Mediterranean Gull and Common Shelduck - two new birds for the Darley Dale area

 Whilst the flooding causes major disruption and worse for those whose properties are directly affected it also creates new temporary habitat for wildlife. The area between Darley Dale and Darley Bridge at Four Lane Ends has flooded many times over the years and can attract large numbers of gulls.

Today the flooded area attracted a Common Shelduck, a bird that presumably flies up and down the valley occasionally, as they occur reasonably regularly at Middleton Moor. But this is the first record I'm aware of for the Darley Dale area.

Whilst looking through the gulls I passed over a bird with a jet black hood and pale silvery wings, an adult Mediterranean Gull and another new bird for the area. 

Interestingly, Simon recorded the first Mediterranean Gull of the year at Carsington Water yesterday and there must be a reasonable chance that this is the same bird.

He also had a 2nd winter Caspian Gull and Yellow-legged Gull amongst the 100 Herring Gulls, 40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 20 Common Gulls and 150 Black-headed Gulls this afternoon.

Mediterranean Gull - adult in breeding plumage

Common Shelduck in the rain

A Curlew flew over whilst I was watching the gulls which is my first of the year here.

Who knows what birds might drop in if we had a permanent wetland.

Flooding at Four Lane Ends

Great Grey Shrike relocated on Bonsall Moor

 The Great Grey Shrike was last reported on the 9th December on Bonsall Moor but I felt that there was a good chance it was still somewhere in the area. Once a shrike establishes a winter territory they are usually faithful to it, only leaving when they start the journey back to the breeding area.

I've returned 4 or 5 times since to look for it without success but this morning I got lucky and saw it sat on top of a hawthorn bush just off the rough track below the Motocross circuit, just 1.5km from where I originally found it. Presumably it's been in this are since early December and hopefully now it will be seen a bit more regularly.

I don't think there is any doubt that it is the same bird that was seen on Bonsall Moor in January 2021 having been first located on Farley Moor in November 2020. It shows the same pale rump and white in the secondaries that indicated that this bird could be of the eastern European race homeyeri.  I did a write up on the bird on my Wildlife Diaries blog. I'll be looking out for photographs of the spread tail if anyone manages to get one which may help confirm its racial identity.

It has clearly eaten recently, perhaps a small bird or mouse, as there is blood staining its lower breast as can be seen on the photo below.

Great Grey Shrike

Another sighting of the Hen Harrier

I saw the male Hen Harrier on the 22nd January and it was seen again on the 23rd January but as far as I'm aware it was seen subsequently so it was a very pleasant surprise to see it close to Wragg's Quarry this morning.

It was a long way off but still looked stunning as it broke the sky line, buffeted by today's strong winds.

Hen Harrier - male

Hawfinch at Chatsworth

 The decline of the Hawfinch shows no sign of abating, this winter I have only heard a couple of reports of single birds at Cromford so I was very pleased to see a single bird in the beech trees close to Chatsworth House this morning. It was sat on the very top of the trees and looked to be calling, although I couldn't hear it stood about 100m away. After about 10 minutes it flew towards the Hunting Tower in the wooded area at the back of the house. 

This is an area which I check regularly so I don't think it's a regular visitor although historically Chatsworth is a site that has had wintering and occasional breeding birds.

The habitat still looks suitable so it's possible the odd pair might still breed here, I hope so anyway.

Hawfinch - not sure of its sex from this view

 

Return of the Red Kite

From my records it's starting to look like the Red Kite is absent from the Peak District for several months during the winter. My last sighting in 2021 was on the 26th September and I saw my first bird this year on 25th January. In 2020 my last sighting was at the end of August with no further sightings until 3rd February 2021. Just a dozen miles away at Carsington Water sightings look to continue through the winter so it is perhaps a very localised movement away from the Peak District presumably related to the availability of food.

Today I watched a pair displaying which, compared to some birds of prey, was a rather tame affair with the birds high circling and occasionally passing close to each other and periodically chasing whilst dropping in to the trees. Several times during the circling one of the birds was carrying a small branch, once it its talons and once in its bill.

Still a scarce bird locally each year I expect the numbers to increase but it has been slow progress so far.

Red Kite