More snow and return of the hybrid Tufted Duck

 A bit more snow fell overnight but the forecast is for more in the next 24 hrs. There was very little in the valley bottom but 2 or 3cm was present higher up. It's always nice to see birds with a snowy background and a took a few photos of some of our commoner birds.

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robin

The hybrid drake Tufted x Pochard has returned to Bakewell, I first saw this bird on 2 February 2014 so it's at least 11 years old. Recently I think it has been at Ogston Reservoir but it's nice to see it back in Bakewell. It sometimes gets reported as a drake Scaup but which would be very rare locally.

Tufted x Pochard hybrid

There are still groups of gulls, mainly Black-headed with a few Common on the flooded fields but an adult Herring Gull put in an appearance yesterday in the fields between Darley Dale and Darley Bridge. 

Generally the Herring Gull is a rare winter visitor to the area, often just seen flying over the valley.

Herring Gull

Lockdown day 2

No surprise that I only managed a few new birds today, to add to yesterdays garden list, but another four isn't bad taking the total to 41. The new birds were a single Lapwing, 7 Great Cormorant (and I saw two in the trees by the Whitworth pond that were probably part of the same group later in the day), a male Bullfinch and overnight a calling Tawny Owl.
A pair of Sparrowhawk were displaying over the wood at the back of the house as were two Common Buzzard.
Taking a few photos in the garden in the sunshine and this preening Blue Tit was my favourite.

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

A regular at all garden feeders, great to see up close.

Blue Tit