Bird & wildlife sightings from the Barnsley recording area.
Monday 30 April 2012
HOUGHTON WASH
This hidden gem adjoining Edderthorpe Flash is coming to life.There is plenty of mud showing after the deluge of rain.A metamorphosis has occurred. Wheatear 10, Greenshank 1, L R P 2, Redshank 4, Avocet 2,
I am old enough to remember this site Bernard as Houghton Swamp. In winter Whooper Swans frequented it and Grebe, Coot and Moorhen were common breeding birds. It was drained in 1974. As Carlton Swamp was the only other wetland left locally we decided to get that to be a nature reserve and it became Carlton Marsh.
The Environment Agency have renamed the area Houghton Washland. They also renamed Adwick Washland when its real name is West Moor Closes. Its the last Environment Agency owned land that hasn't yet been converted to conservation use. Althoough the RSPB are doing their best to get it. The RSPB have got the bottom 2 fields but work hasn't started on there yet. Its a big slab of land that goes from Edderthorpe all the way down river to Middlewood Hall at Darfield. As you say Whooper Swans frequented it and this is mentioned by Nelson in the Birds of Yorkshire. Other passed records include breeding black necked grebe. Once up and running this site is going to make a huge impact on the Dearne Valley recording area.
That should read 'past' and not 'passed'. Am chuffing rubbish at English. It would be nice though if you could alter stuff on the Blog once you have thrown it onto the message board i.e. once you have actually thought about what you are writing about !!!
Dont worry about spellings Chris we all new what you meant. Yes you are right we are so lucky to have all this wonderful habitat in situ and more being created by the different organisations. You can edit your comment by going to preview and edit
5 comments:
I am old enough to remember this site Bernard as Houghton Swamp. In winter Whooper Swans frequented it and Grebe, Coot and Moorhen were common breeding birds. It was drained in 1974. As Carlton Swamp was the only other wetland left locally we decided to get that to be a nature reserve and it became Carlton Marsh.
The Environment Agency have renamed the area Houghton Washland.
They also renamed Adwick Washland when its real name is West Moor Closes.
Its the last Environment Agency owned land that hasn't yet been converted to conservation use. Althoough the RSPB are doing their best to get it. The RSPB have got the bottom 2 fields but work hasn't started on there yet.
Its a big slab of land that goes from Edderthorpe all the way down river to Middlewood Hall at Darfield.
As you say Whooper Swans frequented it and this is mentioned by Nelson in the Birds of Yorkshire. Other passed records include breeding black necked grebe.
Once up and running this site is going to make a huge impact on the Dearne Valley recording area.
That should read 'past' and not 'passed'.
Am chuffing rubbish at English.
It would be nice though if you could alter stuff on the Blog once you have thrown it onto the message board i.e. once you have actually thought about what you are writing about !!!
Dont worry about spellings Chris we all new what you meant. Yes you are right we are so lucky to have all this wonderful habitat in situ and more being created by the different organisations. You can edit your comment by going to preview and edit
Just realized I spelt Knew wrong -
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