Early morning visit here with Steve Burke to this vast and never ending place. We bumped into Yorkshire birder Colin Neale who gave us a lift from Boston car park to Packards, saving us precious time and a long trek, nice to meet John Robinson too.
On the Moors. - Buff-breasted Sandpiper 1 LIFER We missed it by a few minutes at first but it reappeared later in the day as we suspected. A beautiful Wader with a golden hue to it. - Ringed Plover, plenty about - Dunlin 5 - Common Snipe 2 - Hen Harrier 1 stonking male (2 images inc 1 of Steve's) - Marsh Harrier 1 - Hobby 1 catching Dragonflies - Peregrine 1, produced a high speed spectacle and caught a Pigeon - Kestrel - Common Buzzard - Green Woodpecker 1 near the prison - Pink-footed Goose approx 40 over - Wigeon approx 15 over (myself and Steve thought Pintail, I still do) - Wheatear 1 - Skylark 1 - Reed Bunting - Linnet - Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail everywhere - Swallow / House Martin / Sand Martin around the reserve
Boston Park lake. - Green Woodpecker 1 - Chiffchaff 1 - Little Grebe 10+ maybe - Tufted Duck - Pochard - Teal - Gadwall
Other things of note... - Common Crane 2 we missed by 10 minutes - Osprey over Packards south whilst we were near at New Moor - Honey Buzzard seen near Packards again while we were at New Moor but to be fair those at Packards didn't get the Hen Harrier - Grey Plover heard over - Bullfinch heard
A cracking day but anyone coming here be prepared as this place is absolutely enormous and you will be in for some long walking!
Just to add to the sightings, we had 4 Stonechat around the area.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 18th of September 2016 06:46:31 PM
Swamphens and Peatbogs. Sunday 11th September 2016
The full A team assembled in Newhey (after brief introductions) and after a small discussion we decided to head for Alkborough, North Lincolnshire as the Western Purple Swamphen was still present. As two of the team still needed to see this species, we soon arrived on a beautiful Lincolnshire (8 miles north of Scunthorpe) morning. The news was good, the bird was still present, as we entered the hide the bird was showing a little distantly, but well enough and with 6 Spoonbills, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Ruff, Marsh Harrier and lots of Avocets it certainly made me think I was on a Mediterranean reserve!! We had a walk towards the place where the River Humber splits into the River Trent and the River Ouse, always wanted to see this area, we all enjoyed that. As we left the area there were still lots of birders around the hide, enjoying all the birds present.
News of a Baird`s Sandpiper at Hatfield Moor`s N.R. reached us, so as it was another potential ?lifer? for Chris B, we made plans to go. A supporting cast of a Pectoral Sandpiper and a Black Necked Grebe added a bit of ?let`s get there?. We arrived at the Boston Park car park to the news that the sandpiper was still present. Now anyone who has ever visited the Hatfield Moors reserve will know that it is large, so, when the good birds turn up they are always a long walk, the distance to the Baird`s Sandpiper was no exception. After 30 minutes slog over track and raised peat bog, we saw birders in the distance. As we arrived the sandpiper was showing well down to 25 yards allowing for some reasonable pictures being taken (not by me though) as it was another lifer for Chris, the handshakes passed around. The Pectoral Sandpiper was pointed out to us and good views of it at around 30 yards distance were had. A juvenile Peregrine Falcon then put all the birds on that part of the moor to flight, except the Baird`s (perhaps it has never seen one before?) We met a couple of birding friends and had a good natter on the long walk back to the carpark. We called in at the Boston Park pool to try and find the Black Necked Grebe that had been present a few days. There were a lot of Little Grebes and a couple of Great Crested Grebe, but no sighting of the bird. Then I picked it up and as I tried to get the others onto it, it dived and was not seen again after much searching. That was a real mystery! Bob K had us all home by 4-30pm, another good day out birding, well done to all.
Fourth visit here looking for Nightjar, this time around six weeks later than normal as we usually go the middle weekend in June.
A male Marsh Harrier was noted in farmland south of Hatfield and just west of the village of Westwoodside.
