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Derbyshire County Birding (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter mooskibaby
- Start date
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
Some good birds at Carsington yesterday, probably due to the previous day's wind and rain. First off was 5 fem/imm Common Scoter which shortly after finding them took flight and when they re-landed they had increased from 5 to 7 fem/imm. Then a little later there was 11 (9 fem/imm and 2 drakes).
Whilst on Stones Island I could hear a Grey Plover calling. After a couple of minutes it flew in front of Stones and probably straight through. There was also 2 Dunlin flying around and a further 5 on the back of Horseshoe Island.
I went into Sheepwash Hide to be greeted with with more Wildfowl than of late. I scanned through them and picked out a female 'aythya' with quite an extensive white blaze. Not wanting to fall into the trap of 'white faced Tufties'
I gave it a good going over. Plumage, head shape and lack of any hint of a tuft revealed it as a female Scaup. Further scanning of the wildfowl revealed another female and 2 drakes.
Also on site was 5 female Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 32 Cormorants, 29 Mute Swans, 21 Little Grebes, 48 GC Grebes, 8 Gadwall, 124 Teal, 125 Wigeon, 69 Pochard, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, 105 Lapwings, Yellow-legged Gull, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 16 Redwing and 9 Lesser Redpoll.
Whilst on Stones Island I could hear a Grey Plover calling. After a couple of minutes it flew in front of Stones and probably straight through. There was also 2 Dunlin flying around and a further 5 on the back of Horseshoe Island.
I went into Sheepwash Hide to be greeted with with more Wildfowl than of late. I scanned through them and picked out a female 'aythya' with quite an extensive white blaze. Not wanting to fall into the trap of 'white faced Tufties'
I gave it a good going over. Plumage, head shape and lack of any hint of a tuft revealed it as a female Scaup. Further scanning of the wildfowl revealed another female and 2 drakes.
Also on site was 5 female Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 32 Cormorants, 29 Mute Swans, 21 Little Grebes, 48 GC Grebes, 8 Gadwall, 124 Teal, 125 Wigeon, 69 Pochard, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, 105 Lapwings, Yellow-legged Gull, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 16 Redwing and 9 Lesser Redpoll.
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Pete Mella
Getting there...
I know Sheffield Bird Study Group do not report wintering ones in the Peaks for their protection, partly at the request of other organisations.
On a different note, does anyone know anything about the RB Flycatcher reported at Barbrook today?
peter hill
Well-known member
Nice shots of the male scaup dave have seen females there in the past but not in numbers ,good work
Daniel Martin
Well-known member
All news so far seems to be negative......more will emerge in due course for a potential County first.
Re Harriers.....this male had been around for a few days, wasn't on territory and was already widely on the net as friends were looking for the freshly departed Pallid from a few miles north. It's an area historically well watched for winter raptors and widely acknowledged as such by DOS.
Hen Harriers were on the move all week and a cream crown Marsh was close by. Dispersing birds.
Do we or do we not highlight their presence? Birders watch and report them from Leash and East Moors every winter along with Merlin, SEO and ever more frequent GGS. They are extremely well known already. I also hear of "disturbance" during the winter but have never had this officially backed up.
As Hobby, for example, have been covered on here from Spring through until their departure, from historic and potential breeding sites, where do we draw the line? I personally don't highlight breeding raptors (see comments re Goshawk, and by the way 5 fledged from 2 local nests I understand, compare results to keepered estates) but maybe the consensus is that ALL raptors are kept from this site whether just passing through or not? Certainly doesn't bother me.
twentywell
Well-known member
Sunday : Red- breasted Flycatcher has been deleted from the Sheffield BSG recent sightings for Saturday................. Mis-identification?
simmojunior
Well-known member
I have been told it should have read Red-breasted Merganser. Apparently one flew over yesterday.
Cheers,
Oliver (Birdnet)
Cheers,
Oliver (Birdnet)
Daniel Martin
Well-known member
Just had similar message saying it was smart phone issues; and i can sympathise wih that!
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
Harriers are always going to be an emotive subject, especially as they have been practically wiped out as a breeding bird in England....never mind Derbyshire!
I understand that historically the area has been well watched for Raptors but I know that the majority of the people that watch the area would never publicise them. Whether that be breeding birds, wintering birds or just birds passing through. A lot of the news we hear about is generally word of mouth and only a select few will know.
I heard about the disturbance from one of the county recorders so have no reason to not believe them. It doesn't mean they are right I know and I don't know of their source but it wouldn't surprise me knowing what already goes on up there. Known wintering birds of certain raptors were being driven out of roosts and not just in 'our' county.
I can understand both sides of the argument here but personally I would like any news of certain Raptors to be kept quiet. It's a shame that it's like that but that's just the way I feel.
