Finally the lanes of Old Moor resound with the cheery songs of chiffchaff, robin, dunnock, tree sparrow, chaffinch, great and blue tit. Full on spring at last!
Things are moving at a pace and down on the Reedbed Trail, one mother proudly paraded her brood – a coot with three young and (unless you know differently) the first hatch of 2019.
Here is today’s summary of sightings…
From Adwick Washland, the news was of twenty-two avocet, two oystercatcher, twenty-four redshank, twelve snipe, six ringed plover, three little ringed plover, three curlew, eight swallow and two sand martin. As if that wasn’t enough, the recent pink-footed goose could still be found along with its Egyptian counterpart. My thanks to Nigel Smith for those numbers. His full lists can be found here and here.
My day began not far from Old Moor, just at the back of Aldi on Manvers Way. There, from a wooden footbridge near Starling Close, the four waxwing were still providing excellent views. Yes, I know it’s not an official RSPB site, but you’d have to have a heart of stone to walk past one of these beauties let alone four!
Waxwing eating willow shoots this morning off Manvers Way
Today the birds were busy eating the last of the viburnum berries on the left bank of the stream before attacking the willow buds and catkins on the right hand side. Joined by kingfisher, chiffchaff and reed bunting, it was a terrific start to the day.
One of two redshank on the Wader Scrape today
Back at Old Moor, gulls seemed to be dominating the Mere. Well, except for those ‘on again, off again’ Mediterranean gulls. Today I was unlucky. Twice. Ah well, that’s birding for you.
What I did see were plenty of young herring gull indulging in a few – dare I say it – games. Now then, science-y folk, hold those horses! I know that the words ‘games’ and ‘play’ produce sharp intakes of breath from those who would claim that it’s all ‘rehearsing survival skills’, but it’s hard not to see gulls as playful creatures.
Today I watched several second year herring gulls find make-do playthings: sticks, weeds –even in one case, a rock, and then fly high over the Mere with them. The gull would then open its beak or claw and watch the toy plummet to the ground. After a second it would pursue it, beating gravity to snatch the item from the air. Squawking, it repeated the game over and over, sometimes with a playmate. Then the game became a competition to see who could catch the falling toy first.
Next time you visit Old Moor, look out for those 'games'. Purposeful or playful? See what you think.
Until next time.
The sort of thing gulls do with shellfish to open them. But never seen a race to grab the object before the ground. Hmmm.
Yes, I thought of that too but gulls are bright, adaptable birds and these youngsters are non-breeding birds with time on their 'hands'... Play as preparation perhaps. Either way, it was good to watch on a 'slow bird' day.