Hello again! The big news today is of a wryneck at Old Moor. It was spotted by our regular Tuesday volunteer Amanda Palethorpe at about ten to ten this morning on Green Lane. It’s quite unusual for a wryneck to be this far inland so the chances are that it’s the same bird which was spotted at Adwick recently. I think I’m typing this correctly in that it showed well for a while on the path up to Wath Ings before it went into thick cover and has not been seen since.
It chose not to come back and eat mealworm treats which were put out in the path and to forage instead. The path was closed for a while to see if it would re-appear but despite many watchful eyes, it did not. Hopefully it is still around Old Moor/Dearne Valley and will re-appear very soon. If I remember correctly, this is the first sighting of a wryneck at Old Moor since 1997. Here’s the webpage from the RSPB about wrynecks. If you have a look at this webpage you will see their UK distribution and understand why it’s pretty unusual to be so far inland. Maybe it’s developed a taste for Dearne Valley ants!
Update: News just in that the wryneck was relocated on path on Green Lane between Wader Scrape hide and Mere hide at 16.45 then disappeared into willows.
A few lucky watchers had a great view and one of them was Kevin Wakelam. Kevin shared his wryneck photo from today on our Facebook page. Great to see and thank you very much Kevin!
Back to the book and Twitter sightings today. Early on at Old Moor came sightings of a garganey, a first year yellow legged gull, 16 ruff, 8 ringed plover, 2 green sandpipers, a Cetti’s Warbler and 7 chiffchaff.
John Clarkson was at Edderthorpe early on and saw the following… Two pintail, a hobby, approx one hundred and thirty golden plover, four ruff, five dunlin and six little egrets.
John also saw the wryneck and shared his photo. Thanks John. J
Other Old Moor news today via Twitter is of a redhead goosander which circled Old Moor before flying off in the direction of Darfield. Thanks go to Dave Simmonite for that sighting.
So let’s have a look at the sightings from the book and thanks go to Jo for sending them my way.
On Wath Ings today we had sightings of: 5 grey herons, 16 ruff, a dunlin, 5 green sandpipers, 2 black tailed godwits which didn’t stay for very long, 9 ringed plover, a little egret, lots of lapwing, approx. 50 golden plover and finally there were good views to be had of a marsh harrier here today.
Jason Fisher shared his photo of a curlew sandpiper + friend on our FB page today. Thank you Jason.
Next to sightings from the Mere. The marsh harrier also gave good views from here today and landed on Island 2. Also seen were wigeon, gadwall, teal, pochard, shoveler, garganey and little grebes.
The final sighting from the book is of a red admiral on Green Lane but I’m also sure those beeping marvels (kingies) will have been around in various places today.
Red admiral from last weekend on Green Lane.
That's it for the sightings so far today but if you have anything else, then please do leave a comment below.
I was at Old Moor last Saturday and was delighted to find this hairy marvel.It's a buff tip moth caterpillar. It made my day :)
Have a lovely evening and fingers crossed we have more news of the wryneck tomorrow.