Usually Secretive - Sightings, 9 July

Overcast skies but over SIXTY species of birds at Old Moor today! And among them some absolute crackers! Here’s the summary of sightings…

On the drive in to Old Moor today, three green woodpeckers could be seen feeding on the ants there. These are large and colourful birds but shy. That said, those folk prepared to loiter around the overflow car park this morning were rewarded with excellent views.

The Reedbed Trail was a good place to find bearded tits today with a group of four seen at close quarters. High above them on the pylons, two peregrine watched for opportunities below and again, at least one bittern was seen today.

A barn owl at around two o'clock today

On the Wader Scrape today, thirteen black-tailed godwit were seen along with two common sandpiper, two common tern, a dunlin and a little ringed plover.

Over the Scrape at one o'clock, a buzzard tried its luck and was seen off by (among other things) a plucky oystercatcher

On the Mere, early on, there was another report of a third year Caspian gull as well as large numbers of herring gull, lesser black-backs and both an adult and juvenile Mediterranean gull.

Also on the Mere today, a yawning little grebe

Little grebe were less sleepy on Wath Ings with two flying the width of the willow pool in order to knock seven bells out of each other!

Meanwhile, a lone godwit was encouraged to move on by the intimidations of a lapwing that took a dislike to this odd russet wader.

But here too was the shy star of the marsh today – a female garganey. If you are not familiar with this species, this is a rare migratory duck. Scarce and (usually) secretive summer visitors, around 100 or so pairs are found in the whole UK each year.

So, to finish tonight’s blog, here is the female garganey preening on Wath Ings today.

Until next time.