Treeton Nature Diary 2025
- Bob Croxton
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
Sunday 3 August
Catcliffe Flash
Another Great White Egret. The photo below of the shot of a Grey Heron shows how they spear fish as opposed to catching in its bill.
Tuesday 30 July
Catcliffe Flash
First returning Wigeon, unusual in July. Three Teal.
Friday 25 July
Monday 14 July Monthly Wildfowl Counts
Orgreave Lake
Mute Swan 38, Greylag Goose 7, Canada Goose 285, Mallard 36, Pochard, 58, Tufted Duck 79, Coot 115, Great Crested Grebe 27 + a few juvs.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan a female with 3 cygnets and a pair with 2 cygnets, Mallard 33, Tufted Duck 2, Coot 129, Moorhen 2, Great Crested Grebe 8
Sunday 13 July Monthly Wildfowl Counts
Ulley Country Park
Mute Swan a pair with one young plus at least 6 immatures from 2024, Mallard 148, Coor 5, Moorhen3, Great Crested Grebe 3.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 3, Mallard 91, Gadwall 47, Pochard 1, Tufted Duck 1 (A noisy female with no young, perhaps the one that had 5 duckings a few weeks ago and they have all gone?) Coot 27, Moorhen 6, Great Crested Grebe a pair with 1 young, Little Egret 1. Strangley no Little Grebes which have been doing well in recent years, tending to nest later in the summer.
A Song Thrush still colecting food flew across the road with its haul.
Saturday 12 July
Hail Mary Hill Wood
Returned early evening to the tree that had the Purple Hairstreaks in yesterday. Several butterflies present again and I managed to take a good selection of photos of the butterflies, when they came close, doing a variety of things.
From the top down
Three together having a chat!
One basking in the sun.
One feeding on a developing acorn!
Friday 11 July
Impresion in recent days suggest good numbers of young birds about Wren, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler for instance. Some butterflies which are numerous at the moment are Large/Small White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown.
Hail Mary Hill Wood
Three Treecrepers on a single tree trung suggested a family party of this increasing difficult bird to find. I finally managed to photograph Purple Hairstreak one of several on a young oak tree.
Thursday 3 July
Wednesday 2 July
Catcliffe Flash
Female Tufted Duck with 5 young ducklings (Typically down to 2 a week later). Ther are large numbers of Mallard and Gadwall, but difficult to count due to the ever increasing tree cover blocking the corners of the Flash.
Friday 20 June
Treeton Dyke
First returning Common Tern. Loads of tiny Toadlets in the SE corner of the Dyke crossing the path towards the Dyke. I rarely see any amphibians in the area, in recent years, so its good to know some are breeding somewhere.
Wednesday 18 June
Monday 16 June Monthly wildfowl count highlights
Orgreave Lakes and River
Canada Goose 252, Greylag Goose 24, Barnackle Goose 1, Gadwall 2, Mallard 39, Pochard 43, Tufted Duck 17, Great Crested Grebe 27, Little Egret 3.
Treeton Dyke
The boating, wild swimming and water dye having a major negative efecet on the wildfowl here.
MuteSwan 1 female with 2 cygnets (The male aparently was killed) 1 other, Mallard 35, Coot 35, Moorhen a single and a pair with 3 young.
Sunday 15 June Monthly wildfowl count highlights
Ulley Country Park
Mute Swan unusually the imatures from 2024 still present with their parents which have jsut one cygnet this year. Mallard 118, Coot 2, Moorhen 2, Great Crested Grebe 2 pairs.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 2 (Not bred this year), Mallard 33, Gadwall 49, Teal a single male unusual for June, Pochard 3, Tufted Dick 4, Coot 19, Moorhen 2, Great Crested Grebe pair with one young.
Monday 26 May Monthly wildfowl count highlights
Orgreave Lakes and River
Mute Swan 32, Greylag Goose 7, Canada Goose, 102, Barnacle Goose 1, Mallard 22, Gadwall 11, Pochard 29, Tufted Duck 18, Coot 40, Little Egret 1, Dunlin 1, Ringed Plover 1, Redshank 1.
Treeton Dyke
Bank Holiday water skiing and wild swimmers has reduced the wildfowl somewhat!
