Treeton Nature Diary 2021
- Bob Croxton
- Nov 24, 2021
- 14 min read
Updated: Dec 27, 2021
27 December
Treeton Dyke
Notable decrease in the wildfowl at the southern end with just 2 Mallard and 2 Gadwall, Coot numbers around half what they were on the last count.
Friday 24 December
Treeteon Dyke
While doing one of my regular visits, I came across a group of ladies blowing up paddle boards this morning at the southern end of the Dyke. I pointed out to them that the southern third of the Dyke was not for boating, but just got a load of abuse and they went ahead and launched the boards. All the wildfowl and gulls promptly flew off. I presume this will now be publicised on social media as the place to go for paddle boarding and another nail in the coffin for Rotherham's wildlife! With the northern two thirds used for water skiing, the southern end, will no longer act as a sanctuary.
Monday 20 December
Monthly wildfowl counts, highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mallard 56, Teal 10, Wigeon 44, Pochard 74, Goldeneye 1, Coot 51, Little Grebe 7, Lapwing 26.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 27, Mallard 20, Gadwall 12, Tufted Duck 24, Goosander 8, Coot 175, Great Crested Grebe 6.
Catcliffe Flash
Mallard 9, Gadwall 6, Teal 6, Pochard 6, Tufted Duck 2, Coot 7, Cormorant 7.
Tuesday 14 December
Treeton Dyke
Over 60 Great Black-backed Gulls (0840) hrs down on the water with a constant turnover.
Sunday 12 December
Treeton Dyke
230 Herring Gulls counted 0930 hrs but many others constantly passing through.
Saturday 11 December
Between the bridges Washfield Lane, Treeton.
Interesting to watch a couple of Robins snatching Guelder Rose berries, flycatcher style off their branches.
Friday 10 December
Beaumont Park Estate, Treeton
A female Sparowhawk flying high, was continually mobbed by a flock of around 20 Starlings.
Monday 6 December
Treeton Dyke
Gulls are baffling creatures when it come to how they spend the day. After spending the night roosting on a water body somewhere, they fly off early morning and then find another stretch of water to loaf around and bathe, then flying off somewhere else to loaf around. This seems at times to take priority over feeding. In recent years with peak counts around 0900 hrs, gulls loaf and bathe at the southern end of Treeton Dyke, most arriving from the east. Over 150 Herring Gull this morning, with about 10 Great Black-backed Gulls, plus many Black-headed Gulls. There is a constant turnover of gulls during this period, until later in the morning, with most gulls leaving to the west. In the late afternoon there is no sign of gulls going back to the east, most leave to the northwest. What is going on?
Wednesday 1 December
Treeton Dyke
21 Goosander
Treeton Tip
My first local Green Woodpecker since April!
Tuesday 30 November
Falconer Wood
2 Ravens overhead, making a lot of noise.
Friday 26 November
Treeton Dyke
A Little Egret flew north around 1500 hrs.
Wednesday 24 November
Treeton Dyke
A bit brighter today, but typically no sign of the Smew and no other birds could be photographed.
Between the Bridges, Washfield Lane, Treeton
Still a large flock of Goldfinches, with increasing numbers of Siskin. Nearby an unusual sight outside the breeding season, was of a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers together in an Ash Tree.
Tuesday 23 November
Treeton Dyke
Nine Goosanders. A female Smew was located around 0945 hrs. Only had my bridge camera and managed some record shots. Returned later in the morning with the heavy equipment. Also around the Dyke good numbers of Redwing a large tit flock with Coal Tit and a Goldcrest. Several Siskin feeding in Alders at the north end.
After bringing out my best photo equipment for the Smew, a number of other birds showed well around Treeton Dyke. Due to the overcast conditions, all photos were taken at 5,000 or 6,400 ASA.
Top Row Smew (Female) - Great Crested Grebe
Middle Row Goosander (Female) Siskin (Male)
Lower Row Coal Tit - Cormorant
Monday 22 November
Between the Bridges, Washfield Lane, Treeton
Large finch flock which of around 300 birds, most seemed to be Goldfinches, but Chaffinch, Bullfinch and Siskin around too.
Main Lake Orgreave
38 Pink-footed Geese flow over northwest at 1030 hrs.
Friday 19 November
Monthly Wildfowl Count highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mallard 51, Wigeon12, Teal 7, Pochard 83, Tufted 32, Coot 40, Little Grebe 5, Black-headed Gull 115, Herring Gull 157, Great Black-backed Gull 43.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 21, Mallard 31, Gadwall 20, Pochard 1, Tufted Duck 25, Goldeneye 1, Coot 152, Great Crested Grebe 3, Black-headed Gull 174, Herring Gull 109, Kingfisher 1.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 4, Mallard 0, Gadwall 21, Shoveler 6, Wigeon 6, Teal 12, Tufted Duck 6, Little Grebe 2, Black-headed Gull 144.
Thursday 18 November
Oxbow, Treeton Meadows
At least 70 Jackdaws feeding on the grassland, a species that had increased quite dramatically in recent years.
Monday 15 November
Bolehill Flash
A single Raven flew over north 1200 hrs.
Thursday 4 November
Treeton Dyke
First two Goldeneye of the winter, both redheads.
Thursday 14 October
Monthly Wildfowl Count highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mallard 54, Gadwall 5, Teal 3, Pochard 61, Tufted Duck 28, Coot 46, Little Grebe 7, Lapwing 31.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 6 (No Juveniles), Mallard 27, Gadwall 9, Pochard 3, Tufted Duck 22, Coot 112, Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 5.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 5, Mallard 6, Gadwall 93, Shoveler 15, Wigeon 116, Teal 3, Tufted Duck 12, Coot 81, Little Grebe 8.
Sunday 12 September
Monthly Wildfowl Count highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mute Swan 11, Mallard 56, Pochard 79, Tufted Duck 64, Coot 91, Little Grebe 11, Lapwing 43.
Of note an evening visit today, found a good population of Daubenton's Bats on both lakes.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 4, Mallard 128, Gadwall 10, Tufted Duck 21, Coot 21, Great Crested Grebe 11.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 4, Wigeon 7, Teal 5, Mallard 9, Gadwall 7, Shoveler 7, Tufted Duck 2, Coot 28, LittleGrebe 8, Cormorant 8.
Saturday 4 September
Catcliffe Flash a Great White Egret perched in the SW corner flew off North, just as I arrived in the lay-by, spooked by a noisy motorbike about 0845 hrs.
Late August
Catcliffe Flash 19 Little Grebes were all close together at dusk presumably roosting on the 26th, this had increased to 25 on the 28th. During the day, I never managed more than 10.
Sunday 29 August
Catcliffe Flash first 3 returning Wigeon of the year.
Saturday 28 August
Catcliffe Flash 4 Teal.
Beaumont Park Estate, Treeton
a Raven flew over SW calling 1510 hrs.
Monday 23 August
Monthly Wildfowl Count highlights
Orgreave Lakes
Mute Swan 13, Little Egret 2, Teal 6, Mallard 37, Pochard 53, Tufted Duck 105, Great Crested Grebe 14, Little Grebe 6, Coot 101, Common Sandpiper 1, Snipe 1.
Treeton Dyke
Very poor count probably due to increased boat activity. Mute Swan 6, Mallard 20, Gadwall 6, Tufted Duck 2, Coot 45, Great Crested Grebe 5.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 4, Mallard 28, Gadwall 24, Shoveler 1, Tufted Duck 1, Coot 27, Moorhen 22, Little Grebe 7, Great Crested Grebe 4, Cormorant 5.
Sunday 8 August
Catcliffe Flash my first Little Egret of the year here.
Treeton Dyke Little Egret roosting in trees at dusk NW end. Common Pipistrelles widespread around Dyke with more Soprano Pipistrelles out than usual. Daubenton's Bats were present in higher numbers than usual.
Thursday 5 August
Catcliffe Flash two Shovelers the first returning birds of the year today.
