Derbyshire County Birding (11 Viewers)

[John Eaton]

Just to let you know that the entrance to the lane at WGP is flooded, so you'll need wellies. Had a flock of 25-30 Swifts over canal scrape yesterday morning and my first Hobby (a pair chasing Martins).

Cheers

 

[Daniel Martin]

Anyone else had RSPB call them recently? Had a call yesterday telling me they are raising funds for trees in Scotland (isn't Scotland covered in bloody trees?!) thanking me for 26 years support and would I double my annual direct debit!

I said that I support large numbers of wildlife charities and so would rather not at the moment. "ok just twenty quid then?".......err what???

"alright, call it a tenner and I will leave you alone"!

Goodbye, FFS!

How desperate are they?!

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Anyone else had RSPB call them recently? Had a call yesterday telling me they are raising funds for trees in Scotland (isn't Scotland covered in bloody trees?!) thanking me for 26 years support and would I double my annual direct debit!

I said that I support large numbers of wildlife charities and so would rather not at the moment. "ok just twenty quid then?".......err what???

"alright, call it a tenner and I will leave you alone"!

Goodbye, FFS!

How desperate are they?!

Sounds a bit extreme :eek!:.

CB

 

[DaveN]

2 more year ticks at Carsington yesterday. The first was 3 Whimbrel that flew straight through North in the morning. The 2nd was a Hobby from Sheepwash just after 15.00. The Great Northern Diver still present and looking stunning now. 2 female Goldeneye, 6 Curlew, 2 Dunlin, 3 Common Sands, the usual Oycs and Redshanks, 2 Lapwing chicks still on Horseshoe Is, 4 Arctic Terns, Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit in full song on the Dam Wall, c500 Swallows and 17+ Swift.

 

[DaveN]

Male Ring Ouzel at Pride Park Sanctuary this morning, also 7+ Wheatear.

 

[arniemonkey]

yeah i went down about 11 and pulled in to see them charging 4 quid for parking .,..so fllook that, i went to carsington...no sign of the diver but got a bar tail godwit at millfields

 

[Daniel Martin]

yeah i went down about 11 and pulled in to see them charging 4 quid for parking .,..so fllook that, i went to carsington...no sign of the diver but got a bar tail godwit at millfields

You don't pay Arnie, just take the ticket and then visit the booth on the way out. No problem.

Had a very intriguing report of a Red Thoated Diver last night on the river at Ambergate. I've been through Goosander, Grebes and Cormorants and still can't get past RT Diver. The guy is no mug and I have no reason to dis believe him; he is not likely to file a report but isn't going to make something up for the sake of it. And with all the bizarre weather and heavy rain I guess anything could be persuaded to drop in.

 

[Daniel Martin]

With the weather being so poor I have spent more time watching the goings on outside at home over the past day or so.

Early breeders have been feeding young on the lawn, with the now long grass maybe providing more room for food to hide. Blackbirds have very well grown young and must be ready for brood two. There are young Robins and Dunnocks too.

I have recently invested in another feeder, this one having 3 tubes together and a large base with drainage holes. This is much to Mrs M's disgust but she will drag me round Costco on wet days - this is where it can be bought from. The net effect is that Bullfinches are back - they seem much more comfortable feeding from the large collection tray than hanging on, and so are seemingly ever present at the moment. Reed Buntings enjoy it too, as they make their forays from Wyver possibly. The old feeders are still in use and Wood Mice grovel about under them. I almost picked one up by mistake yesterday they seem so tame.

Nuthatch are battling it out with the Greater Peckers for the suet pellets.

The hole nesters are busy. One thing I haven't seen before was a Blue Tit this morning in the driving rain pulling loads of fluff from a tennis ball! I must find some stuff in the house to leave out for them. The Great Tits gave cause for concern as they always nest in a hole in the old apple tree. During the winter Squirrels had gnawed all around it to gain access, maybe for old eggs? Anyway it was no longer safe so I mixed some old concrete and rebuilt the hole pasting plenty around so as to defeat even Greys teeth! I waited for it to harden and then sanded it to make the hole as smooth as possible. A little investigation with a thin torch revealed the female on eggs, success!

Finally yesterday evening gave one of the best sightings as I was alerted to a mewing Buzzard high overhead. There were two Ravens in the same vista and then the local male Peregrine joined the Buzzard for a half hearted tussle. Magic.

The forecast is set to be warm after today's deluge so hope the breeding season isn't going to be washed out.

 

[Clive A]

It is fairly wild up at Carsington today, just got home leaving the other hardy souls/idiots (DN,CB) to carry on the good work.
1 Arctic Tern at 06:50, 2 adult Kittiwakes through, GND and Pink footed Goose.
You get some idea of the wind strength, when people are blown off their bikes on the dam wall.

