• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Derbyshire County Birding (8 Viewers)

I have looked over the last few messages and Willington has been mentioned a lot.
Where is Willington, and is there a wide range of habitats there for birds?
 
Hi Mooski -

Willington Gravel Pit is in the village of Willington, just inside South Derbyshire I think. The entrance to the reserve is on the road from Willington to Repton just outside the village (grid ref: SK295280).

I began visiting the gravel pit around ten years ago when there was no official access beyond the green lane that leads to it. It's always been a potentially good site and there has always been a good range of species to be found there.

It's now being developed by the DWT and the EA into an excellent reserve.

Around a half of the site has been developed into sedge and reed beds with a variety of shallow scrapes and slightly deeper water as well. The rest of the site is still under development but is progreesing slowly but surely. There are now three viewing platforms along the green lane that leads from the main Repton to Willington road and past the anglers lakes. The anglers have the left hand side as you walk along the lane from the main road and the DWT has the right hand side.

There's plenty to be seen there already when it's not flooded and it's potentially a good site, even a breeding site for species like Marsh Harrier and Bittern (hopefully - one day).

To give you a taster of the place, these are the species that I've seen there this year:

Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Blackcap
Blue Tit
Brambling
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Coal Tit
Collared Dove
Common Gull
Common Sandpiper
Common Tern
Coot
Cormorant
Corn Bunting
Cuckoo
Dunnock
Gadwall
Goldeneye
Goldfinch
Goosander
Grasshopper Warbler
Great Crested Grebe
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Greater Canada Goose
Green Sandpiper
Green Woodpecker
Greenfinch
Grey Heron
House Martin
House Sparrow
Jackdaw
Kestrel
Lapwing
Linnet
Little Egret
Little Grebe
Little Ringed Plover
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Mistle Thrush
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Oystercatcher
Peregrine
Pied Wagtail (yarrellii)
Redshank
Reed Bunting
Reed Warbler
Ringed Plover
Robin
Sand Martin
Sedge Warbler
Shelduck
Shoveler
Skylark
Song Thrush
Starling
Swallow
Swift
Teal
Treecreeper
Tufted Duck
Willow Warbler
Woodpigeon
Wren
Yellow Wagtail
Yellowhammer

There's also been a couple of Merlin knocking around fairly regularly for the last couple of weeks as well.

You can very often see over forty species in a couple of hours.
 
DGRW said:
Hi Mooski -

Willington Gravel Pit is in the village of Willington, just inside South Derbyshire I think. The entrance to the reserve is on the road from Willington to Repton just outside the village (grid ref: SK295280).

I began visiting the gravel pit around ten years ago when there was no official access beyond the green lane that leads to it. It's always been a potentially good site and there has always been a good range of species to be found there.

It's now being developed by the DWT and the EA into an excellent reserve.

Around a half of the site has been developed into sedge and reed beds with a variety of shallow scrapes and slightly deeper water as well. The rest of the site is still under development but is progreesing slowly but surely. There are now three viewing platforms along the green lane that leads from the main Repton to Willington road and past the anglers lakes. The anglers have the left hand side as you walk along the lane from the main road and the DWT has the right hand side.

There's plenty to be seen there already when it's not flooded and it's potentially a good site, even a breeding site for species like Marsh Harrier and Bittern (hopefully - one day).

To give you a taster of the place, these are the species that I've seen there this year:

Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Blackcap
Blue Tit
Brambling
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Coal Tit
Collared Dove
Common Gull
Common Sandpiper
Common Tern
Coot
Cormorant
Corn Bunting
Cuckoo
Dunnock
Gadwall
Goldeneye
Goldfinch
Goosander
Grasshopper Warbler
Great Crested Grebe
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Greater Canada Goose
Green Sandpiper
Green Woodpecker
Greenfinch
Grey Heron
House Martin
House Sparrow
Jackdaw
Kestrel
Lapwing
Linnet
Little Egret
Little Grebe
Little Ringed Plover
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Mistle Thrush
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Oystercatcher
Peregrine
Pied Wagtail (yarrellii)
Redshank
Reed Bunting
Reed Warbler
Ringed Plover
Robin
Sand Martin
Sedge Warbler
Shelduck
Shoveler
Skylark
Song Thrush
Starling
Swallow
Swift
Teal
Treecreeper
Tufted Duck
Willow Warbler
Woodpigeon
Wren
Yellow Wagtail
Yellowhammer

There's also been a couple of Merlin knocking around fairly regularly for the last couple of weeks as well.

