18/08/24 Starting point of an East-West jaunt today with Messrs Ausberger and Rayner.
14 Spoonbills, including 2 begging juveniles (quite comic to watch, obviously annoying for the adults); Great Egret, several Little Egrets, Grey Heron; 1 Common, 7 Green and 4 Wood Sandpipers; 1 Sand Martin, C 20 Swifts over the artificial nesting bank; 3 Ringed Plovers; Snipe; Black-tailed Godwit;1 adult F Wigeon. Plus usual wildfowl and gulls. The Lookout, Wath Ings and Field Pools East Hides only. At this point we became aware the news from St Aiden's and departed swiftly north.
12 Spoonbill, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Avocet, 5 Little Egret, 100+Lapwing, Black Tailed Godwit were the highlights.
Bittern and Hobby reported earlier in the day too.
Highlights of todays High Peak RSPB group trip to Adwick Washlands and Old Moor.
The former site had a flock of up to 15 Yellow Wagtail feeding amongst the cattle at the viewing 'rock'. Also Reed Bunting, Kestrel, 3 Meadow Pipit, 6 Teal, Kingfisher.
Old Moor in the afternoon had a Hobby, 2 Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 3 Dunlin, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 5 Little Egret, Kingfisher, Common Snipe
I've grown more fond of Old Moor lately, especially since I've been getting and photographing some interesting birds there too!!!!
Today; 51 species and the weather has been much brighter too!!
Highlights include-
Greenshank, managed to get a close one from the scrape hide! I arrived just as he was passing.... then he came back.... and again. ... and again..... and again (he was about to wear a channel along the water line). This was actually a good job he did this because I only had a gap in the grasses of 10ft to catch him as he passed. A juvenile Spotted redshank showed really well, but was asleep for the first 10 mins but he was very well camouflaged, so thanks to the other birder who was watching him before and pointed him out to me. I had 2 yellow wagtails with a few Pied wagtails nearby. Green sandpiper showed really really well too, 2 juvenile bullfinch Shelduck juvenile Several black tailed godwit Kingfisher briefly Stock doves Snipes Common sandpiper 3 ruffs
And the escappe silver teal showed much closer this time too.
I had no idea of this was going to go ahead especially when I couldn't sleep very well so I switched my alarm clock off. I woke up suprisingly early at 6am feeling restless, so off I went!!!!
59 species seen and still a good number of common birds not seen too!! Highlights are as follows. ....
Wood sandpiper - was among the first seen and close starting at the wader scrape area Green sandpiper - was also as close as the wood but closer still in the afternoon which gave me my greatest photo opportunity of all time- at last too!!!! 3 yellow wagtails showed very well on and off being hyper active. A juvenile male sparrowhawk - was outside the wader hide posing for me on the ground on an island as he just missed something. Ringed plover 1 juvenile shelduck Marsh harrier Greenshank Common sandpiper (done a hat trick of sandpipers, and no rabbits were used!) Dunlin Black tailed godwit Snipes Stock dove At least 100 plus sand Martins and a couple of dozen swifts Kingfisher Pochard Shoveler Teal Little egrets Reed warbler Reed bunting Tree sparrows
A waderistic day and loved it!!!!!
Pictures I will attach a couple later this evening when I get back 'ome
Ta!
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Friday 17th of August 2018 09:09:35 PM
A quick visit here on the return from Blacktoft for myself, Chris Chandler and Colin Rushmer, to see a Temminck's Stint that had dropped in during the day. It was rather distant viewed from the Field Pool west Hide which looks out on Wath Ings rather than the main central Mere. Cracking bird though.
We only had an hour or so but Chris also managed to see Bittern and Black-necked Grebe, which Colin and I both missed! What stood out a mile was that the reserve is really maturing and the habitats they have created are supporting birds really well. There was a sense of vibrancy to the place that was tangible.
My mother wanted to goto Old Moor to see the wood sandpiper, so a 2nd trip was organised. At first the wood sandpiper was finally located on the wader scrape but a little way out. He fed along the water line to almost close view when it flew off to my right. I had a hunch he went to the East hide and my hunch was spot on! Only this time he was even closer then on Tuesday's trip!!!
