Details of January sightings compiled by John Thompson will appear on the Monthly Sightings page.
In the meantime, if you spot anything of interest record here by adding a comment.
South East Cheshire Ornithological Society
South East Cheshire Ornithological Society
19th January 2021
At the Borrow Pit Meadows this morning I was pleased to see four bullfinches, with a pair and two separate females. The first I have seen here for several months. Also a female goosander and 25 redwing feeding. Yesterday Chris had siskin and redpoll here and two tawny owls hooting around mid-day on the Salt Line.
18th January 2021
This mornings walk on Macon Meadows started off similar to others in the past week or two: the Stock Doves have started courting. For the last 2 days a Song Thrush has been belting out and Moorhen forced onto the fields with the stream swollen. As I walked past some vegetation below the block of flats, I must have disturbed a female Sparrowhawk, as it flew out and low down past the flats. Later I noticed a couple of agitated Magpies – they were buzzing a Sparrowhawk high in the trees. It, a male, flew out of the trees and over my head towards the Fire Station only to come back into view moments later but this time a lot higher. It was being chased by a very plucky finch! Plenty of leave litter but nothing other than a couple Blackbird foraging – I’ve had the odd Redwing occasionally lately. It was nice to see c4 Bullfinch in a tree by the gym. Usually, I only hear them. The only other bird of note has been a Grey Wagtail, but I’ve only had that in flight since this winter.
18th January 2021
11 – 17 Jan
EHF/PHF: Shelduck, Shoveler, Wigeon, Goosander, L & GC Grebe, Curlew, Bl-t Godwit, Med, L Egret
MGT/RF: Jack & Common Snipe, Common Gull, Raven, Stonechat
CF: L Egret
FF: Goosander, Woodcock
GF: Water Rail, GW Egret, Cetti’s Warbler,
Moston: Raven, Grey Wagtail, L Redpoll, Siskin
Red Lane: Cetti’s Warbler
WLF: Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher
Alsager: Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
Astbury Mere: Pochard, Water Rail, L Grebe, Tawny Owl, Dusky Warbler
Brereton/Heath LNR: Barn Owl, Kingfisher
Church Lawton/Lawton Woods: Mandarin, Goosander, L Grebe, Kingfisher, Dipper
Doddington: Shoveler, Wigeon, Pintail, Pochard, Goldeneye, L Grebe
Elworth: Kingfisher, Peregrine
Lea Forge: Woodcock, Raven
Middlewich/Canal: Whooper Swan, Goosander, Woodcock
Queens Park: Barnacle, Mandarin, Goosander, L Owl
Rodeheath/Scholar Green: Stonechat, Yellowhammer
Wallhill: Shelduck
15th January 2021
Thick mist at Doddington early on restricted viewing but we could make out Goldeneye,Shoveler,Teal,Wigeon,Pochard,L Grebes and Tuftied Duck.A walk round at Lea Forge gave us just a calling Raven on the pylons until a flushed Woodcock saved the day.
12th January 2021
Rodeheath 2 Stonechats still 3rd field from Knutsford old rd on ground flooded area Scholar green 5 yellowhammers near Brickhouse area
11th January 2021
Lawton lake Dipper, 3 Goosander 2 drakes 3 Mandarin 2 drakes 4 little grebe
11th January 2021
4 – 10 Jan
EHF/PHF: Gadwall, Goldeneye, Water Rail, Golden Plover
MGT/RF: Pintail, Jack & Common Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Raven, Skylark, Cetti’s Warbler, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch, L Redpoll, Reed Bunting
FF: Woodcock, Tawny Owl, Siskin
FFF: L Egret, Chiffchaff
Rookery Bridge: Pink-footed Goose
WLF: Kingfisher
Astbury: Barn Owl
Astbury Mere: Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Pochard, Water Rail, L Grebe, Snipe, Common Gull
Brereton: Tree Sparrow
Checkley: R-l Partridge, Sparrowhawk, Skylark, Song Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Brambling, Linnet, L Redpoll, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
Church Lawton/Woods/Lake: Dipper
Congleton: Goosander, Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail
Crewe: Kingfisher, GS Woodpecker
Doddington: Mandarin, Shoveler, Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Pochard, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Common Gull, Tawny Owl, Linnet, Reed Bunting
Elworth: Sparrowhawk
Lawton Woods/Lake: Kingfisher, Dipper
Middlewich/Canal: Whooper Swan, Mandarin, Goosander, Sparrowhawk
Queens Park: Barnacle Goose, Mandarin, L Grebe, Med & Common Gull
Sandbach: Black Redstart
Winterley Pool: Goosander, Common Gull
Wybunbury Moss: Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail
8th January 2021
At Doddington this morning; a lot of birds on the water and in the surrounding fields. Best waterbirds were tufted 108; shoveler 24; wigeon 21; teal 13; goldeneye 8; pochard 6. Also in the fields good numbers of redwing, fieldfare, jackdaw, starling, chaffinch (140), reed bunting, linnet, stock dove but the best bird was probably the tawny owl heard hooting over by the church.
This is the third Tawny Owl I have heard in the past week, which is normal behaviour for this species. “The home range is typically established in the late autumn, and defended throughout the winter until the spring when breeding commences.” [info from the Barn Owl Trust]
7th January 2021
A good variety off Checkley Lane this morning,the highlights being 2 Yellowhammers,4 L.Redpoll and a single Brambling.Also Reed Buntings,M. Pipits around 200 Skylarks,Linnets,Sparrowhawk,Red-l Partridge,Song and winter Thrushes.Doddington was mostly frozen over but still Goldeneyes,Shovelers,Teal,Wigeon,Mandarin,Pochard,Little Grebes,Common and G.B. – Gulls and 2 more L. Redpoll
7th January 2021
a brief stop at Winterley Pool to watch the bread throwing (two full loaves in under five minutes — it’s a popular site!) but it did give me 3 goosander (2m + 1f) at the far end away from the ruckus. Also in the gulls – 70 black-headed; 2 common; 2 lesser black-backed and 1 herring
7th January 2021
Lawton lake waterfall 2 Dippers today and kingfisher yesterday regular with lake being Frozen
6th January 2021
2 Woodcock just before 5pm – from canal overlooking Fodens. Too cold to wait for more!
6th January 2021
6th January 2021
Went to Leighton Brook again as yesterday, and saw the Kingfisher three times, once in overhanging branch over the brook, and twice flying along brook,
the brook is pretty polluted and so it doesn’t freeze up.
Also Great Spotted Woodpecker in adjacent tree and a Common Gull amongst four Black-headed Gulls at the new cemetery.
Strangely this winter I’m yet to see a Fieldfare or a Redwing at any of the sites that I have been to!!
6th January 2021
Congleton Park: goosanders – 2 female and 3 males
Riverside walk: male kingfisher flying then perched – it caught a small fish and bashed it on its perch
River Dane from Aldi roundabout to the park:, grey wagtail, immature; 2 dippers just below the weir. We last saw dippers on the Dane on 29th November 2020.
5th January 2021
Congleton Park: female Goosander, male Kingfisher flying then perched, grey wagtail, immature – female above the weir near Congleton Park entrance.
5th January 2021
5th January 2021
Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail along Leighton Brook between Frank Webb Avenue and Minshull New Road this morning.
Not seen a Kingfisher here before. Didn’t have my camera with me!!!
4th January 2021
28 Dec – 3 Jan
EHF/PHF: Shelduck, Wigeon, Bl-t Godwit, Common & GB-b Gull, L Egret
MGT/RF: Water Rail, Jack Snipe, GB-b Gull, Raven, Stonechat
FF: Woodcock, Sparrowhawk, Raven, L Redpoll,
GF: Jack Snipe
Red Lane: Kingfisher, Cetti’s Warbler
WLF: Lapwing, Curlew, Sparrowhawk, Raven, Starling
Arclid: Shelduck, Meadow Pipit
Astbury Mere: Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard, Water Rail, L Grebe, Dusky Warbler, Siskin
Church Lawton/Woods/Lake: Dipper
Congleton: Goosander, Woodcock
Doddington: Mandarin, Shoveler, Wigeon, Pintail, Pochard, Goldeneye, L Grebe, Common Gull, Kestrel, Brambling, Linnet, L Redpoll
Haslington: Barn Owl
Lawton Woods: Dipper
Lea Forge: Sparrowhawk, Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch, L Redpoll
Middlewich/Canal: Whooper Swan, Mandarin, Goosander, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Sparrowhawk
Queens Park: L Grebe, Med Gull, Kingfisher
Sandbach: Greenfinch
Scholar Green: L Egret, Stonechat
Shavington: L Redpoll
3rd January 2021
The only new bird in at Doddington this morning was a single Shelduck and still a few G.B.B. Gulls on the ice.Over at Lea Forge 5 or 6 Redpoll were feeding with Goldfinch and Greenfinch,a male Sparrowhawk was perched up, low numbers of Meadow Pipits and Stock Doves and as we were leaving around 200 Pink- f Geese flew to the North,our best winter period ever for local sightings of these spectacular Geese.
2nd January 2021
On a late morning visit to my nearest patch, Macon Meadows, I noted Buzzard, Kingfisher, GS Woodpecker and while watching gulls overhead, a male Goosander flew through my line of sight – a bonus bird for me here. Plenty of thrush & finches foraging through the leaves covering the ground plus a pair of Bullfinch.
Incidentally, the weather forecast predicts a change in wind direction to NE and with a Waxwing reported in Macclesfield and 4 in Derbyshire, things are looking promising – so keep your eyes peeled on any berry-bearing vegetation.
2nd January 2021
Lawton lake waterfall 2 Dippers from causeway yesterday Kingfisher today
1st January 2021
Congleton Park – 1 male goosander and 2 females
1st January 2021
Dashed over to Rode Pool first thing to copy the logbook – very picturesque: snow and mist. The pool was frozen over, so nothing to see on there. I heard a GS Woodpecker drumming from the trees close to the Hall
1st January 2021
At Doddington this morning, bird numbers have increased as usual after a spell of freezing weather. I could only manage 8 goldeneye but other numbers were – wigeon 22; shoveler 21; tufted 95; teal 18; pochard 5; mandarin 1 male; little grebe 8; mute swan 7. Other birds included lapwing 45 (the first flock of the winter); redwing 30; woodpigeon 70; raven 2 over high and a lone skylark over very low; finally a flock of around 120 chaffinch but frustratingly the light was too bad to search for Brambling.