Andrew
wibble wibble
30-11-03
Location : RSPB Old Moor. South Yorkshire. SE425025.
Whilst visiting a friend in Sheffield we spent our last day at Old Moor near Rotherham. Attending to the young kid and a minor map printing problem delayed our arrival. In the car park we met up with James and Diane (aka Digi-birder) & Keith who offered to show us around. One of the volunteers present was another BF member, Trev.
My main aim was to see my first Tree Sparrows. It could not have been any easier as there were at least a hundred Eurasian Tree Sparrows in the hedge between the car park and the reserve entrance. Their heads lead me to think of them being a finer bird to look at than their commoner cousins, the House Sparrow, but I could not see anything to inhibit me from thinking it's only just a Sparrow. The weather was not sunny enough to do the males' chestnut crowns justice. It was good to finally tick this bird after a couple of attempts earlier this year and the RSPB have done a good job of providing a good guardianship for this troubled bird.
There was some improvement work going on and we passed though a porta-kabin shop on our way to the first hide, the Mere Hide. Here the list got to a good start with plenty of birds showing on the water and along the banks. The wildfowl present included good counts of Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, several Eurasian Coots, low numbers of Gadwall, Mute Swans, some Tufted Ducks, a few Common Moorhen, three splendid Common Pochards, just two Ruddy Ducks, at least one Northern Shoveler, a few Canada Geese and several Mallards. The stars on the water were undoubtedly the four or five Goosanders. I believe the numbers increase during the evening roost. A single Little Grebe was a wonderful sight on the far side of a pond. There were a few of 100+ Northern Lapwings. I mentioned my amazement at the number of Stock Doves littering the banks of the ponds since I see them regularly in Devon albeit in single figures. There were at least thirty five on one pond. I scanned the Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls for any gems and only managed one Common Gull. James called everyone to enquire the possibility of a Little Owl on a distant telegraph pole. It was so distant none of us could be sure until it flew off and revealed itself to be a Common Kestrel. It was a pity as if it had been so then it would have been bird number two hundred and sixteen for me!
The walk to the next hide revealed only a few birds but there was one superstar in the sky, an Eurasian Sparrowhawk. The size of it lead me to assume it as a female. Approaching the second hide, I was lifted by the words above the door, Wader Scrape Hide. I entered expecting to see a glut of waders but that was not the case. Careful scanning of the trees earned good views of a departing flock of Fieldfares. I was convinced I had seen some birds with crests on their heads and asked if there were any sort of escaped birds breeding here. In the end I concluded that it must have been my imagination! Could they have been Waxwings? I will never know now. Diane pointed out 2 Common Snipe resting out in the open on a bed of twigs and a single Grey Heron was visible on the far end of the left pond. One of a few Common Redshanks was seen on a distant pond from here.
Moving onto the next hide of which the name escapes me, was good for a few more additions to the list. Keith's sharp eyes picked out a Common Sandpiper. The poor light and the distance of the bird had us discussing it's identity for a while. The majority of the Lapwings were on show from this hide and there was just about 30+ European Golden Plover on the muddy banks. Not quite the thousands I had been reading about, these numbers are visible in the evening roost. Back at the entrance we duly posed for the lavatory group photo. I watched the Tree Sparrows again. The backing cast for this morning's walk were Great Cormorant, Common Starling, Western Jackdaw, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Rook, Common Magpie, Common Pheasant, European Greenfinch and Great Tit. Gordon and I left as his girlfriend had cooked us a delightful Yorkshire Sunday roast. Diane, Keith and James made me envious by heading over to Potteric Carr to see a few birds. I had a great morning's light birding session with good company.
I will let Diane tell you what they saw at Potteric Carr......
Location : RSPB Old Moor. South Yorkshire. SE425025.
Whilst visiting a friend in Sheffield we spent our last day at Old Moor near Rotherham. Attending to the young kid and a minor map printing problem delayed our arrival. In the car park we met up with James and Diane (aka Digi-birder) & Keith who offered to show us around. One of the volunteers present was another BF member, Trev.
My main aim was to see my first Tree Sparrows. It could not have been any easier as there were at least a hundred Eurasian Tree Sparrows in the hedge between the car park and the reserve entrance. Their heads lead me to think of them being a finer bird to look at than their commoner cousins, the House Sparrow, but I could not see anything to inhibit me from thinking it's only just a Sparrow. The weather was not sunny enough to do the males' chestnut crowns justice. It was good to finally tick this bird after a couple of attempts earlier this year and the RSPB have done a good job of providing a good guardianship for this troubled bird.
There was some improvement work going on and we passed though a porta-kabin shop on our way to the first hide, the Mere Hide. Here the list got to a good start with plenty of birds showing on the water and along the banks. The wildfowl present included good counts of Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, several Eurasian Coots, low numbers of Gadwall, Mute Swans, some Tufted Ducks, a few Common Moorhen, three splendid Common Pochards, just two Ruddy Ducks, at least one Northern Shoveler, a few Canada Geese and several Mallards. The stars on the water were undoubtedly the four or five Goosanders. I believe the numbers increase during the evening roost. A single Little Grebe was a wonderful sight on the far side of a pond. There were a few of 100+ Northern Lapwings. I mentioned my amazement at the number of Stock Doves littering the banks of the ponds since I see them regularly in Devon albeit in single figures. There were at least thirty five on one pond. I scanned the Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls for any gems and only managed one Common Gull. James called everyone to enquire the possibility of a Little Owl on a distant telegraph pole. It was so distant none of us could be sure until it flew off and revealed itself to be a Common Kestrel. It was a pity as if it had been so then it would have been bird number two hundred and sixteen for me!
The walk to the next hide revealed only a few birds but there was one superstar in the sky, an Eurasian Sparrowhawk. The size of it lead me to assume it as a female. Approaching the second hide, I was lifted by the words above the door, Wader Scrape Hide. I entered expecting to see a glut of waders but that was not the case. Careful scanning of the trees earned good views of a departing flock of Fieldfares. I was convinced I had seen some birds with crests on their heads and asked if there were any sort of escaped birds breeding here. In the end I concluded that it must have been my imagination! Could they have been Waxwings? I will never know now. Diane pointed out 2 Common Snipe resting out in the open on a bed of twigs and a single Grey Heron was visible on the far end of the left pond. One of a few Common Redshanks was seen on a distant pond from here.
Moving onto the next hide of which the name escapes me, was good for a few more additions to the list. Keith's sharp eyes picked out a Common Sandpiper. The poor light and the distance of the bird had us discussing it's identity for a while. The majority of the Lapwings were on show from this hide and there was just about 30+ European Golden Plover on the muddy banks. Not quite the thousands I had been reading about, these numbers are visible in the evening roost. Back at the entrance we duly posed for the lavatory group photo. I watched the Tree Sparrows again. The backing cast for this morning's walk were Great Cormorant, Common Starling, Western Jackdaw, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Rook, Common Magpie, Common Pheasant, European Greenfinch and Great Tit. Gordon and I left as his girlfriend had cooked us a delightful Yorkshire Sunday roast. Diane, Keith and James made me envious by heading over to Potteric Carr to see a few birds. I had a great morning's light birding session with good company.
I will let Diane tell you what they saw at Potteric Carr......
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