Carlton Marsh

 A female Wheatear was on the east field and a Mallard was with 12 very small young on the wader scrape (K. Bannister).

Wintersett 30.04.2023

Anglers CP:

8 Dunlin were flying around CP at 06.59hrs.   Another Dunlin at 07.37hrs.  (PM).

Common Gull 1 adult .  Common Sandpiper 1.  Sedge Warbler 2 males on the east bank.

Reed Warbler 1 male east bank.

Lepidoptera:

Holly Blue 1 ACP + 1 east bank ACP meadow.   Green-veined white 1 ACP.

Carlton Marsh

20 Swifts flew west over Firth Avenue, Cudworth this morning (R. Laverack) and 3 had returned to the Beech Avenue estate, Cudworth this evening (G. Miller).

As for the reserve an immature Cormorant was on the scrape and 7 Teal and a Whooper Swan were on the wader scrape. There are a total of 4 Sedge and 4 Reed Warblers singing from the reedbeds now and a Goldcrest was singing in the car park.

Butterflies included 3m Brimstone and 5m  & 1f Orange-tip (R. Laverack/D. Standish/CG).

South Kirkby Industrial Estate
A Reed Warbler sang, 2 Red-legged Partridge and a Green Woodpecker were present.  Also 1 Small Copper, 6m Brimstone and 45m Orange-tip (C. Parkin).

Anglers CP + Wintersett Ringing 29.04.2023

Anglers CP:

Snipe 1.   Common Gull 1 adult.  Oystercatcher 5.  Canada Goose 4 young.

Wintersett Res:

A male Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Garden Warblers were on the west bank.

Wintersett Ringing:

17 new birds were ringed this morning.

2  Willow Warbler,  4 Blackcap,  4 Sedge warbler, 2 Reed Warbler,  

1 Garden Warbler,   1 Lesser Whitethroat,  1 Reed Bunting

and a retrapped Common Whitethroat that was ringed in 2021!

 Lesser Whitethroat ringed today - Becky Bailey

Lepidoptera:

A Holly Blue  was in the car park.

Herptera:

A Grass Snake was in the area. 

Carlton Marsh

Best today was 2 Redshanks (C. Parkin/R. Laverack) and 2 singing Sedge warblers on the wader scrape. Sadly 2 adult Black Headed Gulls 1 fresh dead and predated and 1 dying with what looks like Avian Flu!

Cuckoo sang along with up to 3 Cetti's Warblers.

2 Foxes were laid out enjoying the late evening sunshine.

Black Headed Gull (CG)

A new one for the Wintersett list. Calocybe gambosa (St. George's Mushroom) 28.04.2023

   

 A chance encounter with Francis Hickenbotton and Hiram Windgust on a Fungi search, revealed

Calocybe gambosa (St. George's Mushroom) -  a new one for the Wintersett list.  Photos by Francis.

Wilthorpe Marsh west 28/4/23.

Singing Grasshopper Warbler at west end. Little Owl 1, Lesser Whitethroat 4, Woodpigeon flock still c 300. Fem Goosander still on river on the 26th but no sign today.

Wintersett 28.04.2023

Anglers CP: 

2 summer plumaged Dunlin were flying around early morning.  Redwing 2.

2 Whimbrel flew over then dropped into north bank CP field at 09.08hrs.  

Common Gull 1 adult.  Shoveler 1 male.

Wintersett Res: 

Mallard Ducklings  10 very small.  Common Tern 9. 

5 male Cetti's Warblers were seen/heard this morning:

An  unringed male was singing its head off by the boathouse bench.  

A second was on west bank clump WRes.  

A third male Cetti's Warbler was singing  on the north bank.  

A fourth male on  north bank /Botany Bay, and a fifth male  in north east corner WRes.

Goldeneye 1 female.  

Lesser Whitethroat 1 male northeast bank + 1 male east bank.

A female Wheatear was on the north bank late morning, still present 14.45hrs. 

                                            Female Wheatear on north bank W.Res.  SDenny

Carlton Marsh

An Oystercatcher was on the wader scrape along with 6 LBB Gulls. Both male and female Cuckoo were seen on the same branch (CG/D. Standish).

Cuckoo 26/4/23 (Gary Standish)

Wintersett 27.04.2023

 Anglers CP:

A Little Egret flew north west.   3 Swifts   + 5 WRes..  Common Sandpiper 1.  

A Grey Wagtail flew over.   Common Gull 1 adult.  Lapwing 4.  Dunlin 1 on the shallows.

Wintersett Res:

A Dunlin in summer plumage was on the boathouse slipway  + 1 ACP.

Goldeneye 1 female.   Common Tern 13.  Swift 5 over.

A male Garden Warbler was in the west bank clump + 1 male north east corner.

Sedge Warblers:  

5  males west bank clump +  2 males Dam Wall + 1 male east bank ACP.

Carlton Marsh

New in today Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Oystercatcher (stayed 25 minutes before it was disturbed) and a Little Ringed Plover flew NW (JP/LC/AC/CP). 4 LBB Gulls also called in.

Ferrymoor Flash
Hirundines were moving in good numbers from 15.30hrs until I left at 16.45hrs. Groups of up to 23 House Martins totalling 53 birds, 7 Swallows and 5 Sand Martins all heading north. An Oystercatcher flew north. A female Mallard had a brood of 13 very small young and the female Mute Swan was on a nest.

