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
Sunday 5 February 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG
A cracking garden skywatch today with yesterday's snow appearing to trigger a decent cold weather movement at long last.
Several species were on the move during the day with several large flock's of thrushes , Skylarks and Lapwings all noted moving west or south-west over the garden and although nothing scarce was picked up it was nevertheless, a privilege to witness such a variety of species over our Rawmarsh garden.
Full List:-
Cormorant: 1 SW @ 07.46hrs
Mute Swan: 3 NW ( 1ad & 2 imms) @ 10.00hrs
Greylag Geese: 2 NW @ 10.10hrs
Sparrowhawk: 1 sighting
Common Buzzard: 1 drifted east 13.00hrs
Pheasant: 2 m on top field 07.30hrs
Lapwing: Decent movement throughout the day with 14 SW @ 08.15hrs, 15 SW @ 08.40hrs, 33 W @ 11.30hrs and 8 W @ 13.30hrs.
Golden Plover: 8 NW @ 13.33hrs
Common Gull: 3 SW
GBBGull: 2 SW & 12 NW
Herring Gull: 5 SE
Woodpigeon: 500 E 07.45hrs with a total of 450 high to the SW during the day.
Skylark: 3 SW @ 08.30hrs, 31 SW @ 11.20hrs with a further 17 S 11.40hrs.
Meadow Pipit: 3 SW with c15 on top field.
Pied Wagtail: 2 W
Mistle Thrush: 2 over
Redwing: Total of 53 SW (largest group 17)
Fieldfare: Total of 254 SW (Largest group 75)
Long-tailed Tit: 7 briefly on feeders
GOLDCREST: 1 in trees briefly with L.T Tits.
Siskin: 4 SW
Yellowhammer: 1 SW
Birds - Rawmarsh Area - 2012 - 71/Garden - 2012 -53
Saturday 4 February 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (07.30-10.30hrs)
A bitterly cold start to the day with the thermometer hovering around -7 degrees at 7.30hrs and slowly warming up during the morning.
I was hoping for a decent hard weather movement this morning but nothing materialised apart from our first local Lesser Redpolls of the year and I eventually succumbed to the cold and went indoors.
Full List:-
Greylag Geese: 34 NE @ 07.45hrs with a further 14 NE @ 07.55hrs (See Image)
Goosander: 1 redhead NE @ 07.40hrs
Common Gull: 1 ad SW
GBBGull: 1 SE
Woodpigeon: c255 SW
Meadow Pipit: 3 SW
Fieldfare: 8 SW
Redwing: 27 SW
LESSER REDPOLL: 2 calling birds SW @ 09.30hrs
Goldfinch: 3 SW
Garden Birds - 2012 - 52
Rawmarsh Area - 2012 - 69
Full List:-
RIVER DON, EASTWOOD TO ALDWARKE - (13.30-15.00hrs)
Plenty of wildfowl along the river with a pair of Shovelar, our first local sighting of the year, the highlight.
Full List:-
Little Grebe: 6 (Probably the highest ever count)
Mute Swan: 2
Cormorant: 1
Heron: 1
Teal: 14
Mallard: 21
SHOVELAR: 1 pr (See Image)
Gadwall: 16
Goosander: 3 (See Image)
Grey Wagtail: 1 around Aldwarke Lock
Rawmarsh Area - 2012 - 70
Friday 3 February 2012
RAWMARSH COMMUNITY SCHOOL
A few gulls were around the site for most of the day with 4 Common Gulls, c60 BHGulls and a single Lesser-black-backed Gull present. Around 15 Pied Wagtails were counted at lunch-time.
Wednesday 1 February 2012
HAUGH ROAD PLAYING FIELD
A large flock of winter thrushes, around 80 Fieldfares and 15 Redwing were present briefly @ 16.10hrs before departing towards Stubbin.
Tuesday 31 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG
A Cormorant flew NE @ 16.00hrs and around 12 Meadow Pipits were around the top field.
