In between the April showers, spring was officially announced today in the Dearne Valley by the real experts – the birds of course. Rising temperatures and periods of sunshine provided all that the spring singers needed: chiffchaff, dunnock, robin, blackbird, wren, reed bunting and – to give a bit of bass – bittern, were all announcing the change of season.
The day’s news began with the headline that the pair of garganey at Adwick Washland found last night, were still on site along with a curlew, a swallow and a black-tailed godwit. There were also seven avocet, two dunlin, one oystercatcher, six sand martin and – wait for it – a willow warbler! (The first?) Thanks to Kenneth Foundation for those details.
The pair of garganey from Gary Stones. Thanks Gary.
From Wombwell Ings, the news was of one little ringed plover, one swallow, nine sand martin, two redshank, two oystercatcher, twenty-eight golden plover, three goosander and two shelduck. My thanks to Nigel Smith for those numbers.
Nearby, at Broomhill Flash, there were: two mute swan, seventeen tufted duck, twenty-three wigeon, ten (or more) pochard, two oystercatcher, fifteen shoveler, two lesser black-backed gull, two shelduck, thirty-seven teal and a curlew.
STOP PRESS – as I type this, three adult Med. gulls are being reported on Broomhill.
Bolton Ings was also ‘warming up’ with: three mute swan, five great crested grebe, four little grebe, nine mallard, eighteen tufted duck, eight pochard, four cormorant, around 250 black-headed gull, one common gull, two oystercatcher, forty-three coot, three buzzard, one sparrowhawk, five chiffchaff, one kingfisher and a sand martin. Thanks to John Seeviour for those figures.
Meanwhile, at Houghton, there were three whooper swan reported along with two shelduck.
A Med. gull on the Mere looking to camera
Early, on Old Moor’s Reedbed Trail, as well as a bittern booming there were: around twelve water rail calling, one Cetti’s warbler singing, a swallow, six sand martin, one house martin and, on the Mere, two Mediterranean gull.
Towards midday, Old Moor’s Mere provided sightings of: twelve cormorant, three lesser black-backed gull and two oystercatcher along with tufted duck, gadwall, teal, Canada geese, shoveler, mallard, coot, moorhen and around three hundred black-headed gull.
Also spotted today were: four goldeneye and twenty-three sand martin (yes, 23) at Wath Ings. On the Field Pool, were sightings of snipe and a single swallow.
Add to that a goosander reported on the Wader Scrape and yellowhammer still in the Tree Sparrow Farm, and today’s picture is just about complete.
With a terrifically sunny day forecast for tomorrow and Old Moor open until 8pm, now is the perfect time for a stroll around your favourite reserve - not least to enjoy those sounds of spring.
Until next time.