Hi friends !!   :-)

Friday Eve and another excellent day here on Planet Earth ...

Curry cooking, cold lager in the fridge ... Ahhhhhh .... Happy days ...

Today's report comes to you from the 'ever intrepid' Titchers ...

Why aye man !!

Here is a rough translation of the phonecall ..

All from Old Moor today chaps ..

The Wader Scrape had 7 ringed plovers, a turnstone, 3 ruff and 6 avocets along with chicks (no numbers for the chicks though)

Over on the Mere were the 1st Summer Mediterranean gull and 2 black-necked grebes !! .. Nice !!

A new arrival for the Field Pool was a spotted flycatcher .. A good spot there if you'll pardon the pun ;-) ... Also seen here was a flock of linnets. Male linnets are worth taking a look at as their plumage at this time of the year is very fetching ...

There were 2 drake pochards reported from Wath Ings too ..

A 4 spotted chaser was reported but no location offered for this ..

Butterflies seen were ringlet, holly blue, common blue and dingy skipper .... I wonder why the poor things are called dingy ??

Flowers were prickly sow thistle, hairy vetchling, knapweed, yellow rattle and herb robert ... ??? ..  Nope ... No idea .. Although, I'm not so sure if I didn't used to go to school with young Mr Herb though ?

Me and flowers are relative strangers you know .. ;-)

So .. All done for today ..

Have a great evening you guys !!

Bert xxxx 

Hi everybody :-)

Hopefully you are all enjoying this great weather !! ... I have prepared by placing certain cans of a certain liquid in a very cold place ;-)

Today's sightings are delivered 'al fresco' as I am sitting in my cat's chair on the back garden .....

And here they are ..

Edderthorpe Flash to begin ..

Seen here were 4 redshanks, 2 shelducks and 10 ringed plovers ...

Back on Old Moor now ..

The Mere still has the 2 Mediterranean gulls as previously reported while over on the Wader Scrape were 2 little-ringed plovers, 10 ringed plovers, 3 dunlins, a turnstone, 7 oystercatchers, 5 avocets, 2 common terns, 2 lesser-black backed gulls (from the Mere no doubt) and several pochards ..

There were 2 little grebes seen with their chicks on one of the wildlife ponds too !!

A sparrowhawk was seen passing over the Visitor Centre and there were 2 linnets seen on Green Lane .. This is good stretch of pathway to watch/listen for things as you are travelling between the hides as you always stand a chance of various warblers here which many folk will miss as they walk from one hide to another... When I first used to visit Old Moor I was often guilty of 'rushing' from hide to hide to see the good stuff and not taking the time to notice the many things which I was walking straight past !!

Butterflies reported were peacock, dingy skipper, common blue, small white, large white, (is this small white's dad?), orange tip and brimstone ..

Bumblebees were early and tree and there were also blue-tailed damselflies seen. Titchers educated me by telling me that the female blue tailed damselflies are particularly interesting as their thorax colour varies from reds to blues, to violets to greens and probably more besides !! The tip of the tail still remains blue though ..

Just as well I reckon or it would be a very ill chosen name for them !!

Right .. My certain liquids should be cool enough to enjoy now so I will be off :-)

Have a great evening everyone !!

Bert xxx 

Hi friends ... :-)

Yep .. That's it .. Summer is here at last !!! ....

I will now switch from wine to lager ;-)

There were a fair few sightings today in the Sacred A4 as it was obviously warm and sunny ... Lots of visitors !!

So ...

All from Old Moor today ..

The first good report is that the bittern has been seen a few times today ... Obviously making the best of the lovely conditions !! It was seen, as normal, over the reedbed area ..

Seen from the Bittern Hide were a drake goosander, 2 common terns passing over, reed buntings and reed warblers ..

The Wader Scrape had 8 pochards, 8 ringed plovers, a little-ringed plover, 4 dunlins, 2 avocets with chicks and loads of black-headed gull chicks !! ..

Much to the delight of the lesser-black backed gulls residing on the island in the Mere no doubt ;-)

Wath Ings had a common gull and the 2 Mediterranean gulls (adult + 2nd Summer) were still to be found on the Mere ..

Seen on Green Lane were long-tailed tits and a water vole which was seen near to one of the ponds along the lane ..

A grey partridge was reported in the hay meadow .. This is the area to the left hand side of the path leading down to the Bittern/Reedbed Hides 

Fledgling tree sparrows were seen being fed by Mum and Dad in the area near to the wind turbine .. Doubtless from the nest boxes nearby ;-)

Butterfly stuff was ... Holly blue, male and female orange tip and also male and female brimstone ...

Insecty stuff was ...  Large red damselfly and common blue damselfly .. Both of which were seen near to the Wildlife Pond .. 

There  ... All done for today !!

Too nice to stay in I reckon ...  I might be off for a stroll soon ;-)

Have a great evening everyone ..

Bert xxx 

Good evening friends ;-)

Could this be it ? ... Is Summer here ? .... I can see plenty of swifts from my window as I'm typing this so it must be !!

A hobby would be nice too !! ....

I might take up golf ... 

So .. Here is the news straight from the Sacred A4 ..

Good news straight off as the bittern was seen at 12:09 precisely .. 12:09 eh? ... A good time if you ask me ... Much better than 4:27 for instance ...

There were 4 avocets seen on the Wader Scrape and apparently there are now 4  chicks .. Avocetlets !! .. 

Swifts and house martins were seen near to the visitor centre and 2 jackdaws were also reported ..

Sedge warblers were reported from various areas of the reserve as were linnets... Blue tits with chicks were also seen

Over on Edderthorpe Flash was a black tern .. Very nice !! ..

Wombwell Ings had 2 avocets and redshanks and the black-necked grebe can still be seen on Bolton Ings ..

I can be seen sitting in my back garden watching the swifts :-)

So .. There you go ... Finished ...

Have a great evening everyone ;-)

Bert xxx 

Tired of flying solo? Looking to join a flock?

Do you enjoy visiting nature reserves or going for walks in the country but nervous of going alone or just looking for friendly companions to share a day out with?

Then RSPB Old Moor has the answer you are seeking!!

Why not join us on one of our Wild Walks where you can meet new people and enjoy a guided walk around one of our reserves followed by an opportunity to socialise with others over refreshments.

We will be running four walks on and around our Dearne Valley reserves as part of a series with the potential to then set up a regular social group. All walks will depart from Old Moor.

Each walk costs £4 (£3 for RSPB members) or all 4 walks £12 (£9 RSPB members)

For more information and to reserve a place please contact

RSPB Old Moor on 01226 751 593 or visit www.rspb.org.uk/oldmoor