This year's first Blackcap sang near the hide this morning (R. J. Boland) and was heard again when we arrived before dusk for a mothing session (Dave Smith).
13 moths were identified of 5 species, 2 Double Striped Pug, 7 Common Quaker, 1 Red Green Carpet, 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character and 2 Clouded Drab.
At least 3 Pipistrelles were on the wing where we were.
Thursday 30th March
8 Teal were on the Country Park.
The Great White Egret was on the east bank of the Top Res and there were also 6 Sand Martins there today.
A Lesser Redpoll flew north.
Friday 31st March
There were three Yellowhammers around the Pol feeding area along with a couple of Tree Sparrows.
44 Sand Martins were on the Top Res, whilst another (same?) Osprey flew low to the northwest over the Country Park at 14.45.
An injured adult Common Gull has been on the Country Park shallows for the last few days.
The first Osprey of the year flew north over the Top Res around 11.15 hrs after previously being seen at Old Moor, then later at St Aidens.
The Egyptian Goose is still in the Pol field along with the three Pink-footed Geese. A Red-legged Partridge was seen at Santingley and a Goosander remains on the Country Park.
An interesting sighting was of a buck Roe Deer that swan across the Top Res from the east bank to the north bank.
c26 Whooper Swans headed NW at 08.45hrs (Keith Bannister).
A Great Sotted Woodpecker was 'drumming' and 10 Chiffchaffs sang.
Our resident male Buzzard copulated with the female in a large Willow tree.
Fri March 24th
Starling - 105 east
M Pipit - 30 NW
Shelduck 1 on Country Park
Curlew 1 feeding on Country Park & 1 NW
Sand Martin - 29 NW
Fieldfare - 5 CP
Sat March 25th
Sand Martin - 14 Top Res
Shoveler - 7 Country Park
BH Gull - 250 CP
Woodcock - one flew east over Country Park hill 16.15
Sun March 26th
Great White Egret - 1 Moorhouse Lane Ponds
White Wagtail - 1 north bank Country Park
Oystercatcher - Pr Walton Hall
Mon March 27th
Grey Partridge - one calling Santingley
Sand Martin - a flock of 40 birds dropped in to the Top Res at 09.00
Redwing - 120 around Cold Hiendley village
Fieldfare - 8 NW
Whooper Swan - our contribution to the massive movement over last two days is a paltry single NW 08.35 and a flock of 24 NW 08.49.
2 Little Egrets were on the wader scrape early morning and 66 Whooper Swans over Cudworth at 11.00hrs heading N/NW almost certainly flew over the reserve from there (Keith Bannister).
Tufted Duck have increased to 16 males and 7 females, 2 Water Rails called and a Cetti's and Goldcrest sang.
Also of interest 17 Meadow Pipits were feeding in rape near a horse pasture and a Collared Dove was present.
A Common breeding birds survey produced 18 singing Robins, 8 Chiffchaffs,7 Wrens and 5 Blackbirds.
4 Herald Moths were still in their winter hideout, but the Duabenten's Bat had gone.
Tues 21st March
Chiffchaff - at least 20 males singing around the area.
Goosander - 3 CP (2 imm males, 1 female)
Shelduck - 1 CP
Sand Martin - 6 Top Res
Golden Plover - 23 east
Dunlin - 2 SW
Starling - 75 east
Common Gull - just 4 birds in roost tonight.
Weds 22nd March
A white Gyr Falcon was seen being mobbed over Haw Park Lane before leaving south at 08.40 hrs. Presumably, this is one of the escaped birds that have been seen at various places recently.
Meadow Pipit - 59 NW
Siskin - 2 on Country Park
Sand Martin - 4
Great White Egret was at Moorhouse Lane Ponds.
Thurs 23rd March
A Swallow south over the Country Park is the first of the year.
A second summer Kittiwake was on the Country Park during the morning.
Great White Egret was at Moorhouse Lane Ponds.
The regular Yellow-legged Gull was on the shallows this afternoon eating a duck egg.
The highlights of today were; 1 adult Common Gull, 1 Adult LBB Gull north, 1 Little Egret, 1 Cetti's Warbler, a Goldcrest and 5 Chiffchaffs sang, 2 Redwings, 1 Meadow Pipit and 19 Linnets feeding on tilled land were new arrivals.
Butterflies included 21 Comma, 9 Peacock, 2 Small Tort. and 2 Dark-edged Bee-fly, the first for this year and, 1 Orange Underwing moth (K. Bannister/D. M. Smith/C. Parkin/CG)
A flock of 22 Dunlin, the largest for a number of years here, flew southwest, followed by a single later in the morning.
A flock of 13 Snipe also flew southwest, with 6 on the Country Park shallows.
Other than waders, not much moving:
M Pipit - 23 NW
Starling - 29 SE.
There were 6 Redpoll & 20 Siskin on the Country Park & a Shelduck was on the Top Res in the afternoon.
The Great White Egret flew in at 11am, circled the Country Park and left back towards Walton Hall where it is presumably living at the moment.
A dead female Wigeon on the north bank of the Country Park had most of its breast feathers plucked, but presumably the predator (Peregrine?) appears to have been flushed and no longer around.
14 Redwings were on a nearby horse pasture at 6.45hrs (K. Bannister).
Also of note 2 Orange Underwing moths, 1m Brimstone butterfly and 2 Small Tortoiseshells mating (CG).
An Egyptian Goose was on the West Bank of the Country Park today, which is a new species for the year, whilst the three Pink Fpopted Geese remained in the Pol field. Two Red Kites were also noted today.
Passage:
Curlew - one NW and another single over.
Meadow Pipit - 24 north.
The cover crop field at Ellis Laithe held 70 Chaffinch, 20 Linnet & 20 Reed Buntings.
Butterflies:
Single Brimstone, Comma & Peacock were noted today.
2 Chiffchaff's sang, a Peregrine flew through, 2 Oystercatchers flew north, a Cetti's Warbler sang, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker called and 2 Fieldfare were present. A large Falcon was photographed at distance and was thought to be an escaped Saker (JP).
Also present Grey Wagtail and 16 Tufted Ducks (R. Laverack).
More Brimstone butterflies were reported in the locality.
Pretty steady today, all the grounded passerines (Stonechats, Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipits, Reed Buntings) have moved on.
Whooper Swans - 2 NW plus a further 9 NW after a brief stay on the Country Park.
Passage:
Fieldfare 56 E
Redwing 20 E
Starling 97 E
Sand Martin 5 north
M Pipit 8 north
Wigeon - 321, Shoveler - 13 & 3 PFG still in Pol field.
At least 4-5 Chiffchaffs singing around the area.
At least 4 Noctule Bats were feeding very high over the Country Park from 11.15 to 12.00 hrs.
As spring finally arrived, the first confirmed Chiffchaff of the year was singing and, the Whooper Swan had relocated to the wader scrape. A large Mink was seen swimming to an island in the marsh (JP).
At mid-day as the temperature climbed to 15c overwintering butterflies were taking flight, 4 male Brimstone, 12 Comma, 2 Peacock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell plus a Tawny Mining Bee (Chris Parkin).
Meanwhile, Les Corrall had a Brimstone, Comma, Small Tort. and a Small White in his Cudworth garden. Along with 2 Little Owls.
Both Mediterranean Gulls were on the Country Park this morning (1st winter & 2nd summer), whilst a flock of at least 15 Reed Buntings (mostly males) feeding on the grass bank there were presumably grounded migrants. Two Ravens flew over Haw Park and a Red Kite flew over the Top Res at 10.56 hrs, whilst a bat feeding over the south bank of the Top Res proved to be an early Noctule Bat according to the bat-detector.
A Siskin and seven Lesser Redpolls were on the Pol.
Mid-afternoon
Pair of Oystercatcher, Female Goosander, 3+ Coot, 87 Canada Geese
At least 2 Curlew calling in nearby fields
Three Sand Martins on the Top Res early morning had increased to 32 by mid day. Still at least 7 Stonechats on the Country Park along with 1st winter and 2nd summer Med Gulls. A first winter Caspian Gull flew from the Country Park to the Top Res at 17.00 hrs.
A flock of 40 Pinkfeet flew northwest and three spent the day in the Pol field. Still 130 Goldeneye in the area, whilst there were 27 Pied Wagtails on the Country Park plus a total of 45 going north during the morning.
From the wader scrape this morning Little Egret and Cormorant south. Elsewhere 12 Tufted Duck, 20+ Siskins and 2 Buzzards (K. Bannister/R. Laverack).
A Barn Owl hunted the wader scrape meadow at 18.36hrs (D. Standish).
Still four Stonechats at least remaining on the Country Park today, along with a Redshank & 30 Pied Wagtails.
A Red legged Partridge was at Santingley and a Green Woodpecker was at Hare Park, with the first Chiffchaff of the year singing on the Country Park and a Red Kite over the Low Lake. Still 5 Goosanders remaining after most birds have now moved out.
A cover crop field at Ellis Laithe is currently holding 70 Chaffinch, 40 Linnets and 30 Reed Buntings.
Top Res Gull roost:
Common Gull - at least 612
GBB - 3 (juv, sub adult & an adult)
Herring Gull - 220
LBB - 21
Med Gull - adult in full summer plumage.
Broadstone Reservoir
Teal 8, Mallard 2, Snipe 1
Black headed Gull 53
Also Reed Bunting 3 and over Oystercatcher 3, Golden Plover 8 & Curlew 1
Ingbirchworth Reservoir
Mallard 31, Tufted Duck 4, Canada Goose 108, Greylag Goose 5, Moorhen 2, Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 11, Cormorant 1
Black headed Gull 41, Common Gull 14
Also c8 Brambling along Annat Royd Lane
Royd Moor Reservoir
Mallard 8, Tufted Duck 4, Canada Goose 4, Moorhen 5, Little Grebe 5, Oystercatcher 2
Black Headed Gull 6
Anglers CP:
Whooper Swan 4 ACP, later flew to WRes..
Snipe 8. Oystercatcher 4. Goosander 8.
Canada/Greylag Hybrid Goose 2.
A Red Kite flew over north east. Linnet 1.
2 males and a female Stonechat were on the west bank.
Photos below by Simon Cooper.
Lepidoptera:
An Orange Underwing was flying in the sunshine, despite the snow covered ground!
Here are the Wintersett WeBS counts for March 2023:
Mute Swan 12. Whooper Swan 4. Canada Goose 83.
Greylag Goose 19. Cormorant 9. Great Crested Grebe 20.
Coot 115. Moorhen 21. Mallard 38. Teal 7. Wigeon 304.
Gadwall 16. Shoveler 3. Tufted Duck 131. Pochard 27.
Goldeneye 130. Goosander 8. Grey Heron 1. Snipe 8.
Lapwing 74. Oystercatcher 4.
Very cold, 1 degree, with a covering of snow, and further snow showers on and off all day.
Anglers CP:
A Ringed Plover flew over early morning - SDenny.
Shoveler 7. Pied Wagtail 25.
The second summer Mediterranean Gull still present on the shallows - see photo below per S.Denny.
