Old Moor’s Tree Sparrow Farm is walled, sheltered and conveniently near a well-managed grassland that’s cut regularly to provide a fresh sward. Great for visitors and… well, the rabbits and foxes think it’s top notch too!
So much so that they have chosen this site over recent months for their own excavations. Sadly, ankle-snapping holes and regular foot traffic don’t mix so, as was reported yesterday, a new floor for the Farm has had to be put in place.
As such, the Tree Sparrow Farm will continue to be closed while the new base sets. Latest estimates are that the work will take until the weekend to be completed. So, sorry to all you farm lovers but I’m sure we’ll all be back on it soon enough.
A bank vole in the Bird Garden from Grace Bedford
News from Bolton Ings comes, as ever, from John Seeviour today where there were: three great crested grebe, one mute swan, three little grebe, six mallard, six gadwall, two teal, four shoveler, thirty-one tufted duck and fourteen pochard. There were also four cormorant, one grey heron, twenty-eight coot, around 314 black-headed gull, one common gull, one kestrel, one buzzard, five chiffchaff, one willow warbler, two blackcap, a green woodpecker, one jay, fourteen sand martin, one house martin and a grey wagtail. Thanks John.
Did anyone else notice there that John had to sift through three hundred or so black-heads to find that one common gull? That’s commitment that is.
Meanwhile, over at Adwick Washland, Mr Stones was also producing an impressive list. He recorded: one little egret, two garganey, one whimbrel, one Mediterranean gull, thirteen avocet, around thirty redshank, eight grey partridge, around twenty swallow and one sand martin. Later Gary added four pochard, two ringed plover, five snipe, three oystercatcher and one common tern. Thanks Gary.
That common tern is a nice addition to the Dearne Valley’s reserves. Things are on the move folks!
Moss – and great tit from Grace Bedford
At Old Moor, on the Reedbed Trail today and after a short absence, a bittern was once again booming. I’m beginning to get a little worried that I haven’t had any reports of beardies recently though I’m sure there out there somewhere…
On the Mere today there were: eight swallows and a Mediterranean gull. With them were two redshank, two oystercatcher, six cormorant and four herring gull (three juvenile and one adult) along with gadwall, shoveler, teal, wigeon and pochard.
The Field Pool was the place to see: two more redshank, nine snipe, forty wigeon and two more oystercatcher.
Green Lane is warming up nicely with at least one willow warbler, two chiffchaff and two blackcap making themselves heard.
A chiffchaff from Grace Bedford
On the Wader Scrape today were: two shelduck, one pink-footed goose, one white wagtail and – yep – two more oystercatcher (Oyc total = 6 today).
Lastly, at Wath Ings today were: four goldeneye, five sand martin and four more shelduck, two males and two females.
And finally, a few words about tonight’s guest photographer, Grace Bedford. Grace is one of our younger visitors who came to Old Moor this week with her mum. By all accounts Grace had a great day and managed to see at least two birds that were new to her. Hopefully they’ll be many more Grace, and thank you for sending in your photographs! Here at ‘Blog HQ’ we always appreciate pictures for the day’s sightings.
Until next time.