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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Derbyshire County Birding (3 Viewers)

Pics from the garden today

Some of todays activity....
 

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Whoopers, Loscoe Dam

A family herd present since last night.
 

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Hi all, had a report of a Common Crane over Langley Mill 11.30am this morning on the EVW site. "1 seen drifting North at 11:30am Sunday 25th March from Cromford Road, was low and may have dropped on to Erewash Meadows somwhere but lost to view behind houses."

Link here

Also an Osprey just over the border at Moorgreen at lunch.
 
Also a White Stork over Ogston this afternoon. The Stork must have been hanging about a bit. First report of the Stork flying over at 13.16. Then a second report of it flying south west at 14.45.
 
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I believe the escaped Stork from Warsop has moved so could be this bird?

Spent a few hours locally not seeing Lesser Peckers but stumbling across a large flock of Siskin and Redpoll counting well over a hundred birds in total, with several small flocks on the go. Green and Greater Pecker here too.

As the weather cleared raptors began to show well with 6 Buzzard together in one "kettling" formation and eventually a male Goshawk displaying to a reluctant female. He dive bombed many times and there was interaction with a male Sprawk at one stage allowing for size comparison. The smaller Hawk looked like a Spitfire buzzing a Lancaster!

Buzzards were not tolerated at all as the Goshawks reacted aggressively to their presence.

Back home there were several Peacock butterflies on the wing.
 
Had a small walk along Wyedale yesterday, only had a single Dipper between the carpark and the cottages, a few years back this stretch would have held at least 3 birds. But still it allowed me to play with my new lens.

Tim.
 
Just had a couple of hours at Carsington, there was a Black tailed Godwit in front of Sheepwash hide. GND distant towards Millfields and a group of 5 Shoveler flying around. Still can't get me a Sand Martin!
 
Has anyone seen the Stork... I've been asked if it has a chunk of feathers in the wing damaged/missing. One was seen over the Lound area on Friday and they got photos.

Oh Dan, I saw a pair of Grey Partridge over the road near Derbyshires Farm last week (top of Far Laund in Belper) I was wondering if they might be a few of your big flock still hanging around as its been a while since I saw 'em in that area....

ATB

Steph'
 
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Has anyone seen the Stork... I've been asked if it has a chunk of feathers in the wing damaged/missing. One was seen over the Lound area on Friday and they got photos.

Oh Dan, I saw a pair of Grey Partridge over the road near Derbyshires Farm last week (top of Far Laund in Belper) I was wondering if they might be a few of your big flock still hanging around as its been a while since I saw 'em in that area....

ATB

Steph'

Well the Notts Spion Kop escapee has been on walkabout this last week so I'd put money on it being this bird. The Lound bird also had a small ring so one and the same I'd guess...

Sam
 
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Has anyone seen the Stork... I've been asked if it has a chunk of feathers in the wing damaged/missing. One was seen over the Lound area on Friday and they got photos.

Oh Dan, I saw a pair of Grey Partridge over the road near Derbyshires Farm last week (top of Far Laund in Belper) I was wondering if they might be a few of your big flock still hanging around as its been a while since I saw 'em in that area....

ATB

Steph'

Hi Steph

I was only talking to Richard about them yesterday............the regular field has been tilled so not seen them for a while. Im sure they are about though.

Lapwings trying again in the next one along.

The Stork at spion had hard to see rings on its ankles, I doubt they will have been noticed on a fly over bird. Not sure of its state of moult now however.
 
A few people ask if its possible to get good digi scoped pics of circling raptors, especially Goshawk at this time of year for I.D purposes.

Well despite excellent scope views its bloody difficult! a small section attached that at least give a "feel" for the bird in its natural environment.

I have tried many times and with the "right time of year" slipping by its almost another chance gone.....
 

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Off to Majorca Friday so thought I would open up a debate for discussion as its been quiet on here....................

Birding Sunday and the topic of RSPB member yes or no came up. Got me thinking.....I seldom use their reserves, the magazines never read and dropped off at the Doctors surgery and I am sick of begging letters. I hate the fact they "seem" unable to get a grip of raptor persecution (does anyone bother with the raptor free zone of Ladybower area now by the way?) and think the hides at Titchwell (million quids worth) are a huge waste of members money. Reserves nowadays are more about gifts and over priced snacks than owt else. And dont get me started on Ruddy Ducks...........

But they are good landowners and obviously protect some species.......

Could I spend the money on something more worth while?!

So you lot, RSPB, member or not?
 
Off to Majorca Friday so thought I would open up a debate for discussion as its been quiet on here....................

