Ewden valley 10/7/22.

Surprisingly poor with few birds. Best was a juv Cuckoo showing well. Raven 2, Stonechat 4, C Buzzard 1, Kestrel c 6 with 4 together, 2 singing Reed Buntings still. Curlews thin now with just 1 heard.

Wintersett + Insects + Ringing

Anglers CP:

A male Lesser Whitethroat was singing near the main hide.

Lepidoptera:

3 Purple Hairstreaks were seen on oaks on Anglers CP back path. (The first for this part of the area!)

Drinker Moth 1 at Disposal Point.

Odonata:

A male Ruddy Darter was flying over the railway pond on the Disposal Point.

Of 100 Blue Damselflies checked at the railway pond - 20 were Azure Damselflies.

Common Darter 2 males. 

72 new birds were ringed at Wintersett this morning:

Highlights were: 

17 Chiffchaff,  2 Willow Warbler,  2 Treecreeper,  6 Blackcap,  1 Garden Warbler, 

14 Reed Warbler,  8 Sedge Warbler,  2 juvenile Cetti's Warrble (male and female), 

2 Reed Bunting and 1 Goldfinch.

South Kirkby Industrial estate

The highlights today were Grey Wagtail, 2 Mistle Thrush. 1 Purple Hairstreak, 364 Gatekeeper, 3 Marbled White, 3female Brimstone and  3 Blackneck moths (Chris Parkin)

Wintersett + Lesser Emperor 09.07.2022

 Anglers CP:

Cormorant 2.  Wigeon 1 male.   A Curlew flew in to the shallows. 

A male Lesser Whitethroat was on the Pol. 

Lepidoptera:

Large Skipper 1.  

Odonata:

A male Lesser Emperor was seen from the north bank WRes..

2 male Red-eyed Damselflies and a Four-spotted Chaser were seen at Botany Bay. 

Reptiles

Long term residents, the Red-eared Terrapin and the Yellow-bellied Slider, 

were seen basking in the sun in the north east corner, WRes. this morning.

Carlton Marsh

Last night's moths session produced 36 species of macro and 11 species of  micro moths. They included Elephant, Poplar and Lime Hawk Moths, Poplar Grey, V Pug, Engrailed and Beautiful Golden Y.

Lime Hawk Moth

2 Noctule and a few Pipistrelle were flying over the scrape at dusk. At least 2 Tawny Owl juvs. were calling. (C. Parkin/CG).

Kingfisher (Trevor Naylor)

Little Egret (Trevor Naylor)

Littleworth Park-Monk Bretton

A Red Kite flew NE at 11.40hrs. A butterfly count provided 5 Comma, 479 Meadow Brown, 177 Ringlet, 68 Gatekeeper and 108 Small Skipper. Moths included hundreds of Burnet moths, The Clay, Dingy Footman and a 6 Belted Clearwing! (Chris Parkin).

Wintersett + MINK + Insects 08.07.2022

 Anglers CP:

Wigeon 1 male.  Lesser Whitethroat 1 male.  Greylag Goose 52.

Wintersett Res:

Oystercatcher 3.   Mallard 48 +  1 medium/large young on Botany Bay.

Grey Wagtail 1.  

Cold Hiendley Res: 

Pochard 1 male. 

Mustelid: 

A MINK was on the water's edge, west bank WRes..  

Lepidoptera:

A  Holly Blue was seen at ACP.

A Small Skipper was on the east bank WRes..

A Small Tortoiseshell was on the north bank WRes. 

A Large Skipper was on Botany Bay.

Odonata:

A Four-spotted Chaser was on Botany Bay. 

Coleoptera:

A male Odemera nobilis, (swollen-thighed beetle), was on the north bank WRes.

Wintersett 07.07.2022

 Anglers CP:

Oystercatcher 4.  Wigeon 1 drake.

