Welcome
This website is a diary/log of the wildlife seen in and around our local patch at Rawmarsh near Rotherham, South Yorkshire. In particularly, our back garden which is used as a site for observing the daily visible migration/movement of bird's through the Rawmarsh area. We will also include sightings of our outings/trips further afield.
On this page, there is a 'Recent Sightings' section giving details of wildlife sightings for particular areas in and around Rawmarsh. There is also a 'Recent photos' section of interesting photographs taken by the author, and links to archived records and photos.
To enlarge an image - just click on it.
Any questions, comments, or ideas for improvement would be welcomed, as would interesting records or photographs from the area. Thanks!
Recent Sightings
Wednesday 1 September 2010
NEW SRUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (15.45-18.00hrs)
A very pleasant stroll around the circuit after school had finished, with a couple of bonus sightings for the first day of the month.
Highlights:-
Common Buzzard: 1 NE
Sparrowhawk: 2
Kestrel: 1
Peregrine: 1 ad male overhead 16.00hrs. headed off SW. (See Photos)
LBBGull: 3 SW
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 overhead
Pied Wagtail: 2 over
Mistle Thrush: 4
Lesser Whitethroat: 1 imm
Whitethroat: 1
Blackcap: 2
Chiffchaff: 5+
Willow Warbler: 2
Goldcrest: 1
Spotted Flycatcher: 1 showing well om hawthorn on hillside (See Photos)
Willow Tit: 2
Bullfinch: 3
Yellowhammer: 2
A great start to September on the local patch and hopefully we hope to get a few more flyover ducks and waders this month
Stubbin Bird List - 2010 - 95
Stubbin Bird List - September - 43
OLD MOOR RSPB
Daniel had a really good time going 'solo' for the morning visit. A Water Rail revealed itself a couple of times from the Bittern hide and he also located the Curlew Sandpiper on Wath Ings.
So at the end of the summer holidays we have both tied on 136 species. A great effort and one that we hopefully continue for many years to come.
He also managed a pretty good flight shot of a Migrant Hawker has he was waiting for the Water Rail to show. (See Photo)
Tuesday 31 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (06.00-08.00hrs & 13.15-15.15hrs)
A chilly start to the last day of the summer holidays, more reminiscent of conditions you would expect in October never mind late August. Thankfully, the temperature increased pretty quickly and it turned out to be a lovely day, ideal conditions for migrating birds of prey.
We really put some effort into today's birding with two visits and duly arrived at 4.00pm with a respectable 48 species for Stubbin and 72 for August, a site record and a brilliant achievement considering that we have no ponds, lakes or any other areas of water on Stubbin and have to rely on fly-overs for all our wildfowl, waders and gulls etc.
Highlights:-
Heron: 1 SW
Mallard: 1 SW
Kestrel: 1 (See Photo)
Sparrowhawk: 2
Common Buzzard: 1 SW 13.40hrs (See Photo)
Peregrine : 1 male SW 14.20hrs (See Record Shot)
Red-legged Partridge: 1 in paddock
LBBGull: 25 SW (Largest Party 17)
GBBGull: 4 ad's SE 14.50hrs
Stock Dove: 2
Little Owl: 1 flushed
Green Woodpecker: 1
Swift: Total of 5 SW (See Photo)
Sand Martin: 3 SW
House Martin: 124 SW (Largest Party 35)
Meadow Pipit: 3 SW
Yellow Wagtail: 1 SW
Mistle Thrush: 9 on playing field
Song Thrush: 1
Lesser Whitethroat: 1 imm
Blackcap: 2
Chiffchaff: Influx? - 10+
Willow Warbler: 3+
Willow Tit: 2
Coal Tit: 1
Long-tailed Tit: 10+
Goldfinch: 28
Linnet: 10
Yellowhammer: 3
As our back garden is only a stones throw away from Stubbin I have decided to combine our back garden sightings with those from Stubbin for the monthly list from 1st September as opportunities for birding on Stubbin will be curtailed somewhat due to work commitments etc. Hopefully, I can fit in a few early morning back garden vis-migs before my 8.00am start at RCS.
