A chance Long-eared Owl

 Following my last post I did hear Common Quail calling at Elton Common on 26th May, so that's all our potential breeding birds back.

In early June I was lucky to see an adult Long-eared Owl, this bird had two fledged youngsters. The Long-eared Owl is one of the hardest birds to find locally as they are almost entirely nocturnal. The only time they are likely to be seen before dusk is when they are feeding young.

Long-eared Owl

I'm still not sure whether they are resident on the moors but it seems likely that they remain in some years as a bird was photographed on Beeley Triangle in November a few years ago. It probably depends on how severe the winter is.

The breeding season is now well underway with parties of juvenile Stonechat and Meadow Pipits on the moors and I've seen both Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher feeding young today.

Wood Warbler

It looks like the Mute Swans have had a better year with 6 cygnets at Caudwells Mill and 4 in Bakewell.

Mute Swan

The Cuckoo have been very active on the moor and I had an interesting encounter a few days ago. Both the male and female were using the fence posts, the male to hunt for caterpillars and the female to locate Meadow Pipit nests. The male caught a large caterpillar, either a Fox or Northern Eggar I think, then the female took the caterpillar from the male although it took her three attempts to grab it.

Common Cuckoo - male and female

I received some exciting news a few days ago of a female Hawfinch feeding a youngster in the Darley Dale area last Saturday (11th). Although there have been occasional sightings in the breeding season this is the first confirmed breeding record for many years.

Mute Swan a scarce breeding bird

Although the Mute Swan is relatively easy to see locally with one or two birds usually present in the centre of Bakewell and at Caudwells Mill, Rowsley I think there are only one or two breeding pairs in the area.  

One pair nested on the banks of the River Lathkill this year but only have one cygnet. They typically lay 5-8 eggs, but mortality is high with 50% failing to survive beyond 3 months old, but just one surviving cygnet now is not a good outcome for them.

The total number of birds in the area doesn't seem to vary much so I suspect one or two youngsters surviving to adulthood is probably typically, resulting in just 7 or 8 birds in the area most of the year.

Mute Swan - female with cygnet

First Willow Warblers of the year

The first Willow Warblers in Derbyshire were reported yesterday so I was pleased to come across four singing males near Flash Lane this morning. Strangely all four birds were within 20m of each other and these were the only birds encountered this morning which may imply they arrived together. 
It was raining so I didn't bother with the camera but I did get a nice photo of a resting Mute Swan at Rowsley. This male appears to be unpaired at the moment.

Mute Swan - male