Developments around the sites
As many readers will know, the RSPB Dearne Valley secured a large fund from the National Lottery in 2019, with additional funding form Barnsley Council – totalling over £1million. The plan for how the site could be developed began to be talked about as far back as 2015; and the application to the National Lottery took a long time to finalise and be approved – but this amazing opportunity could not be missed and is matched by the Team’s ambition for the Dearne Valley.
After a recent hedgerow survey, Green Lane was found to have a Heritage Row of trees (one which is over 50 years old) - known as Crab-apple Row. The Assessor was able to identify the row on an Ordnance Survey map of 1854, which means that this row of trees has given nature a home for over 160 years; and prior to its origins being known, this row survived previous developments, flooding, the industrial use of the Dearne Valley, and farm use of the site. This history now means that any future developments cannot disturb the roots of this row of trees. This is yet another feather in Dearne Valley’s cap.
Extract from the Hedgerow Survey
The Lottery money is being spent in accordance with the Plan approved by the Lottery fund, and opportunities to complete the phases are, to some extent, dictated by restrictions activities on the site – for example no works can occur during breeding season on pieces of land where breeding takes place, but also dictated by opportunity. With the works of major projects like this one coming under the guardianship of existing staff in the wardening team, who work with external contractors, the works must be planned around staff availability too. For example, the works at Field Pools which we will detail shortly, was undertaken by one external contractor and the wardening team. Quite an achievement.
As an urban reserve, the Dearne Valley sites are driven by the ecology of the area, as well as the importance of attracting visitors to the area. Its original design didn’t match the needs of a wetland site; and whilst RSPB and others have attempted to adapt areas to this aim, a larger scale re-modelling and re-invigoration was required in order to achieve the potential for providing an urban wetland haven for the birds who were already coming, but not particularly staying to breed.
In the Field Pools area of Old Moor, the “cycle” of ecology needed interrupting. It is an Environment Agency (EA) washland – its main role is to protect houses from flooding – and this could not be affected by any re-modelling; however, as a wet grassland it wasn’t as successful as it could have been.
So another wader scrape is being created; and is to be combined with a rotational management plan of scrapes across the RSPB Dearne Valley reserves. Additionally, it is now fenced – for protection of the nesting birds the area hopes to attract. A new circular walk has been created – in response to visitor feedback – with re-profiled paths to lessen potential for waterlogging. So now there is a more up close and personal view of the Pools, and a more varied circular walk to enjoy from just beyond the Lookout, all the way up to the Field Pool East hide. New benches will give visitors a chance to pause and enjoy the landscaped view and the aural experiences of nesting lapwing, and other waders.
In terms of the requirements of the EA – all the work being undertaken around the sites are planned, re-planned, checked, and actioned after gaining EA permits; this includes making sure the protective bunds adhere to EA spec.
New return link pathway with views over the Field Pool areas - J Mayston
Why has this been done?
In the future, imagine the Field Pools being populated with breeding Avocet, Snipe and Lapwing, whilst a Kingfisher prowls the bushes! This can be a reality, given the re-modelling and a management plan, which will provide increasing numbers of inverts from regular rotational flooding to facilitate regular rotting of vegetation.
The Timeline.
Work on the Field Pools is going to be broken up into manageable chunks - with the footpath opened just in time to releive the flooded Green Lane. The landscaping and scrapes designs will be finished off in the Autumn (to avoid disruption during breeding season).
Other site developments.
On the Mere at Old Moor the team plan to start extending the reedbeds and re-profile the edges to ridge and furrow, and to re-shape some islands, to facilitate more breeding spaces. They also plan to lower the bund along Green Lane, to open up the area.
And visitors who have been to the Wombwell site in the last couple of months, have admired the large-scale works undertaken there recently, as part of the Lottery grant. Given that no breeding had taken place there recently, the team have added predator-fencing, and improved water-management; and early indications are good – with water pipit, lapwing, and golden plover been seen recently. Logistical difficulties and delays provided a challenge to the team – getting stones of a specific size to the site was impossible using normal delivery methods – as large lorries could not get to the area; however, receiving a large delivery to the Old Moor site, and then hand-delivering via a smaller vehicle to Wombwell, although time-consuming, meant the problem was solved and the correct materials got to the site.
