Rabbit Ings

E-mail from Mick Birkinshaw
The other day we got good aerial views of 4 owls grappling with each other in clear blue skies to the north of the site and then a buzzard came in low and at speed to take part in the scrum, what an amazing site that was. It must have looked like this over the cliffs of Dover in 1940!

I received a report of 6 being seen yesterday but I don't know the full story yet.

I also attach some excellent shots taken by Mel Plant, these have been added to the portfolio for the public to view when I'm here.

 

 

Wintersett 05.12.12

Freezing wind,  icy underfoot but sunny.
Anglers CP: Drake American Wigeon,  Female Long-tailed Duck,  Redshank 1 over,  Buzzard 1 over car park.
Wintersett Res: Male Smew in NE corner this morning,  3 Egyptian Geese,  40 Golden Plover flew over,  Scaup 1 male, 1 first winter male and also first winter male on ACP.   Just 1 Teal on Botany.

Some of the 226 Waxwings, Stairfoot -Tesco Car Park, late p.m.    ASmith

a little

Very little news today; Waxwings: saw 2 as I drove through Hemmingfield and there were still about 20 in Hoyland yesterday aft. 2 have been seen on 'Warbler Way' Bolton Ings today. About 100 were back in the Stairfoot Tesco carpark. A Bittern was at the Reedbeds at Old Moor and 31 Goosanders roosted. The Golden Plover flock at Thurnscoe numbered about 300 this aft with a Buzzard there too.

Gunthwaite Dam

Gunthwaite Dam - 2 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Kingfisher - per David Pennimgton.

waxwings

About 80 at stairfoot tesco late a.m.

Winscar & Ingbirchworth

Absolutely bleak, and not just the weather.
Winscar Reservoir - 1 Canada Goose, 101 Mallards and 1 Moorhen.
Ingbirchworth Reservoir - 165 Canada Geese, 18 Mallards, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Moorhens and 10 Coots.
Plenty of corvids in the fields, but very few gulls.

The Edge

Broomhill Flash mid AM- A bright, clear morning with a biting cold north westerly wind. On the open, ice-free water were 2 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 14 Tufted Duck, 10 Mallard, 8 Teal, 6 Wigeon, 4 Goldeneye, 3 Pochard,  2 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler and 4 Common Gull. Also present were 6 Grey Partridge, 2 Red Legged Partridge, 25 Greylag, 3 Snipe, 1 Kestrel and 6 Meadow Pipit.

Bolton Ings late AM- On the open water were 9 Cormorant, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan + 1juv, 61 Greylag,  60 Gadwall,14 Mallard, 13 Pochard, 12 Shoveler, 11 Wigeon, 8 Tufted Duck, 6 Teal, 5 male Goosander, 3 female Goldeneye, 1 Shelduck and 5 Common Gull. Also seen were 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Bullfinch and 2 Redpoll(TPT).

DV Camera Club

HEMINGFIELD WAXY UPDATE

80+ Waxwing's late afternoon for a short period. Spooked intermittently by a Sparrowhawk. Excellent Photo's Peter

Wintersett 04.12.12

Cold, damp, sunny start but clouded over by midday.
The muddy trudge this morning ended nicely with a flock of  10 Crossbills, (at least 2 were male) and a flock of 30 Siskins near the entrance to Haw Park Wood.
The highlight this afternoon was a 1st winter CASPIAN GULL in the WRes. roost.
Anglers CP: Drake American Wigeon,  female Long-tailed Duck,  1st winter male Scaup. 27 Cormorant.
Wintersett Res: Male Smew,  2 Scaup - a male and a juv. male,  3 Egyptian Goose,  Buzzard 1.

Rabbit Ings

4 Short-eared Owls were showing well again this afternoon. (Keith Bannister)

tuedays bobs

Old Moor: Bittern 2+ roosted, Goosander 39 roosted, Redshank 2, Green Sand' 1, Barn Owl 1, Tawny Owl 1, Waxwing 5 briefly in playground, Brambling 3.

