This log is taken when I go running along a stretch of the river mersey from northenden down to chorlton water park and beyond to sale water park, plus on scouting walks where I record sightings of any wildlife.

There is a detailed kingfisher log here goldeneye, goosander (male and female) - on level with chorlton water park
10:10 1 x common thrush - flying northeast across river 100 metres from princess parkway bridge
11:00 1 x greater spotted woodpecker - on poplar trees on south bank just on level with chorlton water park
barnacle canada goose cross hybrd, black-headed gull, canada goose, coot, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, tufted duck (male and female)
tufted duck (male), great crested grebe, goldeneye
17:20 1 x barn owl - floating 1 metre above upper bank of river, starting from west bend of playing fields following bank, flying south-east, diving twice into long grass. barely rained for two weeks. 09:15 2 x goosander (female) - on level with chorlton water park
no sightings 08:20 1 x goosander (female) - 50 metres east of princess parkway bridge
no sightings 08:10 3 x goosander (female) - 350 metres east of darley avenue bend
08:15 2 x goosander (female) - east end bend of playing fields
09:20 2 x pied wagtail - 200 metres east of jacksons boat bridge
09:20 1 x grey wagtail - 200 metres east of jacksons boat bridge
09:30 4 x goosander (female) - 50 metres east of princess parkway bridge
also cormorant, grey heron 14:00 1 x little grebe - west end of playing fields
14:40 1 x fox - darley avenue
09:25 2 x goosander (female) - 150 metres east of princess parkway
09:45 1 x little grebe - playing fields pied wagtail, grey wagtail, cormorant, grey heron - pied and grey seen together. All the above seen between princess parkway bridge and northenden bridge. 08:40 1 x goosander (female) - playing fields flying very fast west to east
grey wagtail, cormorant, grey heron 08:55 1 x goosander (female) - fridays
09:55 1 x little grebe - 200 metres west of princess parkway
10:00 1 x goosander (female) - 200 metres east of princess parkway
grey wagtail, pied wagtail, cormorant, grey heron
09:02 1 x goosander (female) - 100 metres from northenden bridge
09:52 58 x coot - on sale water park
09:55 2 x pied wagtail - east end of playing fields
grey wagtail, saw no great blue heron or cormorants - very unusual. Alot more mallard than normal (male and female) between princess parkway bridge and northenden bridge and yes I did see 58 coot!
08:38 - 1 x goosander (female) - princess parkway
also grey wagtail, cormorant, moorhen, goosander cormorant, great blue heron, goosander (female) three separate occasions, 15 x cormorant together in middle of sale water park 09:08 48 x coot - on sale water park
09:11 18 x cormorant - on sale water park
goosander (female) three separate occasions, great blue heron hunting in high river banks 08:55 1 x goosander (female) - 100 metres north of northenden
09:10 1 x little grebe - 100 metres west of princess parkway
10:30 6 x coot - on sale water park 10:46 1 x goldeneye (male) - 70 metres north of fridays
11:02 1 x goosander (female) - 50 metres west of princess parkway. took off flying east
11:36 38 x coot - on sale water park
12:05 1 x little grebe - east end of playing fields
12:13 2 x goldeneye (male) - 50 metres north of fridays
12:13 1 x goosander (female) - 50 metres north of fridays
first goldeneye of the season run from northenden bridge to princess parkway bridge. Saw 2 x male goldeneye, 1 x goosander female 09:05 1 x goosander (female) - east end of playing fields
09:08 3 x goosander (1 male, 3 female) - west end of playing fields, male 50 metres from females
09:09 1 x goosander (female) - 200 metres from princess parkway bridge. took off west
first male goosander spotted for this season 08:13 1 x cross hybrid possibly barnacle with canada - darley avenue bend
09:13 1 x goosander (female) - on level with substation
09:17 5 x goosander (1 male, 4 female) - 400 metres west of princess parkway
09:24 1 x cross hybrid possibly barnacle with canada - playing fields
cross hybrid on its own at 08:13, but with many canada geese at 09:24. Had back markings on head bit like Barnacle though not as defined. Feathers seemed more downy then feathered. Bright yellow feet. male goosander with its posse of females 14:44 1 x cross hybrid possibly barnacle with canada - darley avenue bend
14:47 2 x goosander (male and female) - west end of playing fields
15:34 1 x goosander (female) - behind barlow tip
15:36 1 x goosander (female)
15:44 2 x goosander (male) - 350 metres west of princess parkway
15:44 1 x little grebe - 350 metres west of princess parkway
15:51 1 x cross hybrid possibly barnacle with canada - east end of playing fields
not seen two male goosander together before this season. hybrid on its own 08:20 - 1 x goosander (male) - northenden bridge
08:23 - 1 x goldeneye (male) - 250 metres from northenden
09:56 - 3 x goldeneye (2 male, 1 female) - fridays
10:48 - 1 x cross hybrid possibly barnacle with canada - darley avenue bend 07:31 2 x goosander (male and female) - fridays
07:31 1 x little grebe - fridays
07:42 3 x goosander (2 male, 1 female) - 350 metres east of princess parkway
07:47 1 x cross hybrid possibly barnacle with canada - 250 metres west of princess parkway
08:42 1 x goldeneye (male) - behind west end of chorlton water park
