BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH 2019

Cilla the Grey Wagtail with suet pellet prize for turning up for the Big Garden Birdwatch 2019 in Wickersley, South Yorkshire, UK

The RSPB ( the UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) organises a “Big Garden Birdwatch” on the last weekend of January every year. You count the maximum number of each species that visits your chosen patch within the space of an hour of your choice. It’s a way of inspiring young and old to grab their binoculars and point their spotting scopes at their wonderful avian neighbours. It’s also a rough indication of which species are thriving or struggling on these islands.

I made my second attempt at completing the survey this morning. It usually takes me a couple of tries, so the full hour of birding is sometimes cobbled together from ten minutes here and half an hour there, as strength and health permit. This year I’ve been fortunate to be well enough over the weekend to do the whole sitting in one go. Or rather in two goes - one yesterday afternoon and then a repeat this morning, which is pretty good going, by my low standards. As today’s session was the first feed of the day, the birds were more eager than last time, which was just after dinner.

One of the resident Magpies turned up to represent the corvids, as the Crows simply couldn’t be bothered. Neither could the other Magpies. The flock of local Wood Pigeons made a late entrance, minus my secret favourite, Drooper the Woody with the Wonky Wing or his mate Rolly, a female with a damaged leg which gives her an unmistakable rolling gait. The other pigeons who decided to participate spent most of their time attempting to mate, thrusting their wings petulantly at one another or flying off to sit in surrounding trees, meaning I needed to adjudicate whether or not they actually counted as being on my patch at all.

Drooper the Woody with the Wonky Wing

Yesterday, none of the tit family arrived during the allotted hour. Today, a trio of Blue Tits, a pair of Great Tits and a solitary Coal Tit got their attendance marks, unlike the little clan of Long-Tailed Tits I’d heard twittering away every day last week. No doubt the ‘Lollipops’ had been checking their diaries so as to co-ordinate their efforts not to get caught on the census. All the better for staying under the radar uncounted, getting up to any merry mischief they might choose, without human knowledge. The same goes for the resident Wren, who is heard but not seen most of the time, and was certainly not going to make it easy for me during the BGBW.

Great Tit (Parus major)

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

The House Sparrows were here in force. Fifteen of them shuttling between hedgerow and feeders, chirping the odds, swapping places, noisily networking. Numbers of males and females seemed roughly equal. I know we’re so very lucky to have a such a thriving colony of House Sparrows in residence. In many parts of the UK they are becoming a rarity.

Standing out from the crowd is the one I’ve named Lucy, from the fact she’s a leucistic bird. Leucism is a condition where a bird is born with a partial lack of pigment in its feathers. There may be patches of white where other colours are ‘normal’ for the breed. Consequently, Lucy looks, from a distance, like some sort of pale finch or bunting. Closer examination reveals her to be a female House Sparrow with beautiful snowy sections on her wings. She flutters in like a ray of light, integrated with her tribe but always distinctive in our eyes. Lovely to have some joyful diversity at the bird table.

Lucy the leucistic House Sparrow

Of the pair of resident Robins, only one graced us with its presence, plumped out and very pleased with itself to be representing its redbreast posse. Maybe it thinks it is the most photogenic and coveted tick on the list, as it has recently been voted Britain’s favourite bird and always popular for its iconic place at the heart of the winter season. Two pairs of Dunnocks were omnipresent, as usual, not attracting attention to themselves, unassuming and modest little wind-up toys, ticking along under the hedge or on the lawn, dancing jerkily under their own momentum.

The unexpected highlight for me, of this or indeed any recent BGBW, came just five minutes before the end of the appointed hour. Onto the patio bounced the Grey Wagtail, nicknamed ‘Cilla’ after its Latin name (Motacilla cinerea). She first appeared a couple of days ago for the very first time. Before that I had never seen a Grey Wagtail in the garden. I certainly wasn’t expecting her to put in an appearance for the hallowed hour. But she didn’t let me down. I even got a photo of her with a suet pellet in her beak (see above). Had to add her manually onto the BGBW results page online, as she wasn’t included among the species most likely to be seen.

A reminder, just when we might really be needing one, that you never know what is around the corner. You sometimes approach a project with cynicism, only to be delighted by unlooked for miracles, finding your glass not just half full, but overflowing. The birds in my garden remind me of that every single day.

[Full result: 1 Robin, 15 House Sparrows, 7 Blackbirds, 6 Wood Pigeons, 4 Dunnocks, 1 Magpie, 3 Blue Tits, 2 Great Tits, 1 Coal Tit and 1 Grey Wagtail.]

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) Britain's favourite national sweetheart

Cormorants & Constellations at RSPB Old Moor

Spent a beautiful winter's afternoon and twilight today at RSPB Old Moor in the Dearne Valley.

The "Cormorants & Constellations" Event started with a spot of guided wildfowl watching. Then as the sky darkened, a glimpse through some powerful telescopes provided by the local Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society as Venus and Jupiter came out to play between the rolling clouds. This stargazing was timed to coincide with the BBC's Stargazing Live programmes. Some enthusiastic young astronomers in the making were there with their families today, enjoying all that Old Moor and the MSAS have to offer to the Patrick Moores and Professor Brian Coxs of the future!

Thanks to the all wonderful staff at Old Moor, including John and Jeff who took us on guided walk No 2 to the Wader Scrape as the rain swept down and the wind buffeted the water.

