Hawfinch and first Wheatear

Still 5 Hawfinch at St Helen's Church this morning and a Chiffchaff calling nearby. Also had a lone Oystercatcher flying up and down the river.
The first Wheatear of the Spring was seen by Ken at Peasenhurst on the edge of the moor on Wednesday (28th March).

Hawfinch male on left and looks like a female on right

First Chiffchaff of the Spring - Rowsley

My first Chiffchaffs of the Spring today with at least two birds singing at Rowsley. As usual they are about a week later here than at Ogston and Carsington. The decent weather on Sunday and Monday probably encouraged more birds to move north, hopefully the predicted cold spell over Easter won't cause them any problems.

Chiffchaff

Whooper Swans heading back North

A call from Ken this morning alerted me to a herd of Whooper Swans flying up the Derwent valley over Matlock. I missed them in Darley Dale so they may have crossed towards the moors over Halldale Wood. These birds will most likely be heading back to Iceland to breed.

Whooper Swans (photo © Ken Smith)

Oystercatcher - Chatsworth

Further signs of Spring with a single Oystercatcher in front of the house at Chatsworth this morning. I had a pair there last year but not sure if they bred.

Oystercatcher

The lone Pink-footed Goose was still present with the Canada Goose flock and at least 30 Mandarin along the river.

Pink-footed Goose with Canada Geese

With the milder weather I ran the moth trap for the first time last night and caught; 
Pale Brindled Beauty,
Satellite 3,
March Moth 4,
Chestnut 2
Common Quaker 1

Not a bad start to the mothing year.

First Curlews back on the moors

For any regular visitors to the moors there is no more welcome sound than the call of the first Curlews arriving back to start their breeding cycle. Whilst it may not yet herald the start of Spring it certainly marks the start of the end of Winter! I saw my first today although birds were back at the start of March having spent the winter, most likely, on one of our coastal estuaries.

Curlew back on the moors

Goosander, Mandarin and a record count of Hawfinch

Although the main roads are all clear of snow the minor roads are still snow covered so again I've not ventured far from Darley Dale. 
Simon Roddis and Alan Stewardson had an amazing count of 51 Hawfinch at St Helen's Church this morning which must be one of the largest flocks recorded in the County. Roy Frost & Steve Shaw's 'The Birds of Derbyshire' cites a winter roost in 1979/80 of up to 50 birds at Chatsworth which is the only reference to a similar number. At St Helen's this afternoon I could 'only' find a dozen birds and I wonder if they have started to roost at the church, dispersing to feed more widely during the day? 
Moving on to Peak Village I was rewarded with nice views of a pair each of Goosander and Mandarin.
Lots of thrushes about, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare, presumably moving west to avoid the cold weather.

Goosander - male

Mandarin - pair

Bullfinch in the snow

With the so called 'Beast from the East' weather system arriving in Darley Dale yesterday I have not been far from home. 
This morning it looks like we have about 16 cm of standing snow and day time temperatures of -3 to -5 °C. I've put plenty of food out for the birds with many Siskin and a few Redpoll, which are scarce in the garden, putting on a good show. The Bullfinch however prefer the fresh buds on the hawthorn hedge which attract them in the late winter.

Bullfinch - male