Sunday 18 July
Catcliffe Flash always amazing to see the size of fish that adult Great Crested Grebes will take. After catching a large fish for a grebe, they seem to play with it first for several minutes, prior to making an attempt to swallow. The two young grebes attended, but this adult was having this for breakfast. Eventually it moved the fish into a swallowing position and then take a number of minutes to swallow the fish. This fish was almost the length of the grebes body, almost the same as a human swallowing a whole salmon.
Saturday 17 July
Treeton Dyke 2 Common Terns.
Bolehill Flash a minimum of 2 juvenile Sedge Warblers, surprising as I have only heard this species singing on one day this year!
Friday 16 July
Alport Dale (Dark Peak) While undertaking the last of a three visit uneventful bird survey, I came across some notable insects. Around 30 years ago, I found one of the first Golden-ringed Dragonflies for this remote dale, next to the bridge to Alport Castle. Today I found two just under a mile further upstream. A single Emperor Dragonfly was also observed. Interesting butterflies recorded from the remote upper parts of the dale include several Dark Green Fritillaries, Many Ringlets and a Large Skipper, none being noted on the last Sorby butterfly atlas for this area.
Wednesday 14 July
Forgemasters Tip in recent years while spending a lot of time photographing and trying to separate Small and Essex Skippers, I became aware that the once locally common Large Skipper, was rather thin on the ground. Today I managed after intensive searching to find one.
Sunday 11 July
Catcliffe Flash a Common Tern flew over south 0950 hrs. my first here or many years of this species that bred here in the distant past.
Bolehill Flash the sewerage pipe to the west of the flash has burst yet agin pouring copious amounts of raw sewarage and sanitary products into the reedbeds and stream of this Local Wildlife Site and onwards into the Rother. This is the third time I have had to report this issue to Yorkshire Water in recent years and it has also happened on other occasions. Yorkshire Water repair the leaks fairly promptly, but it takes a number of days to complete the task, with foul water continuing to gush out. YW state, its earth movement that is cracking an old pipe, but local feelings are that the pipe is overloaded from the new housing estates in Treeton. With more housing being built on Wood Lane at present, this may make the situation worse. RMBC Planning were told of this problem, but it was dismissed. If this was happening in Sheffield to a wildlife site, there would be a major uproar!
Monday 5 July
Treeton Dyke first south bound Common Tern of the year. A female Gadwall has 6 fairly new ducklings, the Great Crested Grebes that nested in the NW corner still have 3 young.
Sunday 4 July
Catcliffe Flash gave the vegetation a trim as it was getting difficult to view from the lay-by. Also had to strim the roadside to give a clear view to exit the lay-bye. Great Crested Grebes have at least 2 young.
Monday 21 June
Treeton Dyke first Brown Hawker dragonfly of the year.
Saturday 12 June to Friday 18 June
Garlieston, Galloway, Scotland
Unremarkable wildlife wise. Below are the only 4 birds photographed.
Black Guillemot - Portpatrick Harbour Oystercatcher - Isle of Whithorn
Rock Pipit & Sandwich Tern - Garlieston Harbour
Friday 11 June
Treeton Dyke a pair of Great Crested Grebes with 3 young.
Thursday 3 June
Treeton Dyke Brimstone butterfly unusual here in the NW corner.
Forgemasters Tip one Dingy Skipper.
Wednesday 2 June
Well Lane Lagoons Holly Blue and one Dingy Skipper butterflies.
Tuesday 1 June
Treeton Tip Dingy Skipper buttefly.
Wednesday 19 May
Catcliffe Flash a visit at dusk found no Swifts when in the distant past there would have been many hundreds at this time of year. On the other hand one of the best nights for bats for many years. At least 3 Noctule Bats over the water at any one time and at least 10 Common Pipistrelles around the lay-bye. More Common Pipistrelles along the west side of the Flash.
Tuesday 18 May
The partial albino Starling that has been around for the last week, was finally photogenic today. Below are some examples of different types of juvenile Starling.
