Orgreave Lakes

Another Saturday meant another day of deciding where exactly to go. Since it was a housemates 21st in the evening I decided to stay local so as to keep fresh. Orgreave was the chosen spot, and well chosen it was too. Not long after I arrived I added Stock Dove to the yearlist and this pair or a few pairs spend the rest of the walk flying around.

-Stock Dove

The real bonus of the day was not one but two patch ticks. The first was a superb male Yellowhammer. I picked it up flying towards me as only a silloutheut. The call I recognised but could not put my finger on it, but it was clearly a large finch or bunting. It then landed in a tree where I got superb views of it but the camera was in the bag and by the time I had got it out the bird had dropped so my best shots are through grass.

-Yellowhammer

The second yeartick of the day was a day roosting Tawny Owl. I picked up the brown mass in the tree but it was badly obscurred. I figured it must be a bird and narrowed it down to female pheasant or an owl of some description. As I got closer, though still obscurred, I could make out half the face disc of a Tawny Owl, patch and year tick. Sadly, despite the fact I was still fairly distant, it decided I was too close and dropped into the bushes where I never saw it again...

Still, another cracking day out on the patch.

Species List:

Orgreave Lakes: Goldfinch, Skylark, Wren, Blackbird, Dunnock, Magpie, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Mallard, Linnet, Lapwing, Tufted Duck, Carrion Crow, Common Teal, Stock Dove, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Pochard, Coot, Redshank, Gadwall, Goosander, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Sparrowhawk, Robin, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Tawny Owl, Long-tailed Tit, Herring Gull,