Daniel has got one day left of his summer holiday so he has planned a visit to Old Moor tomorrow (Wednesday) where he is hoping to catch up with the Garganey and Curlew Sandpiper that have been present for the last few days. I reckon he'll beat my 136!
BACK GARDEN
Just arrived back from Stubbin and sat down with cuppa in the back garden when I picked up a couple of Buzzards overhead. Went to get the bins and was surprised to find a total of 8! migrating Common Buzzard, all in a tight group and heading SW. A Rawmarsh record!
Monday 30 August 2010
NETTLETON HOLIDAY PARK, LINCOLNSHIRE
Spent a couple of days over the Bank Holiday weekend at the caravan. The weather was ok but a keen northerly put a bit of a dampner on the temperature.
Birding was steady with Daniel putting in some hours in the hope of catching up on the holiday bird list. He didn't do too bad either with a fly-over Crossbill a good find although I added another 3 species.
The highlight was our first Turtle Dove of the year on wires around the sand quarry ponds. Not much else there apart from a flock of around 15 Yellow Wagtails and a single Red-legged Partridge which turned out to be our first for the summer hols. (See Photo)
Daniel managed a record shot of a Great Spotted Woodpecker and he also saw a Treecreeper and Kingfisher over the weekend.
A Barn Owl flying alongside the road on the way home at 16.15hrs was a nice surprise. (See Photo)
Summer Holiday Bird List Updates
Mark - 136
Daniel - 134
Saturday 28 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (05.45-08.15hrs)
A beautiful early autumn morning with excellent visibilty and a keen NW breeze.
A bit of a Stubbin milestone to report this morning. The first time we have recorded 70 species in just one month and in some style.
The bird of the month so far and our 70th species was a migrating Osprey heading south at some distance over Nether Haugh at 06.30hrs. This classic large, long-winged raptor just circled lazily a few times before heading off southwards towards the Don Valley. I attempted to get a few record shots but they were very unsatisfactory. (See Photos)
The clump of trees adjacent to St Jo's footie pitch was very productive once again in the early morning sunshine. (See Photo)
Highlights:-
Cormorant: 5 SE
Sparrowhawk: 2
Kestrel: 2
LBBGull: 2 SW
Green Woodpecker: 1
Swift: 1 SW
Skylark: 1 SW
Meadow Pipit: 5 SW
Lesser Whitethroat: 1 imm
Whitethroat: 2 imms
Blackcap: 1
Chiffchaff: 4+
Willow Warbler: 5+
Willow Tit: 1
Long-tailed Tit: 10+
Bullfinch: 3
Stubbin Bird List - 2010 - 93
Stubbin - August - 70
Mark - Summer Holiday - 132
Friday 27 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (13.45-16.15hrs)
A big improvement weather wise today and we had to delay our walk around Stubbin until early afternoon as I had a few chores to complete around the house and garden.
We arrived on Stubbin not really expecting much, just happy to be out in the fresh air, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable visits in a long time.
It was just like being on the east coast in October. We discovered a decent sized mobile tit flock in the trees around St Jo's football pitch which held one or two 'goodies'. We must have spent over an hour checking everything that moved overhead, birds were zipping around all over the place and we did get a couple of decent record shots.
Highlights:-
Sparrowhawk: 2 birds seen mobbing the Buzzard.
