Essex Skipper new for the area

Finally caught up with Essex Skipper at Whitesprings Plantation off Flash Lane today. 
A bit like the inevitability of Red Kites breeding locally it has always been a question of when, rather than if Essex Skipper would turn up locally, as they have continued to spread northwards through the county.
I think the elevation of the areas bordering the moors has perhaps been a barrier or at least delayed their occurrence here when they are recorded further north in lowland locations.
This is my first record in the Matlock/ Bakewell area and I daresay that other have recorded them locally before me, I would be interested to hear of other records.

Essex Skipper

The most obvious differences from Small Skipper are the black 'dipped in ink' tips to the underside of the antennae which are orange in Small Skipper and the shorter sex brand on the wing which runs parallel to the wing edge in Essex Skipper but is longer and runs towards the edge of the wing in Small Skipper (compare with photos below)

Small Skipper

Essex Skipper NBN Atlas distribution map

Another Waved Black in Darley Dale

The tenth record of the Waved Black moth was recorded today in Darley Dale. Unsurprisingly it was Simon Roddis who caught it, I say unsurprisingly as he also caught the prior 9! Simon lives fairly close to the wood yard at the back of DFS and we have previously speculated that this is the original source of the records. The ten records are spread over 17 years of moth trapping in the village so it's not quite an annual event.
I'm not aware of any other records in Derbyshire so it's a real Darley Dale speciality. I've previously published the UK distribution map for anyone interested.

Waved Black (© Simon Roddis)

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

Common Valerian

There is a good showing of Common Valerian on Flash Lane and Whitesprings plantation at the moment. Historically the plants root was collected to extract a sedative in the 19th century. Flora Britannica by Richard Mabey contains an interesting extract from a local valerian collectors diary from the mid-1860s who cultivated the plant locally.

'He and his companion would set out early on a spring morning walking from Clay Cross towards Chesterfield. Each of the pair has an empty bag rolled up and carried under one arm, and he also has a small fork of wrought iron. They proceed together for several miles for tho' the seedling valerian plants of which they are in quest are to be found in the woods on each side of the road they are not in sufficient abundance to justify a break in their journey till near the Chatsworth woods. The seedlings are now developing a couple of rough leaves and where these appear in abundance the little iron forks are applied in lifting them from the leaf mould of which the soil here mainly consists. They collect sufficient seedlings for the plot of land already set apart and prepared for the replanting. This was done in regular rows and at the right distance apart to allow for growth. After which little attention was required beyond keeping the plants free from weeds. However vigorous the growth may be above ground, this is all rejected and allowed to waste, the roomt being now the only portion of the plant of any value.... A little field, barley three-quarters of an acre in extent, in one seasonn grew a crop of valerian which realised seventy-five pounds. The bulk of this produce is now exported to the USA'

Common Valerian

Portrait of a Grasshopper Warbler

There are still several male Grasshopper Warblers delivering their distinctive reeling song around Beeley Moor. The Grasshopper Warbler is often double brooded and these males are doubtless advertising their territory whilst the females incubate these second broods.

Generally easy to hear, particular in the evening, but difficult to see but I was lucky with this male when it landed briefly on a drystone wall which it ran along, almost mouse-like before disappearing in to the undergrowth. It then reappeared 15m further away after several minutes and sang briefly.

Grasshopper Warbler

Marbled White - Clough Wood

I looked for the Marbled White at Clough Wood at the end of June which has been their usual emergence date since they first occurred there in 2015 but no sign. I've been away for a few days but was pleased to hear that two had been seen on 3rd July.
I went this morning and saw at least 4 so all appears well with them and I presume the slightly later emergence was a result of the cooler temperatures in May.

Marbled White

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