Merlin - Beeley Moor

I was away over the weekend but it doesn't sound like I missed much. A few Pink-feet moving, I did see a female type Merlin yesterday on Beeley. 
I've produced a new blog for observations away from the Darley Dale area called Wildlife Diaries, I was at Spurn over the weekend so there are photos from there.

Black-tailed Godwit - Ogston Reservoir

Whilst sat at Ogston in the the rain earlier today a Black-tailed Godwit flew through, an occasional visitor to Ogston during Spring and Autumn I have once seen one on a small pond by Screetham Lane. 
In addition to the Ospreys, see photo below, I also had Hobby and an adult Yellow-legged Gull so well worth the trip.

Black-tailed Godwit

Yellow-legged Gull - adult

Osprey - Ogston Reservoir

Raining all morning so decided to sit in the hide at Ogston. Over about 3 hours both juvenile Ospreys took fish from the reservoir. I just managed to catch the second bird although it was a bit distant. It has a blue Darvic ring and is thought to have been ringed on 9 July near Crieff in Perthshire.

Osprey juvenile

Black Darter - better photo Wragg's Quarry

A better photo of a male Black Darter in Wragg's Quarry today. There were at least three males but they spent most of the time resting on the rocks or dead wood. They are quite confiding, this photo was taken with a 100mm lens.
No sign of any females yet.

Black Darter - male

Common Hawker male attacking female

Came across a female Common Hawker ovipositing this morning and was surprised to see a male repeatedly attacking her. I've not noted this previously and wonder whether it's the male impatient to find a partner?

Common Hawker male and female

Common Lizard shedding skin

Common Lizards shed, or slough, their skin annually and I caught an adult this morning half way through the process. This looks like a male appearing more spotted than striped.
Also had this youngster, just a few weeks old I think, napping in the sunshine.
The dry stone walls are fantastic habitat for the lizards, I counted at least seven of various ages on one stretch of wall bordering Beeley Moor.

Adult Common Lizard sloughing

Common Lizard - a few weeks old

Peacock Butterfly

Plenty of insects on the wing in today's sunshine; Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood butterflies and a good number of dragonflies with Black Darters still looking like they are emerging along with many Common Darters and Hawkers plus Brown Hawker.

Peacock Butterfly

Osprey still at Ogston Reservoir

There has been up to three Osprey at Ogston over the last few weeks. Martin Derbyshire called in this morning and got a nice shot of a juvenile with a fish.

Osprey juvenile (© Martin Derbyshire)

Ring Ouzel - Beeley Moor

The weather forecast was for rain first thing this morning so I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to a blue sky, above the mist in the valley. 
Plenty of Meadow Pipits around indicated that a few birds had arrived overnight and this was confirmed when a male Ring Ouzel alighted with a customary 'chak' in a Mountain Ash. There was mist drifting up from the valley but it still made a reasonable photo. A couple of Stonechat and Wheatear added to the feeling that birds were on the move.

Ring Ouzel - male

Small Wainscot

Although it can be quite common on Beeley Moor the Small Wainscot is a rare visitor to my garden and this is only my second or third record. It is small with a forewing length of just 10mm.

Small Wainscot

A trio of Sallows

Although its tended to be quite cool during the night I'm still catching a few moths, nothing particularly unexpected but these three sallows are quite a colourful trio. 
From left to right Barred Sallow, Angle-striped Sallow and Pink-barred Sallow.

Barred Sallow, Angle-striped Sallow and Pink-barred Sallow

Common Hawker with prey

A female Common Hawker with its prey, which I think was a female or immature Common Darter. I've regularly seen them taking damselflies but Common Darter must be at the top end of what they can catch and carry.

Common Hawker - female with prey

Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Matlock

Ken had a lucky encounter with a Hummingbird Hawkmoth yesterday in his garden in Hackney yesterday. Although I had of several reports locally in the summer, and had one briefly in my garden this is the first report I have heard of in September.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth (© Ken Smith)

Black Darter - Wragg's Quarry

A Black Darter put in a brief appearance in Wragg's Quarry today, my only record for the year so far and it's getting late now.

Black Darter - male

Angle-striped Sallow

Another moth that has become scarcer in recent years, and not caught every year now so nice to catch one on National Moth Night.

Angle-striped Sallow