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