Garden Tiger

The Garden Tiger has suffered a major decline in most areas of the UK since the 1980's and no more so than in Derbyshire. I've only caught 3 or 4 in the last decade so I'm very pleased to add this to the blog after catching it last night.

Garden Tiger

Lumesdale by Luke

I've just about given up on the birds this week, it's raining again this evening. 
My younger son Luke has been down to Lumesdale near Tansley to photograph the waterfalls, normally in July these would be little more than a trickle but  this is the upside of the continual rainfall they are positively gushing at the moment.

Lumesdale

Common Tern blur

The light was terrible this morning with virtually no contrast and you wonder whether it is even worth getting the camera out but this Common Tern at Ogston has turned out quite well I think.

Common Tern

Catoptria margaritella

Catoptria margaritella is new for me, it's status in Derbyshire is a little unclear but it's probably reasonably widespread in its habitat of boggy heaths, mosses and moors in upland areas. Taken in the home trap on Thursday night along with a Gothic which was new for the year.

Catoptria margaritella

Nuthatch

James took this, great pose and very sharp.

Nuthatch

Cormorant - Ogston

Not the most attractive bird but the photo shows they are not just black.

Cormorant

Dipper - Rowsley

First Dipper I've seen for a few weeks, they are much less conspicuous once the breeding season is over.

Dipper

Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis

This is a scarce moth for me and probably as likely to be found in doors as out, as the common name suggests it feeds on stored grain often in stables or barns. This is a rather worn example.

Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis

Four-spotted Chaser - Stonedge

A few dragonflies on the wing today, had my first Emperor of the year yesterday. Getting photographs in flight takes patience and sunshine and the latter at least is still in short supply. The flight shot was taken at 1/1600 of a second which is clearly not enough to freeze the wing movement.

Four-spotted Chaser

Speckled Wood butterfly

Another poor year for butterflies but the Speckled Wood is one of the few species which is holding its own.

Speckled Wood

Long-eared Owl

Ever elusive, Ken Smith came across this bird which spent most of yesterday drying out and preening. It must be quite wet work hunting on the moors at present. This shot was hand held with the 300 + 2x at quite a distance.

Long-eared Owl

Tawny Owl - Chatsworth

The old deer park at Chatsworth is a regular haunt of the Tawny Owl but it's unusual to see one sat out in the open in daylight.

Tawny Owl

Red Deer stags - Chatsworth

This was part of a herd of about 30 males at Chatsworth.

Red Deer

Skylark - Longstone Edge

Skylark

Stonechat - Beeley Moor

This male was actively feeding a brood of youngsters on the other side of the wall.

Stonechat

Snipe - Beeley Moor

Very misty this morning when I finally saw the Snipe on one of its occasional posts.

Common Snipe

Short-cloaked Moth

I am catching a few moths again, the overnight temperatures are OK but it is raining most nights which is limiting the catch. Last night I added Short-cloaked Moth, I only catch a couple each year and didn't manage to photograph either last year so it's a new moth for the blog. 
Tawny-barred Angle and Swallow-tailed Moth were also new for the year. I'm a bit behind on the species count so will have to catch up at the weekend.
More good news I relocated the Ring Ousel family about 0.5km away from the nest site so all appears well there.

Short-cloaked Moth

The Ring Ouzel story

The Ring Ouzel is a scarce passage migrant through the area in both Spring and Autumn. This year, in common with much of the UK, there were more sightings throughout the Spring. A male and female were seen regularly together through early May and the female was seen nest building, in the presence of the male on 26th May. 

Ring Ouzel - female

Both birds were seen feeding young on 13th June and thereafter were very visible in the nest area. The male made no attempt to defend the nest but the female was very vocal flying down to chase off any intruder. 


The young birds, four I think, left the nest on about 27th June and both the male and female could be seen taking them food in dense cover until the 30th but could not be located on 1st July but may have only moved a short distance.

A hide was used to take photographs of the birds gathering food, mainly worms whick looked to be plentiful.

Ring Ouzel - male

Female Ring Ouzel on nest

On the nest the female tended to sit facing out with her bill pointed vertically upwards, once the female was sitting on the nest the male disappeared leaving no signs of the birds continued presence in the area.

Ring Ouzel nest on almost vertical hillside under over hanging heather

Wood Pigeon - preening in the rain

Much maligned the Wood Pigeon is quite an attractive bird when seen up close.

Wood Pigeon

Sand Martin

These two youngsters were already fledged and able to fly from the nest burrow but were happy to wait for the parent bird to feed them.

Sand Martin

Stonechat - male

This male Stonechat was getting a real buffeting from today's wind but the moving grasses behind created quite a striking effect.

Stonechat - male