It was one of those days. The kind of day when so much seemed to happening around the reserve, that it was hard to know where to look first.

Here’s the summary of sightings from Old Moor…

Before I crack on with Old Moor, Nigel Smith provided the sightings from Adwick Washland. These included: five grey heron, four little egret, 102 greylag geese, 155 lapwing, three oystercatcher and seven avocet. Thanks Nigel.

At Old Moor, my visit began at Wath Ings. Here, among other things, were three little egret and three black-tailed godwit today.

Egret catching a tiddler on Wath Ings today

More godwit could be found on the Wader Scrape along with a pair of common sandpiper and two avocet.

Common sandpiper picking around the shoreline

Today the young Mediterranean gull finally fledged and made for an island on the far left of the Mere. At first there was some question as to whether it had wandered, waded or flown across to the island.  A few moments later there was no doubt when, after a few wing-stretches, it confidently took to the skies.

Stretching its wings, the juvenile Med. gull

Things were less happy this morning for one of the black-headed gull chicks that was snatched by a formidable lesser black-backed gull. Large gulls are drawn to Old Moor in part because of this ready supply of food!

Lesser black-back and ‘prize’

Also in ‘gull news’ today, not one but three yellow-legged gulls could be found on the Mere along with a reported third year Caspian gull.

Other sightings today included:  a bittern (of course); two peregrine; a kingfisher; both sedge and reed warblers; a water rail in flight; common tern; and most pleasing - for me at least – juvenile bearded tit.

A young beardie flying into the reeds on the Reedbed Trail today

With all that going on (and with today’s bird species count being 65), it’s no wonder so many visitors were enjoying the sights. Among them was Melanie who has only just discovered Old Moor. On her very first visit she spotted a bittern and today she was awed by the determination of those lesser black-backs on the Mere.

To finish tonight, here’s another bird that impresses everyone. It may be called a ‘common’ tern but its spectacular dives, hovers and turns of speed are far from ordinary.

Until next time.