Birding in Crewe & Nantwich (1 Viewer)

[bobblejack]

Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations for good places for birdwatching in the Crewe and Nantwich area in Cheshire. What birds can I expect to see. This probably sounds like a daft question but I have not done serious 'birdwatching' before.

 

[smyrna]

Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations for good places for birdwatching in the Crewe and Nantwich area in Cheshire. What birds can I expect to see. This probably sounds like a daft question but I have not done serious 'birdwatching' before.

Sandbach Flashes is THE place in SE Cheshire. All the birders there are friendly and will point out all the species for you.
Take the A534 from Crewe to Sandbach, turn left onto Elton lane this takes
you onto Clay lane keep on driving and you will come to Pumphouse flash on the left and Elton Hall flash on the right, park on the verge opposite Elton Hall
Flash & the viewpoint is accessed from a gate to the right.
It may be a bit quiet at present but next month the waders should start turning up - Green Sands, Black tailed Godwits, Ruff etc....
Hope this helps.

 

[bobblejack]

Thanks for that. I'll give it a try.

 

[Stanbo]

Have a look at cawos.org

Stan

 

[Wildmoreway]

Worth a look at Marbery Mere and Osmere, both in the Whitchurch (Shropshire) area and not too far from Crewe. You might also be able to get close to some heathland type species at Prees heath which is only about 15 miles from Crewe. You will often see Great Crested Grebes and Tufted Duck on Winterley Pool which is about three miles from Crewe alongside the Crewe Road and there is a quiet lane just at the Crewe end of the pool where you will often see birds such as Treecreepers. Other places worth a look are the Municipal cemetary in Badger Aveneue (Tree Creepers and Nuthatches), The path alongside the stream from Joey The Swan in Church Lane towards Wistaston Green Lane, and the the area alongside the valley brook at the Electra Way on the Crewe gates Farm industrial estate (Kingfishers). Finally Sound Common (Jays). Lots more places close to Crewe as well.

 

[bobblejack]

Thanks for that. Quite a few places for me to try my hand. Always wanted to see a kingfisher so maybe I'll get lucky.

 

[bobblejack]

Sandbach Flashes is THE place in SE Cheshire. All the birders there are friendly and will point out all the species for you.
Take the A534 from Crewe to Sandbach, turn left onto Elton lane this takes
you onto Clay lane keep on driving and you will come to Pumphouse flash on the left and Elton Hall flash on the right, park on the verge opposite Elton Hall
Flash & the viewpoint is accessed from a gate to the right.
It may be a bit quiet at present but next month the waders should start turning up - Green Sands, Black tailed Godwits, Ruff etc....
Hope this helps.

Visited here today. What a fabulous place! Saw plenty of birds and the local birders are friendly. I will definitely be returning on a regular basis.

 

[bobblejack]

Finally seen my first kingfisher at Elton Flash. Could not believe my luck. Just been watching some black-headed gulls which had flown off, looking around generally and put my eye back on the 'scope and there it was. I was amazed and thrilled. This birdwatching business is pretty good, ain't it! :clap:

 

[amears]

Nice one, BJ. I learnt my birding in Cheshire, often at Hurleston Res. Kingfishers were always present on the surrounding canals early morning and I had my first GC Grebes, Reed Buntings and Wheatears with glamour added now and then from Black Tern, SE Owl and the like. See if you can access the old sludge beds to the east - always good for warblers and used to hold wintering Jack Snipe though they won't now if sludge is no longer dumped...

You have Frodsham and the Wirral just up the road, Buxton and the moors to the east (spring and summer) and N Wales no distance away (Hawfinches in Halkyn churchyard en route).

Have fun,
Andy.

 

[bobblejack]

Been a bit lucky recently. Don't get to Sandbach Flashes as often as I would like and only for an hour or so when I do get there. Was there a few weeks ago and was absolutely thrilled when an Osprey turned up and perched for about ten minutes while it ate its fish which it must have caught elsewhere. It really put a smile on my face.
Have now ordered a new Opticron HR66 scope with SDLv2 eyepiece which I am hoping will arrive tomorrow. This will be an improvement on the GS665 non ED with HR 27× fixed focus which I am currently using.

 

[bobblejack]

Got my new HR66 scope (from Uttings, excellent delivery service) yesterday. Tried it out locally and comparing it to the GS665 is like the difference between night and day. The clarity and sharpness is amazing. It possibly is not as good as the top brands but I would imagine the difference in quality is not justified by the difference in price. I am really pleased with it and would recommend it wholeheartedly. I also found I could take acceptable photos with my phone camera just by holding it on the eyepiece. That's good enough for me for taking record shots for identification purposes.

 

[jforgham]

Glad your happy with your good scope. I used to live in Frodsham in the 1960's and birded the Marsh there in my early youth. Worth a trip every now and again to get used to some species you may not be too familiar with. See http://frodshammarshbirdblog.wordpress.com/ fir regular updates that may tempt you a little further afield. You are well located for some cracking birding. All the best.
regards,
Jono

 

[bobblejack]

Glad your happy with your good scope. I used to live in Frodsham in the 1960's and birded the Marsh there in my early youth. Worth a trip every now and again to get used to some species you may not be too familiar with. See http://frodshammarshbirdblog.wordpress.com/ fir regular updates that may tempt you a little further afield. You are well located for some cracking birding. All the best.
regards,
Jono

Thanks for that, Jono. I'll give it a try sometime. I'm sure I've seen that area mentioned in one of the "Where to watch birds" books.