Sunday 29 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (08.00-10.00hrs)
Today's sightings included:-
Goosander: 1 Sw @ 08.45hrs
Mallard: 9 E @ 08.50hrs
Golden Plover: c70 to NW 08.35hrs
GBBGull: 2 N
Herring Gull: 10 SW
Redwing: 19 SW
Yellowhammer: 2 calling birds SW
The feeders were pretty busy with the following counted as part of our garden's contribution to the RSPB Garden survey this weekend:-
Woodpigeon: 2
Collared Dove: 5
Rook: 2
Crow: 2
Magpie: 3
Blackbird: 4
Mistle Thrush: 1
Robin: 1
Dunnock: 3
Blue Tit: 2
Great Tit: 1
Coal Tit: 1
Greenfinch: 4
Goldfinch: 3
Chaffinch: 4
Starling; 31
RIVER DON, EASTWOOD TO ALDWARKE - (14.45-16.15hrs)
Sightings included:-
Little Grebe: 2
Cormorant: 4
Heron: 1
Mute Swan: 2 on river with 7 N (See Image)
PINTAIL: 1 female
Teal: 10
Mallard: 25+
Gadwall: 10 (See Image)
Tufted Duck: 19 in total (See Image)
Goosander: 1 pr
Moorhen: 4
Coot: 6
GREY WAGTAIL: 1 over
Song Thrush: 1 singing
Bullfinch: 4
Rawmarsh Area - 2012- 68
Saturday 28 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG
A productive skywatch with 36 species seen in or from the garden during the day.
Full List:-
Mute Swan: 1 E @ 10.10hrs
Greylag Geese: 3 N @ 08.40hrs
Pink-footed Geese: c100 W @ 11.30hrs
Mallard: 3 SW
Kestrel: 1 (See Image)
Sparrowhawk: 2 sightings
Common Buzzard: 2 W @ 11.10hrs
Golden Plover: c140 circled high to NW for 10 mins @ 08.50hrs
BHGull: c50 on playing field
Common Gull: 1 ad on playing field
LBBGull: 1 ad on playing field (See image)
Herring Gull: 4 NW
GBBGull: 2 SW
Woodpigeon: c160 SW
Stock Dove: 2 E
Skylark: 1 SW
Meadow Pipit: c10 on top field
Pied Wagtail: 2 W
Redwing: 17 SW
Fieldfare: 65 SW
Friday 27 January 2012
HAUGH ROAD, RAWMARSH
Single Lesser-blacked backed Gull and Common Gull were present on the playing field alongside around 35 Black-headed Gulls @ 13.10hrs.
A Kestrel was hovering over the top field @ 15.50hrs and a Heron flew SW 16.10hrs.
Wednesday 25 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG
A group of 5 Cormorants headed SW @ 07.50hrs.
Monday 23 January 2012
HAUGH ROAD CEMETERY, RAWMARSH
A Great spotted Woodpecker was seen in flight over the cemetery 08.15hrs.
Sunday 22 January 2012
STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE -(08.00-09.00hrs)
It turned out to be a bit of a 'walk on the wild side' with gale force winds pumelling the area and a distinct lack of activity.
However, a couple of species were added to the local year list with a smart GREEN WOODPECKER on the hill and a JAY was disturbed from the Chapel Walkarea.
Rawmarsh Area - 2012 - 66
OLD MOOR RSPB - (13.00-16.00hrs)
A productive visit!
Full List:-
Great Crested Grebe: 1
LITTLE EGRET: 1
Heron: 2
Cormorant: 20+
Mute Swan: 10+
PINTAIL: 1 male
Goldeneye: 2
Goosander: 20+
Buzzard: 1
Sparrowhawk: 1
Kestrel: 1
GREEN SANDPIPER: 1
Lapwing: 100+
Common Gull: 25 W
GBBGull: 4 W
LBBGull: 2 W
Grey Wagtail: 1
Bullfinch: 2
Reed Bunting: 2
Saturday 21 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG
A flock of c140 Golden Plovers circled high over the top field for around 5 minutes before heading off NW 09.10hrs.
CLEETHORPES
Our first visit of 2012 to the coast in search of a few year ticks and a change of scenery.
All the usual waders were seen on the shore and the highlight was some very good views of a mobile flock of Snow Buntings that have been present for a couple of weeks.
