Treeton Nature Diary 2023
- Bob Croxton
- Nov 2, 2023
- 11 min read
Updated: Dec 20, 2023
Monday 18 December
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Lakes & Rother
Great Northern Diver 1, Mallard 50, Teal 6, Pochard 56, Tufted Duck 26,Goldeneye 2, Coot 66, Little Grebe 6.
Treeton Dyke (Early morning wild swimmers still scarring off most of the ducks.)
Mute Swan 9, Mallard 7, Gadwall 7, Pochard 1, Tufted Duck 24, Goosander 2, Coot 111, Moorhen 4, Great Crested Grebe 4.
Catcliffe Flash
Mallard 14, Gadwall 19, Shoveler 4, Teal 6, Tufted Duck 5, Coot 17, Moorhen 4.
Ulley Country Park
Mallard 94, Tufted Duck 17, Coot 19, Moorhen 4, Great Crested Grebe 3, Herring Gull 26.
Monday 20 November
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mallard 62, Pochard 56, Tufted Duck 40, Coot 85, Little Grebe 6, Great Crested Grebe 1, Slavonian Grebe 1, Lapwing 35.
Note
I was informed of the Slavonian Grebe six day previously, but in general I only photograph birds I find myself. This is one of those species at the top of my photo wish list. I have seen many over the years, mainly far offshore in Scotland, too far away to photograph. This individual came right up to where I do the counts from, I only had my bridge camera on me. This makes a full set now of me photographing all the grebes of Europe and North America.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 9, Mallard 24, Gadwall 13, Pochard 11, Tufted Duck 20, Coot 90, Moorhen 3, Great Crested Grebe 4, Little Egret 2, Black-headed Gull 305, Herring Gull 63.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 3, Mallard 1, Gadwall 3, Shoveler 1, Wigeon 1, Teal 6, Tufted Duck 5, Coot 13.
Sunday 19 November
Treeton Dyke
Nine Goosander was the highest count here for some time.
Monday 13 November
Treeton Dyke
My first Common Gull on the Dyke since the only one I had in 2022 on the 12 December. 1 Teal, 8 Pochard, a single very quiet Raven.
Sunday 12 November
A fogy morning, then rain kept me at home most of then day. a break in the rain around 4:00 pm gave me the chance to make a rare visit to Catcliffe Flash at dusk. In the distant past I used to do this on a regular basis, to see the ducks come out of cover and fly off elsewhere and the big roosts of
Stock Doves, Woodpigeons and Magpies. The roosts are no more mainly because of too much disturbance from dog walkers on the riverbank. There also used to be regular roosts of Stalin's and its many years since I last had one here. To my surprise the Starling were murmurating tonight as soon as I arrived. My first record of a roost here for many years. The rain came back heavier than before, around 4:15 pm, so I left them to carry on flying around. The flock is continually increased by small groups flying in from further afield and numbered around 2,000 birds. Aways amazes me how they know where the roost is, given the birds arrive from far and wide. Also of note 18 Tufted Duck, which is a high count by recent standards.
Thursday 9 November
Been back from Poland for over a week, but apart from a couple of days with a passage of Redwings, Fieldfares and Wood Pigeons all fairly quiet. After the floods in October most of the wildfowl has cleared off Catcliffe Flash, Treeton Dyke and Orgreave Lakes. Today I found a Little Egret rummaging through the debris by the Rother by Catcliffe Flash. It was catching the occasional fish, dispute the fast flowing murky water.
Monday 16 October
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Ulley Country Park
Mute Swan 5, Greylag Goose 76, Red-breasted Goose 1, Mallard 67, Coot 9, Moorhen 4, Great Crested Grebe 2, Black-headed Gull 110.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 14, Pink-footted Goose 32 flew over NW 1053 hrs, Mallard 35, Gadwall 40, Pochard 2, Tufted Duck 36, Coot 112, Morton 16, Great Crested Grebe 6, Little Grebe 1, Little Egret 1, Black-headed Gull 112.
