Avocet

Happy Easter everyone..!

Up at 7.30 this morn, off to a local birding site Wombwell Ings in search of Yellow Wagtails. On the road we nearly ran over 2 Goldfinches!

Opening the car doors took our ears into a new world- Chiffchaffs, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Blackbirds, Robins, Swallows and Skylarks all singing. In the fields around the site we saw quite a few Lapwings including a couple hunkered down on nests! We spotted the Skylarks and watched them end their song and drop, leaf-like, onto the ground.

We passed the hide and followed the river to the horses that graze the reserve. Yellow Wagtails, our target bird and my "bogey" bird are often seen on wet grassland where there is livestock, particularly cattle. The birds feed on the invertebrates the large mammals disturb. I'd read on the RSPB's website that Y Wagtails had been seen at Wombwell Ings recently. They dont breed at WI, they're just passing through on they way to their breeding grounds. Its amazing to think several weeks ago they were in Africa!

Unfortunately there weren't any Wagtails around the horses, so we decided to go to the hide. One of the horses followed us part way there, which was quite scary actually...! Ringed Plovers, Redshank, Lapwings, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Meadow Pipits and the usual were found when we entered the hide.

Then, Vicki saw it, she saw the bird we had been hoping to see- a stunning Yellow Wagtail. It was far away, making it looked like a walking dandelion. What a gorgeous bird! We watched it feed, we even saw it jump into the air an catch a flying insect!

After seeing our first Yellow Wagtail we decided to go to nearby Broomhill Flash. We saw a few Piglets in the small farm opposite the reserve, and once inside the hide we found the usual water birds and a group of Red-legged Partridge!

We left Broomhill Flash and went to nearby Gypsy Marsh. We heard Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings and then, a wonderful mechanical sound. My eyes jumped back to reading my field guide "Grasshopper Warbler, Voice: A reeling sound..". Wow, a Grasshopper Warbler! We listened again and eventually heard it though we couldnt spot it in the dense phragmites reeds.

Then off to RSPB Old Moor with the hope of seeing the Avocets that were hopping between the Dearne Valley reserves. Both of us only went to Old Moor a few days ago, and since we were getting hungry we decided just to go to the Wader Scrape where the Avocets had apparently been lurking.

Entering the hide we split up, scanning our sides for this beautiful wader. I saw a man sporting a telescope drawing something. I was going to ask him if he'd seen the Avocets, but decided not to disturb him...

Scanning my half, I found the usual wildfowl plus a gorgeous drake Pintail, Oystercatchers, and a Ringed Plover. Then Vicki came over my end, and spotted the bird we were looking for. Wow, what a beautiful bird! Later I saw what the man was sketching; it was the Avocet!

We watched the bird preen a bit, then it walked along the edge of the bank, feeding. We were watching 2 Common Terns, then I looked back at the avocets and we saw 3 more! So there were at least 3 birds, maybe 4 as the other one disappeared..

We watched the three new arrivals swim and fly around. They used swished their wonderful beaks in a scything motion through the water. One of the birds was always slightly further from the others. I think the other two were a pair, and the one I presume was a male kept chasing the lone one off!

What a great morning!!! A lifer in the form of a Yellow Wagtail, two Common Terns, a Pintail, and 3/4 Avocets!! Not bad to say all the locations are within 2 miles of our house!

P.S- This is a backblip. I was going to use one of the rubbish Yellow Wagtails pics but then I get a better view of some 2moro so used the Avocets as todays pic, the Wagtails for 2moros (or yesterdays at the time of writing..)Does that make sense...?!