I was also there yesterday, nice to see Steve Burke, Ian Lith, and Pete Hines. I was there a little earlier so had to leave early afternoon and Sod's law I got a text not long after I left saying the Hoopoe was showing. Oh well.
Other birds around... - 2 singing Blackcap - 2 singing Chiffchaff - 1 singing Willow Warbler - 1 Jay - 1 Common Buzzard - 4 Swallow - and a Garden Warbler was singing in the dense shrubbery near the fisheries but I couldn't see it and I couldn't stop anyway.
hoopoe showed well but briefly at 1.35pm in flight a couple of times then briefly perched on metal rail in the north west corner near swallows wood where originally found. but later on when I was leaving at 4.40pm I found it on the path in the north east corner on the way back towards the fisheries car park showing really well but flew off just before other birders arrived, it was then seen again nearby by others before I eventually left. other birds around...
I spotted 5 Ring Ouzels on the moor just above Arnfield reservoir. Around a rocky outcrop in the hillside on the public footpath. Arrived about 2 days ago. They were not there on Tuesday or Wednesday.
5 minute break approx 2.30 pm whilst on delivery in Hollingworth.
Very quiet, of note: 2 Common Sandpiper 2 Jackdaw 1 Grey Heron over 4 Swallows ...and seemingly very active fish, showing a lot of dorsal fins and doing partial jumps due to the high level of surface landing and low flying insects.
Had a walk around Arnfield reservoir, Swallow's wood and woods and moors to the west and north today, from 11:00 until 14:30.
Stunning day with loads of birds about, highlights being 3 ring ouzel feeding together around a small gorse patch, several redpoll displaying around the northern edge of the reservoir. Also willow warblers, blackcaps and wheatears seemingly everywhere, plus a single chiff chaff and several swallows.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 22nd of April 2011 06:06:40 PM
c30 Fieldfare in fields above Arnfield 3 Coots on Res 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker m 4 Great tit in Swallow Wood 2 Blue tit 1 Robin 1 Dunnock c50 Redwing on Cow Lane 4 Crow Hobson Moor Road
Bob
-- Edited by Bob Barratt on Saturday 29th of January 2011 07:34:24 PM
