20th January 2025 - Gatley Carrs, Stockport, G. Manchester - A short trip today, the rain began to fall and I didn't hang about. Ramson leaves were just coming through and already someone was foraging them - no thought for the wildlife needs and no need whatsover to strip leafage when so young. Lesser Celandine was in flower and the only birds seen were:- Blue Tit (*2); Ring Necked Parakeet (*9); Magpie (*2); Wood Pigeon (*4): Blackbird (*3); Robin (*2); Carrion Crow (*1); Greenfinch (*1): Great Tit (*1); Dunnock (*1) and Wren (*2).

2 * White Legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger); 6 * Netted Slug (Deroceras reticulatum); 1 * Green Cellar Slug (Limacus maculatus) and 2 * Budapest Slug (Tandonia budapestensis) were othere additions to a very terse trip.

19th January 2025 - Debdale Park, Stockport, G. Manchester - I am in the midst of gigging and so, the nature realm goes on the back foot somewhat. Late nights and ringing ears, with a virus playing silly buggers, getting out is not priority. We are still enjoying the odd jaunt though, bird species recorded today were:- Black Headed Gull; Blackbird; Magpie; Wood Pigeon; Robin; Common Gull; Mallard; Coot; Moorhen; Herring Gull; Feral Pigeon; Mute Swan; Great Crested Grebe; Ring Necked Parakeet; Carrion Crow; Little Grebe; Tufted Duck; Kingfisher; Redwing; Cormorant; Wren and Blue Tit.

We also noted a Variegated Centipede (Lithobius variegatus) and 80 * Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) and 1 * 2 Spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata).

16th January 2025 - Abney Hall, Stockport, G. Manchester - After a coffee, a sit and a good read I cracked on home. Nipping through this local area it was no surprise to see the freshly dug ponds and a recently accessible field invaded by dogs - and again, this is an area designated as a Nature Reserve - are people really so detached. I didn't hang around, but I did note a Kestrel; Long Tailed Tit; Great Tit; 1 * Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria); 1 * 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata); 1 * Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) and the Lichen (Physcia aipolia).

16th January 2025 - Hollyhedge Park, Wythenshawe, G. Manchester - After stuffing a brace of chicken breasts on a shopping precinct I headed onwards and nipped through yet another green area. I was getting a thirst on so didn't dawdle, the avian life noted was:- Redwing (*5); Magpie (*3); Blue Tit (*2); Wood Pigeon (*4); Great Tit (*2); Robin (*1); Blackbird (*4); Goldfinch (*1) and Chaffinch (*1).

16 * Green Cellar Slug (Limacus maculatus); 1 * White Lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis) and 1 * Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum) were the only other additions.

16th January 2025 - Painswick Park, Wythenshawe, G. Manchester - Out on the bike, the sun was out and so I had a pootle at a park I hadn't visited before. A small area, the birds recorded were:- Goldcrest (*2); Carrion Crow (*2); Magpie (*5); Goldfinch (*2); Lesser Black Backed Gull (*1); Mallard (*9); Canada Goose (*72); Moorhen (*13); Coot (*4); Blackbird (*2); Robin (*2); Black Headed Gull (*29); Wood Pigeon (*5); Great Tit (*1); Redwing (*6); Wren (*1); Starling (*4); Blue Tit (*2); Nuthatch (*1); Feral Pigeon (*1); Long Tailed Tit (*5); Coal Tit (*1) and a Song Thrush on call.

9 * Green Cellar Slug (Limacus maculatus); 1 * Tramp Slug (Deroceras invadens); 1 * Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis); Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis); a few Shiny Woodlouse (Oniscus asellus) and the lichens:- Xanthoria parietina and Physcia aipolia made for a decent trip in the sun.

