Common Whitethroat v Lesser Whitethroat

 I finally caught up with the Lesser Whitethroat today with a pair just north of Winster. It is very thinly distributed in the Darley Dale area and almost exclusively in the limestone dales. On the other hand its cousin the Common Whitethroat is very widely distributed and can be found in almost any scrub type habitat from Beeley Moor, the river valleys and the limestone plateau.

Both species are usually heard first with the Lesser Whitethroat delivering a rather dry rattle whilst the Common Whitethroat delivers a mix of scratchy notes often during a display flight.

Lesser Whitethroat (upper) v Common Whitethroat

The first returning Nightjar was churring in one of the clear fell areas adjacent to Beeley Moor this evening. Not as early as last year when I recorded my first of the year on 9th May but still a fairly early date. 

There were several rodding Woodcock and earlier in the evening a Hobby over East Moor, I saw my first Hobby of the year yesterday over Farley.

An evening with a Barn Owl

The Barn Owl appears to be doing well locally, particular in the valleys and on the limestone plateau where the mixed silage and cereal crops, with plenty of abandoned stone barns, seem to suit them. 

This bird was hunting along the side of the road and I'm surprised we don't see more road casualties as cars passed within a few feet of it.

Barn Owl

First Turtle Dove Survey

 I completed my first Turtle Dove Survey this morning and was rewarded with both hearing and seeing a single male. It is the same bird I heard on 29th April and that I first saw in 2018. 

As far as I can tell it has been unable to attract a mate, although there is still time this year, so fingers crossed.

Turtle Dove

Whimbrel - Gladwin's Mark

 I had better views of the Whimbrel today, albeit in rather wet and overcast conditions, as they were feeding much closer to the road.

I assume that these are a pair, although they cannot be reliably sexed without catching them. Typically the female is slightly larger and longer billed and it looks like the rear bird of the two together may have a longer bill.

Whimbrel

First Yellow Wagtail and Whinchat and a stray Black Swan at Chatsworth

 Made an early visit to Chatworth to avoid the inevitable crowds on a Bank Holiday weekend. A Black Swan on the river in front of the house was a complete surprise. 

A native of Australia they are widely held in wildfowl collections and have established a small breeding population in the UK, mainly in the warmer south. In the most recent figures I could find the population was estimated at around 50 birds with a small number of pairs actually breeding. There have been several sightings at Carsington over the winter and there are perhaps several feral birds in Derbyshire.

Black Swan

A Yellow Wagtail, a scarce bird locally, was feeding along the edge of the river and at least one pair of Common Sandpiper.

Yellow Wagtail

Up on the moor the lone Whimbrel has been joined by a second bird and I had distant views of my first Whinchat of the year.

Whinchat, almost lost in the haze

I finished April with 106 species which is my highest monthly total for the Darley Dale area. Starting again today but may not try quite so hard!