Dint See It
Well-known member
How do? Is the castle or church the best place to spot Hawfinch?
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Cromford Canal, Derbyshire (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter Clive A
- Start date
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
The best place lately is around the castle entrance or in trees on the hillside behind the castle. I've not heard of many records this winter in the church grounds, that's not to say they haven't been there though.
Edit: In fact, just looking at Bird Guides and 5 have been seen this morning at the entrance to the castle.
Dint See It
Well-known member
Cheers Dave
birdleg
Well-known member
I popped over to Cromford Canal and Willersley Castle grounds today. Did not see any hawfinches, goosanders or swans there. I did see:
On Willersley Castle grounds: 1 robin, 1 male common pheasant, 2 blue tits, 3 long-tailed tits, 1 male blackbird and 1 coal tit. I did hear a woodpecker but could not see it in the very tall tree.
Along Cromford Canal: 20+ mallards, 6 moorhens, 4 wood pigeons, 2 blue tits and 2 little grebes (just ID’d on this forum).
On Willersley Castle grounds: 1 robin, 1 male common pheasant, 2 blue tits, 3 long-tailed tits, 1 male blackbird and 1 coal tit. I did hear a woodpecker but could not see it in the very tall tree.
Along Cromford Canal: 20+ mallards, 6 moorhens, 4 wood pigeons, 2 blue tits and 2 little grebes (just ID’d on this forum).
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Clive A
Well-known member
Sorry for the late reply, been a bit tied up with family lately. I find it best to stand on the meadows beyond the cattle grid, that way you have a decent view all round.The trees just at the side of the cattle grid can often produce, as birds perch in them before dropping into the Yews to feed. Standing there you can also scan the 2 tall trees at the castle entrance and the trees towards the cricket pitch. Either way they have been a bit difficult lately, and don't seem to be showing in good numbers.
Clive A
Well-known member
Hi, shame you didn't get the Hawfinches but they are proving difficult at the moment. Plenty of Little Grebes on the canal, come back in a few months and you will see them with their young.
Clive A
Well-known member
Took a walk along the canal this morning, in beautiful sunshine!!
7 Hawfinch were in the trees by the toilet block on the wharf at 09:00hrs.
Further along the canal it was good to see healthy numbers of the smaller birds (following the cold winter), with Treecreeper, Goldcrest,and the usual Tits seen, though only 1 Wren heard in song.
2 pairs of GS Woodpeckers were calling/drumming further along the canal, but no sign of any Lesser peckers.
7 Hawfinch were in the trees by the toilet block on the wharf at 09:00hrs.
Further along the canal it was good to see healthy numbers of the smaller birds (following the cold winter), with Treecreeper, Goldcrest,and the usual Tits seen, though only 1 Wren heard in song.
2 pairs of GS Woodpeckers were calling/drumming further along the canal, but no sign of any Lesser peckers.
peter hill
Well-known member
Made a call at cromford to try and see the hawfinches with no luck but did see some wonderfull dippers hard to tell how many as they were up and down the river ,but a least 2 :t:
Clive A
Well-known member
Shame you didn't get the Hawfinches Peter,they have been quite frustrating this year. They are obviously about in reasonable numbers (think 12 is the top count, though 7 is my best) but for some reason fail to show at times. Last year you could virtually guaranteee them if you stood around for half an hour, but this year not. The window of opportunity is closing now, so for those who have not seen them, time to try.Those Dippers are always a pleasure, cheers Peter.
Watching those Dippers on the bridge at Cromford is a real pleasure with such a varied song, having never seen one in Warwickshire as the last pair disappeared in about 1984 & we had a bird in the mid 90's which I missed about 10 times. Most local birders I talk to don't appreciate what they have in the county, in Warks we don't have breeding Tree Pipit, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel, Nightjar, Dipper or possibly Goshawk & Twite so its a great to go birding in Derbyshire.
Mike.
Mike.
Clive A
Well-known member
Walked on to the aquaduct today, 6 or 7 pairs of Little Grebe showing signs of nest building, 2 pairs of Goosander on the river by the marble works, Dipper on the river above the church.Also a couple of Water Voles at High Peak Junction.The Mute Swan is also still present by the aquaduct.
