In the shadows, the vestiges of the recent snows could still be seen at Old Moor this morning. Yet in the sun – and there was plenty of it – life was responding to yesterday’s equinox. Yep, from now on the days are longer and the nights shorter.
For wildlife this means it’s time to get going and today at Old Moor there was ample evidence that birds, insects and plants were doing just that. In fact the earliest of birders on Old Moor reported that, first thing, there were eleven goldeneye on Wath Ings, one green sandpiper, three redshank, one Cetti’s warbler calling and one bittern booming.
John Leigh visited the reserve today and spotted what may well be the first butterfly of the season – a small tortoiseshell. Thanks John.
On Wombwell Ings, the yellow-browed warbler could still be found fairly easily and there were also two barnacle geese there today along with two chiffchaff and six great crested grebe.
Meanwhile that remarkably consistent hawfinch at Broomhill Flash was seen there once again this morning.
Nigel Smith did a ‘quick pre-work visit’ to Adwick Washland and found: one pink-footed goose, one shelduck, seven avocet, sixteen snipe, twelve plus redshank, two ringed plover and six grey partridge. Thanks Nigel.
Over at Bolton Ings, John Seeviour recorded: one mute swan, two great crested grebe, four little grebe, five mallard, eight gadwall, six shoveler, seventeen tufted duck, two pochard, two goldeneye, seven goosander, two cormorant, one kestrel, one marsh tit, four reed bunting, one bullfinch, one jay and one oystercatcher. Thanks John.
A lesser black-backed gull, none too happy to be moved on from the Mere today
In Old Moor’s Tree Sparrow Farm this morning there were: chaffinch, stock dove, pheasant, great tit, blackbird, greenfinch, tree sparrow, reed bunting, dunnock, blue tit, bullfinch, magpie, collared dove, goldfinch, a pair of yellowhammer and robins, robins, robins.
On the Reedbed Trail were: shoveler, tufted duck, gadwall, cormorant, one water rail, one great crested grebe, a cream-crowned marsh harrier, two buzzard and a bittern. The latter was seen in flight, briefly over reedbed five.
Sightings from the Mere included: wigeon, jackdaw, two oystercatcher, two redshank, one green sandpiper, two little grebe, one Mediterranean gull, twenty-three cormorant, teal, gadwall, four pochard, mallard, two lesser black-backed gull, four herring gull and both Canada and greylag geese. Just behind the Family Hide, on Green Lane, a Cetti’s warbler was in fine voice.
‘Underneath those clods could be food I tell you, food!’
The Field Pool provided views of: one oystercatcher and ten lapwing along with rook, crow and starling.
On the Wader Scrape today were: two more oystercatcher, three hundred or so black-headed gull, two lesser black-backed gull, one sparrowhawk, Canada geese, greylag, woodpigeon, wigeon and teal. Sadly, there were no sightings of yesterday’s water pipit.
So to Wath Ings where today there were: twelve goldeneye (four females), one lesser black-backed gull, two herring gull, six mute swan and one snipe. With them were shoveler, wigeon, gadwall, teal and mallard.
Last but not least, although it wasn’t in ‘the book’ today, I heard of an unconfirmed sighting of a whinchat on Green Lane. Keep an eye out for that one!
And that’s pretty much it for this evening and indeed for a few days from me at least. Yes, I am off gallivanting again, so I shall sign off with a picture of a chiffchaff, one of the heralds of the spring. This one was seen near the Visitor Centre. Perhaps, by the time I’m back, the willow warblers, another spring migrant, will have returned.
Until next time.