Storrs Mill Wood

Buzzard 6, Nuthatch 2, Coal Tit 4, Goldcrest and Great Spot Woodpecker. (Chris Parkin)

Wintersett 27.02.15

5°C with 7/8 cloud at first and a cool south westerly,  some sunshine by late morning.
Anglers CP:  The usual adult Yellow-legged Gull and his mate the Lesser Black-backed Gull were on the raft this afternoon.  At least 15 Snipe were seen.  Cormorant 15,   Oystercatcher 2,  Skylark 1  and Teal  2 male.  
Walton Hall:  Little Grebe 1 and Great Crested Grebe 1.  (At present Grebes are rare in the Wintersett Area).

The Edge 27th Feb

Wombwell Ings mid AM-Present were 2 Mute Swan, 116 Canada Geese, 3 Greylag, 11 Shelduck, 260+ Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, 7 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 6 Mallard, 2 Shoveler, 1m Goosander over, 1 Cormorant, 4 Grey Heron, 11 Coot, 12 Moorhen, 18 Lapwing, 122 BH Gull, 4 Common Gull, 1 singing Song Thrush, 7 Skylark, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Coal Tit and 4 Reed Bunting.
Broomhill Flash late AM-Noted were 2 Mute Swan, 12 Canada Geese, 28+ Wigeon, 14 Gadwall, 13 Tufted Duck, 9 Mallard, 4 Pochard, 2 Teal, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Red Legged Partridge, 5 Cormorant, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 13 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 260+ BH Gull, 6 Common Gull, 2 LBB Gull and 1 Grey Wagtail.
Bolton Ings late AM/early PM-On the open water were 4 Mute Swan, 4 Canada Geese, 3 Greylag, 13 Tufted Duck, 9 Shoveler, 8 Pochard, 4 Mallard, 1m+1juv+2f Goldeneye, 2 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 45 Coot, 66 BH Gull, 2 Common Gull and 2 Herring Gull. An Oystercatcher investigating the islands on the east pool suggested it was a new arrival. Certainly been a dearth of waders so far this year. A female Stonechat was working its way between the east and west pools.

Edderthorpe Friday AM.

Pintail 2 (males), Oystercatcher 2, Little Egret 1,Pink-footed goose(with Graylags) Pochard 14, Goosander 1(male). Mute Swans 13. Also 5 Goosander ( 3 male, 2 female)+ 8 Pochard on Sash pond.

Carlton Marsh

Three new signs put up this morning by courtesy of Russ Boland Countryside and Parks Officer for BMBC

Dodworth Capitol Park industrial est. wasteland, 26/2/15.

No sign of any construction workers but one Jack Snipe which didn't go far and a pair of Mallards.

The Edge 26th Feb

Wombwell Ings mid AM-Present were 2 Mute Swan, 121 Canada Geese, 3 Greylag, 12 Shelduck, 160+Wigeon, 18 Mallard, 10 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, 2 Pintail, 2 Goosander, 2 Grey Heron, 12 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 59 BH Gull, 1 Song Thrush, 3 singing Skylark, 1 Pied Wagtail and 5 Reed Bunting.
Broomhill Flash late AM-Noted were 19 Canada Geese, 28 Wigeon, 11 Pochard, 9 Mallard, 9 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Gadwall, 2 Red Legged Partridge, 5 Cormorant, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 13 Coot, 3 Moorhen, 24 Lapwing, 176+ BH Gull, 4 Common Gull, 1 LBB Gull, 1 Kestrel and 1 Grey Wagtail.
Bolton Ings early PM- On the Open water were 4 Mute Swan, 3 Greylag, 20 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck, 15 Shoveler, 2m+3juv+2f Goldeneye, 2 Teal, 2 Goosander over, 2 Gadwall, 1 Mallard, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant, 46 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 111 BH Gull and 6 Common Gull. Also present were 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Grey Wagtail and 2 Stonechat.

Elsecar

Elsecar Reservoir - 113 Mallards, 3 Tufted Ducks, 2 Grey Herons, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 17 Moorhens and 23 Coots.

Ringed Herring Gull revisits Yorkshire

Thanks for this  information  - per Andy Deighton  on Twitter

A 2nd W Herring Gull with the colour ring JX347
was at Attercliffe on 11th  February 2015.
It was ringed  in 2013 at Hornoya Varanger Norway.
It was seen Anglers/Wintersett  on 2nd March 2014.

