Red-veined Darter - Middleton

 The hot weather produced a lot of butterfly and dragonfly activity at Middleton and I was aware that Red-veined Darters had been recorded in good numbers in South Yorkshire so I had a look at the darters at Middleton and there were several Red-veined! 

My impression was that I'd started to see the 'red' darters when the influx of Painted Lady Butterflies occured several weeks ago and I guess that makes sense as they are also migrants from southern Europe.

The red veins for which they are named show up well in the top photo and the blue base to the eyes can be seen in the lower photo. As far as I can tell its the first time they have been recorded at Middleton Moor.

Red-veined Darter - male

A Quail could be heard on Black Harry Lane for several days from 22nd June and another Green Sandpiper turned up on the 26th, this time a juvenile, when there was also a Water Rail.

Green Sandpiper

I saw my first Hobby of the year at Middleton this morning and with the dragonflies and incresing numbers of hirundines I hope to see it again.

Green Sandpiper - Middleton Moor

 The spring migration of passerines is over for this year and it will be a month or two before autumn migration commences but the end of spring and start of autumn migration is not as clear cut for waders. This morning I had an adult Green Sandpiper at Middleton and it's likely that this is already a bird that is returning from its arctic breeding grounds, perhaps after a failed breeding attempt.

It is surprisingly scarce at Middleton, this is only my second record after a juvenile last August. 

Robin Elliot had a Quail calling on Screetham Lane the night before last and there are plenty of reports of Nightjar and Grasshopper Warbler so there are still birds to look, or listen for,

Green Sandpiper - worn adult

Red-backed Shrike - Middleton Moor

 I dashed back up to Middleton on Saturday evening when the news broke, late afternoon, of a male Red-backed Shrike seen in front of the hide.

Red-backed Shrike - male

Not ideal timing for me as I'd fallen in the garden just before the news came out, banging my nose, but I felt a lot better after seeing the shrike! 

It was the first record for Middleton but there was no sign of it the following day but a male turned up at Hartington Meadows on Sunday morning which is just 14km to the SW so it seems likely it was the same bird. The Hartington bird disappeared late morning so that could be it for a while.

The Temminck's Stint was still at Middleton on Saturday but hasn't been seen since.

Temminck's Stint and Middleton Moor Update

I've got a bit behind with my blog so here's an update to get things back on track starting with news of a Temminck's Stint today at Middleton Moor.

Ive been visiting Middleton early in the morning so it was just 6am when I noted a small wader on the edge of the lagoon. It was some distance away but the general impression of a diminutive Common Sandpiper led me to believe it was a Temminck's Stint. Quite a few have been recorded in Britain this Spring so it was a bird that was on the radar. I managed to get a bit closer and confirm its identification and fortunately it stayed for the rest of the day so quite a few other birders were able to see it. 

Temminck's Stint

There is one previous record at Middleton Moor on 18-19 May 2012 so it could be a while before the 3rd!

Also today a colour ringed Caspian Gull was present, I saw this bird on 17 May and managed to read the ring and found out it was ringed in Germany in 2025 and has also visited Carsington, Sheffield and the RSPB Old Moor Reserve in Barnsley.

Caspian Gull with colour ring and possibly another behind

The 17th May was a big day as a Woodlark turned up a Middleton, the first site record.

Woodlark

On the previous day (16th May) I had seen Barnacle Goose and Common Tern both rare birds at Middleton so I've had a good run recently.

Barnacle Goose

Common Tern

I've also seen three Sanderling which were the first I have seen there although they do occur most years.

Sanderling

So that's me just about up to date, I hear the Stint is still present this evening so it might hang on until tomorrow.

Common Crane - Middleton Moor

 An exciting day at Middleton with good numbers of common migrants but the star bird was a Common Crane which we believe is just the third record for the site.

It usual for the gulls to spook periodically often for no apparent reason but I always check the sky incase a raptor has scared them. This happened yesterday and I looked up to see a Coomon Crane no more than 100m above me. It did a nice fly past then started to circle, quickly gaining height until it was just visible with the naked eye then drifted off south. A fantastic sight and as breeding numbers continue to increase in Norfolk and Linconlshire, reported as 87 pairs last year, it may become a commoner site.

Common Crane

Other birds seen included both Yellow and White Wagtail (the Continental counterpart of our Pied) and Garden Warbler as well as Wheatears and Common Redstart that have been around for several days.

White and Yellow Wagtails

Finally I found a 1st winter Caspian Gull amongst the gulls which still number about 60 Lesser Black-backed and up to 100 Common.

Caspian Gull - first winter

Ruff and other migrants Middleton Moor

 I've been away for a month so had some catching up to do on the Spring migrant front. A party of 5 female Ruff ( reeves) turned up at Middleton on 9th April and a male joined them on 16th and I was pleased to see they were still present yesterday on my return.

Ruff - five females with the larger male at the back

It was a decent day with Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpiper and a good range of migrants including Ring Ouzel, several Redstart, Whitethroat and a dozen or more Willow Warbler. 

Also a White Wagtail which is the first I've seen at Middleton.

White Wagtail

No change this morning but a single Dunlin had joined the Ruff.