08:42 2 x goosander (female) - behind west end of chorlton water park
08:45 1 x cross hybrid possibly barnacle with canada - 350 metres west of princess parkway
08:48 2 x goosander (male and female) - 100 metres east of princess parkway
hybrid happily mingling with canada geese on both occasions 08:00 1 x little grebe - northenden bridge
08:24 3 x goosander (male) - on level with chorlton water park
08:24 5+ tufted duck - on level with chorlton water park
09:19 1 x little grebe - princess parkway 08:05 - 3 x goldeneye (1 male, 2 female) - princess parkway
08:15 - 9 x goosander (4 male, 5 female) - on level with chorlton water park 10:41 1 x goldeneye (female) - northenden bridge
10:52 1 x goosander (female) - between northenden and princess parkway
11:14 2 x teal (male and female) - 100 metres east of jacksons boat bridge
11:37 1 x goosander (female) - on level with sale water park
12:01 7 x goldeneye (5 male, 2 female) - between princess parkway and northenden
12:06 1 x goosander (male) - between princess parkway and northenden
12:06 1 x little grebe - between princess parkway and northenden
12:07 1 x goosander (female) - between princess parkway and northenden 08:41 1 x goosander (male) - between northenden and princess parkway
08:52 3 x goosander (2 male, 1 female) - between northenden and princess parkway
08:58 5 x goldeneye (1 male, 4 female) - on level with chorlton water park
09:33 65 x coot - on sale water park
09:53 3 x goosander (2 male, 1 female) - between princess parkway and northenden
0958 1 x goosander (male) - between northenden and princess parkway
10:03 2 x little grebe - between northenden and princess parkway - not togther but about 50 metres apart
10:37 8 x goldeneye (4 male, 4 female) - back of chorlton water park
10:57 40 x coot - sale water park
11:17 1 x little grebe - between princess parkway and northenden
11:18 2 x goosander (male and female) - between princess parkway and northenden Have been on 15 runs along the river mersey between these dates. Have also visited chorlton water park a few times for photography. Through Dec, Jan and Feb numbers of goosander and goldeneye remained steady. In March possibly after first week, goldeneye disappeared. Have now noticed last couple of weeks of March that a few pairs of tufted ducks have become present on the river mersey just on level with chorlton water park. They were found throughout the winter on chorlton water park. Maybe they get bullied off the river when the goldeneye are present. The goosander are still present at the end of March though not as many as in Dec/Jan/Feb. great crested grebe - no courting
6+ great crested grebe - courting ritual
6+ tufted duck, (male and female)
2+ pochard
6+ great crested grebe
6+ great crested grebe - courting rituals, vicious fighting, one male trying to drown the other
2 x herons - flying highish over chorlton water park 6+ coot - performing courting ritual and males chasing competitors away
6+ great crested grebe - courting ritual
6+ great crested grebe - courting ritual
08:50 2 x tufted duck (male and female) - on level with chorlton water park
09:00 1 x little grebe and great blue heron - between princess parkway and northenden
At chorlton water park no signs of great crested grebe displaying anymore so from my observations, I became aware of the courting ritual on 19th of March and the last I saw was on the 29th of March. More than likely started before the 19th and finished after the 29th. Also the coots don't seem to be around whereas they had also been displaying about the same time. coot were displaying on 1st of April at Tatton park but not on the 11th of April. great Blue Heron had chicks in their nests on 11th of April. I must go and see them building their nests next year. Probably a month or more before. 10:15 1 x goosander (female) - near chorlton water park bridge
11:15 1 x goosander (female) - near northenden bridge
09:20 6 x goosander (female) - 50 metres from princess parkway bridge, east side
10:10 4 x goosander (female) - 50 metres from princess parkway bridge, east side
also quite a few grey wagtail along river mersey, a great crested grebe on sale and chorlton water parks, woodpecker over golf course opposite darley avenue 08:50 4 x goosander (female) - 100 metres from princess parkway bridge, east side - 3 flew off towards northenden
11:15 1 x goldeneye (female) - on river directly on level with chorlton water park
12:00 1 x Kestrel - hovering over barlow tip drifting over river
12:00 1 x goldeneye (female) - on river directly on level with chorlton water park, likely same one as 11:15
also grey wagtail, great blue heron. first sighting of goldeneye for this season. after migration flight? heard woodpecker 250 metres south of darley avenue on golf course. 10:40 1 x goosander (female) - 100 metres east of princess parkway bridge
10:55 1 x goosander (female) - jacksons boat
11:35 1 x goosander (female) - playing fields, probably same one as 10:40
many grey wagtail along the way, one pied wagtail 08:15 3 x goosander (female) - 100 metres east of princess parkway bridge
08:30 5+ grey wagtail, 5+ pied wagtail - playing fields, in group chasing each other for ten minutes 10:05 30+ x coot - sale water park
11:37 1 + 1 + 1 x great crested grebe - each on their own on chorlton water park
12:06 20+ x coot - sale water park
12:07 1 x great crested grebe - gorgeous juvenile in lovely plummage