Wintersett 25.02.15

6°C, very mild and sunny with scattered cloud and a light southerly.
Anglers CP:  Green Woodpecker 1 and Oystercatcher 4.  A Hare scampered across the reserve.
Wintersett Res: Goosander 3.
Thanks to Lynz Harston for the following photos.

Treecreeper           Haw Park Wood                LH

One of the pairs of Oystercatchers   ACP       LH

Cudworth Sewage Works

3 Chiffchaffs and 30 Pied Wagtails were seen there this morning. On the River Dearne to Storrs Mill were 4 Yellow Buntings, 3 Tufted Ducks  and 29 Lapwings. (Chris Parkin)

The Edge 25th Feb

Broomhill Flash mid AM-Noted were 106 Canada Geese, 34 Greylag, 58+ Wigeon, 9 Tufted Duck, 8 Pochard, 8 Mallard, 4 Teal, 1m+1f Goldeneye, 2 Cormorant, 3 Red Legged Partridge, 25 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 21 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 325 BH Gull, 4 Common Gull, 2 Meadow Pipit and 2 Reed Bunting.
Bolton Ings late AM/early PM-On the open water were 4 Mute Swan, 15 Pochard, 9 Tufted Duck, 2m+1juv+4f Goldeneye, 5 Mallard, 3 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 44 Coot, 3 Moorhen, 54 Lapwing over, 142 BH Gull, 6 Common Gull, 2 LBB Gull and 1 Herring Gull. Also present were 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker and a pair of Stonechat.
TPT- 1 Buzzard flying north c11am, c16 Redpoll, 14 Redwing, 1 drumming Greater Spotted Woodpecker and 1 yaffling Green Woodpecker.
Wombwell Ings mid PM-Present were 79 Canada Geese, 13 Greylag, 12 Shelduck, 130+ Wigeon, 13 Teal, 11 Shoveler, 11 Mallard, 11 Tufted Duck, 10 Gadwall, 1m+1f Pintail, 3 Grey Heron, 5 Coot, 3 Moorhen, 171 BH Gull, 2 Lapwing, c10 Redwing, 1 singing Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit and 2 Pied Wagtail.

Wild Goose Chase

Scout Dike Reservoir - 3 White-fronted Geese (then into a field to SW of Royd Moor Res, before returning to a field S of Scout Dike Res.), 180 Canada Geese, 9 Mallards, 3 Cormorants (left W). 1 Little Grebe, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Moorhen, 18 Coots, 10+ Black-headed Gulls, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Pied wagtail.
Ingbirchworth Reservoir - 2 Pink-footed Geese, 86 Greylag Geese, 129 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag x Canada Goose, 32 Mallards, 5 Tufted Ducks, 1 Moorhen, 12 Coots, 150+ Black-headed Gulls, 8 Common Gulls and c100 Fieldfares (onto Ingbichworth Common.
Royd Moor Reservoir - 55 Greylag Geese, 6 Mallards, 2 Tufted Ducks, 3 (2 drakes) Goldeneye, 2 Goosanders, 2 Little Grebes, 30+ Black-headed Gulls and 1 Curlew W.
Langsett Reservoir - 32 Canada Geese.

All geese tend be wander between these three reservoirs. If you are looking for the White-fronts then Scout Dike Res (fields to the N and S and on the water) is your best bet but if absent try Royd Moor Res (the fields between Royd Moor Farm and the field with the sheep in).

Wintersett 24.02.15

4°C, cloudy with a couple of showers and a cool westerly this morning.
Wintersett Res:  Greylag Goose 30 and Goosander 10.
Anglers CP:  The Willow Tit visited the feeding station in the car park.
WRes. Boathouse: Work at the side of the slipway has taken out the section of hedge where the Penduline Tits were first sighted on 06.11.2011. 

Carlton Marsh

Today saw the return of Paul Bicken to fit sluices from the new scrape to the dike.

Today's sightings included Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (2) Buzzard and a male Peregrine south at 15.55hrs. Also of note were Kingfisher, Water Rail, Little Grebe (2) Gadwall 16, Tufted Duck 7, Fieldfare 25, Willow Tit (3) and Tawny Owl.

For some reason the comment box is putting the comment I make, on twice?

