A few highlights from a couple of hours spent on the local patch. Seems like a long time ago when up to 400 Pochard descended on Chorlton Water Park during the winter months. Unfortunately in recent years the numbers have fallen dramatically to circa 50. It does however make finding the occasional Scaup far easier.
Don’t think I’ll be winning any photo competitions with this one. For a brief moment the Scaup fell asleep and drifted out from beneath the overhanging vegetation before waking up and rapidly swimming back into cover.
Male Bullfinch across the river in Kenworthy Wood enjoying the rapidly swelling buds on the Blackthorn and Willow. Great to see a family party of 7 birds feeding together.
Plenty of male catkins appearing on the Hazel. Normally a couple of weeks ahead of the tiny red female flowers that later develop into nuts.
A few more signs of life with fresh Turkeytail fungi and Jelly Ear appearing and Blackthorn and Gorse coming into flower.