There are many signs of the season in the bird year: first chiffchaff, first cuckoo, last swallow. Today, as if to remind us that the year is turning, we passed a few more of these ‘milestones’ in the Dearne Valley.
Here’s what was seen today…
Lapwing numbers have been building for a while now and regular visitors to Old Moor will know that another plover tends to arrive about this time. So it was probably no surprise that the first golden plover was recorded on the main marsh today. Soon, with a bit of luck, many more will join it.
A whinchat from Gary Stones at Adwick today. Thanks Gary.
Another seasonal spectacle is the sight (and sound) of geese across the autumn sky and this morning thirty-one pink-footed geese were reported over Broomhill Flash heading northwest. These are birds from the north, from Iceland and Greenland that come here to spend the winter. Like the golden plover, their arrival is a sign that autumn is here.
A taste of things to come from Mary Wilde. Thanks Mary.
One of the recent great white egrets was spotted again today. In fact, it roosted on Wath Ings last night and left early then spent the second half of the morning at Bolton Ings.
Also today, there were sightings of some of those lingering summer visitors – swift, hobby and house martin. Any way you look at it, September is a great month for a visit to Old Moor what with all this coming and going!
So, to finish tonight’s blog, here’s another of Old Moor’s ‘birds of the moment’ – the greenshank. There were seven of these stately waders reported today with watchers at the Wader Scrape getting some of the closest views. Although, from this picture, I’m not sure who was doing the watching.
Until next time.
Lots of young house sparrows and goldfinch around at home at present and still plenty of house martins swooping about over my son’s house in Doncaster.
OM seems to be getting a good few waders this year - especially, the greenshanks. I like the photo and the rather ‘arty’ shot of the whinchat.