Swillington Songsters

Bank Holiday Monday, the 5th, and I had chance of another day out, I was joined by Mark and Paz and we headed over to Swillington Ings in the morning as Mark, having never been, was keen to learn a bit more about the place plus there was a chance to pick up a few year ticks, indeed the first ones came as we dropped down from the Car Park, a nice showy Grasshopper Warbler by the path and several Swifts high overhead, as we got down to the main reedbed area we soon found our next target species amongst the Black Headed Gull colony there, a pair of Black Necked Grebes one showing really well, we also had a bonus of a drake Garganey by the causeway and five or six Common Terns are present now, we checked out another area we had been told about, Pit Lane in Mickletown which came out at the bottom end of the Main Lake, there were a good few Warblers around this area with Reed and Sedge in full song, Blackcap and Garden Warbler and both Lesser and common Whitethroat plus a Cetti’s exploded into song on the way back and a Red Kite went over. We headed over to Fairburn in the afternoon but it was fairly quiet there, a Little Egret on the Moat and a pair of Garganey down Lin Dyke plus a Cuckoo showing by Hickstons Pond being the only things of note. 

a few Orange Tips around the car park area

showy Gropper

and Black Necked Grebe

still showing well on the way back

Red Kite over

pair of Garganey at Fairburn