Monday, May 17, 2010

16th May,2010.

An early start with a visit to see a couple of the urban breeding sites utilised by Peregrine, although we didn't see any of the birds. A slightly frivolous search for Mandarin Duck (Category C species) was rewarded by a flight view of a male moving towards a nearby river. An examination of a lengthy section of river eventually provided absolutely superb views of a male bird, well worth the effort!

We then moved on to the Potteric Carr Nature Reserve, near Doncaster, administered by the Yorkshire Naturalists Trust, an area worth a day visit at any time of year. Our reason for visiting was to see the Iberian Chiffchaff which has been "in residence" for a few days. The song of this species is so distinctive it can't be missed and took me back to previous occasions when I've encountered the species along the Spanish Pyrenees. We managed fleeting views and then moved on to general birding, which included "first" of the year Garden Warbler, displaying Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler singing from what has been the first proven breeding location in Yorkshire and, for me, great close up views of a feeding Jay, a species I seldom see nowadays due to living on Islay.

Next stop was the RSPB Old Moor Reserve where we had a couple of singing Lesser Whitethroat, Little Ringed Plover (as new birds for the year ) and a lot of other good sightings. A detour to look for Dotterel produced a Northern Wheatear but not our intended quarry! Following our dropping in at various wetland areas, of which there are many in South Yorkshire as a legacy of the mining industry and the accompanying subsidence in some areas, we returned home having had an extremely productive and enjoyable day!

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