Monthly Archives: March 2015

Today’s outing was out to Old Moor again but this time it was with a difference we were going to try out the the new ground level photography hide. The hide is bookable over two sessions a 9:30 – 12:30 and a 12:30 = 3:30 session costing is £40 for a session but if you are a RSPB member you get a 25% discount.

Well we had booked in for the morning session and from that session we walked away seeing 18 species including Mallard, Stock Dove, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Yellowhammer, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Tree Sparrow

Yellowhammer 

After the hide session we decided on a walk around the reserve stopping firstly at the family hide here we saw Redshank, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Black headed Gulls and the Mediterranean Gull. Down on Green Lane the friendly Robin showed itself and posed for a number of shots

Robin

The birds of the day at Old Moor :-

Robin, Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Collard Dove, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Bullfinch, Magpie, Tree Sparrow, Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Shelduck, Shoveler, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Lapwing, Goosander, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Linnet, Jackdaw, Crow, Redshank, Mediterranean Gull, Pochard, Pheasant, Starling, Long tailed Tit, Song Thrush.

WE then decided on a detour on the way via Langsett Reservoir and the Lower Midhope Moors here we saw lots of Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipits, Curlew, Lapwings we even saw Mallard and Chaffinch but the bird we were looking for was finally found but at a distance the long staying Great Grey Shrike, found sat atop of a bush staking out its territory  before landing on the nearby wall, we had a short time with the shrike as time was running short

Great Grey Shrike

Sorry about the long absence it was now time for a day out, the sun was shining, temperatures have started going up to the no gloves limit, the destination was Worsbrough Mill Country Park near Barnsley. A site which holds a old water mill but has Nature reserve status (see this LINK)

After having a look around the working Mill, which wasn’t working today, we headed off  for a walk around the reservoir where it was plain to see plenty of Black headed Gulls and good numbers of Great Crested Grebe on the water, in the reeds towards the bottom end of the reservoir we found a Grey Heron doing its I’m a reed pose, plenty of Mallard littered the reservoir sides, Blue Tit, Robin, and Bullfinch were heard calling from the Willow Carr, and a single Kingfisher took us by surprise has it zipped thru.

Near the fishing jetty were the Black headed Gulls had taken advantage off trying to keep stable from the wind we found a nice flock of Redwing in the field were by scanning thru we also found a single Mistle Thrush

House Sparrows were near one of the feeders at this end of the reservoir has were plenty of Mallard taking advantage of people throwing bread, around this area also Goldfinch were heard flying over.

The way home was by Lower Midhope Moors by Langsett Reservoir in the vain hope of catching up with the Great Grey Shrike which had been around this site for a couple of months now, but alas it wasn’t to be my day, maybe due to the high winds, but back on breeding grounds were Oystercatchers, Lapwing and Curlews which were good to see along with the Red Grouse.