Linacre WeBS - 11th October 2026

 Last weekend was this month's WeBS count, so I went down to Linacre for a couple of hours on Sunday morning. Numbers were quite low again, as  the top and bottom reservoirs are still very low, due to the ongoing works.

Top reservoir

Birds seen were: Mallard (42), Tufted Duck (40), Mandarin Duck (20), Teal (5: 4 females and 1 male), Coot (2), Moorhen (5), Pied Wagtail (3), Grey Wagtail (1), Great-crested Grebe (1), Cormorant (2), Canada Goose (1 flew over) and Grey Heron (1). Pink-footed Geese were also heard, but not seen, flying over.

Teal (male and female)

Other birds seen/heard were: Skylark (overhead), Sparrowhawk (1 male flew over the top reservoir), Jay, Crow, Robin, Wren, Nuthatch, Blue, Long-tailed, Great Tit and Chaffinch.

Rufford Gulls - 4th October 2026

On Sunday, Jayne and I had a couple of hours at Rufford. Whilst there, we had the highest number of ringed Black-headed Gulls so far this autumn (13), re-found the Danish-ringed bird and recorded a new, Lithuanian-ringed bird.

Birds seen were: 206A (2nd sighting), 258A (4th sighting), 207C (5th sighting), 215C (1st sighting since January 2026), 258C (2nd sighting), 223F (1st sighting since October 2025), 239F (1st sighting since October 2025), 262F (1st sighting since October 2025), 2V10 (1st sighting since December 2025), 2V16 (4th sighting), 200H (3rd sighting), 208H (1st sighting since February 2026), 225H (4th sighting), VA9644 (2nd sighting) and the Lithuanian-ringed bird, HA65.146. 

215C

223F

239F

262F

2V10

208H

Lithuanian HA65.146

Also seen were: 1 Willow Emerald Damselfly and a single Red Admiral butterfly.

Linacre - Two Visits

 Over the last week, I've had a couple of visits to Linacre (last Sunday and this morning). 

Last week's visit was in the afternoon, when it was 20 degrees, with sunny spells. I managed to see a few insects, including one Small White, which may be the last one of the year, two Tachinid flies, Syrphus sp hoverflies and a few Common Carder Bees. Other highlights included 10+ Pied Wagtails by the main entrance, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (2 adults and 1 juvenile), 7 Cormorants, 3 Coots, 2 Teal, 2 Great-crested Grebes and, best of all, a breeding plumaged Little Grebe (the first since March).

Little Grebe

Today's visit (7.30am to 9.30am) was also sunny, but just 13 degrees, and felt very autumn-like, with my first Linacre Pink-footed Geese of 2026. Two skeins were heard, but just 1 (of 68 birds) seen, heading east.

Pink-footed Geese

Other birds seen were: Buzzard (1 on the fence posts, by the main entrance), Raven (1 over the Top Reservoir), Skylark (heard going over), Chiffchaff (at least two, in the willows, by the Top Reservoir), Woodpigeon (c.100 flew out of the trees),  Mallard (70), Tufted Duck (14), Mandarin Duck (8), Teal (3; 1 male and 2 females), Coot (3), Moorhen (6), Cormorant (9), Grey Wagtail (3), Pied Wagtail (c6, by the main entrance), Great-crested Grebe (2 on the Middle Reservoir) and, best of all, a flock of 14 Canada Geese on the Middle Reservoir- the highest count since August 2024!)

Canada Geese

Mandarin Duck

Buzzard

Rufford Gulls - 20th September 2026

After a few weeks of exciting rarities I was back at Rufford yesterday afternoon for a quieter, but very enjoyable, gull-filled session. I only saw 5 of "our" Black-headed Gulls, but 2 were quite notable!

The birds seen were: 207F,(my first sighting since 3rd January 2026, and only my 7th sighting since ringing in October 2024), 207C (my 4th sighting this season), 258A (my third sighting this season), 251B (ringed by me in October 2022, as a juvenile/1st winter bird and last seen in March 2025) and 225H (my 3rd sighting this season).

207F

251B

Other birds seen were: 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Grey Wagtail, c.50 Canada Geese, 8 Mute Swans, including Broken Beak, his partner and 2 cygnets, along with Crinkle Neck and 3 other adults and, best of all, a juvenile male Kingfisher, that was fishing in the river, by the ford.

Broken Beak and family

Kingfisher

It was 20 degrees and sunny, whilst I was there, and I also saw a Red Admiral and 2 Willow Emerald Damselflies, including this male.

Willow Emerald Damselfly

Baird's Sandpiper!

The incredible run of rare waders continued today, when a Baird's Sandpiper (197) was found at Redmires Reservoir, Sheffield. Another lifer!!

Unfortunately, I couldn't get there until late afternoon, but , thankfully, the bird was still present, feeding on the middle reservoir with 4 Dunlin, and a couple of Ringed Plover. I managed to get a few record shots.

Baird's Sandpiper

Redmires Reservoir

 It was 21 degrees this afternoon, and pretty sunny, so Jayne and I had a walk around Redmires Reservoirs, near Sheffield.

The top two reservoirs were about half full, but, apart from quite a few Black-headed, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Mallards, a Pied Wagtail a family party of Stonechats and a winter plumaged Golden Plover, it was quite quiet.

