Dipper and Kingfisher new for the year in Bakewell

 My first Kingfisher and Dipper of the year today and both in Bakewell, and in beautiful sunshine.

Common Kingfisher

White-throated Dipper

Hawfinch - Cromford

 During the past week there has been occasional reports of just two Hawfinch by the entrance to Willersley Castle in Cromford. During a three hour watch this morning I managed brief, perched views, of just one bird but I, and two other local birders, were satisfied with that after a prolonged wait in sub-zero temperatures!

Fortunately there was other entertainment on the river with a pair of Dipper showing regularly and the male in song and a Kingfisher made several appearance which, in the bright sunlight, looking greener than I can recall seeing one before.

Hawfinch

Kingfisher

Dipper

Kingfisher family - Chatsworth

The breeding season is drawing to a close now and many birds have already departed their breeding sites. Wood Warblers and Pied Flycatchers have left the woodlands and Curlew and Snipe have already left the moors. 

Today I was able to confirm that the Kingfisher has bred locally again with an adult and two juveniles at Chatsworth where I also had a Spotted Flycatcher feeding fledged young.

Common Kingfisher adult and two juveniles

Spotted Flycatcher adult

Common Kingfisher at Chatsworth

It's been a fairly quiet week for me but the frequent rainy days has given me the time to write up my recent trip to Georgia. That said it was a beautiful day today so Pam and I walked to Chatsworth, nothing special on the bird front but we had great views of a Kingfisher on the river in front of the House.

A skein of 52 Pink-footed Geese flew south over the house yesterday.

Common Kingfisher - male judging by the all black bill

Close encounter with a Kingfisher on the River Bradford

 We've had a spell of very gloomy weather recently and today was no exception but I had very close views of a Common Kingfisher on the River Bradford at Youlgrave today. It was so intent on fishing that it allowed me to get within several metres. It caught three fish whilst I was watching it. I didn't realise at the time but it has a BTO ring on its right leg. If the weather had been better I may have been able to read some of the ring but it was very dark and spitting with rain.

Common Kingfisher

A little further up the river a young male Wigeon was still present which I had first seen on the 25th November.

Wigeon immature male

It's been fairly quiet recently although several skeins of Pink-footed Geese are still passing over the moor and there are now 20-30 Common Crossbill in the forestry plantations on Flash Lane. 

Lapwing are still present around Screetham Lane in decent numbers (over 200) and I've seen up to 170 Golden Plover in the same area.

A Marsh Harrier was seen in the same area last weekend but there has been no further sightings.

Sedge Warbler and a breeding record of Kingfisher

I spent yesterday morning checking all the likely places for Sedge Warbler in the valley, which were discussed after my first record last year. I didn't find any, but shortly after returning home I received a message that Alan had found one singing on Beeley Moor. To para phrase Sherlock Holmes; when you have eliminated all the likely places you should then search the unlikely places!

Fortunately it was still there this morning but only singing occasionally in rather blustery conditions. News that Simon had found three juvenile Kingfisher being fed by one of the parents at Rowsley was too good to miss and luckily they were still being fed by the river when I arrived. 

I'm amazed how unobtrusive Kingfishers can be, it was February when I last saw one at Rowsley but I did see them several times last year on the river close to the recycling station so perhaps they have nested somewhere in that direction.

I watched one of the juveniles make several unsuccessful dives and I imagine that it is a skill that they take some time to learn.

Kingfisher - juvenile

Kingfisher and Goosander both scarce this summer

 I walked around Chatsworth yesterday and had decent views of both Kingfisher and Goosander both of which have been scarce this summer. The Goosander is a juvenile, so born this year, but is my first since the middle of May and I suspect they didn't breed on the local stretches of the Wye or Derwent this year.

Goosander - juvenile

Although I see the Kingfisher most months it's usually just a brief fly-by so it was nice to be able to watch this bird fishing in front of Chatsworth House.

Kingfisher - probably a juvenile with dark feet and dark breast band

The Oystercatcher are still about and a single Common Sandpiper was on the river but neither species has bred successfully here this year.

Seven Teal were on a pool by the upper lakes and hopefully these will remain now, they are almost certainly from the few breeding pairs that remain on East Moor/ Leash Fen.

Kingfisher - Rowsley

A scarce bird locally Kingfishers are again being seen around Caudwells Mill canal and the adjacent River Wye where this bird was photographed this morning. The all dark bill and red feet indicate that this bird is an adult male.

Kingfisher - adult male

Relatively quiet on the moors but a juvenile Whinchat at Whitesprings was in an unusual location. 

Whinchat - juvenile

Bradford Dale

No sign of the Great White Egret mid-morning in Bradford Dale but it had been seen earlier. Unfortunately, as the valley is narrow where the pools are, the bird is disturbed by any walkers on the footpath. Apparently this is at least its third day in the area so it may return.
Nice views of Kingfisher and Dipper along the river but rather cold this morning.

Kingfisher - female, with extensive orange on lower mandible

Kingfisher - River Bradford at Youlgreave

Nice views of a Kingfisher this morning at Youlgreave and with some sunshine. 
The water level on the river was as low as I have seen it, although talking to the locals I know that this section has dried up completely in the past.

Kingfisher

River Bradford at Youlgreave

Kingfisher - Carsington Water

A very grey day on Friday but I spent the morning at Carsington. My photos of Kingfisher were not quite Ken's full frame shots but the Kingfisher with its striking plumage looks OK I think as a smaller bird in the frame to show its habitat. Plenty of Willow Tits and Bullfinches on the feeders made for an interesting morning.

Kingfisher

Kingfisher - Carsington Water

Ken and I have spent months looking for a good Kingfisher site locally and although we have seen them regularly on both the rivers Wye and Derwent during the summer we have failed to find a good site for photography.
Ken went to Carsington Water earlier in the week with Roger and came away with photographs of two Kingfisher which shows you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Kingfisher (Ken Smith)

Kingfisher - Whitworth Park, Darley Dale

Came across this Kingfisher on the pond at the Whitworth, always a great bird to see. Hopefully it will stay around for a while.

Kingfisher