Ruff and other migrants Middleton Moor

 I've been away for a month so had some catching up to do on the Spring migrant front. A party of 5 female Ruff ( reeves) turned up at Middleton on 9th April and a male joined them on 16th and I was pleased to see they were still present yesterday on my return.

Ruff - five females with the larger male at the back

It was a decent day with Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpiper and a good range of migrants including Ring Ouzel, several Redstart, Whitethroat and a dozen or more Willow Warbler. 

Also a White Wagtail which is the first I've seen at Middleton.

White Wagtail

No change this morning but a single Dunlin had joined the Ruff.

Tufted Duck with ducklings - Bakewell

 In the last few days I've seen a couple of broods of Tufted Ducks in the Bakewell area. Both looked to have 3 ducklings, at Bakewell Bridge and Ashford Lake.

Tufted Duck female with duckling

A Common Sandpiper at Bakewell was the first I've seen there and nice to see a juvenile Dipper.

Common Sandpiper - Chatsworth

 Four Common Sandpiper together at Chatsworth this morning was a nice surprise. Fingers crossed that we may get a breeding pair this year.

Common Sandpiper

It looks like yesterday's Osprey spent the afternoon in the Haddon Hall area and was still present early evening but no reports today.

Chatsworth - Oystercatchers

 I made a brief visit to Chatsworth last week but saw neither Oystercatchers or Common Sandpiper so I was pleasantly surprised to hear Oystercatchers calling as I walked along the river this morning. I was even more surprised to see 5 birds flying circling in the sky, a record count for me locally. As I put my camera up to take a photo I saw that they were mobbing a Red Kite. 

Oystercatchers mobbing Red Kite

I saw them again a little latter when two of the birds were displaying to each other. Impossible to know whether these are new birds or if two of them are the original pair, will have to wait and see if there is a breeding attempt.

A Common Sandpiper was also feeding along the river raising the possibility that it is one of a breeding pair.

Common Sandpiper

Although this is only my first week back after a three week absence I was hoping to see more evidence of Goosander breeding but a female seen today is the only bird I have seen, maybe they have had more success on the Wye?

Turtle Dove back for its 6th year

 The lone male Turtle Dove which has frequented Uppertown, Darwin Forest and the Matlock Farm Park area returned for its 6th summer on the 20th April and has been seen several times since. If only it could attract a mate! An amazing record and one of very few to be found in Derbyshire.

Turtle Dove

I heard my first Cuckoo by Beeley Triangle on the 22nd April and there are several birds now, around the moors and Matlock Forest. On the same day there was a group of 6 Ring Ouzel (a record count for me) on the edge of the moor which increased to 6 birds before they departed.

Three Common Sandpiper were present along the river at Chatsworth this morning but more surprising was a Dunlin flushed from the river bank, only the second time I have seen one locally. It circled round a couple of times before flying off north, giving me just about enough time to get a record shot.

Common Sandpiper

Dunlin

The Oystercatchers are still present at Chatsworth and making use of the props for the forthcoming horse trials!

Oystercatcher

Whilst many of our summer migrants have returned there are still several missing and I would usually have seen Garden Warbler, Wood Warbler and Common Whitethroat by now but I suspect the persistent cool temperatures are holding them back south of us somewhere.

Kingfisher and Goosander both scarce this summer

 I walked around Chatsworth yesterday and had decent views of both Kingfisher and Goosander both of which have been scarce this summer. The Goosander is a juvenile, so born this year, but is my first since the middle of May and I suspect they didn't breed on the local stretches of the Wye or Derwent this year.

Goosander - juvenile

Although I see the Kingfisher most months it's usually just a brief fly-by so it was nice to be able to watch this bird fishing in front of Chatsworth House.

Kingfisher - probably a juvenile with dark feet and dark breast band

The Oystercatcher are still about and a single Common Sandpiper was on the river but neither species has bred successfully here this year.

Seven Teal were on a pool by the upper lakes and hopefully these will remain now, they are almost certainly from the few breeding pairs that remain on East Moor/ Leash Fen.

More migrant arrivals

Since my last post I have added Common Sandpiper at Chatsworth and a male Ring Ouzel on Flash Lane taking my April list for the Darley Dale area to 101 species which is a record for me. 

With still almost a week to go there is a good chance I can add one or two more species to the monthly total.

Common Sandpiper 

Ring Ouzel - male if you can find it, with thanks to Richard Lowe for pointing it out

Lockdown day 26 - return of the Common Sandpiper

Looking on the positive side, news that the lockdown has been extended for at least another 21 days gives me plenty of opportunity to add more arriving summer migrants to the lockdown lists.

