Recording Programme

Wath / Boyd Royd Wood
Until the early 1800’s only Boyd Royd Wood existed, probably having been there since at least 1600 AD. Between 1811 and 1815 the surrounding common land was enclosed by planting hedges. By the late 1850’s this had become Wath Wood, almost certainly the result of further tree planting. The central part of the wood was felled and has regenerated into dense oak/birch woodland. A Roman ridge runs through the wood and a Roman well has been preserved. Other trees found in the wood include large stands of beech and sycamores (around 100 years old).

Location
The site is situated at Wath-Upon Dearne, near the hospital and Abdy lane.

Wildlife
Back in the early-mid nineties Andy Evers undertook several Common Bird Censuses for the Council and turned up some excellent finds including Pied Flycatcher (1994) and Wood Warbler (1994) as well as finding a wide range of breeding species. Due to the ancient character of Boyd Royd Wood, this area is rich in bluebells in spring.
Other rare finds have included Long-eared Owl in 1990, while Brambling have been found on a number of occasions. Since 1990 around 60 species have been recorded as present in this Wood of which around 30 species breed or hold territory each year.

Breeding birds. The final year of the CBC in 1996 produced the following sepcies with the number of territories in brackets: Sparrowhawk (1), Kestrel (1), Woodpigeon (27), Collared Dove (1), Tawny Owl (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (2), Wren (18), Dunnock (2), Robin (26), Blackbird (29), Song Thrush (1), Mistle Thrush (2), Blackcap (2), Chiffchaff (2), Wllow Warbler (3), Long tailed Tit (2), Coal Tit (7), Blue Tit (32), Great Tit (19), Treecreeper (4), Jay (2), Magpie (7), Crow (1), Chaffinch (15) and Starling (1).
In addition to the species above, 1995 also saw the 2 other breeding species: Cuckoo (1) and Spotted Flycatcher (2).

Other birds recorded during these study periods included Little Owl, Goldcrest, Nuthatch (which was finally proved breeding in 1998), Goldfinch, Linnet, Hawfinch, Pheasant, Woodcock, Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Yellowhammer, Willow Tit and Greenfinch.

Wath Wood is one of the best woods locally and any walk around this area could coincide with a trip to Old Moor or the various sites in the Swinton and Wath area including the nearby Pottery Ponds, Lawn Plantation or Creighton Wood. A walk around this area can be found in an RMBC leaflet.
Also nearby is the following area of interest.

Swinton Racecourse

Location
This is a little known area of mainly open areas including agricultural land and a small wood, Golden Smithies Planatation. The area between Swinton and Wath is north of Racecourse Road and is boarded to the east by Golden Smithies Lane and to the west by Oak Road.

Birdlife
Since 1990 only around 40 species have been recorded in this area but it has produced some interesting records. As you would expect from an open area Red-legged and Grey Partridges have been recorded although more unexpected were several records of Quail during summer 1997. Also in summer 1997 there were records of Yellow Wagtail and Spotted Flycatcher. Other species present include Stock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Willow Tit, Yellowhammer and Linnet. Fieldfare and Redwing are present in winter. The area also holds breeding Skylark and Meadow Pipit, with small flocks of the Skylark present in winter. There have also been recent records of Barn Owl in this area.

Silverwood and surrounding Area

This area includes both Silver Wood and Gulling Wood north of Sunnyside and stretches down to the old railway close to Thrybergh CP.

Silver & Gulling Woods
Resident breeders: Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Sparrowhawk, Woodpigeon, Long tailed, Willow, Coal, Blue and Great Tit, Crow, Magpie, Jay, Treecreeper, 3 pairs of Nuthatch which have spread into the area over recent years, all 3 Woodpeckers have bred over the years, but Lesser Spotted is now very rare. It also supports 2 pairs of Tawny Owl while Spotted Flycatcher bred in 1992.

