A late morning visit to the patch armed with the Hubble Telescope proved worthwhile with, 8 Cormorants, 9 Grey Herons, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and best of all a Sanderling.
Yes it really is that far away!!A brief spell of warm sunshine produced a few late summer dragonflies namely Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters, probably the most I've seen all summer.
4 comments:
Hi Mark,
Treeton, Orgreave, and Catcliffe used to be my patch in the 80's. I grew up in Handsworth. I was even birding there during the Battle of Orgeave. I thought I was the only one to know about them pools on the slag heap! I used to defy death by walking over this old metal bridge to get to them. Anyway I'm on Shetland again this year, been on last three years staying at Northdale on Unst. This year I'll be there from 28th sept to 13oct. It was my mate Gary who gave you that cold pie at the Swainson's last year. So if your on Unst check us out cos it would be nice to share some stories.
Cheers Rick
Hi Rick
Those pools have sadly gone now after over ten years of opencasting. However UK Coal have created these new pools and so far they're not doing too bad.
We must have met at some time as I've watched Catcliffe, Treeton etc since the early Eighties.
Your mate must have me confused with someone else as I didn't go for the Swainson's. However I'm more than happy to accept free pies no matter what the occasion.
Hi Mark,
Yep, the area has changed so much over the years. It was Pete Brown who got me into birding at school, then joined SBSG juniors with Ash Fisher and Andrew Clarke. Used to go down Treeton with Paul Leonard sometimes. My best bird at Treeton was probably a bonxie. When you on Shetland? Up for a beer or two?
Rick Lockwood
Hi Rick I remember you now think we had a mutual friend in James Clarke. I'll be on Shetland from 4th-15th Oct' and staying at Virkie again.
Mark
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