Birding Sunday and the topic of RSPB member yes or no came up. Got me thinking.....I seldom use their reserves, the magazines never read and dropped off at the Doctors surgery and I am sick of begging letters. I hate the fact they "seem" unable to get a grip of raptor persecution (does anyone bother with the raptor free zone of Ladybower area now by the way?) and think the hides at Titchwell (million quids worth) are a huge waste of members money. Reserves nowadays are more about gifts and over priced snacks than owt else. And dont get me started on Ruddy Ducks...........

But they are good landowners and obviously protect some species.......

Could I spend the money on something more worth while?!

Well I have been a RSPB member for some years as has my wife and we do tend to visit their reserves such as Conwy, Marshside and Burton Mere.
I think now that birding and wildlife watching has gone from a being a minority hobby to one the masses are enjoying means that they are now in a difficult position.
On one hand birders just want some where dry to watch and enjoy the birds and maybe grab a brew at the end of the day. The masses though expect that little bit more such as the new hide at Titchwell and Burton Mere although not ideal they do provide the wow factor that will keep the masses coming back and more importantly their money (which allows them to expand on their reserves sush as has happened at Burton Mere).
Having just become a new Dad when I am out birding with our 7 month old kid in tow these new hides although not ideal for birders are more family friendly and have allowed us to still go birding so they are not all bad.

With Raptors I think the RSPB are trying to bring on side the shooting/game keeping chaps rather than using the stick approach although this will take longer its probably best in the long run. If the RSPB just simply ran campaigns against the practice they would end up being called a load of townies that don't under stand the countryside by the likes of the Countryside Alliance. This could harm the work they are already doing in the Peaks alongside the National Trust. Time though will tell if they have got the balance right and hopefully before its too late.

So over all I am pro RSPB yes they could be doing more for raptors but I liketo think they are doing the right thing. As for the new style hides they maybe arn't for your traditional birder, but in the years to come we may all learn to love them and hate the drafty traditional style hides.

Tim.
 
im also a member and like daniel said the magazine is a flick through and thats it ...its 1 big advert ..i go to bempton blacktoft old moor but thats about it and its not that much for membership, id only spend it on beer or takeaways...
 
The RSPB gets up to so much that there'll probably always be the odd thing it does which you don't wholly agree with, but generally it does very very good work across the board. Up to you whether you want to be one of the miserable gits who lets that one thing get in the way of supporting all the other great work. ;)
 
Bloody glorious today at Carsi. Spent most of the day without a coat and it is not often you can say that in March. The Great Northern Diver was still present. 16+ Chiff Chaff and 6 Blackcaps between Millfields and Hopton.

Just after 14.00hrs, 8 Waders flew in towards Sheepwash. 3 Redshank and the other 5 looked good for Ruff. The 3 Redshank landed to the left of Sheepwash, but the other 5 flew to the other side of the spit. Eventually, 4 Ruff walked up to where the Cormorants sit and to this side of the spit. At no time did I see 5 Ruff, so as to what the 8th Wader was I don't know. After a while the 4 Ruff flew off North.

Not a lot else apart from 4 Shoveler, 1 Goldeneye, 6 Buzzards and 2 Raven.

Interestingly, a few birders came in to Sheepwash mid morning who had been down Cromford looking for Hawfinch. They didn't see any but did have a Common Crane go over. They could hear it calling and that's what alerted them to it flying over.
 
Much to the disgust of the gathering up at the Beeley Triangle on Tuesday evening, some person was seen to be trampling all over the area I know as Harewood Moor, the field on the Screetham Lane side of the triangle.

No one seemed to know what he was trying to find or photograph he just wondered all over the moor quite aimlessly, pointing his camera wherever he chose. I know there were Snipe on the ground because they kept flying up. He generally disturbed anything that was about.

Although he was carrying a small camera, I won't refer to him as a photographer because all the photographers I know wouldn't have even considered doing what he did. He was ambling about on the moor for over an hour and a half.

Apologies for the rant but it only takes one person carrying a camera of any description to give all photographers a very bad name.
 
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Much to the disgust of the gathering up at the Beeley Triangle on Tuesday evening, some person was seen to be trampling all over the area I know as Harefield Moor, the field at the side of the triangle.

No one seemed to know what he was trying to find or photograph he just wondered all over the moor quite aimlessly, pointing his camera wherever he chose. I know there were Snipe on the ground because they kept flying up. He generally disturbed anything that was about.

Although he was carrying a small camera, I won't refer to him as a photographer because all the photographers I know wouldn't have even considered doing what he did. He was ambling about on the moor for over an hour and a half.

Apologies for the rant but it only takes one person to give other a very bad name.

You rant away all you like. What he did was wrong, especially at this time of year. I was talking to somebody today who was also there and was disgusted with his actions. The problem being is that although it isn't exactly a public footpath it is one of those 'right to roam' areas. But anybody with a bit of common sense would not be roaming on there in late March.

By the way, I think the area you refer to is called Harewood Moor.
 

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