Little Egret: 3
Brent Goose: 1
Curlew: 50
Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Redshank, Turnstone, Knot
Sanderling: 10
Bar-tailed Godwit: 50+
Grey Plover: 30+
Snow Bunting: Around 80 seen on the saltmarsh
Reed Bunting: 5+
Linnet: 100+
Thursday 19 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG
A Cormorant headed SW 13.10hrs with a couple of Buzzards NW 13.15hrs
Wednesday 18 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (15.15-16.30hrs)
A couple of Mallard SW @ 15.40 was the only interesting sighting of the afternoon.
Tuesday 17 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (15.15-16.45hrs)
Today's sightings included:-
Goosander: 1 SW @ 15.50hrs
Common Gull: 2 ad's NW
Skylark: 38 over top field before dispersing towards Stubbin.
Pied Wagtail: 2 W
Fieldfare: 75 W
Redwing: 50 NW
Meadow Pipit: 3 NW
Sunday 15 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (08.00-09.45hrs)
After the excitement of Saturday's sky-watching stint it was a case of 'back down to earth' this morning with very little noted from the garden.
Full List:-
Cormorant: 2 SW @08.35hrs
Sparrowhawk: 1 over
Skylark: A group of 32 circled the top field before heading back to Stubbin.
Fieldfare: 5 NE
Redwing: 3 SW
Pied Wagtail: 1 W
Yellowhammer: A group of 16 circled the top field with Skylarks before heading back to Stubbin.
LAKESIDE, DONCASTER - (14.30-16.15hrs)
News that the female RING-NECKED DUCK (a lifer for Daniel) had re-located from Potteric Carr YWT Reserve to the easily accessible Lakeside area early afternoon saw us heading down the M18 pretty sharpish.
It didn't take us long to locate the rather non-descript, but rare American visitor amongst a small group of Tufties but the bird refused to co-operate, choosing to sleep for most of the time and so I only managed a couple of rather unsatisfactory record shots.
There were good numbers of wildfowl present and a decent gull roost was forming as we were leaving.
Highlights:-
Great Crested Grebe: 6+
Little Grebe: 4+
Cormorant: 20+
Mute Swan: 10+
Gadwall: 10+
Teal: 4
Shovelar: 10+
Pochard: 25+
Tufted Duck: 15+
RING-NECKED DUCK: 1 female
Goosander: 2 NW
Sparrowhawk: 1 over
BHGull: 2000+
Common Gull: 30+
LBBGull: 10
Herring Gull: 50+
GBBGull: 40+
A very good weekends birding both in the garden and around South Yorkshire and two American ducks in South Yorkshire must be a pretty rare event.
Saturday 14 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (07.45-09.30hrs)
A very cold start to the day with the thermometer in the garden still registering -3 degrees at 09.00hrs.
However, the onset of the cold spell did stir things up a bit with some notable fly-overs noted from the garden and the first hour was probably the best garden vis-mig for some time.
Full List:-
Cormorant: 13 SW @ 08.05hrs with 3 SW @ 08.37hrs.
MUTE SWAN: A group of 6 SE @ 08.20hrs
PEREGRINE: 1 male flew SW @ 08.31hrs.
Golden Plover: 25 circled over the house 08.55hrs
Lapwing: 30 NW @ 08.29hrs (See Image)
Common Gull: 1 ad SW
GBBGull: 2 SW
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER: 1 seen in flight heading for Haugh Rd cemetery @ 08.05hrs
Fieldfare: 1 SW
Redwing: 16 SW
Meadow Pipit: 3 NW
Pied Wagtail: 1 NW
WREN: 1 bird around the feeders
Long-tailed Tit: 13 briefly
Garden Birds - January - 51
RIVER DON, EASTWOOD TO ALDWAKE - (10.00-11.30hrs)
As expected, there was a bit of an influx of wildfowl on the river this morning with decent numbers of wildfowl present.
