Whooper Swans over Beeley Triangle

I can't remember a winter when the weather has been so persistently poor! It's either raining or so overcast it's almost dark. Consequently, despite my best efforts I haven't seen too many interesting birds. 

That said, I did have two Whooper Swans over Beeley Triangle this morning, flying quite low, calling and heading North West, my first this winter.

Whooper Swans

There are very few birds on the moor, after the snow earlier in the week, but I did manage a single Stonechat today and it shouldn't be too long before birds start returning to establish their breeding territories.

Stonechat - female

Last Monday (5th Feb) I came across a large flock of 60-80 Lesser Redpoll on Flash Lane with at least one Common (Mealy) Redpoll with them. I was hoping they would hang around so I could get a photo but haven't seen the flock since.

So far this winter the Sorby Breck Ringing Group have ringed 1,500 Lesser Redpoll and 20 Common and have had recoveries from Stafford, Leics, Hampshire, Dorset and E Sussex so these birds certainly get around.

Had my first Curlew on 6th February when four birds flew north over Darley Dale. They should be returning to the moors later this month.

Juveniles - the class of 2020

Lots of juveniles around at the moment, here are four of my favourites; Stonechat, Common Redstart, Wheatear and Long-tailed Tit. All seen around Beeley Moor.

Lockdown day 47 - return of the Nightjar

Yesterday I walked up to the moors twice, one good thing for me from the current lockdown is that I've had a lot more exercise! 
In the morning I managed some nice portraits of the Skylarks, the photos are of a pair and it was interesting to see that the male kept his crest raised all the time whilst the female didn't. The sexes are inseparable on plumage but the male was giving occasional bursts of song. 
I think there are around 15 pairs in the area that I regularly walk.

Skylark - male upper

I also came across the family party of Stonechat again with both parents actively feeding the offspring.

Stonechat - juvenile

In the evening I returned to the moor at dusk and waited for the Woodcock to start their display flights. Shortly afterwards I heard the distinctive churr of a male Nightjar. He appeared to be flying around quite a bit and calling 'pruick' and I concluded that he was still exploring the area and hadn't yet established a territory. Very pleased to have the Nightjar back my 104th species for lockdown.

Woodcock - roding display flight

 
It started to rain around 10pm so I made the journey home to the occasional hoot of the Tawny Owl.

Lockdown day 40 - the breeding season moves on

Amazing how quickly the breeding season progresses, I've already seen Mallard and Moorhen chicks at the Whitworth and Coot at Caudwells Mill but even the recently arrived migrants are already nest building. I managed some nice photos of the Wood Warblers doing just that and some poorer photos of a female Pied Flycatcher looking rather 'whiskered' as she carried nesting material.

Wood Warbler nest building

Pied Flycatcher female

Up on the moor the Stonechats are already feeding their first brood.

Stonechat - male with food for young

Meanwhile migrants such as the Spotted Flycatcher and Nightjar have still to arrive in the area. I'm interested in seeing the Spotted Flycatchers (which I failed to find locally last year) so please let me know if you see any in the Darley Dale area.

Stonechat - Beeley Moor

A single male Stonechat on the moor today, they have been in short supply recently although finding them in the winds of storms Ciara and Dennis was never going to be easy!
Two pairs of Common Crossbill in Whitesprings Plantation feeding in Larches with a large flock of around 200 Siskin was the only significant interest today but at least it was dry this morning. The number of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks are starting to increase and the first Curlew shouldn't be too far away now.
A Red Kite seen around Bakewell on Tuesday morning, reported by Bob Cleary, is the first I've heard of locally this year and hopefully is the first of many.

Stonechat - male

An unexpected White Wagtail or hybrid and some juvenile chats

A muck heap on the edge of Beeley Moor has proven to be a magnet for small insect feeding birds this week. As well as many Pied Wagtails I came across a single bird showing characteristics of White Wagtail feeding there, which is only the second I've seen locally. Our Pied Wagtail is a race of the continental White Wagtail which is a regular visitor to our coast and wetlands in the spring. Seeing one here in the summer is very interesting and raises the possibility that it could be breeding, either with another White wagtail or more likely with a Pied. Intriguingly I did photograph another pale backed bird that was probably a hybrid White x Pied Wagtail.

Update: I sent details of the upper bird to Peter Adriaens a Dutch birder who is the author of the most recent article on the separation of White Wagtail from Pied Wagtail. He commented as follows;

I agree that it shows a grey rump, which would be very unusual for a yarrellii. 

Its upperparts look rather dull grey with some dark streaks though, which is more typical of yarrellii but can also be shown by worn alba in summer. 

The flanks look rather dark and extensively grey. 

It could be a dark alba, but I am not fully convinced, and I certainly cannot exclude a hybrid. 

Based on his comments it's perhaps safest to leave the bird as a possible hybrid.