12th January 2025 - Etherow CP, Stockport, G. Manchester - A walk with the missus at a very old haunt. Bird species seen today were:- Robin; Canada Goose; Mallard; Moorhen; Jackdaw; Feral Pigeon; Dunnock; Wren; Tufted Duck; Starling; Wood Pigeon; Feral Greylag Goose; Blackbird; Blue Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Nuthatch; Cormorant; Grey Wagtail; Carrion Crow; Buzzard; Coot; Mute Swan; Jay; Great Tit; Coal Tit; Goosander; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Magpie; plus Fieldfare (*1); Redwing (*50+) and Mandarin Duck (*54).

We also added:- 1 * Hawthorn Shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale); Rough and Shiny Woodlouse; Elegant Bristle Moss (Orthotrichum pulchellum); Hazel in flower and the Lichens:- Ramalina farinacea and Xanthoria parietina.

8th January 2025 - River Mersey, Stockport, G. Manchester - I returned home after work via a differenmt route. It was mighty frozen and a pair of Mallards and 1 female Goosander were all that were seen on a very turgid river. Physcia aipolia was seen growing on a fence and that was that.

7th January 2025 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, G. Manchester - Identifying ferns in the kitchen and as I looked through the window I noted the following bird species:- Lesser Black Backed Gull; Dunnock; Robin; Magpie; Starling; Wood Pigeon; Collared Dove; Blue Tit and House Sparrow.

7th January 2025 - Gorsey Bank, Stockport, G. Manchester - Walking home and the snow was everywhere, in the small area I noted:- Blackbird (*10); Carrion Crow (*4); Wood pigeon (*2); Blue Tit (*5); Coal Tit (*1); Long Tailed Tit (*1); Great Tit (*1); House Sparrow (*1) and Song Thrush (*1).

I also added the Harvestman (Dicranopalpus ramosus agg).

7th January 2025 - River Mersey, Stockport, G. Manchester - After an early finish I waltzed home in the snow and on a wall noted:- Black Spleenwort; Maidenhair Spleenwort and Wall Rue. Further along was a Male Fern, I just couldn't nail it to the exact species but I expected it to be the common form.

6th January 2025 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, G. Manchester - A Sparrowhawk floated around whilst a few Wood Pigeons scattered - I couldn't blame them.

6th January 2025 - Abney Hall, Stockport, G. Manchester - At the docs again, hernia on one side, inflamed duct on the other, back and chest playing up, Achilles tendon twanging, guts a bit off. A short stroll to a coffee shop, on the way there and back I saw a few fungi (104 species recorded for the year) and noted:- Yarrow in flower, the Galls (Andricus aries and Andricus lignicola); the Moss (Grimmia pulvinata); an Orange Ladybird (Halyzia sedecimguttata); 3 * Netted Slug (Deroceras reticulatum); 2 * Green Cellar Slug (Limacus maculatus); 1 * Variegated Centipede (Lithobius variegatus) and the following birds:- Blackbird (*2); Blue Tit (*3); Long Tailed Tit (*1); Carrion Crow (*1); Ring Necked Parakeet (*1); Wood Pigeon (*5); Robin (*1); Magpie (*3); Great Tit (*2); Mallard (*11); Black Headed Gull (*12); Coot (*4); Moorhen (*7) and Redwing (*8).

A Ground Beetle I named was duly confirmed as Leistus fulvibarbis.

5th January 2025 - River Mersey, Stockport, G. Manchester - On the way to meet up with the daughter and in a flooded field there was plenty of Black Headed Gulls, a Common Gull; a few Mallards; a Grey Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail. A Cormorant was sat up on high nearby.

4th January 2025 - Poise Brook, Stockport, G. Manchester - A few more fungi recorded and the following bird species:- Song Thrush (*1); Long Tailed Tit (*3); Nuthatch (*1); Goldcrest (*1); Blackbird (*4); Great Tit (*2); Blue Tit (*3); Magpie (*3); House Sparrow (*1); Wood Pigeon (*47); Carrion Crow (*1); Mallard (*14); Black Headed Gull (*79); Jackdaw (*2) and Canada Goose (*159).