The highlight, however, was a very obliging Kestrel (juvenile, I think), that Jayne spotted, perched beautifully, on a Rowan tree.

Kestrel

Linacre WeBS - 13th September 2026

 Today was this month's scheduled WeBS count, so I had a couple of hours (7am - 9am) down at Linacre. Unfortunately, all of last week's "goodies" had gone, but this did mean I could concentrate on the count, and not get distracted!

Numbers were: Mallard (54), Tufted Duck (21), Mandarin (13), Grey Wagtail (3), Pied Wagtail (1), Grey Heron (1), Moorhen (8; 6 adults and 2 juveniles), Coot (2), Cormorant (7) and Great-crested Grebe (1). 

Mandarin Duck

Cormorant

As you can see, numbers were quite low, due mainly to the very low water levels on the top and bottom reservoir (approximately one third full).

Bottom Reservoir

Other birds seen were: House Martin (5 overhead), Chiffchaff (at least 5 singing and 2 seen, in the willows, by the top reservoir), Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Buzzard, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Skylark (heard) and Woodpigeon.

Woodpigeon

Grey Squirrels were everywhere, as always, but this one, a tail-less individual, caught my eye.

Grey Squirrel 

Another Derbyshire Tick - Pectoral Sandpiper x 2!

 News broke of not one, but two, juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers (196) at Carsington Water, Derbyshire, yesterday. Amazingly, I haven't seen this species since 2016, and never in Derbyshire, so Jayne and I drove across this morning to see them.

We parked up in the Visitors' Centre, just to hear that both birds had just been flushed, and has flown to the other end of the reservoir! We set off, along the dam wall, and 15 minutes later, were watching both birds feeding happily, about 90m away. Derbyshire tick! They continued to feed in the same area, so we settled down to get some photos and video.

Pectoral Sandpiper

RSPB Old Moor - 5th September 2026

Jayne and I had a trip over to RSPB Old Moor, on Saturday. We had a few hours there, and managed to add another couple of species to the Year List: Wood Sandpiper (194) and Caspian Gull (195).

The Wood Sandpiper was seen from Wath Ings hide, and was feeding close in with several Ruff and a Greenshank. Other birds seen from this hide included: Green Sandpiper (5), Lapwing (50+), Dunlin (3), Black-tailed Godwit (4), Grey Heron (1), Mallard, Gadwall, Teal, Canada and Greylag Geese.

Wood Sandpiper and Ruff

Greenshank (and Stickleback)

Our next stop was the Wader Scrape Hide, where we spotted a very confiding Common Sandpiper, Wigeon, Gadwall, Pied Wagtail, Mute Swan (2 ringed birds: Y848 and Y812) Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a single Caspian Gull. The Caspian Gull, a 2nd year bird, was ringed with the darvic number PY1X, and appears to be a Polish-ringed bird. I'll update, when I hear back from the ringers. The final bird species of note was Marsh Harrier. We saw two birds, a male and a "cream crown".

Common Sandpiper

Caspian Gull

Gadwall

Linacre - 5th September 2026

 As well as the excitement of the Greenshank and Green Sandpiper at Linacre yesterday, I also had quite a few other good sightings to share.

First up was a Buzzard that was perching in a tree, by the bottom car park. I'm sure its a juvenile bird, due to the pale fringing on the feathers.

Buzzard

Next up was a pair of Teal, that were found, feeding on the top reservoir. It may be a good winter for this species, if the water levels remain lower.

Teal (female/eclipse male)

Whilst watching the Teal, a Raven flew overhead, along with half a dozen Swallows - possibly the last of the year? Mallard, Tufted Duck and Mandarin Duck numbers were average, but I didn't do a full count, as I was too busy with the waders! 7 Cormorants were present, along with Coots (2 adults), Moorhens (2 adults), a Kingfisher, at least 2 singing Chiffchaffs , a lovely flock of c20 House Martins (the highest count of the year, by far and 1 Great-crested Grebe.

Cormorants (6 of the 7 present)

The last species that I want to mention id the Grey Wagtail. I haven't seen too many this summer, so I was very pleased to spot an adult and 2 juveniles, feeding around the overflow from the middle reservoir.

Grey Wagtail (adult and juvenile?)

Another Linacre Tick!

 The ongoing works at Linacre mean that the top reservoir has a lot of exposed mud. A few days ago I had my first ever Green Sandpiper for the site, and today, when I got there, I found another new species, a juvenile Greenshank!!!! Both species had been "on my radar" as possible, but to find both, within a few days of each other, is an absolute dream. The Green Sandpiper was still present too.

Greenshank

Red-backed Shrike - Derbyshire Tick!

Yesterday, whilst doing the weekly shop (!), I got a message from Luke that there was a Birdguides record of a juvenile/1st winter Red-backed Shrike (193) that had been spotted in The Avenue Washlands Country Park. Jayne and I went straight across, and found the bird feeding by a small pond.

It posed well, and even caught, impaled and then ate a Migrant Hawker whilst we were there. A later photo, not mine, unfortunately, also showed it eating a Lesser Emperor dragonfly!!! Here are a few photos (the last three slightly enhanced!).

Red-backed Shrike