More geese and first Common Gull of the autumn

 I saw my first Common Gulls of the autumn this afternoon with two adults feeding in a recently ploughed field with Lesser Black-backed Gulls close to Bonsall Moor. 

They will be joined by more birds as we get into winter with birds roosting at Carsington or Ogston.

Common Gull= adult

The Pink-footed Geese have continued to pass over Beeley Moor with 1200 yesterday morning and a further 1800 today. The first birds are generally seen around 08:00 and the movement is coming to an end by 10:00. This morning we counted 23 skeins, varying in size from a dozen birds to over 300 with most comprising 50 to 80 birds.

Pink-footed Geese

First Pink-footed Geese of the autumn

Following reports of several skeins in the Midlands yesterday there was a significant movement of Pink-footed Geese over the Peak District today with 550 counted in skeins ranging from a dozen birds to several hundred this morning. 

They were generally moving east or south east, presumably to the Humber or Lincolnshire coast.

Pink-footed Geese

Weasel - Beeley Moor

I rarely see Weasel or Stoat on Beeley Moor but I have had brief views of what I assume is the same Weasel several times in the last week. 

Very difficult to photograph as they run in and around a drystone wall, appearing and disappearing and seldom pausing.

Weasel

Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Darley Dale

 The exceptionally warm summer has produced lots of records of Hummingbird Hawkmoths locally. This one has been visiting the Honeysuckle in our garden for a week.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

A perched Red Kite and my first Yellow-legged Gull of the year

 Two adult Red Kites perched at Rowsley, close to where I saw the Osprey was a nice surprise. I haven't seen any juveniles this summer so I suspect it has not been a good breeding season for them locally. 

I see them perched very infrequently and usually hidden by foliage so this made a nice change.

Red Kite - adult

Early we been walking in Youlgrave, as we approached the village several parties of Mandarin Duck flew down the valley, in the end we counted 39 birds which was unusual for that location, perhaps they had roosted on the small lake.

Close to the lake I counted 350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and, after checking them carefully, a single adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Most years I check to Lesser Black-backs which favour the fields between Winster and Newhaven but they have only been present in small numbers so far so I was pleased to find this Yellow-legged. 

Yellow-legged Gull - lower foreground with Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Adult Yellow-legged Gull showing the pale upper and underwing compared to Lesser

The Green Sandpipers at Chatsworth increased to three but weren't there yesterday when I checked and a Hobby this evening on Beeley Moor made a brief appearance this evening.

Green Sandpiper - Chatsworth

 Two Green Sandpiper today on Emperor Lake at Chatsworth. I have one previous record of Green Sandpiper from the Cupola Ponds at Stone Edge but I've lost the details and must have been 20 years ago, so this is my first documented record for the area.

The Birds of the Bakewell Area record annual sightings from Ramsley and Barbrook Reservoirs which are now almost gone with several records from Middleton Moor. It's recorded more regularly from Ogston and Carsington.

 

Green Sandpiper

Red Grouse - breeding success

 I've expressed my concern several times during the past decade about the decline of the Red Grouse on Beeley Moor (most recently in August 2020) so I was very pleased today when I came across a pair with two well grown youngsters. 

I also heard, and saw, several birds on East Moor yesterday so it looks like the current population could now be in double figures.

Red Grouse - adult foreground with two juveniles

Red Grouse - both juveniles (I think)

I had a decent day again today, in addition to the grouse I saw the Osprey again flying from Chatsworth direction then heading south towards Darley Dale. Also a family part of 3 Whinchat by the Triangle and a single Wheatear on Lumb Lane.

Osprey - Rowsley

 My first Osprey of the year this morning,  an adult sat on the tree tops above the River Lathkill on the Youlgrave Road.

It has a blue Darvic ring on the left leg which is just visible so could be the bird I first saw as a juvenile in 2012! Hope I get the chance to read the ring before it departs.

Osprey - adult

Nightjars still churring

 I've made a couple of evening visits to the moor this week and was surprised to find that the Nightjars were still churring and wing clapping. 

The breeding season must be over by now and the birds will shortly be migrating but their behaviour was much like in Spring.

Nightjar male churring

Little Egret back at Youlgrave

 I came across a Little Egret at Harthill Pond yesterday, could be the same bird that spent most of last winter there. It was sat motionless for the 20 minutes I was there then suddenly flew up in the air and flew off in a southerly direction, gaining height. Perhaps heading for Carsington, it will be interesting to see if it returns.

Little Egret

I've not seen too much else of note recently but regular sightings of Kingfisher at Chatsworth are probably the birds that fledged at Rowsley also single Goosander at Chatsworth and three at Rowsley. 15 Teal at Chatsworth is the highest count I've had for some time and presumably includes some of this years youngsters.

Several Common Crossbill today with birds calling on Flash Lane and at Whitesprings Plantation.

Box Tree Moth - Darley Dale

 Simon caught this Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) last night in Darley Dale, I have not heard of any previous records locally but it has been spreading north rapidly after the first UK record in 2007.

The moth is a native of SE Asia, but is now widely established in Europe where the caterpillar is considered a pest on the box Tree. 

The Royal Horticultural Society has been monitoring its spread in the UK.

Between 2015 and 2016 over 800 records of the moth were received, this jumped to over 3000 in 2017, over 6 000 in 2018 and approaching 12000 in 2019. The box tree moth is now considered to be a "common resident" being widely distributed across England, particularly the south-east. It is also present in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Box Tree Moth © Simon Roddis

Box Tree Moth - distribution © NBN

Breeding Tufted Ducks

I've seen my first Tufted Duck ducklings this week with a brood of three at Chatsworth and a single on Harthill Pond, Youlgrave.

They are late nesters, hatching several months later than the of the first Mallard. I've only seen them nesting on ponds/lakes so there is limited suitable habitat locally but I suspect they may also nest along the rivers where they will be harder to locate.

Tufted Duck with duckling

The Old Lady - Darley Dale

Not a reference to Pam, but to the Old Lady Moth. This was found dead at Darley Dale Primary School today. It's a widely distributed moth but it tends not to be attracted by UV light so it's not often taken at light. It's more likely to be found in a dark out building, cave or tunnel alongside other moths like the Herald and the Tissue. 

It's not been featured on the blog before although I'm aware of several local records.

Old Lady

Wheatear -first juvenile of the year on Beeley Moor

 Back after almost a month away in Spain and the south of France it looks like the temperature here is set to hit similar levels to those I've just left behind! 

Not entirely sure what I have missed whilst I was away but I did see a report of a White Stork for Darley Dale with other reports fairly close from Ashbourne and Brailsford which were intriguing. 

It was good to get back on to the moors and nice to catch up with my first juvenile Wheatear yesterday, coincidentally I had a juvenile in 2020 on the 18th July, perhaps indicating that these have been born close to the moors.

Northern Wheatear - juvenile

Dark Umber - Middleton-by-Youlgrave

 A lovely example of the Dark Umber moth caught by Doug Aston at Middleton-by-Youlgrave on 12th July. 

Very scarce in Derbyshire with historical records from the White Peak dales of Dovedale, Lathkill Dale, Monks Dale, Coombs Dale and the Via Gellia. 

Not a moth that I have managed to trap, but closely related to the Scallop Shell and Scarce Tissue which I do catch occasionally.

Dark Umber © Doug Aston