Mute Swan 2 and 3 cygnets, Greylag 1, canada Goose 2, Mallard 12, Gadwall 1, Coot 8, 2 Moorhen one with 7 young, Great Crested Grebe 3.
Friday 23 May
Bolehill Flash
A very large 12+ family party of Long-tailed Tit.
Wednesday 21 May
I have spent a lot of spring abroad, but when I have been at home its all been very quiet with just the more common expected species around.
Treeton Dyke
One possibly more male Hairy Dragonflies on the triangle pond at the NW corner of Treeton Dyke mid-morning.
Oxbow Treeton Meadows
Great White Egret
Bolehill Flash
Surprise find of a Broad-bodied Chaser here, as the site has no open water.
Monday 14 April Monthly wildfowl count highlights
Orgreave Lakes and River Rother
Mute Swan 2, Greylag Goose 8, Canada Goose 56, Mallard 31, Gadwall 7, Pochard 1, Tufted Duck 42, Coot 27, Great Crested Grebe 19, Lapwing 1, Common Sandpiper 1, Oystercatcher 2, Little Egret 2, Cormorant 4.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 4, Greylag Goose 2, canada Goose 2, Mallard 8, Gadwall 5, Tufted Duck 2, Coot 9, Great Crested Grebe 5.
Ulley County Park
Mute Swan 7, Black Swan 1, Mallard 33, Gadwall 2, Coot 4, Moorhen 2, Great Crested Grebe 6, Cormorant 2.
Sunday 13 March Monthly wildfowl count highlights
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 2, Mallard 6, Gadwall 9, Gargany 1, Pochard 2, Tufted Duck 25, Coot 5, Great Crested Grebe 2, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1.
Friday 21 March
Bolehill Wood/Spa ouse Farm
A flock of at least 80 Fieldfare left the wood, fed on farmland for a while then left east early morning.
Sunday 16 March Monthly wildfowl count highlights
Ulley County Park
Mute Swan 8, Black Swan 1, Canada goose 13, Greylag Goose 3, Mallard 25, Gadwall 5, Coot 3, Moorhen 5, Great Crested Grebe 8.
Treeeton Dyke
Mute Swan 8 including one now on a nest, Canada Goose 2, Greylag Goose 9, Mallard 16, Gadwall 5, Teal 1, Tufted Duck 25, Coot 33, Moorhen 3, Great Crested Grebe 8.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 3, Mallard 9, Shoveler 4, Pochard 5, Tufted Duck 36, Coot 8, Cormorant 1.
Sunday 9 March
Bolehill Flash
Pink-footed Geese 113 Flew over NW 0826 hrs.
Thursday 6 March
A rare visit to the SE coast of Lincolnshire on a warm and sunny day.
Freiston Shore to Boston Point
Blackbird, Stonechat, Starling, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Wigeon, Mallard, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Woodpigeon, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Whooper Swan, Cormorant, Brent Goose, Herring Gull, Shelduck, Red-breasted Merganser, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Pintail, Jackdaw, Green Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Teal, Turnstone, Avocet, Mute Swan, Robin, Shoveler, Black-headed Gull, Collared Dove, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Dunlin, Chaffinch, Wren, Great Tit, Goldfinch.
Frampton Marsh
My first visit here, I was expecting something simular to Freiston Shore where I was one of the few birders present. At Frampton Marsh it was very busy when I arrived at 1130, with only a few places left in the car park, with a large new visitor centre. Most visiters had left by mid afternoon. Most of the birds present at Freiston also here, plus new birds below. All photo taken from the excellent low hide in the middle of the reserve.
Lapwing, Pochard, Gadwall, Ruff, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Canada Geese, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover.
Tuesday 4 March
Catcliffe Flash
31 Tufted Duck was a high count for this species these days. Also 7 Pochard and 4 returning Shovelers.
Monday 3 March
Treeton Dyke Area
A very vocal Green Woodpecker at 3 different locations, is most likely to be the same individual trying to find a mate.
Sunday 2 March
Calling Green Woodpeckers today at the Canyon Pond and Forgemasters Tip was welcome, given the scarcity in recent years.
Friday 28 February
River Rother by Catcliffe Flash
Two pairs of Goosander on the river with the males showing some signs of teritoial behavior. Number have been down this winter at Treeton Dyke and I have had none at Catcliffe Flash. There are known to be good number roosting at night on Orgreave Lakes.
