducks 2 M & 1 F,
100+ gulls of which there were 5 Common, 4 LBB and 2 Herring Gulls
Glyn Jones 24th January 2024
Alsager Road left hand field after Whitehall Farm about 20 mixed flock of Fieldfares and Redwings, on right hand field 80+ mixed flock of
Fieldfares and Redwings, Common Buzzard field next to vets
Borrow Pit Meadows – 1130
M Bullfinch and 2 F & 2 M Goosanders on pool
Glyn Jones 23rd January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1100
2 ads + 4 young Mute Swans and single juvenile,
M&F Mandarin Ducks, Grey Wagtail,
Barnacle Goose with 50+ Canada Geese
Morrisons car park – 1140
Pied Wagtail
Glyn Jones 22nd January 2024
Alsager Road field after Whitehall Farm – 1100
80+ mixed flock of Redwings and Fieldfares but flighty, Common Buzzard in field next vets
Borrow Pit Meadows – 1130
2 males and 2 females Goosanders on pool
Nantwich Lake -1400
2 ads and 4 young Mute Swans,
over 200+ various gulls, very windy and strong sun facing me, unable to id any!!
Mike&Andy 22nd January 2024
A single Woodcock flushed along the brook at Lea Forge Wybunbury this morning.
NIGEL HENDERSON 21st January 2024
The SECOS trip to Martin Mere may have been cancelled but we still have the River Dane in Congleton.
Beyond the park; Treecreeper
Dane riverside walk – opposite the flats; Kingfisher – ♂ Perched with a fish, banging the fish on a branch then flying downsteeam.
Dane riverside walk – road bridge; Grey Wagtail – Flying just below the roadbridge
Dane riverside walk – the rise to Dane Street; Mandarin Duck – ♂; seen when looking upstream. Pam saw the ♀ as well
River Dane – Steamboat; Siskin – also seen from the Steamboat car park
River Dane – Steamboat car park; Goosander – ♀ Flying upstream Dipper – Flying upstream
Mike&Andy 21st January 2024
A Merlin and a Buzzard dicing over the wood at Doddington this morning was a clear highlight.Also the female Stonechat by the feeder stream,around 20 each of Lapwing and Meadow Pipits,23 Shoveler,4 Pochard,16 Teal,6 Goldeneye and just 1 Little Grebe.We didn’t count the Tufted as Colin had already done so!!Also good to meet up and chat with Paul.
Colin 20th January 2024
This is the weekend for the BTO winter gull survey so a visit this evening gave a total of 2000 bh gull; 600 lbb gull and 10 herring gull, numbers much reduced from previous years. The pool was still 90% iced and all the birds were standing on the ice, adjacent to open water. Their physiology is such that they can easily cope with feet only just above freezing standing on ice, better than in freezing water!! A good variety of waterbirds with 76 tufted, 29 shoveler and up to 10 each of shelduck, goldeneye, pochard, wigeon, mallard and teal.
Glyn Jones 17th January 2024
Nantwich Lake – 1115
2 ad and 4 juvenile Mute Swans, 2 Common Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser blacked-back Gulls
and flicking the leaf matter a Song Thrush
100 Canada Geese in fields between River Weaver and railway line
Salt Line Way – 1245
Alsager Road in fields after farm
40+ mixed flock Fieldfares and Redwings
Salt Line Way
M&F Bullfinches
Borrow Pit Meadows
6+ Siskins in trees near pool
Glyn Jones 16th January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1130
50+ Canada Geese and amongst them a Barnacle Goose
2 adult and 4 juvenile Mute Swans plus single juvenile Mute Swan, also with them Black Swan
M&F Mandarin Ducks
Colin 12th January 2024
a WeBS count at Doddington this morning gave tufted, wigeon, teal, goldeneye, goosander but all in low numbers. Best birds were the pair of stonechats still near the sailing club and a great white egret that flew up and perched near the top of the tallest tree.
Glyn Jones 11th January 2024
Alsager Road, field after Whitehall Farm – 1130
40+ mixed flock of Fieldfares and Redwings
Salt Line Way
5 Long-tailed Tits and Great Spotted Woodpecker
Borrow Pit Meadows
Great and Blue Tits, 4 Jays, 2 Magpies, Blackbird plus 8 Robins to food by pool
Common Buzzard and Raven over
NIGEL HENDERSON 10th January 2024
Congleton – River Dane: Grey Wagtail; Dipper; M and F Mandarin Duck; Kingfisher
Mike&Andy 9th January 2024
A pair of Stonechats in the horse paddock on Wybunbury Moss this morning as well as a mixed flock of twenty Siskin and Redpoll.Also of note Bullfinch and 2 Ravens over.
