Adwick tip (afternoon)

Short eared Owl 2, Grey Partridge 14, Redwing 10, Fieldfare 3, Bullfinch 4.

The Great Northern Diver was back at Wintersett today on the Country Park Lake this afternoon. Thanks to Ron Marshall for these cracking photos.

Additional news for yesterday: 17+ Waxwings near Turnpike Garage just off main Sheffield Road between Hoyland Common and Chapletown (Steve Bennett)

Wilthorpe Marsh (west)

HIghlights today: 2 Jack Snipe, 1 Green Sandpipier and Green Woodpecker.

Regarding the HS2 line, the deadline for registering for consultation is the 29th April.  Visit hs.org.uk

Please Badger the Gov.

Please sign the petition (link below) against the Badger cull that has been proposed yet again for this year. It only takes 30s to complete and the target number of signatures has very nearly been reached. There is only one mammal that needs to be culled on this planet . . .

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/badgers-petition

early morning - late update!

Update from yesterday:

Old Moor: 1+ Bittern Reedbeds, 51 Goosanders roosted + Smew. Peregrine, Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank.

Spent the afternoon with Jim Thompson viewing Ewden Heights but nothing better than a Common Buzzard. Trevor Marshall et al had also spent the morning there with just a couple of Ravens to show for their efforts; so no sign of the Rough-leg.

Wintersett Splash 07.02.13

Wintersett regulars walk miles every day through ankle deep mud and all sorts of weather.  Ivan Martin strolled 100m  in cool, still conditions down to Wintersett Res bench and found the highlight today as he scoped for Scaup.  A juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER was in his sights at 13.15hrs.  A quick dash from the car park for us, in time to see it diving towards the bench from the north bank. It swam and dived up through the ice in the reeds in front of us and then went round the edge of the water to the west bank before speeding to the south east corner.  At 13.55hrs it flew off  NE.
Also on WRes - a 1st W male Scaup, a redhead Smew and 3  Little Grebe + 1ACP.  A Bittern roosted in the reedbeds tonight.
On Anglers CP - a female Long-tailed Duck, an Egyptian Goose, 3 Gadwall and 204 Wigeon.  A 3rd W Yellow-legged Gull came in to the roost.

The Edge

Wombwell Ings mid AM- First trip on the Ings this year. If the invertertebrates levels  have recovered from the 2011 drought then it could be good for the spring passage. On the open water were 5 Grey Heron, 160+ Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, 124 Wigeon, 36 Teal, 8 Mallard, 4 Gadwall, 2f+2m Goosander,  2 Tufted Duck, 170+ BH Gull and 3 Common Gull. Also present were 31 Lapwing, 4 Redwing,1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Kestrel and 1 Grey Partridge.

Broomhill Flash mid AM- On the open water were 1 Cormorant, 2 Mute Swan,  75 Canada Geese, 63 Wigeon, 15 Pochard, 15 Teal, 10 Tufted Duck, 9 Mallard, 3f+2m Goldeneye, 2 Gadwall, 45 BH Gull and 3 Common Gull. Also 2 Grey Partridge.

Bolton Ings Late AM/early PM- Female Smew present  between 11.45 and 12.45.  Also on the open water were 5 Little Grebe, 4adult+2Juv Mute Swan, 10 Canada Geese, 2 mating Greylag, 75 Gadwall, 23 Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, 9 Shoveler, 8+ Mallard, 7 Teal, 3m+1f Goosander, 2f Goldeneye,300+ BH Gull, 13 Common Gull and 1 LBB Gull. Also noted were 1 Grey Heron, 1 Oystercatcher and 1 Peregrine. 

Elsecar

Elsecar Reservoir - 78 Mallards, 1 Grey Heron, 17 Coots and 11 Moorhens.

Carlton Marsh

2 Buzzards calling, Cormorant south, 6 Tufted Duck, 25 Mallard, 2 Mute Swan, 3 Canada Geese and 6 cold, scrub-bashers clearing regenerating trees.

Soz Roy

Before you read this blog make a quick estimate of how many Waxwings are in this photo, then read on. Let us know how you do.

Smew still at Old Moor on Reedbeds this morning.

Regarding the Waxwings I received the following email from Jeff Wragg along with the photo taken on 7th December 2012 which he had only just downloaded.

Hi John, re our discussion this morning. An estimate of a flock of Waxwings over Tescos (Stairfoot, Wombwell Lane) which split in to two groups was that c200 had flown towards Swaithe and c250 towards the Tesco petrol station. However, from recently uploaded photo, I can see that the estimate of 250 was incorrect. 354 waxwings are in picture and another c50 from this group were feeding on ground, as well as the c200(conservative estimate) which flew towards Swaithe = 600+ in initial flock! Hopefully, I didn't underestimate the Swaithe group of birds by the same amount!!!

So when I troubled the great Roy Castle on Christmas Eve to tell him of my record breaking 470 at White Rose Roundabout I was wasting his time. Soz Roy!

PS. off to download my photos now.............

Wintersett pm update 06.02.13

Anglers Gull Roost tonight held a 3rd W Yellow-legged Gull and   2  1st W Caspian Gulls.