Buzzard: 1 bird drifted NE 14.20 (See Photo)
Grey Partridge: 5 flushed
LBBGull: 2 SW
Green Woodpecker: 1 on the hill
Swift: 1 SW and 1 NW
House Martin: c40 in area
Pied Wagtail: 1 on playing field
Yellow Wagtail: 1 SW over paddock
Mistle Thrush: 5 in paddock area
Lesser Whitethroat: Good views of an imm in tit flock(See Photo)
Garden Warbler: 1 bird in tit flock
Chiffchaff: 5 + with tit flock
Willow Warbler: 4+ in tit flock
Goldcrest: 1 bird with tit flock (See Photo)
Willow Tit: 2 (See Photo)
Long-tailed Tit: 15+
Bullfinch: 3
Bird List Updates
Stubbin - 2010 - 92
Stubbin- August- 69
Mark - Summer Holiday - 131
Daniel - Summer Holiday - 131
Thursday 26 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (06.00-08.00hrs)
The weather had changed for the worse this morning with dark, grey skies, a keen NNE and regular pulses of drizzle.
However, these sort of conditions in late August can be beneficial to the birder as often they can push seabirds inland at regular intervals on some of the lakes and reservoirs dotted around South Yorkshire. This morning was no exception with a report of a imm Artcic SKua over Rother Valley mid morning.
There was nothing to get excited about on Stubbin with just the regulars seen around the circuit.
Highlights:-
Heron: 1 SW
Grey Partridge: 2
Stock Dove: 2
Little Owl: 1 flushed from trees around St Jo's pitch
Swift: 2 SW
Green Woodpecker: 1
Meadow Pipit: 5 SW
Chiffchaff: 2
Willow Warbler: 3
Sand Martin: 22 SW in one group 07.55hrs
Song Thrush: 1
Mistle Thrush: 5
Common Whitethroat: 1
Bullfinch: 2
Linnet: 12
OLD MOOR RSPB - (13.15-16.15hrs)
With the prospect of further rain during the afternnon and the lure of a few waders we decided to catch the bus to Old Moor rather that stop at home and watch TV.
The reerve was pretty quiet with most birders heading straight for Wath Ings to get tho grips with the 10 or so species of waders that were visible form the hide. Daniel was a trifle disapointed that last weeks Garganey had flown to Eddertorpe but we still added Ruff to our Holiday List which was our 24th species of wader for the hols.
Highlights:-
Great Crested Grebe: 5
Little Grebe: 10+
Cormorant: 1
Little Egret: 1 (See Photo)
Shovelar: 10+
Gadwall: 20+
Teal: 50+
Buzzard: 1 W.
Sparrowhawk: 1
Lapwing: 400+ (See Photo)
Golden Plover: 6
Ruff: 6+ (See Photo)
Snipe: 10+
Black-tailed Godwit: 3
Spotted Redshank: 1 (See Photo)
Greenshank: 10+
Green Sandpiper: 10+
Common Sandpiper: 1
Common Tern: 3
Green Woodpecker: 1
Summer Hols Bird List Update:
Mark - 131
Daniel - 129
Wednesday 25 August 2010
BACK GARDEN
The skies were really quiet with just a Swift south 17.50hrs and a Grey Heron SW 18.50hrs.
A juv Willow Warbler was a surprise visitor around 19.00hrs, calling in the trees before heading off towards Stubbin.
Monday 23 August 2010
CLEETHORPES
We were still a bit shy of a few waders for the list and so headed off to Cleethorpes front to catch the rising tide.
The weather was atrocious but we had decent views of our target species, namely Knot (c4000), Bar-Tailed Godwit (c200), Turnstone (35) and one of my favourite 'seaside' waders around 10 stunning Grey Plovers.
Summer Holiday Bird List Update
Mark- 130
Daniel 128
The 'friendly' competion over the hols has been great fun so far and this is the first year that our target has been reached. With another week to go we should hopefully get somewhere around the mid 130's.
Sunday 22 August 2010
GIBRALTAR POINT N.R - LINCOLNSHIRE
A return visit to this superb reserve in the hope of picking up a few more ticks for our Summer Holiday '130' Challenge.
The weather was very kind with a light westerly breeze and blue skies for most of the durtion of the visit and we did come across some decent waders and a couple of passerines.
Our first port of call was the Jackson Marsh area, a series of lagoons surrounded by reeds and marshland with a series of well placed hides.
