The wildfowl counts today in the mist included 2 Shelducks, 54 Canada Geese, 8 Greylag Geese, 2 Shovelers, 25 Teal, 6 Tufted Ducks, a Cormorant and 44 Black Headed Gulls.
Also present Great Spot Woodpecker (3 yesterday), and 2 Redpolls,
26 Red-legged Partridges, 32 Redwings, and c120 Lesser Redpolls (Chris Parkin).
This morning highlights - 110 Pink Feet Geese flew NW at 09.35hrs, 2 pairs of Shoveler were on the Whin Pool and 2 Herring Gulls flew south.
Elsewhere 65 Redpolls were feeding in the Birch trees and a single Siskin and a Cetti's warbler called CG/L & A Corrall)
The ice is beginning to melt now allowing a few ducks to function. A pair of Shovelers, a few Gadwall, Mallard and Teal were present.
A Water Rail showed well when it went to investigate the Swan carcass.
5 Fieldfares and c15 Redwings were gorging on Haws and 2 Lesser Redpolls were feeding on Birch seeds.
8 Greylag Geese were feeding in a stubble field and a female Sparrowhawk gave good views when it alighted in a tree on the embankment (CG/Steve Bethell).
After another cold night the scrapes were still iced over consequently most of the wildfowl had left to find open water. However, 2 Water Rails called from the reed beds.
Elsewhere c50 Redwings, c6 Fieldfares, 3 Redpolls, and a Coal Tit were of note.
3 Foxes on the western meadow were very vocal indeed. The Dog barking and the Vixen screaming as he pursued her and eventually mated with her. A third Fox with a limp was just an onlooker. The mayhem went on for most of the morning (M. Littlewood/CG).
A female Mink on the bank in front of the hide ran onto the ice (H.Heath/C Mitchell).
I have lived at my present address in the Newtown Area of Cudworth for just over 33 years. In that time I have heard or seen 99 species of bird in or near the garden or flying over. Today after some years, I finally clocked up 100 when a Great White Egret came up the Dearne Valley at 13.15hrs over my house still heading north! I never expected to see one of those when I came to live here in 1992.
Most of the open water was iced over, however a pair of Shoveler and several Teal managed to keep a small area free of ice.
The bad news is that one of our resident Mute Swans was dead on the ice in a place where it would have been dangerous for the local authority contractor to retrieve it for analysis.
c150 Pink Feet Geese flew NW at 12.02hrs. There were also 3 Redpolls, 6 Fieldfares and 40+ Redwings.
All the open water areas are still frozen over due to the cold spell.
On the wader scrape 6 LBB Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 1 Common Gull.
Elsewhere 6 Redpolls, Song Thrush, 40 Redwings, Treecreeper and Water Rail (L. & A. Corrall/M/ White).
Most of the open areas were iced over, so most of the wildfowl had left except 56 Canada Geese and 15 Greylags.
However, at least 2 Redpolls, 6 Siskins, c50 Redwings, 2 Reed Buntings and 2 Great Spot woodpeckers were on show, and 2 Cetti's Warblers sang (R. Laverack/CG).
A Red Kite was seen over Brierley (C. Parkin).
The only reports received today were of 55 Teal, the largest group since 9th of September 2021! There appeared to be more Robins than usual. A cold weather influx? (R. J. Boland).
3 Little Egrets and an adult Whooper Swan were on the wader scrape first thing along with a pair of Shoveler, 38 Teal, 50 Canada geese, 2 Cormorants, 12 Greylags and 2 Herons.
Elsewhere 1 Fieldfare, 72 Redwings, 24 Goldfinches, c20 Lesser Redpolls, 3 Siskins and a Goldcrest (N. Lunn/S. Grove/K.Bannister/C. Parkin/CG).
75 Canada and 21 Greylag Geese were on the scrapes today. Also present Kingfisher, 30 Lesser Redpolls, Coal Tit, and 25 Redwings.
A Fox was on the prowl (R. Laverack).
It's quiet at the moment, however there are more geese wintering than ever before. Today 48 Canadas and 15 Greylags. Also present Cormorant, 15 Teal and similar counts of Mallard and Gadwall. A Great Spotted Woodpecker called.
A Tawny Owl called at dawn, c70 Lesser Redpolls were feeding in Birch trees and 2 Tufted Duck drakes and a Dabchick were on Bleachcroft Farm pond (K. Bannister).
Around mid-day 32 Redwings, 14 Fieldfares, Treecreeper, Kingfisher, 4 Siskins and a Buzzard were on show (Chris Parkin).
On the wader scrape today Little Egret, 36 Canada geese, 6 Greylags, 6 Herring Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 28 Teal and 2 Cormorants.
6 Tufted Duck were on Bleachcroft Pond and 32 Jackdaws and a Mistle Thrush sang from the fields there.
Elsewhere c100 Lesser Redpolls in Birch set a new record!
Female Great Spot Woodpecker, 20 Redwings, 2 Fieldfares, and 4 Siskins were in the car park plantation (Chris Parkin/CG).
It was obvious that an influx of birds had arrived with the colder weather. This morning 46 Fieldfares, 22 Redwings, 18 Siskins and 25 Goldfinches were feeding in the trees.
A Great Crested Grebe and a Kingfisher were on Bleachcroft Farm Pond (Chris Parkin).
This afternoon 3 Cormorants, 25 Teal and 27 Canada geese were on the wader scrape.
3 Water Rails called from the main marsh along with a singing Cetti's Warbler (CG).
On the wader scrape 2 Herring Gulls, 2 Common Gulls.
On the marsh Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail.
Elsewhere 2 Song Thrush singing and a 1 Fieldfare (A. Corrall).
c120 Pink Feet were first picked up over the Birkwood Estate, Cudworth shortly before they flew NW over the reserve at 08.50hrs (A. Vincent/JP).
This afternoon in the gloom on the wader scrape c60 Canada Geese, 2 Cormorant, drake Shoveler, 15 Teal and 17 Pheasants.
On the marsh 3 Water Rails and 2 Cetti's Warblers called (CG).
We were busy hedge laying again this morning on the embankment.
Nearby in the marsh 2 Cetti's sang and 2 Water Rails called.
62 Canada Geese, 20+ Mallards c50 BH Gulls and 3 adult Common Gulls were on the wader scrape with 2 Cormorants.
Passerine interest included single Redoll, Coal Tit and 6 Redwings.
A female Sparrowhawk was hunting, and 2 Song Thrush were singing despite the cold damp conditions (Richard Laverack/CG).
