Hello again, it’s been a lovely warm day at Old Moor with plenty of sunshine which was enjoyed by all.
The ‘big’ news this week is that the juvenile dipper that was spotted in the river near the hide at Bolton last weekend has returned! And not only that, it’s been showing very well indeed. It’s only the second every recorded sighting of a dipper in the Dearne Valley. If you’d like to go and see it and you are not sure where I mean, then go over the little bridge in the car park and turn left. Walk along this path for a mile or so – you should be able to work out where you are from following the field pools on OM which you will see to your left as you walk.
You will then reach the bit where there is a path to the left (you’ll see the hide too) and the bridge that you walk over here, is the bridge to spot the dipper from. I’m sure there will be people watching so just ask if it’s around and good luck!
Gary Stones took a few photos of it this week. Here’s one of them & thank you Gary.
Next I have the sightings map for you. You’ll see that I have grouped Wath Ings, Field Pools, Wader Scrape and the Mere together. This is because the birds were moving around. Some, such as the golden plover, were specific to the Wader Scrape. The golden plover which was seen today is in fact the first record this autumn. Click on the picture for a larger, sharper view.
From the reedbeds today came sightings of kingfisher, little egret, grey heron, great crested and little grebes, buzzard and two meadow pipits.
We again had a visiting male sprrowhawk to the Tree Sparrow Farm…it caught a bit of lunch, an unlucky greenfinch….
Russ Bridges was there and took this photo of it. Thanks Russ, great pic!
Butterflies were a bit scarce today with very few sightings of small white, speckled wood, common blue and small copper.
Dragonflies seen today were common and ruddy darters, brown and migrant hawkers.
Here's a little clip of one of the lovely Black Tailed Godwits on Wath Ings today.
Highlights from Adwick today include the short eared owl this morning, a wheatear, redstart, spotted flycatcher and whinchat. Thanks to Gary Haywood for the latter sightings, I was told the SEO had been seen this morning.
Highlights from Bolton today include the dipper, bittern. buzzard and a hobby. Thanks go to David Bamforth and John Seeviour for those sightings.
The Barnsley Birders tweeted sightings from Bulling Dyke of 2 spotted flycatchers and a pair of yellowhammers.
And finally for today we have sightings via the Barnsley Birders of 2 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 1 Dunlin and 70 Lapwing at Wombwell as well as a Spotted Flycatcher at Broomhill.
Finally for today, a group of greylag geese taking off from Wath Ings. Lots of noise :)