View From The Shed by Shaun Finnie - JUST PASSING THROUGH

JUST PASSING THROUGH

I know that it's difficult during these times of economic belt-tightening but please bear with me. Imagine for a moment that you're much more affluent than you currently are. In fact, imagine that beyond, affluent; you're rich. Seriously rich. So rich that you can afford not only a magnificent home near to the wonderful Dearne Valley RSPB reserves here in South Yorkshire but an equally magnificent one abroad, in surroundings and temperatures that match your personal preferences. The food there is always to your taste and you can stay for as long as you like, probably for around a full six months of the year. The only downside is the distance involved. It's always a tiring trip but it's so worth it that you can spend half your year in Britain and the other half at this hypothetical foreign second home.

Does that sound good? Lots of our avian friends seem to think so because this is effectively how the migrating birds live their lives. If it's good enough for 'nature' then it's good enough for me.

To torture this analogy even further, let's imagine that it's now time for you to leave dear old Britain and head off to foreign climes. You've packed everything you need, your body is fit and ready and the time has come for you to depart. But it's not long before you feel a need for a pit stop. You just need one final coffee, a snack and of course a toilet break. Anyone who's ever met me at Old Moor will know that I tell everyone the same thing - “Everybody needs the blue door”.

If you look at it this way, then Old Moor can be seen as the migrating birds' motorway service station. They drop in to the reserve to stock up on food and have a final rest before the most arduous part of their journey. Maybe they'll meet up with friends here so that they can all travel together. We don't care. We try to give them all they need in preparation for their migration and hope that they'll remember us for the return journey. The literal lengths that birds go to in their migrations never ceases to amaze me and this is the perfect time of year to look for these twin-domiciled birds as they pass through the Dearne Valley.

The biggest draw of these recently has been a PECTORAL SANDPIPER that appeared at Old Moor last weekend. These little waders breed in the Sub-Arctic tundra regions of Alaska, Canada and across Northern Asia, but they migrate all the way down to Southern Africa or South America. Not many of them choose a route over the UK but there are usually a few blown over each year, including the very obliging individual that delighted visitors outside our Wath Ings hide. These birds are similar to Dunlin in appearance but with a clean white belly, and many birders came to see this little bird as it rested up after an unexpected Yorkshire stop on its long-distance journey.

Another star visitor were the OSPREY duo that delighted those who have seen them. They've been in the area for a while but we were chuffed to bits when they flew around our site for a few days, even diving in for a couple of fish as they stocked up for the long flight to Western Africa. Unlike us they won't get trolley service and a choice of films on their flight but hopefully they'll be back next year to repeat their global circuit.

Much as I find it incredible that birds like the Osprey make that huge journey each year, I'm even more staggered by the fact that smaller songbirds with minute wings can do pretty much the same journey. We've been privileged to have some of them stop off at our reserve recently, in preparation for making the same long endurance flight as the Osprey.

They too will spend their winters in Africa before heading back to Britain next Summer and then they'll continue this dual-continent existence for as long as they live. I'm talking about several beautiful little WHINCHAT and WHEATEAR that have been spotted at Old Moor over the last few weeks. We've seen STONECHAT too, standing on the fenceposts around the reedbeds, building up strength until it's time to head off on its own astounding crossing to far-flung places.

Migration fascinates me. How these tiny creatures do it I'll never know but I'm so pleased that they do. It means that I don't need to travel to distant lands to see them. Then again... Has anyone seen my Saga Holidays brochure?