Though the morning was dry, this afternoon was so damp animals started to pair up! - Still that’s what hides and good boots are for. Here is today’s summary of birds seen at Old Moor…

News from elsewhere in the valley starts with a report from David Bamforth at Broomhill Flash. He recorded: three black-tailed godwit; a jack snipe; one dunlin and twenty-six shoveler. Thanks David.

Alan Stonier provided a summary from Edderthorpe where there were among other things: a male pintail, four shelduck, around 1000 golden plover, 550 lapwing, 80 wigeon, 400+ teal, sixteen pochard, one snipe and a buzzard. Thanks Alan.

And lastly, John Seeviour gave us the picture at Bolton Ings. He saw: two mute swan, one little grebe, one great crested grebe, one mallard, a wigeon, 72 tufted duck, two pochard, eight cormorant and one grey heron. With them were eight herring gull, five common gull, two goosander (1f), two sparrowhawk, one green woodpecker, 25+ redwing and 292 coot!

- Now that’s commitment there, folks. Not, ‘around 300’ coot but a precise total of 292! Thanks as ever John.

For a wet one, not a bad count at all and some great birds I’m sure you’ll agree. To finish off tonight, here’s one of those Dearne Valley buzzards.

Until next time.

Buzzard at Wath Ings, before the rain set in!