Hawfinch - St Helen's Church, Darley Dale

 Despite several searches in the early part of the winter it wasn't until 1st January that a single Hawfinch was seen briefly by Alan at St Helen's. 

I made several visits to the churchyard in the first week of January but didn't manage to see the hawfinch until yesterday when it perched up for a few seconds in a Sycamore before it dropped out of view in to the Darley Yew.

Today Simon saw three birds together so things are looking up. They have been scarce in the County so far this winter with up to 3 birds seen at Cromford but most reports have been of just a single bird.

Hawfinch

Generally its been a fairly quiet start to the year but I've seen Little Egrets at Chatsworth and Bakewell with one by the river at Ashford today. I also saw the Cetti's Warbler at Middleton Moor today but the lagoon is almost completely frozen at the moment.

Cetti's Warbler - Middleton Moor

I was away for most of September returning on the 26th. The following day I went to Middleton Moor and watched what we believe is the first record of Cetti's Warbler for the Derbyshire Peak District with Ray Scally and Jon Lowes. It has remained at the site, calling frequently but has been difficult to see, but I finally managed some photos yesterday.

It's still present this morning and I had 11 Whooper Swans drop on to the lagoon which are the first of the autumn. Also over a hundred each of Redwing and Fieldfare. 

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler was first recorded in Derbyshire in 1999 but with just 5 further records in the following decade. The first proven breeding was in 2010 and it has since colonised wetlands in much of the south of the county. 

So it has been expected further north but is clearly still very rare in central and NW Derbyshire.