Saturday 23 March 2019,  09.15 to 13.30

Summary

Macclesfield Forest is a popular area for families and dog-walkers.  It also provides good birdwatching opportunities, with a variety of habitats.  Although there is no public access to much of the forest interior, there are circular walking routes of varying length on well-maintained paths and tracks.  Very little road walking is necessary with footpaths often separated from road traffic by a stone wall.

We gathered in the layby alongside Trentabank Reservoir, from where we had good views of the heronry and 3 Cormorant nests.  The weather was good – bright and sunny if a little cool at first. During the course of our visit we saw all six resident crow family members, including a Jay in the woodland and a Raven soaring above us.  Both times we passed the Visitor Centre we saw a treecreeper searching for food in the stone wall on the far side of the road.

We completed a circuit of the Ridgegate reservoir, starting through woodland to the south where we heard more birds than we saw.  There were 5 female Goosander just out of the water on the stone bank of the dam at the western end of the reservoir.

Returning to our cars, we drove to the car park at the eastern end of the Forest.  From here we walked up towards the top of the forest on the south side.  It was from here that we saw the Raven and several Curlew.

Thank you to all who came and made this such an enjoyable trip.

Members participating:       14

Bird list (43 species seen and/or heard)