Bird Identification

[Eve]

I've been spending quite a bit of time down the local park feeding the birds, a mixture of ducks, geese and gull. I know what some of the obvious ones are though thought it'd be good to find out some of the others.

I've been trying to upload some photos but neither tinypic or imageshack seem to be playing!

There are white geese and canada geese and the usual ducks but there are some little black birds, I thought they were coots but not sure. They have little bits of white on the edges of their wings and a little bit under their tail feathers and what look like feathers on their feet.

Some of the ducks are quite distintive as well. Will try and find another way of uploading some photos!

[Eve]

Ahhh I wondered if you'd see this! You've started off a bit of an obsession haha, been down there most days since you suggested it. I now have a hoard of photos on Facebook!

They have a Pet's Corner!!!! Whereabouts? I haven't seen one though have been mainly round the boating lake itself. I know they have one in Heaton Park as went for a wander round it a while back.

Thanks Milvus and Naz, it is number 1 as well, seem to have uploaded the photo twice!

I've had a google and think Naz has it with the Muscovy duck.

Thank you all so much for your help, it's really appreciated and lovely to know what they all are. There are children down there now and again and nice to be able to actually tell them something more than just handing over some of my goodies so they can feed them too, let them learn a bit more about their local park.

Saying that though, the last 2 families I have some goodies too didn't seem to speak much English so that might be a work in progress :)

[DrFilth]

it used to be very close to the lake , hart road side

[DrFilth]

http://www.plattfields.org/ecology.htm

[Milvus]

Well done Naz

[Eve]

Ah, that's the side I live and I use the Hart Road entrance to get in. Not much that side of the lake. I need to explore more, keep meaning to get to the Costume Museum. It was lovely down there, especially with the snow and the lake has been frozen over, was stunning a few days ago with mist lying over the ice.

Can't find any mention of a pet's corner :( Was an interesting sight down there earlier mind with an alsation running around with a blow up doll!

Great link, thank you, that would have saved me some time haha! Not seen any cormorants yet though so will have to look out for them. Used to see some when I lived round Salford Quays.

[DrFilth]

1960s The yachting lake sprang a leak and was too costly to repair. The paddling pool was closed as a result of fears of polio and the start of vandalism (broken glass - a scourge that began when bottles were no longer returnable) The swimming pool was also closed. In 1969(?) the Pets Corner opened, using the open air swimming pool as the duckpond.
1980s Many features closed or disbanded - flower borders, the bandstand, pitch and putt, some tennis courts. Park no longer locked at night; visitors allowed to 'walk on the grass'.
1993 Announcement of the impending closure of the Pets Corner (along with similar ones in two other parks) prompted an energetic campaign and the formation of the Pets Corner Action Group, to try and save the project. Following a very trying summer, in which the Council fed dishonest stories to the press about animals being harmed (in order to reduce popular support for the Pets Corner - to no avail!), one night in September they closed it and removed all the animals. The outcry resulting from this led to...
1994 ...the formation of : The Friends of Platt Fields

[Eve]

Ooh or Herons and Ring Necked Parakeets! Hope they come soon, didn't know people fished in there either. Great site!

Used to love seeing the kestrels by the town hall, gorgeous birds. Not sure where they went though, don't think they are still there.

[DrFilth]

that was a great park years back it is hard to say if it is the yobs or the council that have ruined it

[Eve]

Such a shame, it's a lovely space. It's been very quiet down there when I've been, less so now the snow has gone and it's a bit warmer.

Not seen any yobs as such (the alsation/blow up doll incident was grown men), mostly younger children with parents or adults walking dogs.

I wouldn't go in there after dark though, see a lot of kids hanging round outside in the evenings and there have been way to many sex attackers about recently, one struck on Hart Rd not long ago. If I hadn't popped into the office to get something I'd forgotton I'd have been walking along it at the time they struck. Not a nice thought! Think they got him though, don't think they've got the Fallowfield rapist yet though.

Sad that you have to be so vigilant these days.

[DrFilth]

there was two on the go one white one asian , itchy was ask by a young girl how to get to near the old city ground late at night, she had got off a train near kingsway and had no money . he gave her a tenner and got her in a cab.
lot of the students don't understand the dangers when they come from nice little towns and villages

[Eve]

I had a fast learning curve after growing up in a village in Shropshire then living on the west coast of Wales. I lived in quite a rough area in Leeds for a couple of years before moving up here though but adapted very quickly.

Seen some nasty stuff and a lot more safety conscious, especially after a woman was stabbed on the ginnel I lived up by Victoria Park in Swinton (was on Crimewatch if you remember it, must have been about 2005/6) and the recent sex attacks round here.

I've often gone well out of my way to walk people to where they need to go to make sure they get there ok, especially young girls, older or foreign people. I hate to think of them asking the wrong person!

[DrFilth]

remember that in swinton harvman lived over that way, must go night

[Eve]

Night :)

[starone]

Wait until they have their chicks, Jenna, you have never seen such a beautiful sight, I can assure you. Little bits of black fluff following their mother. Lovely.