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

Hawfinch - St Helen's Church, Darley Dale

 Decent views of Hawfinch in St Helen's Churchyard this morning, Simon had two fly in just before I got there and one bird sat for 5 minutes in the top of the trees, on the cricket pitch side of the church. It called occasionally particularly when a Jackdaw displaced it from the top of the tree. 

I didn't take my camera due to the poor weather so I've used a photo taken a while back at St Helen's.

It looks like there may have been birds in the area for some time as Alan first reported one on 21st December last year and more recently 2 or 3 were reported last Tuesday. 

The overnight snow has displaced some Redwing with around 50 seen this morning in small groups. A few gulls flying around, mainly Black-headed but also single Common and Lesser Black-backed and still 3 Teal on the Whitworth Pond.

Hawfinch - photo taken in 2018 when there was a nice flock at St Helen Church

Common Goldeneye in Darley Dale

 The persistent low cloud curtailed my trip to the moor this morning so I had a look around Darley Dale and was very surprised to see a pair of Goldeneye on the Whitworth Pond. I have never heard of a sighting there before and it's only about my fourth for the local area with the last at Chatsworth in 2013!

Common Goldeneye - male and female

The long staying female Teal was still present a couple of days ago but I didn't really look for it this morning, the photo below is from the end of October.

Eurasian Teal - female

More birds have been arriving with good numbers of Fieldfare joining the Redwing in the last week. My first Water Rail of the autumn was calling at Long Meadows (by the Care Home) in Darley Dale at the end of October.

There has been a widespread influx of Hawfinch, particularly to southern Britain but there were two over Beeley Moor on 26th October and a single there on 1st November with up to 9 at Brackenfield Church by Ogston and several at Carsington so it's a bird to look out for.

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.

Nice weather for ducks!

With almost continuous rain for the last couple of days I have not seen much in the way of wildlife but sitting in the hide at Ogston Reservoir this morning the Teal were busy displaying. There were over 100 which is a decent count, although they spent most of the time hidden in the vegetation.
A male Sparrowhawk made a brief appearance unsuccessfully chasing Reed Buntings.

Teal - displaying male

Sparrowhawk - male

Flock of Teal at dawn

Heavy rain early this morning with a strong NW wind. A nice flock of around 80 Teal at Ogston which took flight several times, perhaps a Fox on the bank nearby.

Teal

Teal take off

After a walk around the moors first thing I walked over to Chatsworth again. The Crossbill and Brambling were still around and the Teal were on Swiss Lake but it was generally quiet. As I approached Swiss Lake I flushed the Teal which made an interesting photo.

Teal

Record Teal count

This flock of Teal were on the pool by Swiss Lake, I counted 125 which is the largest count I have had in the local area although I have seen a similar number at Middleton Moor recently.

Teal

Teal - Ogston Reservoir

A nice party of Teal at Ogston Reservoir early this morning.

Teal