TonyS
Well-known member
As a birder who is not as active as he would like to be, this forum is a great way of staying in touch with whats happening locally. I use this site, the DOS site naturally and Twitter for a wider perspective. The SBSG site requires log-in for members to access unlike DOS. Without the input of birders like yourself, the grapevine would be the poorer and more elitist. I am sure you exercise caution when needed, but not putting out news will not protect these birds from persecution by keepers and the like who no doubt know their moors better than we do. The more of our eyes watching over the moor the better IMHO. Cheers.
Tony Sinnott
Tony Sinnott
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
That's the one good thing about this thread. The fact that Daniel, myself and others who use it are always prompt in posting bird news. Tony, you can always click on my blog at the bottom of my posts for latest sightings. I update it at least once a day.
Pete Mella
Getting there...
The SBSG site only requires log in for certain features such as site guides, publications and older records. Non-members can currently get access to the most recent sightings, and several other areas, without logging in.
Re harriers, my personal feeling is getting other birders to see them is less important than not risking publicising them on open forums to people who have proven they'll go out of their way to kill them. It's a bloody shame it's like that, but it is.
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Daniel Martin
Well-known member
Hi Tony
Glad I can be of a little help in return - as a youngster I thoroughly enjoyed your ringing at Ogston in the late 80's and beyond. I still have some great pics of birds in the hand on the west bank!
I feel quite qualified to comment as my notes show my first Hen Harrier up there as 23rd October 1985. I am well aware of the pressures since then of news etc as I have watched the area ever since, but do stand by what's been said that this general area is one of the most well watched for raptors during the winter in Northern England and so mention on here is just the tip of the ice berg in terms of general "news". What with FB, twitter, blogs etc news is soon out and the DOS do not hide it - see last years report. It is sadly not a breeding site - I wish it was as its a while since well protected spots in Derbyshire supported HH.
Can we request a news black out but then give directions to Blogs just one click away?
As I said before if we go down this path then what of all the news of Hobby and other scarce breeders? That info has been widely available on here.
Nobody wants to potentially place raptors at risk as Dave highlights so a decision needs to be made one way or the other as to news of wintering birds. I spoke to DOS recently regarding a Goshawk site that they seemed happy to "promote" in order to take pressure off other areas. If they are happy with that approach then to me they seem happy that birds are being watched in order to afford their protection.
Over recent years news in the County has been refreshingly easier to come by. It's not always been so and I am sure those birding the County that go way back would rather not see a return to the dark days of no news at all.
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
There was a Baltic Gull reported at Carsington on Saturday. R Lowe saw it yesterday and we had it again tonight. It ticks all the boxes that you would expect for Larus Fuscus. I know there is little chance of it ever being proven but even Richard said tonight that it's a very good candidate.
Dark back, very long winged, black wing tips, small clean white head all fit in with Baltic Gull. I managed to get a few shots but this is probably the best. You can also see a bit of wing covert moult on this individual.
Also in the roost was a 3rd winter Caspian Gull, 4+ Yellow-legged Gulls and 6+ Herrings. Other than a female Wheatear that was about it.
Dark back, very long winged, black wing tips, small clean white head all fit in with Baltic Gull. I managed to get a few shots but this is probably the best. You can also see a bit of wing covert moult on this individual.
Also in the roost was a 3rd winter Caspian Gull, 4+ Yellow-legged Gulls and 6+ Herrings. Other than a female Wheatear that was about it.
Attachments
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
What is the relevance in posting that?! I gather it was aimed at me. There are no references to what we are discussing on my blog and never will be. Maybe in the past I have posted about certain raptors but with the pressure they are under I wont anymore. 'Just one click away' and yes you will find my blog but will mostly only find sightings from Carsi, Wyver, Oggie, Willington etc.
Daniel Martin
Well-known member
"whoa there".....! :eek!: no not aimed at you, just making the point that there are so many individual blogs and websites out there who repeat other bird news websites that not posting on here wont save anything. I do know yours well Dave and know what you put on.
As Tony said I dont think not putting news out isnt going to help the birds up there............
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
Ok, fair enough. I thought it was aimed at me. My apologies
Anyway, currently down a very windy Wyver.
Clive A
Well-known member
Regarding raptor reporting. We live in difficult times, obviously we want to get the news out to fellow birders who we trust but not at the expense of informing those who would do the birds harm. Dan makes a good point about blogs etc, some (like Dave) will follow the cautious path, others may not. Perhaps we need to have a few "rules", so that we can all sing from the same hymn sheet.
Which birds are ok to mention etc, (difficult when you think about it) even a Sparrowhawk could have the local pigeon boys dusting off their air rifles I guess.
What is the stance of DOS?
Which birds are ok to mention etc, (difficult when you think about it) even a Sparrowhawk could have the local pigeon boys dusting off their air rifles I guess.
What is the stance of DOS?
