Please report your sightings to Neil Randon at neil.randon@googlemail.com.
Click here to listen again to Neil Randon's interview on local radio station Susy Radio about birding at Holmethorpe Sand Pits
Wed, 31 May 2017: pm: 1 RED KITE (over landfill). Also: Butterfly: 16 Common Blue (WC/Moors). Dragonflies: Black-tailed Skimmer (W end WC causeway newly hatched), Broad-bodied Chaser (Moors, log pool), c80 Banded Demoiselle. Ray Baker
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| BLACK-TAILED SKIMMER (Ray Baker) |
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| BROAD-BODIED CHASER (Ray Baker) |
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| LITTLE OWL (Ray Baker) |
Sat, 27 May 2017: am: 72 GREYLAG GOOSE, 4 GADWALL, 1 MOORHEN (with 2 chicks Inn on the pond), 1 COMMON GULL, c300 HERRING GULL, 45 SAND MARTIN (incl. fledged young), 30 HOUSE MARTIN. Butterfly: 35 Common Blue along railway line in the afternoon. Gordon Hay
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| HERRING GULLS (Gordon Hay) |
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| COMMON BLUE (Gordon Hay) |
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| BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE (Gordon Hay) |
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| LARGE SKIPPER (Ray Baker) |
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| BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE (Ray Baker) |
Thurs, 25 May 2017: 04.30hrs-10.15hrs: 1 COMMON TERN (pontoon, M.Lake), 43 GREYLAG GOOSE, 55 CANADA GOOSE, 13 EGYPTIAN GOOSE, 2 GADWALL, 4 TUFTED DUCK, 3 PHEASANT, 6 CORMORANT, 9 GREY HERON, 6 LITTLE GREBE, 5 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 3 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 KESTREL, 1 LAPWING, 1 COMMON GULL, 15 HERRING GULL, 4 COLLARED DOVE, 1 COMMON SWIFT, 8 GREEN WOODPECKER, 6 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 7 RING-NECKED PARAKEET, 2 ROOK, 20 CARRION CROW, 5 GOLDCREST, 22 BLUE TIT, 18 GREAT TIT, 1 COAL TIT, 6 SKYLARK, 2 SWALLOW, 30 HOUSE MARTIN, 15 LONG-TAILED TIT, 10 CHIFFCHAFF, 2 WILLOW WARBLER, 21 BLACKCAP, 4 GARDEN WARBLER, 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 12 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 11 REED WARBLER, 1 NUTHATCH, 3 TREECREEPER, 42 WREN, c140 STARLING, 5 MISTLE THRUSH, 32 ROBIN, 14 DUNNOCK, 8 HOUSE SPARROW, 6 CHAFFINCH, 3 GREENFINCH, 29 GOLDFINCH, 2 LINNET, 2 BULLFINCH, 2 YELLOWHAMMER, 4 REED BUNTING. 65 species counted. Ray Baker
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| WHITETHROAT (Ray Baker) |
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| COOT with young (Ray Baker) |
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| COMMON GULL on Mercers Farm (Gordon Hay) |
2 LITTLE GREBE (pair), 1 RED KITE, 5 COMMON BUZZARD, 8 ROOK. Also: First Red-eyed Damselfly. Gordon Hay
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| COOT nest with nine eggs (Gordon Hay) |
Sun, 21 May 2017: 06.00hrs-09.20hrs: 2 RAVEN (over M.Lake), 1 COMMON TERN (on pontoon, M.Lake), c8 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (incl. 2 in dea tree Chilmead Lane, c6 'new diggings' M.Farm), 2 GADWALL (1 male WC2 island, another male Moors pools), 1 TEAL (male WC1), 1 PINTAILxMALLARD (hybrid male, Moors pools), c20 MALLARD (incl. female with 3 small ducklings, Spynes), c8 GREAT CRESTED GREBE (incl. pair with 2 very small chicks, N side M.Lake), c2 COMMON BUZZARD (pair, Chilmead Farm, poss. same pair over WC), 2 KESTREL (female over Spynes, male over Middle Pit), c2 STOCK DOVE (1 M.Farm, 1 calling nr M.West gate), c40 COMMON SWIFT (incl. c35 WC 06.00hrs), 1 KINGFISHER (male, Moors pools), 2 ROOK (over Spynes flying towards landfill), c6 SAND MARTIN, c2 SWALLOW, c15 HOUSE MARTIN (over WC, and collecting mud from WC2 island), c8 HOUSE MARTIN (over WC), 1 WILLOW WARBLER (singing male in old 'conveyor belt' area, NE corner of M.CP), c15 BLACKCAP (incl. at least 2 family parties with c3 juv), c4 GARDEN WARBLER (Spynes, Spynes/Middle Pit), 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT (singing male between M.Farm & M.West), c15 REED WARBLER (incl c8 WC1, c4 Moors Pools, 1 singing male Cormongers Lane overflow pool), c30 STARLING (incl. c20 juv., mainly WC), 1 GREY WAGTAIL (Moors pools), c4 YELLOWHAMMER (incl. c2 M.Farm, pair old 'conveyor belt' area, M.CP). Also: Butterfly: 1 male Common Blue (WC).