Wintersett 26.04.2023

 Anglers CP:

2 Shelduck were on 07.02hrs. (PM)

The Green Sandpiper was on the west bank. 07.07hrs (PM).  Steve Denny had a Green Sandpiper in a muddy puddle on the Disposal Point at 17.05hrs..  

Common Sandpiper 2. Common Gull 1 adult.

A Lesser Whitethroat was around the Pol Hide + 1 male in the car park.

 Lesser Redpoll 1.   A Fieldfare flew west.  Snipe 1.  

Wintersett Res:

2 very small young Mallards were off the west bank.  

A Treecreeper was on the south bank.

5 male Whitethroats were in the area.

Carlton Marsh

There at least 8 singing Blackcaps, 7+ Chiffchaffs, 7 Willow Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers and 2 Goldcrests. A new brood of very small young Greylags and 5 Swallows flew through.

Butterflies included 4m 1f Orange-tip, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Speckled Wood and 2 GV White (CG/L & A Corrall).

Storrs Mill to Ardsley Viaduct along the Dearne
22 House Martins, 5 Sand Martins, 10 Swallows and a Mallard on 8 eggs. 

Butterflies included 14 Peacock, 12 Small Tortoiseshell, 10 Comma, 45 Speckled wood, 1 Holly Blue, 1m 1f Brimstone and 42m Orange-tip (C. Parkin).

Wintersett 25.04.2023

Anglers CP: 

Green Sandpiper 1.  Goldeneye 1 1st Summer male + 1 female Wintersett Res..

In the north bank field were a male Whinchat, 

 a  1st summer male Redstart - (see photo below),  a female  Redstart,  

 a female Wheatear and a male Lesser Whitethroat!!     

A Curlew flew over CP fields. 

                    1st Summer male Redstart  Anglers CP  Steve Denny 25.04.2023

A male Sedge Warbler was on the east bank.  Common Gull 1 adult.   

A Little Ringed Plover was in the shallows. 

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 10.   Swift 1.  A Hobby flew over.  Sand Martin 150.  Teal 4.

A male Garden Warbler was in the north east corner.

April WeBS Counts - Upland Reservoirs

 Yesterday's count details:

Ingbirchworth Reservoir

Great Crested Grebe 11, Little Grebe 4, Moorhen 3, Coot 1, Greylag Goose 5, Canada Goose 2, Mallard 12

Broadstone Reservoir

Great Crested Grebe 1, Mallard 3

Royd Moor Reservoir

Great Crested Grebe 3, Little Grebe 2, Moorhen 2, Cormorant 1, Mallard 7, Tufted Duck 2

Plenty of Curlew over and in the fields around each reservoir and a big influx of Willow Warbler overnight - singing birds: Ingbirchworth 10, Broadstone 2, Royd Moor 12

Stoat at Broadstone glared at me for nearly a minute. 

Wilthorpe Marsh 24/4/23, J Lunn, S Green.

Main highlights, - 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Whitethroats, 8 Cetti's Warblers. 1 Curlew through, fem Goosander on river, 4 L Egrets together yesterday.

Wintersett 24.04.2023

Wintersett Res. -Ruin Area:

A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling in the Elder bush next to the metal gate. 

Wintersett Res: 

A female Common Scoter was off the south bank.  

A Lesser Whitethroat was in the north east corner.   

2 male Reed Warblers were in the west bank marsh + 2 males on north bank. 

Common Tern 12.  Swift 2.

Anglers CP: 

Arctic Tern 1.  Common Sandpiper 4.  Little Ringed Plover 1.     

A Lesser Whitethroat was singing near the main hide. 

Common Gull 1 adult + 1 adult over north WRes..

 Old Royston Flash:

Teal 1 pair.  

Carlton Marsh

The highlights of the previous week included Wheatear, Kingfisher and Red-legged Partridge on 16th, A Greenshank was on the wader scrape on 18th (Steve Grove), 1 possibly 2 Golden Plover calling to the east on 19th (JP), drake Shoveler and a drake Mandarin on 22nd (K. Bannister/N. Lunn).

Today 23rd April
A Cuckoo sang throughout the morning from 06.40hrs (K. Bannister et al). 3 Cetti's Warblers sang and 21 Tufted Duck and a Green Woodpecker were present (JP/D. Tattershall).

The long suffering Whooper Swan moved back on to the main scrape on 18th and is still there.

Wintersett WeBS for April 2023

Here are the Wintersett WeBs counts for April 2023

Mute Swan 16   Canada Goose 41   Greylag Goose 1   Cormorant 1

Coot 54   Moorhen 11   Great Crested Grebe 14   Mallard 34   Teal 7

Gadwall 38   Shoveler 7   Tufted Duck 152   Goldeneye 2   Oystercatcher 4

Lapwing 2   Dunlin 1   Little Ringed Plover 1   Black-tailed Godwit  25  

Wintersett 23.04.2023

 Anglers CP:

Common Sandpiper 1.

Wintersett Res:

A Green Woodpecker was on the west bank.  A Shelduck flew in this morning.

A male Sedge Warbler was on the west bank and 3 more males were in the west bank clump.

 A 1st summer male Goldeneye + a female Goldeneye were in today.

A Curlew flew north west.

Disposal Point:

Whitethroat 1 male. 

Old Royston Flash: per @StevieD131

A Green Sandpiper was on Old Royston Flash for around 30 minutes from 12:25.

Little Ringed Plover 1.

 

 

           Green Sandpiper   Old Royston Flash  23.04.2023  taken by Simon Cooper