Monday 17 May
Near the top of my bird wish list for photographing is Tawny Owl. Despite photographing birds for nearly 40 years, I have failed miserably with this species. Today while walking through a Treeton Woodland, I heard a call I have not heard before (Distress call, as 2 Crows nearby?), but guested it was Tawny Owl. Sure enough high up in a tree was an adult bird. Only had my bridge camera on me.
Sunday 16 May
Monthly Wildfowl Count highlights
Orgreave Lakes Mute Swan 25, Tufted Duck 16, Great Crested Grebe 25.
Treeton Dyke Mute Swan 3 pairs including one with 3 new cygnets, Tufted Duck 15, Common Sandpiper 3.
Catcliffe Flash Mute Swan pair with 2 new cygnets, Tufted Duck 9. The pair of Great Crested Grebes banded their first nest.
Friday 14 May
Beaumont Park Estate, Treeton at least 20 newly fledged Starlings in the garden early morning, a partial albino Starling kept in cover.
Orgreave Lakes good numbers of bats around the northern and eastern shores identified from sonographs as Common Pipistrelle (Being the most common), Soprano Pipistrelle (Few) Noctule (One).
New Rother, Treeton Common Pipistrelles, Soprano Pipistrelles and a Whiskered/Brant's Bat (These two species can't be reliably separated in the field).
Thursday 6 May
Beaumont Park Estate, Treeton first fledged Starling in my Garden being fed on mealworm suet pellets by their parents. Typically a female Long-tailed Duck on Treeton Dyke arrived last week, while I was having a very quiet break in Suffolk and it has took 6 days since returning to get a decent photo.
Wednesday 5 May
Beaumont Park Estate, Treeton first returning House Martins noted. In the warm weather of spring 2020 they arrived on the 10 April! It will be the last week in May until any numbers arrive.
Sunday 18 April
Catcliffe Flash 8 (7M, 1F) Pochard was a good count after a few weeks of only one being present.
Sunday 10 April
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Lakes and river
Mute Swan 16, Canada Goose 51, Wigeon 1, Mallard 19, Gadwall 18, Tufted Duck 25, Coot 18, Great Crested Grebe 12. Waders seemed thin on the ground compared to previous years with no more than 2 of any species.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 5, Mallard 28, Gadwall 4, Tufted Duck 29, Coot 27, Great Crested Grebe 3.
Catcliffe Flash
Mallard 6, Gadwall 3, Shoveler 2, Pochard 1M, Tufted Duck 16, Coot 13, Great Crested Grebe 1 out and hopefully one on a nest. Finally had my first Hirundines in the shape of 2 Swallow at this location this year.
Brampton Common a rare visit to the wader field found just 2 Lapwing, in the 80s and 90s up to 20 could be found along with Redshank, Snipe and even Curlew for a few years. Drainage of the field and changes from cattle to horses being some of the reasons for the decline. A flock of around 100 Fieldfare were feeding on grassland nearby.
Wednesday 31 March
Bradfield Moors Curlews, Lapwings, Golden Plovers and at least 3 Wheatears.
Dale Dyke Reservoir a quiet walk around found a number of Common Toads, which are rarely, encountered around Treeton.
Tuesday 30 March
Treeton Dyke first singing Blackcap of the year. In the evening good numbers of bats out. On the tip side both Common and Soprano Pipistrelles were feeding together.
Wednesday 24 March
Undertook a Mountain Hare census around Broomhead and Howden Moors. Sunny but very windy around Howden Edge, most Mountain Hares were on the eastern side of the slopes totally 37 in over 8 hours and 13 miles. Most white with some intermediate and summer pelage.
Birds seen included a Barn Owl flying along the road above High Bradfield on the way to the start.
Canada Goose min 1, Mallard 5, Hen Harrier one ring-tail north, Kestrel 1, Red Grouse min 51, Golden Plover 8 down and a flock of 30 over, Curlew 8, Meadow Pipit Min 36, Raven min 1.
Monday 22 March
Treeton Dyke Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies.