Migrant Breeders: Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler

Wintering birds & Flyovers: Woodcock, Brambling are recorded in most years, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin are now rare, Goldcrest, A Tree Sparrow was seen in 2002

Surrounding Fields & Hedgerows
Breeding birds: Linnet, Yellowhamer, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Red-Legged & Grey Partridge, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Yellow Wagtail bred for the first time in 2002

Visting species: Lapwing, Kestrel, Swallow, Swift, House Martin, Wheatear, Whinchat, Stonechat. Cuckoo is now a rare bird, while in May 1992 a Short-eared Owl has found.

Wintering birds & Flyovers: Flocks of Linnet, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Rook, Crow, Magpie, Fieldfare and Redwing.

Good numbers of Black-headed & Lesser Black-backed Gull are recorded along with smaller numbers of Common, Herring and Great Black backed Gull are recorded. Grey Heron and Cormorant are recorded in most years.
Other records have included an Osprey on 1st April 2003, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Curlew, Flocks of Pink footed Geese, Canada & Greylag Geese and Golden Plover

Small Reedbed North West of the Wood
Breeding birds: Reed Warbler bred for the first time in 2002. Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Moorhen, Turtle Dove last bred in 2000.
Also present are Pied and Grey Wagtail.

Silverwood Colliery Tip & Lagoon
The Tip at the old Silverwood Colliery is currently being worked and this has created a large lagoon. This are is found to the north east of Hill Top Farm along Hill Top Lane between Sunnyside and Dalton Magna. This area has been watched from November 2001 and the records included here go up to May 2003.

Recorded Species: Mallard, Tufted Duck, Golden Plover, Lapwing, All 5 species of Gull in good numbers. There have been 3 records of Dunlin, 4 records of Shelduck, 5 records of Teal, a flock of 10 Redshank were present on 11.11.02.
Other species recorded on other parts of the tip have included, Wheatear, Golden Plover, Snipe, Ring Ouzel, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Whinchat.

2003 records: Redshank, Green Sandpiper, pairs of Ringed and Little Ringed Plover were present well into may and breeding activity noted.

The Future: As the area is currently being reclaimed and the current concern now is a proposed restoration of the tip. In the plans the lagoon will become 2 smaller areas.
STOP PRESS: It now appears that the lagoon here many completely disappear.

Upper Whiston

My first trip to the area was on the 6th May and migrants were very much in evidence. A total of 11 Whitethroat were counted along with 3 Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap. Other interesting species counted were 9 Yellowhammer, 10 singing Skylarks, 3 pairs of Lapwing and a large rookery containing around 50 nests at Morthen. I also discovered a small colony of around 3-5 pairs of Tree Sparrow at Royds Moor Farm. The highlight of the survey was a fine Male Whinchat on a hedgerow along the footpath between Doles Lane and Royds Moor Farm. There were several other trips to the square until the final one on 22nd June. The highlight of this trip was a Yellow Wagtail along Stow Bridge Field Lane, where this bird was also present in an unrelated survey which I carried out back in 1996. Also on this final visit there were still good numbers of Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Skylark, while one of the pairs of Lapwing were still present. I also found a mixed flock of Linnet and Greenfinch along Doles Lane.

Kilnhust Ings

Location
Situated to the east of Kilnhurst village this is an area of flood plain boarded by the River Don and the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Canal, Kilnhurst Cut. There is a small car park off Hooton Road, on the right after passing over Kilnhust Bridge, but this is for fishermen only. The nearest place to park is on Wharf Road, just over the canal in Kilnhurst. Currently managed by RMBC a circular walk of the site can be made using the raised floodbank and the marked footpath. Early morning is probably best before it is disturbed by dog walkers etc.

Nearby Sites
A visit to Kilnhurst Ings could be combined with a trip to Thrybergh CP, Thrybergh Tip, Denaby Common and Denaby Ings.