On offer were Avocet, Green Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Curlew, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Redshank, Little Stint, Greenshank, Whimbrel and around 25 Black-tailed Godwits. A pretty good start! (See Photo)
A pair of Marsh Harriers were visible over the fields and a group of 12 Little Egrets were loafing around.
We then walked to the visitors centre to check the board for any info and met the warden who asked if we had seen the flock of 15 Spoonbills that had took off from The Wash heading for the marsh.
We hadn't so headed staight back to the hide and e were met by a party of 12 Spoonbills descending onto the marsh. We got to the hide and had great views of the birds, both adults and imm's loafing around. (See Photos)
A search of the reserve produced a nice little group of 5 Whinchats, a Hobby overhead and a Little Tern along the beach.
A very enjoyable 3 hours birding.
Summer Holiday Bird List - Mark - 126, Daniel 124
SPOONBILLS AT GIBRALTAR POINT
Just a selection of photos of the flock of Spoonbills.
Thursday 19 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (11.45-14.00hrs)
Another pleasant day so once again we had a stroll around the area where the wildlife was varied and a very enjoyable time was had by all.
A few day flying moths were seen including Latticed Heath and Shaded Broad-bar. (See Photos)
Hoverflies were numerous and I managed to snap just one, a Sphaerophoria scripta along with a very attractive wild flower, Dove's-foot Cranesbill along Back Lane.(See Photo).
We were also able to add another couple of species to the Stubbin August Bird List.
Highlights:-
Sparrowhawk: 1
Kestrel: 1
Common Buzzard: 2
LBBGull: 1 SW
Herring Gull: 1 ad SW
Swift: 2 SW
Green Woodpecker: 1
Lesser Whitethroat: 1 imm seen with Tit flock
Chiffchaff: 3
Common Whitethroat: 1
Bullfinch: 3
Linnet: 5
Stubbin Bird List - August - 67
Summer Holiday List - Mark - 116
Wednesday 18 August 2010
OLD MOOR RSPB - (09.30-11.30hrs)
Managed to fit in another short visit during the summer holidays and pleased to say we appeared to have chosen a pretty good morning with some 'decent stuff' in the log-book when we arrived.
Waders were the stars attraction as usual with high numbers around the reserve and one of my favourite waders had arrived overnight.
Highlights:-
Garganey: 1 on Willow Pool (See Photo)
Teal: 4
Shovelar: 10+
Common Buzzard: 1
Golden Plover: 2
Lapwing: 300+
Green Sandpiper: 10+
Common Sandpiper: 1
Wood Sandpiper: 1 (See record shot)
Greenshank: 6+
Dunlin: 2
Snipe: 1
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - 12.45-14.45hrs)
I was keen to get some skywatching in this afternoon as conditions looked ideal and I am lacking some wildfowl, scarce raptors and waders for the monthly list.
It wasn't too bad though with 4 species of bird of prey picked up and a few Swifts were heading south.
Highlights:-
Sparrowhawk: 3 sightings
Common Buzzard: 2 over Nether haugh
Kestrel: 4 sightings
Hobby: 1 bird had a go at hirundines over Chapel Walk before heading off NE 13.25hrs.
Swift: 7 SW
Summer Holiday Bird List: 115
Stubbin Bird List - 65
Tuesday 17 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (13.30-15.30 & 21.15-22.15hrs)
A little brown silvery looking butterfly was the star of another wildlife extravaganza on Stubbin.
I had been searching for a Brown Argus for the last few days without success but thankfully we managed to locate a very photogenic individual today. (See Photo)
I understand that they are still a rare beastie around Rotherham with Stubbin holding a small population for the last few years. Stubbin's butterfly list for the year now stands at 21.
Birding was very quiet during the afternoon visit with a pair of Common Buzzard overhead, 3 Cormorants SW, 5 Swifts SW and a covey of 7 Grey Partridge flushed off the hillside the highlights.
A walk around the paddock late evening produced the expected calling Little Owl down Chapel Walk 21.45hrs.