All the works is now complete at RSPB Wombwell Ings. We are just waiting for
a licence that allows us to bring on water from the River Dove. Plant on Wombwell
earlier on in 2021 - J Mayston
The whole Valley will be improved
The ambitions of the Dearne Valley team, to apply for the grant, and then to meet the challenges of implementation, will be seen in many of the satellites and at Old Moor itself. The aims to improve the ecology of the site to provide a safe space for waders and other water birds to breed and flourish are being realised; alongside ensuring the area’s primary purpose of protecting residents’ homes is achieved. The added bonus of providing a stimulating and educational space for visitors to see and experience nature, and view some wonderful birds such as wigeon, bittern, jack snipe, and oystercatchers, is like the icing on a very muddy, marshy, sometimes green, sometimes stormy, often windy, cake!
Comings and goings - Migration
Why do birds come to Dearne Valley when its cold?
Winter visitors are birds that arrive in autumn from the north and east to spend the winter in the UK (Eg: In far northern regions, such as Canada or Scandinavia). The UK generally has milder; and food is easier to find. Then in spring, they will return to their breeding zones. Species who are our winter visitors are things like: fieldfares, redwings, bramblings, whooper swans, and many ducks, geese and wading birds.
Further afield from RSPB Dearne Valley, water birds also spend the winter at the UK coast. These include common scoters, great northern divers and red-necked grebes.
The UK also gets passage migrants. These are birds that stop off in the UK during a long journey somewhere else - either north or south. This is why sightings of such birds are often fleeting and incredibly fortuitous for birders, as they are unpredictable. Such birds include green sandpipers and black terns. They use the UK like a stop-over; spending a few weeks during autumn and spring to feed and rest before continuing their journey.
And some species, such as dunlin, can be a mixture of both winter and passage migrants. Small dunlin, who breed in Greenland and Iceland, are passage migrants – stopping off in the UK on their way to west Africa. The larger dunlin, who breed in Russia and northern Scandinavia, will stay with us for the winter.
Plus of course, we generate our own migrants - about half of our species migrate – and especially the insect-eaters. As you will know from your own gardens and from visits to RSPB Dearne Valley – there aren’t many insects during a UK winter!
And don’t forget that migration happens in our more familiar species too - even the blackbirds in your garden in January and February could well be winter visitors from Eastern Europe. That’s because these are known as Partial Migrants - birds that migrate in some places, but not in others. For instance, the starlings that breed in the UK will generally remain here during the winter; but starlings that breed in eastern Europe, where winter is much colder, will migrate to the UK in winter as well. The same happens to chaffinches, robins, lapwings, and many other common birds. So the UK numbers swell – which could explain why, if you usually see 2 or 3 chaffinch in your garden, and suddenly start to get 5 or 6 or more during winter, these could be from farther afield.
However, partial migration depends upon the weather; so it is never the same each year, compared to the last. Birds that hardly move at all in the UK, may migrate in huge numbers from colder parts of Europe, adding to our populations temporarily.
A bit more detail on Dearne Valley Migrants
Wigeon are a medium-sized member of the duck brigade at 45-50 cm long and with a wingspan of 75-85cm. Wigeon at the Dearne Valley in winter may have come from Scandinavia, Russia or Iceland.
Their heads are very round, with a small black-grey bill, and they have a grey body with white and black tail feathers. Males are recognisable by their mid-brown head with its golden-yellow forehead. Females have a more even all-over brown colour to their head, neck, and underbody; with a darker brown top and tail. But the key identifier for wigeon is their call – an unmistakable “whistle” – you cannot mistake this wonderful sound on crips winter days.
Teal are “dabbling ducks”, like wigeon, but a lot smaller – making them quite easy to identify – look for the smallest duck out there! They are only 34-40cm long, with a wingspan of 58-64cm. Dabbling ducks will be ones you often see with their heads in the water, and their bottoms in the air, because they feed mostly at the water surface or on the land.
Teal on the Mere - J Mayston
Male teal have chestnut and green heads, and a tell-tale black-edged, golden yellow mark on the tail, and they have a green flash (speculum) in their wing feathers. Their bodies are grey. Female teal can be identified by a brown and cream pattern of feathers on most of their bodies, and a green speculum in their wing feathers.