Birds
A total of 65 species have been recorded, but this probably doesn’t reflect its true potential as the area is under watched and is based on only a few visits a year.
As you might expect from a site near Thrybergh CP, Cormorant and Common Tern have been recorded passing over, while Grey Heron are often present. The area is not particularly good for Duck, but Gadwall and Teal have been recorded along with passing Greylag Geese and Goosander.
Sparrowhawk and Kestrel are often present, while in December 1998 a Barn Owl was recorded. Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker are not uncommon from nearby breeding sites. Both Skylark and Meadow Pipit breed on site, while Grey Wagtail is often present in winter and there was a Yellow Wagtail seen in June 2003. Other migrants to have been attracted to the site include a pair of Whinchat in May 1999, and both Reed and Sedge Warbler which have been present in recent years.

The area is probably best for its waders. Curlew was recorded in 1997 with Oystercatcher in 1999, and single Green Sandpiper in 2001 and Little Ringed Plover in 2003. Both Lapwing and Redshank have bred, with up to 2 pairs of each species present, while Snipe have been recorded during the breeding season. The site also holds several breeding pairs of Reed Bunting.
It is also a good site for Kingfisher in winter.
Along the river there is a nearby Sand Martin colony at the north end of the site.

Swinton Common
This area is located between Rawmarsh and Swinton and lies either side of the A633, Warren Vale Road. The whole area lies between two previous subjects of this feature. In Chat 73 there was a site guide to Warren Vale which lies to the south of here and in Chat 82 we outlined Wath Wood and Swinton Racecourse, which lie to the north of the site.

There are 2 distinct areas, the first contains Lawn Plantation, which is boarded by Blackamoor Road, Wentworth Road and Warren Vale Road. The second contains Creighton and Piccadilly Woods and is boarded by Warren Vale Road, Wentworth Road and Swinton village. The site contains woodland, pasture and arable land as well as some open grassland.
A total of 52 species have been recorded within the study area.

Lawn Plantation & Creighton & Piccadily Woods

These woodland areas contain many of the common woodland species we expect to find in Rotherhams woods. Sparrowhawk and Kestrel along with Tawny Owl have all been recorded as have all three species of woodpecker. In summer warblers include Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, while in recent years Spotted Flycatcher, a declining species has been recorded. Along with Goldcrest, 5 species of Tit are present as well as Nuthatch and Treecreeper. Jay and Reed Bunting are both present in the area, while Siskin and Lesser Redpoll are both possible in winter.

Swinton Common
The more open areas of Swinton Common, hold birds more associated with farmland and scrub. In the past the area has produced both Golden Plover and Redshank, while in winter Redwing are present and there is a population of Yellowhammer.

Harthill Reservoir
This large body of open water lies just inside Rotherham on the southern edge of our recording area and just inside Yorkshire.
Situated to the west of Harthill Village the car park is accessed from Woodall Lane, turn onto Pryor Mede, then right onto Carver Close and then right again onto Carver Way.
Originally used to feed water into the Chesterfield Canal the Reservoir is now used for Water sports, fishing, dog walking and walking without a dog.
The Reservoir is in three parts. The top res. is used for Water sports and has a large area of Carr woodland. The middle res. contains small areas of reed, while the bottom res. is inaccessible by walkers.   The surrounding farmland is of interest and the top res. is also boarded by gardens for some of its area.

Over 150 species have recorded at this site and it has also had it fair share of rarities. In recent years it seems to have become neglected by the areas birdwatchers, which given the past records is a shame. The site is perhaps best known for the Pine Bunting found back in March 1996.
In winter wildfowl includes Little and Great Crested Grebe, the later also breeds. Cormorant and Grey Heron also visit, while both Bewick’s and Whooper Swan have been recorded in the past and Pink footed Geese have been seen passing through. Mute Swan occasionally breeds. Being fairly close to RVCP large numbers of Greylag and Canada Geese are sometimes recorded using the Res.   Shelduck and Pintail have both been recorded while more regular wildfowl species include Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck, Shoveler and Goosander.
The surrounding farmland often contains flocks of finches, larks and Buntings in winter and this has attracted birds such as Sparrowhawk and Merlin. Hobby in summer when hirundines and Swift gather in the area. Marsh Harrier has also been recorded passing through on migration.
This is also one of the best sites in Rotherham for Water Rail especially in winter when the water freezes over. If the water level is low the Reservoir can attract small numbers of waders. Records have included Oystercatcher, Knot, Sanderling, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Whimbrel and Turnstone. However more likely are Dunlin, Snipe and Common Sandpiper.
Common Tern is regular visitor in summer, while both Black and Arctic Terns have been recorded when weather conditions are favourable. Kingfisher is also regular visitor, especially in winter and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker can be found amongst the small areas of woodland.

