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| Long-tailed Tit gathering moss at Sale Water Park.
After what seems like several months a couple of days of sunshine created an ideal opportunity to dust the bike off and head off down the Trans-Pennine Trail towards Sale Water Park. Feeling a little bit unsure of how wise it was to go cycling with an expensive camera and lens in the rucksack I was relieved to find large sections of the route had been re-surfaced. |
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| One of the birds that has really benefitted from the recent run of mild winters always great to watch the Long-tailed Tits flitting through the trees and scrub. |
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| On a totally different scale for a few months each year the Grey Heron takes to the trees. With their huge wingspan and bill clapping there’s an almost prehistoric atmosphere within the Heronry. Trying to photograph them proved interesting with focusing through the branches being somewhat challenging. |
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| The unmistakeable leaves of Giant Hogweed growing on the banks of the River Mersey next to Chorlton Water Park.
In a typical display of bureaucratic incompetence despite emails and phone calls neither Highways England or their maintenance contractors – Balfour Beatty Mott McDonald could be bothered to treat the Giant Hogweed found growing last summer in the central reservation of the A5103/Princess Parkway. Apparently there’s no “safe access.” Strange how the police never seem to have this problem when they park up practically next to the plants and set up speed traps. Unfortunately thanks to the storm drains the Hogweed is now spreading downstream. This one has now been treated however I’ll be surprised if more don’t appear during the summer. |