Potteric Carr wildlife sightings 2021

Potteric Carr (c) Matthew Roberts

(c) Matthew Roberts

Potteric Carr wildlife sightings 2021

Daily wildlife sightings at Potteric Carr nature reserve.

The 108 page 50 year review of the Birds of Potteric Carr can be bought at the Visitor Centre or from the YWT Shop

This sightings page isn't being updated, however, Potteric Carr bird sightings can be found on the Doncaster Birding website

Sightings by month

June 2021

Great White Egrets © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Great White Egrets © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Bittern © Darren Ward 2021

Bittern © Darren Ward 2021

Wren © Darren Ward 2021

Wren © Darren Ward 2021

Wednesday 9th

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 10 Little Egret
  • 2 Great White Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier
  • 1 Kestral
  • 1 Redshank
  • 3 Common Tern
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler

Adrian Andruchiw

Azure Damselfly © Iain Macaulay 2021

Azure Damselfly © Iain Macaulay 2021

Large Red Damselflies © Matthew Christou 2021

Large Red Damselflies © Matthew Christou 2021

Tuesday 8th

  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 2 Shoveler - males
  • 2 Bittern - Piper Marsh
  • 2 Great White Egret - West Scrape
  • 3 Buzzard
  • 2 Hobby
  • 2 Avocet
  • 3 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover
  • 2 Redshank
  • 4 Common Tern
  • 1 Cuckoo
  • 40 Swift
  • 2 Jay
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat
  • 1 Grasshopper Warbler

Other: 1 Stoat

Full list from Old Eaa, Decoy Marsh, Decoy Lake, Willow Marsh, Loversall Pool: https://ebird.org/checklist/S89828355

Gary Dyson, Mark Roberts, Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft, Darren Ward

Monday 7th

  • 1+ Bittern - 4 sightings
  • 5 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 3 Hobby
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 2 Redshank - feeding on West Scrape and returning to iPort
  • 2 Common Tern
  • 5 Swift
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker

Phil Goacher

Poplar Hawk Moth © Derek Parker 2021

Poplar Hawk Moth © Derek Parker 2021

Swallow Prominent © Derek Parker 2021

Swallow Prominent © Derek Parker 2021

Poplar Grey © Derek Parker 2021

Poplar Grey © Derek Parker 2021

Moth Trapping Report for Tuesday Night, 1st June

Spring this year was an incredibly poor one for anyone involved in moth recording. Endless cool and frosty nights in April were followed by heavy and persistent rain in all but the last few days of May. It was pointless even attempting moth trapping until now.

The last time we trapped on June 1 was in 2019, when, in admittedly ideal conditions, we trapped a total of 80 species. So, the 17 species we achieved on Tuesday night was disappointing, although scarcely surprising.

There were no significant records. 6 Poplar Hawk-moths, 2 Orange Footman and a single Endothenia quadrimaculana were as good as it got.

We are hoping and praying the weather stays warm for as long as possible as this should bring about a steady improvement in moth numbers and records!

Ian and Janet Heppenstall  

Sunday 6th

  • 3 Teal - 2 male and a female
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 2 Shoveler - male and female
  • 3 Bittern
  • 6 Little Egret
  • 7 Grey Heron
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel - VC
  • 2 Hobby - active from about 3pm
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 2 Dunlin - circled cell 1b at 13.15. Presumed same as iPort birds from the morning
  • 3 Redshank - on West Scrape. Flying to and from iPort
  • 5 Common Tern
  • 2 Stock Dove    
  • 1 Cuckoo    
  • 60 Swift    
  • 5 Willow Warbler    
  • 6 Cetti's Warbler    
  • 35 Starling - feeding flights over Huxter Well Marsh

Richard Scott, Sue and Roger Bird
 

Cuckoo © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Cuckoo © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Hobby © Rob Mellor 2021

Hobby © Rob Mellor 2021

Hobby © Rob Mellor 2021

Hobby © Rob Mellor 2021

Saturday 5th

  • 2 Egyptian Goose    
  • 6 Shelduck
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female. The male is now moulting.
  • 2 Shoveler - pair
  • 71 Gadwall - West Scrape
  • 29 Pochard - all but 2 were males
  • Bittern
  • 5 Little Egret
  • 2 Great White Egret - together on Huxter Well Marsh. One was in breeding plumage.
  • 3 Grey Heron
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 3 Hobby - 2 hunting over Hawthorn Bank during the afternoon were briefly joined by a 3rd bird which was chased off.
  • 2 Water Rail - calling
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 42 Lapwing
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 4 Common Tern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 5 Stock Dove
  • 2 Cuckoo
  • 15 Swift
  • 3 Jay
  • 6 Cetti's Warbler

Richard Scott, Adrian Andruchiw

Marsh Orchid sp. © Lynda Christou 2021

Marsh Orchid sp. © Lynda Christou 2021

Friday 4th

  • 14 Mallard
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 1 Bittern
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 2 Hobby
  • 25 Coot
  • 1 Avocet
  • 17 Lapwing
  • 17 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 8 Herring Gull
  • 3 Common Tern - Old Eaa
  • 8 Swift
  • 1 Bearded Tit
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler
  • 10 Chiffchaff
  • 4 Willow Warbler
  • 13 Blackcap
  • 3 Whitethroat
  • 8 Wren
  • 20 Starling
  • 15 Reed Bunting

Lynda Christou, BirdGuides, Terry Burke (eBird)

Four-spotted Chaser © Paul Paddock 2021

Four-spotted Chaser © Paul Paddock 2021

Hairy Shieldbug © Paul Paddock 2021

Hairy Shieldbug © Paul Paddock 2021

Thursday 3rd

  • 3 Shelduck - male on Old Eaa and a pair on West Scrape
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 2 Shoveler - male on West Scrape and 2a
  • 2 Great Crested Grebe - on 2a have very small young
  • 3 Bittern - one on Seven Arches Carr and 2 Huxter Well Marsh
  • 4 Little Egret - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 7 Grey Heron - including 5 sat in the dead Oak at the same time
  • 1 Cormorant - on 1b
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 Hobby
  • 4 Oystercatcher - on West Scrape 2 adults and 2 well grown young
  • 13 Lapwing - 11 on the small island on 1b and one on Lagoon and 2a
  • 8 Common Tern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Cuckoo - one singing on and off all day between VC and EC and one at Seven Arches Carr
  • 3 Swift - over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Sedge Warbler - Piper Marsh
  • 4 Song Thrush

David Beresford, Rob Mellor, YWT staff, Sue and Roger Bird

Green Sawfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Green Sawfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Large Red Damselfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Large Red Damselfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Wednesday 2nd

  • 1 Wigeon - male on the Lagoon
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 2 Grey Heron
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • Coot - 2 young near VC
  • 1 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 7 Oystercatcher - 2 adults and 2 well grown young, also 3 over VC
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 1 Herring Gull - on the tern raft at Decoy Lake
  • 3 Common Tern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Feral Pigeon - over Willow Marsh
  • 1 Stock Dove - Beeston Plantation
  • 1 Cuckoo - singing in Willow Marsh
  • 14 Swift
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling from cell 3a
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - singing near VC

Butterflies: 5 Brimstone, 2 Large White, 2 Small White, 1 Green-veined White, 4 Orange Tip, 11 Common Blue, 2 Peacock, 2 Comma, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Ringlet

Odonata: 2 Emperor, 9 Hairy Dragonfly, 1 Broad-bodied Chaser, 32 Four-spot Chaser, Damselflies : Large Red, Common Blue, Azure and Blue-tailed.

Dave Carroll, Darren Wozencroft, Paul Paddock, Lynda and Matthew Christou

Wigeon © Richard Scott 2021

Wigeon © Richard Scott 2021

Tuesday 1st

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 1 Wigeon - male on West Scrape
  • 1 Teal - male on West Scrape
  • 1 Bittern - feeding flights
  • 3 Grey Heron
  • 5 Little Egret
  • Great Crested Grebe - adults with young on the Lagoon and cell 3a
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 2 Kestrel
  • 2 Hobby - hawking insects over Hawthorn Bank during the afternoon
  • 1 Peregrine - juvenile flew over Huxter Well Marsh and was mobbed by a Hobby
  • 1 Avocet - West Scrape    
  • 4 Oystercatcher - 2 adults and 2 well grown young on West Scrape
  • 3 Lapwing
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 5 Common Tern
  • 3 Stock Dove
  • 1 Cuckoo
  • 140 Swift
  • 2 Jay
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - singing near VC
  • 1 Treecreeper - singing at Cottage Drain

Butterflies: 1 male Brimstone, 3 Orange-tip, 1 Small copper, 1 Comma, 11 White sp

Other: Grass Snake at Loversall Field

Buffer Area

  • Stovens Plantation: 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (3 juveniles being fed by an adult), 2 Mistle Thrush escorted a magpie away from their nest site, Blue Tits feeding fledged young in the treetops 
  • Gladstone Fields: 2 Whitethroat singing, 2 Blackcap calling, 1 Buzzard hunting, 1 male Kestrel hunting

Richard Scott, Chris Bell, Sue and Roger Bird, Lynda and Matthew Christou, visitor reports

May 2021

Common Blue © Lynda Christou 2021

Common Blue © Lynda Christou 2021

Grass Snake © Morg 2021

Grass Snake © Morg 2021

Monday 31st

  • 1 Marsh Harrier
  • 1 Cuckoo
  • 1 Jay

Butterflies: 3 male Orange tip, 11 White sp, 1 Small copper, 6 male Brimstone (males), 4 Common Blue

Other: Grass Snake swimming across the square dragon in Loversall Field

Lynda Christou

Common Blue © Mark Dinnage 2021

Common Blue © Mark Dinnage 2021

Common Tern © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Common Tern © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Barn Owl chick © Rebekah Beaumont 2021

Barn Owl chick © Rebekah Beaumont 2021

Sunday 30th

  • 2 Shelduck - Old Eaa
  • 1 Bittern
  • 1 Marsh Harrier
  • 1 Kestrel - male near VC
  • 2 Water Rail - Reedbed Filtration Ponds
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 3 Common Tern - Decoy Marsh
  • 2 Cuckoo
  • 1 Bearded Tit
  • 2 Cetti's Warbler
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - VC
  • 1 Treecreeper - collecting food in Young Eaa
  • 1 Reed Bunting - singing at Reedbed Filtration Ponds

Ringing: 1 garden warbler, 2 robin, 1 whitethroat, 10 Barn Owl chicks. Retraps 1 cettis, 1 reed bunting, 2 reed warbler, 1 wren

Rebekah Beaumont, Adrian Andruchiw, Sue and Roger Bird

Yellow Flag Iris © Lynda Christou 2021

Yellow Flag Iris © Lynda Christou 2021

Saturday 29th

  • 2 Common Tern - Old Eaa/Decoy Marsh

Jim Horsfall

Friday 28th

  • 3 Shelduck - Old Eaa
  • 5 Pochard - Old Eaa
  • 3 Little Egret - over at dusk
  • 3 Woodcock
  • 1 Tawny Owl
  • 2 Cetti's Warbler - Old Eaa
  • 2 Song Thrush

Richard Scott et al

Brown Argus © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Brown Argus © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Brown Argus © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Brown Argus © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Thursday 27th

