Orgreave Lakes

Pretty standard affair really, just a nip down late morning/early afternoon for a boot around the patch to see if there was anything about. It was fairly quiet as is to be expected at this time of day when the weather is fairly warm but there were still a few bits and pieces knocking around worthy of note.

I took the alternative route round this time, going along the eastern side of the lakes before walking round the other way. This area was very quiet, the highlight being a nice Sparrowhawk that flew over my head offering me great views of it.

The highlight of the walk was, of course, the Wheatears. There was a superb female flitting around on the rocks near the shoreline and I probably spent a good 20 mins photographing her through the scope. The light was less than ideal but I am reasonably happy with the shots I got. Not bad going at all.

-Northern Wheatear

The warm weather had brought out the Buzzards in force, as today there were 5 circling over the southern area of the site. It was pretty fantastic to see, especially considering my previous site record was 3, and yet today I could manage 4 in one frame of the camera. They came circling really low over the small lake and I tried to get a few photos.

-Common Buzzard

So it was a quiet down on the patch but there was stuff around and it did not feel overly tedious like patch birding sometimes can (Soil Hill)

Species List:

Orgreave Lakes: Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Graylag Goose, Canada Goose, Cormorant, Little Ringed Plover, Blackcap, Redshank, Wheatear, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon,