Even though I live in Chorlton, I didn’t even visit Didsbury’s Fletcher Moss Park until lockdown, but when I did I realised that it is an absolute urban wildlife paradise, especially for birds.

Fletcher Moss Park contains its own rockery garden as well as being located next to Stenner Woods, Millgate Fields and the River Mersey so there are so many opportunities to photograph birds and get close to nature here.

It’s fitting that so many birds, including the noisy ring-necked parakeet, feel safe here as it was where the RSPB bird charity was founded. Emily Williamson started it from her home here to protest birds being killed to be used as hat decorations.

Here are some of the lovely birds that you can find in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury during a stroll here.

Birds in the park

Ring-necked parakeet, Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury

A disconcerting yet wonderful part of visiting Fletcher Moss is the number of times you turn around to find a ring-necked parakeet watching you. They nest in the wood of dead trees and they travel around in flocks. One birder saw a blue parakeet here once which must have been an an amazing find.

The rockery and gardens

Grey heron, Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury

Grey herons love Fletcher Moss as so much of it is flooded and boggy. They often come from the Mersey to hunt here.

In the rockery garden you can find garden birds like this robin.

Birds like jays can be found scavenging in the gardens too.

The trees and Stenner Woods

It is the trees of the park and the adjoining woodlands that are the star of the show as there are so many brilliant birds here.

There are corvids like magpies and more garden birds like this great tit.

Long-tailed tits also feed in their packs around the trees and bushes.

Long-tailed tit, Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury

If you look closely you can find the elusive treecreeper sneaking up trees to find insects, almost like a flying mouse.

Treecreeper, Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury

The woodlands provide food for the nuthatch and great spotted woodpecker too.

Finches like the chaffinch and bullfinch also love to feed on the berries.

If you’re lucky you’ll see the beautiful goldcrest, and if you keep still they will flit around you like the UK version of a hummingbird.

The fields

On either side of Fletcher Moss the fields provide more opportunities to view wildlife. Woodpigeons rest in the trees and feed on the fields.

Woodpigeon, Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury

Song thrushes are another ground feeder that loves it here.

Song thrush, Fletcher Moss Park, Didsbury

Blackbirds forage for worms in the muddy fields.

The River Mersey

When you emerge from Fletcher Moss, you will find the River Mersey at the other end. Here you can see mallards, herons and kingfishers, as well as pied and grey wagtails, bobbing along.