Sunday 21 March
Treeton Garden the male Blackcap last observed on the 24 February reappeared late afternoon to feed on the fat balls, once the House Sparrows and Starlings had gone to roost. Would imagine this is late in the year for an overwintering garden Blackcap.
Monday 15 March
Monthly wildfowl highlights
A big clear out of winter wildfowl after strong winds a few days earlier
Orgreave Lakes
Canada Goose 75, Mallard 23, Gadwall 18, Wigeon 4, Pochard, 4, Tufted Duck 21, Goldeneye 6, Coot 41.
Treeton Dyke
Mallard 30, Gadwall 5, Tufted Duck 34, Coot 15, Great Crested Grebe 5.
Catcliffe Flash
Mallard 8, Gadwall 3, Shoveler 1, Pochard 3, Tufted Duck 8, Coot 17.
Monday 8 March
Treeton Dyke Goldeneye 1 pr, Shoveler 1 pr.
Saturday 6 March
Blue Man's Bower Little Egret flew over NE.
Wednesday 3 March
Between the bridges, Washfield Lane my first Goldcrests of the year, Green Woodpecker.
Treeton Dyke Water Rail calling southern end.
Hail Mary Hill Wood Green Woodpecker probably same individual as earlier roaming widely.
River Rother near Bolehill Flash after a couple of weeks of dry weather following a wet winter, I have noted large numbers of presumed Swan Mussels Anodonta cygnaea stranded on exposed mud. Also where the river runs clear, large numbers are to be seen on the riverbed.
Tuesday 2 March
Treeton Dyke Area a Green Woodpecker moved from around Fence to Forgemasters Tip to Hail Mary Hill Wood to Hillyfields calling.
Old Flatts Farm Treecreeper 2.
Saturday 27 February
Lower Ulley Brook Roe Deer 2 bucks, 1 doe.
Friday 26 February
Bolehill Flash Water Rail calling
Treeton Tip My first Green Woodpecker here for a number of years.
Thursday 25 February
Treeton glorious sunny day. During my 2 1/2 hour walk around the village this morning, good numbers of common birds in song, suggesting they survived the recent cold snap well, Robins, Dunnocks, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds in particular.
Biffa Tip South Lesser Redpol min of 6.
Wednesday 24 February
Treeton Garden last sighting of the male Blackcap, seen daily since the 8 February.
Sunday 14 February
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights Very cold with a lot of ice.
Orgreave Lakes Wigeon 71, Gadwall 10, Pochard 39, Tufted Duck 36, Coot 37.
Treeton Dyke (30% Frozen) Mallard 89, Gadwall 18, Pochard 2, Tufted Duck 44, Coot 45.
Catcliffe Flash (85% Frozen) Mallard 3, Gadwall 3, Teal 46, Coot 27.
Friday 12 February
Treeton Meadows to NE of Oxbow a count of 63 Jackdaws is probably my highest local count for this species.
Treeton Garden Blackcap still present, but stays in the hedge most of the day. The Pied Wagtail now dominates the garden, with no other birds allowed to use the bird bath. Never knew they were so violent!
Monday 8 February
Treeton Garden until this winter I had been reluctant to set up a garden feeding station due to the many feline visitors. In recent years, numbers visiting the garden have dropped off, so I put up a few fat balls inside the hedge on one side of my garden, to give cover from Sparrowhawks. These have been very popular with Blackbirds, Starlings and House Sparrow, with Dunnocks and Robins picking up the droppings, but little else. In anticipation of the hard weather forecast for coming days, I purchased some mealworms. I put a pile of mealworms out around 8:00 am on the patio next to my patio doors. Within ten minutes I had a Pied Wagatil (Not had one in the garden for many years) and a male Blackcap (My first ever in my garden). The Pied Wagtail stayed until dusk staking out it's territory, chasing off the Sparrows and Dunnocks with ease. It must have consumed not less than 50 mealworms! The Blackcap reappeared mid afternoon and fed on the fat balls.
