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

Painted Ladies, Foresters and a mystery carcass

The recent influx of Painted Ladies has continued, I saw 5 last Saturday but over 20 today around Beeley Moor. They were most apparent on the newly replanted forest areas but I saw several crossing Beeley Moor in a southerly direction.
Many are very worn but some are in quite good condition which makes me wonder whether they have all travelled the same distance. Hundreds if not thousands have been reported from eastern and southern coastal sites so it's a very significant immigration.

Painted Lady

The first Forester Moths have emerged again on Flash Lane with at least a dozen seen today. I heard of other sightings in the Cromford and Ashover area so this is probably a fairly widely distributed moth on rough grassland which may have been overlooked in the past.

Forester Moth - male on right and smaller female on left

Walking in Whitesprings Plantation with Mel Hayes we came across the emaciated, headless corpse of a mustelid. We couldn't specifically identify the corpse which was about 35cm long, including the tail, but suspected it could be a young Polecat. There have been a few records of dead animals as road casualties in the area in recent years but I've yet to see a live one.

Possible Polecat corpse

Blomer's Rivulet new for the garden

I last trapped Blomer's Rivulet in 2011 in Halldale Wood which is very close to where I live. I have often thought there must be a chance of attracting one to the garden moth trap but without success, until last night. 
I've been abroad for the last month and haven't run the moth trap at all this year but having my 3 year old grand daughter to stay last night I thought I would see if I could catch some hawkmoths to show her. I was lucky with the hawkmoths catching both Elephant and Small Elephant as well as a rather worn Poplar Hawkmoth but the star was a pristine example of Blomer's Rivulet.
Historically the valley of the River Dove north of Ashbourne and Halldale Wood are the two main localities for the species in Derbyshire but there have been a scattering of records elsewhere in the County.

Blomer's Rivulet

NBN Atlas data for Blomer's Rivulet

More orchids and the Grey Gorse Piercer moth

In addition to the Green-winged Orchids yesterday I saw a single Burnt Orchid which was only about 5cm high. Last year I visited the area in early June and there were more Burnt Orchid so I'm guessing I'm a little early for them flowering.

Burnt Orchid

In the area of the Green-winged Orchid I came across a few fresh looking orchids that I think may be hybrids with Early Purple. The Early Purple had mostly gone over but these orchids were fresh but lacked the distinctive dark lines on the sepals but otherwise the flowers looked similar to Green-winged.

Possible hybrid Green-winged x Early Purple Orchid

Passing through an area of gorse I disturbed many small grey looking micro moths which turned out to be the Grey Gorse Piercer ( Cydia ulicetana) a moth I have occasionally caught at home but nice to see it amongst the gorse.

Grey Gorse Piercer Cydia ulicatana

Green-winged Orchid - Via Gellia

One of the rarest orchids to be found in Derbyshire I finally caught up with several examples of the Green-winged Orchid today in the Via Gellia. Named for the dark veins on the sepals Derbyshire is a the northern end of its UK distribution although isolated colonies do occur further north.

Green-winged Orchid

Brimstone butterfly

The Brimstone is a relatively common and widespread butterfly in the area, I see odd ones in the garden most years, but this is the first time it has appeared on the blog. This is mainly because I rarely see them land, but today I managed a photo of one in flight by the river at Rowsley.

Brimstone

First Hobby of the year

Saw my first Hobby yesterday, over Haddon Hall, then another today on Beeley Moor. Very distant but you can at least see what it is!
It's been poor for Hobby the last few years with no signs of breeding locally, hopefully this year will be better.

Hobby

Return of the Wood Warbler

Finally found a returning Wood Warbler, singing this morning in Clough Wood. I've been checking the local woods regularly since reports came back of birds in the Sheffield area well over a week ago. 
I mentioned last year how numbers have declined nationally and how this has impacted on our local population so its always a relief to see and hear the first bird back.

Wood Warbler

Whimbrel - Alicehead

The Whimbrel are still present on the small holding at Alicehead today. Numbers increased to 6 three days ago but have been down to 5 the last couple of days, I could only get 4 together in the photo.
It's likely that the current spell of cold weather is holding them back from continuing their northward journey and they'll be off when it starts to warm.

Whimbrel - the lower photo showing the distinctive head pattern

Solomon's-seal - Beeley Moor

Having seen the Summer Snowflake recently my attention was drawn to a small cluster of flowers on Flash Lane which were superficially similar but were examples of Solomon's-seal. A scarce plant in Derbyshire and given their location, by a car pull-in area, they must be someones garden waste. Yesterday I came across another cluster on the track down to Beeley from Hellbank, surprisingly these were about 1km from the Hellbank parking place so odd to think someone would wonder down the lane with them?
Both Solomon's-seal and Angular Solomon's-seal are native to Derbyshire occurring rarely in the limestone dales.

Solomon's-seal - Flash Lane

Solomon's-seal Hellbank track

Grasshopper Warbler - Harewwood Moor

Grasshopper Warblers can be heard giving their distinctive reeling songs from several points around Harewood Moor at the moment. Quite often heard, but seldom seen, the Grasshopper Warbler can remain hidden even in small areas of the damp grassland which it favours. I was very lucky today to disturb one which landed on a near by fence rather than dropping back in to the grass, it even gave a burst of song!
There are perhaps half a dozen pairs around Harewood Moor but there could easily be more.

Grasshopper Warbler

Whimbrel - Alicehead

Three Whimbrel have been present for several days at the small holding by the junction of  Chesterfield  Road and Alicehead Road. There are Curlews close by giving a good comparison of the two similar species. When seen together the Whimbrel is noticeably smaller, the distinctive dark crown and eyestripe are just visible in the photo and the bill is shorter and less curved than Curlew.
It probably crosses the area most years as it heads north towards its breeding grounds in northern Scotland and Scandanavia but is easily overlooked, its piping call is quite unlike Curlew and is often the first indication of a passing bird.

Whimbrel

Bank Vole - Flash Lane

Although I've seen Bank Voles occasionally before on Flash Lane, usually taking seed that has been left for the birds, today I had one out in the open in the sunshine. It looked surprisingly rufous in the sunshine having mostly watched them in the shadows.

Bank Vole

More Dark Green Fritillary caterpillars seen today, possibly another dozen in three different locations so surely there will be some adults on the wing in the summer. My first Emperor Moth of the year today and several Common Lizard enjoying the sunshine and a calling Cuckoo.

Smooth and Palmate Newts

I have a small garden pond which attracts both Smooth and Palmate Newts. Smooth Newts are the commonest but their identification is not easy, especially at the start of the breeding season. In the photo below the Smooth Newt is at the top. It lacks the fully webbed toes of the Palmate and it also lacks the thin filament on the tail end which is just visible in the lower photo. 
I presume both species occur widely in suitable ponds across the area and have also seen the Great Crested Newt locally but have yet to see one in my pond.

Smooth Newt (upper) and Palmate Newt (lower)

Dark Green Fritillary - caterpillar

The Dark Green Fritillary butterfly is common, sometimes very common during the summer at Longstone Edge and the dales of the White Peak where its food plant the Common Dog-violet is widespread but it is scarce on the gritstone moors. So it was a surprise today to find this caterpillar on top of one of the walls of Beeley Moor. 
The larva which will have emerged from an egg last summer and, having over wintered as a larva, will pupate late April/ early May emerging as a butterfly in mid-June.

Dark Green Fritillary caterpillar