  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 1 Shoveler - male on Lagoon/cell 2a
  • 2+ Bittern - very active
  • 6 Little Egret 
  • 1 Buzzard - over Willow Marsh
  • 2 Hobby - over Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 5 Water Rail - 3 calling on Lagoon and 2 on Piper Marsh
  • 1 Avocet
  • 3 Oystercatcher - flying round together calling and piping all adults
  • 4 Lapwing
  • 16 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 2 Common Tern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Cuckoo - singing on Willow Marsh then Loversall Carr Field 
  • 2 Barn Owl - young at the nest box
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - also its been noted tht this species has predated 3 nest boxes to date
  • 4 Jay
  • 1 Goldcrest - singing near the underbridge
  • Blue Tit - young are fledging from the boxes now
  • Great Tits - still sitting and brooding young
  • 3 Willow Tit
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat
  • 2 Treecreeper

Mammals: Bank Vole with young

Butterflies: 1 Dingy Skipper, 4 Brimstone, 6 Green-veined White, 8 Orange Tip, 4 white sp., 1 Small Copper, 1 Brown Argus, 3 Peacock 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma, 1 Speckled Wood

Odonata: 2 Hairy Dragonfly, 10 Four-spot Chaser, hundreds of Azure Damselfly, small numbers of Large Red, Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselfly also present

Sue and Roger Bird, Darren Wozencroft, Andy Dalton (eBird), David Beresford
 

Wednesday 26th

Buffer Area

  • 1 Cetti's Warbler and 2 Lesser Whitethroat singing in the Short Lane Fields area

Richard Scott

Thick-legged flower beetle © Lynda Christou 2021

Thick-legged flower beetle © Lynda Christou 2021

Tuesday 25th

  • 1 Bittern - doing feeding flights
  • 1 Cuckoo - on Huxter Well Marsh in the morning
  • 50 Swift
  • 2 Willow Tit - recently fledged young

Odonata: 4 Hairy Hawker

Dave Carroll, Andy Dalton, Darren Wozencroft, Andy Dalton (eBird)

Blue-tailed Damselfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Blue-tailed Damselfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Azure Blue Damselfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Azure Blue Damselfly © Allen Holmes 2021

Monday 24th

  • Mute Swan - 4 pairs have 23 young between them. 5 on cell 1b and 3b, 7 on 2a and 6 on Old Eaa
  • 1 Shelduck - male on cell 4
  • 2 Bittern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 6 Little Egret - 5 on Huxter Well Marsh and one on Piper Marsh
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 2 Buzzard - Seven Arches Carr
  • 2 Hobby - over Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 1 Water Rail - calling on cell 3b
  • 3 Oystercatcher - 2 adults and one young on the banking on cell 3b
  • 3 Avocet - West Scrape 
  • 3 Lapwing - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 70 Black-headed Gull - hawking over cell 2b
  • 2 Great Black-backed Gull - cell 1b
  • 2 Stock Dove - over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 50+ Swift - feeding over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - calling in Childers Wood
  • 20 Jackdaw - feeding on the bankings on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 8 Wren - some young have fledged from Hawthorn Bank hide and were in the bushes outside. Two were still in the nest
  • 2 Treecreeper - collecting food in Black Carr Wood

Odonata: A mass emergence of Azure Blue Damselflies with hundreds spotted around the reserve. Other Odonata seen include dozens of Blue-tailed & Large Red Damselflies. 2 Hairy Dragonflies and a 4 Spotted Chaser.

Sue and Roger Bird, Allen Holmes

Sunday 23rd 

  • 1 GARGANEY - male 
  • Mallard - female with 4 young on Willow Marsh 
  • Little Grebe - pair with 4 new young on Decoy Lake 
  • 3 Bittern - 2 on Huxter Well Marsh and one flew across Willow Marsh and dropped in to Division Drain
  • 1 Little Egret - Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 1 Sparrowhawk - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Buzzard - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Water Rail - swam across the channel in Willow Marsh
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 100+ Swift - feeding over Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - flew across Willow Marsh 
  • 1 Kestrel - VC
  • 2 Hobby - over Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 2 Bullfinch - near Pumping Station
  • 3 Reed Bunting - singing on the Reedbed filtration ponds

Ringing: 1 Willow warbler, 3 whitethroat, 1 reed bunting, 1 blackbird, 1 bullfinch, 1 chaffinch, 1 jay. Retraps 1 reed warbler (2019 ringed), 1 song thrush (2018 ringed)

Dragonflies: 1 Four Spot Chaser in front of the Education Centre 

Sue and Roger Bird, Dave Carroll , Gary Dyson, Mark Roberts, Rebekah Beaumont

Saturday 22nd

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 3 Shoveler - males
  • 17 Pochard
  • 17 Tufted Duck
  • 1 Cormorant
  • 1 Grey Heron
  • 5 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and cc
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 7 Buzzard
  • 1 Hobby - caught a Swift
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 4 Avocet
  • 3 Oystercatcher    - adults and juv
  • 9 Lapwing
  • 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 5 Herring Gull
  • 8 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 4 Stock Dove
  • 50 Swift
  • 2 Jay
  • 5 Swallow
  • 5 Willow Warbler    
  • 5 Cetti's Warbler    
  • 3 Whitethroat
  • 8 Starling - feeding flights from Bessacarr

Inverts: Scorpion fly Panorpa germanica, Ladybird 22 spot Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata, 7 spot Coccinella septempunctata, Alder leaf beetle Agelastica alni, Soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans, Click beetle Anthous hemorrhoidalis, Earwig Forficula auricularia, Nursery web spider Pisaura mirabilis, Bumble bees Common carder Bombus pascuorum, Early bee bombus pratorum, Butterflies Orange tip Anthocharis cardamines, Small tortoiseshell Agais urticae

Richard Scott, Steve Rutherford

Thursday 20th May

  • 3 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Jay
  • 1 GOLDEN ORIOLE - a probable flew across White Rose Way to the wood at Carr Lodge (BirdGuides). If its relocated, it will be the second record for the Reserve

Buffer Area

  • 1 WHOOPER SWAN still at Carr Lodge, Lesser Whitethroat singing at Short Lane Fields

David Beresford, Richard Scott

Hobby © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Hobby © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Wednesday 19th

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 2 Bittern - both doing feeding flights
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 2 Hobby - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 100 Swift
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - over Black Carr Field
  • 1 Willow Tit - singing
  • 6+ Sand Martin - Huxter Well Marsh and Piper Marsh

Paul Paddock, Mark Roberts, Andy Dalton (eBird)

juvenile Robin © Nidge Nilsen 2021

juvenile Robin © Nidge Nilsen 2021

Tuesday 18th

  • 10 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern
  • 3 Little Egret - flying to roost at dusk
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 2 Hobby
  • 2 Avocet
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Woodcock
  • 1 Tawny Owl
  • 1 Grasshopper Warbler

Butterflies: 2 Dingy Skipper

Buffer Area

  • WHOOPER SWAN still at Carr Lodge

Adrian Andruchiw, Ian and Janet Heppenstall, Lynda Christou, Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft

Wood Mouse © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Wood Mouse © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Bank Vole © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Bank Vole © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Monday 17th

  • 2 Bittern - one flew across Willow Marsh on to Loversall Pool or Carr Lodge and one on Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 4 Hobby - over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Water Rail - calling on Willow Marsh and one swam across the channel
  • 1 Bearded Tit
  • 1 Cetti's Warbler - showed well in front of Duchess Hide

Sue and Roger Bird, Mark Roberts

Reed Warbler © Allen Holmes 2021

Reed Warbler © Allen Holmes 2021

Sunday 16th

  • 7 Shelduck
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 2 Bittern - in flight
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 2 Hobby
  • 4 Avocet
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 5 Common Tern - 3 east at 5pm and 2 east at 5.20pm
  • 50 Swift
  • 1 Bearded Tit    
  • 90 Sand Martin
  • 3 Swallow
  • 10 House Martin

Ringing: 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Blackcap, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Blackbird, 2 Goldfinch, 1 chiffchaff. Retraps 3 Cettis, 1 bullfinch, 1 wren, 1 blue tit

Buffer Area

  • Carr Lodge: 1 WHOOPER SWAN
  • Stoven's Plantation & Gladstone's Fields: Moorhen pair with 5 young on ponds in the field, Great Spotted Woodpecker calling, 1 Willow Warbler singing, 2 Chiffchaff singing, 2 Blackcap, 3 Garden Warbler singing, 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing, 2 Whitethroat singing, 1 Song Thrush singing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Chaffinch singing, 1 Greenfinch singing 

Gary Dyson, Richard Scott, Sue and Roger Bird, Rebekah Beaumont, visitor reports

Jackdaw © Nidge Nilsen 2021

Jackdaw © Nidge Nilsen 2021

Saturday 15th

  • 6 Shelduck
  • 2 Shoveler - males
  • 2 GARGANEY- male and female
  • 2 Bittern - 4 sightings
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Hobby - over Huxterwell in the afternoon
  • 2 Avocet
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 15 Common Tern - 2 in the morning and 13 flew east at 15.45
  • 1 ARCTIC TERN - flew east with the Common Terns at 15:45 (from iPort)
  • 1 Kingfisher - from Mitchell Hide
  • 120 Swift
  • 25 House Martin
  • 3 Bearded Tit
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat

Butterflies : 1 Small Copper, 1 Green-veined White

Buffer Area

  • 1 WHOOPER SWAN on Carr Lodge

Darren Wozencroft, Richard Scott

Spoonbill © Allen Holmes 2021

Spoonbill © Allen Holmes 2021

Spoonbill © Allen Holmes 2021

Spoonbill © Allen Holmes 2021

Friday 14th

  • 4 Shelduck
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 1 SPOONBILL - (second summer?) West Scrape. Departed N or NW at 11:30
  • 5 Bittern - 4 seen and one booming
  • 4+ Little Egret
  • 3 Grey Heron
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 3+ Hobby
  • 6 Avocet
  • 1 Redshank
  • 3 Woodcock
  • 1 Common Tern
  • 3 Barn Owl
  • 3 Tawny Owl
  • 1 NIGHTJAR - male seen and heard to call after dark over Willow Marsh. Only the second record for the Reserve.
  • Swift - good numbers
  • 1 Bearded Tit
  • 1 Skylark - singing at Loversall Carr Fields
  • Sand Martin - good numbers
  • 2 Garden Warbler
  • 1 Grasshopper Warbler - 'reeling'

Damselflies: Large Red Damselfly

Buffer Area

  • 1 WHOOPER SWAN at Carr Lodge

Allen Holmes, Sue and Roger Bird, BirdGuides, Karl Dutton, Ian Richardson, Sue Brook, Sue and Roger Bird, Lynda Christou, Dave Carroll, Andy Dalton, Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft

Small Copper © Lynda Christou 2021

Small Copper © Lynda Christou 2021

Spoonbill © Sue Brook 2021

Spoonbill © Sue Brook 2021

Thursday 13th

  • 1 WHOOPER SWAN - dropped on to Decoy Lake at 10.36
  • 3 Shelduck - male on Old Eaa and 2 on West Scrape
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 12 Pochard - on Huxter Well Marsh were 11 males trying to attract a single female
  • 1 Cormorant
  • 1 SPOONBILL - West Scrape. Still present at 6.50pm
  • 2 Bittern - one seen and one booming
  • 1 Little Egret - West Scrape
  • 3 Grey Heron
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 2 Kestrel - Huxter Well Marsh and car park
  • 3 Hobby - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 4 Oystercatcher - 2 adults and 2 young
  • 6 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 3 Common Tern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 2 Jay
  • 1 Coal Tit - singing in Black Carr Field
  • 8+ Long-tailed Tit - along Hawthorn Bank were a newly fledged family
  • 1 Goldcrest - singing near Hawthorn bank
  • 2 Song Thrush
  • 2 Bullfinch - pair near the Pumping Station

Butterflies: 2, Orange-tip, 1 Speckled wood, 5 Peacock, 5 White sp, 1 Small copper 1

Other: 1 Grass Snake

Sue and Roger Bird, Sue Brook, Judith Craigmile, David Beresford, Lynda Christou, Mark Roberts

Grass Snake © Nidge Nilsen

Grass Snake © Nidge Nilsen

Wednesday 12th

  • 1 Bittern
  • 3 Hobby
  • 3 Avocet
  • 2 Common Tern
  • 51 Swift
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 3 Lesser Whitethroat

Butterflies: 1 Small Copper

Buffer Area

  • 1 WHOOPER SWAN and 2 Little Egrets on Carr Lodge

Richard Collis (eBird), Matthew Christou, Richard Scott

Dark sky over Huxter Well Marsh © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Dark sky over Huxter Well Marsh © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Tuesday 11th

  • Canada Goose - groups of 8 and 2 young near VC
  • 2 Shelduck
  • Mallard - female with 5 young from Tofield Hide
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Common Tern
  • 1 Wheatear - female seen from Tofield Hide

Butterflies: 4 Orange-tip, 1 Speckled wood, 7 White sp.

