Huddsbirder

A newer venue today out at Staveley Nature Reserve, location is about NE of Harrogate, not far off the A1. Highlights of the day were Bittern, Blackcap, Buzzard, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Hobby, Little Ringed Plover, Marsh Tit, Reed Warbler, Swift, Treecreeper, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler

Butterflies on the wing Brimstone, Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock, and Speckled Wood

Other highlights were Large Red Damselfly

Birds Seen: Bittern, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Curlew, Gadwall, Garden Warbler, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Hobby, jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Tit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Shoveler, Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Swift, Teal, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (47)

Sedge Warbler

Jackdaw

Lapwing

Large Red Damselfly

Cheilosia variabilis

Back at Old Moor out today looking for insects mainly but the birds were still calling, highlights were Bittern, Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Mediterranean Gull, Pied Wagtail, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler

Butterflies were now building up in force with Brimstone, Dingy Skipper, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood

Other highlights were 14 Spot Ladybird, Box Bug, Gorse Shieldbug, Hairy Shieldbug, Marsham’s Nomad Bee, Spotted Cranefly

Birds Seen: Bittern, Black-headed Gull, Blackcap, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Redshank, Reed Warbler, Robin, Shelduck, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon (37)

14 Spot Ladybird

Box Bug

Dingy Skipper

Unknown

Myathropa florea Hoverfly (“Batman Hoverfly”)

A little bit further afield today and a visit to North Cave Wetlands. The days highlights were Bittern, Buzzard, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, House Martin, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Mediterranean Gull, Red Kite, Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Swift and Whitethroat,

Butterflies about toady were Brimstone, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Large White, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood

Birds Seen: Bittern, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Dunnock, Gadwall, Garden Warbler, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, House Martin, Jackdaw, Linnet, Little Egret, Little Gull, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Red Kite, Reed Warbler, Robin, Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Shelduck, Shoveler, Swift, Teal, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (48)

Blackcap

Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

A visit out to St Aidan’s today along with a friend, Highlights of the day were the Bearded Tit which were very close in, giving good views, but low in the reeds. Black-necked Grebes were about, but distant, the Little Owl could be seen around Oddball, Willow Warbler, Swallow, Sand Martin, Redshank, Red Kite and Bittern

Birds Seen: Bearded Tit, Bittern, Black-headed Tit, Black-necked Grebe, Blackbird, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Little Owl, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pochard, Red Kite, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Sand Martin, Shoveler, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (44)

Butterflies: Orange Tip, Peacock

Black necked Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Linnet

Little Owl

Orange Tip

Shoveler

Out in the garden today, looking around to see what was about. Highlights were, lots of Bees especially Nomada marshamella, ones i couldn’t ID, a Common Wasp building a nest in the shed, Holly Blue Butterfly

Holly Blue Butterfly

Nomada marshamella

Queen Wasp

Spider philodromus Species

Wolf Spider

Back again at Old Moor, today turned out to be more of a birdy day with the highlights being Bittern, Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Redshank, Sand Martin, and Willow Warbler

Butterflies around were Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood

Also found the first Odonata in the form of a Large Red Damselfly

Birds Seen; Bittern, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Magpie, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Redshank, Robin, Sand Martin, Shelduck, Shoveler, Song Thrush, Teal, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (36)

Chiffchaff

Willow Warbler

Nomada marshamella

Leucozona lucorum

A brief visit to Old Moor, again, resulted in seeing a few insects, at last. Highlights were Brimstone, Orange Tip and Peacock butterflies. The few bird species I noted were Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Robin and Woodpigeon.

Other insect highlights were Box Bug, Nursery Web Spider, Gorse Shieldbug, Hairy Shieldbug, Common Green Shieldbug and Dark edged Bee Flies

Box Bug

Common Green Shieldbug

Dark edged Bee Fly

|Gorse Shieldbug

Hairy Shieldbug

Nursery Web Spider

Orange Tip Butterfly

Today was a busy day going around various Nature Reserves around the Dearne Valley Area. Our fist port of call was to Wath Woods, where we heard Lesser Spotted Woodpecker saw Common Buzzard, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Sparrowhawk and Treecreeper

Our next port of call was to Adwick Washland where the highlights were Blackcap, Buzzard, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Scoter ♀, Little Egret, Redshank, Sparrowhawk and Wheatears. Butterfly highlights were Large White, Orange Tip and Peacock

A quick visit the at Edderthorpe, where the highlights were Avocet, Blackcap, Buzzard, Oystercatcher and Spoonbill

Our final call to Wombwell Ings where the highlights were Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail

Birds at Wath Woods : Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (H), Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Robin, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren (22)

Birds at Adwick Washlands : Black headed Gull Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Scoter, Coot, Dunnock, Gadwall, Great Tit, Greylag Goose, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Little Egret, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Shelduck, Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wheatear, Wigeon, Woodpigeon (32)

Birds at Edderthorpe : Avocet, Black headed Gull Blackcap, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Shelduck, Shoveler, Spoonbill (11)

Birds at Wombwell Ings : Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Canada Goose, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Greylag Goose, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon (19)

Treecreeper

Reed Bunting

Pied Wagtail

Little Egret

Lapwing

Another visit down to Old Moor, nice to hear the Bittern if not seen, but it was now also hear the summer visitors again Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Other birds of note were Cetti’s Warbler, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Redshank

A few Butterflies were now about including Brimstone, Peacock and Small White

Other insects about were Dark edged Bee Flies, Gorse Shieldbugs, Hairy Shieldbugs, St Marks Flies

Birds Seen : Bittern(H), Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greylag Goose, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Little Egret, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren (33)

Butterflies Seen : Brimstone, Peacock, Small White

Furrow Spider

Small White

Another visit down to Old Moor, a very quiet day, highlights being Cetti’s Warbler, Oystercatcher with Brimstone and Peacock Butterflies.

Also of note on the insect side was a Honeysuckle Picturewing (Chetostoma curvinerve) the only second record for the Barnsley Area. Also about were Dark edged Bee Flies, Common Wasps, Gorse Shieldbugs, Common Green Shieldbugs and Nursery Web Spiders

Birds Seen : Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Shoveler, Wren

Butterflies Seen : Brimstone, Peacock

Common Green Shieldbug

Gorse Shieldbug

Honeysuckle Picturewing

Common Wasp