Another busy bird-filled day in the Dearne Valley! If you’re in a rush, here’s the summary…

Sadly, despite watchers searching throughout the day, it looks like the great white egrets have finally moved on. To be fair, the first did arrive on the 4th Aug and another on the 21st with an incredible third joining them on the 24th!

Today there was no sign though, as we know, even large birds can and do ‘disappear’ for a while. In this particular story, who knows what the next chapter will be…

So long?

On the Reedbed Trail today it was good to hear that a Cetti’s warbler had been heard (if not seen).

The Field Pool (towards Wath Ings) was home to three greenshank today as well as a redshank with great views of a kingfisher hovering over the waters there in search of a meal.

A fine green sandpiper on Wath Ings

From the Wader Scrape hide the miniature stars of the show today were ten ringed plover though on a similar scale there were also dunlin and common sandpiper to be seen here too.

On Wath Ings, the grey heron count continues to rise, but for any doubting that autumn is on its way, there were also two pintail and two wigeon. Edderthorpe Flash added another four to the day’s wigeon count. Many more soon, no doubt.

So, to finish off tonight’s blog, here’s one of the six egrets seen today from Wath Ings. Little egrets that is.

Until next time.