We arrived at our usual spot around 8.45 pm. There was a full moon keeping things lighter than would have been expected but at 9.30 churring started. Unfortunately seemed to be just one bird and fairly distant. For the next 25 minutes the churring continued but no flying bird(s). Sometimes distant, sometimes fairly close. We then got a brief view of a bird disappearing into a tree and whilst that bird continued churring, another bird flew around and over our heads as by then I had started waiving a white handkerchief in desperation. By this time it was pitch black so we headed back in the direction of the car park, happy enough that we had at least seen two birds.
Reports of several Crane led to a visit to Thorne Moor. Could not locate them but they were seen by others today. Consolations 50 Pink footed Geese in two flocks, Pintail, Shoveler, Loads of Teal, Chiffchaff Reed Bunting Meadow Pipit, Marsh Harrier, Linnets, Pheasant, 2 Buzzards, Lapwings Skylark, Long Tailed Tits Chiffchaff, Little Grebe, 4 Roe Deer, Weasel Playing, Rabbit Hundreds of Black Darter, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Southern and Migrant Hawker, Butterflies Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, lots of Small Copper and more common, Plants Yellow Wort, Common Centuary, Marsh Penny Wort and a very kind local Yorkshireman (Most are) who showed me a new way into this huge site en route to picking damsons. This site is one of the most wildlife rich in England reported 4500 species and in my view much better than Hatfield Moor its nearby site.
Two disperate sites of lowland bog, Thorne has birch scrub, heather/ling heath, reed beds and open water with ditches much less developed than Hatfield but with fairly good access and paths with views. Fairly long walk into the site past old mine site and urban area. Hatfield has a carpark lots of hides some new work under way again large areas of birch ling heath, woodland, open water reed beds. More organised and consequently more people. Very rich in wildlife in both these sites of 2900 hectares which boast 25% (5500) of british invertebrates species, rare plants including bog rosemary and over 200 species of bird. Stronghold of nightjar sigtings in 2013 already include corn bunting, Hen Harrier, Bearded Tit, Short Eared Owl, Tree Sparrow, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Stonechat and many more. Peat extraction blights a part of Hatfield with a large area given to the site by the Peat extraction company. This bits looks like the Somme but even in this desolate part area in a past visit oystercatcher, Teal, Gadwall, and Shelduck were present. Even all day at one site does not do it credit. There is alot of work going on at Thorne clearing Rhoddies and this has created some local concern.
Todays sitings 2 Marsh Harrier displaying and hunting over reed beds, Buzzard, 2 Teal, Greylag Geese, Woodcock, Long Tailed Tit, Little Grebe, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks 150 Fieldfare in one large flock in field, few Redwing Mistle Thrush and more common woodland bird and 8 Adders (The reason for the visit) in groups of 1, 5 and 2 basking (Coiled, uncoiled flattened rib cage to maximise heat up take, male female) mating, movin through hedge. Watched from distance for nearly an hour. Apparently these shy retiring reptiles are rather grumpy on emergance and although they only bite if disturbed and won't kill it can cause severe problems. So if you are visiting either site take care. They were obliging for some photos though.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 1st of April 2013 06:16:58 PM
Three hours at Hatfield today - mainly looking for Adders, so eyes to the floor and not to the skies! It was the first time I'd been out to the peat extraction marshes - amazing landscape out there and I didn't see anyone else for two hours :)
Highlights:
Hare Four Roe Deer Three Chiffchaff - first of the year for me And after a lot of searching one adder which I watched through my bins for ten minutes [I didn't want to disturb its basking as it wasn't warm this morning]
Strange experience as I was scanning suitable spots and I kind of thought Adder! before my eyes locked on to it. I reckon on a sunny day there would be loads more Adders to find - the one I was watching slunk back into cover when the weak sun disappeared...
Visit to Hatfield yesterday evening for Nightjar - third year on the run, same weekend. Arrived at the site around 9.30pm and the first churring started at 9.55 then went quiet for a while. Got going again just after 10pm but wasn't as much activity as in previous years with only one, possibly two, sightings and not as much churring.
