Saturday 24 December 2011

New Species for Barnsley Area at Wintersett

'Greenland White-fronted Goose', Anglers CP - John Hewitt
No, not the 'Greenland White-fronted Goose' but Siberian Stonechat! The BOU have recently announced that Siberian Stonechat should now be treated as a full species (split from European Stonechat). Consequently, this adds one onto the Barnsley area list following a record of one at Wintersett Reservoir present from 19th - 24th October 1976 (trapped and ringed on 22nd).

Now back to the Greenland White-front. Still present today with Greylags in fields adjacent to Anglers Country Park Lake (take outer perimeter footpath). So what are the chances of flavirostris being given full species status? Well, I'm sure we all laughed when the same was said about Siberian Stonechat but look what happened. But one things for sure, if Greenland White-front does go the same way as the Sibe' Stonechat then one (by then) 88 year old Barnsley birder is going to be real glad he went for it!


'Greenland White-fronted Goose', Anglers CP - John Hewitt. It's the one on the left!
flavirostris with Greylags - John Hewitt
Meanwhile the American Wigeon was still on Anglers this afternoon and a drake Smew was on Wintersett Reserevoir. And as well as the Bittern at Old Moor the Cetti's remained in situ and 24 Goosander roosted.

1 comment:

Anthony Capuano said...

is it still there?, thinking of going there tomorrow