In the summer small numbers of Sedge Warbler are present along with a few pairs of Reed Warbler which breed in the small areas of reed. Other warblers such as Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler are also present. Reed Bunting also breed here. Six species of Tit have been recorded along with Treecreeper and Nuthatch. Siskin and Lesser Redpoll can be found in winter feeding in the alders.
The surrounding farmland contains good numbers of Skylark and Yellowhammer as well as the possibility of Yellow Wagtail or Wheatear. In winter flock of thrushes are present along with good numbers of finches and buntings. There is also a small population of Tree Sparrow, while the fast disappearing Corn Bunting is also a possibility as a small population exists around Harthill Village. It is only back in 1996 when a flock here peaked at up to 80 birds.

Rarities

A Black-throated Diver was present back in February 1994, where it stayed of upto 2 weeks. On 27th August 1995 a Red-necked Grebe was present. In 1997 male Smew was present on 15th January with a redhead present on 16th February. On 3rd December 2000 a Ring-necked Duck was found. Little Stint has been recorded in the past. An Avocet was seen flying over the res. on 26th April 1992. Other finds in the past have included Firecrest and Great Grey Shrike. The rarest ever find at the site and perhaps one of the best ever finds in Rotherham came in March 1996 when a first winter male Pine Bunting was found on 14th with a large finch and bunting flock, sparking a major twitch and remained at the site until 17th.

The Chesterfield Canal
The canal is over 200 years old and was built to link Chesterfield with the coast. However it has been un-navigable since the Norwood tunnel collapsed.
Car parking is available at Kiveton Park and Shireoaks railway stations.
Why not walk this section of the canal and then get the train back to your car.
The canal is bordered by mature woodlands and a good variety of woodland and wetland birds can be seen.
There is also interest here for those interested in butterflies and Dragonflies while mammals such as Water Vole were common before restoration work started.
For the purposes of this issue of Chat I will look at the birds which can be encountered along the section of canal from Shireoaks, up to the start of Old Spring Wood. This walk takes in the mature woodlands of Broad wood and Turnerwood and straddles 2 counties, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

Birds
On the canal itself it is still possible to encounter several species of wildfowl. These include the possibility of a breeding pair of Little Grebe or the occasional fishing Grey Heron. This part of the canal has also seen a regular and fairly successful pair of Mute Swan which breed most years. An escaped Carolina Wood Duck was present at Turnerwood during 1976 and 1977. Commoner wildfowl include Canada Geese, Teal, Mallard and Tufted Duck, while Pochard has also been recorded. Moorhen and Coot both breed on the canal. Damper areas around the canal have the potential to attract wader species, with Little Ringed Plover and Green Sandpiper recorded, while both Redshank and Common Snipe have been suspected of breeding in the past. Woodcock is also present but is probably under-recorded due to its crepuscular habits. The canal also provides a good chance of catching a glimpse of a Kingfisher. Grey and Pied Wagtail are regular breeders along the canal while Reed Bunting has also bred.

The mature woods are also attractive to many bird species. Sparrowhawk and Kestrel are common while recently there is an increased chance of Common Buzzard as they wander from nearby breeding sites. Large numbers of Woodpigeon are often present in winter with smaller numbers of Stock Dove. The canal is also a stronghold for Turtle Dove, a fast declining species in the area, while also in summer there is a good chance of Cuckoo another species on the decline locally and nationally. Both Little and Tawny Owl are present, with the best place for Little around Brancliffe Grange. The woodlands are known locally for holding all 3 species of woodpecker, with the best time to search for Lesser Spotted being in early March when they are most active. Flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing gather in the winter while Song and Mistle Thrush breed here. In summer the warblers invade the area with good numbers of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler present and lesser numbers of Sedge Warbler. Goldcrest probably breed in the area while Spotted Flycatcher has done in the past and may well still. 6 species of Tit are present with Marsh here as you would expect of a woodland on limestone. Nuthatch and Treecreeper are also present along with Jay. Goldfinch and Bullfinch are common while in winter there is a chance of the odd Brambling or small flock of Lesser Redpoll which have bred in the past.

