After the brisk winds of last week, the Dearne Valley was calm today. There was barely a breath of air and, although the morning was overcast, it was unseasonably mild for October. For anyone visiting the reserves, it was a chance to take stock and to appreciate the spectacular palette of autumnal colour.
Fruits of every hue adorn branches and there are still plenty of flowers in bloom. The blues of the Michaelmas daisies along the lanes; the muted pinks of the hesperantha; and even the rich purples of tufted vetch seem especially intense right now.
Most visitors to Old Moor recently have paused at the small field of sunflowers just off Green Lane. Today, with the blooms finally beginning to fade, I saw some of the finches investigating the seed heads. Not yet, but very soon these will become a magnet for all the seed eating species.
Little and large at the back of Wath Ings ‘spit’ this afternoon
Early this morning, Alan Whitehouse reported that at Wombwell Ings the were: thirty-four teal, thirty-three wigeon, seventeen shoveler, six gadwall, 177 lapwing, sixteen golden plover, nine ruff, one meadow pipit, eighteen linnet, five skylark and a bullfinch. Thanks Alan!
The news from Edderthorpe was of thirteen little egret, seven ruff, five dunlin, two snipe, 400 golden plover, four shelduck, two pochard, sixty-five lesser black-backed gull and one yellow-legged gull.
At Adwick Washland, Gary Stones recorded two little egret, 122 lapwing, two redshank, three dunlin, twenty-one snipe, two buzzard and a kingfisher. Thanks Gary!
A beautiful kestrel from John Sanderson. Thanks John!
At Old Moor, on the Reedbed Trail, today there were four singing Cetti’s warblers and seven snipe along with kingfisher, wigeon, shoveler and mute swan.
In the Bird Garden were great tit, greenfinch, bullfinch and goldfinch. There were also robin, wren, dunnock, blackbird, long-tailed tit, tree sparrow and magpie.
On the Field Pool watchers were entertained by a flock of forty linnet as well as by a kestrel and a peregrine.
Meanwhile, on the Mere there were thirteen lesser black-backed gull and two herring gull. With these were little grebe, great crested grebe and eight cormorant.
“C’mon Kayleigh, we’re gonna be late.” “Shurrup – I’m just doing mi wings!”
Finally, from Wath Ings, there were excellent views of six ringed plover, ten golden plover (with another 120 overhead at one point), five dunlin, six ruff, four green sandpiper, one black-tailed godwit, two little egret, eleven grey heron, one great spotted woodpecker, one green woodpecker, six snipe and two jay. With them were also one kestrel, a buzzard and a sparrowhawk.
The recent spotted redshank was very visible to the right of the willows on the willow pool and (mostly) nearby was the curlew sandpiper.
And with that and one final picture, I shall take my leave this evening. Until next time.
That dapper spotted redshank and two green sandpiper from Ian Morris. Thanks Ian!