Other highlights included a super close view of a juvenile lapwing, a mass flock of 30+ long tailed and blue tits with a willow warbler, 3 wigeon, a buzzard, black tailed godwit, greenshank, stock dove and green and common sandpipers. Species totalling 47 without visiting all the hides this time. Ta!
P's, better wood sandpiper pictures will be posted here later (Inc. Flickr)
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Friday 18th of August 2017 09:21:20 PM
A fabulous 5 hour wonder with 48 species seen and an additional 3 heard but just missed out. Highlights included a Wood sandpiper from the East hide. The sun was against at the time but went behind the clouds briefly as he made his way much closer- giving belting views! Also, a peregrine (female juvenile) spooked the lapwings and flew very low across the reserve right towards the hide very close!!!!! Other key highlights included a kingfisher, little ringed plover, superb close view of a little grebe, stock dove, redshank, greenshank, and both common and green sandpiper. I will try and attach pictures of the wood sandpiper here later! Ta!!!
Ps. Curious, the wood sandpiper displayed interesting behaviour, when the peregrine was about and every other bird and wader was put up, the wood sandpiper partly buried itself in the mud and flattened it's body. Obviously this wader displays a different kind of defence strategy then most other waders.
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Tuesday 15th of August 2017 09:29:25 PM
No show from the little bittern but still some good birding. 1 bittern 1 great white egret At least 6 little egret 1 wood sandpiper 7 green sandpiper 2 common sandpiper 1 wheatear 1 male redstart 2 common tern 2 kingfisher 4 dunlin 1 ringed plover 6 little ringed plover 1 greenshank 1 peregrine falcon 2 kestrel Lots of lapwings & little grebes all around 2 great spotted woodpecker 1 shoveler 1 wigeon 8 snipe Gadwall, teal, pochard & tufted duck Chiffchaff & reed warbler Plus all the usuals around
With Steve Burke and Simon Gough, first time here for myself and Simon, cracking reserve I must add!
- Mute Swan - Canada Geese family encompassing 2 well grown Greylag young - Mallard - lots - Gadwall - plenty around - Teal - lots - Wigeon - 2 eclipse drakes - Shelduck - 1 only, well grown juvenile - Northern Shoveler - 1 female flew in and landed infront of us - Tufted Duck - 2 females with diving young, 2 males not with them - Great Crested Grebe - 8 - Little Grebe - quite a few about - Avocet - 1 only, youngster - Redshank - plenty around - Lapwing - Oystercatcher - 1 - Green Sandpiper - 1 (calling also) - Common Snipe - 1 - Common Sandpiper - possibly 3, definitely 2 - Black-tailed Godwit - plenty around - Little Ringed Plover - 2 juveniles, may have been 1 adult that disappeared behind the island so juv's were ID'd - Curlew - 1 flew over calling - Little Egret - at least 5 - Grey Heron 2 (1 in a tree) - Kingfisher - flying low over the pool - Common Tern - 4 (2 adults, 2 well grown juv) - Black-headed Gulls - lots, lots of juveniles too - Lesser Black-backed Gulls - quite a few about - Common Gull - 2 over - Barn Owl - probable juvenile stood on nest box giving downy wings a stretch - Kestrel - 1 - Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 in trees near reception - Common Swift - at least a few 100 - Swallow - lots around - House Martin - lots around - Sand Martin - 1 at first then more near nest-holes, 1 with Juv's still in - Chiffchaff - 1 - Reed Warbler - 1 - Sedge Warbler - few about, 1 adult up close within feet - Tree Sparrow - House Sparrow - Linnet - 2 then another 2 ??? - Goldfinch - flock of around 50 birds very active - Reed Bunting - 2 males - Bullfinch - 1 near feeders - Greenfinch - heard not seen - Stock Dove - 1 up close - Starling - approx 25-30 - lots of other usuals on site too
A few things of note... -A great reserve and I noted the layout of the hides enabled good views of nearly all areas the exception being Bittern Screen, the access to which was blocked due to breeding of a Schedule 1 species. -We were told the Little Bittern was still on site but they'd not seen it since Wednesday so I couldn't quite work that one out! -we also heard a birder say at reception there was nothing really of note on the reserve whereas we had some great sightings. -one last thing, we nearly didn't come to Yorkshire at all due to the bad weather forecast but we chanced it and got lucky as it didn't rain until 1pm but it was a light shower and remained that way for the afternoon and we were never far away from a hide so we were virtually dry all day, a chance well taken!
