Sand Martins return to Chatsworth

Three Sand Martin bach at Chatsworth today and 6 Common Chiffchaff  were a sign that Spring really is on its way.

Sand Martin

The Mandarin and Goosander are now looking for nest sites and spending more time in the trees.

Mandarin

My first Golden Plover, a small group of 7, flew over East Moor yesterday but a flock of 60 were seen on Saturday.

I've been looking for Wheatear but without success but two were seen at Tansley on Friday and Simon had one at Carsington Water on Saturday.

Little Egret at Chatsworth

 Another Little Egret at Chatsworth today, it flew up from the river and landed in a tree, and at least one back at Youlgreave yesterday.

The Little Egret bred in south Derbyshire for the first time at Drakelow in 2018 and it seems likely that they will breed locally before too long. This year I have recorded them in most months of the year from January through to December.

Still around a dozen Mandarin Duck along the river, numbers have continued to fall since a peak of 93 in September. I assume they have moved on to some of the local ponds which they seem to prefer in the winter.

Mandarin Duck

More migrant arrivals and signs of birds breeding

More Spring arrivals today with my first local Willow Warbler (I heard one at Carsington last week) and Tree Pipit in the Flash Lane area with House Martin a couple of days ago.
Evidence of the breeding season getting underway with drake Mandarins chasing a female over Rowsley and a female Siskin having a comical tussle with some Sheep's wool which it was struggling to remove from a Hawthorn bush.

Mandarin drakes chasing a duck

Siskin collecting nesting material

Off course other species are much further advanced with Mallard ducklings on the river already and I'm expecting juvenile Common Crossbills on the wing some time soon and had great views of a young male bird on the moors today.

Common Crossbill - presumed first summer male

Mandarin in winter

The number of Mandarin Duck decrease dramatically on the local rivers during the autumn. For example during my last couple of visits to Chatsworth I haven't seen any on the River Derwent and it appears that after completing their autumn moult birds move on to enclosed waters such as Linacre Reservoir north of Chesterfield and perhaps further afield to Clumber Park. 
It was a surprise therefore to hear of a large group on the small lakes at Ladygrove in Two Dales. I went up today in rather poor weather and counted at least 60 birds on the upper lake. I'm not a regular visitor to Ladygrove so can't say whether this is a regular gathering or indeed whether this is a particularly large count so it will be interesting to see how the numbers fluctuate over the rest of the winter. 
Note that it is possible to view them from the main footpath which runs parallel to and well above the lake without disturbing them.

Mandarin Duck

Mandarin broods - Chatsworth

I had just been thinking that I was overdue seeing Mandarin with young but made up for it this morning with at least nine broods on a 1km stretch of the River Derwent between Chatsworth and Rowsley. All looked to be of a similar age.

Mandarin female with young

Goosander, Mandarin and a record count of Hawfinch

Although the main roads are all clear of snow the minor roads are still snow covered so again I've not ventured far from Darley Dale. 
Simon Roddis and Alan Stewardson had an amazing count of 51 Hawfinch at St Helen's Church this morning which must be one of the largest flocks recorded in the County. Roy Frost & Steve Shaw's 'The Birds of Derbyshire' cites a winter roost in 1979/80 of up to 50 birds at Chatsworth which is the only reference to a similar number. At St Helen's this afternoon I could 'only' find a dozen birds and I wonder if they have started to roost at the church, dispersing to feed more widely during the day? 
Moving on to Peak Village I was rewarded with nice views of a pair each of Goosander and Mandarin.
Lots of thrushes about, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare, presumably moving west to avoid the cold weather.

Goosander - male

Mandarin - pair

Mandarin in sunshine

Nice views of the Mandarin on the river at Rowsley yesterday. It makes a big difference seeing them in sunshine as opposed to the overcast conditions recently.
Had distant views of the Dusky Thrush this morning at Beeley. It appears to have settled in to a line of hawthorns with a large ash tree on the right hand side about half way down Pigs Lane viewed from the metal gate just beyond the small stone barn. It's either in the hawthorns, when it is generally not visible, or hopping around on the ground nearby.

Mandarin - drake

Mandarin at Rowsley but no sign of the Dusky Thrush

I'm not clear on the movement of Mandarin in the Darley Dale area. Numbers peak during the breeding season and late summer then rapidly decline in the autumn but then start to increase again in the late winter. There is a significant increase in birds at Linacre Reservoir in the early winter so perhaps our birds go there for a few months?
I check the Mallards at Peak Village for Mandarin but haven't seen any for at least a month but today there were at least 6 males and 3 females. All looking very smart.

Mandarin -male

I spent a couple of hours at Beeley this morning but no sign of the Dusky Thrush. My last sighting was on Wednesday  morning (14th at 9:20) and it looks like this may be my final photo our our rare Siberian visitor.

Dusky Thrush

Hobby chasing Sand Martins between Chatsworth and Rowsley

Great walk between Rowsley and Chatsworth this morning with Green Woodpecker, between 50 - 60 Mandarin flying down river and this adult Hobby chasing Sand Martins.

Hobby - adult

Mandarin

Mandarin youngsters

Although there are still some family parties of Mandarin with downy young along the river the majority are now full feathered and starting to gain some independence from their parents.

Mandarin juveniles

...and first Mandarin ducklings

First Mandarin ducklings on the river at Chatsworth today, a small brood only two of them.

Mandarin duck with ducklings

Mandarin - Chatsworth

At least seven pairs of Mandarin along the river at Chatsworth plus a single pair of Gooseander.

Mandarin - pair

Mandarin with ducklings

It looks like the Mandarin Duck numbers in the area are going to continue to rise. Walking a 1Km stretch of the River Derwent I came across three broods of ducklings this morning. Interestingly one brood was tended by two females which does occur occasionally in other wildfowl but I have never seen before with Mandarin.

Mandarin Ducks and ducklings

Mandarin with first ducklings - Chatsworth

After commenting yesterday that I thought most female Mandarin would be on eggs now, I came across my first brood of ducklings on Swiss Lake this afternoon. I saw at least 8 males and 3 females on my walk round Chatsworth.

Mandarin duck and ducklings

Mandarin Duck display

One of the strangest wildlife sights locally is to see Mandarin Ducks sat high in a tree. This is perfectly normal behaviour for them and is something I see regularly but they are easily overlooked and disturbed and do look decidedly out of place.
This morning I came across 5 males and two females in a loose group in 2 Alder trees by the river at Rowsley. A female was joined by two males. The females stood between the males moving he head and neck vigorously from side to side why the males stood still displaying their plumage. The female appeared make her selection and snapped at one of the males which then flew off leaving the pair together before they both flew off up river together.
Ken reported a male Redstart singing near by and Willow Warbler in the same area on Friday which I've added to the migrant arrivals list.
I caught 2 Water Carpet last night, both pale and dark forms, another Pine Beauty and the usual Quakers.

Manadarin Ducks displaying

Mandarin with young

It is easy to see why the Mandarin duck is increasing in numbers in the valley, if every pair raises nine off-spring! These were at Rowsley yesterday.

Mandarin with off-spring

Mandarin Duck Rowsley

I came across these two males and a female Mandarin Duck by the river at Rowsley. It looks odd to see them in the Alder tree but Mandarin are a tree nesting duck so must spend some time in the trees. A third male joined them at which point the branch broke and they flew off up river.

Mandarin Duck

Mandarin Ducks - Rowsley

The males are certainly spectacular in comparison to the rather dowdy female.

Mandarin Duck - male and female

Mandarin on the river

The Mandarin is well established as a breeding bird on the River Derwent but not always easy to see.

Mandarin - pair

Mandarin