Displaying Common Crossbill

I came across a small group of Common Crossbill locally today feeding in larches with a large group of Siskin. Several of the males were in song and one male gave a brief display flight with wings held open whilst it glided giving a typical, repeated 'glip' call.
Common Crossbill is a sporadic breeding bird in the area and they are very early nesters and could be feeding young already!

Common Crossbill - male

Common Crossbill - female

The Darley Yew

On a rather grey morning with intermittent drizzle I returned to St Helens Church. During the past week there have been around a dozen Hawfinch reported and it didn't take long to find the first birds sitting in the trees at the back of the churchyard. After half an hour, with birds coming and going, it looked like there were at least 10 Hawfinch still in the area.

Whilst in the churchyard I took another look at the Darley Yew which has been a source of food for the Hawfinches during their stay. With an estimated age of 2000 years it's impossible to comprehend such a span for any living thing but the small plaque gives some sense of the events it has witnessed. 

Whatever its age its certainly an impressive tree.

The Darley Yew

Death of a Roe Deer

The Roe Deer is much the rarest of the three deer species found locally and I have only seen it on four occasions. Two of these sightings were at the back end of last year in the Farley Woods area, on one occasion two Roe Deer came out of the wood and crossed Farley Lane near Sydnope Stand. Sadly this is the area where this animal was found on the roadside by Roger last Saturday morning (10th Feb).
I think there have been three or four Roe Deer resident in the Farley Woods/ Sydnope area for several months having spoken to some of the regular dog walkers who frequent the area and this is doubtless one of those animals.

Roe Deer (photo Roger Carrington)

Blackcap back in the garden

Saw the male Blackcap in the garden again today and managed a photo this time. I've only seen it twice now but it has presumably been in the area most of the winter.

Blackcap - male

Hawfinches still at St Helens

Although the Hawfinches have still being showing well at St Helens, mainly in the famous Darley Yew in front of the church, the numbers are declining with around six present most of this week. It was nice to watch them in sunshine today.

Hawfinch - males

Aside from the Hawfinch it's been quiet although a Blackcap feeding in my garden is the first of this winter but appears to be coming a feature. Several Crossbill on Flash Lane and over Beeley village but little else of note.