 

[DaveN]

It is fairly wild up at Carsington today, just got home leaving the other hardy souls/idiots (DN,CB) to carry on the good work.
1 Arctic Tern at 06:50, 2 adult Kittiwakes through, GND and Pink footed Goose.
You get some idea of the wind strength, when people are blown off their bikes on the dam wall.

Nothing else to add to that apart from the 2 female Goldeneye and the 1st summer GBB Gull, also prefer the hardy souls to the other . Left Carsi about 13.00 and had an hour down Wyver. 2 Little Grebes on the top pool. 2 Gadwall, drake Mandarin, Mallard with 7 young (poor souls), 2 female Goosander and a good count of 17 Tufted Duck. That's a good count for Wyver so presumably not liking the river being so high. There were 3 Oystercatchers and no sign of one sitting on the island. Also a single Swift.

 

[Sandy Leng]

Male Ring Ouzel at Pride Park Sanctuary this morning, also 7+ Wheatear.

Could anybody tell me where the Pride Park Sanctuary is please.

I would like to be able to visit this location now and again as it is local for me, and I know some good birds have been seen there.

Thanks in advance

 

[Daniel Martin]

Could anybody tell me where the Pride Park Sanctuary is please.

I would like to be able to visit this location now and again as it is local for me, and I know some good birds have been seen there.

Thanks in advance

http://www.prideparksanctuary.com/background.html

Try this link.

Best to drive through the barrier at the park and ride, then call at the booth on the way out and say you've been to the nature reserve so you don't have to pay.

Been some excellent birds over the years with personal highlights being singing male Black Redstart, Dartford Warbler, Curlew Sandpiper, Greenland Wheatear, Water Pipit as well as regular Peregrine and LRP.

 

[Daniel Martin]

Decided to have the last hour at Wyver this evening when the rain had finally given up to see if anything had been grounded. The main pool had 18 Tufted Duck, pair Gadwall, 4 Goosander, Mandarin, and a single Swallow. The Oystercatchers were still on site.

I decided to walk down to the mound after a brief chat wih a guy watching from his car. The path was completely flooded near the mound and as I had no wellies I turned back. As I did I heard a loud "chack" in the hawthorn hedge and a male Blackbird flew out followed by another bird that I immediately recognised as a male Ring Ouzel. The two flew across the sheep field and settled in a small hawthorn up the footpath towards Wyver farm.

I made a mental note of where it was and went to the car for my scope and to send some texts. I was speaking to Richard as Dave arrived, and he soon set off up the hill. As I was nearly an hour over time by now and frozen I decided not to follow, thinking I would pop back tomorrow. There was a Fox in the same field having a stretch as it seemed to emerge from cover.

A good bird locally, following two at the Sanctuary, Pride Park.

 

[Sandy Leng]

Thanks for replying Daniel and the link to the Sanctuary web site, I will be giving it a visit very soon. As you say, you have had really excellent birds there.

 

[knotsbirder]

Ring Ouzel still reported as being there this morning Sandy.

Sam

 

[michael23]

A couple of photos of Bar Tailed Godwit at Carsington yesterday. Excuse the quality, they were hand held in a very stiff breeze! Cropped a bit as well. Also a couple of swifts which was nice.

A local garden note, for the first time in the 4 years of living here, I now have a Willow Warbler singing just a few yards beyond my garden. :t:

 

[ornithom]

I decided to walk down to the mound after a brief chat wih a guy watching from his car.

Daniel - I wish I'd got out of my b****y car and come with you now!!! Mind you it was raining quite a lot!

Congratulations on your good find!

Steve T

 

[Daniel Martin]

Daniel - I wish I'd got out of my b****y car and come with you now!!! Mind you it was raining quite a lot!

Congratulations on your good find!

Steve T

Hi Steve

Thats a real shame, but as I came back down I realised you had gone (I assume you went to look for the other things I mentioned? If so can you PM me to say if you saw them or not? long story but I will explain).

It was one of those freak things......got hold of a few of the regulars and Dave flew down the lane just after but didnt manage to relocate it. I believe it poss roosted in the hawthorns or even the wood near the farm and then moved next morning due to being a much nicer day.

It was very wet and thats why I didnt get down to the mound.....needed wellies. By the time I saw Dave I was frozen!

Will look out for you now.

 

[arniemonkey]

willington ....3 hobby, cuckoo ,garden warbler, whimbrel,2 yellow wags ,2 dunlin all from the lane no sign of any winchat from 12 30 -3 30

 

[Clive A]

Called in at Carsington pasture yesterday (on my way to the res) at least 11 Wheatear and 1 Yellow Wag.