Cudworth Common

On the lakes this evening were 8 Tufted Ducks, 3 drake Shovelers, 3 Mute Swans, 4 pairs of Gadwall, 2 Canada Geese with 5 small young and 4 Redshanks alarming. A Meadow Pipit was displaying and a Cuckoo called from the wooded area nearby. 2 Brown hares were also present.

Wintersett 24.05.13

Only 6 degrees,  howling north wind,  heavy showers on and off all day.  More like Autumn than Spring.
Anglers CP:  Arctic Tern 1 over + 1  WRes. at 12.12.  Common Tern 2.    3rd Summer Yellow-legged  + Lesser Black-backed Gulls.   Oystercatcher young down from 2 to 1, juv. Swallow still here.    Barnacle Goose 1, Teal 1 male,  Goldeneye 1 female,  Meadow Pipit 1, 
Wintersett Res:  Pochard 1 male and 1 female.
Cold Hiendley Res: Yellow Wagtail 1 over.

stop press

Red-necked Phalarope, Wath Ings late aft.

Adwick Wash 2 pm

9 Avocet, 8+ Redshank, 2 Shelduck, 1 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 6 LRP. A pair of Plovers on the top pool Bolton side have at least two tiny marble sized chicks i think must have hatched today as I've not seen them in the previous four days that I've been down.

late aft update

Old Moor: Knot back on Wader Scrape, presumed Edderthorpe bird.  Also Peregrine.

Friday morning

Old Moor: Bitterns, Teal 2, LRP, Wood Sand, Knot, winter plumage bird Wath Ings then flew west (per Ivan Martin), 4 Med' Gulls, Arctic Tern, 5 Common Terns. The Little Gull (ad-winter) is commuting the area and is thought to be the same bird seen at Broomhill yesterday and also there this morning.

Broadstones - Castle Dam

A promising start with a Blackcap singing from the hedge in my Stocksbridge garden, proving that summer migrants are still moving through.
Then up to Broadstones Reservoir where it was cold, blustery, raining with a bit of hail thrown in, and an unpleasant 4 degrees. May the 24th!!!???
Little of note at Broadstones Reservoir, Gunthwaite Dam or Castle Dam.
Ingbirchworth Reservoir - 2 drake Tufted Ducks, a pair of Red-legged Partridge, three pairs of Little Grebe and 1 Great Crested Grebe.
Gunthwaite - a pair of Red-legged Partridge on Carr Lane.

Edderthorpe, Friday a.m.

A bitterly cold north-east wind and very low temperatures, is this really late May? The Knot remains from yesterday but not much else. Avocet 1, Ringed Plover 2, LRP 2, Common Tern 2.

Thursday evening update

Old Moor: The Bitterns are becoming far more active now with around 20 feeding flights per day. Just one Wood Sandpiper remained on Wath Ings after the initial sighting of 2 this morning, still present tonight. Also 4 Ringed Plover, Arctic Tern, 6 Common Terns. The usual adult winter plumage Little Gull was on the Mere this evening.

Wombwell Ings tonight: Water Rail, Whimbrel.

LBBG's

A loose flock of 126+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls passed low and west over Stocksbridge at 20:35hrs probably to roost on Underbank Reservoir, or more likely, Langsett Reservoir.

Elsecar

Elsecar Reservoir - a pair of Tufted Duck, 8 Great Crested Grebes with three pairs displaying, 1 Grey Heron and the usual suspects.

Wintersett 23.05.13

Cold and gusty north wind, with intermittent sunshine and heavy showers.
Anglers CP: Barnacle Goose 1,  Cuckoo 1 male, Teal 1 male, Goldeneye 1 female,  Swallow 1 juv., Common Tern 4,  Oystercatcher 6 adults +2 young,  Swift 500,  Sand Martin 4 + 6 WRes. and House Martin 150.
Wintersett Res:  Pochard 1 male and 1 female.

Thursday mornings highlights

Old Moor: 2 Bittern, 2 Wood Sands' (Wath Ings), 4 Med' Gulls

Broomhill Flash: 2 Arctic Terns were on early morning and were still there late morning when a Little Gull was also present. Not sure if this is the bird which has been around since at least 18th May as from what I picked up on radio the observer seemed to think it wasn't, so hopefully it's a new arrival? The Whimbrel remains in the back field viewable from Wombwell Ings.

Finally, the Spoonbill was at Denaby Ings this morning, which although not in our recording area is an additional site we now know its visiting.

Edderthorpe, Thursday a.m.

A few things worth mentioning at last;- Oystercatcher 3, Knot 1 in non-breeding plumage, Common Sandpiper 1, Ringed Plover 3, Common Tern 2, Yellow Wagtail 2. Despite the cold spring weather Lapwing broods are doing very well, but hardly any Mallard broods yet.

Carlton Marsh

2 Buzzards, Water Rail, Little Grebes with 3 young, 2 pairs of Coot with 5 young, Canada Geese with 5 young, Cuckoo, 3 Reed Warblers and 10 Whitethroats singing. 

Wintersett 22.05.13

Warm, sunny spells, light cool breeze.

Wintersett Res: Common Tern 1,  Buzzard 1 over + 1 over ACP.
Anglers CP:  A Whimbrel  flew over calling at 06.30 hrs..  Barnacle Goose 1,   Goldeneye 1 female.
There were 21 Alder Leaf beetles, Agelastica Alni in a small area of the Pol  yesterday.  Looks like there will soon be a lot more.

Agelastica alni                            K Denny

Agelastica alni                            K Denny

Gravid female  Agelastica Alni              K Denny

Adwick Wash 4pm

1 Spoonbill, 1 Wheatear, 7 Avocet, 2 Shelduck, 6 LRP, 10+ Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 1 Common Whitethroat also a few small flocks of linnets and 6 Skylark. On the tip 2 Grey Partridge 1 Green Woodpecker.

Today's news

Old Moor: Bittern 2, Dunlin 1,  Common Tern 4, Arctic Tern 2, Little Gull 1, Med' Gull 5 (the new arrival is a first-summer).

Wombwell Ings: LRP 1, Dunlin 1, Whimbrel 1 (field).

Adwick Wash: Spoonbill.

Broomhill Flash

Broomhill Flash today there were;-

Redshank 1, Snipe 1.

Gadwall 2, Shovelor 2, Tufted Duck 13, Little Grebe 5, Mallard 4, Pochard 1, Mute Swan 2, Common Tern 1.

Red-legged Partridge 2.

ADWICK p.m.

Whimbrel 1 S, appeared to land in crop behind old pillboxes; Avocet 6+; Yellow Wagtail 1 male; LRP 6+; Osprey: 1 probable over trees in east and later a bit closer (G. Stones), but not seen well enough to be sure.