Treeton Dyke a small flock of around 20 Siskin fed on alder seeds at the north end. Very tame and approachable, down to 3 Metres.
Sunday 7 February
Oxbow, Treeton Meadows 46 Wigeon, first time this winter any numbers present here.
Friday 5 February
Treeton Dyke Wigeon 10, Shoveler 4, Goldeneye 4.
Sunday 31 January
Blue Mans Bower another overnight freeze found at least 10 Pied Wagtails and 3 Meadow Pipits feeding on the ice at this location.
Thursday 28 January
Treeton Dyke 6 Goldeneye 3 males 3 females, the first displaying Great Crested Grebes in full breeding plumage noted, 9 Stock Doves in the field to the south.
Monday 25 January
Treeton Dyke my first Green Woodpecker since May 2020 calling at the northern/railway end.
Catcliffe Flash on a small patch of open water at the northern end 30 Teal and my first Goldeneye (Female) here since November 2005!
Sunday 24 January
Treeton Dyke at least 50% frozen had four Goldeneye being 2 males and 2 females.
Saturday 23 January
Treeton Dyke it was good to see a Kingfisher had survived the freezing weather and high/murky water levels of late.
Thursday 21 January
Catcliffe Flash the River Rother overtopped the flood bank the previous night with the water level rising to the level of the lay-bye. Most of the dabling ducks had moved off, but Pochard 15 and Tufted Duck 13 had increased a bit.
Sunday 17 January
Monthly Wildfowl Count Highlights
Orgreave Gadwall 8, Teal 17, Pochard 48, Tufted Duck 19, Goldeneye 1, Goosander 1, Coot 64, Lapwing 87 which a Peregrine tried its hardest to catch without success.
Treeton Dyke Canada Goose 90, Pink-footed Goose 2 (On the water 1035 hrs) Mallard 70, Gadwall 17, Pochard 9, Tufted Duck 26, Goldeneye 2, Coot 119, Moorhen 7.
Catcliffe Flash Mute Swan 6, Mallard 3, Gadwall 36, Wigeon 2, Pochard 10, Tufted Duck 8, Coot 28
Thursday 7 January
Hail Mary Hill Wood a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming.
Treeton Tip no Redpol today, Greenfinch 1 singing.
Urban Treeton Starlings back at nest sites and chirping away.
Monday 4 January
Treeton Dyke Greater Black-backed Gull 25, Goldeneye 1 male.
Saturday 2 January
Treeton Tip Incredible numbers of Lesser Redpol mid-morning at the eastern/high side of the tip, feeding on the catkins of Silver Birch. Much moving to and throw and difficult to count. Minimum of 100, probably a lot lot more.
Friday 1 January 2021 - New Year Day Bird Count around the Treeton Area
Weather very cold and cloudy with a couple of hours rain from mid-morning.
Urban Treeton House Sparrow, Magpie, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Starling, Cormorant (Flew over)
Bolehill Plantation Chaffinch
Treeton Sewerage Works Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Canada Goose, Pied Wagtails, Black-headed Gull
Lower Ulley Brook Rook, Robin, Pheasant, Buzzard, Fieldfare
Blue-man's Bower Meadow Pipit, Kestrel
River Rother/M1 Redwing, Stock Dove, Little Grebe, Grey Heron
Old Flatts Farm Peregrine Falcon (Juv. male)
Biffa Tip North Jay
Between bridges Washfield Lane Song Thrush
Treeton Dyke (90% frozen) Mute Swan, Mallard, Gadwall, Coot, Moorhen, Great Crested Grebe.
Catcliffe Flash (90% frozen) Tufted Duck, Teal 35, Shoveler, Wigeon.
Orgreave (60% frozen) Herring Gull, Greater Black-blacked Gull, Pochard, Goldeneye, Goosander, Water Pipit, Lapwing, Lesser Black-blacked Gull
The last birds of the day, were c40 Lesser Redpol in the poplars by the cricket pitch.
2021 a grand total of 52 species. 2020 - 58 species. 2019 - 48 species. Record 2009 - 66 species
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