Orgreave Lakes
Mute Swan 3, Whooper Swan 1, Mallard 55, Gadwall 6, Pochard 58, Tufted Duck 31, Coot 77, Moorhen 1, Little Grebe 15, Great Crested Grebe 2, Little Egret 2, Lapwing 28. Herring Gull 24, Lesser Black-backed Gull 21, Black-headed Gull 2.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 3, Mallard 6, Gadwall 43, Shoveler 10, Wigeon 54, Teal 1, Tufted Duck 3, Coot 44, Moorhen 6, Little Grebe 2, Cormorant 4, Black-headed Gull 13.
Sunday 15 October
Treeton Area
Back from two weeks in Slovakia where I have been walking my bird rich local patch at Sokolovce. This morning was very disappointing with the number of song birds continuing to be disappointing. In nearly 3 hours walking just a few Pied Wagtail Blue/Great Tits, Blackbirds, Chaffinches and star birds of the morning 2 Greenfinch at Old Flats Farm. The urban parts of the village also seem to have very low numbers of birds, it being quite easy to walk around without seeing so much as a House Sparrow or Starling!
Sunday 24 September
North Treeton
A walk along Long Lane to Blue mans Bower and back along the Rother and Bolehill Flash only found single Robin, Blue Tit and a female/juv Stonechat passerine wise. Plenty of Crows and Wood Pigeons. Birds in urban Treeton seemed to have undone a dramatic decline at the moment.
Thursday 21 September
Treeton Dyke
Migrant Hawker dragonflies particular common today, along with Brown Hawkers and Common Darters. Red Admirals were the most common butterfly.
Saturday 16 September Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mute Swan 4, Mallard 39, Gadwall 31, Pochard 53, Tufted Duck 29, Goosander 3, Common Scoter 2 fem/imm, Coot 95, Great Crested Grebe 8, Little Grebe 9, Black-necked Grebe 1.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 3, Mallard 6, Gadwall 43, Shoveler 1, Wigeon 22, Pochard 6, Coot 68, Moorhen 12, Little Grebe 5, Great Crested Grebe 1.
Friday 15 September
Treeton Dyke Monthly Wildfowl Count
Mute Swan 16, Mallard 14, Gadwall 31, Pochard 1, Tufted Duck 27, Coot 74, Moorhen 7 Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 5.
Monday 11 September
Catcliffe Flash
Wildfowl numbers seem down for the time of year just a few Wigeon and a single Shoveler back. Around 1130 hrs an adult Hobby spent several minutes chasing and catching a few dragonflies, while overhead 5 Buzzards were soaring.
Tuesday 22 August
Ulley Country Park (Very few birders visiting these days, since parking was prohibited around the bridge area, So I have took on the task of doing monthly wildfowl counts.)
Mute Swan 1 pr with 4 juvs, Mallard 199, Coot 8, Moorhen 2, Black-headed Gull 26, Kingfisher 1, Grey Wagtail 3, a large flock of over 150 Goldfinches feeding on thistles on the dam wall.
Monday 21 August
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mute Swan 21 inc 3 juvs, Canada Goose 49, Greylag Goose 49, Mallard 43, Gadwall 8, Pochard 73, Tufted Duck 103, Coot 128, Great Crested Grebe 6 plus 2 juvs, Little Grebe 8, Common Sandpiper 2, Black-headed Gull 558, Herring Gull 13, Lesser Black-backed Gull 26.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 1 pr 5 juvs - 1 pr 3 juvs, Mallard 33, Gadwall 14, Tufted Duck 9 plus 2 females with 1 half grown young each, Coot 63, Moorhen 10, Great Crested Grebe 10 plus 1 pr with 2 small young.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 3, Mallard 44, Gadwall 21, Pochard 2, Coot 41, Moorhen 13, Great Crested Grebe 1, Little Grebe 8, Grey Heron 2, Cormorant 4.
Saturday 19 August
River Rother M1
Although I expect to see a couple of Great White Egrets a year these days in the Treeton area, it came as a great surprise to fine one on the Rother by the M1 bridge. Unimaginable that I could see such a species here, when I first walked the area 40 years ago!
Saturday 12 August
Well Lane Lagoons (North end)
A large mixed flock of over 60 birds, a rare sight these days. passed through dense scrub. Blue Tits being the most common, followed by Long-tailed Tits and good numbers of Willow Warblers and Chifchaffs.
