Denholme Clough to Doe Park Res

Sunday 2nd August a.m.

A beautiful sunny morning with light wind and a temperature of 15°C, there were several Willow Warblers in the Clough with a couple singing.  Also Whitethroats were showing well and a party of Long-tailed Tits were seen, others on the way to the reservoir were Greenfinch, Swallow, Blue Tit & Wren.  In the stream that flows in to the reservoir there was a Grey Wagtail, the res is getting low now with plenty shore line but no waders. As I headed back the highlight of the morning came when a Redstart appeared and posed for several pictures.  

I headed back through the Clough and spotted eight Cows above the path, which are not my favorite animals so my pase quickened as I passed them. I thought I was well passed them, I turned to look back and one was running to catch me up, followed by the rest.  This was unsettling to say the least with all eight of them following me on the narrow path as my pase picked up a little more with 100m to the gate. Thankfully I made it but this spoiled a good mornings walk with some good birds seen.

Redstart

Whitethroat

Willow Warbler

Wren

Greenfinch

Grey Wagtail

The reservoir receding water level

Doe Park Reservoir

Redstart near Doe Park Reservoir 2/8/2026

Redcar Tarn

Saturday 1st August a.m.

A cloudy morning with some sunny spells and a temperature of 15°C, here there were c75 LBB Gulls some on the water and others in the nearby field.  There were also c50 Canadas in the field with two Oystercatchers and eight Pied Wagtails.  On the water a Mallard had several chicks, there was a Grey Heron near the island, overhead were Sand Martins.  Others were Tufteds, Moorhen, Coot, Rook, BH Gull, Lapwing & Jackdaw. 

Lapwing

Oystercatcher

Tufted

  

Pied Wagtail

Mallard with chicks

Grey Heron

LBB Gulls

Redcar Tarn 1/8/2026

Leeshaw

Friday 31st July a.m.

A sunny morning with a temperature of 13°C but feeling cooler with a strong wind blowing.  Plenty birds in the surrounding fields including c50 Woodpigeons, Canadas, Lapwing, Rook, Jackdaw & Pheasant.  Overhead were House Martin, Sand Martin, Swallow & three distant Kestrels.  On the valve tower there was a Cormorant, at the side of the water were BH & LBB Gulls & a couple of Meadow Pipits landed on an overhead line.

Cormorant

Kestrel

Meadow Pipit

Lapwing

LBB Gulls

Lapwing at Leeshaw 31/7/2026

TMR

Wednesday 29th July a.m.

An overcast morning with a temperature of 14°C, a couple of Kestrels were seen on the walk up to the res.  The res had c200 LBB Gulls, c100 BH Gulls & c20 Herring Gulls also Greylags, Tufteds which were joined by some Canadas flying in. Others seen were Pied Wagtail, Starling, Sand Martin, Swift, Swallow, Goldfinch & Meadow Pipit. 

 

Kestrel

Swallow

Starling

Pied Wagtail

Goldfinch

Greylag

Meadow Pipit

Tufteds

Canadas

LBB & Herring Gulls 

LBB & BH Gulls at TMR 29/7/2026

Swillington Ings

 Friday 24th July a.m.

A sunny start with a temperature of 16°C as I walked across the site Swifts & Sand Martins were flying above.  A quiet start then another birder was looking at something so I asked what he could see, a group of Yellow Wagtails was his reply.  He showed me where they were and I got a good view of them through the bins, very difficult to get pictures though.  Then he said have you seen the Cattle Egrets and pointed them out to me, wow a lifer for me so I spent a while here and counted 14 birds. Also close by was a Curlew, Snipe, Little Egret & Redshank a good numbers of Common Terns were also seen.  Back at Astley Lake I spotted a  couple of Spoonbills and another birder with a scope pointed out two Green Sandpipers.  A great morning here with plenty of birds which included Little Grebe, Gt C. Grebe, Shoveler, Kestrel, Gadwall, Pochard, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Grey Heron & Cormorant.

Cattle Egret

Yellow Wagtail

Little Egret

Spoonbills

Common Tern

Linnet

Shoveler

Cattle Egrets

Cattle Egrets following the Cattle at Swillington Ings 24/7/2026