1 dead Mole on cycle path nr Cormongers Lane overflow pool, a Roe Deer feeding E edge of Spynes. Ian Kehl and Gordon Hay
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| COMMON BLUE on WC Lagoons (Gordon Hay) |
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| MUTE SWAN - second attempt with eggs WC1 (Gordon Hay) |
Sat, 20 May 2017: 20.00hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island). Neil Randon
Fri, 19 May 2017: no reported sightings
Thurs, 18 May 2017: 04.45hrs-12.30hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (male WC2 island first light), 3 COMMON TERN (heading W over Nutfield Ridge), 59 GREYLAG GOOSE, 44 CANADA GOOSE, 14 EGYPTIAN GOOSE, 3 GADWALL, 1 PINTAILxMALLARD (hybrid male, Moors pools), 7 TUFTED DUCK, 5 PHEASANT, 2 CORMORANT, 8 GREY HERON, 6 LITTLE GREBE, 7 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 1 RED KITE (over landfill), 5 COMMON BUZZARD, 30 COOT, 1 COMMON GULL, 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 11 HERRING GULL, 19 STOCK DOVE, 4 COLLARED DOVE, 6 COMMON SWIFT, 2 GREEN WOODPECKER, 8 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 7 RING-NECKED PARAKEET, 26 JACKDAW, 2 ROOK, 56 CARRION CROW, 5 GOLDCREST, 1 COAL TIT, 11 SKYLARK, 13 SAND MARTIN, 6 SWALLOW, c30 HOUSE MARTIN, 45 LONG-TAILED TIT, 17 CHIFFCHAFF, 1 WILLOW WARBLER, 27 BLACKCAP, 6 GARDEN WARBLER, 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 17 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 18 REED WARBLER, 1 TREECREEPER, 13 SONG THRUSH, 3 MISTLE THRUSH, 6 HOUSE SPARROW, 5 PIED WAGTAIL, 1 MEADOW PIPIT, 12 CHAFFINCH, 5 GREENFINCH, 30 GOLDFINCH, 12 BULLFINCH, 5 YELLOWHAMMER, 6 REED BUNTING. 69 species counted. Also: Butterfly: Small Heath. Ray Baker
1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, 1 COMMON TERN, CHIFFCHAFF (first fledging birds of the spring). Gordon Hay
Wed, 17 May 2017: no reported sightings
Tues, 16 May 2017: pm: 1 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (among bushes Spynes overflow pond), 1 KESTREL (male, Nutfield Marsh), 1 LITTLE OWL (calling M.Farm). Also: Butterfly: Orange Tip. Gordon Hay
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| ORANGE TIP butterfly (Gordon Hay) |
Mon, 15 May 2017: 04.50hrs-09.00hrs: 1 MANDARIN (male WC. 119th species for 2017), 2 COMMON TERN (05.00hrs on pontoon, M.Lake), 28 GREYLAG GOOSE, 23 CANADA GOOSE, 3 EGYPTIAN GOOSE, 9 TUFTED DUCK, 1 PHEASANT, 7 CORMORANT, 6 GREY HERON, 6 LITTLE GREBE, 8 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 1 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 COMMON GULL, c190 HERRING GULL, 25 STOCK DOVE, 3 COLLARED DOVE, 2 COMMON SWIFT, 1 KINGFISHER, 4 GREEN WOODPECKER, 6 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 5 RING-NECKED PARAKEET, 27 JACKDAW, 1 ROOK, 2 GOLDCREST, 