Page 30 - Real Rochdale Issue 05 Summer 2019
P. 30

Birds at                                                                                                                                                                       Keep an eye open on buoys and
                                                                                                                                                                                                      posts in the water on which

                       Hollingworth Lake                                                                                                                                                              they like to rest.


                                                                                by IAN KIMBER                                                                                                         In the surrounding woodland,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      one of the commonest, yet most
          Hollingworth Lake, nestled in the Pennine foothills, is well-known as a local attraction,                                                                                                   beautiful birds, is the goldfinch.
          drawing visitors far and wide to walk its circumference, enjoy an ice-cream or coffee, or
          generally spend an enjoyable day out with the family in beautiful countryside.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Look carefully and you may
                                                                                                                                                                                                      see a plump and rosy bullfinch,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      and keep an eye out overhead
          Hundreds of mallard,                                                                                                                                                                        for birds of prey - kestrels,
          Canada geese, black-headed                                                                                                                                                                  sparrowhawks and buzzards are
          gulls and the odd mute swan                                                                                                                                                                 all present in the area, but tend
          will approach almost within                                                                                                                                                                 not to stay around too long for
          touching distance when                                                                  Black-headed gull                                                                                   careful observation. Sometimes
          visitors at the rowing  club                                                                                                                                                                you may find a kestrel perched
          car park offer bread and                                                                                                                                                                    atop a tree, but sparrowhawks
          titbits by the water’s edge.                                                                                                                                                                will dash by in an instant,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      whereas buzzards can be seen
          Beyond this, most casual                                                                                                                                                                    soaring overhead.
          visitors will likely not notice                Goosander                                                                                                     Goldfinch
          the wide variety of other                                                                                                                                                                   With regular observation, it is
          bird species that can been                                                                                                                                                                  possible to see around 100 bird
          countered with regular and                                                                                                                                                                  species around the Lake itself,
          careful observation.                                                                                                                                                                        and over the years, the reserve
                                                                                                                                                                                                      has attracted the occasional
          To see the best birds,                                                                                                                                                                      major rarity, bringing twitchers
          typically you need to be an                                                                                                                                                                 from far and wide.
          early riser.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      In 1983, a collared pratincole
          The Lake acts as a cross-                                                                                                                                                                   from southern Europe was a
          Pennine resting point for                                                                                                                                                                   superb find for a local birder.
          migrating ducks and swans,
          but these are wary beasts                                                                                                                                                                   In 1993 another southern
          and will be off in an instant                                                                                                                                                               visitor, black-winged stilt
          as soon as any boats are out                   Kingfisher                                                                 Common tern                         Kestrel                       appeared, but stayed for only a
          on the water.                                                                                                                                                                               few minutes.
                                          of these), there is a fair chance    will sometimes perch on handy                    as tufted duck or goosander,      However, there is still the
          Watch out for wild whooper      of them being common scooter,        branches over the water.                         both regular species.             opportunity to see something        In November 2010, an
          swans with their straight       a marine species that breeds in                                                                                         spectacular.                        American pied-billed grebe had
          necks and yellow bills. From    northern Europe and Russia.          In spring and summer, watch out                  In spring, great-crested                                              twitchers descending from all
          late autumn until spring,                                            for common sandpipers, bobbing                   grebes will perform their         If you look carefully among         over the country.
          a bevy of swans seen out        Visit the nature reserve in the      as they search for invertebrates                 head-shaking, weed-carrying       the flying black-headed
          in the middle of the water      south-east corner, and you           along the water’s edge.                          breeding ritual.                  gulls, you may find a more          More recently, a ghostly
          could well be this enigmatic    will find a small enclosed pool                                                                                         graceful version, likely to be a    glaucous gull from the high
          species, en route to or from    surrounded by willows, and a         Lapwings (aka Peewits, after                     Summer is a time for              wandering common tern.              Arctic spent much of the winter
          their Icelandic breeding        visitor’s hide where you can         their plaintive call) are common,                breeding species, and things                                          here in 2018.
          grounds.                        sometimes get close views of         but a close encounter reveals                    quieten down from a birder’s      These elegant species, with
                                          wading birds.                        how beautiful their plumage                      perspective, as the local birds   their black caps, pointed wings     Whatever the time of year,
          Keep an eye open too, for                                            really is.                                       get down to rearing their         and long, forked tails, are a joy   there’s always something to see.
          odd ducks – if you see an       If you are especially lucky, a                                                        young, busy with collecting       to watch as they dive into the
          all-black duck with a yellow    fleeting glimpse of cyan and         In winter, you may get closer to                 nesting material or food for      water in search of small fish.      Dust off your binoculars and
          bill (or even a small group     orange, the kingfisher, which        some of the diving ducks, such                   their brood.                                                          see what you can find.

          REAL ROCHDALE - Summer 2019                       30                                                                                                                    31                    REAL ROCHDALE - Summmer 2019
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