Full List:-
Cormorant: 5 on pylons
Little Grebe: 1
Mute Swan: 2
Pink-footed Geese: A skein of 50 W @ 10.50hrs (See Image)
Gadwall: 11 (See Image)
Teal: 12
Mallard: 31
Tufted Duck: 13
Goosander: 9
Moorhen: 4
Coot: 3
Kingfisher: 1
Song Thrush: 2
Long-tailed Tit: 13
Bullfinch: 5 (See Image)
Rawmarsh/Aldwarke/Thrybergh Tip - 2012 - 64
ANGLERS CP, WEST YORKSHIRE - (14.00-16.00hrs)
Well worth a visit at the moment with the American Wigeon still showing well and some scarce winter geese were associating with their commoner cousins 'down on the deck' and a large skein of Pink-feet moved through.
Great Crested Grebe: 10+
Cormorant: 20+
Mute Swan: 10+
Pink-footed Geese: 2 with Greylags and a skein of c250 W
Greylag Geese: c80
GREENLAND WHITE- FRONTED GOOSE - 1 ad with Greylags (See Image)
AMERICAN WIGEON: 1 drake showing well
Pochard: c30
Goldeneye: 10+
Golden Plover: 30 over
Lapwing: c40 around
Snipe: 2
Friday 13 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (15.15-16.30hrs)
Today's sightings included:-
Cormorant: 1 NE @ 15.45hrs
Heron: 1 SW @ 15.30hrs
Golden Plover: 3 NW @ 15.55hrs
GBBGull: 2 N
Fieldfare: 40 W
Redwing: 19 SW
SISKIN: 1 calling bird flew NW @ 15.54hrs
Garden Birds - 2012 - 47
Wednesday 11 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG
A small skein of 9 calling PINK-FOOTED GEESE headed NW 13.15hrs.
Garden Birds - 2012 - 46
Tuesday 10 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (15.15-16.30hrs)
A flock of 54 Lapwing headed west @ 15.40hrs and a Sparrowhawk put in a rather late appearance @ 16.25hrs.
STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (19.00-20.00hrs)
Not too much to report but a calling pair of LITTLE OWLS around the Chapel Walk area were our first local record of the year.
Monday 9 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (15.15-16.30hrs)
Today's highlights have included:-
Mallard: 2 W
Sparrowhawk: 1
GBBGull: 2 N
Meadow Pipit: 2 W
Redwing: 25 E
Mistle Thrush: 2 over
STUBBIN OLD PIT SITE - (18.15-19.30hrs)
An after dark stroll around the area surprisingly produced some interesting 'sightings' with most of the birds obviously 'heard' rather than 'seen'.
The highlight was a calling REDSHANK, heading NW 18.30hrs and to continue the wader theme, a calling Golden Plover flew SW around the same time.
A TAWNY OWL hooted from the Chapel Walk area and a small covey of GREY PARTRIDGE were flushed from the set-aside field.
To round off a pretty good walk around 4 Pheasants were disturbed along with small numbers of fieldfares and Redwing.
Sunday 8 January 2012
GARDEN VIS-MIG - (07.45-09.45 & 13.00-16.00hrs)
A good vis-migging sort of a day with very calm weather for most of the daylight hours which appears to have enticed some pleasant tunes out out of some of our regular garden birds with Great Tit, Coal Tit, Dunnock and Mistle Thrush all heard singing for the first time this year. Spring is not too far away.
A few 'bits and bobs' were noted moving over the garden too during the day and the garden feeders were pretty busy.
Full List:-
Cormorant: 1 SW @ 08.17hrs
Heron: 1 low to N @08.50hrs
Goosander: 4 SW @ 08.20hrs
Sparrowhawk: 1 pr displaying mid-afternoon
Kestrel: Usual bird hovering over top field (See Image)
PHEASANT: 2 males on top field (See Image)
Golden Plover: 11 N
Common Gull: Single adults SW @ 09.50 & N 15.30hrs
GBBGull: 2 N
Skylark: 1 SW
Meadow Pipit: 15 on top field 09.30hrs
Pied Wagtail: Flock of 22 NW 15.00hrs
Fieldfare: c180 SE @ 15.50hrs
Redwing: 7 SW
Mistle Thrush: Usual pair around
Starling: c90 on playing field
LONG-TAILED TIT: Around 15 moved along Haugh Road 14.30hrs
Coal Tit: 2 birds seen regular
Yellowhammer: 2 NW @ 09.35hrs
Garden Birds - 2012 - 45
To see more records visit the Archived Records section.