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

Derbyshire Ticks - 3rd September 2026

 Yesterday, I went for a family walk to the Upper Derwent Valley. Whilst there, we managed to get a couple of very nice Derbyshire ticks: Crossbill and Osprey (192). I managed a couple of poor "record shots".

Crossbill

Osprey

RSPB Frampton - 2nd September 2026

 Following on from the Wryneck visit yesterday, I travelled over to RSPB Frampton Marsh to pick up another two "year ticks": Temminck's Stint (190) and Curlew Sandpiper (191). Luckily, both species were seen, feeding on the Marsh Farm Reservoir, and I spotted them, just before they were flushed by something, most likely an unseen raptor!

Temminck's Stint

Curlew Sandpiper (left hand bird) and Dunlin

Wryneck - RSPB Freiston Shore

 I haven't seen a Wryneck (189) for very many years, and I've never managed to photograph one, so I drove over the RSPB Freiston Shore, in Lincolnshire on 2/9, to see if I could catch up with the bird that has been there since the Bank Holiday weekend. I think the pictures show I was successful! What a bird!

Wryneck