In winter birds will arrive from Siberia and the Baltic and spend winter in wetlands like those in the Dearne valley.
Goldeneye are diving ducks - these are ducks who feed mostly by diving into the water, to feed on fish, insects or aquatic plants. The Dearne valley birds may have come from Northern Europe countries.
Goldeneye are similar in body size to wigeon, with a slightly smaller wingspan at 65-80 cm. Male goldeneye are black and white in the body, with a large green head, small bill and a creamy-white “spot” between the eye and bill – it is its most obvious identifier. Female goldeneye have grey bodies and a rich chocolatey head, and you will be able to see their bright yellow eye, and a small bit of yellow near the tip of the bill.
Some of our diving ducks will prefer freshwater rivers or reservoirs; whilst others prefer the sea and will therefore be often seen at the coast.
Goosander - are also diving ducks, who specialise in fishing – with their long saw-type bills making them stand out amongst the other ducks on the Mere. Their bodies are a modest size – 58-65cm; but their wingspan is large at 82-97cm. Males have creamy-white and black bodies, with a clearly marked green neck and head, and a long red bill – with serrated edges – but hopefully you wont get close enough to see that – unless you are a fish!
Female goosander have greyer bodies than the male, with a white chest, and a chocolatey neck and head, a white chin, and a red bill.
…And more familiar Dearne Valley (and possibly your garden) Migrants
Away from the migrant ducks arriving at the Dearne Valley, more familiar garden and woodland birds arrive in large numbers to our gardens and the Dearne Valley.
The Thrush family:
Redwing, fieldfare, blackbirds, and thrushes are attracted to our milder winter climate from Scandinavia, Poland, Siberia and Russia, and swell the numbers already present here – making them far more likely to be spotted on your walks. They arrive in late Autumn/early winter, and will stay until April or May if the conditions remain suitable.
Many of these birds don’t come to the UK to breed, but to avoid the worst winter weathers elsewhere. Their breeding grounds are in Iceland, Northern Europe and further east. However, the UK also has its own breeding populations who are involved in migration, going to France, Spain and Portugal, or further south when it gets cold here.
Waxwing – a specially-named type of migration
The distinctive waxwing are rarer migrants to the UK – sometimes lots arrive, and sometimes barely any. They originate in Siberia, Russia and Scandinavia, and there are also North American populations. Waxwing migration is called Irruption, due to its unpredictability – and this explains the unpredictability of whether they will come to the UK or not.
Once waxwings have eaten all the berries in their usual Scandinavian winter home, some have to cross the sea to the UK to find more, because their usual habitat just wont support the numbers that year; either due to a very successful breeding year, or a poor harvest. Cleverly, these birds migrate before the food runs out, rather than after and when they are weakened.
Irruptions only happen, on average, every 10 years or so; that’s why we wont get waxwings every winter (unless we are in the very North of Scotland). But it could be this year for the Dearne Valley!!
A waxwing is recognisable by its head crest, the black “mask” around it face and eyes, and the yellow tips to its wings and tail. They are only 18cm long, and a wingspan of 32-35cm – slightly smaller than a starling.
Brambling
Brambling are an uplifting visitor to our gardens and woodlands; and noticeable in its colourfulness – even amongst the likes of similarly sized birds, such as the chaffinch, whom they often hang out with. The brambling is a lovely eye-opener, with males having bright orange chests, and a white belly.
Recent sightings:
Old Moor: black-tailed godwit, great white egret, bearded tit, cormorant, goosander, goldeneye, pintail, oystercatcher, lapwing, wigeon, teal, mallard, marsh harrier, reed bunting, siskin, redpoll, little egret, heron, green winged teal, Caspian gull, little grebe, tufted duck, whooper swan.
Wombwell: Water Pipit; Siberian chiff chaff, golden plover, lapwing
Broomhill: Jack Snipe, Snipe; Stonechat; shelduck;
Bolton: Bittern, Pink-footed geese, Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl, Brambling, golden plover, kingfisher,
Adwick: many of the above plus grey partridge, green woodpecker, curlew
“Lookout” for further wildlife updates and topics! Please subscribe and comment