If you’d asked me this morning what the surprise sighting of the day was going to be, I’d never have guessed it. Yet, among the mass of bird sightings today there was one that slackened everyone’s jaw.
Over at Adwick Washland, there was – with photographic proof to back it up – a fieldfare. In June. World’s gone mad I tell ye!
Joking aside, this is more than a bit unusual. We think of fieldfare as winter migrants so for one to turn up now is – well, odd to say the least! I’ll be interested to see if the bird statisticians out there have had any other records of fieldfare this early.
Taken today by Malcolm Gough. Thanks Malcolm.
I am glad to say that today the Dearne Valley was chock-full of watchers, recording the local sightings. To stay at Adwick Washland for a second, the sightings there included: two little egret, twenty-one avocet, twenty-five redshank, four ringed plover, one little ringed plover, one oystercatcher, a snipe and thirty-five lapwing.
There were also: fourteen greylag geese, four Canada geese, one lesser black-backed gull, six black-headed gull, four grey heron, one little grebe, two mute swan, one grey partridge, one hobby, two buzzard, three kestrel, two lesser whitethroat, one reed warbler and one each of garden and willow warblers. My thanks to Gary Stones for those numbers.
Two little ringed plover on the Wader Scrape avoiding the cameras
Alan Stonier was at Edderthorpe Flash and reported: one red kite, eight little egret, three redshank, three ringed plover, two snipe, thirty-one lapwing, 102 gadwall, fifty-three mallard, four little grebe, two teal, ten tufted duck, four greylag geese, two Canada geese, four mute swan, forty-seven coot, eight moorhen and three grey heron. Thanks Alan.
Karen Williams provided the picture from Bolton Ings. Here today were: four mute swan, nineteen gadwall, twenty-four mallard, fifteen pochard, twenty-three tufted duck, six great crested grebe, six little grebe, one cormorant, two grey heron, ninety-three coot (!), one common gull, one herring gull, one lesser black-backed gull and around 400 black-headed gull. Thanks Karen.
For lapwing, there’s always time to spruce up those feathers
Reports from Old Moor this morning began with a startling figure from the Mere. Here today were fifty-three lesser black-backed gull. Is that a record? In among them were nine herring gull, one Mediterranean gull and one yellow-legged gull.
There were also around thirty swift, one dunlin, one oystercatcher and three buzzard along with lapwing, sand martin, tufted duck, Canada geese, mute swan and black-headed gull.
From the Bittern Hide there were sightings of: two bittern, one cormorant, two great crested grebe, reed warbler and common tern.
One of the many youngsters about Old Moor today
The Field Pool provided sightings of: one little egret, one wigeon, ten teal and several gadwall broods.
On Green Lane, visitors recorded one reed warbler, four linnet, one kestrel, two singing blackcap and one singing dunnock.
Today the Wader Scrape sightings contained an unusual mix that included: one bar-headed goose, two little ringed plover, one redshank, two shelduck, four lapwing, two common tern, one hobby and three oystercatcher along with teal, gadwall and mallard.
Are we bothered though?
Finally, sightings from Wath Ings today were as follows: four cormorant, one common tern, around fifty greylag geese, one grey heron, twelve mute swan, one sedge warbler and broods of both mallard and pochard young.
Elsewhere at Old Moor, there were reports of one kingfisher, a jay, common blue butterflies and a burnet moth.
I’ll finish tonight with a sighting from Old Moor’s car park. It was here this afternoon (and thankfully after most of the cars had gone) that a large litter of young rabbits decided to explore their surroundings. Drive carefully folks!
Until next time.