White Wagtail male (upper) with probable hybrid White x Pied Wagtail (lower)

As well as the wagtails there were also several family parties of Stonechat and Redstart which provided some great photo opportunities.

Stonechat juvenile male

Common Redstart juvenile

Stonechat on frosted Gorse

Whilst it remained misty and murky all day in the valley around Darley Dale the moors enjoyed blue skies for the morning but becoming overcast from mid-day. There was a heavy frost overnight with the first icy roads of the winter resulting in a sadly predictable car crash on the Bar Road. Birdwise the Common Crossbill flock is still around the 70 / 40 Acre plantations and numbering around 50 birds this morning. There are still Brambling on Bent Lane, I saw about 350 this evening. A flock of around 500 Lesser Redpoll is difficult to pin down and includes several Mealy (Common) Redpoll although I have yet to see any.
This male Stonechat is one of a handful that are still on the moor and looking rather festive in the early morning light, doubtless they will move in to the valleys with the first snow.

Stonechat - male

First brood of Stonechat

Came across a pair of Stonechat with three recently fledged youngsters this morning.

Stonechat, male with two youngsters below

Merlin and Stonechat in the sunshine

Glorious sunshine today and I managed to catch up with a Merlin that Ken had first seen on 31st October. I had rather distant views but Ken got some great photos, one of which I've posted below.

Merlin - probably a juvenile female (© Ken Smith)

Still several pairs of Stonechat on the moor, perhaps 5 or 6 pairs around Beeley Moor.

Stonechat - male and female

Down at the Whitworth the Water Rail still present this morning along with Kingfisher and the regular Cormorant.

Stonechat - Beeley Moor

It looks like there are at least 7 pairs of Stonechat nesting on Beeley Moor this year which is up on recent years, perhaps due to the very mild winter. Several pairs are already feeding young, so with some decent weather over the next few months they could have a successful breeding season.

Stonechat - male

Stonechat at sunrise

Nothing much to report on the moors this morning but this silhouetted female Stonechat made a nice photo as the sun was rising.

Stonechat

Ring Ouzel - Wragg's Quarry

Great to be back on the moors after another short trip abroad. 
Plenty of birds about, Fieldfare and Redwing have arrived in large numbers whilst I've been away and there must have been several thousand around the moors. Pride of place though goes to this male Ring Ouzel, happily feeding in Wragg's Quarry but with Peregrine, Goshawk and a fine pair of Stonechat there was plenty to look at.

Ring Ouzel - male

Stonechat - female

Fieldfare

Stonechat - Beeley Moor

It doesn't look like the Stonechat has had a particularly good breeding season on the moors this year. I have only seen three or four pairs in the Beeley/ Harewood Moor area and this female is the only bird I have seen with young. She was feeding at least two fledged young yesterday, in a good year they can raise several broods but we are getting towards the end of the breeding season now.

Stonechat - female

Something to Chat about

A nice loose party of chats on the moor this morning, at least 8 Stonechat and 4 Whinchat. The Stonechats looked like they included a family party as there were several youngsters, these looked quite comical as they are moulting their grey and white spotted juvenile feathers for the smarter oranges, browns and blacks of the adult. Most of the head was still in the grey spotted juvenile feathers.
The heather is still in full flower making a great background.

Stonechat - moulting juvenile

Whinchat

Stonechat in early morning sun

I've mentioned a couple of times previously that Stonechats are scarce on the moor this year, they disappeared after the snow and largely stayed away. It was pleasing therefore to come across this male in an unexpected location and I like the background colour of the dead bracken stems in the early morning sun.

Stonechat - male

Stonechat juvenile - Beeley Moor

It's been a poor breeding year locally for the Stonechat. At the start of the breeding season I had three possible nesting pairs but I have only seen one brood of youngsters. I saw two juveniles with the adult male this morning. Ken had thought that the whole brood had been predated but at least two have survived.
I've removed a strand of barbed wire which crossed the photo, it was also very misty this morning when I took the photo so I have removed that also! The wonders of modern photography. 

Stonechat - juvenile

Stonechat

I've only come across a couple of pairs of Stonechat on Beeley Moor which is disappointing. The photo was taken at 06:30 in light rain but this is the only opportunity I have had.  I think there are more Whinchat on the moor than Stonechat at the moment which is very unusual. First Grasshopper Warbler reeling this morning and the Whimbrel is still on Screetham Lane and still a couple of Cuckoo.

Stonechat - male

Stonechat - Beeley Moor

This male was actively feeding a brood of youngsters on the other side of the wall.

Stonechat

Stonechat - male

This male Stonechat was getting a real buffeting from today's wind but the moving grasses behind created quite a striking effect.

Stonechat - male

Stonechat - East Moor

Great to be out in the sunshine this morning. This male Stonechat showed well on East Moor. There were 1 or two Golden Plover in the area and we had a flock of 160 Pink-footed Geese go NW over Flash Lane.

Stonechat - male