Stubbin Bird List - August - 64
Summer Holiday List - Mark -110, Daniel - 112
Monday 16 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (10.00-12.00hrs)
Another pretty decent day weather wise with lots of warm sunshine so we decided to spend most of our time searching for butterflies around Stubbin.
We managed to locate 14 species which wasn't too bad considering 2010 hasn't been a vintage year. Full List (In order of appearance)
Common Blue
Holly Blue
Meadow Brown
Small Heath
Small Copper (See Photo)
Small White (See Photo)
Gatekeeper
Green-veined White
Speckled Wood
Red Admiral
Large White
Ringlet
Peacock
Small Tortoishell
Pretty quiet with regard to the birds seen but a 'little cracker' popped up on the paddock fence when were were heading home.
Grey Partridge: 1
LBBGull: 5 SW
Green Woodpecker: 1
Yellow Wagtail: 1 SE
Whinchat: 1 imm briefly on the paddock fence 11.50hrs. (See Photo - Apologies for poor quality)
Chiffchaff: 4 (See Photo)
Willow Tit: 2
Jay: 1
Stubbin Bird Year List: 91
Stubbin Bird List - August - 63
Rawmarsh Area 2010 - 117
Summer Holiday Birds List - 109
Sunday 15 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (05.30-08.30 & 18.15-20.00hrs)
A trifle disappointing start to the day weather wise with low cloud and very poor visibility. Thankfully, the weather improved and by 8.00am blue skies were the order of the day with a very warm feel by mid-afternoon.
Birding wasn't too bad, still a bit on the slow side but with the promise of things picking up any time.
Highlights:-
Heron: 1 N
Mallard: 8 E
Sparrowhawk: 1 over
Common Gull: 1 ad W
LBBGull: 6 SW
Stock Dove: 2
Wood Pigeon: 65 E
Green Woodpecker: 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 Chapel Walk
Swift: 8 Sw
Sand Martin: 4 SW
Swallow: 22 SW
House Martin: 34 SW
Yellow Wagtail: 1 SW over paddock
Mistle Thrush: 12 playing field
CHiffchaff: 5
Jay: 1
Willow Tit: 2
Bullfinch: 3
Stubbin Bird List - August - 62
Thursday 12 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (05.30-08.00 & 14.30-16.00hrs)
A lovely sunrise this morning but the cloud built up and the afternoon was spoilt somewhat by a couple of torrential, thundery downpours.
Quite a productive day on Stubbin, nothing too unusual to report, just spent time strolling around picking up the 'commoner' species for the monthly list.
Highlights:-
Cormorant: 1 W
Sparrowhawk: 1
LBBGull: 27 SW (largest party 13)
Common Tern: 1 SW
Stock Dove: 2
Swift: 17 SW
Sand Martin: 2 SW
Green Woodpecker: 2
Pied Wagtail: 1 SW
Skylark: 1 on top field
Blackcap: 1 fem/imm
Mistle Thrush: 5
Chiffchaff: 4
Willow Tit: 2
Jay: 2 down Chapel Walk
Linnet: 6
Goldfinch: Large increase - flock of 45
Tree Sparrow: 7 in hedge along Back Lane
Reed Bunting: 1 imm - Football pitch Hedge
Total species seen was 44
Stubbin Bird List - August - 58
Tuesday 10 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (10.00-11.15 & 20.15-21.30hrs)
A much quieter day birdwise with very little moving.
Highlights:-
Cormorant: 1 W
Heron: 3 E
Kestrel : 1 over the hill
Grey Partridge: 1 in paddock
GBBGull: 1 imm SW
LBBGull: 3 SW
Tawny Owl: 1 calling down Chapel Walk 21.16hrs
Green Woodpecker: 1
Willow Tit: 1
Stubbin Bird List - August - 52
Monday 9 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (05.45-08.30 & 10.00-12.00hrs)
Managed to fit in a couple of visits today and pleased to say there was quite a bit going on. Autumn migration does appear to have commenced!