Today I cycled to Chatsworth, the highlight was my first Common Sandpiper of the year, a fairly typical day for their return to the Derwent River. I was also pleased to see a pair of Oystercatchers back and good numbers of Sand Martin, at least 40 hawking over the river with several Swallow.

The addition of Common Sandpiper and Oystercatcher takes my patch lockdown list (species seen by walking or cycling) to 88!

Nothing new in the garden but I'm expecting the first Swifts any day now.

Common Sandpiper

Oystercatchers coming in to land

Common Sandpiper and Oystercatcher breeding at Chatsworth

Pleased to see a pair of Common Sandpiper are on territory at Chatsworth, the colour-ringed bird has gone now and one of the pair is perhaps its offspring. The Oystercatchers have been successful raising two fledged youngsters. The nest site has previously been on the house side of the river but the adults and youngsters are now on the other side? Wonder if they could have crossed one of the temporary bridges installed for the RHS show?

At least 6 broods of Mandarin with chicks of various sizes and a lone Kingfisher made for an interesting walk.

Common Sandpiper

Oystercatcher - chick

Common Sandpiper - Chatsworth

My first Common Sandpiper of the Spring below Chatsworth House this morning. I only saw it in flight and managed a record shot but I'm keen to see if it's the colour ringed bird I first saw in 2013. I sent off the details to the BTO in 2015 and got the following details back;

This bird was ringed by D W Yalden as age at least 1 year, sex unknown on 05-Jul-2012 17:30:00 at Ladybower (N), Grainfoot, Derbyshire, UK
OS Map reference SK1987 accuracy 0, co-ordinates 53deg 22min N -1deg -42min W accuracy 0.
Colour Marks left below knee N
Colour Marks right below knee P,M
Colour Marks left above knee P
It was found on 21-Jun-2015 time unknown at Edensor, Derbyshire, UK
OS Map reference SK2569 accuracy 0, co-ordinates 53deg 12min N -1deg -37min W accuracy 1.
Finding condition: Sight record by non-ringer
Finding circumstances: Identified by Colour Ring(s)
Extra Information: Reported as HW62096

Common Sandpiper

Oystercatcher - Beeley Flash

There is a small area of flooded grassland on the Chatsworth Road just beyond Beeley village. In the winter it can be quite a large lake but it generally dries up quickly in the early Spring. At the moment it still contains water and looks ideal for a passing wader or egret. This morning there was a lone Oystercatcher, a local rarity, which departed just before I got to the pool unfortunately. There were three broods of Mallard, a couple of Grey Heron, pair of Coot and several Black-headed Gulls along the shore.

Further on, it was nice to see Common Sandpiper again, I'll be interested to see whether its mate is the colour-ringed female I usually see on the river. 

Oystercatcher

Beeley Flash

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper youngster - River Derwent

An endearing family of 4 downy young Common Sandpiper with both adults in attendance on the River Derwent this morning between Rowsley and Chatsworth. Even at this age they bob up and down just like their parents which is quite comical.
These are the young of the colour-ringed bird which I have photographed previously.

Common Sandpiper - chick

Common Sandpiper back at Chatsworth

My first local Common Sandpipers of the year, and it's the same colour-ringed bird I have recorded for the past three years. Nice to have them back!

Common Sandpiper

Colour-ringed Common Sandpiper

Encountered a pair of Common Sandpiper on the Derwent between Rowsley and Chatsworth. I'm fairly sure this is the same colour-ringed bird I had last year. There have been some long term studies of Common Sandpiper populations in the Peak District and I suspect this bird was ringed as part of that study.

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper - Chatsworth

First Common Sandpiper of the year on the river at Chatsworth in rather murky overcast conditions. Distant views but you can see what it is. Not many migrants to go now on the migrant arrivals front.
The Mandarin were very active and I finally caught up with some young Water Vole at Rowsley of which more later.

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper - Chatsworth

The Common Sandpiper at Chatsworth is at the extreme south-east of its main breeding range in England which is predominantly on the upland rivers and reservoirs of the Derbyshire High Peak extending north up the Pennines to the hills of Cumbria and Northumberland.
Arriving in mid-April the adults have usually departed for wintering quarters in north and west Africa by mid-July. 
I have occasionally seen birds on the river at Rowsley down to Darley Dale but I think Chatsworth is the only regular breeding location. At least one of the pair was colour ringed which I think is as a result of a study by the Sorby Breck Ringing Group, I'll see if I can get further information.

Common Sandpiper