Formula One motor racing teams have to consider their ‘tyre strategy’ these days I’m told. The tyres wear out quickly, especially at those speeds. We’ve probably all seen those videos of pit crews changing all four wheels in seconds.
Birds have a similar problem. Not tyres of course but feathers. Yes, feathers wear out; think of the air miles! Like cars, if birds changed all their feathers at once they’d be virtually immobile. Unlike cars, they’d also be mostly unrecognisable and a bit cold! Either way it’s an expensive business.
How do birds solve this? Well they moult of course. And, though there are some general rules, each species will have a different strategy. This goes some way to explaining why birds look different at different times of year.
Why am I wittering on about this? Well, it happens that one of Old Moor’s star birds today confused a lot of watchers. Folk had heard that there was a spotted redshank at Wath Ings and, when it did appear from under the willows, a common remark was, “It looks nothing like it does in the book.”
True. In summer a spotted redshank is a black bird. In October, at distance, it looks greyish and the juveniles are even paler. Ah but, you say, surely the legs are orange red – you know, red ‘shanks’. Well, here’s how most of us saw this one today…
A spotted redshank on the Willow Pool this afternoon
No wonder folk can get confused!
The news from Manvers Lake this morning was of six mute swan, fifty-eight Canada geese, one greylag, four gadwall, twenty-three mallard, eleven pochard, three teal, forty tufted duck, eight great crested grebe, two little grebe, eighteen moorhen and seventy-one coot.
At Edderthorpe, John Clarkson found: eight little egret, nine ruff, seven dunlin, 557 lapwing, 314 golden plover and a snipe. Thanks John!
Six young mute swans being taken for some exercise by their parents
Karen Williams, at Bolton Ings, recorded: thirteen mute swan, 183 greylag geese, 294 Canada geese, seven pochard, four tufted duck, thirty mallard, eighteen gadwall, three teal, sixteen wigeon, three shoveler and five cormorant. With them were seven little grebe, 132 coot, nine moorhen, four great crested grebe and a grey heron. Thanks Karen!
Not to be outdone, the Early Birders at Old Moor spotted: seventeen little egret, six bearded tit (three males), four Cetti’s warbler, eleven water rail, fifty-eight wigeon, fifty-five gadwall, one curlew sandpiper, a spotted redshank, four ruff and two goosander.
The curlew sandpiper highlighting its position through the use of ripples.
Over Old Moor early were also forty-five skylark, 105 redwing (southeast by 09:30) and three fieldfare along with two siskin and six redpoll. Thirty-seven pink-footed geese also flew over the reserve this morning and headed east.
At Adwick Washland, Gary Stones provided the details. Here were: five grey heron, two little egret, one greenshank, 113 lapwing, ten snipe, one little grebe, forty-seven moorhen plus two juveniles, three coot, two cormorant, four mute swan and four juveniles (so far flightless), eighteen mallard, thirty-eight gadwall, eighty-two teal, nineteen shoveler, twenty-three wigeon, 320 black-headed gull, eighteen lesser black-backed gull, seven herring gull, seven common gull, one kingfisher, two goldcrest, 100 or more greenfinch and one stonechat. Thanks Gary!
From Houghton Washland the news was of three grey heron, twelve teal, two wigeon, and eleven snipe.
A rare shot of a little grebe at full stretch!
And so to Old Moor’s sightings. In the Reedbeds this morning were those six beardies, eleven water rail and four Cetti’s warblers. There were also two snipe, a stonechat and seventeen wigeon.
The Bittern Hide produced some excellent sightings of kingfisher and in the Tree Sparrow Farm there were, among other things, a male sparrowhawk and a goldcrest.
Connie – I suspect a younger visitor – mentioned four blackbird in the Bird Garden today.
A grey wagtail on the roof of the Visitor Centre this afternoon
Everything else in today’s sightings book was listed without location so brace yourself…
There were: two grey wagtail (by the Visitor Centre), seventeen little egret, fifteen grey heron, one pintail, one garganey, two goosander, 825 teal, six ringed plover, five ruff, five green sandpiper, ten golden plover, one kestrel, one peregrine, three sparrowhawk, two buzzard and one barn owl.
Nearly there…
With those were shoveler, wigeon, mallard, gadwall and lapwing, lots of lapwing.
Oh, and a grey dagger moth caterpillar.
As a photo? Yes, a bit ruff and reddy!
As you can see, there was a fair bit out there today and, with the weather mild and sunny in parts, it was an excellent one for enjoying Nature’s autumn spectacle.
Until next time – I’m off to check my tyres…