Swillington Ings

Sunday 24th May a.m.

A bright sunny start with a temperature of 13°C, right across the site Cetti's Warblers were very vocal.  They were not alone though with Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat & Reed Bunting all up singing.  Plenty ducks about too a Gadwall had chicks with it, a female Shoveler had more than a dozen chicks in tow, a Tufted was also seen with chicks, also seen were Pochard & Shelduck.  There were half a dozen Great Crested Grebes seen, Common Terns were making the most of a couple of new floating islands.  A group of five Bearded Tit's passed through the reeds, a Bittern flew across the path just infront of me but my reaction with the camera was woefully slow hence no picture. A good morning which the temperature rose quickly and so I was soon on my way home.

Sedge Warbler

Reed Warbler

Bearded Tit

Common Tern

Gadwall

Pochard

Reed Bunting

Shelduck

Whitethroat

Shoveler 

Shoveler with chick

Shoveler with chicks, Swillington Ings 24/5/2026

TMR

 Friday 22nd May a.m.

After a spell of poor weather a good day got me out up to TMR a BOG restricted access site where the sun was shining at 17°C.  A flock of c50 Starlings were making a din, I preferred the sound of Cuckoo's calling during most of my visit, three were seen flying around together.  The water level is still high but showing signs of dropping, Oystercatcher, LRP, Redshank & Common Sandpiper were seen.  Canadas & Greylags had goslings with them, also seen were Tufteds, Teal & c100 LBB Gulls.  Others seen were Pied Wagtail, Mistle Thrush, Mipit, Red-legged Partridge, Sand Martin, Stonechat, Linnet & Goldfinch. 

Goldfinch

Meadow Pipit

Mistle Thrush

Oystercatcher

Pied Wagtail

Red-legged Partridge 

Redshank 

 

LRP

Common Sandpiper

LBB Gulls

Canadas with goslings

Greylags with goslings at TMR 22/5/2026

Harden Moor

 Sunday 10th May a.m.

A sunny morning with a temperature of 6°C, there were plenty birds up singing one of these was a Blackcap, my first this year.  The Cuckoo was heard in the distance and a Curlew flew over, Skylarks were up singing so plenty to see.  Others included Bullfinch, Stonechat, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Lapwing, Dunnock, Linnet, Meadow Pipit and Goldfinch. 

Blackcap

Bullfinch

Curlew

Stonechat

Dunnock 

Goldfinch 

Skylark 

Whitethroat 

Blackcap on Harden Moor 10/5/2026

TMR

 Wednesday 6th May a.m.

A sunny start with a temperature of  6°C as I walked up towards the Reservoir which has restricted access to BOG members.  A Mistle Thrush was looking for worms and a Swallow was on an overhead wire further along a Wheatear posed for a couple of pictures. Around the edge of the res Common Sandpiper and Redshank were seen, on the water a pair of Canadas were with their goslings, a Mallard had chicks and there were four Tufteds.  There were Sand Martins feeding over the water an  Oystercatcher was on the wall, others were Red-legged Partridge, Stonechat, LBB Gull, Meadow Pipit & Linnet.

Redshank

 

Red-legged Partridge 

Oystercatcher 

Common Sandpiper 

Wheatear 

 

Tufteds

Swallow

Mistle Thrush

Linnet

Canada with goslings

Redshank at TMR 6/5/2026