Buffer Area - Carr Lodge

  • 1 WHOOPER SWAN

Ian and Janet Heppenstall, Richard Scott, Lynda Christou, Christopher Lamb (eBird)

Whinchat © Michael Suddaby 2021

Whinchat © Michael Suddaby 2021

Marsh Harrier © Nidge Nilsen 2021

Marsh Harrier © Nidge Nilsen 2021

juvenile Water Rail © Darren Wozencroft 2021

juvenile Water Rail © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Monday 10th

  • 2 Bittern - 3 sightings
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Hobby - over Huxterwell at 13:30hrs, 2 around for an hour
  • 2 Kestrel
  • 1 Water Rail - juvenile RBF Ponds
  • 3 Avocet
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 4 Common Tern
  • 180 Swift - over Huxterwell during the morning
  • 100 Sand Martin 
  • 40 House Martin
  • 3 Garden Warbler
  • 2 Lesser Whitethroat
  • 1 WHINCHAT - in the butterfly garden
  • 1 Yellow Wagtail - south

Butterflies: 1 Red Admiral, the first for the year

Darren Wozencroft, Michael Suddaby, Lynda Christou

male Reed Bunting © Allen Holmes 2021

male Reed Bunting © Allen Holmes 2021

Common Tern © Allen Holmes 2021

Common Tern © Allen Holmes 2021

Sunday 9th

  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 3-4 Bittern - including 2 boomers
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 2 Hobby - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 5 Lapwing
  • 2 Common Tern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 3 Stock Dove - including one singing in Beeston Plantation
  • 1 Cuckoo - singing in the evening. The first for the year.
  • 50 Swift - over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling

Buffer Area - Carr Lodge

  • 1 WHOOPER SWAN, 2 Egyptian Geese

Richard Scott, Mark Roberts, Sue and Roger Bird, Lynda Christou, Doncaster Bird Sightings (WhatsApp group)
 

Oystercatcher © Allen Holmes 2021

Oystercatcher © Allen Holmes 2021

Northern Eggar Moth Caterpillar © Allen Holmes 2021

Northern Eggar Moth Caterpillar © Allen Holmes 2021

Saturday 8th

  • 10 Shelduck    
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 2 Shoveler - male and female
  • 3 Cormorant
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Grey Heron
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 3 Water Rail
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape    
  • 1 Oystercatcher - taking food to the young
  • 1 Lapwing
  • 2 SANDERLING - on cell 1b from 14.50-14-55
  • 5 Dunlin - 4 though at 11.58 and one through at 13.09
  • c15 small wader sp. - flew through at 14.50
  • 1 Common Sandpiper - cell 1b
  • 1 Redshank - over
  • 1 Snipe - flew north
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull - carrying nesting material to Sedum House roof
  • 5 Common Tern - 2 flew NE early morning and 3 were seen in the afternoon
  • 4 Stock Dove    
  • 3 Collared Dove - flew over VC early morning
  • 160 Swift - 60 east and 100 over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Coal Tit - singing
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling
  • 200 Sand Martin - of which 150 flew east
  • 150 Swallow - mainly flying east
  • 17 House Martin    
  • 7 Garden Warbler    
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - near the car park
  • 2 Goldcrest - both singing
  • 2 Treecreeper - one singing
  • 1 Mistle Thrush - singing
  • 1 Pied Wagtail
  • 1 Greenfinch - calling near the VC
  • 10 Lesser Redpoll - flew over Loversall Field

79 Species were recorded during the eBird Global Big Day. A full list can be found by clicking here

Richard Scott, Allen Holmes

Friday 7th

  • 7 Shelduck
  • 6 Teal
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 3 Shoveler - 2 males and a female
  • 3-4 Bittern - 2 flew in very high from Loversall direction gradually descended and landed in the reeds along Mother Drain (MB); 6 sightings incl. 2 birds together over Piper/Seven Arches (DW)
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Grey Heron
  • 5 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 3 Hobby
  • 1 Water Rail - calling cell 4
  • 4 Oystercatcher - 2 ads 2 juvs
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 1 Common Sandpiper - Lagoon
  • 80 Swift - mainly SW
  • 1 Goldcrest - singing Hawthorn Field
  • 1 Bearded Tit - male cell 3a
  • 11 Long-tailed Tit
  • 1 Skylark - Central Grassland
  • 80 Sand Martin
  • 7 Swallow
  • 10 House Martin
  • 7 Cetti's Warbler
  • 21 Chiffchaff
  • 15 Willow Warbler
  • 18 Blackcap
  • 1 Garden Warbler - Iron Bridge
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - main car park
  • 10 Common Whitethroat
  • 7 Sedge Warbler
  • 19 Reed Warbler
  • 3 Song Thrush
  • 1 Pied Wagtail - Lagoon

Mick Bellas, Darren Wozencroft

Great Crested Grebe with Roach © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Great Crested Grebe with Roach © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Thursday 6th

  • Greylag Goose - 4 young from Hawthorn Bank
  • 5 Canada Goose - on Love Island with broods 7 and 3 goslings
  • 5 Shelduck - Huxter Well Marsh
  • Mallard – 4 young near Mitchell Hide
  • 2 Bittern
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh  Harrier - female hunting over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 2 Oystercatcher - adults on cell 2a but young not seen
  • 6 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Dunlin - Lagoon
  • Swift - good numbers
  • 1 Goldcrest - singing along Hawthorn Bank
  • Sand Martin - good numbers
  • Swallow - small numbers
  • House Martin - small numbers
  • 1 Nuthatch - collecting food in Black Carr Wood
  • 1 Treecreeper - feeding young in Black Carr Wood

Butterflies: 1 Orange-tip, 1 Green-veined White (Male), 2 White sp., 1 Small Copper, 1 Brimstone

Sue and Roger Bird, Lynda and Matthew Christou

Wednesday 5th

  • Pochard - a pair mating on Huxter Well Marsh
  • Oystercatcher - still with chicks on cell 2a
  • 1 Dunlin - Lagoon

Mark Roberts

Garganey © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Garganey © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Tuesday 4th

  • Mallard - broods of 6 and 1 cell 3a
  • 1 GARGANEY - male
  • 2 Shoveler
  • 3 Bittern - 2 booming and one seen in flight
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 3 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male hunting at Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 1 MERLIN - flew low over Huxter Well Marsh at lunchtime
  • 1 Water rail - calling at Old Eaa
  • 3 Oystercatcher - one with metal leg ring
  • 5 Dunlin - 2 W at 08:05hrs and 3 on cell 2a island
  • 2 Common Tern
  • 1 Swift
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • Blue tit and Great tit with eggs in nestboxes
  • 5 House Martin
  • 2 Lesser Whitethroat
  • 2 Pied Wagtail
  • 5 Lesser Redpoll

Dave Carroll, Darren Wozencroft, Derrick Evans, Andy Dalton

Arctic Terns © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Arctic Terns © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Swallows and a House Martin © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Swallows and a House Martin © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Monday 3rd

  • Greylag Geese - 7 young on Piper Marsh and 4 young near Mitchell Hide
  • 4 Shelduck
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 4 Shoveler - 3 males, 1 female
  • 2 Bittern - 3 sightings and booming
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Water Rail calling on Decoy Marsh
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 4 Oystercatcher - 2 adults and 2 juvs on cell 2a
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover - cell 1b
  • 1 Dunlin - over cell 1b at 12:10hrs
  • 5 small wader sp. - 3 N at 11:15hrs and two singles in the afternoon
  • 54 ARCTIC TERN - E at 14:25hrs
  • 3 Common Tern
  • 16 Swift
  • 30 Swallow
  • 6 House Martin
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - still in the Main Car Park
  • 3 Pied Wagtail - cell 1b
  • 1 Yellow Wagtail - cell 3b
  • c30 Lesser Redpoll - near Education centre
  • 2 Linnet - Central Grassland

Darren Wozencroft, Richard Scott, Sue and Roger Bird, Lynda Christou

Tawny Owl chick © Rebekah Beaumont 2021

Tawny Owl chick © Rebekah Beaumont 2021

Sunday 2nd

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 2 Shoveler
  • 2 Bittern - four sightings
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 1 Sparrowhawk - male
  • 2 Hobby - chasing hirundines over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape and cell 1b
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 2 Swift
  • 3 Bearded Tit
  • 1 Garden Warbler - Piper Track
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - Main Car Park
  • 7 Willow Warbler
  • 27 Lesser Redpoll - Education Centre

Butterflies: 1 Orange-tip

Odonata: 1 Red Damselfly

Ringing: 7 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackbird, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, retrap Cetti's Warbler and 4 Tawny Owl young

Darren Wozencroft, Rebekah Beaumont, Matthew and Lynda Christou, John Burdall

record shot of Sanderling © Richard Scott 2021

record shot of Sanderling © Richard Scott 2021

Saturday 1st

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 31 Teal - West Scrape
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female
  • 3 Bittern - one booming and 2 flying around together
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Hobby - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 4 Oystercatcher - 2 adults and 2 young
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover - cell 1b
  • 1 SANDERLING - cell 1b
  • Black-headed Gull - leucistic 2cy bird on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 5 Swift
  • 150 Sand Martin
  • 4 Swallow
  • 2 House Martin
  • 1 Treecreeper - singing in Young Eaa
  • 1 Yellow Wagtail - Lagoon

Richard Scott

April 2021

Friday 30th

  • 4 Shelduck
  • 3 Shoveler
  • 30 Teal - including 26 on West Scrape
  • 2 GARGANEY - male and female 
  • 2 Bittern - booming
  • 5 Little Egret - flew towards Low Ellers/Short Lane to roost in the evening
  • 2 Red Kite - NE at 12:00
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 1 Sparrowhawk - male
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 2 Hobby - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 2 Woodcock
  • 2 Common Tern
  • 1 Stock Dove - singing in Beeston Plantation
  • 1 Collared Dove - over VC
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 2 Swift
  • 3 Bearded Tit - male seen and 2 calling
  • 1 Skylark - singing
  • 11 Swallow - north
  • 2 House Martin - N
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 10 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 24 Chiffchaff - singing
  • 16 Willow Warbler - singing
  • 27 Blackcap - singing
  • 1 Garden Warbler - singing. The first for the year.
  • 1 Lesser Whitethroat - singing
  • 10 Whitethroat - singing
  • 8 Sedge Warbler - singing
  • 35 Reed Warbler - singing
  • 10 Song Thrush - singing
  • 3 Mistle Thrush - singing
  • 2 Treecreeper
  • 1 White Wagtail - Lagoon
  • 1 Yellow Wagtail - Lagoon

Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft, Sue Brook, Karl Dutton & Ian Richardson, Dave Carroll, Andy Dalton

Thursday 29th

  • 4 Shelduck
  • 35 Teal
  • Mallard - 5 chicks from Mitchell Hide
  • 2 Bittern - one booming and one sleeping in the reeds at West Scrape
  • 1 Marsh Harrier
  • 1 Peregrine - over Hawthorn Bank Hide at 2pm
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 4 Oystercatcher - adults with 2 chicks in front of Hawthorn Bank Hide
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover - cell 1b
  • 1 Common Tern - cell 2b
  • 2 Bearded Tit - male at cell 2b and one calling near Tofield Hide
  • Sand Martin - 300+ hirundines at Huxter Well Marsh until 3pm. Mainly Sand Martins but also a few House Martins and Swallows
  • 1 Mistle Thrush - singing
  • 1 Pied Wagtail

Richard Scott, Mick Bellas, Lynda Christou

Wednesday 28th

  • 4 Shelduck
  • 2 GARGANEY - pair on the Lagoon
  • 4 Oystercatcher - adults with 2 chicks on cell 2a
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover - cell 1b
  • 1 ARCTIC TERN - circled Huxter Well Marsh at 14.55
  • 2 Bittern - flying around Huxter Well Marsh together
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 1 RED KITE - flew low over Loversall Pool at 9.15
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 2 Kestrel - including a male carrying prey
  • 1 Hobby - flew north past Duchess Hide. The first for the year.
  • 100 Sand Martin - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Grasshopper Warbler - 'reeling' in Willow Marsh. The first for the year.
  • 1 Wheatear - male in front of Mitchell Hide

Buffer Area

  • 2 Lesser Whitethroat (the first for the year) and 30 Lesser Redpoll around the edge of Short Lane Fields

Richard Scott, Mark Roberts, Paul Paddock, Andy Dalton, Steve Cash, visitor reports

Tuesday 27th

  • 4 Shelduck
  • 31 Teal - West Scrape
  • 2 GARGANEY - pair on West Scrape at 09:00 relocated to Lagoon
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 8 Cormorant - including 6 east
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Little Ringed Plover - West Scrape
  • 1 WHIMBREL - NE at 08:40
  • 1 Greenshank
  • 22 Lesser Black-backed Gull (9 NE)
  • 1 Common Tern
  • 8 Swift
  • 30 Sand Martin
  • 10 Swallow
  • 2 House Martin
  • 2 Bearded Tit - male and female cell 3b
  • 5 Whitethroat
  • 4 Sedge Warbler
  • 15 Reed Warbler
  • 8 Willow Warbler
  • 1 Pied Wagtail
  • 1 Linnet
  • 30 Lesser Redpoll - around the Compound

Darren Wozencroft, Mark Roberts, Dave Carroll, Phil Goacher

Monday 26th

  • 1 HEN HARRIER - ringtail flew over
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape in the evening
  • 1 Green Sandpiper - West Scrape
  • 18 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 32 Sand Martin

Butterflies: 5 Orange-tip, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 9 White sp.

Darren Wozencroft, Mark Roberts, Lynda Christou, Michael Suddaby

Sunday 25th

  • 9 Shelduck - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 33 Teal - West Scrape
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 5 Little Egret - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 10 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel - male carrying prey
  • 1 Water Rail - calling near Mitchell Hide
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - Lagoon
  • 1 Common Sandpiper - cell 1b
  • 2 Mediterranean Gull - flew ENE (from iPort) and circled high over Rossington Carr Fields
  • 32 Herring Gull
  • 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 3 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Common Tern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Swift - feeding high over Huxter Well Marsh. The first for the year.
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling near Mitchell Hide
  • 100 Sand Martin - feeding high over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Swallow - north through Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 House Martin - over Huxter Well Marsh. The first for the year.
  • 1 Treecreeper - singing in Young Eaa
  • 1 Pied Wagtail

Richard Scott

Saturday 24th

  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Skylark - both singing over Central Grassland
  • 1 Yellow Wagtail - East

Allen Holmes

Friday 23rd

  • Greylag Goose - 4 broods of 6, 5, 5 and 4 on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Shelduck - pair on cell 1b
  • 4 Shoveler - 2 pair on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 30 Teal - West Scrape
  • 1 Bittern - booming Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Little Egret - East Scrape
  • 1 Sparrowhawk - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 5 Buzzard - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Peregrine - over Old Eaa at 11.45
  • 100+ Black-headed Gull - cell 2b
  • 4 Stock Dove - 2 over Huxter Well Marsh and 2 next to the owl box from St Caths Hide
  • 2 Bearded Tit - near Mitchell Hide
  • 1 Sand Martin - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Sedge Warbler
  • 8 Reed Warbler - singing on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Goldcrest - singing in St Catherine's Copse
  • 1 Treecreeper - Black Carr Wood
  • 2 Song Thrush - along the path near the main carpark
  • 4 Bullfinch - 2 pairs

Butterflies: 7 Brimstone, 7 Small White, 20 Green-veined White, 14 white sp., 33 Orange Tip, 26 Peacock, 7 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Comma, 5 Speckled Wood.

Odonata : 2 Large Red Damselfly

Mammals: grey squirrel, wood mouse, bank vole

Buffer Area

  • 1 Whitethroat singing on Short Lane Fields

Sue Brook, Sue and Roger Bird, Darren Wozencroft, Matthew Christou

Thursday 22nd

  • 2 Snipe - Loversall Carr

Other: smooth newt, green-veined white, orange tip, peacock, small copper, and a grass snake

Jim Horsfall

Willow Tit © Paul Paddock 2021

Willow Tit © Paul Paddock 2021

Wednesday 21st

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 28 Teal - West Scrape
  • 1 GARGANEY - drake flew onto the Lagoon early morning
  • 2 Pochard - pair on Decoy Lake
  • 1 Bittern - booming and seen in flight
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 2 Grey Heron
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel - male on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Lapwing - Decoy Lake
  • 1 Curlew - flew over at 06.02
  • 2 Ringed Plover - over
  • 1 Snipe
  • 2 Herring Gull - pair on cell 2a island
  • 3 Stock Dove - one singing in Young Eaa and 2 over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Willow Tit
  • 3 Bearded Tit - calling at cell 2b
  • 130 Sand Martin - feeding low over Huxter Well Marsh early morning
  • 6 Swallow - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 8 Cetti’s Warbler - singing around the reserve
  • 18+ Chiffchaff
  • 10 Willow Warbler
  • 1 Sedge Warbler - singing from cell 3a
  • 6 Reed Warbler
  • 2 Yellow Wagtail - north-west. The first for the year.
  • 1 Meadow Pipit - Central Grassland
  • 1 Greenfinch

Mammals: 1 Bank Vole

Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft, Paul Paddock, Dave Carroll

Tuesday 20th

  • 1 GARGANEY - drake on the Lagoon
  • 1 Bittern - seen & heard booming
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Jay
  • 4 Willow warbler
  • 1 Reed Warbler - West Scrape

Buffer Area - Stoven's Plantation

  • 1 Nuthatch feeding calling and then flying over the railway, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Willow Warbler singing on Gladstone's fields

Gary Dyson, Sue and Roger Bird

Great Crested Grebe © Allen Holmes 2021

Great Crested Grebe © Allen Holmes 2021

Ringed Plovers © Allen Holmes 2021

Ringed Plovers © Allen Holmes 2021

Monday 19th

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 1 GARGANEY - drake on the Lagoon 
  • 2 Bittern - booming
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 3 Marsh Harrier - male, female and cc
  • 1 Red Kite - over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 7 Buzzard
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Kestrel - male at VC
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 6 Lapwing
  • 3 Ringed Plover
  • 1 Snipe - East Scrape
  • 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Common Tern
  • 2 Goldcrest - singing birds in Triangle Plantation  and behind Education Centre
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 2 Willow Tit
  • 2 Bearded Tit - pair at East Scrape
  • 18 Sand Martin
  • 14 Cetti's Warbler
  • 38 Chiffchaff
  • 11 Willow Warbler
  • 29 Blackcap
  • 3 Whitethroat
  • 2 Reed Warbler
  • 3 Treecreeper - incl 2 singing 
  • 1 Mistle Thrush
  • 1 Wheatear - male on the bund between cells 3a/3b
  • 1 Stonechat - female on the bund between cells 3a/3b
  • 1 Greenfinch

Butterflies : 5 Brimstone, 9 Green-veined White, 2 Small White, 6 white sp., 19 Orange Tip, 23 Peacock, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Comma, 3 Speckled Wood.

Other: 1 Grass Snake

Allen Holmes, Sue and Roger Bird, Darren Wozencroft, Matthew Christou, visitor reports

Wheatear © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Wheatear © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

male Orange Tip © Lynda Christou 2021

male Orange Tip © Lynda Christou 2021

Song Thrush © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Song Thrush © Adrian Andruchiw 2021

Sunday 18th

  • 4 Wigeon - 2 pairs on cell 2a
  • 2 Bittern - both booming
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - pair displaying
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 2 Water Rail
  • 4 Avocet- West Scrape
  • 4 Lapwing
  • 1 Common Sandpiper - on the thin strip of mud at the back of cell 1b. The first for the year.
  • 2 Redshank
  • 1 Coal Tit - singing
  • 2 Bearded Tit - from Hawthorn Bank Hide
  • 2 Skylark
  • 9 Sand Martin
  • 11 Cetti's Warbler
  • 1 Reed Warbler
  • 1 Mistle Thrush - singing on Hawthorn Bank
  • 1 Wheatear - male on Central Grassland close to East Scrape Screen. The first for the year.
  • 1 Meadow Pipit

Richard Scott, Adrian Andruchiw, Gary Dyson, Lynda Christou
 

Chiffchaff © Allen Holmes 2021

Chiffchaff © Allen Holmes 2021

Saturday 17th

  • 1 Egyptian Goose - cell 1b
  • 5 Shelduck
  • Mallard - 6 small young on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 3 Marsh Harrier - male, female and a dark cc
  • 3 Sparrowhawk 
  • 10 Buzzard
  • 2 Kestrel
  • 3 Water Rail
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 4 Oystercatcher - over
  • 5 Lapwing
  • 1 Curlew - on cell 1b in the morning
  • 1 Redshank - West Scrape
  • 2 Snipe - Decoy Lake
  • 1 Mediterranean Gull - adult flew over Huxter Well Marsh towards the iPort Lakes
  • 2 Stock Dove
  • 2 Bearded Tit - male and female near Mitchell Hide 
  • 3 Skylark
  • 5 Sand Martin
  • 9 Willow Warbler
  • 1 Whitethroat - Big Hedge
  • 1 Sedge Warbler
  • 1 Reed Warbler - singing at West Scrape. The first for the year.

