Hello there! I'm 'filling in' on the sightings blog this week as Andrew isn't blogging this week. It's been a lovely warm day at Old Moor with lots to report. Apologies in that I don't seem to have the blog template any more so I'll be typing a few lists...
I'll start with sightings from the Barnsley Birders via Twitter.
Early this morning they reported 2 drake garganey on the Mere. This pair were view-able for most of the day from the Family Hide. They also reported that 'Black Tailed Godwits are on the move today - 29 left Old Moor at 06.30 and 22 now on Field Pool. Also now 34 on Wombwell Ings.'
They also reported a common sandpiper at Broomhill and the following sightings from Adwick today - Avocet 19, Redshank c20, Oystercatcher 2, Ringed Plover 4, Little Ringed Plover 1, Golden Plover 1, Dunlin 1, Snipe 5, Black Tailed Godwit 3, Common Tern 1, Wheatear 1, Yellow Wagtail 1, Grey Partridge 2.
John Seeviour gave us the sightings from Bolton Ings today, thanks John. He reported the following - 17 Mute Swans, 3 Little Grebes, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Mallard, 4 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 6 Pochard, 1 Cormorant, 68 Coot , 6 Herring Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 8 Chiff Chaff, 8 Blackcap, 5 Willow Warblers and a Green Woodpecker.
So now to the sightings from the book at Old Moor…it’s a full book!
On the Mere: 2 drake garganey, 1 common sandpiper and 29 black tailed godwits.
Green Lane: Willow Warbler, Chiff-chaff, Green Woodpecker, Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Blackcap (thanks to Ian Morris for the last 2 sightings). The willow warbler gave great views to watchers as it sat high in a tree in the ‘triangle’ bit of scrub by the Wader Scrape Hide.
Near the Visitor Centre: Great views of a Chiff-chaff can currently be had in this area. You’ll most likely hear it before you see it, but often it’s on full view!
Field Pools: 3 Redshank and a Snipe.
Wader Scrape: 1 Redshank, 2 Shelduck, Teal and Little Grebes.
Bittern Hide: A Sedge Warbler was heard near this hide today and our male Bitterns could be heard as they boomed throughout the day.
Flowers near Grandad’s Shed: Jenny form the VC gave us this list of – forgetmenot, dandelion, snakes head frittilary honeywort, borage, honesty and wild garlic.
Adwick: 5 whimbrel are reported in the book today.
So what I was I doing at OM today? I had my macro lens on and was looking specifically for butterflies. There were quite a few on the wing – orange tip, brimstone, peacock and speckled wood that I saw. Info from the book adds a small tortoiseshell to that list.
I was lucky enough o spot two orange tips mating on Green Lane. This meant that they were still and I could watch & take a few photos. None of the other orange tip butterflies that I saw settled at all. In this photo, the male (with the orange tip on the wings) is on the left.
I also found a lovely peacock butterfly on Green Lane.
Finally for today, I was delighted to see a bee-fly near the Visitor Centre. A bee fly is a fly which looks a bit like a bee. It has a very long proboscis which is used for drinking nectar. I think that this one is a 'Dark-Edged' Bee-Fly.'
Enjoy your evening :)
Nice to chat yesterday.
There was a superb peacock butterfly on the eastern triangle path at Wader Scrape but wouldn’t stay still long enough to get a photo. Also, what looked like a cinnabar moth iflight outside the Reedbed Hide.
At Waderscrape, a little ringed plover was feeding just in front of the Hide by the sluice. This was joined by a redshank.
Hiya, yes, lovely to chat & good news re the cinnabar moth :)