I took shots of this large (20cm) fungus on Sallow Willow in Pits Wood this morning, but I can't identify it?   I'm hoping Cliff (or anyone else) can help. 

Oyster fungus  -  Pleurotus Ostreatus  

Oyster Fungus  Pleurotus Ostreatus

Sub-sonic boom?

Bittern, 'sub-booming' at Reedbeds. 37 Goosanders roosted + Smew.

Blue Face & Pink Feet

Ingbirchworth Reservoir - 2 Canada Geese, 38 Mallard, 3 Tufted Ducks, 1 Grey Heron east, 1 Little Grebe, 10 Coots and c60 Black-headed Gulls.
Royd Moor Reservoir - 6 Pink-footed Geese west, 3 Mallards, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Partridge and 1 Moorhen. On the way back to the car, in bitterly cold northerly winds, my missus noticed a Blue-faced Martin - a not uncommon sight on the moorlands at this time of the year.
Langsett Reservoir - nowt and no gulls at 16:20hrs.
Midhope Reservoir - nowt.
Mammals
2 Brown Hares at Royd Moor Reservoir.

The Edge

Broomhill Flash mid AM- Birds in the flooded grassy margins, seeking some respite from the cold northerly wind, included 5 Mute Swan, 15 Teal, 13 Tufted Duck, 8 Mallard, 5 Wigeon, and 2m+2f Goldeneye. Also present were 5 Cormorant, 80+ BH Gull, 5 Common Gull, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Redwing and 1 Song Thrush.

Bolton Ings late AM- On the open water were 4 adult+2juv Mute Swan, 18 Canada Geese, 72 Gadwall, 22 Pochard, 14 Mallard, 14 Tufted Duck, 9 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 5 Wigeon, 1m+2f Goldeneye, 1m+1f Goosander, 270+ BH Gull and 7 Common Gull. Also present were 1 Grey Heron and 3 Bullfinch.

It's back or they are back?

The Smew at Old Moor this afternoon - Keith Pickering

The Smew was relocated on the Reedbeds this afternoon. A Peregrine was also seen.

The Smew at the Reedbeds - Keith Pickering

Ivan Martin reports from the moors today that a Rough-legged Buzzard was at Ewden Heights being mobbed by a Raven. It was also seen Boxing Day apparently. If this is the case could it be last winters bird has returned? The drake Mandarin remains at More Hall.

Wintersett 06.02.13

Strong, bitterly cold north wind, dry with some sunny spells.
Anglers CP: Female Long-tailed Duck,  Egyptian Goose,  Pochard 30 + 9 WRes + 1 CHRes
Wintersett Res: Redhead Smew,   1st W male Scaup,  Little Grebe 2
Cold Hiendley Res: Goldeneye 41
Haw Park Wood: 5 Siskin

Bretton this a.m. 6-2-13

smew on top res., goosander 25, tufted duck 60, teal 33, gadwall 7, little grebe 8, g.c. grebe 1, pochard 1, mute swan 2, kingfisher 2, treecreeper 6+, nuthatch 6+, great s. woodpecker 4+, common buzzard 2.

Give us albellus

Arrived at Old Moor this morning shortly after a couple of guys had picked up a redhead Smew on The Mere. The bird was distant and tucked in the north-west corner, diving a lot. Whilst I wouldn't like to comment on its age or sex it did seem to show a pronounced black face-mask which may suggest it was the bird that visited over the weekend. Unfortunately, whilst I was taking a phone call it disappeared and nobody who was watching it seemed to know where it went. This was around 10am and as far as I'm aware it had not been relocated by the time I left (early afternoon) to check Broomhill Flash. If it is the same bird where has it been? Going on this mornings behaviour it wouldn't be difficult to overlook. Not too much else this morning; 10 Goosander, 8 Goldeneye, and Redshank but difficult viewing with a strong northwest wind making the eyes run constantly.

Bretton Park: Smew, redhead still this morning.

Yesterday, a single Waxwing flew over Overdale Road, Wombwell.

The Edge

Observations courtesy of Mick Rushton.

Broomhill Flash- 5 Golden Plover, 9 Wigeon, 13 Mallard, 9 Teal, 21 Pochard, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan, 9 Cormorant, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Common Gull, 11 Redwing, 3 Skylark, 3 Red Legged Partridge, 1 Kestrel, 2 Peregrine, 1 Hare.

Bolton Ings- 57 Gadwall, 3+ Goldeneye, 11 Tufted Duck, 4 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 5 Mallard, 2 Common Gull, 2 Mute Swan.

Wintersett 05.02.13

 Freezing start,  light covering of snow,  strong wind,  some blue sky.
Anglers CP: Female Long-tailed Duck,  1 Egyptian Goose and 92 Greylag Goose.  A Buzzard flew over.  29 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing were in Haw Park Lane field.
Wintersett Res: 1 redhead Smew and a 1stW male Scaup were still present.  A 3rd W Yellow-legged Gull was in the roost tonight.  A juvenile Peregrine was stooping at Wood Pigeons at 16.17hrs and 2 Bitterns roosted in the reedbeds at dusk.