We’ve reached that stage in the year when, while the mornings are definitely autumnal, those afternoons are a glorious reminder of that record-breaking summer! Worth saying then that, until we change the clocks, the reserve is open until 8pm.
Here’s a summary of what was seen at Old Moor today…
If you haven’t seen it on the picture above, at Wombwell Ings today a spotted flycatcher was found in the “yellow-browed warbler bushes” – that is to say the hedge that runs along the eastern edge of the reserve.
Also, the recent garganey was once again on Broomhill Flash today.
Two spotted redshank, a black-headed gull and a photo-bombing swallow!
At Old Moor, that pair of spotted redshank could be found either on Wath Ings or, as seen above, on the Mere where there were also large numbers of house martin, swallow and sand martin today.
On the Wader Scrape this afternoon the silver teal was showing well along with a greenshank, a green sandpiper and the young shelduck. Almost grown now, this bird is the last of the two broods raised on the scrape this summer.
No longer a shelduckling!
Also here was one of daftest grey herons that I’ve seen for a while! This particular bird was feeding on the scrape and took exception to – of all things – a post!
Startled by the fencepost, the heron jumped around it, at first trying to attack this tall and menacing stranger. Then, when that didn’t work, the heron tried a different tack and – and I’m really not kidding here – ‘snuggled’ up to the post, almost as if it was its parent!
Yep. A heron attacking a post (not half as weird as what followed)
But for me, the most startling encounter of the day took place in the Tree Sparrow Farm. There a male sparrowhawk is a regular visitor at present. Fortunately, I walked into the ‘farm’ quietly though, as it turned out, this bird is a bold one.
Undaunted by the movement of people in the hide or of whispered voices, this sparrowhawk ‘told’ all the visitors there that this is his domain. How? – I’ll finish tonight with a photo of ‘that look’.
Until next time.