Areas of grassland and farmland attract coveys of Red-legged and Grey Partridge as well as Golden Plover and breeding Lapwing. There is also a good chance of Yellow Wagtail. Small numbers of Tree Sparrow remain in the area along with good numbers of Yellowhammer which can number up to 35 in winter.

Rarities
In winter there is always a chance of a skein of Pink-footed Geese overhead, while Dipper is also a possibility along the canal. A Merlin was recorded September 1995. In December 1987 a Ring-necked Parakeet was present. Small numbers of Whinchat and Wheatear have been recorded on passage through the area.

Loscar Common

Location
This area, made up predominately of elevated farmland, lies to the east of Harthill and is right on the edge of the recording area. On the western edge is the village of Thorpe Salvin. The two farms of Grange Farm and Loscar Farm dominate the landscape. The area can be toured by road using Harthill Field Road, Packman Lane or Common Road. There are also several footpaths. Other than farmland there are also several woods, the largest of which is Loscar Wood, but there are also Cuthbright Wood, Crow Wood and Loscar Common Plantations.

Birds
A total of 78 species have been recorded in this area, including some scarce ones. This area is probably best known for a party of 10 Dotterel present for a couple of days in early May 1999 as well as one of the area’s few remaining populations of Corn Bunting.
Farmland
The area has hosted both Marsh and Hen Harrier. This latter species was present for several weeks during January 1997. Other birds of prey have included a Goshawk in March 1998, as well as Common Buzzard and Kestrel.
As you would expect, game birds are common in the area due to shooting concerns and this is a good area for both Partridges and there is also a chance of Quail calling from the fields if it’s a good year for this species, as was demonstrated in 1997. As well as Dotterel being a possibility, Golden Plover are often present in good numbers in winter along with Lapwing, which also breed in the area.
Pink-footed Geese have been recorded passing over this area including 800 in November 1997. There is also a chance of Wheatear or Stonechat in the fields
The area can hold good flocks of Woodpigeon and Stock Dove in winter. Farmland specialists such as Little Owl and Yellow Wagtail are present in small numbers, Skylark can be found in good numbers during the winter, with many remaining to breed.
In winter flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare are present. The fields can also play host to large flocks of finches, buntings and sparrows. Good numbers of Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Chaffinch and Yellowhammer can be joined by both Tree Sparrow and Corn Bunting. Both these species breed in the area in small numbers and it is especially important for its small population of Corn Bunting.

Woodland
The woods of the area hold Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl and Wooodcock which can be seen roding in the evening. Both Turtle Dove and Cuckoo, once fairly common and widespread in Rotherham but now in serious decline, can be found during the summer although neither is guaranteed. All three woodpeckers have been recorded using the woods in the area with Loscar Wood the best to check although access is limited. Warblers present in the woods included Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap, while Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest and Lesser Redpoll are also possibilities. There are 6 species of tit present including the localized Marsh Tit. Any winter finch flocks are worth checking for Brambling.

Catcliffe Flash

This well known local nature reserve is situated between the villages of Catcliffe and Treeton by the B6067 Treeton Lane and next to the river Rother. This wetland was created by mining subsidence and is an important link in the network of marshes and open water all along the river Rother. A lay-by gives good views over the water and into the willow carr. The site is probably best known for breeding Black-necked Grebe back in the early 1980’s as well as Rotherham’s first ever breeding pair of Common Tern back in 1996, when local birders and the council provided a raft. Over 140 species have been recorded at this site. Rarities have included Little Bittern, Ring-necked Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Iceland Gull and Firecrest. However for this guide I am concentrating on records received during the last 5 years.