Odonata over Anglers CP

A male Lesser Emperor,  6 Emperors,  a Four-spotted Chaser  and a Black-tailed Skimmer were seen in and around the south west corner.

Lepidoptera:

2 Purple Hairstreak were seen over trees at Pits Wood.

Carlton Marsh

The two Whooper Swans and an adult Common Tern were joined by 3 more Common Terns arriving from the north. Only one remained at mid-day. Little Egret and Kingfisher were also on the scrape with a Yellow-bellied Slider hauled out on one of the islands. 

This evening a Red Kite flew over Cherry Tree Close heading towards the reserve at 18.40hrs (Steve Grove)

A Southern Hawker was patrolling part of the embankment and 2 Brown Hawkers were competing with Emperor Dragonflies on the scrape. 2 Purple Hairstreak butterflies were typically flying around the top of an Oak tree, and without counting, the Western Meadow was really busy with Ringlets and Meadow Browns, not forgetting 1 Comma and an abundance of 'White' species.

Photographs supplied by Richard Laverack

Little Grebe

Kingfisher 

Whooper Swan

Emperor Dragonfly (Trevor Raynor)

Storrs Mill Bridge on the Dearne to Ardsley Viaduct

1 Essex Skipper, 9 Red Admiral, 57 Small Tortoiseshell, 35 Comma, 1 Holly Blue, 13 Gatekeeper, 24 Large White (Chris Parkin)

Wintersett 06.07.2022

Anglers CP:

Wigeon 1 male.  Cormorant 1. 

Mallard young 3 large +  1 small/medium .

Wintersett Res: 

Common Tern 13 + 3 ACP.   Goldeneye 2 females.  

Oystercatcher 3.  Grey Wagtail 1.  Little Grebe 1 adult.   

Tufted Duck young: 1 very small + 1 small and  3 small young in north east corner WRes..

Cold Hiendley Res:

Grey Heron 4 + 2 WRes. 

Odonata:

Just one male Red-eyed Damselfly on a Water Lily at Botany Bay.

Carlton Marsh

One Common Tern was joined by 2 more on the scrape late morning. None were present later in the day. Elsewhere 6 Starlings flew over and 13 LBB Gulls were on the wader scrape. This evening 2 juvenile Tawny Owls were seen high in the canopy (R. Laverack/CG/L & A Corrall /JP/D. Standish).

Brown Hawker & 3 Emperor were hawking for insects.

Photos by Richard Laverack

Common Tern

Grass Snake

Tufted Duck

Dearne Valley Park-Hoyle Mill
9 Greylags were on the fishing lake. Butterflies included 31 Comma, 19 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Red Admiral (Chris Parkin).

Wintersett 05.07.2022

 Anglers CP: 

Redshank 1 adult .  Common Sandpiper 1.  Common Tern 2.  Wigeon 1 drake.   

Wintersett Res:

Goldeneye 2 females.  

Great Crested Grebe 14  + 14  CHRes +  4 ACP. 

Cold Hiendley Res:

Pochard 2 males.

Carlton Marsh

 3 adult Common Terns were joined by another one at 12.30hrs before it left 10 minutes later.

A male and female Kingfisher were catching small fish to take back to the nest. A drake Teal, 11 new very small Tufted ducks were on the scrape with a Little Egret and the 2 Whooper Swans (Les & Andrew Corrall/R. Laverack/CG).

Broods of 3 and 10 very small Gadwall were also of note.

This is one from the archives 

Barnsley Ringing Group at Gibralter Point Ringing Station in 1989. 

From left Martin Wells, Mark Watson, seated Brian Penistone, Cliff, Steve Davis, 

Dave Smith, Geoff Carr.

Wintersett 04.07.2022

 Anglers CP:

An adult Mediterranean Gull flew north,  A Hobby flew over.

A Cormorant was perched on the rocks in front of the hide.

The drake Wigeon is still present. 

