Today the Dearne Valley experienced one of those fairly typical spring days that are exactly in two halves. Until midday, it was overcast and wet; from midday, beautiful spring sunshine.
It was just the excuse some of us needed to drag our heels a bit this morning in the hope of better views this afternoon.
Yet, there were watchers out early, braving the downpour to bring us the sightings.
An arctic tern over the Mere today
At Broomhill Flash, early on, there were: two mute swan, three great crested grebe, one little gull, two lesser black-backed gull, five herring gull, seven pochard, twenty-one tufted duck, one kestrel, a reg-legged partridge, twenty-five or more swallow, the same number of sand martin, six oystercatcher, two snipe, two ringed plover and a common sandpiper.
At Edderthorpe, John Clarkson reported: one garganey, three little egret, one whimbrel, around 200 swallow, forty sand martin and twenty house martin. Thanks John.
On Wombwell, John Seeviour found: around 200 swallow, a male goosander, one greenshank, two wheatear and two oystercatcher. Thanks John.
Over at Adwick, Gary Stones recorded: one little egret, twenty-two avocet, sixteen redshank, one oystercatcher, one little ringed plover, one common sandpiper, two ringed plover, one wheatear, one white wagtail, three yellow wagtail, four pink-footed geese, five teal and two buzzard. Thanks Gary.
That barnacle goose as seen from the Family Hide this afternoon
At Old Moor, the first news was of six arctic tern, one dunlin, three ringed plover, three redshank, three common sandpiper, one wheatear and a hobby.
In the Bird Garden today the recent yellowhammer was still visible whilst on the Mere were: one barnacle goose, two Mediterranean gull, one wheatear and a dunlin. On visitor also reported that the oystercatcher were obviously nesting here today.
A pair of wigeon could still be found on the Field Pool along with great crested and little grebes.
Over the reedbeds was one buzzard and a male bittern could be heard booming from Reedbed One throughout the day.
Expectant Med. gulls – fingers crossed!
Two of the common sandpiper could be found on the Wader Scrape along with three redshank.
Finally, on – or rather over - Wath Ings were swift, sand martin, house martin and swallow. Perhaps predictably, this was where the report of the hobby came from today.
That’s it for this evening except to say that some repairs are scheduled for the Wath Ings hide tomorrow and viewing from there may be disrupted. If you are visiting Old Moor tomorrow, best check in the Visitor Centre.
Now that really is it for tonight. Until next time.
House martin over Wath Ings this afternoon