Sightings Archive

Thrybergh CP: Meadow Pipit - 20+ - Small numbers moving southward ; Peregrine - 1 - On pylon to north then over park westward ; Sparrowhawk - 1 ; Kestrel - 2 ; 319 - 4+ ; Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2 ; Starling - 150+ ; Swallow - 2

Canyards: Hobby - 1 - catching insects

Cowell Flat: Whinchat - 5 - on walls and birches W of Smallfield Lane. ; Stonechat - 4 ; Whitethroat - 1 - flew into isolated Hawthorn ; Blue Tit - 2

Ecclesfield: House Martin - 12 - Sycamore Rd

High Green: Pink-footed Goose - 1+ - Distant calls heard overhead around 20:00

Loxley: House Martin - 12+ - 12+ still around colony on Loxley Road, 9 nests visible.

Millhouses: Red Kite - 1 - flying SSE at 18:10

Peat Pits: Whinchat - 1 ; Wheatear - 3

Rawmarsh: Common Buzzard - 1 - circling high over then drifted E @ 1040hrs

Redmires Res: Little Grebe - 4 ; Tufted Duck - 13 - influx ; Wigeon - 5 - single male on Top Res + later joined by a party of four ; 320 - 6 ; Sparrowhawk - 1 - around Fairthorn Clough ; Kestrel - 2 ; Lapwing - 25 - c. ; Oystercatcher - 1 - on Top Res dam wall ; Swallow - 80 - flew SW in 2 hours ; House Martin - 140 - drifted SW in 2 hours ; Grey Wagtail - 5 - singles flew SW ; Siskin - 100 - c. around all three reservoirs - birds arriving all the time ; Crossbill - 25 - c. noticeable influx by Top Res ; Lesser Redpoll - 2 - singles ; Chiffchaff - 25 - around reservoir perimeter ; Goldfinch - 30 - c. ; Meadow Pipit - 25 - c. drifted SW ; Snipe - 2 - circled Middle Res at 07:45 hrs

RVCP: Wigeon - 17 ; Lapwing - 140 ; Snipe - 3

Silverwood Lagoon: Wigeon - 2 ; Snipe - 1 ; Grey Heron - 2 - circled lagoon then east ; Cetti's Warbler - 1 - singing on and off ; Whinchat - 1 - in weed patch opposite methane vents near Hollings Lane entrance at 08.30 ; Meadow Pipit - 2 - two singles south

Tankersley: Snipe - 14 - Highest count to date ; Yellow Wagtail - 1 - South ; 320 - 8 ; Grey Heron - 1 - Juvenile ; Stock Dove - 8 ; Meadow Pipit - c50 - Moving S/SW in small groups ; Swallow - c30 - S/SW in small groups ; Greenshank - 3 ; Ringed Plover - 1

Ughill Farm: 319 - 5 - soaring together overhead, possibly parents and young from the nest here this year; at one time one Buzzard was perched in the same tree along with one of the Red Kites ; Peregrine - 1 - soaring overhead ; Red Kite - 2 - soaring overhead and neighbouring Crawshaw Farm, and sometimes perching in trees; seen over two or more hours, possibly attracted to fields where hay being cut and where small mammal carcasses may be, flying amongst corvids also perhaps feeding in the hay field ; Kestrel - 1 - hover hunting, successful at least once

Blacka Plantation: Greenshank - 1 - Very brief bit of calling overhead only and direction unknown.

Burbage Valley: House Martin - 100+ ; Chiffchaff - 15+ ; Stonechat - 4

Norfolk Park: Peregrine - 2 - circling overhead, constantly calling, getting higher then moving east towards Lowfields

Orgreave Lakes: GREAT WHITE EGRET - 1 - In from south at 07:40, harassed by gulls then left south. Subsequently over RVCP. ; 320 - 10 ; Snipe - 3

Parkgate: House Martin - 5 - feeding over

Parkgate; *Banana* plantation: Siskin - 11+ - all heading S/SW inc party of 6 ; Chiffchaff - 7+ - wall to wall calling this morning; 1 singing & party of 5+ in mixed flock. Probably a serious underestimate. ; Jay - 1 - left towards golf course ; Goldcrest - 1 ; Meadow Pipit - 4 - 1 NW; 1 south, then east; 2 east ; Greenfinch - 1 - west ; Rook - 2 - SE; not recorded at all frequently here ; Mistle Thrush - 1 - N/NE, dropped onto golf course ; Goldfinch - 6 - flock

Pebley Pond: Grey Partridge - 11 - single covey, flushed and flew off calling ; Little Egret - 2 ; Yellow Wagtail - 1 - over calling

Queens Park, Chesterfield: Little Egret - 3 - Sat on an island on the lake.

Rawmarsh Hill: Grey Heron - 2 - east together, with occasional circling @ 0940hrs

Rawmarsh; Rockcliffe Road: Siskin - 1 - S @ 0725hrs

Redmires Res: Little Grebe - 4 ; Tufted Duck - 11 ; 320 - 13 - newly arrived ; Wigeon - 11 - Party of 9 circled res and departed W - leaving two amongst the Tufted Ducks on the Top Res ; Shoveler - 4 - Two seen in with a flock of Wigeon before departing west. Another two remained on the Middle Res. Still a scarce but annual visitor here ; Lesser Black-backed Gull - 20 - c. ; Herring Gull - 3 ; Black-headed Gull - 5 ; House Martin - 120 - on wires along Soughley Lane ; Swallow - 40 - on wires along Soughley Lane ; Siskin - 80 - c. noticeable further influx ; Chiffchaff - 20 - c. around reservoir perimeter ; Little Grebe - 4

Roundwood Golf course: Chiffchaff - 4 - 2 singing ; Goldcrest - 1 - in conifers ; Stock Dove - 2 - flushed by groundsmen