Russian White-fronted Goose - Middleton Moor

 I mentioned the influx of White-fronted Geese in relation to the Youlgrave birds in December and the few regulars visiting Middleton Moor had thought that we were going to miss out. However,  a visit by Jon Lowes this morning in conditions that didn't look promising with thick mist turned up trumps with two birds on the lagoon, which then disappeared in to the mist.

After a  tense two and a half hour wait the mist finally lifted enough for us to confirm that they were still present. A first record for Middleton Moor as far as we can tell!

Russian White-fronted Goose

I was at Middleton on Saturday, and with widespread reports of Common Scoter and passage waders on inland waters I had high hopes but I was a little disappointed with Redshank and the first Dunlin of the year but not a bad haul on reflection.

Redshank

Winter plumaged Dunlin with Lapwing

 

Jack Snipe - Middleton Moor

I purchased a thermal camera at the start of the year. One of my main targets for it was the elusive Jack Snipe. I have seen them occasionally at Middleton Moor but just in brief flight views. Unlike Common Snipe they do not flush until you are almost stood on them, and spotting one sat on the ground is just about impossible without a thermal camera.

Today I managed to find one and although I was stood within about 4m of it I was able to take some photos and leave it without flushing it thanks to the thermal camera.

I would love to find one on Beeley Moor but that might be a challenge for next winter as they will be moving north shortly back to breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia.

Jack Snipe

  Just to give you an idea of how well camouflaged they are here is the photo taken on my phone with an arrow to mark the Jack Snipes position and below that the image from the thermal camera with the Jack Snipe 'hot spot' showing in red.

Returning Curlew - Middleton Moor

Although single Curlew were recorded at the start of the month its only really the last couple of days that numbers have started to increase with 5 on Saturday and 11 today but not much else of note.

Curlew

Egyptian Goose - Middleton Moor

 Another grey day at Middleton Moor was brightened up by the presence of two Egyptian Geese this morning. Ray Scally found them first thing and fortunately I was on the A6 heading to Youlgrave to look for the geese there, so it wasn't too much of a diversion.

As far as we can tell this is this first Middleton Moor record since two spent four days there from from 11th - 14th August 1979, as reported in the Birds of the Sheffield Area. 

I've still never seen one in the Bakewell/ Matlock area despite there resident status now in southern Derbyshire.

The Slavonian Grebe was also still present this morning.

Egyptian Goose

Slavonian Grebe - Middleton Moor

 I went to Middleton Moor yesterday and had the first half decent day for a while with a Green Woodpecker, which is only recorded once or twice per year there, plus a couple of Pink-footed Geese with a small group of Greylags so with more mist forecast for this morning I went to Chatsworth instead.

I was very surprised therefore when i got a call from Ray Scally to say he had found a Slavonian Grebe which was just visible through the mist.

A major rarity locally and a first record for Middleton Moor, so I had to postpone breakfast with Pam at Chatsworth Garden Centre and headed for Middleton.

It was still misty when I got there but the grebe was visible and the visibility improved early afternoon so a fantastic start to February. 

A Shelduck was also new in and my first for the year.

Slavonian Grebe

Cetti's Warbler - Youlgrave

 A nice walk from Alport to Youlgrave yesterday along the river Bradford produced Kingfisher and Little Egret but the star bird was undoubtedly a Cetti's Warbler which was calling repeatedly and moving quickly upstream towards the road bridge at the bottom of the village. 

It showed well for a Cetti's Warbler but I wasn't quick enough with the camera, but did manage to record the distinctive call on my eBird checklist here.

Although I have had the long staying bird at Middleton this year this is the first for my 10km patch centered on Darley Dale.

Whooper Swans - Middleton Moor

 Went up to Middleton this morning without any great hopes as I assumed, correctly, that it would still be largely frozen. So I was surprised to see a nice herd of 10 Whoopers Swans in the small area of open water.

Whooper Swan

They departed east whilst calling loudly at 10:45, just as it started to rain. I managed a nice recording of the calls which is on my eBird checklist here.

It's remained warm so hopefully the ice will thaw quickly.

Hawfinch - St Helen's Church, Darley Dale

 Despite several searches in the early part of the winter it wasn't until 1st January that a single Hawfinch was seen briefly by Alan at St Helen's. 

I made several visits to the churchyard in the first week of January but didn't manage to see the hawfinch until yesterday when it perched up for a few seconds in a Sycamore before it dropped out of view in to the Darley Yew.

Today Simon saw three birds together so things are looking up. They have been scarce in the County so far this winter with up to 3 birds seen at Cromford but most reports have been of just a single bird.

Hawfinch

Generally its been a fairly quiet start to the year but I've seen Little Egrets at Chatsworth and Bakewell with one by the river at Ashford today. I also saw the Cetti's Warbler at Middleton Moor today but the lagoon is almost completely frozen at the moment.

Russian White-fronted Goose - Youlgrave

I've been checking the Greylag flock at Youlgrave regularly since numbers started to increase there, a decade or more ago and have been rewarded with several Pink-footed Geese over the years but have always hoped for something a little rarer. 

With records of Russian White-fronted Geese scattered across the country over the last few days I thought this would be a good time to check through the Youlgrave birds. 

Fortunately they were quite well positioned to north of the fishing lake and I was very pleased to find first one, with a very white face, and soon after another, with much less white. Both were obviously smaller than the Greylags which numbered about 120.

A patch tick for me so a nice Christmas present!

Russian White-fronted Goose