Had a walk down the canal yesterday, wharf to high peak and back, nice to see the little grebes building nests, i wasnt sure but there might have been one sitting on eggs, i just got a breif glimpse of something white as the bird pulled some more vegetation into its nest, about 12 chiffchaffs on the walk down, also 4 male blackcaps in 1 area with 2 treecreepers, not much else due to the weather turning, very bitter cold and wet! A goose sp did fly over which was not canada greylag or pinkfoot or barnacle.... 2 goosander on the river
On a wildflower note, was great to find a patch of town hall clock in a new area on the canal.
On a wildflower note, was great to find a patch of town hall clock in a new area on the canal.
Clive A
Well-known member
Hi Michael,I must try and get down on the canal again soon, maybe get the bike out this weekend. The Little Grebes should be on eggs very soon, if not already, so you could well be right..look forward to seeing the young.
I must look out for the Town Hall Clock, not sure if I have ever seen that species.
I must look out for the Town Hall Clock, not sure if I have ever seen that species.
Hi Clive, its a stunning flower, (Adoxa moschatellina)
so easy to miss as its really tiny, here is a (not brilliant) pic of it, want to get back back and photograph it better, light was dim and horrible and it was windy.... You will find it on the path on the left hand side, almost directly oposite the bridge in the wood.
Clive A
Well-known member
Hi Clive, its a stunning flower, (Adoxa moschatellina)
so easy to miss as its really tiny, here is a (not brilliant) pic of it, want to get back back and photograph it better, light was dim and horrible and it was windy.... You will find it on the path on the left hand side, almost directly oposite the bridge in the wood.
Thanks Michael, I looked the plant up in my book. Not entirely sure where you mean though, do you mean near the ruined cottage?
No not that far down, its the small bridge that crosses into the meadow from the first wood, and its on the main towpath.
Clive A
Well-known member
Thanks Michael, I located the Townhall Clock this morning,a lovely little plant.
Good to hear the warblers back, with double figures of both Chiff and Blackcap singing between the wharf and Ambergate. Also saw/heard large numbers of Song Thrush, and at least 10 Nuthatch.2 Coots were an unusual sight for the canal, and there were 3 Tufties at High Peak Junction (2m 1f)
A great deal of work is being done beetwen Whatstandwell and Ambergate,the towpath has been restored, trees are being cleared and the canal dredged, so hopefully this area will be colonised by the Little Grebes soon..(though it may affect Moorhen breeding this year as they like the overgrown areas)
At least 13 Little Grebes were noted, many on nests, and 39 moorhens counted, again with several on nests. Also saw at least 6 Water Voles today and plenty of the smaller birds seem to have survived the harsh winter (though I recon Robins may have suffered?)
Flowers of note were Wood Anemone, Butterbur and the first few bluebells are now out.
Funny I never really think of a trip on the canal as "birding" as such, but what a great place it is to get up close to nature.
Good to hear the warblers back, with double figures of both Chiff and Blackcap singing between the wharf and Ambergate. Also saw/heard large numbers of Song Thrush, and at least 10 Nuthatch.2 Coots were an unusual sight for the canal, and there were 3 Tufties at High Peak Junction (2m 1f)
A great deal of work is being done beetwen Whatstandwell and Ambergate,the towpath has been restored, trees are being cleared and the canal dredged, so hopefully this area will be colonised by the Little Grebes soon..(though it may affect Moorhen breeding this year as they like the overgrown areas)
At least 13 Little Grebes were noted, many on nests, and 39 moorhens counted, again with several on nests. Also saw at least 6 Water Voles today and plenty of the smaller birds seem to have survived the harsh winter (though I recon Robins may have suffered?)
Flowers of note were Wood Anemone, Butterbur and the first few bluebells are now out.
Funny I never really think of a trip on the canal as "birding" as such, but what a great place it is to get up close to nature.
Clive A
Well-known member
As it was another lovely day I popped down on the bike this afternoon. Star of the show was a singing male Pied Flycatcher about 100 yards before Gregory tunnel.Other birds of interest were, Green Woodpecker (heard),Goosander and Dipper on the river,the Mute swan and a pair of Coots still on the canal.A fair few butterflies about including, Orange Tip,Small Tortoiseshell,Peacock,Comma,Speckled Wood and a few distant "Whites."