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 27th of July 2015 12:50:40 PM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 27th of July 2015 12:51:55 PM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 27th of July 2015 12:55:01 PM
Very busy today from 1.45-3.30: Drake American Wigeon from Wath Ings hide 2 second view of the Little Bittern from viewing mound by Bittern Hide at 3. Green Sandpiper Kingfisher 2 Avocet with young 4 Common Tern Plenty of Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler Tree Sparrow Stock Dove
First visit today whilst over in Barnsley to visit the in-laws. Very impressed with the reserve.
Good mix of summer and a winer birds hanging around. Highlights
Flyby view of Bittern Female Brambling Mediterranean Gull ( in about 1,000 Black-Headed) Swallow 8 Sand Martins 2 Chiffchaff Yellowhammer ( coming to the feeding area) 6 Tree Sparrows
plus Pochard Tufted Duck Shoveler Wigeon Gadwall Little Grebe Great Crested Grebe Great Spotted Woodpecker ( floe views at feeding station) Reed Bunting Greenfinch, Goldfinch,Bullfinch, Chaffinch Lesser Redpoll Redshank Lapwing Oystercatcher plus lots of commoner stuff
Excellent reserve will be back especially once the Bitterns have bred.
Black-headed Gull Blackbird Blue Tit Bullfinch Canada Goose Carrion Crow Chaffinch Collarded Dove Coot Cormorant Gadwall Golden Eye Goldfinch Goosander Great Black-backed Gull Great Crested Grebe Great Tit Greenfinch Lapwing Lesser Black-backed Gull Little grebe Long-tailed Tit Magpie Mallard Moorhen Mute Swan Oystercatcher Pheasant Redwing Reed Bunting Pochard Shelduck Shoveler Sparrowhawk Starling Teal Tree Sparrow Tufted Duck Wigeon Woodpigeon
The highlights of the day were the Pochard which were showing very close to the Wader Scrape hide and the Sparrowhawk that positioned itself on one of the feeders close to the reception window. Much to the delight of all the staff and visitors present
Regards
Dave
-- Edited by Davidcaron62 on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 08:14:49 PM
I took a peaceful stroll around RSPB Old Moor with my granddad Arthur
On the feeders in the car park:
A mixed flock of tits 2 Collared Doves 1 Kestrel chasing 2 Collared Doves the Kestrel managed to grab it by its talons but the Kestrel managed to set the Collared Dove free.
On the Mere I saw: 1 Juvenile Peregrine trying to catch a flock of 100+ Lapwings 1 Greenshank 100+ Comorants 4 Mute Swans 30+ Mallards 4 Teals 2 Goldeneyes 4 Tufted Ducks
Wader Scrape Hide near the Mere: The Juvenile Peregrine was perched on the banking on the Mere 10 Canada Geese 1 Greylag Goose
Pheasants Magpies Goldfinches Lapwings Golden Plovers Mallards Wigeons Teals Swans Canada Geese Black Headed Gulls Pied Wagtails Long-Tailed-Tits Shovelers Herons Moorhens Coots Sparrowhawks Peregrines and on the way home I saw... Woodpigeons and Buzzards.
The "last of the summer wine" lads had a good day at Old Moor. Remembered my bins as well. Nearly bought a Viking 66ED scope - very nice.
Flocks of lapwings,starlings and plovers. Brent Geese, Swans Great Tits Blue Tits Tree Sparrows Green Finch Goldfinch Linnets Grey Heron Redshanks Tufted Shoveller Goldeneye Gadwall Black H Gull Loads of Goosanders Sparrowhawk Wigeon Teal Bullfinch Coot Cormorant
No Grebe, and did not see the Bittern.
Call at Broomhill Flash on the way back, and saw lot of the above.
Lucky with the weather. Fine until about 3pm when we went to the reedbed hide
