The main excitement was the arrival of a Great White Egret which flew over the Field Pools at Old Moor before dropping onto Wath Ings. Fortunately, it remained there for over an hour giving anyone local and available time to see it, though it did make things difficult by choosing the old scrapes (near the pumps) to feed which meant it could only be viewed from the old railway line adjacent to the Bolton Ings screen. In fairness to the bird it had probably chose this area as the only place where it wouldn't get 'covered in blackheads'! At 8.45, after a couple of minor sorties, it took flight and headed back over the Field Pools (giving nice views to those who had decided to try and view it from Old Moor) with a flock of marauding Black-heads in hot pursuit and after flying over the Mere and Bolton, relocated to Adwick Washlands and later to Denaby Ings. There have been seven previous records of Great White Egret in the Barnsley area, five of which were in the Old Moor area. In a British context Great White Egret is no longer a rarity and is following in the footsteps of Little Egret and Spoonbill now having established a toe-hold as a breeding species. Back to the local stuff, the Spoonbill returned to Adwick Wash this morning (from Denaby) and the magnificent 'big bird morning' was complete with the news from the Reedbeds that those participating in the Bittern watch had just witnessed two young Bitterns clamber up the reeds. Fantastic!
Other news:
Old Moor: Peregrine, Med' Gull 3 + yesterday a 'redhead' Goosander on Wader Scrape in afternoon.
Wombwell Ings: Shelduck 2, Redshank 2 broods (3, 2), Dunlin 1, Whimbrel (field), Med' Gull second-summer 'hawking' over Broomhill Park.
Broomhill Flash: Little Gull, ad-winter.
1 comment:
That is a pretty stunning (and were all envious) mornings birding.
Post a Comment