1 COAL TIT, 1 SKYLARK, c70 SAND MARTIN, 3 SWALLOW, c30 HOUSE MARTIN, 12 LONG-TAILED TIT, 15 CHIFFCHAFF, 28 BLACKCAP, 3 GARDEN WARBLER, 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 9 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 9 REED WARBLER, 1 NUTHATCH, 5 TREECREEPER, 11 SONG THRUSH, 5 HOUSE SPARROW, 5 PIED WAGTAIL, 5 CHAFFINCH, 1 GREENFINCH, 16 GOLDFINCH, 1 LINNET, 5 BULLFINCH, 4 YELLOWHAMMER, 3 REED BUNTING. 65 species counted. Ray Baker
Sun, 14 May 2017: 06.00hrs-09.35hrs: c12 EGYPTIAN GOOSE (incl. c10 'new diggings' M.Farm, 2 later on WC2 island), 2 GADWALL (Moors pools), 1 TEAL (male WC1), 1 PINTAILxMALLARD (hybrid male, Moors pools), 5 PHEASANT (2 males, 3 females, M.Farm), 1 COMMON BUZZARD (in oak, Chilmead Farm), c30 COOT (incl. 3 family parties with c6 small young between them, WC1), c6 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (incl. 2 Spynes), c50 HERRING GULL (Spynes, then M.Farm), c5 STOCK DOVE (c2 M.Farm, c3 Chilmead Farm), c4 COMMON SWIFT (WC), 1 ROOK (landfill), c6 SAND MARTIN , c2 SWALLOW, c15 HOUSE MARTIN (over WC, and collecting mud from WC2 island), c8 HOUSE MARTIN (over WC), 1 WILLOW WARBLER (singing male in old 'conveyor belt' area, NE corner of M.CP), c4 GARDEN WARBLER (Spynes, Spynes/Middle Pit), c2 LESSER WHITETHROAT (1 N bank Spynes, 1 between M.Farm & M.West), c10 REED WARBLER (incl c7 WC1, 1singing male Cormongers Lane overflow pool with metal ring on leg), c5 BULLFINCH, 2 YELLOWHAMMER (1 male M.Farm, 1 singing male S of Spynes). Ian Kehl and Gordon Hay
Sat, 13 May 2017: 1 COMMON TERN (buoy, M.Lake), 60 SAND MARTIN, 4 GARDEN WARBLER, 3 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 14 REED WARBLER, 1 TREECREEPER (with 2 fledged young along Moors cycle path by landfill). Gordon Hay
Fri, 12 May 2017: pm: 1 COMMON SANDPIPER (M.Lake), 1 RED KITE (low over Moors), 1 SEDGE WARBLER (WC1). Matt Farmer
2 HOBBY (over Spynes), 1 COMMON TERN, 1 COMMON BUZZARD (skydiving over Chilmead Farm), 7 BLACK-HEADED GULL, 1 COMMON GULL, c120 SAND MARTIN, 40 HOUSE MARTIN. Gordon Hay
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| COMMON GULL (Gordon Hay) |
Thurs, 11 May 2017: 2 LITTLE EGRET, 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER. Gordon Hay
04.50hrs-11.00hrs: 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (WC2 island 10.30hrs), 2 COMMON TERN (pontoon, M.Lake), 27 GREYLAG GOOSE, 22 CANADA GOOSE, 7 EGYPTIAN GOOSE, 2 GADWALL, 1 PINTAILxMALLARD (hybrid male, Moors pools), 10 TUFTED DUCK, 2 PHEASANT, 4 CORMORANT, 6 GREY HERON, 5 LITTLE GREBE, 8 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 7 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 KESTREL, 4 MOORHEN, 28 COOT, 6 BLACK-HEADED GULL, c75 HERRING GULL, 16 STOCK DOVE, 5 COLLARED DOVE, 1 COMMON SWIFT, 1 KINGFISHER, 1 