There is a hide now at the pool by the car park, where we saw Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Greylag Goose and Sand Martin amongst other stuff. A Corn Bunting was seen en route to the car park.
To add to how great the whole area is over there I thought you might be interested in a post from the South Yorkshire thread I wrote last April. I completed surveys in the Barnby Dun area (not far from Hatfield and Thorne) for 12 months Sept 09 to Aug 10, but managed to visit many of the spots nearby from time to time. Lots of birds of interest, many that are scarce or not found here in GM too. The moors have also had Cranes summering recently and some cracking passage waders dropping in.
Below is from my post on 27th April 2010.
Just spent a couple of days completing surveys and having a general mooch about in South Yorks (and a little over the border into Lincs).
Owston Hall Hotel (26th/27th) Little Owl 1 Tawny Owl 2 Chiffchaff 2 Willow Warbler 3 Blackcap 2
Hatfield Moore (27th) Truely wonderful area. I visited it between a few surveys for a couple of hours spreading myself between a walk round a body of water near the main reserve car park, followed by a visit to another smaller lake nearby and then to Ten Acres Lake. I won't bore you with all the birds I saw, but highlights below from each site:
Main Reserve Common Sandpiper Oystercatcher 8 Yellow Wags 5 Wheatear 6 Whitethroat 3
Small Water body nearby Little Grebe 4 Great Crested Grebe 12 Black-necked Grebe 3 Tufted Duck 14 Yellow Wagtail 12 Lots of Warblers
Ten Acres Lake A really brilliant little spot, with a wide range of warblers singing all over, but the main bird for me was a Red-necked Grebe in full summer plumage Apparently it has been coming to the lake for the last 4-5 summers and tries to pair up with the local Great Cresteds, poor thing. It was diving lots, but did swim about with nest material from time to time, well you can't knock it for trying heh!? Seeing them in summer plumage is a real delight and if you have not seen one then why not treat yourself to a visit some time. I can now fully understand how it gets its scientific name of podiceps grisegena, which translates as grey (grise) cheeked (gena) podiceps (grebe), as although the red neck is lovely and stands out it is the light grey cheek that makes it stand out so much.
A lovely couple of days, although up very early and tired now!? Off to Heysham tomorrow though, so no rest for the wicked!?
-- Edited by Sean Sweeney on Tuesday 27th of April 2010 08:24:08 PM
18/01/2011 - Rough-legged Buzzard showed well today at Torne Bridge, 2 miles south of Hatfield Woodhouse. It hunted the area to the west and north-west of Torn Bridge, sitting on hedgerows and making low-sweeps across the open fields. Also seen here were c300 Pink-footed Geese, 5 Yellowhammers, 4 Reed Buntings, 3 Stock Doves, 3 Whooper Swans and 2 Sparrowhawks.
The interesting Aythya duck was still present and beat both Canada Goose and farmyard duck to the bread I was throwing out, at one point taking bread from my hand, hmmm! In terms of its identification it certainly resembles 1.w. Lesser Scaup. With such close quarters views we got a close look at the bill which was rather narrow and had a relitively broad nail, features which don't add up to the classic definition but features which may be more variable than I realised (or it's a hybrid!). Also on the lake were a Little Grebe, 4 Pochards and an Oystercatcher.
We had a look for Redpolls at the Prison Lakes area but daylight was quickly diminishing. A small flock of 4+ redpolls flew over seemingly going to roost in the huge, dense expanse of birch woodland but no decent views obtained.
I fully concur with Pete though, what a cracking area to go birding, so much habitat. Too much to do justice to in the few hours me and Phil Owen had there. Henry.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 18th of January 2011 09:47:00 PM
Had a couple of hours until dusk at this fantastic reserve.
There was the reported Lesser Scaup today but what really got me was the fantastic habitat with many lakes, ditches and a mix of woodland and moss type areas. I also found a flock of Redpolls [Lesser and Mealy] but the light was too far gone to carry on searching for the Artic that's been seen. It is an area which looks really interesting so if anyone's over that way I'd recommend a visit - as its over 17km2 in total I only touched the surface today I'm sure.
