Rough-legged Buzzard (second calendar year), Stainforth, South Yorkshire
The Stainforth Rough-legged Buzzard has now spent at least three weekends hanging around the old pit heaps to the east of the small former mining town not far from Doncaster. I watched its activity all day, mostly from the vantage point of the top of the main pit heap overlooking some yards full of junk and partly flooded fields interspersed with patches of overgrown scrub. A classic post-indsutrial Peoples Republic of South Yorkshire landscape with four former coal-fired power stations visible from this spot but these have mostly switched to other fuel sources and the skyline is now dotted with wind turbines. I first visited nearby Thorne Moors, or Waste as it used to be known then, 39 years ago, when, as well as being part of the UK’s largest lowland raised peat bog, it was notable as the closest place with breeding nightingales to the northeast. Not they we ever saw any, rolling up around midday on a bird club field trip! Things have changed a lot since then, following the devastation of the local mining communities by Margaret Thatcher. The pits have all closed and the nightingales are gone too. However, I see that there is still some great birding in this area with Great Grey Shrike and cranes reported today as well as the buzzard, which was on view more or less all day. It made four sorties to the rough grassland of the pit top where I was hoping for closer views but it was still a real pleasure to spend so much time with this cracking looking raptor. I’ve still seen more Desert Wheatears than Rough-legged Buzzards in the UK and don’t really have any nice photos of one yet! A flock of pinkfeet flew west in mid morning and two Whooper Swans flew south, otherwise apart from some Stock Doves, a couple of kestrels that harrassed the buzzard and a couple of Common Buzzards that appeared briefly there was little else birdwise. Thanks a lot to local birders Stuart Allen and Paul Coombes for making me feel so welcome and to Mike Barth from Macc.
Rough-legged Buzzard against a modern background
Rough-legged Buzzard hovering over the grassed over pit heap by the railway
Trainspotting Rough-leg
Stainforth pit top at sunset
Drax, fromerly the UK’s biggest coal-fired power station but now mostly powered by wood pellets (from the USA!)