GREEN WOODPECKER, 4 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 13 RING-NECKED PARAKEET, 1 ROOK, 7 GOLDCREST, 1 COAL TIT, 8 SKYLARK, 2 SAND MARTIN, 2 SWALLOW, 17 HOUSE MARTIN, 14 LONG-TAILED TIT, 21 CHIFFCHAFF, 2 WILLOW WARBLER, 29 BLACKCAP, 5 GARDEN WARBLER, 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 24 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 13 REED WARBLER, 1 NUTHATCH, 2 TREECREEPER, 16 STARLING, 16 SONG THRUSH, 1 MISTLE THRUSH, 7 HOUSE SPARROW, 3 GREY WAGTAIL, 1 PIED WAGTAIL, 9 CHAFFINCH, 3 GREENFINCH, 16 GOLDFINCH, 3 BULLFINCH, 5 YELLOWHAMMER, 7 REED BUNTING. 70 species counted. Ray Baker
Wed, 10 May 2017: pm: 1 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Moors. 118th species for 2017). Michael Jones
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| SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Michael Jones) |
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| HOLLY BLUE (Gordon Hay) |
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| GREAT CRESTED GREBE feeding on crayfish sp. (Gordon Hay) |
Mon, 8 May 2017: 05.00hrs-10.30hrs: 1 COMMON SANDPIPER (WC), 3 MUTE SWAN, 37 GREYLAG GOOSE, 21 CANADA GOOSE, 9 EGYPTIAN GOOSE, 1 GADWALL, 1 PINTAILxMALLARD (hybrid male, Moors pools), 12 TUFTED DUCK, 4 PHEASANT, 4 CORMORANT, 3 GREY HERON, 6 LITTLE GREBE, 7 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 3 COMMON BUZZARD, 2 KESTREL, 1 COMMON GULL, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, c135 HERRING GULL, 39 STOCK DOVE, 3 COLLARED DOVE, 4 COMMON SWIFT, 2 GREEN WOODPECKER, 5 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 2 JAY, c190 JACKDAW, 10 SKYLARK, c100 SAND MARTIN, c15 SWALLOW, c30 HOUSE MARTIN, 8 LONG-TAILED TIT, 16 CHIFFCHAFF, 23 BLACKCAP, 5 GARDEN WARBLER, 3 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 26 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 11 REED WARBLER, 2 TREECREEPER, 14 SONG THRUSH, 6 HOUSE SPARROW, 1 PIED WAGTAIL, 4 CHAFFINCH, 3 GREENFINCH, 17 GOLDFINCH, 9 BULLFINCH, 3 YELLOWHAMMER, 5 REED BUNTING. 62 species counted. Ray Baker
Sun, 7 May 2017: 06.00hrs-10.10hrs: 1 COMMON SANDPIPER (Moors pools), c15 CANADA GOOSE (incl. 1 pair with 5 goslings, plus 1 pair with 1 gosling Spynes), 1 GADWALL (male, Moors pools), 2 TEAL (2 females, M.West), 1 PINTAILxMALLARD (hybrid male, Moors pools), 1 PHEASANT (male, M.Farm), 1 COMMON BUZZARD, 1 LAPWING (M.West), 1 BLACK-HEADED GULL, 1 COMMON GULL (usual bird, M.Farm), c3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 1 COMMON GULL (M.Farm/M.West), 1 STOCK DOVE (M.Farm), c50 COMMON SWIFT (WC), 1 KINGFISHER (male, Moors pools), c2 ROOK (landfill), c80 SAND MARTIN (mainly WC, M.Lake), c23 SWALLOW (WC), c12 HOUSE MARTIN (over WC, incl. several collecting mud from WC2 island), c8 HOUSE MARTIN (over WC), c3 GARDEN WARBLER (Spynes, Spynes/Middle Pit), c3 LESSER WHITETHROAT (1 S Middle Pit, 1 N bank Spynes, 1 M.Farm nr horse paddocks), c12 REED WARBLER (c5 Spynes area, c1 Moors, c6 WC1), 2 TREECREEPER (carrying food behind ivy on poplar tree by landfill, Moors), 1 MISTLE THRUSH (M.West), c6 ROBIN (incl. 1 juv). Ian Kehl and Gordon Hay
