Red-legged Partridge - Youlgrave

 I was surprised to see a Red-legged Partridge at Youlgrave yesterday, my first in that area. It was by Conksbury Lane just to the north of the church. Seems odd just to come across isolated individuals but they could be releases for shooting.

Red-leeged Partridge

No more migrants yet this week but the winds are more favourable over the weekend so fingers crossed. The Hawfinch are still at St Helen's Church in Darley Dale, I had three at the start of the week but Alan Stewardson had 10 yesterday.

I haven't seen the Little Egret in Bakewell this week but there was one in Bradford Dale, below Youlgrave, during the week so that could be one of the Bakewell birds.

Looks like the Oystercatcher may have another go at brreding at Chatsworth with a single bird there yesterday.

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Nice to see the Teal still in the Whitworth Park with a male displaying to two females during the week. Like the Mallard they have got used to people walking past so its possible to get nice photos of what is normally quite a shy species.

Eurasian Teal - male

Great Crested Grebe - Chatsworth

 A red letter day for me with my first Great Crested Grebe seen locally, in front of Chatsworth House this morning. I've always felt that the wide stretch of river in front of the house could attract one. It was quite nervous, diving regulalry as people walked along the river bank and I don't think it will stay long.

It's not the first recorded locally the two Ten Year Reports published by the Bakewell Bird Study Group covering the years 1987 - 2007 document several records;

1992 6 February - a pair on Emperor Lake Chatsworth

2003 23 July - one in Chatsworth Park

2003 14 September - one flying over Halldale Wood

2004 11 February - two on the River Wye in Bakewell.

Of course there are decent numbers at Ogston and Carsington Reservoirs but they clearly don't stray in to the Derwent and Wye valleys very often.

Great Crested Grebe  600mm f5,6 1/1250 ISO 1250

I heard my first Chiffchaff of the year in Farley Woods yesterday and there were three Oystercatcher at Chatsworth today so birds are definitely on the move.

A Peregrine sat in a tree a couple of days ago made a nice photo. Although they are most commonly seen on cliff faces and rocky outcrops they do sit in trees sometimes.

Peregrine Falcon - male 600mm f5.6 1/2000 ISO 1250

Still two Pink-footed Geese with the Greylags at Harthill Reservoir earlier in the week but no sign of the Little Egrets there.

Pink-footed Geese with a drake Teal in the background

Chatsworth - Oystercatchers

 I made a brief visit to Chatsworth last week but saw neither Oystercatchers or Common Sandpiper so I was pleasantly surprised to hear Oystercatchers calling as I walked along the river this morning. I was even more surprised to see 5 birds flying circling in the sky, a record count for me locally. As I put my camera up to take a photo I saw that they were mobbing a Red Kite. 

Oystercatchers mobbing Red Kite

I saw them again a little latter when two of the birds were displaying to each other. Impossible to know whether these are new birds or if two of them are the original pair, will have to wait and see if there is a breeding attempt.

A Common Sandpiper was also feeding along the river raising the possibility that it is one of a breeding pair.

Common Sandpiper

Although this is only my first week back after a three week absence I was hoping to see more evidence of Goosander breeding but a female seen today is the only bird I have seen, maybe they have had more success on the Wye?

Turtle Dove back for its 6th year

 The lone male Turtle Dove which has frequented Uppertown, Darwin Forest and the Matlock Farm Park area returned for its 6th summer on the 20th April and has been seen several times since. If only it could attract a mate! An amazing record and one of very few to be found in Derbyshire.

Turtle Dove

I heard my first Cuckoo by Beeley Triangle on the 22nd April and there are several birds now, around the moors and Matlock Forest. On the same day there was a group of 6 Ring Ouzel (a record count for me) on the edge of the moor which increased to 6 birds before they departed.

Three Common Sandpiper were present along the river at Chatsworth this morning but more surprising was a Dunlin flushed from the river bank, only the second time I have seen one locally. It circled round a couple of times before flying off north, giving me just about enough time to get a record shot.