Butterflies: 2 Brimstone, 9 Orange Tip, 2 Green-veined White, 10 Peacock, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma

Amphibians: male Smooth Newt, Common Frog

Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft, Lynda Christou, visitor reports

Friday 16th

  • 1 GARGANEY - drake seen on cell 2a and the Lagoon
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Great White Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 4 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Snipe - cell 2a
  • 1 Stock Dove - checking out a nest box
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling in front of Hawthorn Bank Hide
  • 7 Willow Warbler
  • 1 Treecreeper - singing
  • 1 Mistle Thrush - singing

Buffer Area

  • 1 Whitethroat at Carr Lodge

Richard Scott, Gary Dyson, Andy Dalton

Thursday 15th

  • 1 Cormorant
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 1 Grey Heron
  • 3 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Water Rail - calling
  • 6 Avocet
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Jay

Butterflies: 12 Orange tip, 1 Speckled wood, 3 Peacock, 3 White sp, 1 Brimstone, 1 Comma

Mammals: 1 Bank Vole
 
Lynda and Matthew Christou

Cuckooflower © Martin Warne 2021

Cuckooflower © Martin Warne 2021

female Orange Tip © Martin Warne 2021

female Orange Tip © Martin Warne 2021

Kestrel © David Shaw 2021

Kestrel © David Shaw 2021

Wednesday 14th

  • Greylag Goose - the first young were seen at Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Shelduck
  • 2 Bittern - booming
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret - cell 1b
  • 3 Grey Heron
  • 4 Marsh Harrier
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 10 Buzzard
  • 2 Kestrel
  • 6 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 77 Herring Gull
  • 61 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Green Woodpecker
  • 6 Jay
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 53 Sand Martin
  • 7 Cetti's Warbler
  • 3+ Willow Warbler
  • 1 Whitethroat - Central Grassland Scrub. The first for the year.
  • 1 Sedge Warbler - Huxter Well Marsh. The first for the year.
  • 1 Treecreeper

Mammals: Wood Mouse, American Mink, Bank Vole

Butterflies: 5 Green-veined White, 4 Orange Tip, 7 Peacock, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Speckled Wood

Mark Roberts, Ray Harrison, David Shaw, Martin Warne, Darren Wozencroft, Lynda Christou, Richard Scott, Paul Paddock

Tuesday 13th

  • 2 Wigeon
  • 1 GARGANEY - drake on the Lagoon
  • 64 Shoveler
  • 16 Pochard
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret - seen from Mitchell Hide
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - female
  • 6 Buzzard
  • 2+ Willow Tit

Phil Goacher, Gary Dyson

male Marsh Harrier © Allen Holmes 2021

male Marsh Harrier © Allen Holmes 2021

Monday 12th

  • 1 GARGANEY - drake on the Lagoon
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Great White Egret - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - female
  • 2+ Willow Tit
  • 3 Willow Warbler
  • 4 Lesser Redpoll - Black Carr Wood

Gary Dyson, Mark Roberts

female Blackcap © Barry Wardley 2021

female Blackcap © Barry Wardley 2021

Garganey © Richard Scott 2021

Garganey © Richard Scott 2021

Sunday 11th

  • 1 GARGANEY - drake on the Lagoon
  • 2 Bittern - one booming and one seen in flight
  • 1 Great White Egret
  • 7 Little Egret
  • 1 RED KITE
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 4 Sparrowhawk
  • 8 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 2 Water Rail
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 3 Lapwing
  • 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull - on cell 1b during the afternoon
  • 80 Herring Gull - on cell 1b during the afternoon
  • 21 Great Black-backed Gull - on cell 1b during the afternoon
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 2 Goldcrest - singing on Loversall Bank and Hawthorn Field
  • 67 Sand Martin
  • 7 Swallow
  • 2 Willow Warbler
  • 2 Treereeper
  • 2 Linnet
  • 6 Lesser Redpoll

Butterflies: 1 Peacock, 1 White sp.

Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft, Ray Harrison, Sue and Roger Bird, Mark Roberts, Allen Holmes

Long-tailed Tit © Richard Scott 2021

Long-tailed Tit © Richard Scott 2021

Saturday 10th

  • 8 WHOOPER SWAN - seen distantly from Hawthorn Bank Hide heading N or NW at 11.10
  • 1 GARGANEY - drake on Huxter Well Marsh all day but mobile
  • 2+ Bittern - 2 booming and one seen in flight
  • 1 Great White Egret - cell 1b
  • 9 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 4 Water Rail
  • 1 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - arrived from the east and flew around Huxter Well Marsh calling, before heading towards iPort
  • 4 Snipe
  • 2 Mediterranean Gull - adults with a small group of black-headed gulls over Huxter Well Marsh before heading towards iPort
  • 1 Stock Dove
  • 1 Raven - landed in a tree at Seven Arches Carr
  • 1 Coal Tit - singing
  • 4 Skylark
  • 1 Bearded Tit
  • 54 Sand Martin - mostly passing through but some over Huxter Well Marsh while it was snowing!
  • 4 Swallow
  • 1 Willow Warbler
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 5 Lesser Redpoll
  • 1 Siskin

Richard Scott

Friday 9th

  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Great White Egret 
  • 9 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and cc
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 2 Water Rail - calling
  • 1 Snipe
  • 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull - light passage
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 2 Coal Tit
  • 1 Skylark
  • 12 Sand Martin - (8-SW)
  • 1 Swallow - west
  • 13 Cetti's Warbler
  • 39 Chiffchaff
  • 2 Willow Warbler
  • 19 Blackcap
  • 3 Song Thrush
  • 9 Lesser Redpoll

Butterflies: female Orange Tip and a Speckled Wood

Buffer Area - Stoven's Plantation

  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch

Darren Wozencroft, Sue and Roger Bird

Cowslip © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Cowslip © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Thursday 8th

  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 11 Little Egret - cell 1b
  • 1 Great White Egret - cell 3b
  • 1 Grey Heron
  • 3 Buzzard
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Little Ringed Plover - west over Huxter Well Marsh. The first for the year.
  • 1 Green Sandpiper - cell 2a
  • 6 Sand Martin
  • 1 Willow Warbler - near Mitchell Hide
  • 7 Blackcap

Butterflies: 1 Orange Tip, 1 Peacock

Darren Wozencroft

Wednesday 7th

  • 14 Shelduck
  • 4 Wigeon - 2 males and 2 females on cell 2a
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 8 Little Egret - cell 1b
  • 1 Great White Egret - cell 1b
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Snipe - cell 2a
  • (150 large gulls - cell 1b)
  • 2 Willow Tit
  • 9 Blackcap
  • 2 Treecreeper
  • 4 Song Thrush
  • 1 Pied Wagtail
  • 20 Lesser Redpoll

Darren Wozencroft, Paul Paddock, visitor reports

Tuesday 6th

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 3 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 1 Oystercatcher

Lynda Christou

Monday 5th

  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Little Egret - cell 1b
  • 1 Great White Egret - cell 1b
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - male
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Redshank
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 22 Sand Martin
  • 2 Swallow
  • 1 Treecreeper - singing
  • 2 Fieldfare
  • 3 Lesser Redpoll

Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft, Lynda Christou

Bank Vole © Allen Holmes 2021

Bank Vole © Allen Holmes 2021

Sunday 4th

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 85 Gadwall
  • 56 Teal
  • 14 Mallard
  • 150 Shoveler
  • 19 Pochard
  • 48 Tufted Duck
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 15 Little Grebe
  • 3 Great Crested Grebe
  • 3 Marsh Harrier - male, female and cc
  • 4 Sparrowhawk
  • 10+ Buzzard
  • 2 Kestrel - male and female
  • 1 Peregrine - east
  • 6 Water Rail
  • 8 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Snipe
  • 1 Common Tern - flew by the VC at 12.45. The first for the year
  • 15 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 8 Herring Gull
  • 41 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 4 Stock Dove
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 7 Jay - all in the same tree at Seven Arches Carr
  • 2 Skylark
  • 118 Sand Martin - 63 through and 55 present late afternoon
  • 2 Swallow - through
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 11 Fieldfare - SW
  • 1 Meadow Pipit
  • 2 Lesser Redpoll - over

Butterflies: 4 Peacock, 2 Comma, 1 Orange Tip

Mammals: 1 Bank Vole

Buffer Area

  • Short Lane Fields: Cetti's Warbler singing
  • Gladstone's Fields: 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Song Thrush

Richard Scott, John Burdall, Andy Dalton, Darren Wozencroft, Lynda Christou, Sue and Roger Bird, visitor reports

Dark-edged Bee-fly © Allen Holmes 2021

Dark-edged Bee-fly © Allen Holmes 2021

Saturday 3rd

  • 4 Water Rail
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Snipe
  • 2 Bittern - booming
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 10 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 2 Jay
  • 3 Skylark
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling
  • 67 Sand Martin - flew through during the morning
  • 2 Linnet - south
  • 60 Lesser Redpoll - Seven Arches Carr/Piper Marsh Scrub

Ringing: 6 Chiffchaff and 1 retrap youngster from last year, 3 Blackcap, 3 Long-tailed and 1 retrap, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Dunnock, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 retrap Blue Tit

Buffer Area

  • Willow Warbler singing at Gladstone's Fields and a Nuthatch in Stoven's Plantation

Richard Scott, Lynda Christou, Allen Holmes, Rebekah Beaumont, Sue and Roger Bird

Great White Egret © Paul Paddock 2021

Great White Egret © Paul Paddock 2021

Dace © Paul Paddock 2021

Dace © Paul Paddock 2021

Friday 2nd

  • 13 Shelduck
  • 2 Bittern
  • 5 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and female
  • 4 Sparrowhawk
  • 10 Buzzard
  • 5 Water Rail
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 3 Redshank - West Scrape
  • 1 Snipe
  • 3 Stock Dove
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 1 Bearded Tit
  • 1 Skylark
  • 74 Sand Martin - through, including a flock of 39 flying east
  • 2 Swallow - the first for the year
  • 9 Cetti's Warbler
  • 29 Common Chiffchaff
  • 12 Blackcap
  • 80 Fieldfare - flew north in a single flock
  • 1 Lesser Redpoll

Butterflies: 2 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma

Richard Scott, Darren Wozencroft, Gary Dyson, Lynda Christou

Greylag Goose © Lynda Christou 2021

Greylag Goose © Lynda Christou 2021

Thursday 1st

  • 6 WHOOPER SWAN - on the Lagoon early morning departed north at 09.05
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - pair displaying
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 2 Avocet - West Scrape
  • 2 Oystercatcher - cell 2a
  • 100 Sand Martin - present early evening

Mark Roberts, Lynda Christou

March 2021

male Reed Bunting © Richard Scott 2021

male Reed Bunting © Richard Scott 2021

Wednesday 31st

  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret
  • 2 Grey Heron
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - male and cc
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 3 Buzzard
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 4 Lapwing
  • 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 1 LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER
  • 1 Raven - SW
  • 1 Rook - SW
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 3 Bearded Tit - calling
  • 10 Cetti's Warbler
  • 1 Willow Warbler - near VC. The first for the year.
  • 33 Chiffchaff
  • 6 Blackcap
  • 2 Song Thrush

Butterflies: 5 Brimstone, 3 Orange Tip, 26 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Comma

Darren Wozencroft, Lynda Christou, visitor reports

male Marsh Harrier © Richard Scott 2021

male Marsh Harrier © Richard Scott 2021

Great White Egret © Barry Wardley 2021

Great White Egret © Barry Wardley 2021

Tuesday 30th

  • 2 Shelduck
  • 2+ Bittern - two booming and one seen
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret - on Piper Marsh in the morning
  • 3 Marsh Harrier - including a displaying male
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 16 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Peregrine
  • 4 Water Rail
  • 3 Avocet - up to 3 birds on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Oystercatcher - cell 1b
  • 1 Curlew - flew in from the east at 10.40 landing on cell 1b. Departed east at 10.55
  • 2 Ringed Plover - circled Huxter Well Marsh at 11.20
  • 1 Redshank - flew over Huxter Well Marsh. The first for the year
  • 9 Snipe - 8 on Decoy Lake early morning and one on cell 1b
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 1 Coal Tit - singing at Black Carr Field
  • 3 Bearded Tit
  • 1 Skylark - singing over Central Grassland
  • 56 Sand Martin - 6 through during the day and 50 present early evening
  • 14 Cetti's Warbler - possibly a record count
  • 28 Chiffchaff - a big increase in numbers
  • 7 Blackcap - the first for the year
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 1 Meadow Pipit - over
  • 1 Greenfinch - south