Sat, 6 May 2017: 1 LITTLE EGRET (summer plumage), 1 REDSHANK (08.00hrs on platoon then slipway M.Lake before flying E), 6 COMMON SANDPIPER, 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL (over), CANADA GOOSE (broods of 4 and 3 Spynes), COOT (WITH 3 young, WC1), 1 SNIPE, c80 COMMON SWIFT, 25 HOUSE MARTIN. Gordon Hay
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| REDSHANK (Gordon Hay) |
Fri, 5 May 2017: 1 COMMON SANDPIPER (WC2 island), c35 COMMON SWIFT, c20 SAND MARTIN, 1 HOUSE MARTIN. Ray Baker
2 COMMON SANDPIPER, 21 COMMON SWIFT 3 LESSER WHITETHROAT. Gordon Hay
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| COMMON SANDPIPER (Gordon Hay) |
05.15hrs-12.30hrs: 1 COMMON SANDPIPER, 19 GREYLAG GOOSE, 10 EGYPTIAN GOOSE, 3 GADWALL, 1 PINTAILxMALLARD (hybrid male, Moors pools), 12 TUFTED DUCK, 3 PHEASANT, 1 CORMORANT, 2 GREY HERON, 7 LITTLE GREBE, 10 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 2 COMMON BUZZARD, 6 MOORHEN, 16 COOT, 1 COMMON GULL, 25 HERRING GULL, 23 STOCK DOVE, 3 COLLARED DOVE, 4 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 8 RING-NECKED PARAKEET, 1 ROOK, 6 SKYLARK, 9 SAND MARTIN, 5 LONG-TAILED TIT, 13 CHIFFCHAFF, 1 WILLOW WARBLER, 15 BLACKCAP, 3 GARDEN WARBLER, 3 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 22 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 7 REED WARBLER, 1 TREECREEPER, 28 WREN, 8 SONG THRUSH, 6 HOUSE SPARROW, 1 GREY WAGTAIL, 1 PIED WAGTAIL, 3 CHAFFINCH, 4 GREENFINCH, 18 GOLDFINCH, 6 BULLFINCH, 4 YELLOWHAMMER, 3 REED BUNTING. 59 species counted. Ray Baker
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| GREAT CRESTED GREBE (Gordon Hay) |
c120 SAND MARTIN, 30 SWALLOW. Gordon Hay
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| SAND MARTIN (Gordon Hay) |
2 RAVEN (over WC in direction of landfill). Michael Jones
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| RAVEN (Michael Jones) |
Mon, 1 May 2017: am: 1 BAR-TAILED GODWIT (flew W through WC at 08.15hrs. 117th species for 2017. Only 4th site record), 1 LITTLE EGRET, 1 HOBBY, 2 SEDGE WARBLER (1 WC, 1 Spynes overflow pool), 6 GADWALL, 1 TEAL, 8 PHEASANT, 1 SNIPE, 20 STOCK DOVE, 3 COMMON SWIFT, 2 GOLDCREST, c50 SAND MARTIN, 8 SWALLOW, 5 HOUSE MARTIN, 15 CHIFFCHAFF, 2 WILLOW WARBLER, 15 BLACKCAP, 6 GARDEN WARBLER, 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 20 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 12 REED WARBLER, 2 MISTLE THRUSH. Gordon Hay
