Cattle Egret - Old Brampton

Slightly outside my usual area but a Cattle Egret at Old Brampton, which was first seen on 24 January, proved too much of an attraction today so I cycled over this morning. Cutting across past the Triangle then down through Holymoorside on to Westwick Lane. I could see the white dot moving in the field just east of Old Brampton church from almost a kilometre away.

Cattle Egret

It seemed to be working its way up the field towards Old Brampton by the bridleway then flying down to the bottom of the field to repeat the process, which it did a couple of times before taking to the air and flying strongly west at 09:50, disappearing from view after about a kilometre but likely still going.

Cattle Egret

By far the rarest of the three white egrets numbers of all three continue to increase and it seems likely that we'll be seeing them more regularly in the future. 

Pink-feet, Whoopers and another harrier

 Driving up from the valley this morning in thick mist I was hoping, as usual, that it would clear before before I got to the moor and fortunately it did revealing a clear sky.

There was nothing much of note until around 09:30 when the first skein of Pink-footed Geese were seen flying NW over the valley and just above the mist. These were followed by several more skeins heading in the same direction with some birds a little closer. In the next 30 minutes we counted 710 birds all heading NW.

Then a female Hen Harrier appeared flying low over the frosted moorland grass towards us before veering off across the moor, an amazing sight!

But, there was more to come as Alan picked up two distant swans flying SE over the moor which we thought were likely to be Whoopers and which the distant photos confirmed. 

I superb morning!

Hen Harrier - female

Pink-footed Geese

Whooper Swans

Hen Harrier - Beeley Moor

 A male Hen Harrier has been seen several times hunting around the fringes of the moor since the start of the year. This morning I was lucky to have it land in view from where I was stood and I managed a distant photo before the snow started.

Hen Harrier - male

In typical fashion, having just mentioned that there had been no records of Hawfinch at St Helen's Church in Darley Dale since 2018, Alan Stewardson found one this morning. Hopefully it will attract a few more.

Hawfinches at Cromford

 Since the first report of a single Hawfinch at Cromford this winter on 8th December they have been seen fairly regular since. Generally in the trees around the entrance to Willersley Castle or nearby at St Mary's Church. 

Most reports were of a single bird in December although Clive Ashton saw 4 on 10th December. In January 3 birds have been seen several times but there were 6 birds reported yesterday and Robin Elliot had 4 there today and took the photo below.

Hawfinch © Robin Elliot

Occasionally birds have wintered in Darley Dale with exceptional numbers during a UK wide influx in the winter of 2018 when there were up to 35 at St Helen's Church but they have not been seen there since. 

The attraction to churchyards is generally due to the presence of Yew trees and their berries which are a favoured food of the Hawfinch.

Gadwall return to Chatsworth

 For the third successive winter a pair of Gadwall have returned to Chatsworth. They were on the river infront of the house this morning with Mallard.

I assume it's the same pair, and if so they may well remain until the Spring if they follow the pattern of the prior years. 

Gadwall - pair

Brambling - Bent Lane

Whilst the longed for influx of Waxing has failed to materialise this winter, and now looks unlikely to do so, it's been much better for Brambling than the past few years.

Prior to Christmas there was a large mixed flock of at least 400 Chaffinch and Brambling around Flash Lane. It was difficult to estimate how many of each were in the flock but I estimated over 50 Brambling but it could have been many more.

Towards the end of the year they were seen more regularly on Bent Lane and I counted 30 to 40 birds there today feeding below the beech trees

Brambling - male

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