Broomhill Flash: Goldeneye 4, Short-eared Owl 1 (late afternoon).

About 100 Golden Plovers in field on left as you come into Thurnscoe from Houghton.

As I passed through Hemmingfield late morning about 40 Waxwings were near The Albion boozer.

Drove on Springwood Road, Hoyland twice this morning without seeing a Waxwing but they do tend to rove. Around 60 were seen yesterday afternoon. As the Short-eared photos have finally gone to ground thought I'd throw some more Waxwings at you. Well, they are pretty!

Waxwing, Hoyland - Pete Garrity

Waxwing, Hoyland - Pete Garrity

Midhope & Underbank

A very steady morning (even by moorland standards).
Midhope Reservoir - nothing.
Midhope Hall Lane, Midhopestones - c50 Starlings, c40 Fielfares and 3 Jays.
Underbank Reservoir - 76 Mallards, 4 Tufted Ducks, 3 Moorhens and 3 Jays.

SYD OR BILL

A supposedly photo of Syd? Are you sure it's not Bill Oddy trying to gatecrash the Christmas Bash.

A quiet sunday 2-11-12 .

5 common snipe at wilthorpe, no jacks, nothing new either at low barugh s.f. Even quieter on the moors, just 2 ravens w. over broomhead moor, viewed from dukes rd.

ho ho ho

Photograph, courtesy of - missus Sid

Just a reminder to everybody that the deadline for bookings for the Barnsley birders Christmas bash is this Thursday evening at the Barnsley Bird Study Group meeting at the Old Moor Centre. The event will take place at the Old Moor Tavern, Broomhill at 7pm on Monday 17th December and is proving to be popular. Remember, to secure you're place you must have paid a £5 deposit  per head and given you're choice from the menu. If you require further details please contact John Hewitt

Wintersett 03.12.12

Overcast, damp, becoming colder in the afternoon. 
Wintersett Res: Male Smew usually good views from Dam Wall.  (Wellies preferable, track still flooded)   Egyptian Goose 3.  Scaup 2 - male and juv male - usually feeding on mussels off  west bank also 1st winter male ACP.    There were  58 Great Black-backed  Gulls in the roost today. 
Anglers CP: Drake American Wigeon,  Female Long-tailed Duck, Goosander 34 + 3WRes.,  Cormorant 30.

Adwick tip (late afternoon)

Short-eared Owl 1, Kestrel 2, Fieldfare c150, Redwing 100, Siskin 6, Linnet 20; Green Sandpiper  1 (Adwick washlands)

The Edge

Broomhill Flash Mid AM- About 10 to 15% of the flash has a covering of ice. On the open water were 2 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 21 Mallard, 10 Tufted Duck, 7 Teal, 3 Goldeneye( 2m + 1f ), 2 Pochard, 2 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Wigeon, 4 Common Gull and 1juv  GBB Gull.

Bolton Ings late AM- Eastern pool was ice-free. On the open water were 8 Cormorant, 5 Grey Heron, 1 Great Crested Grebe,  6 Mute Swan+1 juv, 56 Gadwall, 30+ Mallard, 20+ Pochard, 12 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 5 Goosander ( 4m+1f ), 3 Goldeneye ( 1m+2f ), 2 Wigeon and 9 Common Gull. Also seen were 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Redshank, 2 Jay, 1 Mistle Thrush, 7+ Siskin(on TPT) and a mixed flock of 150+ Redwing (c70%) and Fieldfare(c 30%).

upland & moorland res's

More Hall Reservoir - 1 Canada Goose, 1 drake Mandarin Duck, 75 Mallards, 3 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron and 2 Moorhens.
Broomhead Reservoir - 3 Tufted Ducks.
Stocksbridge - 1 male Merlin and 1 Little Owl at Whitwell.
Fullshaw - a flock of c100 Fieldfare and c100 Starlings.
Ingbirchworth Reservoir - 73 Canada Geese, 49 Mallards, 4 Tufted Ducks, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Moorhens, 15 Coots and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Royd Moor Reservoir - 1 Cormorant.