Lesser Celandine was in flower, we saw the Galls:- Agathomyia wankowiczii and Andricus kollari. and the Lichens:- Xanthoria parietina and Cladonia coniocraea.

3rd January 2025 - Fletcher Moss, Didsbury, G. Manchester - To work, freezing, home early - a coffee and a circular walk with 8 miles covered for the day. The river was turgid, it gives people something to photograph and talk about - I would much rather they fed the birds, recorded some wildlife and considered what the long term neglect is doing. Birds seen today were:- Goldcrest (*1); Wren (*1); Great Tit (*2); Magpie (*7); Blackbird (*6); Ring Necked Parakeet (*1); Pied Wagtail (*1); Wood Pigeon (*5); Grey Wagtail (*2); Long Tailed Tit (*4); Feral Pigeon (*6); Robin (*3); Common Gull (*1); Cormorant (*3); Grey Heron (*2); Moorhen (*1); Dunnock (*1); Mallard (*8); Goosander (*3); Song Thrush (*1) and hundreds of Black Headed Gulls and quite a few Carrion Crows.

I also added 6 * Green Cellar Slug (Limacus maculatus); 1 * Tramp Slug (Deroceras invadens); 1 * Walnut Orb Weaver Spider (Nuctenea umbratica) plus Lesser Celandine in flower.

2nd January 2025 - Heaton Moor, Stockport, G. Manchester - A dinnertime stroll away from the desk.  Birds seen were:- Robin (*1); Magpie (*4); Ring Necked Parakeet (*5); Moorhen (*3); Canada Goose (*7)  and Carrion Crow (*2). The Moss (Grimmia pulvinata) was looking grand on a frost-kissed on a wall, a Green Cellar Slug (Limacus maculatus) was tucked up behind bark and a Grey Squirrel pinged about in the treetops.  A few fungi were extras and I soon scooted back to the office for a brew.

The Ground Beetle (Dromius quadrimaculatus) was later added.

1st January 2025 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, G. Manchester - A pair of Great Tits were on the feeders in the garden along with a Starling. A Wood Pigeon looked on and the first moth of the year was recorded:- White Shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella). 

1st January 2025 - Low Hall NR, Wigan, Lancashire - A morning walk with the missus and my brother. There had been flooding everywhere and this area had waters risen. We pootled on and recorded the following bird species:- Jackdaw (*10); Willow Tit (*1); Great Tit (*1); Coal Tit (*1); Nuthatch (*1); Wren (*1); Carrion Crow (*1); Mallard (*2); Coot (*2); Robin (*2); Wood Pigeon (*1); Black Headed Gull (*2); Mute Swan (*2) and Magpie (*1).

Lichens named were:- Physcia tenella; Xanthoria parietina; Evernia prunastri; Ramalina fastigata; Ramalina farinacea; Cladonia fimbriata and Graphis scripta.

Mosses listed were:- Schistidium crassipilum; Grimmia pulvinata; Orthotrichum pulchellum and Tortula muralis. I also added the liverwort (Metzgeria furcata) and Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium).

The only flower sporting blooms was Wood Avens.

Oddments added were:- White Legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger); Shiny Woodlouse (Oniscus asellus); Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum); Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber); 31 * Green Cellar Slug (Limacus maculatus); 1 * Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum); 1 * Budapest Slug (Tandonia budapestensis) and an old Ram's-Horn Gall (Andricus aries).

Also added were 2 * Walnut Orb Weaver Spider (Nuctenea umbratica) and singles of 10 Spot Ladybird (Adalia decempunctata) and Orange Ladybird (Halyzia sedecimguttata).

The Ground Beetle (Ocys harpaloides/tachysoides agg) was added after the event as it fell from a sample of moss and also added was (Plagiodera versicolora) after Michael Geiser provided an ID.