Tuesday 8 August
Treeton Dyke
A pair of Great Crested Grebe have managed to hatch at least one young, from a floating nest in the NW corner of the dyke. This despite the wet weather and swell from the speedboats .
Kingfisher.
Well Lane Lagoons Tip
A freshly emerged Painted Lady.
Thursday 3 August
Treeton Dyke/Forgemasters Tip
Butterflies - Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, many newly emerged Peacocks, Common Blue, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Holly Blue.
Damselflies - Common Blue, Blue-tailed.
Dragonflies - Emperor, Brown Hawker, Ruddy Darter.
Monday 31 July
Treeton Dyke
Common Tern 2, Tufted Duck 2 females with broods of 2 and 3 very young ducklings, this is the first year I have recorded Tufted Duck breeding for here many years here.
Friday 28 July
Treeton Dyke
Great Crested Grebe a minimum of ten adults including one on a nest was the highest count for some years. Common Tern.
Monday 24 July
Treeton Dyke
Common Tern 1, A female Tufted Duck has 3 small ducklings, but eventually flew off and left them on their own! I was nowhere near the ducklings. It's many years since I last proved breeding here.
Sunday 23 July
Catcliffe Flash
Shoveler 3.
Tuesday 18 July
Treeton Dyke
Common Tern
Monday 17 July
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgeave Lakes and River
Mute Swan 31, Canada Goose 244, Mallard 70, Pochard 34, Tufted Duck 97 plus a creche of at least 10 ducklings, Coot 108, Little Grebe 3, Little Egret 6, Oystercatcher 4, Lapwing 14.
Treeton Dyke
Early morning disturbance from wild swimmers continues with the southern end, all but deserted and most of the ducks now at the northern end, where they get cleared off by water skiers at the weekend. No hope of this issue being resolved as its promoted by the RSPB, Country File, Chris Packham, the media etc as a way of engaging with nature!
Mallard 105, Gadwall 2, Shoveler 1, Tufted Duck, Coot 17, Moorhen 7, Great Crested Grebe 5 plus 3 fully grown juveniles, Common Tern 1.
Catcliffe Flash
2 plus 1 cygnet, Mallard 55, Gadwall 39, Teal 2, Pochard 6, Tufted Duck 2, Coot 29, Moorhen 3, Little Grebe 6 including 2 on nests, Great Crested Grebe 1, Cormorant 1, Grey Hern 3, Common Sandpiper 2 roosting on the perches.
Sunday 16 July
Catcliffe Flash
First returning Wigeon of the year a male.
Monday 10 July
Treeton Dyke west side & Forgemasters Tip
Red Admiral, Comma, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper Butterflies.
Tuesday 4 July
Treeton Dyke
Common Tern
Monday 3 July
Treeton Dyke
Two Common Sandpipers, Kingfisher, Tufter Duck 19.
Thursday 29 June
Cow Field Playing Field off Washfield Lane Treeton
Five Oystercatcher from Orgreave Lakes, two of which were this years young, with one being fed worms by it's parent.
Treeton Dyke
A recently fledged young Treecreeper in the SE corner willows.
Sadly in recent weeks there have been a number of fishing pegs hacked through the reedbeds during the bird nesting season in the SE corner. This land is owned by Rotherham MBC and should be no fishing, but don't expect any action by RMBC who have been informed. This on top of the almost daily wild swimmers and regular paddles boarders, is having a bad effect of the birds of the southern part of the Skye, which acts a refuge to all the water skiing and other pastime on the northern part of the Dyke.
Monday 19 June
Monthly Wildfowl Count highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mute Swan 36 + 6 juvs, Canada Goose 178 + 18 juvs, Greylag Goose 10 + 6 juvs, Mallard 98 +many juvs, Gadwall 12, Pochard 8, Tufted Duck 17, Coot 61, Black-necked Grebe 1, Great Crested Grebe 37, Redshank 4.
Treeton Dyke (Early morning wild swimmers, plus the water skying keeping wildfowl numbers down)
Mute Swan 2 pairs with 6 cygnets and 4 cygnets, Mallard 17, Tufted Duck 1, Coot 14, Moorhen 4, Great Crested 4 including a pr with 3 juvs.