You can very often see over forty species in a couple of hours.
Click to expand...

Thats a good list there. I think thats a place on my list of places to go soon, when the weather picks up a bit.
 
Hi DGRW,

I would be very interested to hear more of your Corn Bunting record(s) at Willington. As far as myself, and the county recorders, are aware, Corn Bunting is virtually extinct in Derbyshire, the last confirmed sighting being 2years ago at, I believe, Eggington SF. They used to occur regularly at Etwall, and, going further back in time, along the River Trent at Aston and Weston, as well as a few sites on the other side of the river, but, alas, no more.
Also, Merlin would be a superb record in South Derbyshire in July. Not to sound disrespectful, are you certain that they were not immature Hobby's?

Cheers

Will
 
Hi Anna

The only Otters I have seen were on the Isle of Mull! I'm sure Otters are increasing around the Trent but you'd be very lucky to see one, as with anywhere else in England. The west coast of Scotland is your best bet for Otters.

Rarities do turn up at Willington from time to time. I first visited in 1989, saw my first Little Egret there. Its the only place where I have seen Kentish Plover (twice, in 1991 and 1997) and Caspian Tern (in 1993, still one of the best birds I have ever seen). You also used to get a winter roost of Long-Eared Owls in the bushes along the lane, but I don't think that has happened for a long time now.

Richard

mooskibaby said:
Thankyou for replying.
Otters in Derbyshire - may have to check that out. Have you ever seen otters there before?
Click to expand...
 
Will -

You're absolutely right about the Hobbies, my mistake, just checked on the DOS website, I've not seen them there myself I was relating (incorrectly) what I'd misread on the DOS.

Re: Corn Buntings in South Derbyshire - Single bird on post near to gate directly at the end of the lane on 03.07.07 (heading towards ongoing excavation work).

I've also recorded one on my BTO BBS route between Repton and Hartshorn.

Yes I know their scarcity, this is a bird that I grew up with though, I know them quite well and whilst I'm the first to admit that I make mistakes from time to time, I stand by this one.

Good news about the breeding South Derbyshire Long Eared Owls eh?

Regards....


Anna -

I've seen Otters up in the north west of Scotland but the real thrill will be to see my first local river otter, they are about.

I was talking to an EA rep at Willington a few months back and she told me that Otters have been recorded at the gravel pit.

Richard -

I was talking to one of the DOS team at Willington a couple of weeks ago and he told me that he's seen Caspian Tern there fairly recently.

There was a group of around six Goldeney there at the beginning of the breeding season. Not particularly exciting but their head bobbing antics were a delight to watch.
 
Last edited:
DGRW Goldeneye are always exciting, one of my favourite duck, things don't have to be rare to give me a thrill!!

Had a stroll around Carsington last Tuesday and we seem to now have 3 pairs of BHGull with young in Shiningford Creek, not bad for their first breeding year. The youngsters from earlier are now flying. Unfortunately the Common Terns have lost their chick in the bad weather.
Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatcher have all been successful (with the latter having 4 or 5 pairs around the reservoir with young). However with the rising water levels many nests of grebes etc have been flooded.
Unfortunately the high water levels seem to suggest that we will not be getting any wader passage, theres no where for them to go. The high water and winds have also eaten away previously sloping banks into steep cliffs!

Interestingly there was an unconfirmed report of a Little Egret on Tuesday evening...

Not been anywhere else recently apart from leading a walk for CBC to see Nightjar in Notts where we had really good views.

