Gadwall back at Chatsworth

 For the 4th successive year a pair of Gadwall were back at Chatsworth today. I'm assuming it's the same pair as they are in the usual area close to Emperor Lake. Some years I've seen them in other months but never managed to prove that they have bred locally.

Not a great picture as they were very distant but still nice to have them back.

Gadwall - pair

Gadwall return to Chatsworth

 For the third successive winter a pair of Gadwall have returned to Chatsworth. They were on the river infront of the house this morning with Mallard.

I assume it's the same pair, and if so they may well remain until the Spring if they follow the pattern of the prior years. 

Gadwall - pair

New Year - highlights so far

I got off to a reasonable start on the 1st with the Little Egret still present at Harthill Pond, Youlgrave, where there were also 3 Goosander, and a Water Rail giving its squealing call by the River Wye just south of Bakewell. It was very windy on the moors and I struggled to find either Stonechat or Reed Bunting but a flock of 339 Lapwing on Screetham Lane was a record count and I had 18 Yellowhammer in the same area.

A group of 18 Herring Gulls at the stables on Longside Road above Holymoorside was another record count and included a first winter bird that looked like a Herring Gull x Caspian Gull hybrid with pale head and rather long bill, sloping forehead, barring on the scapulars and clean white base to the tail.

First winter Herring Gull left and presumed hybrid Herring x Caspian Gull (right)

I didn't do much yesterday but added some of the commoner birds like Bullfinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker plus another 2 drake Goosander close to Chatsworth which I saw again today.

Goosander - drakes

Today's highlight was a pair of Gadwall on Emperor Lake, I had a pair there last spring and wondered if they might be attempting to breed but never saw them after the spring but I'm guessing that this may be the same pair.

Gadwall - pair

There were at least 8 Teal and 4 Mandarin, the latter have now largely disappeared from the area now but will start to return to the rivers in the next couple of months.

I'm still missing a few common birds but have recorded 66 species on the first 3 days of the year, I made it to 80 in December so thats a reasonable target.

With ongoing travel issues associated with COVID and concern over the impact of travel on global warming there are more birdwatchers adopting local patches. This is the 8km (5 mile) radius from Darley Dale where I do most of my birdwatching.

But, I still do a few trips further afield, some of which I include on here and I made it to Carsington on the 31st December to see the Red-necked Grebe which is still there today.

Red-necked Grebe

Gadwall - Emperor Lake, Chatsworth

A pair of Gadwall were the highlight of a very wet walk around Chatsworth yesterday. A scarce bird locally they can be seen in decent numbers at Carsington. Just 4 Goosander this week after a count of 30 last weekend and only 3 Mandarin so I'm not sure where they have moved to.

Gadwall - pair with single Goosander

No sign of the Great Grey Shrike at Farley since Monday but still up to 16 Common Crossbill in the area. 

Several parties of Pink-footed Geese were reported in the area over the weekend and a small group flew over the house calling last night. 

Lockdown day 49 - Gadwall at Chatsworth

Walked over the moors to Chatsworth yesterday, it was probably 5°C but felt colder with a strong northerly wind. The Stonechats were still feeding their young and I flushed a recently fledged Skylark. Stopped at the top end of the old Deer Park for Redstart and Pied Flycatcher. 
The lake at Swiss Cottage is still dry but Emperor Lake held 4 Tufted Duck and a single drake Gadwall which is new for the lockdown list. A drake at this time of year could indicate possible breeding so worth checking again later.

Gadwall - drake

Pied Flycatcher - male

 The pair of Little Grebe were still there and presumably breeding, this is the only pair I've found in the area although they were present at Conksbury in the late winter so there could be a pair there also but it's a little far to walk! 
A single Common Sandpiper on the river whilst personnel from Chatsworth House were clearing all the debris from the river bank including some of the large tree trunks. I saw the Oystercatchers but fear their nest may have been a casualty of the clean-up operation. Presumably Chatsworth will be re-opening their car parks shortly with changes to the lockdown restrictions taking effect on Wednesday. 
A single Red Kite flew across the skyline as I left the park for Beeley.
This Lesser Black-backed Gull was a sad sight, caught by a length of rope and it will be very lucky to survive.

Lesser Black-backed Gull caught with rope

Little Ringed Plover - Beeley Flash

In terms of habitat we have no wetlands in the immediate Darley Dale area so species that require these habitats are inevitably rare locally. I've mentioned before the small pool which has appeared for the last few winters at Beeley and which can hold water in to the summer. I try to visit the pool at least weekly as it offers the potential for a number of species which are unlikely to be seen elsewhere. 
Today the pool held a single Little Ringed Plover which is the first I've seen in the Matlock/ Bakewell area.
Only recorded for the first time in Derbyshire in 1950 the species is now regular at many of the counties wetlands and approximately 40 pairs now breed in the County.

Little Ringed Plover

The photo shows well the yellow eye ring which is one of the features which distinguishes it from its larger cousin the Ringed Plover.

Last weekend a moulting drake Gadwall was on the pool which is now home to around a dozen moulting Mandarin and 3 families of Mallard.

Gadwall - moulting male

The water level is falling rapidly now so I'm not sure how much longer the pool will last.

Beeley Flash

Wild duck bonanza - Chatsworth

I don't usually visit Chatsworth in the afternoon, especially on the weekend, as it is so busy but the weather has been so bad recently that this was my first opportunity. However I may have to rethink as on the river in front of the house I saw a fine drake Shoveler and whilst photographing the Shoveler a drake Pochard swam in to view and then a Gadwall appeared, a first winter drake I think.
Both Gadwall and Pochard are new records for the immediate area for me and although all three species can generally be seen at Ogston and Chatsworth they are great records for the Matlock/ Bakewell area. 
The Pochard has recently been listed as vulnerable on the European Red List of Birds due to a significant decline in numbers in recent years which is rather worrying.

Pochard - male

Gadwall - 1st male

Shoveler - male