Juvenile Common Cuckoo - Beeley Moor

 This year has been one of the best I can recall for Common Cuckoo records on the moors with as many as six males being present. I had wondered if I might manage to see a juvenile this year, and today I did. 

I think I must have seen the odd juvenile in the past, but I can't recall having done so, and they are certainly scarce. I think they head south soon after fledging, following the adults, which have mostly departed already, to Africa.

Todays bird seemed to be attached to a Meadow Pipit which was presumably the foster parent and I was a little sad to think that this might well be the last cuckoo I see this year.

Common Cuckoo - juvenile

More migrant arrivals

 Caught up with my first House Martin of the year yesterday at Chatsworth and then a flurry of migrants at Beeley this morning. 

House Martin

Starting with Common Cuckoo calling on the edge of Beeley Moor, then an Osprey flying North over Whitesprings Plantation, which unfortunately was a disappearing speck by the time I got the camera out of the bag.

Moving on to the Cathole area we added Common Whitethroat and reeling Grashopper Warbler.

A decent morning, despite the cold!

Common Whitethroat playing hide and seek in the bushes

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.

A chance Long-eared Owl

 Following my last post I did hear Common Quail calling at Elton Common on 26th May, so that's all our potential breeding birds back.

In early June I was lucky to see an adult Long-eared Owl, this bird had two fledged youngsters. The Long-eared Owl is one of the hardest birds to find locally as they are almost entirely nocturnal. The only time they are likely to be seen before dusk is when they are feeding young.

Long-eared Owl

I'm still not sure whether they are resident on the moors but it seems likely that they remain in some years as a bird was photographed on Beeley Triangle in November a few years ago. It probably depends on how severe the winter is.

The breeding season is now well underway with parties of juvenile Stonechat and Meadow Pipits on the moors and I've seen both Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher feeding young today.

Wood Warbler

It looks like the Mute Swans have had a better year with 6 cygnets at Caudwells Mill and 4 in Bakewell.

Mute Swan

The Cuckoo have been very active on the moor and I had an interesting encounter a few days ago. Both the male and female were using the fence posts, the male to hunt for caterpillars and the female to locate Meadow Pipit nests. The male caught a large caterpillar, either a Fox or Northern Eggar I think, then the female took the caterpillar from the male although it took her three attempts to grab it.

Common Cuckoo - male and female

I received some exciting news a few days ago of a female Hawfinch feeding a youngster in the Darley Dale area last Saturday (11th). Although there have been occasional sightings in the breeding season this is the first confirmed breeding record for many years.

Return of the Cuckoo

 I heard my first Cuckoo on the 15th April on Beeley Moor, heard another calling at Chatsworth on the 16th and managed to see the Beeley bird again this morning as it crossed the moor,

Common Cuckoo

The first Tree Pipit were singing at Whitesprings and Sitches Plantations on 14th April.

Tree Pipit in song

Lockdown day 27 - First Wood Warbler

A lovely sunny day although still with a cool NE wind and Pam and I did a walk up to Beeley Moor. On the way I was surprised, but very pleased to hear a Wood Warbler calling in the local wood. Strange that it never give its delightful trilling song, doesn't seem likely that this would be a female as they generally arrive a week or so later than the males. 
My previous earliest record is 22 April so four days earlier is quite something and continuing the trend in early migrant arrivals. 
As we walked up to the moor a Cuckoo was calling which is a more typical arrival date.

Wood Warbler - calling

Cuckoo - first of the year on Flash Lane

Great to hear the call of a Cuckoo first thing this morning on Flash Lane. It was distant but I took a record photo.

Cuckoo

Cuckoo - Beeley Moor

I've seen at least three Cuckoo today, some reasonable views but not particularly close. Great to see them back, although the Meadow Pipits weren't very happy.

Cuckoo

Cuckoo - Beeley Moor

Often heard during the Spring but seldom seen well I was with James this evening when we came across this female Cuckoo, she occasionally gave the bubbling call and seemed to be actively searching for a Meadow Pipits nest allowing James to take these photos.

Cuckoo - female