Blimey, I was only away for a week! Just how did Old Moor's lanes get so narrow in such a short time? And for that matter, where did all those orchids come from?
The answer as anyone with a lawn will tell you, is that spring, after being held back for so long, has now accelerated with such vigour that it’s difficult to keep up.
And what a difference a week makes. Apparently, the BBC have taken an interest in our little corner of Yorkshire… What? You’ve heard? - Just me then. In the vanguard of the Springwatch broadcast on Wednesday, Old Moor was being subject to a new kind of scrutiny today – something to do with locations and light and angles…
Fortunately, oblivious to the media hubbub, the creatures of the Dearne Valley were going about their usual business and being enjoyed by a small army of visitors.
Three great crested grebe chicks cadge a ride! Photo from Mary Wilde. Thanks Mary!
At Broomhill Flash this morning were: black-headed gull, blackcap, crow, coot, greylag geese, lapwing, magpie, moorhen and one pink-footed goose. There were also two redshank, starling, tufted duck, blackbird, collared dove, two great crested grebe, jackdaw, three little grebe, mallard, four mute swan, one drake pochard, swallow and wren.
Eight shelducklings from Ian Morris. Thanks Ian.
Turning to Old Moor itself, two or more bearded tit were seen about the place today along with three bittern. Well, actually that could well have been four bittern as there was a bit of debate in the hides as to whether a fourth bird was indeed seen or just the third one, twice.
Whatever, bittern flights are running about every thirty minutes or so at the moment along the usual routes to the rear of the reedbeds. In the same area, two water rail were calling along with two Cetti’s warblers. Three little egret could be seen around Reedbed Five this morning.
From the Bittern Hide, while waiting for the next one, visitors enjoyed watching a pair of great crested grebe with three very small and very stripy ‘humbugs’. Cormorant, common tern, tufted duck, grey heron and reed warbler could also be seen here.
Perhaps the oddest sighting from the Bittern Hide today was of two male, banded demoiselle at the edge of the pool. I say ‘odd’ because I’ve never seen them there before and it’s a species that mainly associates with moving water.
While I’m on the topic of dragons and damsels, keep a look out for red-eyed damselflies if you are visiting the Wildlife Ponds. They have been seen, but are in no way common for us. Every sighting of them is significant.
A band-ed demoiselle - on a band! (too much?) from Mary Wilde. Thank Mary!
Three buzzards were seen over the Mere throughout the day and there were also eight lesser black-backed gulls, sand martin, jackdaw, magpie, lapwing, coot, moorhen, two oystercatcher, a juvenile pied wagtail and one shelduck.
The Mediterranean gull on island one of the Mere was not making it easy for watchers to see her precious offspring. She sat very tight for most of the day. And probably for good reason as - when she did have to stretch her legs – it was hard to make out two chicks beneath her. Admittedly views of the nest were brief and it is a sloping site but one chick was all that was seen today.
The Med. gull and chick(s)
On the Wader Scrape today, the pair of shelduck and their adorable offspring caught many visitor’s attention. There were also two common tern, two oystercatcher and a cormorant here today.
In fact, tot up all today’s sightings and you'll find that fifty-eight bird species were seen at Old Moor today. Not a bad haul at all!
I’ll finish tonight with a submission from Karen Williams, assistant warden. Look very, very closely and you may spot one of the brown hare that we have at Old Moor. Thanks Karen!
Hare it is!
Until next time.