A late afternoon visit to Beeley Moor proved better than expected when an adult female Hen Harrier flew across the moor from Fallinge to Harland Edge. It was very distant but managed a record shot.
Hen Harrier - adult female |
Little Egret |
A late afternoon visit to Beeley Moor proved better than expected when an adult female Hen Harrier flew across the moor from Fallinge to Harland Edge. It was very distant but managed a record shot.
Hen Harrier - adult female |
Little Egret |
A male Whinchat held territory on Beeley Moor from late May in to June and I had hoped that it would breed, but despite several searches I have not been unable to find any juveniles and suspect the male either remained unpaired or the attempt failed. However, I did find an adult female on the fence line above Harthill Pond in Youlgrave earlier this week.
Coincidentally, there were also records from Carr Vale and Ogston Reservoir on the same day, all the records were of adults and perhaps signals a departure of the adults from their breeding grounds.
Whinchat - adult female |
Hobby - second calendar year bird, lacking the red undertail and already moulting some primary feathers |
I perhaps haven't looked too hard this year and the weather was very poor in June but still it's very late for my first of the year. Hopefully I'll see more in the coming months as I usually record them through to mid-September.
Common Lizard |
The number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls has been steadily increasing in the recently mown cereal fields in the Elton Common area and today I saw at least two adult Yellow-legged Gulls with them, just beyond Pikehall.
The Yellow-legged Gulls breed on the continent and disperse north, post breeding, arriving on the Channel coast in early July with some continuing north. Most of my records are adult or sub-adult birds but it may be that younger birds are overlooked amongst the similar looking Lesser Black-backs.
Yellow-legged Gull - adult |
This year has been one of the best I can recall for Common Cuckoo records on the moors with as many as six males being present. I had wondered if I might manage to see a juvenile this year, and today I did.
I think I must have seen the odd juvenile in the past, but I can't recall having done so, and they are certainly scarce. I think they head south soon after fledging, following the adults, which have mostly departed already, to Africa.
Todays bird seemed to be attached to a Meadow Pipit which was presumably the foster parent and I was a little sad to think that this might well be the last cuckoo I see this year.
Common Cuckoo - juvenile |