Common Scoter - Middleton Moor

It's been fairly quiet the past couple of weeks but a Common Scoter at Middleton Moor this morning is my first for the site. It was there for about 3 hours before flying off north-west. There were several other reports in Derbyshire suggesting there was a significant movemement last night. 

Common Scoter - drake

Two Tree Pipit at Middleton today is an unusual site record, they are much scarcer there than around Beeley.

Tree Pipit

A young Fox gave excellent views from the hide. I've seen one adult there that only has three legs but watching it walking or running you wouldn't immediately notice so it appears to be coping with its disability.

Fox

Common Scoter - Ashford Lake

After yesterday's downpour my expectations were not high for today but I got off to a good start with a Merlin which flew from the Rough Track towards Flash Lane, my first of the 'autumn', followed by two reeling Grasshopper Warblers at the Triangle.Then a group of at least 5 Common Crossbill at 40 Acre Plantation which were my first for a couple of weeks.

But the best was yet to come, Pam fancied a walk in Bakewell so I suggested a walk up to Ashford Lake, which I hadn't visited for a week or so. Looking down on the lake I saw a Little Grebe and several Mandarin and what I first took to be a Coot but it looked very black. It was a drake Common Scoter, my first on the patch.

Common Scoter - male

They are recorded with increasing frequency on Carsington and Ogston and even up on Middleton Moor but I wasn't expecting one locally.

They are nocturnal migrants and cross the country from Morecambe Bay to the North Sea, usually in the spring but can turn up anytime.

Lock-down Day 9 - 50 up and some interesting 'Nocmig' results

Made it to 50 species from the garden today since the start of the Coronavirus Lock-down. It was a Kestrel which flew straight over the garden. 
It's interesting to look at what I've seen and missed over the 9 day period. Only one Spring migrant, the Chiffchaff which I've recorded on all days bar one. I have also still to see House Sparrow which is scarce in my garden, despite having put out some sparrow nest boxes but it can be easily seen just 500m away! I have also still to see Jay which has been scarce around me this year and I've only had one Great Spotted Woodpecker which, in prior years I have heard drumming regularly at this time of year.
I've seen Mandarin everyday as they flew the 1km from the river to look for nesting sites in the woods. One pair landed in the trees close to the house and I managed a photo.

Mandarin - female and male

Simon (Roddis) who also lives in Darley Dale has taken to recording the sounds of nocturnal birds passing over his garden. Many species of bird are nocturnal migrants ( hence the term Nocmig to describe the recording process)  and wildfowl and waders tend to be quite vocal as well so the sound recording of night migrants is becoming an increasingly popular way of identifying these nocturnal visitors which would otherwise go unrecorded.
Last night Simon recorded calls from two parties of Common Scoter, a party of Teal, and an Oystercatcher as well local Mandarin and Barn Owl.
The Common Scoter movement was also recorded in Hayfield, North Derbyshire and several other sites across the Midlands as birds migrated from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. 
A fascinating insight in to an otherwise invisible migration and it will be interesting to see what else Simon turns up.