This time last year, most of Old Moor’s water birds were standing on ice; today felt far more like summer! Here’s today’s summary of sightings…

First things first. If you are visiting Old Moor tomorrow you’ll notice that the Reedbed Trail is closed for a second day of maintenance work…

But worry not, you can still get a view over Reedbed One from the bus stop and one determined visitor today even picked out the call of a Cetti’s warbler over the noise of the digger’s engine!

I understand that, by the weekend, the landscaping should be finished and the reedbeds open once more.

Golden light, green sandpiper

Not only were their two oystercatcher on the islands of the Mere today, but two green sandpiper could be found around its margins.

A lone brambling was seen first thing this morning in the Tree Sparrow Farm and somewhere between seven and twenty lesser redpoll could be found around the silver birches at the back of the Bittern Hide.

Those looking for goldeneye were best off heading to Wath Ings today where, at the time of my visit, the cormorant were beginning to roost.

A cormorant at sunset today

And that’s almost it for tonight except to say that a similarly beautiful day is forecast for the Dearne Valley tomorrow. The spring-like temperatures may not last far into next week but - while we have the chance - why not enjoy a stroll in the sun?

  • The sun certainly brings out the colours! :)

    i’ve just “re-found” the blog - it had stuck on the one fir the 10th and would show no more which I thought was a bit odd. However, logging out and back in and then going to the Places to Visit page and, eventually, down at the bottom, scrolling through the various latest blogs, I found it! It seems to be a bit unstable since the updates. Has anyone else found issues?