Glyn Jones 9th January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1330
2 Mute Swans + 4 grown up young, single juvenile Mute Swan and Black Swan
M and F Goosander, M and F Mandarin Ducks
Glyn Jones 9th January 2024
Alsager Road (turn where the old Hollybush pub used to be) between Whitehall Farm, on your left and the Vets – 1100
80+ mixed flock of Fieldfares and Redwings in fields to your left, also 2 Common Buzzards
Borrow Pit Meadows
2 Robins and a Blackbird to food by bench
also M&F Bullfinches
MR GLYN F JONES 8th January 2024
Salt Line Way – 1120
9 Long-tailed Tits
Borrow Pit Meadows
2 F 1 M Goosanders on pool
13 Magpies on a bungalow roof in our avenue in Crewe this morning!!
David Cookson 8th January 2024
At Doddington this morning 16 Whooper Swans were present and flew off within 10 minutes of sighting.
Colin 6th January 2024
great white egret on the Lemon Pool (from Bill K)
NIGEL HENDERSON 6th January 2024
Congleton
Dane riverside walk – the rise to Dane Street: Mandarin Duck ♂ ♀
River Dane – Steamboat car park: Dipper
Mike&Andy 5th January 2024
This has to be our best year for Pinkfeet with another 85 over Lea Forge this morning and a Peregrine on a distant pylon.
At Doddington this afternoon, a flock of 200 fieldfare, 120 starling and 15 chaffinch feeding in the maize stubble. Also 1 stonechat by the sailing club
Colin 2nd January 2024
A good start at Rode Pool this morning with 18 little egrets feeding in the field opposite Poolside, and on the pool 2 great egrets, 11 goosander and 38 greylag
Nigel Henderson 1st January 2024
Congleton
Beyond the park; Cormorant Flying
Dane riverside walk – between the rubble and rise; Mandarin Duck ♂ ♀
River Dane – between the park bridges; Goosander 2 ♀♀
River Dane – Rood Hill roadbridge; Grey Wagtail
River Dane – Steamboat car park; Kingfisher Flying upstream
Peter 1st January 2024
Barn Owl along David Whitby Way at 12.25 am … first tick of the New Year
30th January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1400
2 ads & 4 juvenile Mute Swans plus one other juvenile Mute Swan, Black Swan left a couple days ago.
M&F Mandarin Ducks, Barnacle Goose still with 40+ Canada Geese
The Juvenile Mute Swans are to be ringed later this week.
29th January 2024
Alsager Road field after farm, no sign of Fieldfares or Redwings, 2 Common Buzzards, one left field before vets and one right hand field.
Borrow Pit Meadows – 1345
2 M & 2 F Goosanders on pool
26th January 2024
at Doddington this morning it was good to see our first oystercatcher back, in January as usual nowadays. also a great white egret in its usual sheltered bay , the pair of wintering stonechats on the juncus by the sailing club as usual and as is becoming more usual very few birds on the water.
25th January 2024
made a sixth – and final!- visit to Doddington last night to check on the gull roost. During December it reduced in numbers and ultimately failed completely. During January it has started to be used again but in much reduced numbers. Last night I had totals of just 400 bh and 400 lbb with just a few herring gulls. Most winters it totals between 6,000 and 10,000 birds.
24th January 2024
Nantwich Lake – 1430
2 ads and 4 juvs Mute Swans still, Tufted Ducks 2 M & 1 F,
100+ gulls of which there were 5 Common, 4 LBB and 2 Herring Gulls
24th January 2024
Alsager Road left hand field after Whitehall Farm about 20 mixed flock of Fieldfares and Redwings, on right hand field 80+ mixed flock of
Fieldfares and Redwings, Common Buzzard field next to vets
Borrow Pit Meadows – 1130
M Bullfinch and 2 F & 2 M Goosanders on pool
23rd January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1100
2 ads + 4 young Mute Swans and single juvenile,
M&F Mandarin Ducks, Grey Wagtail,
Barnacle Goose with 50+ Canada Geese
Morrisons car park – 1140
Pied Wagtail
22nd January 2024
Alsager Road field after Whitehall Farm – 1100
80+ mixed flock of Redwings and Fieldfares but flighty, Common Buzzard in field next vets
Borrow Pit Meadows – 1130
2 males and 2 females Goosanders on pool
Nantwich Lake -1400
2 ads and 4 young Mute Swans,
over 200+ various gulls, very windy and strong sun facing me, unable to id any!!
22nd January 2024
A single Woodcock flushed along the brook at Lea Forge Wybunbury this morning.
21st January 2024
The SECOS trip to Martin Mere may have been cancelled but we still have the River Dane in Congleton.
Beyond the park; Treecreeper
Dane riverside walk – opposite the flats; Kingfisher – ♂ Perched with a fish, banging the fish on a branch then flying downsteeam.
