Many watchers would associate stonechat with the coast, or maybe heathland. But right now three of these terrific little birds can be found around the edges of Wath Ings.
Here’s what else was reported today…
Thankfully, stonechat have a habit of sitting on the tops of low bushes or on fence posts. So next time you are looking around the scrub and fences of Wath Ings, watch out for these robin-sized birds. The males have a black head with brown backs and an orange coloured chest, the females are a more brown but both have a white ‘collar’ that is very noticeable, even at a distance.
Other notable birds seen today included ‘that’ coal tit – a rarity for Old Moor – which spent its time in the Tree Sparrow Farm today.
With snipe and water rail on the Reedbed Trail and a selection of waders that included dunlin, green sandpiper and greenshank on Wath Ings, today’s sightings are fairly typical for this time of year.
The mix of lapwing and golden plover is another seasonal highlight for Old Moor. I have no count for lapwing, but I do know there were eighty-eight goldies on the main marsh today.
And last but not least, an adult yellow-legged gull was also seen on Wath Ings this afternoon.
Sadly, that’s about it for this evening. Next update - from me at least - will be on Sunday.
Good to hear that the stonechats are present...and a few more goldies.