Although it took a bit of time to get going, it turned out to be another glorious summer’s day in the Dearne Valley. The sun shone; insect life took to the wing; and many contented visitors were thrilled by some of the best wildlife that can be seen at the moment.
In fact, now I’ve mentioned insects, let’s start with the lepidoptera. Butterlies seen today at Old Moor included: dingy skipper, male brimstone, speckled wood and common blue. Banded demoiselle could be found all around the reserve and several ruby-tailed wasps were seen near the wildlife ponds.
Med. gull and chicks – though one is a bit shy
Just up the road, at the marvellous Adwick Washland, the diligent Nigel Smith recorded a humbling list of species that included: fifty-three lapwing, twenty redshank and two young, four ringed plover, three black-headed gull, one buzzard, one kestrel, four reed warbler, one lesser whitethroat, two willow warbler, one sedge warbler, two blackcap, four whitethroat and a chiffchaff.
He also found: five grey heron, three little egret, five mute swan, fifteen greylag geese, one little grebe, one cormorant, twenty mallard with thirty-five young and forty-seven gadwall with seven young. There were also seventeen shoveler with fifty young in seven broods, twelve tufted duck with nine young, one pochard with four young, thirty-two coot with thirty-nine young, twelve moorhen with twenty-two young and twenty-four avocet. We are not worthy Nigel!
A linnet singing on Green Lane this morning
Back at Old Moor, the theme of the day was ‘bitterns, bitterns, bitterns!’ I actually lost count of the number of bittern flights that visitors saw and – possibly due to the heat of the afternoon – at one point it felt like I was surrounded by the blighters!
But then, with three active nests and some chicks very close to fledging, things were getting a bit intense. To give you a sense of the day, here’s a few choice ‘bitterny’ sightings.
One lucky soul had a bittern fly over their head as they walked around the wildlife ponds today and another enjoyed a bittern flypast whilst sipping a hot beverage on the café balcony!
So, let’s just wrap up this section of tonight’s blog by saying that the three adult females were - Springwatch word of the series coming up – ‘provisioning’ the chicks frequently.
One of two ringed plover on the Wader Scrape today
But what else was out there today Andrew? - I am so glad you asked. I counted fifty species of bird on the reserve today that included, from the Bittern Hide: willow warbler, chaffinch, great tit, reed warbler, reed bunting, Canada geese, pochard, lesser black-backed gull, tufted duck, sand martin, coot, stock dove, great crested grebe (with three young), little grebe, magpie, mallard, jackdaw and, er, bittern.
On the Mere the Mediterranean gull and both chicks were doing well but there were also: seven lesser black-backs, a pair of mute swan with six cygnets and tufted duck, gadwall, shelduck, shoveler, pochard and common tern.
The Field Pool provided sightings of: oystercatcher, starling, two little egret, one little grebe, blackbird, grey heron, lapwing, Canada geese, four teal, willow warbler, jackdaw and greylag geese. This was also quite a good place to see banded demoiselles today.
The shelducks and brood – looking good!
Today’s songsters in residence on Green Lane included: a cock linnet, a garden warbler and a reed warbler.
On the Wader Scrape were: lapwing, two shelduck with eight young, two ringed plover, a redshank, a pair of common tern, three lesser black-backed gull and a few black-headed ones. Over the scrape were hobby and buzzard.
Finally to Wath Ings, where the family of young pochard were joined by four cormorant and one little egret. There were also mute swan, tufted duck, gadwall and mallard.
And that just about covers it for today except for one sighting of a barn owl with ‘food’ that one lucky visitor saw early this morning.
If you are visiting tomorrow, look out for those fledging bittens – surely it can’t be much longer now!
Until next time.