Dane riverside walk – road bridge; Grey Wagtail – Flying just below the roadbridge
Dane riverside walk – the rise to Dane Street; Mandarin Duck – ♂; seen when looking upstream. Pam saw the ♀ as well
River Dane – Steamboat; Siskin – also seen from the Steamboat car park
River Dane – Steamboat car park; Goosander – ♀ Flying upstream Dipper – Flying upstream
21st January 2024
A Merlin and a Buzzard dicing over the wood at Doddington this morning was a clear highlight.Also the female Stonechat by the feeder stream,around 20 each of Lapwing and Meadow Pipits,23 Shoveler,4 Pochard,16 Teal,6 Goldeneye and just 1 Little Grebe.We didn’t count the Tufted as Colin had already done so!!Also good to meet up and chat with Paul.
20th January 2024
This is the weekend for the BTO winter gull survey so a visit this evening gave a total of 2000 bh gull; 600 lbb gull and 10 herring gull, numbers much reduced from previous years. The pool was still 90% iced and all the birds were standing on the ice, adjacent to open water. Their physiology is such that they can easily cope with feet only just above freezing standing on ice, better than in freezing water!! A good variety of waterbirds with 76 tufted, 29 shoveler and up to 10 each of shelduck, goldeneye, pochard, wigeon, mallard and teal.
17th January 2024
Nantwich Lake – 1115
2 ad and 4 juvenile Mute Swans, 2 Common Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser blacked-back Gulls
and flicking the leaf matter a Song Thrush
100 Canada Geese in fields between River Weaver and railway line
Salt Line Way – 1245
Alsager Road in fields after farm
40+ mixed flock Fieldfares and Redwings
Salt Line Way
M&F Bullfinches
Borrow Pit Meadows
6+ Siskins in trees near pool
16th January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1130
50+ Canada Geese and amongst them a Barnacle Goose
2 adult and 4 juvenile Mute Swans plus single juvenile Mute Swan, also with them Black Swan
M&F Mandarin Ducks
12th January 2024
a WeBS count at Doddington this morning gave tufted, wigeon, teal, goldeneye, goosander but all in low numbers. Best birds were the pair of stonechats still near the sailing club and a great white egret that flew up and perched near the top of the tallest tree.
11th January 2024
Alsager Road, field after Whitehall Farm – 1130
40+ mixed flock of Fieldfares and Redwings
Salt Line Way
5 Long-tailed Tits and Great Spotted Woodpecker
Borrow Pit Meadows
Great and Blue Tits, 4 Jays, 2 Magpies, Blackbird plus 8 Robins to food by pool
Common Buzzard and Raven over
10th January 2024
Congleton – River Dane: Grey Wagtail; Dipper; M and F Mandarin Duck; Kingfisher
9th January 2024
A pair of Stonechats in the horse paddock on Wybunbury Moss this morning as well as a mixed flock of twenty Siskin and Redpoll.Also of note Bullfinch and 2 Ravens over.
9th January 2024
Queen’s Park Crewe – 1330
2 Mute Swans + 4 grown up young, single juvenile Mute Swan and Black Swan
M and F Goosander, M and F Mandarin Ducks
9th January 2024
Alsager Road (turn where the old Hollybush pub used to be) between Whitehall Farm, on your left and the Vets – 1100
80+ mixed flock of Fieldfares and Redwings in fields to your left, also 2 Common Buzzards
Borrow Pit Meadows
2 Robins and a Blackbird to food by bench
also M&F Bullfinches
8th January 2024
Salt Line Way – 1120
9 Long-tailed Tits
Borrow Pit Meadows
2 F 1 M Goosanders on pool
13 Magpies on a bungalow roof in our avenue in Crewe this morning!!
8th January 2024
At Doddington this morning 16 Whooper Swans were present and flew off within 10 minutes of sighting.
6th January 2024
great white egret on the Lemon Pool (from Bill K)
6th January 2024
Congleton
Dane riverside walk – the rise to Dane Street: Mandarin Duck ♂ ♀
River Dane – Steamboat car park: Dipper
5th January 2024
This has to be our best year for Pinkfeet with another 85 over Lea Forge this morning and a Peregrine on a distant pylon.
4th January 2024
Poolside this afternoon
GW Egret 1
Little egret 9
Egyptian Geese 2
Snipe 7
Mandarin pair
Tuffties pair
Goosander 8
Greylag. 40 +
Canada 3
GC Grebe 2
Heron 4
Cormorant 2
4th January 2024
At Doddington this afternoon, a flock of 200 fieldfare, 120 starling and 15 chaffinch feeding in the maize stubble. Also 1 stonechat by the sailing club
2nd January 2024
A good start at Rode Pool this morning with 18 little egrets feeding in the field opposite Poolside, and on the pool 2 great egrets, 11 goosander and 38 greylag
1st January 2024
Congleton
Beyond the park; Cormorant Flying
Dane riverside walk – between the rubble and rise; Mandarin Duck ♂ ♀
River Dane – between the park bridges; Goosander 2 ♀♀
River Dane – Rood Hill roadbridge; Grey Wagtail
River Dane – Steamboat car park; Kingfisher Flying upstream
1st January 2024
Barn Owl along David Whitby Way at 12.25 am … first tick of the New Year