At last a day of warmth! Okay, possibly over-reacting there but the combination of a sunshine AND a bit of heat really made a difference to the lanes of Old Moor. Here’s what was seen…

I didn’t get a chance to visit today but luckily Nigel Smith provided the picture from a busy Adwick Washland. Forty avocet, around twenty redshank, four ringed plover, one little ringed plover, a dunlin, one black-tailed godwit, two shelduck, two wheatear, two grey partridge and a lesser whitethroat were the ‘headline birds’ today. Thanks Nigel.

Back at Old Moor, the more unusual sightings included five bearded tit seen near the Bittern Bus Stop. Two hobby cruised through this afternoon probably eyeing-up the swift flock feeding overhead.

On Green Lane, the frantic ‘speeding blackcap’ calls of a garden warbler were picked up though, to my knowledge, the bird was not seen.

It’s also worth mentioning that a barn owl sat out most of the afternoon at the end of the Field Pool while a kingfisher celebrated better visibility by fishing busily backwards and forwards along Knoll Beck.

Butterflies today included plenty of orange-tip, large whites and a few brimstone while a grass snake was seen on the first pond and one lucky visitor surprised a stoat carrying a rabbit down Green Lane.

Not a bad day to be out.