Asking for Lake District Birdwatching Suggestions (2 Viewers)

[maplekong]

Hello, my name is Maple Kong and I am currently living in Northern Ireland. I've lived here all my life and have recently really started to get to know the birds here. And now the entire family is moving to Manchester for a scholarship me and my siblings received. My parents know I'm rather upset; it seems unfair that as soon as I've started birdwatching in our countryside and unmanaged (in a good way) parks and woodland, we'll be moving a huge city. They are thinking of going on a three to four day trip to the Lake District, which is one and a half hours away from Manchester. One of my siblings is in Year 2, so we might not be able to tackle terrain that is too steep, etc.

I would like some suggestions on where to go, at what time, and maybe a list of species I could look out for. We will be in Manchester by July. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Whereabouts in the Lakes?

Also there can be good birding to be had in or near Greater Manchester.

 

[Farnboro John]

There's Leighton Moss on the way to the Lakes and as Stephen says, the Pennines are near Manchester to the East. Come to that the M62 will take you almost all the way to the East Coast fairly easily and North Wales is also an option in the other direction.

John

 

[maplekong]

Are there any specific species I could look out for when first coming to England? That would not be seen in Ireland.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Are there any specific species I could look out for when first coming to England? That would not be seen in Ireland.

Marsh and Willow Tit, Nuthatch. There's probably a few others.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Green woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Tawny, Little and Short-eared Owls, Black-necked Grebe (breed in Greater Manchester, but you need a permit).

 

[Mono]

The Lakes is a wonderful place, I live there! But it is not a great destination for pure birdwatching. The valley woodlands are great in spring, flycatchers, Redstart, warblers. Most of the uplands are however sheep trodden wastelands. All the good birding is on the fringes of Cumbria rather than in the park itself.

If you are coming from Manchester up to Lake District for a holiday then stopping en route at Leighton Moss and/or Foulshaw Moss for dedicated birding will lead more diversity than the National Park. By all means enjoy the lakes and fells for their own pleasures, you may very well see interesting birds as well.

 

[maplekong]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I'll be looking out for those species, and will definitely visit Leighton and Foulshaw Moss, they look like a really exciting place for birds.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Pennington Flash is worth a look.

There are Ring-necked Parakeets around Stockport .

 

[Bewick]

If you are going to the Lake District then watch out for ospreys.

Also being in a major city might seem disappointing but they can be pretty great for birding. As someone with family in a major Uk city, that goes there often- I have managed all European of species of grebes and rarer waterfowl like greater scaups in local reservoirs. They are also great stopping points for for the less common migrating passerines such as ring ouzels, northern wheatears, common redstarts, pied flycatchers etc. Local parks in major cities in the Uk are also great for the non-native birds species; ring necked parakeets, red crested Pochards, mandarin ducks etc. Local parks can also be great for leaf, acro, sylvid warblers. There also usually quite a few good reserves on the edges of major cities such as Rainham for London- which are great for various species of terns, waders, pipits and even sometimes attract rare vagrants.

During the easter holidays I had a slav grebe, red necked grebe, greater scaup, ring ouzel and northern wheatears within 5 miles of my parents house. Two black crowned night herons, an alpine swift, a marsh warbler all turned up within 15 miles from my area. Cities can be pretty great for birding! Watch out for sand martins, house martins, barn swallows and swifts also seem to like cities. The birding communities in cities are also pretty cool and helpful!

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

Yes urban parks can be very rewarding, I go around a lot of them in the Greater Glasgow area. Even if the species count is low it can be interesting. In May a lot of them were allowed to wild over (No Mow May etc) and were positively meadow-like

 

[maplekong]

If you are going to the Lake District then watch out for ospreys.

Also being in a major city might seem disappointing but they can be pretty great for birding. As someone with family in a major Uk city, that goes there often- I have managed all European of species of grebes and rarer waterfowl like greater scaups in local reservoirs. They are also great stopping points for for the less common migrating passerines such as ring ouzels, northern wheatears, common redstarts, pied flycatchers etc. Local parks in major cities in the Uk are also great for the non-native birds species; ring necked parakeets, red crested Pochards, mandarin ducks etc. Local parks can also be great for leaf, acro, sylvid warblers. There also usually quite a few good reserves on the edges of major cities such as Rainham for London- which are great for various species of terns, waders, pipits and even sometimes attract rare vagrants.

During the easter holidays I had a slav grebe, red necked grebe, greater scaup, ring ouzel and northern wheatears within 5 miles of my parents house. Two black crowned night herons, an alpine swift, a marsh warbler all turned up within 15 miles from my area. Cities can be pretty great for birding! Watch out for sand martins, house martins, barn swallows and swifts also seem to like cities. The birding communities in cities are also pretty cool and helpful!

Will keep an eye out for anything interesting! Thanks for your help