Hooded Crow - Rowsley

Todays star bird was a Hooded Crow picked up by Ken over Rowsley mid-morning which followed the Wye valley NE and was last seen over Haddon Hall. 

It's only the second I have seen in the local area following the bird seen in March last year. There was a small influx of birds on the coast in late October with 10 being seen at Flamborough and a few singles at Spurn but there have been singles at Bardon in Leicestershire and Wintersett, West Yorks in the past week but no other Derbyshire records as far as I am aware.

Hooded Crow

Good numbers of Brambling around at the moment with at least 150 on Flash Lane this morning and around 40 at Chatsworth yesterday, but surprisingly no Crossbill today. 

Hooded Crow still present Uppertown

One or two Crossbill along Flash Lane this morning and my first Curlew calling on the moor, the first birds returned about a week ago. Stonechat numbers have increased with 7 or 8 birds seen this morning.
Had another look at the Hooded Crow on Cullumbell Lane but despite much improved weather the crows were feeding well away from the road so the photo isn't much better than yesterday.

Hooded Crow

Hooded Crow - Alicehead Road

A surprise this morning to hear that a Hooded Crow had been present for a couple of days around Alicehead Road and Cullumbell Lane, Uppertown. I couldn't get there until this afternoon but soon located it, in the constant rain. It was feeding loosely with a group of around 30 Carrion Crows in a sheep field.
Although it was once a fairly regular visitor to Derbyshire it has become much rarer during the last couple of decades to the extent that the last record in the County appears to be in 2007. The reduction in numbers which has been seen throughout England is though to be linked to northern populations becoming less migratory. 

Hooded Crow