birdman
Орнитол&
Had to collect the car from partnyorsha's workplace yesterday, so took the opportunity of an unexpected visit to Old Moor.
The day was mostly cold and grey, although briefly the sun poked through the clouds and gave the slightest respite from the chill.
The journey out produced a few sightings of the usual supsects - Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch.
Old Moor is one of a number of "wetland" sites in the area, generally created as a result of former mining or other industrial activity, but now converted to a Nature Reserve.
Although the weather was cold, the water at Old Moor was not frozen over on some of the larger pools, although the smaller ones were still covered by a thin sheet of ice.
There were a good number of waterbirds present, including at least 6 Gossander (4 male, 2 female), large numbers of Gadwall and Wigeon, and also a large quantity of Coot and Black-headed Gulls.
Wader numbers (except Lapwing) were low, and I noticed only 1 (perhaps one other by call) Redshank, and a couple of small waders that may or may not have been Dunlin.
After spending a couple of hours at Old Moor, I decided to move on, and call in at Denaby Ings.
Whilst I certainly undervisit Old Moor, Denaby Ings is somewhere I frequent even less. I believe this was only my second ever visit, but it won't be my last!
Denaby Ings is a small reserve, which I was able to circumnavigate leisurely in less than an hour, comprising a large ing, the level of which seems to be controlled by water-board sluice gates. There is a second smaller patch of water, split from the larger are by a road, I coulb not tell if they were connected.
The southern side of the main ing is bordered by a large, tree-covered embankment, and a footpath takes you along here (past three ricketty old open hides), over a small footbridge past the sluice gates, round the end on the ing and then returns alongside (but not adjacent to a busy minor road), and some fields.
So for a small area, the habitat is quite varied, and will be worth the smal detour when I'm in the area.
Yesterday, the water was busy, although mostly down at the eastern end.
Again Goosander were present, maybe a dozen, a small selection of ducks, once more Gadwall being the most numerous, and at least 200, maybe as many as 500 or more Coot, crammed together in a couple of small areas of unfrozen water. Many Black-headed ulls were again present, and a smallish roost of about 11 Cormorant.
Most of the non-waterbirds seen were single individuals, but I was treated to two Bullfinch.
Returning home, I was treated to the best view of a Sparrowhawk I've had in a long while, and was forced to stopon a country lane, whilst a couple of cock pheasants engaged in a fight in the middle of the road!
Any way list as follows (Outbound, Old Moor, Denaby Ings, Homebound)
Woodpigeon : O, OM, DI, H
Carrion Crow : O, OM, DI
Chaffinch : O, OM
Blackbird : O, OM, DI
Tree Sparrow : OM
Blue Tit : OM
Yellowhammer : OM
Pheasant : OM, H
Teal : OM, DI
Moorhen : OM, DI
Mallard : OM, DI
Gadwall : OM, DI
Magpie : OM, H
Black-headed Gull : OM, DI
Lapwing : OM
Mute Swan : OM
Great Black-backed Gull : OM
Coot : OM, DI
Wigeon : OM
Cormorant : OM, DI
Tufted Duck : OM, DI
Shoveler : OM, DI
Green Woodpecker : OM
Canada Goose : OM
Fieldfare : OM
Dunnock : OM
Goosander : OM, DI
Goldeneye : OM
Redshank : OM
Reed Bunting : OM
Song Thrush : OM
Robin : OM, DI
Wren : OM
Greenfinch : OM
Great Tit : OM, DI
Goldfinch : OM
Grey Heron : DI
Redwing : DI
Long-tailed Tit : DI
Bullfinch : DI
Sparrowhawk : H
Kestrel : H
Collared Dove : H
The day was mostly cold and grey, although briefly the sun poked through the clouds and gave the slightest respite from the chill.
The journey out produced a few sightings of the usual supsects - Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch.
Old Moor is one of a number of "wetland" sites in the area, generally created as a result of former mining or other industrial activity, but now converted to a Nature Reserve.
Although the weather was cold, the water at Old Moor was not frozen over on some of the larger pools, although the smaller ones were still covered by a thin sheet of ice.
There were a good number of waterbirds present, including at least 6 Gossander (4 male, 2 female), large numbers of Gadwall and Wigeon, and also a large quantity of Coot and Black-headed Gulls.
Wader numbers (except Lapwing) were low, and I noticed only 1 (perhaps one other by call) Redshank, and a couple of small waders that may or may not have been Dunlin.
After spending a couple of hours at Old Moor, I decided to move on, and call in at Denaby Ings.
Whilst I certainly undervisit Old Moor, Denaby Ings is somewhere I frequent even less. I believe this was only my second ever visit, but it won't be my last!
Denaby Ings is a small reserve, which I was able to circumnavigate leisurely in less than an hour, comprising a large ing, the level of which seems to be controlled by water-board sluice gates. There is a second smaller patch of water, split from the larger are by a road, I coulb not tell if they were connected.
The southern side of the main ing is bordered by a large, tree-covered embankment, and a footpath takes you along here (past three ricketty old open hides), over a small footbridge past the sluice gates, round the end on the ing and then returns alongside (but not adjacent to a busy minor road), and some fields.
So for a small area, the habitat is quite varied, and will be worth the smal detour when I'm in the area.
Yesterday, the water was busy, although mostly down at the eastern end.
Again Goosander were present, maybe a dozen, a small selection of ducks, once more Gadwall being the most numerous, and at least 200, maybe as many as 500 or more Coot, crammed together in a couple of small areas of unfrozen water. Many Black-headed ulls were again present, and a smallish roost of about 11 Cormorant.
Most of the non-waterbirds seen were single individuals, but I was treated to two Bullfinch.
Returning home, I was treated to the best view of a Sparrowhawk I've had in a long while, and was forced to stopon a country lane, whilst a couple of cock pheasants engaged in a fight in the middle of the road!
Any way list as follows (Outbound, Old Moor, Denaby Ings, Homebound)
Woodpigeon : O, OM, DI, H
Carrion Crow : O, OM, DI
Chaffinch : O, OM
Blackbird : O, OM, DI
Tree Sparrow : OM
Blue Tit : OM
Yellowhammer : OM
Pheasant : OM, H
Teal : OM, DI
Moorhen : OM, DI
Mallard : OM, DI
Gadwall : OM, DI
Magpie : OM, H
Black-headed Gull : OM, DI
Lapwing : OM
Mute Swan : OM
Great Black-backed Gull : OM
Coot : OM, DI
Wigeon : OM
Cormorant : OM, DI
Tufted Duck : OM, DI
Shoveler : OM, DI
Green Woodpecker : OM
Canada Goose : OM
Fieldfare : OM
Dunnock : OM
Goosander : OM, DI
Goldeneye : OM
Redshank : OM
Reed Bunting : OM
Song Thrush : OM
Robin : OM, DI
Wren : OM
Greenfinch : OM
Great Tit : OM, DI
Goldfinch : OM
Grey Heron : DI
Redwing : DI
Long-tailed Tit : DI
Bullfinch : DI
Sparrowhawk : H
Kestrel : H
Collared Dove : H
Last edited: