Dearne Valley Weekender

On Saturday morning I arrived at the Wader Scrape hide at Old Moor at 06.50, 3 Little Egrets left the roost between 07.29 and 07.37 and 4 Cormorants also left the roost. There were 35 Goosanders on the Wader Scrape and a further 8 on the Mere as well as 6 Goldeneye. A Barn Owl was hunting on the Reedbeds and on the Main Marsh was a Shelduck, a drake Pintail and 8 Snipe. A Great Crested Grebe was on the Reedbeds and 29 Cormorants had gathered on the Mere.

Following breakfast in the cafe at Old Moor I had a walk along the TPT to Bolton Ings, quiet on the TPT only bird of note was a Green Woodpecker. On Bolton Eastern Pool from the hide were 15 Goldeneye (4 drakes, 3 imm drakes & 8 females), 25 Pochard, 37 Tufted Duck, Goosander 2, 2 Great Crested Grebe and 2 Little Grebe.

Later on I visited the Reedbeds where the only notables were 2 Water Rail, however I could see 4 Little Egrets and 12 Cormorants roosting in the willows and 6 Shelduck on the Wader Scrape.

This morning I set out onto Bolton Ings at 08.00 am, the weather seemed mild but was very misty. Highlights today were 3 Little Egrets on the Western Pool as well as the pair of Stonechats. Goldeneye on the Eastern Pool had increased to 17 and 49 Common Gulls had gathered. Full List :- Grey Heron 2, Little Egret 3, Mute Swan 11, Canada Goose 16, Cormorant 2, Great Crested Grebe 3, Little Grebe 3, Mallard 16, Teal 3, Gadwall 49, Shoveler 10, Pochard 22, Tufted Duck 40, Goldeneye 17 (4 drakes, 2 imm drakes, 11 females), Coot 76, Moorhen 3, Black Headed Gull 187, Common Gull 49, Stonechat pair, Skylark 5 over, Lesser Redpoll 3.

I visited the Wader Scrape later for the roost and was rewarded with 4 Little Egrets, 14 Cormorants, 48 Goosanders and 5 Goldeneye. Also present were 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Redshank, 2 Snipe and the first 2 Oystercatchers of the year on the Wader Scrape. Oystercatcher is the 100th species to be recorded in the Old Moor Area this year. Earlier a Bittern was seen in flight on the Reedbeds.