Tuesday 25 February
Treeton Upper Tip
One of the few pairs of Yellowhammer left in Treeton showed well today.
Tuesday 18 February
Old Flatts Farm, Treeton
Two Little Egrets in pasture.
Monday 17 February
Orgreave Lakes & River
Mute Swan 1, Mallard 49, Gadwall 10, Pochard 32, Tufted Duck 16, Goldeneye 2 Goosander 2, Coot 42, Little Grebe 5, Great Crested Grebe 1, Lapwing 13, Oystercatcher 3, Little Egret 1.
Sunday 16 February
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan 3, Mallard 12, Gadwall 5, Teal 6, Pochard 3, Tufted Duck 18, Coot 14, Cormorant 2, Great White Egret 1.
Treeton Dyke
Mute Swan 4, Mallard 27, Gadwall 4, Teal 3, Tufted Duck 23, Goldeneye1, Coot 60, Moorhen 5, Great Crested Grebe 2, Little Egret 1.
It's mind boggling to think that in the not so distant past, I would find both Great White and Little Egrets on a February wildfowl count imposible.
Friday 14 February
Great White Egret in SE corner of Treeton Dyke left over Hail Mary Hill Wood where a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming. Several Redwing at Old Flatts Farm.
Thursday 6 February
Treeton Village
Pink-footed Geese 41 NW 0903 hrs 238 NW 0907 hrs.
Old Moor
A rare visit to Old Moor RSPB reserve found several Bearded Tits near the Reedbed Hide, which hung around for a prolonged time. After 42 years of photographing birds, this is the first time I have photographed this species in the UK , though many photographed in Hungary etc.
Wednesday 22 January
Treeton Dyke
A pair of Goldeneye.
Hail Mary Hill Wood
A Green Woodpecker calling.
Monday 20 January
Treeton Dyke
A pair of Mute Swans near the railway line were uprooting reedmace presumabbly in preperation for nest building. The male has a bloodied wound on its back, possibly a dog attack!
Old Flatts Farm
12 Redwings feeding around the Dexter cattle.
Saturday 18 January
River Rother Treeton Meadows
My first Kingfisher of the year flew along the river. Its good to see they have survived to high murky river waters and frozen water bodies of late.
Friday 17 January
Orgreave 5 Ravens flew over SW 0900 hrs, this seems to indigate some movement between upland and lowland birds.
Thursday 16 January
Catcliffe Flash
A lone Chiffchaff was around the lay-bye.
Treeton Dyke still 95% frozen
Three Wigeon were on the balancing pond between the Dyke and the raiway line which is unusual.
Saturday 11 January
Catcliffe Flash
Nearly completley frozen with just a few coots, Gadwall, Teal and Shoveler. An immature Common Gull was present for a while, not so common in recent years.
Friday 3 January
New Year Bird Count
Urban Treeton
Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Robin, Blue Tit, Jackdaw, Buzzard, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon.
Treeton Upper Tip
Magpie, Great Tit, Blackbird, Dunnock
Bolehill Flash.
Redwing, Chaffinch.
Spa House Farm
Starling, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Lapwing, Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Grey Partridge, Pheasant.
Oxbow, Treeton Meadows
Grey Heron 6, Moorhen 2.
Treeton Sewerage Works
Grey Wagtail.
Blue Mans Bower
Mistle Thrush
River Rother M1 area
Stock Dove, Canada Geese.
Catcliffe Flash
Mute Swan, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Black-headed Gull, Coot, Herring Gull.
Treeton Dyke
Goosander, Cormorant, Bullfinch, Pochard, Great Crested Grebe, Great Black-backed Gull.
Hail Mary Hill Wood
Jay, Goldcrest.
Between bridges Washfield Lane
Redpol.
Orgreave Lakes
Stonechat, Little Grebe, Wigeon, Greylag Goose, Goldeneye, Lesser Black-backed Gull.
A grand total of 55 species.
2024 – 50 Species. 2023 – 57 species. 2022 - 53 Species. 2021 - 52 species. 2020 - 58 species. 2019 - 48 species. Record 2009 - 66 species
Thursday 2 January
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