Common Goldeneye in Darley Dale

 The persistent low cloud curtailed my trip to the moor this morning so I had a look around Darley Dale and was very surprised to see a pair of Goldeneye on the Whitworth Pond. I have never heard of a sighting there before and it's only about my fourth for the local area with the last at Chatsworth in 2013!

Common Goldeneye - male and female

The long staying female Teal was still present a couple of days ago but I didn't really look for it this morning, the photo below is from the end of October.

Eurasian Teal - female

More birds have been arriving with good numbers of Fieldfare joining the Redwing in the last week. My first Water Rail of the autumn was calling at Long Meadows (by the Care Home) in Darley Dale at the end of October.

There has been a widespread influx of Hawfinch, particularly to southern Britain but there were two over Beeley Moor on 26th October and a single there on 1st November with up to 9 at Brackenfield Church by Ogston and several at Carsington so it's a bird to look out for.

Goldeneye - Ogston Reservoir

Very windy and heavily overcast all day making it difficult to stand, never mind look through binoculars particularly on the moor, so made another visit to Ogston. 
Nothing new on the reservoir but a Goldeneye came reasonably close inshore and a second bird flew past. I put them both in the log as female/ immature but looking at the photos the top bird is an immature with all dark bill and largely grey wing coverts whilst the inset photo of the second bird is an adult female with yellow tipped bill, brighter yellow iris and white wing coverts.

Goldeneye - 1st winter

Goldeneye 1st winter and inset adult female

Goldeneye - Carsington Water

Another grey day with the moors completely enveloped in mist. Carsington Water was a little better, a nice group of displaying Goldeneye and distant views of 4 Red-crested Pochard which have been present for some weeks. A Woodcock flew over the dam wall which was a surprise.

Goldeneye

Goldeneye drake Swiss Lake, Chatsworth

A single drake Goldeneye on Swiss Lake, I had one last winter so it may be the same bird returning for the winter. At least 20 Mandarin on the lake and 160 Pink-footed Geese flew over SW. Just 4 Gooseander on Emperor Lake.

Goldeneye - drake