The Edge 24th Feb

Wombwell Ings mid AM-Present were 4 Mute Swan, 156 Canada Geese, 2 Greylag, 2 Shelduck, 141+ Wigeon, 14 Teal, 6 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 1m+1f Pintail, 1m Goosander, 9 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 4 Grey Heron, 2 Lapwing, 82 BH Gull, 9 Common Gull, 7 Skylark and 1 Song Thrush.
Broomhill Flash late AM-Noted Were 16 Canada Geese, 39 Wigeon, 10 Tufted Duck, 8 Teal, 3 Mallard, 3 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 1m+1f Goldeneye, 5 Red Legged Partridge, 5 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 19 Coot, 6 Moorhen, 18 Lapwing, 250+ BH Gull, 5 Common Gull and 1 Kestrel.
Bolton Ings late AM/early PM-On the open water were 6 Mute Swan, 26 Shoveler, 11 Pochard, 10 Tufted Duck, 4m+2juv+4f Goldeneye, 5 Mallard, 3 Teal, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant, 41 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 26 BH Gull and 9 Common Gull. Also present were 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1female Stonechat.

Frenchie

Just received the following ringing recoveries.

Gadwall
FB11707  1J    25-07-10  Broomhill Flash
               shot   06-12-14  Barnsley. 8kms WNW (probably locally)

Reed Warbler
Paris         3     29-08-11  Poine d'Offoy 50.10'N 1.29'N, Cayeux-sur-Mer
6708214                           (Somme) France.
                 v     05-06-14  Carlton Marsh. 430 km NNW 1011 days.

Wintersett 23.02.15

3°C,  dry with sunny spells and a moderate westerly.
Another very quiet day here.  A stroll up to Walton Hall revealed Psycho, the adult Yellow-legged Gull cruising around the lake.  A flock of around 80 Fieldfare were in a field on Haw Park Lane.  A Willow Tit is being seen daily at the feeding station in Anglers CP car park.

The Edge 23rd Feb

Wombwell Ings mid AM- Present were 2 Mute Swan, 139 Canada Geese, 4 Greylag, 2 Shelduck, 110+ Wigeon, 13 Gadwall, 7 Mallard, 5 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 1m Goosander, 7 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 3 Grey Heron, 101 BH Gull, 2 Common Gull, 1 Buzzard, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Skylark, 1 Pied Wagtail and 3 Reed Bunting.
 Broomhill Flash late AM- Noted were 16 Canada Geese, 60+ Wigeon, 12 Tufted Duck, 2m+2f Goldeneye, 4 Pochard, 4 Teal, 2 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Cormorant, 13 Coot, 8 Moorhen, 250+ BH Gull, 5 Common Gull and 1 Kestrel.
Bolton Ings late AM/early PM-On the open water were 2 Mute Swan, 25 Shoveler, 9 Pochard, 7 Tufted Duck, 2m+1juvm+3f Goldeneye, 5 Teal, 3 Gadwall, 3 Mallard, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 29 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 1 Cormorant, 68 BH Gull, 4 Common Gull and 1 LBB Gull. Also present were 2 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret over, 6 Canada Geese and 2 Green Woodpecker.
Mick Turton had a Red Kite flying west over Bolton west end(c12.15am) and a pair of Stonechat.

Bolton Ings et al - Sunday 22nd February

Started out this morning at 08.00, had to scrape ice off windscreen, 2c and only got to 4c when I returned. Had a good start with Great Spotted Woodpecker in Broomhill Park and 12 Shelduck on Wombwell Ings from the old road. A Buzzard was up early and later 3 drifted over to Old Moor, soon after (another?) 4 were up over Bolton tip with 2 displaying and dropping down onto the fence posts between the 2 pools. Also displaying today were 4 pairs of Great Crested Grebes, a couple of Little Egrets were flying about and Goldeneye were down to 8. A Redshank was on the river. Full list :- Grey Heron 2, Little Egret 2, Mute Swan 10, Canada Goose 9, Grey Lag Goose 5, Cormorant 2, Great Crested Grebe 8, Little Grebe 4, Mallard 43, Teal 6, Gadwall 62, Shoveler 16, Pochard 15, Tufted Duck 32, Goldeneye 8 (1 male, 2 imm males, 5 females), Coot 68, Moorhen 5, Redshank 1, Black Headed Gull 82, Common Gull 15, Herring Gull 1, Buzzard 4, Kestrel 4, Sparrowhawk 1, Green Woodpecker.

Later I visited Old Moor for the roost, in the Willows were 5 Cormorants and 4 Little Egrets, 43 Goosander were roosing on the Wader Scrape. A further 26 Cormorants departed for Denaby, 2 Oystercatchers were on the Wader Scrape and a single Shelduck was on the Willow Pool.

Yesterday morning I called in at Old Moor to see the returning adult male Mediterranean Gull on Island 1 on the Mere. This bird has returned for its 6th year with us, it has never attracted a mate so maybe this year that will change. It was still present today.