Common Sandpiper

Dunlin

The Oystercatchers are still present at Chatsworth and making use of the props for the forthcoming horse trials!

Oystercatcher

Whilst many of our summer migrants have returned there are still several missing and I would usually have seen Garden Warbler, Wood Warbler and Common Whitethroat by now but I suspect the persistent cool temperatures are holding them back south of us somewhere.

Migrant arrivals

 Having been away for a few weeks it looks like my return has coincided with that of some of our returning migrants, I've listed some dates below but there may be earlier records.

Curlew Beeley Moor 19th February

Oystercatcher Chatsworth 4 20th March

Osprey Wirestone Lane 20th March

Wheatear Beeley Moor 3 22nd March

Barn Swallow Beeley Triangle 21st March

Sand Martin Chatsworth 25 on 23rd March, first reported 20th March

Common Chiffchaff Chatsworth 4 on 23rd March, first reported 20th March.

We just need some warmer weather now!

Sand Martin

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.

Sand Martins return to Chatsworth

 My first Sand Martins of the year with at least 7 at Chatsworth this afternoon. I was also pleased to see the the pair of Oystercatchers are also back and hope they are successful this year.

Plenty of Chiffchaffs in the valley now, and with the Curlew in song on the moor, it's starting to sound more like Spring but it's still rather cold.

Sand Martin

Oystercatcher pair

Migrant Oystercatchers

Three Oystercatcher in Shinning Bank Quarry, Rowsley were a surprise this morning. It appears from the nocturnal monitoring of bird calls undertaken by Simon in Darley Dale that the Oystercatcher is one of a small number of wader species that probably regularly over fly the village on migration but are seldom seen. 

The Oystercatcher has bred at Chatsworth in recent years and it's possible that these birds could remain in the area but may well continue on to breeding grounds further north. 

The 3 Oystercatcher are 'bookended' by a pair of Mandarin, although the male is partly hidden.

Oystercatchers and Mandarin Ducks

Oystercatcher and Mandarin at Chatsworth

A shame that the nesting attempt by the Oystercatchers was unsuccessful this year, I think that the nest was unintentionally disturbed during the tidying up of the river bank prior to the gardens opening up again. Both birds are still present and the scene looks almost coastal with them stood on the rocks below the weir.
I counted 35 Mandarin duck between the single arch bridge and the house which included several family parties. Many of the young are fully feathered and independent of their parents but some are still small and downy and are perhaps second broods. 
A few Redstart along the river bank and still a pair of Spotted Flycatcher but it felt almost autumnal in the cooler wet weather.

Oystercatcher

Mandarin - female with ducklings

Lockdown day 30 - return to Chatsworth

I did a long walk yesterday, over the moors to Chatsworth and back along the river via Rowsley. Since my last visit, only 5 days ago, the Oystercatchers have found a new home on one of the large logs that was washed down during the floods earlier in the year.

Oystercatcher on nest site

Clever how they choose a location off the ground as sheep are grazing all around them. 
The Sand Martin bank which was also washed clean by the river in spate is now full of holes again with around 35 martins in attendance. It's amazing how quickly the nesting season starts when birds arrive back.

Sand Martins excavating their nest holes

Quite a few Mandarin grazing on the grass benefitting from the reduced disturbance from walkers, although they can always graze in peace on the other side of the river. Providing a nice photo opportunity.

Mandarin - male

The Common Sandpiper was still there but no sign of a mate yet.
In the woods I had two Pied Flycatcher and Redstart plus Little Grebe and 7 Tufted Duck on the lakes. The latter two species are additions to my lockdown list as was a Grasshopper Warbler reeling on the moors on my walk across.
Takes me to 95 species for the lockdown list, now where are those Swifts!

Lockdown day 26 - return of the Common Sandpiper

Looking on the positive side, news that the lockdown has been extended for at least another 21 days gives me plenty of opportunity to add more arriving summer migrants to the lockdown lists.