Butterflies: 17 Peacock, 3 comma, Brimstones, Small Tortoiseshells

Richard Scott, Phil Goucher, Mark Roberts, Gary Dyson, Barry Wardley, Lynda Christou, Martin Kaye, visitor reports

Comma © Lynda Christou 2021

Comma © Lynda Christou 2021

Peacock Butterfly © Lynda Christou 2021

Peacock Butterfly © Lynda Christou 2021

Monday 29th

  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 RED KITE - flew over Hawthorn Field at 07:45
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - pair displaying

Butterflies: 18 Peacock, 4 Comma, 2 Brimstone, 2 whites

Moths: 3 Orange Underwing

Mark Roberts, Lynda Christou, Ian Heppenstall

Sunday 28th

  • 18 Canada Geese - north
  • 4 Shelduck
  • 2 Bittern - one booming and one in flight
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 6 Sparrowhawk - 4 up together over Piper Marsh and 2 over Beeston Plantation
  • 6 Buzzard
  • 2 Kestrel
  • 1 Peregrine - west high over Piper Marsh
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 1 Oystercatcher - Lagoon
  • 5 Snipe - Central Grassland
  • 1 ICELAND GULL - 2cy dropped onto cell 1b at 10.50 and then flew NW at 11.08. This bird was tracked as it flew north-west through the district. It had been seen flying over Slaynes Lane, Misson at 10.30 and was spotted at Cusworth about 15 mins after leaving Potteric.
  • 5 Stock Dove
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 2 Raven - circled high over Rossington Carr Fields before heading off south
  • 2 Goldcrest - one of which was singing
  • 1 Skylark
  • 33 Sand Martin
  • 6 Cetti's Warbler
  • 11 Chiffchaff
  • 2 Redwing

Saturday 27th

  • 7 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 7 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 3 Water Rail
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 3 Lapwing
  • 3 Stock Dove
  • 50 Jackdaw
  • 2 Raven - Loversall Carr Fields
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 1 Skylark
  • 39 Sand Martin
  • 9 Cetti's Warbler
  • 18 Chiffchaff
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 5 Song Thrush
  • 1 Pied Wagtail
  • 1 Meadow Pipit

Friday 26th

  • 14 Shelduck
  • 113 Shoveler
  • 1 Bittern - booming from Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 3 Lapwing
  • 44 Sand Martin
  • 5 Chiffchaff
  • 1 Treecreeper

Thursday 25th

  • 1 Bittern - booming on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Little Egret - Huxter Well Marsh. A Marsh Harrier half attempted to catch one but it got away
  • 1 Sparrowhawk -  Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - cc over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 3 Buzzard  2 perched on oak in Willow Marsh and one on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Oystercatcher - on island on cell 2a
  • 3 Avocet
  • 1 Curlew - flew east in the morning
  • 2 Jay - Willow Marsh
  • 3 Coal Tit - singing 2 along Willow Bank and one in Blackcarr Field
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 6 Chiffchaff - singing
  • 2 Goldcrest - singing
  • Lesser Redpoll - heard over the tree tops
  • 2 Siskin - calling St Caths Copse

Wednesday 24th

  • 8 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 1 Water Rail - calling
  • 1 Woodcock
  • 20 Snipe - near the VC
  • 150 Black-headed Gull
  • 1 Mediterranean Gull - adult in the roost cell 1b
  • 8 Common Gull - roost
  • 15 Lesser Black-backed Gull - roost
  • 95 Herring Gull
  • 8 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Kingfisher
  • 2 Sand Martin
  • 3 Cetti's Warbler
  • 2 Chiffchaff
  • 2 Song Thrush
  • 18 Redwing
  • 8 Bullfinch - 4 pairs
  • 20 Lesser Redpoll

Butterflies: 2 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell

Tuesday 23rd

  • 13 Shelduck - 11 at Huxter Well Marsh and a pair on Old Eaa
  • 1+ Bittern - booming
  • 1 Great White Egret - Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 2 Sparrowhawk - together over Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 1 Water Rail - calling on the Lagoon
  • 4 Lapwing - on cell 2a
  • 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull - on cell 2a island
  • 3 Kingfisher -  Mother Drain
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - calling on Loversall Bank
  • 1 Goldcrest - singing in St Caths Copse
  • 2 Willow Tit
  • 1 Sand Martin - east from Cottage Drain Hide 
  • 2 Cetti's Warbler singing
  • 7 Chiffchaff - singing 
  • 2 Song Thrush - Loversall Bank
  • 6 Bullfinch - 3 pairs along Cottage Drain 
  • 15 Lesser Redpoll -  Loversall Bank 
  • 1 Reed Bunting - cell 2a

Butterflies: 1 Peacock

Monday 22nd

  • 1 Kingfisher

Butterflies: 3 Peacock and 3+ Comma

Sunday 21st

  • 10 Shelduck
  • 120 Shoveler
  • 57 Gadwall
  • 51 Teal
  • 35 Mallard
  • 26 Pochard
  • 52 Tufted Duck
  • 1 Pochard x Tufted Duck (hybrid)
  • 1 Grey Partridge - one calling from Huxter Well Marsh. A rare bird on the reserve and in an unusual location.
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 7 Little Egret
  • 16 Little Grebe
  • 8 Great Crested Grebe
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 2 Sparrowhawk - displaying
  • 11 Buzzard
  • 1 ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD - photographed over Mitchell Hide at 10.30 as it drifted WNW. This is a new species for the reserve. Subject to acceptance by the YNU.
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 6 Water Rail
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 12 Lapwing
  • 2 Snipe
  • 3 Common Gull
  • 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 4 Herring Gull
  • 1 KITTIWAKE - adult lifted from cell 1b circled, gaining height and disappeared from view at 13.39. Watched from West Scrape Hide
  • 1 Stock Dove - singing
  • 1 Green Woodpecker
  • 4 Jay
  • 1 Goldcrest - singing
  • 1 Coal Tit - singing in Black Carr field
  • Long-tailed Tit - very active across the reserve
  • 1 Bearded Tit
  • 5 Skylark - 3 on Central Grassland and 2 NE
  • 2 Sand Martin
  • 9 Chiffchaff
  • 8 Cetti's Warbler
  • 2 Song Thrush singing 
  • 58 Meadow Pipit - north
  • 6 Bullfinch
  • 14 Lesser Redpoll
  • 8 Goldfinch - north
  • 6 Siskin

Butterflies: 2 Peacock, 2 Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoishell and a Speckled Wood

Saturday 20th

  • 8 Shelduck
  • Teal - pair copulating
  • 1 Pochard x Tufted Duck (hybrid)
  • 2 Bittern
  • 9 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 8 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 3 Water Rail
  • 3 Avocet
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Woodcock
  • 4 Snipe
  • 2 Common Gull
  • 1 Stock Dove
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 2 Jay
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 1 Skylark
  • 7 Cetti's Warbler
  • 13 Chiffchaff
  • 2 Treecreeper
  • 1 Mistle Thrush
  • 2 Lesser Redpoll
  • 6 Siskin

Friday 19th

BufferArea

  • 50-60 Wigeon at Carr Lodge

Thursday 18th

  • 2 Shelduck - pair on Old Eaa 
  • 1 Bittern - booming 
  • 1 Great White Egret - on Huxter Well Marsh then flew to Piper Marsh
  • 2 Little Egret - Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - female hunting on Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 1 Buzzard - over Black Carr Wood 
  • 1 Water Rail - calling on the Lagoon 
  • 2 Oystercatcher - flew over Loversal Bank 
  • 1 Sand Martin - over Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 1 Goldcrest - Loversall Bank 
  • 3 Chiffchaff
  • 1 Cetti's Warbler - singing in the Lagoon
  • 1 Song Thrush - Loversall Delph
  • Lesser Redpoll - small numbers calling over the treetops
  • Siskin - small numbers calling over the treetops

Butterflies: 1 Peacock

Wednesday 17th

  • 5 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 8 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret - on Piper Marsh late afternoon. It flew over Old Eaa with 8 Little Egrets towards Low Ellers
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 1 Woodcock - calling at dusk
  • 14 Snipe on the island on Decoy Lake first thing
  • 3 Common Gull
  • 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 65 Herring Gull
  • 8 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 5 Stock Dove
  • 4 Jay
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 2 Willow Tit - one singing
  • 4 Sand Martin - feeding over West Scrape late afternoon
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler
  • 6+ Chiffchaff
  • 7 Redwing
  • 4 Linnet - over

Butterflies: 3 Brimstone, 1 Comma

Tuesday 16th

  • 3 Marsh Harrier
  • 6 Buzzard
  • 1 Water Rail - calling in the Reedbed Filtration Ponds 
  • 23 Snipe - flew from Decoy Lake
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 2 Goldcrest - behind the Education Centre 
  • 1 Cetti's Warbler - singing in the Reedbed Filtration Ponds 
  • 5+ Chiffchaff
  • 4 Bullfinch - near Visitor Centre 
  • 2 Lesser Redpoll - along the path near Decoy Lake

Butterflies: 1 Brimstone, 2 Peacock Butterfly

Monday 15th

  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Oystercatcher over Hawthorn Bank
  • 2 Herring Gull - mobbing a Buzzard over Decoy Lake
  • 2 Jay
  • 3 Goldcrest singing
  • 1 Willow Tit - singing
  • 3 Cetti’s Warbler - singing
  • 3 Chiffchaff - singing
  • 2 Song Thrush

Sunday 14th

  • 11 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern - booming and seen in flight
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 3 Marsh Harrier - cream-crowns
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 6 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Snipe
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 2 Goldcrest - one singing
  • 1 Coal Tit - singing
  • 1 Willow Tit - singing
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling at Huxter Well Marsh
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler
  • 6+ Chiffchaff
  • 2 Grey Wagtail - singles NW and W
  • 1 Siskin

Saturday 13th

  • 16 Shelduck
  • 35 Teal
  • 82 Shoveler
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 1 Peregrine - male flew west over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 1 KITTIWAKE - adult in winter plumage circled over the Lagoon and cell 1b for 5 mins without landing, then departed north at 08.05
  • 1 CASPIAN GULL - 2cy on cell 1b mid-morning
  • 1 Skylark
  • 1 Treecreeper - singing
  • 1 Song Thrush
  • 10 Redwing
  • 5 Lesser Redpoll

Friday 12th

  • 12 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 6 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 3 Buzzard
  • 3 Lapwing 
  • 1 Snipe
  • 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull - 5 ads
  • 3 Great Black-backed Gull - 2CY's
  • 1 Collared Dove - flying over Piper Marsh/Black Carr Wood
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 10 Redwing - western boundary
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler
  • 3 Chiffchaff
  • 5 Lesser Redpoll - Hawthorn Bank

Thursday 11th

  • 6 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 8 Buzzard
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 15 Snipe - including 13 in a tight flock over Decoy Marsh which departed west
  • 2 Stock Dove
  • 1 Raven - 4 sightings from Hawthorn Bank Hide
  • 3 Chiffchaff
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 4 Lesser Redpoll

Wednesday 10th

  • 13 Mute Swan - cell 1b and 3b
  • 8 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 3 Sparrowhawk - 2f,1m hunting and sparring low over H/well   (seen together at one point)
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Goldcrest - Access Track
  • 5 Cetti's warbler - singing
  • 1 Chiffchaff - calling Access Track
  • 2 Redwing
  • 1 Song Thrush
  • 2 Pied Wagtail - south
  • 5 Goldfinch