Cheers
 
Richard Powell said:
Hi Anna

The only Otters I have seen were on the Isle of Mull! I'm sure Otters are increasing around the Trent but you'd be very lucky to see one, as with anywhere else in England. The west coast of Scotland is your best bet for Otters.

Rarities do turn up at Willington from time to time. I first visited in 1989, saw my first Little Egret there. Its the only place where I have seen Kentish Plover (twice, in 1991 and 1997) and Caspian Tern (in 1993, still one of the best birds I have ever seen). You also used to get a winter roost of Long-Eared Owls in the bushes along the lane, but I don't think that has happened for a long time now.

Richard
Click to expand...


Hi Richard.
I'm going to Mull next week believe it or not :-O . Are there any good places to see the otters?
Also is there any good places to see golden eagles?
 
Anna,

Really good chances of otters, Golden Eagle, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Ptarmigan on peak of Glen More.
Read trip reports on web for best locations e.g./www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=884
Otters normally best seen on a rising tide.

John
 
DGRW,

Thats great news, perhaps Corn Buntings are making a small comeback in our area?? I was up near Preston last week, and was amazed by the number up there. We went for an evening stroll to try to find Quail (got 3) and the fields were full of them. One field must have held 40 birds, mostly juveniles.

Yes, great news on the LEOs as well. They bred last year at another south Derbyshire site, I bumped into an adult when I was badger watching! Unfortunately, they have not returned, as far as I know, although I now spend more time in Norfolk than Derbyshire. Perhaps they simply moved the short distance to the new site that you found.

All the best

Will
 
Will -

Unfortunately without verification my Willington and Repton Corn Buntings won't make any lists other than the BBS. That being said; I've only seen the two in the area this year despite repeat visits to the same sites so verification is unfortunately unlikely.

Re: the Long-eared Owls - I have been told by both DOS and local BTO recorders that the species has not "been recorded as breeding in that part of South Derbyshire before" so I'm a little curious regarding the other site that you mentioned. My curiosity can quite happily wait though since I've been asked to not disclose the location of the new breeding site either. That "spot" of mine (this year) has fortunately been verified by at least one other DOS member to my knowledge.

Funnily enough, It was whilst out looking for Badgers for my 13yr old son that I found the LEO fledglings.

Regards


Mooski -

I had been going to Scotland for ten years before I managed to spot my first Otter but since then I've managed to find them on near enough every trip to the far North west - everywhere from Skye right up to Lochinvar.

You can find Otters along the whole stretch of that coast. I find that the trick is just to keep your eyes open at all times in those sheltered bays for those fleeting black bobbing heads and tails and be ready to investigate any "possibles".

I took my youngest lad up there for the first time about three years ago and we managed to find him an Otter on the third day just north of Ullapool so it can be done.

Sharp eyes and quick legs, a bit of luck and a bit of locally acquired knowledge.

Good luck. Enjoy the midges.
 
Thankyou everyone for all your help regarding the otters. I have a few areas in mind, thanks to all your suggestions, yet i am thinking that they may not be at the same locations, which could mean a lot of trecking around. Also i need to find out tide times as well, where can i do that?

Thanks everyone! :)
 
johnnyoxygen said:
hi anna just spotted this thread,a favourite place of mine to visit is lathkill dale,dipper heaven,cheers.
Click to expand...

I have been to Lathkill Dale a lot, yet i have not visited there recently, every time i go i always more often that not see a Dipper. Which always makes my day. Can you get Spotted Flycatchers there, do you know?
 

Similar threads

G
I made a bird coloring page that Science Friday just shared
Replies
0
Views
415
GracesWarbler
G
Shane3004
Hi from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
Replies
14
Views
517
Chris G6 UXU
Chris G6 UXU
N
Upcoming trip to Egypt, asking for advices....
Replies
12
Views
811
WACCOE
WACCOE
Muso
  • Sticky
Coul Links Under Threat - Yet Again
Replies
4
Views
983
Muso
Muso
K
Spotted very large perched bird of prey in County Durham, UK
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
Daz001
D

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 9 (members: 0, guests: 9)
Back
Top