Today I was starting the day ay Rufford Abbey, the car park being the spot to hang out for the bird I was looking for. The day started with a Fox in my local village, sauntering across the road, and then has I was travelling thro the countryside on my way to the M1, the sun was just coming up, the sky was red, it was a good moment to be out, and I thought it would be nice to see a Barn Owl and within 2mins of travelling further along the road, there was one, hunting along the road side, wow!
I arrived at Rufford Abbey, just after 9am, nobody on the gate, so car park fees weren’t paid, and on entering the car park, I could see the bird I was here for, high up in the car park trees. Having parked up, I hurriedly got the scope together, and focused on the Hawfinch at the top of the tree, it didn’t hang around for long, I managed to videoscope it, but it was at a distance. I got myself together and had a look around, hoping for more Hawfinch, I only managed to see another one, and the reports later in the day were of two birds.
I headed off North again, destination Wombwell Ings, next to Old Moor, I parked up near the Old Moor Tavern, and then made my way on to the reserve On my way down to the hide I saw Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Starlings, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Mute Swan, Crow, Rook, Jackdaws, Magpie, Robin and Linnets.
Settling into the hide Black headed and Common Gull were seen, along with a couple of Crows, alas no Water Pipit, so I turned my attention to the back of the hide, and looked out over the different pools, seeing Mallard, Shoveler, Mute Swans, plenty of Linnets, Pied Wagtails and also a single Meadow Pipit.
No luck at Wombwell so I moved on to Old Moor, in the hope of finding a Caspian Gull. News of a Pintail on arrival had me going on down to the Lookout hide, to find it at the far side asleep, there were a couple of pockets of free water due to to ice, this is where the most of the ducks were, Mallard, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler lots of Coot, Great Black backed Gulls, Lesser Black backed Gulls, Herring Guls, and Black headed Gulls with lots of Cormorants, a single Buzzard in the nearby trees along with a bad view of the Barn Owl , stood at the entrance of the nest box.
On exiting the reserve, one of the wardens told me where to find some Yellowhammers, over at where I’d just come from, Wombwell Ings, so I headed back over there. They were easy enough to find, good directions, there were a good number of Finches and Buntings, Linnets, Chaffinch, Reed Buntings, and Yellowhammers, there were also Moorhen, Pheasants and Blackbirds.
Whilst I was back here I decided on going back into the Wombwell Reserve and down to the hide, to have a look for the Water Pipits again. Looking out from the hide again, I found the two Water Pipits along with Pied Wagtails, and Lapwings.
Not a bad day after all, alas no Caspian Gull again
Video of the day can be seen HERE
Birds at Rufford Abbey: Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Hawfinch, Stock Dove
Birds at Wombwell : Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Great Tit, Greylag Goose, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Shoveler, Song Thrush, Starling, Water Pipit, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer, (27)
Birds at Old Moor: Black headed Gull, Buzzard, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Heron, Lesser Black backed Gull, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon (14) 65/200
Song Thrush
Huddsbirder 