Winter wildfowl
During the study period Cormorant have become an increasingly common visitor including 9 in October 2002, with birds now even present during the summer months. Wigeon is a species, which has increased recently at the site, with a notable upsurge in numbers during 2002. From single figures being recorded, the appearance of 30 in Oct 2002 increased to 70 during November. This established a pattern with small numbers present at the beginning of the year and then peaking as birds return in Oct/Nov and has seen 110 present in Dec 2004. Another species which has increased is Shoveler with over 20 birds present during the winter, while in March 2004 numbers peaked at 38.
Teal on the other hand has declined with numbers only occasionally reaching the 20 mark over the last few years. Goldeneye are only occasional winter visitors with normally only single birds present, although there was an unusual record of a pair present in late May in 2001. Goosander are regular winter visitors and have reached to 39 in Feb 2000, although flocks of around 20 are more usual. Small numbers of Common Gull are often present in winter while Lesser Black-backed & Herring Gull can be seen passing over.
In the willow carr, roving tit flocks are present during the winter including Willow Tit, while up to 50 Goldfinch can also be present along with feeding flocks of up to 50 Siskin.

Resident/breeding birds
Single pairs of both Little and Great Crested Grebe breed annually. It is also an important site for a resident pair of Mute Swan with cygnets enjoying good survival rates at this site. This species is probably responsible for the dearth of Goose records with both Canada & Greylag being relatively uncommon. Grey Heron is a non-breeding resident with small numbers generally present although 11 recorded during Feb 2005. Gadwall bred for the first time in 2001 and its wintering numbers have also increased with occurrence similar to that of Wigeon. In Oct 2004 an exceptional flock of 108 were present. Pochard is an occasional breeder at the site and is also a species which has seen its wintering numbers decrease, with numbers peaking at just 15 in Jan 2005. Tufted Duck breeds most years and wintering numbers have remained fairly stable but have included 52 in Jan 2002. Ruddy Duck arrive back in March and are present until October. Breeding is proven in most years and following the initial spring influx, numbers tend to peak during Sept, with up to 20 here in 2002. Both Moorhen and Coot breed, while Moorhen numbers tend to be low, Coot can reach 3 figures and have reached 217 in Jan 2002. The commonest gull is unsurprisingly the Black-headed Gull which often reaches 3 figures in winter, with a peak of 185 on 11th Jan 2005. Single birds are often present during the summer and a breeding attempt was made on the tern raft in 2003 but sadly resulted in failure. The Common Tern has not bred since 1999 although territorial pairs have been present most years since. It is likely a breeding attempt will be made again although new rafts may be needed. Kingfisher can be seen through out the year as well as the occasional Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker. During the summer hirundines including Sand Martin are often found feeding over the surface. A good selection of warblers can also be encountered with Sedge & Reed Warbler present along with Garden Warbler and breeding Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. Other possible breeding birds present in the willow carr are Willow Tit, Jay and Reed Bunting.

Passage/rarities
The site has in recent years hosted 2 long staying Black-necked Grebes with the first present from 16th Nov-7th Dec 2002 and again in 2001 from 16th-24th Aug. A single Pintail was present on 11th Oct 2001. From 5th-9th Jan 2004 a ‘redhead’ Red-breasted Merganser was present. Peregrine has been present on 2 occasions with singles on 11th Aug 2002 and 8th April 2003. Water Rail has also been recorded with a single on 24th Oct and 1-2 were heard calling on 24th March 2005. This is a potential breeding site for this species. Waders are scarce with passing Lapwing the only regular species. A Little Ringed Plover was present on 11th June 2002, while single Common Snipe were recorded on 15th Aug 2003 & 16th Sept 2004. On 27th Feb 2001 a Woodcock was present and 2 Redshank passed through on 17th April 2003. A single Common Sandpiper was present on 11th July 2001, with 2 on 22nd April 2002. Other migrants passing through the site have included a pair of Turtle Dove on 13th May 2001 and a single on 8th May 2003 as well as a Cuckoo on 4th May 2002.