Mandarin sitting in tree

What with the winter weather, a couple of health issues and a work overload it’s been a while since I last went out for a day’s birding.

Broody coot on nest

Anyway, encouraged by the BBC weather broadcast I took myself off to Etherow County Park for the day and had a great time.

Just a colourful mallard duck

It wasn’t the weather, which failed to live up to expectations, and I saw no special birds to be excited over, but it was just nice to be in the open air. I really appreciated the meaning of the expression ‘potter around’.

closeup of one of many Greylag geese

I didn’t keep a list as I walked around but tried to recap on the bus on the way home. I think I saw the following: barn swallow, black-headed gull, blackbird, blackcap, blue tit, buzzard, Canada goose, carrion crow, chaffinch, coot, cormorant, dunnock, gray heron, great tit, greater spotted woodpecker, grey wagtail, greylag goose, house sparrow, jay, magpie, mallard (incl. hybrids), mandarin, moorhen, mute swan, nuthatch, pink-footed goose, robin , starling, tree sparrow, tufted duck, white-throated dipper, wood pigeon, wren.

There were a couple of dipper down by the river

That’s 33 species, but I’ve probably forgotten a few. And there were quite a few feral and semi-feral domestic ducks and geese around too.

Domestic goose enjoying playing at being wild

Great to out birding again, and hope to repeat the event soon.

Crow watching the world go by