Tuesday 9th

  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc perched in Huxter Well Marsh
  • c10 Buzzard
  • 2 Peregrine - up over the compound with the Buzzards
  • 2 Oystercatcher - flew from Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER - seen and heard calling
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 1 Goldcrest - along Hawthorn Bank
  • 4 Chiffchaff
  • 3 Cetti's Warbler - heard from Hawthorn Bank
  • 1 Treecreeper

Monday 8th

  • 4 Shelduck
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 2 Jays
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 107 Redwing - 7 at entrance and c100 foraging at edge of Black Carr Field
  • 1 Bullfinch

Sunday 7th

  • 21 Mute Swan
  • 10 Shelduck
  • 92 Shoveler
  • 94 Teal
  • 27 Pochard
  • 40 Tufted Duck
  • 5 Water Rail
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 1+ Bittern - booming and seen
  • 1 Great White Egret - Piper Marsh
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 4 Grey Heron
  • 3 Marsh Harrier - all were cream-crowns
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 5 Buzzard
  • 20 Lapwing
  • 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 2 Kingfisher
  • 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 4 Jay
  • 2 Kestrel
  • 2 Coal Tit
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 1 Skylark
  • 6 Chiffchaff
  • 9 Cetti's Warbler
  • 20 Long-tailed Tit - including 3 pairs nest-building
  • 3 Goldcrest
  • 5 Treecreeper
  • 4 Song Thrush
  • 2 Redwing
  • 3 Greenfinch
  • 14 Lesser Redpoll
  • 21 Siskin
  • 5 Reed Bunting - Willow Pool feeders (4m,1f)
  • 1 Yellowhammer - male perched in a tree along the Access Track

Saturday 6th

  • 9 Shelduck
  • 115 Shoveler
  • 2 Bittern
  • 6 Little Egret
  • 5 Great Crested Grebe
  • 2 Marsh Harrier
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 8 Buzzard
  • 2 Kestrel
  • 3 Water Rail
  • 2 Avocet
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 25 Lapwing
  • 1 Curlew
  • 8 Snipe
  • 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 4 Stock Dove
  • 1 Kingfisher
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 8 Goldcrest
  • 3 Coal Tit
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 3 Chiffchaff
  • 3 Treecreeper
  • 8 Song Thrush
  • 22 Redwing
  • 3 Lesser Redpoll
  • 5 Siskin
  • 1+ Yellowhammer - at least one along the Access Track. A rare sighting on the reserve.
  • 3 Reed Bunting

Friday 5th

  • 6 Shelduck - 4 Huxter Well Marsh and 2 on Old Eaa
  • 1 Bittern - booming (visitors reported booming on Wednesday and Thursday)
  • 1 Sparrowhawk - over Decoy Lake 
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - female hunting over Huxter Well Marsh 
  • 1 Buzzard - over Huxter Well Marsh perched in the dead Oak and the Marsh Harrier kept buzzing it
  • 1 Kestrel - over Piper Marsh
  • 2 Water Rail - Decoy Marsh and West Scrape 
  • 2 Common Gull - West Scrape 
  • 1 Great Black-backed Gull - on 1b
  • 2 Jay -  Beeston Plantation 
  • 3 Willow Tit 
  • 2 Cetti's Warbler - singing 
  • 2 Chiffchaff - one near Decoy  Marsh hide and West Scrape
  • 2 Goldcrest - along Piper Marsh path 
  • 2 Treecreeper - one along Access Track (R Leach) one in Black Carr Wood 
  • 6 Redwing - Piper Marsh Scrub 
  • 4 Bullfinch
  • 6 Lesser Redpoll 
  • 2 Siskin - Black Carr Wood 

Thursday 4th

  • 1 Bittern - booming

Wednesday 3rd

  • 9 Shelduck
  • 6 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Bittern - booming
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Oystercatcher - cell 2a
  • 45 Lapwing - cell 2a
  • 1 Black-tailed Godwit - cell 2a
  • 14 Snipe - 8 on island outside visitor centre, 5 on Decoy, one on cell 2a
  • 1 Barn Owl - Cottage Drain
  • 1 Jay
  • 2 Coal Tit
  • 2 Willow Tit
  • 2 Bearded Tit - cell 3b
  • 3 Chiffchaff - calling around H/Well
  • 3 Redwing

Tuesday 2nd

  • 1 Bittern - booming

February 2021

Sunday 28th

  • 2 Water Rail - calling at West Scrape
  • 2 Willow Tit

Saturday 27th

  • 9 Shelduck
  • 15 Wigeon
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 10 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 6 Buzzard
  • 3 Water Rail
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 1 Snipe
  • 7 Common Gull
  • 6 Goldcrest
  • 3 Coal Tit
  • 3 Willow Tit
  • 5 Skylark
  • 6 Cetti's Warbler - singing 
  • 3 Chiffchaff - St Caths Copse, Big Hedge and Piper Marsh Track
  • 6 Treecreeper
  • 2 Song Thrush
  • 1 Redwing
  • 1 Pied Wagtail
  • 1 Meadow Pipit
  • 15 Lesser Redpoll
  • 3 Siskin - Piper Marsh path
  • 13 Reed Bunting

Friday 26th

  • 1 Chiffchaff - at the bridge over Mother Drain near the entrance

Thursday 25th

  • 2 Shelduck West Scrape
  • 1 BLACK-NECKED GREBE
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc at Piper Marsh
  • 2 Buzzard - over Black Carr Wood
  • 2 Kingfisher Mother Drain near Pumping station
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - Young Eaa
  • 5 Jay - Young Eaa and 4 Seven Arches Carr (very noisy)
  • 3 Cetti's Warbler
  • 1 Grey Wagtail - near Mother Drain, main entrance

Wednesday 24th

Butterflies: Brimstone in Loversall Carr Fields

Monday 22nd

  • 1 Oystercatcher - on the island on cell 2a
  • 1 Kingfisher - on Mother Drain from the underbridge.
  • 3 Snipe - Decoy Lake
  • 2+ Willow Tit - one heard singing and 2 seen together

Sunday 21st

  • 14 Shelduck
  • 13 Wigeon
  • 4 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - cc's
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 10 Water Rail - around the reserve
  • 2 Oystercatcher
  • 150 Lapwing
  • 1 Stock Dove
  • 1 Willow Tit - singing
  • 1 Bearded Tit - calling from cell 4
  • 7 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 9 Skylark - 5 NE, 2 W, 2 (1 singing) at Central Grassland
  • 1 Stonechat - female at Loversall Field
  • 3 Song Thrush - singing
  • 20 Redwing - St Caths Field

Saturday 20th

  • 18 Shelduck
  • 15 Wigeon - cell 2a
  • 2 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Bittern - between Mitchell and West Scrape Hides
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc around Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 3 Buzzard - one sparring with the harrier
  • 1 Oystercatcher
  • 85 Lapwing
  • 5 Snipe
  • 10 Common Gull
  • 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull - roost
  • 160 Herring Gull - roost (more gulls arriving after dark)
  • 1 ICELAND GULL - flew south through cell 1b at 11:00
  • 45 Great Black-backed Gull - roost
  • 5 Stock Dove
  • 2 Tawny Owl - calling from Childers Wood and Young Eaa after dark
  • 1 Kingfisher - Mother Drain
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 1 Raven - flew over West Scrape landing in Big Hedge briefly 11:20
  • 4 Goldcrest - including 3 singing birds
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 1 Willow Tit
  • 10 Skylark - some S and E
  • 6 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 2 Song Thrush
  • 30 Redwing
  • 2 Pied Wagtail
  • 3 Meadow Pipit
  • 7 Chaffinch
  • 7 Bullfinch
  • 1 Greenfinch
  • 10 Lesser Redpoll

Buffer Area

  • Bullfinch singing at Gladstones Fields

Thursday 18th

  • 3 Shelduck
  • 11 Wigeon - cell 2a
  • 74 Teal - cell 2a
  • 2 Red-crested Pochard - males on cell 1b
  • 8 Cormorant - cell 1b
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 6 Buzzard
  • 1 Peregrine
  • 1 Oystercatcher - cell 2a
  • 6 Snipe - Central Grassland
  • 1 CASPIAN GULL - 2cy in the roost
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 1 Tawny Owl
  • 1 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 2 Goldcrest - St Catherine's Copse
  • 1 Treecreeper - St Catherine's Copse 
  • 2 Meadow Pipit - Central Grassland
  • 12 Redwing - St Catherine's Copse 
  • 3 Bullfinch - St Catherine's Copse 

Wednesday 17th

  • 3 Wigeon - cell 2a
  • 20 Mallard - Decoy Marsh
  • 7 Grey Heron - Loversall Carr Fields
  • 1 RED KITE - flying west over Huxter Well 16:25
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Water Rail - Willow Marsh
  • 1 Oystercatcher - cell 2a
  • 85 Lapwing
  • 1 Green Sandpiper - calling near Beeston Plantation
  • 1 Woodcock
  • 1 Snipe - Central Grassland
  • 650 Black-headed Gull
  • 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 350 Herring Gull
  • 65 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Tawny Owl - calling from Childers Wood
  • 6 Jackdaw - entrance gate/Sedum House
  • 1 Jay
  • 3 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 1 Treecreeper - Young Eaa
  • 2 Song Thrush - singing
  • 10 Lesser Redpoll - Access Track

Tuesday 16th

  • 1 Woodcock
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - Black Carr Wood 
  • 1 Cetti's Warbler - singing in East Scrape
  • 1 Skylark - singing heading north over entrance

Monday 15th

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - imm. male
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Woodcock
  • 10 Common Gull
  • 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 270 Herring Gull 
  • 65 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Tawny Owl - calling
  • 1 Skylark
  • Starling - roost went down 17:30 but numbers much less than a week ago

Mammals: Pipistrelle sp. - Black Carr Field at 17:45

Sunday 14th

  • 1 Peregrine - over the M18 at 14:20
  • 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 400 Herring Gull
  • 50 Great Black-backed Gull

Mammals: 1 Vole sp. near the VC

Saturday 13th

  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Snipe - Decoy Lake
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 10 Redwing
  • 1 Siskin

Friday 12th

  • 2 Canada Geese
  • 2 Shelduck
  • 140 Shoveler - cell 2a
  • 2 Bittern - reported on BirdGuides
  • 1 Little Egret - Mother Drain
  • 4 Grey Heron
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Peregrine
  • 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull - roosted
  • 900 Herring Gull - roosted
  • 120 Great Black-backed Gull - roosted
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 2 Tawny Owl
  • 1 Kingfisher - chased along Division Drain by a sparrowhawk
  • 2 Jay - Access Track
  • 12 Blackbird - feeding in leaf litter
  • c50 Redwing - feeding in leaf litter along the paths
  • 1 Fieldfare - SE
  • 1 Grey Wagtail - on Mother drain at the entrance
  • 4 Bullfinch - at the underpass bridge
  • 6 Lesser Redpoll - at the underpass bridge
  • Siskin calling - over Access track

Wednesday 10th

  • 1 Shelduck
  • 1 Great Crested Grebe
  • 3 Little Egret - going to roost
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 5 Common Gull
  • 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 575 Herring Gull
  • 1 CASPIAN GULL - 2cy
  • 160 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 2 Tawny Owl - calling after dark
  • 3 Goldcrest
  • Starling roost - mainly in Low Ellers, some still at Huxter Well Marsh, none at cell 4

Monday 8th

  • 4 Shelduck
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Kestrel - Rossington Carr Fields
  • 1 Peregrine - over Huxter Well Marsh at 15:15
  • 3 Snipe - flying over West Scrape
  • 2 Common Gull
  • 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull - roosting on cell 1b
  • 550 Herring Gull - roosting on cell 1b
  • 120 Great Black-backed Gull - roosting on cell 1b
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 2 Song Thrush
  • 12 Redwing
  • 5 Chaffinch
  • 5 Bullfinch