Today I cycled to Chatsworth, the highlight was my first Common Sandpiper of the year, a fairly typical day for their return to the Derwent River. I was also pleased to see a pair of Oystercatchers back and good numbers of Sand Martin, at least 40 hawking over the river with several Swallow.

The addition of Common Sandpiper and Oystercatcher takes my patch lockdown list (species seen by walking or cycling) to 88!

Nothing new in the garden but I'm expecting the first Swifts any day now.

Common Sandpiper

Oystercatchers coming in to land

Common Sandpiper and Oystercatcher breeding at Chatsworth

Pleased to see a pair of Common Sandpiper are on territory at Chatsworth, the colour-ringed bird has gone now and one of the pair is perhaps its offspring. The Oystercatchers have been successful raising two fledged youngsters. The nest site has previously been on the house side of the river but the adults and youngsters are now on the other side? Wonder if they could have crossed one of the temporary bridges installed for the RHS show?

At least 6 broods of Mandarin with chicks of various sizes and a lone Kingfisher made for an interesting walk.

Common Sandpiper

Oystercatcher - chick

Oystercatcher - Chatsworth

The Oystercatcher was still on the nest at Chatsworth this morning. Not sure if it will be brooding eggs or small young now. It was looking a little perplexed by the rapidly changing scene around it as preparations gather pace for the Royal Horticultural Society Show in June.

Oystercatcher - Chatsworth

Further signs of Spring with a single Oystercatcher in front of the house at Chatsworth this morning. I had a pair there last year but not sure if they bred.

Oystercatcher

The lone Pink-footed Goose was still present with the Canada Goose flock and at least 30 Mandarin along the river.

Pink-footed Goose with Canada Geese

With the milder weather I ran the moth trap for the first time last night and caught; 
Pale Brindled Beauty,
Satellite 3,
March Moth 4,
Chestnut 2
Common Quaker 1

Not a bad start to the mothing year.

Oystercatchers at Chatsworth

Still feeling very Spring like with warmer temperatures over the last couple of days but apart from an increase in the number of Sand Martin on both the Wye and Derwent I've not added any summer migrants. 
A pair of Oystercatcher at Chatsworth is interesting though, I had a single bird around Chatsworth last year but perhaps this is a breeding pair which would be the first time in the immediate Darley Dale area I think.

Oystercatchers

Another bird which looks like it could breed in the area is the Greylag Goose which I am seeing more frequently in the area with 5 seen this morning.

Greylag Goose

Oystercatcher - Chatsworth

Came across what I assume is the same Oystercatcher I saw on the 24th in front of Chatsworth House today. It's possible that there could be a female nesting somewhere along the river towards Rowsley but it may just be a lone bird. Nine Redstart and two Pied Flycatcher in song during my walk.
Another 12 Diamond-back Moths in the moth trap this morning plus one in the grass at Chatsworth also Scarce Tissue and Herald Moths.

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher - Beeley Flash

There is a small area of flooded grassland on the Chatsworth Road just beyond Beeley village. In the winter it can be quite a large lake but it generally dries up quickly in the early Spring. At the moment it still contains water and looks ideal for a passing wader or egret. This morning there was a lone Oystercatcher, a local rarity, which departed just before I got to the pool unfortunately. There were three broods of Mallard, a couple of Grey Heron, pair of Coot and several Black-headed Gulls along the shore.

Further on, it was nice to see Common Sandpiper again, I'll be interested to see whether its mate is the colour-ringed female I usually see on the river. 

Oystercatcher

Beeley Flash

Common Sandpiper

Oystercatcher - Middleton Moor

It was raining heavily first thing this morning and the moor was shrouded in mist, although I did catch a Shellduck flying south, so headed for Middleton Moor hoping for the odd tern but no luck. There were a couple of Redshank and this Oystercatcher which flew by just as the sun appeared. Also 6 Wheatear by the track leading to the hide.

Oystercatchet