Thursday 20 March 2014

Wombwell Spr(ings)time

March 20th- The Vernal Equinox
Wombwell Ings mid afternoon- Thought it was going to be a quiet day with only 1 singing Skylark as I walked on the Ings.  Maybe the best sighting was going to be the Dad trying to rescue his son's floating welly from the Bulling Dyke. Don't know how I kept a straight face when his efforts caused it to sink. When I went in the hide it looked like the usual suspects were present and then I noticed a small wader on the far side of the flash- a Ringed Plover. Then another small wader dropped in on the near edge- a Little Ringed Plover. Within a minute another Little Ringed Plover joined its mate. Shortly afterwards 11 Sand Martin started feeding over the water and 5 minutes later another 6 joined them. 4 Linnet and 1 Meadow Pipit, passing through, added to the impression that finally Spring had arrived on the Ings.
Also present were 1 Mute Swan, 151 Canada Geese, 6 Greylag, 2 Shelduck, 130+ Wigeon, 29 Teal, 17 Mallard, 16 Tufted Duck, 11 Gadwall, 4 Pochard, 3m Shoveler, 2f Goosander, 1m Pintail, 17 Lapwing, 6 Redshank, 61 BH Gull, 1 Common Gull and 6 Pied Wagtail.
Broomhill Flash mid AM-Present were 4 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 23 Canada Geese, 2 Greylag, 21+ Wigeon, 15 Tufted Duck, 8 Gadwall, 6 Pochard, 5 Mallard, c150 BH Gull, 1 LBB Gull, 31+ Lapwing, 1 Kestrel, 1 Chiffchaff(car park) and 1 Hare.
Bolton Ings lateAM/early PM- Walked on via the TPT and heard 4 singing Chiffchaff. On the open water were 8 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 3a+4j Mute Swan, 17 Canada Geese, 7Greylag, 25 Tufted Duck, 11 Gadwall, 8 Pochard, 6 Mallard, 4 Wigeon, 1m+2f Goldeneye, 4 Wigeon, 210+ BH Gull and 4 Common Gull. Also present were 1 Green Woodpecker and 8 flyover LBB Gulls. Tom Hibbert, a young birder from Notts, had 3 fly through Sand Martin at 11.25 am.

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