60 Sand Martins were feeding over the lake.

Carlton Marsh & Cudworth Common

2 Cetti's Warblers sang and showed well and a Grass Snake crossed the path on the embankment.

A butterfly count provided 14 Comma, 15 Small Tortoiseshell, 6 Gatekeeper, 135 Meadow Brown. 1 Holly Blue, 206 Ringlet, 15 Large Skipper and 38 Small Skipper (Chris Parkin).

Ferrymoor Flash
A single Sand Martin accompanied 5 Swallows and a Kingfisher.

Cudworth Common 
A Grey Partridge called, and 5 Blackcaps sang. 

Butterflies included 45 Meadow Brown, 30 Ringlet, 8 Small Skipper and 2 Gatekeeper. Moths present were 2 Cinnabar, 1 Six Spot Burnet and 1 Shaded Broad Bar. A male Emperor and a male Black-tailed Skimmer added more colour. (CG) 

, 

Wintersett + Ringing 03.07.2022

Anglers CP:

A Willow Tit was on the Pol.

Wintersett Res:

Common Sandpiper 5.  

75 birds were ringed today -  @BeckyBailey101

Highlights were:  

30 Chiffchaff,  3 Willow Warbler,  1 juvenile Goldcrest,  9 Blackcap,  1 Garden Warbler, 

2 Whitethroat,  2 Sedge Warbler,  5 Reed Warbler,  3 juvenile  Cetti's Warbler,  

2 Reed Bunting,  1 Song  Thrush and 3 Blackbirds.

Insect  

This morning Georgie W-S  (https://twitter.com/GeorgieWightman )  used a pheromone lure to attract Clearwing Lunar Hornet Moths, Sesia bembeciformis. 

It didn't take long!    9 were lured on the west bank  Wintersett Reservoir and 6 were lured on the Pol at Anglers CP.     

All photos taken by Georgie W-S.

 Red Kite over old Monk Bretton coal tip (Littleworth Park?) 10.00 am

Carlton Marsh

5 adult Common Terns this morning were joined by a 6th adult at 12.15hrs. It left 15 minutes later. The other 5 left at 13.35hrs. We have never seen numbers like this before. 

Also present 1 Little Egret, 2 Kingfishers, 2 Whooper Swans and a new brood of 3 Coot.

Wintersett 02.07.2022

Anglers CP,

A juvenile Redshank flew in at 09.30hrs.  Wigeon 1 drake.  Sand Martin 40.

Psycho, the adult Yellow-legged Gull, flew over the shallows.

Tufted Ducklings:  8 very small  ACP + 2 very small WRes.. + 1 very small CHRes.

Gadwall young CHRes:  

2 small/medium + 9 small + 6 very small + 6 medium.

Cold Hiendley Res:

Pochard 1 male.   Mallard 1 young.

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 4.   Common Sandpiper 1. 

 Lepidoptera ACP:

Large Skipper 1.   Small Skipper 1.    

Carlton Marsh

3 Common Terns were feeding during the day, 2 Kingfishers, both Whooper Swans, 2 Dabchicks, a brood of 3 Tufted Ducks and a Little Egret  all on the scrape. A Goldcrest sang in the car park area. New broods of Coot and Moorhen were seen on the wader scrape.

A N.B. 5 Spot Burnet moth, a Green Shield Bug, Yellow-bellied Slider and a small Froglet was of interest.
(JP/L. &  A. Corrall/C. Parkin)

Meanwhile K. Bannister & CG were assisting a Poetry and Art group to connect with nature around the car park/hide area. 

Wintersett 01.07.2022

 Anglers CP:

Oystercatcher 5.  Wigeon 1 male.

A Willow Tit was heard on the Pol boardwalk. 

Cold Hiendley Res:

Gadwall young - 6 medium,  2 small  and  9 very small.

Tufted Duck 1 very small 

Lepidoptera: 

A Gatekeeper was seen on the west bank, Wintersett Res..