After all the excitement of yesterday’s wryneck sightings, you might imagine that today was a pretty busy one at Old Moor. And you’d be right! Despite some cold and overcast weather this morning, watchers were up early and out in force!
Sadly, even with all these extra pairs of eyes, the news was that there was no news. This was one mysterious little bird that proved just too elusive. Some kind of jinx I imagine.
There were, as ever, many other wonderful sights to be seen and some great consolations for those visiting the reserve.
A fantastic snipe from Ian Morris. Thanks Ian!
In the Bird Garden today were bullfinch, greenfinch, goldfinch and chaffinch. There were also blackbird, robin, blue tit, great tit, magpie, pheasant, stock dove, tree sparrow and wren seen here today.
Out by the Wildlife Ponds, common darter and migrant hawker dragonflies could still be found flying despite the autumnal nip in the air. Also seen here were a flock of siskin and four lesser redpoll - the first of the year.
Those ruff were still strutting their stuff on the main marsh today
From the Bittern Hide came sightings of two bearded tits, a male and a female. There were also sightings of kingfisher, jay, little egret and grey heron here too.
Kingfisher were seen from the Family Hide – both in front of it and behind. With them were green woodpecker (near the sunflowers), a pintail, four pochard, one chiffchaff and a stonechat. The latter showed beautifully though it did have several altercations with the Green Lane robins.
A beautiful stonechat from the Family Hide
At Wath Ings this afternoon there were excellent views of: ten ringed plover, three black-tailed godwit, fifteen ruff, four green sandpiper, two dunlin, one golden plover and two snipe. There were also three little egret, five grey heron, two sparrowhawk, sixty-nine lapwing, a kingfisher, two jay, one buzzard and a kestrel. Apparently, ten more golden plover went over the reserve this afternoon though they didn’t settle.
An incredible sparrowhawk from Ian Morris. Thanks again Ian!
Sadly, that’s it for this evening. A very quick reminder of this Saturday’s Stargazing Event all the details of which can be found here, and that’s about your lot. Well, as it’s you, here’s one last picture from the day…
An autumnal chiffchaff to the left of the Family Hide this afternoon
Until next time.