Sunday 7th

  • 6 Egyptian Geese - dropped onto cell 1b in the afternoon (a record count)
  • 9 Shelduck
  • 1 Wigeon
  • 110 Shoveler
  • 36 Pochard
  • 2 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Bittern - in the flooded willow scrub on Central Grassland
  • 1 Great White Egret - cell 3b
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 CASPIAN GULL - 2cy on cell 1b from 10.50
  • 5 Jay
  • Starling - a dead bird found on the path at Huxter Well Marsh had been ringed at Ventė Cape Ornithological Station, Lithuania on 9th July 2020. It looked like it was a recent victim of a predator.
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 12 Redwing
  • 2 Song Thrush
  • c100 Lesser Redpoll - feeding in birch trees between St Caths Field and M18

Saturday 6th

  • 1 Stonechat - male at Huxter Well Marsh

Friday 5th

  • 12 Shelduck
  • 1 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 1 Sparrowhawk - at the Starling roost
  • 2 Peregrine - together at the Starling roost 17:25
  • 2 Water Rail - Access Track/Old Eaa (seen)
  • 110 Lapwing
  • 2 Green Sandpiper - flew low around cell 1b 16:30 landed in SE corner
  • 1200 Black-headed Gull - single huge flock on cell 1b
  • 15 Common Gull
  • 60 Herring Gull
  • 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • 3 Great Black-backed Gull
  • 1 Kingfisher - Mother Drain
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 50,000 Starling - went down to roost in cell 4 at 17:30

Wednesday 3rd

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Green Sandpiper - flew around Decoy Lake
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 1 Chiffchaff - near the bridge over the Mother Drain near the entrance
  • 45 Redwing
  • 1 Song Thrush
  • 4 Pied Wagtail
  • 50 Lesser Redpoll

Monday 1st

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern - late afternoon on Huxter Well Marsh
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 2 Marsh Harrier - cc's, harassing birds on 1b in the morning
  • 4 Buzzard
  • 3 Sparrowhawk - 2m, 1f
  • 2 Peregrine - at the Starling roost 16:50, 17:02 and again 17:06
  • 300 Lapwing
  • 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2 ads on 2b midday and 1st-w in pre-roost
  • 10 Common Gull
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 4 Goldcrest
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • Willow Tit
  • 1 Skylark - Central Grassland
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 5 Treecreeper
  • 80 Lesser Redpoll  - mobile flocks incl 40 St.Caths
  • 7 Siskin

January 2021

Saturday 30th

  • 9 Shelduck
  • 5 Wigeon
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 2 Water Rail
  • 1 Tawny Owl
  • 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull - pre-roost
  • 170 Herring Gull - pre-roost
  • 35 Great Black-backed Gull - pre-roost
  • 100,000 Starling - went to roost near East Scrape Screen at 17.10

Monday 25th

  • 1 Peregrine

Sunday 24th

Buffer Area

  • 13 Pied Wagtails at Carr Lodge

Saturday 23rd

  • 10 Shelduck
  • 1 Wigeon
  • 1 Goldeneye - male on cell 1b
  • 1 Bittern
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 1 Water Rail
  • 8 Snipe
  • 300 Woodpigeon
  • 1 Tawny Owl
  • 5 Jay
  • 100 Carrion Crow - roosted
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 4 Cetti's Warbler
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • Starlings - went to roost at cell 4 at 5pm
  • 2 Pied Wagtail
  • 50 Lesser Redpoll

Ringing: 2 male Bearded Tits and a Cetti's Warbler

Friday 22nd

  • 2 Marsh Harrier - different birds seen at Huxter Well Marsh and Decoy Marsh
  • 1 Grey Wagtail - Mother Drain

Thursday 21st

Buffer Area

  • 30 Redwing at Short Lane Fields

Wednesday 20th

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 2 Wigeon - cell 2a
  • 31 Pochard
  • 4 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Bittern - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 3 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc with wing panels
  • 3 Buzzard
  • 3 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Kestrel - Overflow Car Park
  • 230 Lapwing
  • gulls - the regular gull roost on cell 1b did not materialise
  • 1 Stock Dove
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 50,000 Starling - chaotic murmuration in the wind/rain
  • 1 Brambling - male at Willow Pool feeders
  • 50 Lesser Redpoll - St. Cath's/Hawthorn Bank
  • 10 Siskin - Old Eaa

Tuesday 19th

  • 1 Marsh harrier - cc at Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Buzzard - Huxter Well Marsh
  • [ICELAND GULL - a sub-adult 'white-winged gull', probably Iceland, was on cell 3b with c100 other large gulls at 1pm]
  • 1 Kingfisher - Mother Drain
  • 1 Goldcrest
  • 58 Siskin

Monday 18th

  • 1 Woodcock - over the compound

Buffer Area

  • 5 Grey Herons on Carr Lodge

Sunday 17th

  • 8 Shelduck
  • 2 Wigeon
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 1 Great White Egret - west over iPort
  • 1 Great Crested Grebe
  • 1 Kingfisher
  • 2 Sparrowhawk - at the Starling murmuration
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Peregrine - at the Starling murmuration
  • 420 Lapwing - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 JACK SNIPE - Central Grassland
  • 9 Snipe - one on Decoy Marsh and 8 on Central Grassland
  • 1 Barn Owl
  • 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 4+ Jay
  • 4 Goldcrest - from entrance to Decoy Marsh Hide
  • 3 Skylark - over
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 35 Redwing
  • 8 Blackbird
  • 1 Robin - very confiding bird near Decoy Marsh Hide
  • 9 Chaffinch - Willow Pool feeders 
  • 2 Bullfinch - St Caths Copse
  • 2 Reed Bunting - Willow Pool feeders 

Friday 15th

  • 2 Sparrowhawk - one attacking birds at Willow Pool
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 1 Water Rail - floodwater on Central Grassland path 
  • 2 Snipe
  • 1 Meadow Pipit
  • 1 Pied Wagtail
  • 1 Song Thrush
  • 10 Redwing
  • 12 Lesser Redpoll
  • 18 Bullfinch

Wednesday 13th

  • 9 Shelduck
  • 98 Shoveler
  • 1 Bittern - cell 2a
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 4 Grey Heron
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - cc
  • 1 Sparrowhawk - female
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 1 Water Rail - calling
  • 350 Lapwing
  • 4 Snipe
  • 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker - pair along Loversall Bank
  • 3 Goldcrest
  • 2 Willow Tit - calling and briefly sang
  • 2 Cetti's Warbler
  • 1 Treecreeper
  • 5 Redwing
  • 20 Robin
  • 1 Grey Wagtail - Mother Drain near the entrance
  • 4 Chaffinch
  • 8 Bullfinch
  • 25 Lesser Redpoll

Tuesday 12th

  • 1 Bittern - flew to Huxter Well Marsh from beyond the M18
  • 1 Water Rail - calling from cell 4
  • Bearded Tits - calling in Willow Marsh
  • 90,000 Starling - started to gather at 16.10pm and all were in to roost on cell 4  by 16.37pm
  • 1 Grey Wagtail - Mother Drain near the entrance

Sunday 10th

  • 6 Shelduck
  • 60 Shoveler
  • 1 Bittern
  • 1 Little Egret
  • 2 Sparrowhawk - to the Starling murmuration
  • 2 Buzzard
  • 1 Peregrine - over Huxter Well Marsh at dusk
  • 340 Lapwing - cell 1b
  • 1 Woodcock - over Hawthorn Bank at dusk
  • 3 Common Gull - roosted
  • 130 Herring Gull - roosted
  • 3 Great Black-backed Gull - roosted
  • 1 Barn Owl - over Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Tawny Owl - calling at dusk
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 2 Willow Tit
  • 50,000+ Starling - went to roost at 16.33

Saturday 9th

Buffer Area

  • 1 Little Egret and 1 Stonechat at Short Lane Fields
Bittern © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Bittern © Darren Wozencroft 2021

Wednesday 6th

  • 6 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern - adjacent to cell 2a
  • 2 Little Egret
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - female
  • 1 Sparrowhawk
  • 3 Buzzard 
  • 2 Water Rail
  • 360 Lapwing
  • 2 Bearded Tit - males
  • 1 Chiffchaff - by the bridge near the entrance, feeding on the banks of the Mother Drain
  • 80 Lesser Redpoll/Goldfinch - flock at Black Carr

Buffer Area

  • 3 Stonechat at Rossington Carr Fields

Darren Wozencroft, Andy Dalton, Mark Roberts

Tuesday 5th

  • 1 Chiffchaff - by the bridge near the entrance, feeding on the banks of the Mother Drain

Andy Dalton

Monday 4th

  • 8 Mute Swan
  • 7 Shelduck
  • 85 Teal
  • 125 Shoveler
  • 5 Tufted Duck
  • 6 Cormorant
  • 2 Grey Heron
  • 2 Little Grebe
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 1 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 280 Lapwing
  • 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 5 Goldcrest
  • 1 Cetti's Warbler
  • 2 Treecreeper
  • 45 Redwing
  • 20 Siskin

Darren Wozencroft, Christopher Keil (via eBird)

Mark Roberts has produced a spreadsheet of wildfowl totals which indicates a slight recovery in numbers. This can be found further down the page.

Sunday 3rd

  • 8 Mute Swan - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 40 Greylag Goose - E at 2:06 pm
  • 53 Gadwall - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 5 Teal - cell 2a
  • 2 Mallard - cell 2a
  • 63 Shoveler - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 3 Grey Heron
  • 3 Little Grebe
  • 1 Marsh Harrier - over cell 1b
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 1 Moorhen - Willow Marsh
  • 80 Coot - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 200 Lapwing - cell 1b
  • 98 Black-headed Gull - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 3 Herring Gull - Huxter Well Marsh
  • 1 Pied Wagtail - walking on the ice with the gulls!
  • 3 Fieldfare - south over Central Grassland
  • 2 Redwing
  • 2 Chaffinch - Willow Marsh
  • 2 Bullfinch
  • 1 Reed Bunting - female at Willow Marsh

Joseph Angus, Sue Cullen

Friday 1st

  • 5 Shelduck
  • 1 Bittern - flew by Mitchell  Hide
  • 2 Little Egret

  • 1 GREAT WHITE EGRET - cell 1b 15:00hrs
  • 2 Sparrowhawk
  • 3 Buzzard
  • 1 Kestrel
  • 170 Lapwing
  • 1 Kingfisher
  • 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 5 Goldcrest
  • 1 Coal Tit
  • 3 Cetti's Warbler - singing
  • 4 Treecreeper
  • 14 Fieldfare - west
  • 31 Redwing - mainly west
  • 2 Pied Wagtail
  • 40 Lesser Redpoll - Piper Marsh path
  • 30 Siskin - Pumping Station area

Buffer Area

  • 50+ Fieldfare and 50+ Redwing at Carr Lodge

Sue Cullen, Darren Wozencroft, Richard Scott

Highlights of 2020

White-fronted Goose, Tundra Bean Goose, Garganeys from May to November, Spoonbill, Black-necked Grebe, 3 Osprey, 2 Crane, Grey Plover, 9 Whimbrel, 7 Turnstone, Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, 8 Sandwich Tern, 2 Caspian Gull, 2 Iceland Gull, Little Swift, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Siberian Chiffchaff, Waxwing, Ring Ouzel, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Whinchat, 2 Crossbill.

Willow Tits are still clinging on and Bittern, Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit are all established breeding species.

Total number of species by year

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
166 166 163 166 163 161 159 155 155 152 155 157 156 152 153 143

Highlights

Sightings from previous years