Sunday 18 June
Catcliffe Flash
Monthly Wildfowl Count
Mute Swan pair with 1 cygnet, Mallard 65 with many ducklings, Gadwall 46 with many ducklings, Shoveler 2 pairs (Rare in June here), Pochard 23 inc 4 females, Coot 12, Moorhen 4, Little Grebe 7 (2 on nests), Great Crested Grebe 2 pairs, Grey Heron 2.
Wednesday 24 May
Treeton Dyke
Second pair of Mute Swans have cygnets. A pair of Great Crested Grebe have 3 young and a pair of Coots 2 young, but no other wildfowl seen with young yet.
Saturday 26 March
Old Flatts Farm
My first Linnets of the year.
Wednesday 23 March
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Lakes and River
Mallard 30, Teal 4, Wigeon 5, Gadwall 18, Pochard 2, Tufted Duck 22, Goldeneye 1, Coot 32, Great Crested Grebe 6.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 2 pairs, Mallard 8, Gadwall 5, Pochard 2, Tufted Duck 22, Coot 31.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 2, Mallard 9, Shoveler 3, Teal 6, Pochard 3, Tufted Duck 23, Coot 12, Little Grebe 2.
Monday 27 February
Treeton Village
While walking fields to the east of Ulley, I tracked a skein of 74 Pink-footed Geese fly NW over Treeton at 0910 hrs. They were following the same route as the two skeins on Sunday.
Sunday 26 February
Treeton Sewerage Works
3 Meadow Pipits my first here for some time.
Treeton Village
Pink-footed Geese c132 NW at 0849 hrs and c206 NW 0850 hrs.
Sunday 19 February
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Lakes and River
Mallard 52, Gadwall 5, Wigeon 8, Teal 8, Pochard 92, Tufted Duck 28, Goldeneye 3, Goosander 3, Coot 59, Oystercatcher 3, Redshank 1.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 4, Mallard 11, Gadwall 6, Pochard 1, Tufted Duck 41, Goosander 1, Coot 60, Moorhen 3.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 2, Mallard 8, Gadwall 23, Shoveler 7, Wigeon 2, Teal 20, Wigeon 2, Pochard 7, Tufted Duck 12, Coot 20, Moorhen 1, Grey Heron3, Little Egret 1, Little Grebe 1, Great Crested Grebe 1, Cormorant 3.
Sunday 5 February
Ulley Brook/Long Lane
Chiffchaff working it's way along a hedgerow with Long-tailed Tits.
Friday 3 February
Treeton Tip and adjacent fields
For some weeks there has been a very wary flock of over a hundred finches feeding on a sacrificial crop of Millet. Difficult to count and determine species. Today at least 50 Chaffinches flew onto the trees on the tip, smaller numbers of Goldfinches.
Thursday 2 February
Forgemasters Tip
Several Lesser Redpols feeding in Silver Birches in typical small numbers for this winter.
Thursday 26 January
Bolehill Plantation
Min of 5 Lesser Redpol.
Treeton Sewerage Works
Carrion Crows min 109, Pied Wagtail min 27
Catcliffe Flash
Female Sparrowhawk
Wednesday 25 January
Treeton Dyke
Goldeneye a pair.
Bolehill Flash
Yellowhammer, Several Reed Buntings
Tuesday 24 January
Well Lane, Treeton
Flock of over 100 thrushes mainly Redwings, Fieldfares and Blackbirds trying to feed on fallen cherries. Very skittish and difficult to photograph, due to endless dog walkers, cats, cars and a rare Rotherham MBC road sweeper.
Monday 23 January
Monthly Wildfowl Counts Highlights
Orgreave Lakes 80% frozen and River (0815-0930 & 1545-1630 hrs)
Whooper Swan 2, Red-crested Pochard 2 (Both visits), Wigeon 75, Mallard 35, Teal 22, Pochard 152, Tufted Duck 60, Goldeneye 5, Coot 125, Lapwing 83. Kingfisher on second visit.
Treeton Dyke 90% frozen
Mute Swan 4, Gadwall 8, Mallard 9, Tufted Duck 15, Coot 80, Moorhen 5.