Started by seeing Bullfinches and Blue Tits from the visitor centre and then wandered into the play area before the walk, where a cloud of Magpies sat in a treetop before flying rattling exuberantly over our heads.

In Wader Scrape, we looked across towards Darfield church tower, past a stormy scene alive with wildfowl and other birds battling the elements. Flocks of Lapwing, a Great Crested Grebe in its winter plumage, Goosander, Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, a Great Black-Backed Gull sitting dominating an island, Little Egret, and a male Pheasant scuttling across in front of the hide. Many more, including Carrion Crows, flocks of Starling in the distance over Darfield way, and, of course, a row of Cormorant, proud to know the day named in their honour was going so well!

Jupiter with its moons and Venus shining bright, the evening star in all its splendour, made the stargazing part of the evening a joy in spite of encroaching cloud cover. The Gannets Cafe for a warm cuppa and a bite to eat warmed us up nicely again, with accompanying footage of the earth from the International Space Station. Over in the Classroom, another film was showing, very popular indeed, you had to be quick off the mark to secure a seat! Shows how popular Old Moor is, and with very good reason!

The whole visit was a delight as always. Reminded me how much I love Old Moor, how it's been too long since my last visit, and how good it will be to head back there as soon as health and opportunity permits.

Our friends Sue & Col, and my mum arriving for the fun

This wind turbine sounded ready to take off in the gusty January wind!

Me, three layers of thermals (TMI!), bins, silly woolly hat and walking stick with inbuilt seat affectionately known in my house as the "Ironing Board" for its rather-bulky-but-comfy design. Vanity's not one of my many vices, obviously!

Magpies flocking. They're like Marmite - love 'em or hate 'em. I adore them, the zany clowns of the crow world!

The free giveaway info cards to tie in with BBC's "Stargazing Live"

Written in the Stars - or spelled out by the Geese!

Pink Footed Geese over Bolton-on-Dearne, flying back to RSPB Reserve Old Moor this weekend

The photo hastily clicked off from my mobile doesn't do them justice! Somehow the "rule of thirds" picture composition guideline was scuppered by that pesky overhead cable, but at least it gives some perspective to this winter spectacle!

I was disappointed to be too weak, as I often am, to make it to the beautiful RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Reserve at Old Moor, in the Dearne Valley near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. But as I was going to a friend's for lunch after church, I heard a honking getting louder and louder. At first I thought it must be a neighbour on the estate on the slopes of the valley who was keeping domestic hens. Then I realised the sound was coming from the sky, high above us.

I looked up to see an expansive "V" formation of geese streaming across the leaden skies of an unpromising Sunday lunchtime. People were going about their business. Folk were in their kitchens preparing meals. One chap was tinkering with his car further down the street. Nobody seemed to notice, but I was transfixed.

No, I didn't make it to Old Moor, one of my favourite local birdwatching spots, this time. But instead, the birds came my way. When I got home the following day, I tweeted about the birds and one of the lovely staff at Old Moor replied to my tweet that the birds were actually Pink Footed Geese. They also joked that they'd sent the geese out flying around as publicity in return for their B&B! It certainly worked!

I'm hoping, if well enough in a couple of weeks, and if I can interest two other birdwatching, skygazing friends to accompany us, to go to Cormorants & Constellations: Stargazing Returns! This is an event hosted by RSPB Dearne Valley - Old Moor in collaboration with the Mexborough & Swinton Astronomcal Society later this month. Taking advantage of the flocks of winter bird visitors and the spectacular night skies of late January, members of the public will be able to watch the wildfowl coming in to roost (after a fly-past like they're doing in the photo above!) before having a unique chance to look at the stars and planets through powerful telescopes.

There'll even be a planetarium set up in the Visitor Centre, footage of stars in the Classroom area and new film of our Earth from space, taken by the ISS (International Space Station). The latter will take in place in the Gannets Cafe/Restaurant. Anyone who has ever been to Old Moor will know that place is second to none in Yorkshire for its simple warm welcome and excellent food prepared from local produce. Booking essential, so I'm really hoping I can manage to be there this time!

Looking at that photo I took again, I reckon the geese have changed their usual "V" into a curly "C" to advertise the Cormorants and Constellations event at which they may well be among the stars!

A few hours at Old Moor

Spent a relaxing day at Old Moor RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Nature Reserve at Broomhill near Barnsley. Wetland habitat with meres and pools and reservoirs where many species of birds enjoy themselves all year round. I had long promised a friend that I'd introduce her to the delights of this stretch of Yorkshire paradise, and today was the appointed day.


With weather soft and sunny with the occasional sprinkle of summer rain, we walked among the bullrushes, waterside plants and trees surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature. In a couple of hours (with a break for a wonderful locally sourced and prepared on site lunch at the "Gannets Cafe") I saw over 25 species of birds, including most of the ones on offer today:


Black Tailed Godwit (ooh - one of my favourites!), Grey Heron, Canada Geese, Lapwing, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe (carrying babies on its back in the water), Mute Swans with their cygnets, Reed Warbler, Pheasant, Swifts, Carrion Crow, Black Headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Tern, Bullfinch (male singing and both sexes feeding), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Collared Doves, Woodpigeons, Tree Sparrows, Starlings (a large flock), Linnet, Common Tern, Common Sandpiper and Magpie.


An exhausting but soul refreshing outing. 

Black Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) feeding in the mud.