South Manchester Parks - 13th & 14th March

Didsbury has several well-kept Parks all within walking distance of each other - Didsbury Park, Fog Lane Park, Fletcher Moss Gardens and Stenner Woods which adjoins the River Mersey. At this time of the year these Parks are great places to see Redwings in small flocks feeding prior to setting off on their migration north. Mistle Thrushes are singing and nest building, as are Wrens, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Donnocks, Robins and Great-Spotted Woodpeckers. Lesser Celandine is now in full flower as well as Marsh Marigold. Goosanders sit together in pairs on the River Mersey and a fly-by Kingfisher was seen in Stenner Woods.

Redwing

Wren

Wren

Mistle Thrush

Dunnock

Male Goosander

Lesser Celandine

Marsh Marigold

Robin

Didsbury & River Mersey - 1st-8th March

The very first signs of Spring as the temperatures slowly move into double figures and the heavy rain is replaced by sunshine and showers. The Black-headed Gulls are gradually moulting into summer plumage, with their dark brown caps, as are the Great Crested Grebes on Chorlton Water. Mistle Thrushes are singing from the tops of trees and Chaffinches have begun to sing. Blackthorn is in full flower and Hawthorn leaves are emerging with the flower to follow later. Sallow is flowering along the River Mersey and Garlic leaves have appeared in profusion with the promise of flower to come. The delicate yellow Lesser Cellandine is in flower alongside the equally attractive Coltfoot. Goosanders numbers on the River Mersey between Didsbury and Cheadle are ca. 10 with several pairs of Grey Wagtail also seen. On Sunday 8th March I heard a Chiffchaff singing and a Blackcap practising its warbling song - and the first butterfly of the year in Didsbury for me - a Comma basking in the sun (12 degrees centigrade). This is the beginning of a new year for wildlife.

Great Crested Grebe

Mistle Thrush

Female Goosander

Male Chaffinch

Cormorant

Comma

Sallow

Sallow

Ivy

Cranesbill

Blue Tit

Blackthorn

Hawthorn

Alder

Coltsfoot

Grey Wagtail