Moving Birds:-
Common Buzzard: 1 SE 11.15hrs
LBBGull: 1 S
Common Tern : 1 NE 06.42hrs
Swift: 43 SW
Sand Martin: 2 SW
Swallow: 21 SW
Tree Pipit: 1 calling bird SW 06.27hrs
Other sightings:-
Pheasant: 2
Green Woodpecker: 1
Song Thrush: 2
Treecreeper: 1 down Chapel Walk
Coal Tit: 1 down Chapel Walk
Long-tailed Tit: 3
Bullfinch: 5
Rawmarsh Area Bird List - 2010 - 115
Stubbin Bird List - 2010 - 89
Stubbin Bird List - August - 47
Butterflies and other 'inverts' were numerous with sightings of Migrant Hawker and several species of Hovefly.(See Photo)
Buterfly List:-
Common Blue (See Photo)
Holly Blue (See Photo)
Meadow Brown
Gatekeeper
Red Adnmiral
Large White
Small White
Peacock
Speckled Wood
Small Tortoishell
Small Heath
Sunday 8 August 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (16.45-18.15hrs)
Good to get back to local patch birding this afternoon after our family holiday in Cornwall.
We all had a great time with pretty decent weather, great birding (Summer Holiday Bird List now 107) and we spent most of the time on some great beaches around Land's End and the Lizard.
Not too bad on Stubbin today considering that it was late afternoon and the Stubbin August bird list is up and running. Hopefully, we should be able to better the last two months!
Highlights:-
Heron: 2 NE
Sparrowhawk: 1
Common Buzzard: 1 S.
Lapwing: 1 SE
LBBGull: 1 SW
BHGull: 15 S
Stock Dove: 2
Swift: Around 70 in the area
Sand Martin: 1 SW
Swallow: 25 in area
House Martin: 10 in area
Mistle Thrush: 5
Whitethroat: 4+
Chiffchaff: 2
Willow WArbler: 4+
Willow Tit: 2
Goldfinch: 15
Linnet: 6
Siskin: 1 SW
Yellowhammer: 3+
Stubbin Bird List - August - 38
Wednesday 28 July 2010
OLD MOOR RSPB RESERVE - (10.00-14.30hrs)
Top quality birding at one of the premier reserves in the north of England with plenty of the commoner birds putting in a good performance for the camera, a couple of scarcer species and a good time was had by all three Langstons.
Highlights:
Great Crested Grebe: 4+
Little Grebe: 3+
Heron: 4
Little Egret: 1 (See Photo)
Cormorant: 2
Gadwall: 10+
Shovelar: 1 fem with 2 juv's
Marsh Harrier: 1 male over Bolton Ings
Little-ringed Plover: 2
Snipe: 2 (See Photo)
Green Sandpiper: 2 (See Photo)
Common Sandpiper: 1 (See Photo)
Greenshank: 1 (See Photo)
Mediterranean Gull: ad with 2/3 chicks
Common Tern: 4 (See Photo)
Green Woodpecker: 1
Reed Warbler: 5+ (See Photo)
Sedge Warbler: 2
Willow Tit: 2
Bullfinch: 3 at feeding station (See Photo)
Linnet: Several (See Photo)
Summer Holiday Bird List - 79l
OLD MOOR RSPB RESERVE
Couldn't resist posting some more record shots.
Tuesday 27 July 2010
BACK GARDEN
Started sky-watching about 06.45hrs and it was obvious right from the start that there was a decent southerly passage of hirundines.
The main feature were several parties of House Martins heading south and 54 were counted during the next two hours.
Large numbers of Swifts were also on the move and I counted 235 south along with 7 Swallows and 3 Sand Martins. Also, a Mallard flew SW.