Catcliffe Flash 95% frozen. Count had to made from river bank as the only open water was in the NE corner and could not be viewed from the lay-bye,
Gadwall 44, Teal 103, Tufted Duck 3, Coot 16.
Sunday 22 January
Orgreave Lakes
Peregrine Falcon harrying wildfowl over one of the small patches of ice free water.
Treeton Village
A skien of c174 Pink-footed Geese NW at 1044 hours.
Saturday 21 January
Bolehill Plantation/Spa House Farm
A very noisy female Peregrine Falcon was having a prolonged tussle with two Carrion Crows early morning.
Friday 20 January
Hillyfields Woodland
Good numbers of birds present again today. Blackbirds, Redwings, Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers 2, Chaffinches, Great Tits, Blue Tits, , Coal Tit and my first Treecreeper locally in over a year.
Wednesday 18 January
Bolehill Flash
Water Rail heard
Catcliffe Flash
Good numbers of ducks in the NE corner on a small patch of open water, out of sight from the lay-bye, can be seen from the river side
Hillyfields Woodlands
Unusually full of birds today. Blackbirds, Redwings, Fieldfares, Chaffinches and a mixed flock with a Coal Tit.
St Helens Church Yard, Treeton
Its a common site to see Buzzards over the centre of the village, but one perched up here, just shows how widespread this species has become.
Three different Grey Squirrels today away from the traditional woodlands.
Tuesday 17 January
Overnight freeze left Catcliffe Flash almost completely frozen, Treeton Dyke was 2/3rds frozen, but Orgreave Lakes were mostly water. Apart from wildfowl fairly quiet.
Orgreave Lakes
An impressive count of a minimum of 187 Pochard. Lapwing, Meadow Pipit
Saturday 14 January
Catlcliffe Flash
Minimum of 44 Teal
Thursday 12 January
Oxbow, Treeton Meadows c40 Wigeon
Old Flatts Farm Grey Wagtail
Sunday 8 January
Catcliffe Flash two female Goldcrests by the river SW corner.
Oxbow, Treeton Meadows min of 8 Wigeon
Friday 6 January
Treeton Dyke
First Goldeneye of the winter (Male) here. Goosander, Jay. A white (Ermine) Stoat ran across the boat club track in the NE corner.
Monday 2 January
New Year Bird Count
Urban Treeton
Magpie, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Starling
Well Lane Lagoons
Long-tailed Tit,
Treetown Wood
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Drumming)
Biffa Tip North
Mistle Thrush (3)
Bolehill Flash/Old FlattsFarm
Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, Wren, Dunnock, Jackdaw, Redwing, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Pheasant,
Bolehill Plantation
Raven (2N), Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpol,
Spa House Farm
Kestrel, Pied Wagtail, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull.
Treeton Sewerage Works
Carrion Crow (min 109)
Ulley Brook
Herring Gull, Rook
Blue Man's Bower
Snipe, Greenfinch (5)
River Rother/M1
Canada Goose, Stock Dove
Oxbow, Treeton Meadows/Rother
Mallard, Moorhen, Grey Heron
Catcliffe Flash
Cormorant, Coot, Robin, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler
Between the Bridges, Washfield Lane
Bullfinch
Orgreave Lakes (Disturbance from 4 horse riders on the west shore and later from 2 high powered model powerboats, depleted the bird life somewhat)
Pochard, Little Grebe, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stonechat, Goldeneye, Skylark
Treeton Dyke (A number of paddle boarders had been out on the water and cleared most of the ducks off the Dyke!)
Great Crested Grebe
Hail Mary Hill and Teeton Woods
As quiet as ever, with no new birds added.
A total of 57 species. Big dips of the day Jay, Goosander, Lapwing and Meadow Pipit.
2022 - 53 Species, 2021 - 52 species. 2020 - 58 species. 2019 - 48 species. Record 2009 - 66 species
Sunday 1 January
Other commitments today stopped me doing a New Years day bird count, so just managed a couple of hours before a heavy rain shower.
Well Lane, Treeton Mistle Thursh
Bolehill Flash Great Spotted Woodpecker
Oxbow, Treeton Meadows min of 10 Wigeon
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