Hawfinch - Cromford

 During the past week there has been occasional reports of just two Hawfinch by the entrance to Willersley Castle in Cromford. During a three hour watch this morning I managed brief, perched views, of just one bird but I, and two other local birders, were satisfied with that after a prolonged wait in sub-zero temperatures!

Fortunately there was other entertainment on the river with a pair of Dipper showing regularly and the male in song and a Kingfisher made several appearance which, in the bright sunlight, looking greener than I can recall seeing one before.

Hawfinch

Kingfisher

Dipper

Ring-necked Duck - Carsington Water

 A female Ring-necked Duck was found at Carsington Water on 17th November but wasn't seen again until it was refound at the Millfields end of the reservoir this morning. I saw it this afternoon in very wet overcast weather.

It's only the second record for Carsington and was showing well this afternoon, associating with a small group of Tufted Duck.

Ring-necked Duck - female

With another period of poor weather I haven't seen much else; a Little Egret was on the river at Chatsworth on Friday and I've seen a Pink-footed Goose with the Canada Geese at Bakewell several times. A female Pochard spent several days on the Whitworth Park Lake but left when the lake iced over.

At least 6 Hawfinch were aeen at Cromford on 18th November but I've not looked for them yet.

Knot at Middleton Moor

I've made several visits to Middleton Moor recently in the hope of seeing something a little different and yesterday I was rewarded with a lone Knot stood amongst the Lapwings. Plentiful on our coastal estuaries it's a scarce bird inland but unfortunately it didn't stay long. The Lapwing were disturbed and it left high to the south with them. 

Knot with Lapwing

Common Goldeneye in Darley Dale

 The persistent low cloud curtailed my trip to the moor this morning so I had a look around Darley Dale and was very surprised to see a pair of Goldeneye on the Whitworth Pond. I have never heard of a sighting there before and it's only about my fourth for the local area with the last at Chatsworth in 2013!

Common Goldeneye - male and female

The long staying female Teal was still present a couple of days ago but I didn't really look for it this morning, the photo below is from the end of October.

Eurasian Teal - female

More birds have been arriving with good numbers of Fieldfare joining the Redwing in the last week. My first Water Rail of the autumn was calling at Long Meadows (by the Care Home) in Darley Dale at the end of October.

There has been a widespread influx of Hawfinch, particularly to southern Britain but there were two over Beeley Moor on 26th October and a single there on 1st November with up to 9 at Brackenfield Church by Ogston and several at Carsington so it's a bird to look out for.