We ran the 40W Actinic Moth trap overnight and found two new species for the garden moth list hiding in the egg boxes, a Scalloped Hook-tip and a White-spotted Pug. (See Photos)
Highlights:-
Marbled Beauty
Gothic
Lesser Underwing
Large Yellow Underwing
Silver Y
Ruby Tiger
Mother Of Pearl
Common Wainscot
Dark Arches
Cabbage Moth
Clay
Shuttle-shaped Dart
Uncertain
Common Rustic
Lime-speck Pug
Monday 26 July 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (04.45-08.15hrs)
A magnificent sunrise started the day off very nicely with the sun creating some interesting shadows looking south from Stubbin Hill towards Kimberworth.
Birding was interesting with a couple of decent fly-overs and the Stubbin bird list list for July increased to 64.
Moving Birds:-
Heron: 1 SW
GBBGull: 1 ad SW 07.45hrs
BHGull: 42 SW
LBBGull: 13 SW
Swift: low numbers around - 46 SW
Sand Martin: 3 SW
House Martin: 2 SW
Crossbill: 3 SW 07.32hrs
Other Sightings:-
Kestrel: 1
Little Owl: 1 sat on paddock post 04.50hrs.
Chiffchaff: 2 singing
Green Woodpecker: 1
Treecreeper: 1 down Chapel Walk
Willow Tit: 2
Long-tailed Tit: 5
Bullfinch: 3
Summer Holiday Bird List - 60
Saturday 24 July 2010
NETTLETON HOLIDAY PARK, LINCOLNSHIRE
The start of the summer holidays and no better place to start than at Nettleton Park on a warm, sunny day.
We spent all day around the Park and managed a stroll around the park and the neighbouring sand quarry ponds area to get the summer holiday bird list up and running.
Nothing too exciting but some pretty good highlights.
Great Crested Grebe: 1 (See Photo)
Cormorant: 1 SW
Canada Goose: 17
Tufted Duck: 5
Buzzard: 2 regular (See Photo)
Kestrel: 1
Oystercatcher: 2 (See Photo)
Common Gull: Several
LBBGull: 10 SE
Kingfisher: 1
Green Woodpecker: 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1
Treecreeper: 2
Tree Sparrow: 10+
Siskin: 4 SW
Bullfinch: 3
Summer Holiday Bird List - 55
Friday 23 July 2010
BACK GARDEN
With an early finish due to the end of term at RCS it was straight out into the back garden to try and pick up any interesting 'inverts'.
We didn't do too bad with a couple of photogenic hoverflies on show, a very smart Scaeva pyrastri and a common hoverfly, Helophilus pendulus, otherwise known a the 'footballer fly' and a few butterflies around the buddleia. (See Photo)
We have set ourselves a target list of 130 birds for the summer holiday break and we will be starting the challenge from tomorrow.
Wednesday 21 July 2010
NEW STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (05.15-07.00hrs)
I manged to fit in another early morning visit before school and conditions were ideal with bright skies and excellent visibility although the birding was a bit slow.
Moving Birds:-
Cormorant: 1 SW
Heron: 2 SW
BHGull: 43 Sw
LBBGull: 2 SE
Swift: 165 SW
Sand Martin: 3 SW
House Martin: 6 SW
Pied Wagtail: 1 SW (First of the autumn)
Meadow Pipit: 2 SW (First of the autumn)
Goldfinch: 7 SW
Other sightings:-
Pheasant: 1
kestrel: 1
Lapwing: 7 in paddock
Song Thrush: 2
Green Woodpecker: 2
Mistle Thrush: 7
Chiffchaff: 1 singing
Jay: 2
Reed Bunting: 1 m (See Photo)
New Stubbin Bird List - July - 60
Tuesday 20 July 2010
BACK GARDEN
Spent over an hour sky-watching from around 4.00pm and checking the budleia for any interesting 'inverts'.
Quite a few butterflies were around with a couple of Peacock's 'new in' and a Holly Blue 'flashed' through. A relatively common hoverfly Eristalis nemorum spent around 5 minutes resting. (See Photo).
As usual this time of year, lot's of Swifts were loafing around and a party of 6 Sand Martins flew south. We also had a visit from one of the local Black-headed Gulls that has been around school for a few days. (See Photo)
To see more records visit the Archived Records section.