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Elvaston Castle (1 Viewer)

L

leighsutcliffe

Active member
Hi all,
Manic Mondays never!
Took a cheaky half day at work and my daughter had after school Art club today so i thought i would to nip to Elvaston Castle one of my most favourite places to go its a nice and easy walk around the woodland and the rocks.

Pulling in to the car park was a grey squiral eating the bird feed that people had left for the birds (cheeky thing ) it only took a few moments to see the first birds 4 big Carrion Crows hopping around by the bins and 2 Wood Pigeons sat in the trees just above them,
walking through the public gate on to the foot path / walk way there was 2 Robins squbbling over some seeds
while they squbbled a Nutthather and Great tits ate the seeds lol

on the far end of the path i heard the greatest sound of all.
The hammering of a Woodpecker (I DIDNT SEE ONE )

a small group of Blue tits was buzzing around by the 3 trees that hang over the lake wich was nice to see.

Magpie were hopping and jumping on to the rocks.
on the lake were Mute swans Malards and Kittiiwakes on the far side of the lake was 2 tuffed ducks.
(castle side )

dunnocks were jumpping on and off the old tree stumps after the last of the seeds wich people had left,

I'm sure i saw a Gold finch that was on the ever green tree by the grave yard but it flew off before i could get my lens up to my eyes

all in all a nice walk around

Im not sure on the rules about posting links just thought some one might want to vist

off to Attenborough Nature Res tomorrow

http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure...on/default.asp

take care

Leigh
 
Hi Leigh and welcome to the forum. Can I just say that your Kittiwakes at Elvaston Castle wont be Kittiwakes. Although some Kittiwakes might be seen around our coast in Winter most will be 100's if not 1000's of miles away. Although there has been the odd record for Derbyshire in Winter they are very scarce at this time of year. What you saw was probably Black-headed Gulls.
 
hiya Dave

looking back through my RSPB book i think you are right
(but they do look alike)
Im very new to birding so you will have to bear with me .

thanks again

leigh
 
Hi Leigh

Probably a stupid question, but was just wondering if you knew there was a reserve at Elvaston Castle? I wondered through the grounds a few times last year, before clocking there was a nature reserve there |<|

It's great for Jay and Goldcrests, and chock full of warblers in the summer. Popped over after work and saw a Little Egret today from the first hide!

Very jealous of your Green Woodpeckers. Thought I'd accidentally flushed one out, but couldn't then see it in the trees
 
postmanhat said:
Hi Leigh

Probably a stupid question, but was just wondering if you knew there was a reserve at Elvaston Castle? I wondered through the grounds a few times last year, before clocking there was a nature reserve there |<|

hey Postmanhan

Yes i did know that there was a Nature Reserve down there.
Its where I hang out most of the time as I dont live that far from there
next time u go down PM me and we could meet up

take care

Leigh
Click to expand...
 
another super day at Elvaston castle plenty to see

today we got :
Robins Crows Great Tits Nuthachers Black Head Gulls Magies Bule Tits Blackbirds Dunnocks Mallards Mute Swans Canadain Geese Moor Hens Coots Buzzard and a beautiful looking Shovler over on the gull pond far side

Leigh
 
leighsutcliffe said:
postmanhat said:
Hi Leigh

Probably a stupid question, but was just wondering if you knew there was a reserve at Elvaston Castle? I wondered through the grounds a few times last year, before clocking there was a nature reserve there |<|

hey Postmanhan

Yes i did know that there was a Nature Reserve down there.
Its where I hang out most of the time as I dont live that far from there
next time u go down PM me and we could meet up

take care

Leigh
Click to expand...

Misread your post. Obviously you're not as stupid as me:) We're bound to run into each other one day there. I tend to go spur of the moment, straight from work. If there's enough time and it's a nice day. Will be very easy to identify as will still be in uniform.

Thanks for the pm about the Smew at Locko Park. Looks like it's moved on? In an almost equal act of stupidity, I cycled there last year for about 2pm. Saw the sign saying it shut at 1pm, without clocking the side gates, which you can apparently get through on foot?
Click to expand...
 
postmanhat said:
leighsutcliffe said:
Misread your post. Obviously you're not as stupid as me:) We're bound to run into each other one day there. I tend to go spur of the moment, straight from work. If there's enough time and it's a nice day. Will be very easy to identify as will still be in uniform.

Thanks for the pm about the Smew at Locko Park. Looks like it's moved on? In an almost equal act of stupidity, I cycled there last year for about 2pm. Saw the sign saying it shut at 1pm, without clocking the side gates, which you can apparently get through on foot?
Click to expand...

any time on the smew

if you see me down there please come and say hi
Click to expand...
 
The Good The Bad And The Ugly !!!!

My daughter and I went down the castle on this beautiful Sunday morning
to find the car park just about full,
Witch i a good thing nice to see so many people out with there families having a stroll in the sun shine,
walking passed the usual folks taking there dogs for a walk.

UGLY;

As we approached the main lake there was a woman with her young family feeding the mallards and mute swans with some bread
(NOT SO UGLY YOU MIGHT SAY TO YOUR SELF) BUT then her husband/ partner or friend let of there dog (a staffie)who ran straight towards the birds barking and going crazy like a wild animal, only to scatter the birds in all directions the dog was running in and out of the lake chasing all the water birds that came with in 15 feet of it. the owners of the dog just stood there laughing thinking it was so hilarious
:C

BAD:

Not 10 feet away from the couple was one of the park rangers who also thought it was funny. the ranger did go over to the couple but only to have a good laugh with them and not one word said about there behavior or the behavior of there dog

To my discussed i went over to have a word with the ranger
the ranger said he didn't see the harm as long as the birds didn't get injured the dog was just having fun !

MY A**E having fun i told him that it was irresponsible behavior and that HE should not promote it as we need to promote this place and attract more birds here not scare them off
with this we went our different ways
it was playing on my mind i went to the rangers office and made a complaint (witch i no wasn't his fault may he didn't know how to approach them about the situation but to say nothing and to do nothing is just as bad )

GOOD :

we had a good day after i had calmed down going into the reserve to be greeted by 2 robins on the gate posts
followed by blue tits and great tits
we went into the kingfisher hide to see the Grey herons fighting in the trees
as we came out of the hide
my daughter spotted a beautiful jay
nothing to report from the 2nd or 3rd hide
sitting on top of the the hide on gull pond sat another Jay opening up his wing to show off his wings
long tailed tits over by the stone bridge were out in good numbers 2
green finches were in the grave yard and a couple of pile wagtaills by the cafe.
full list of birds we have seen today are

Robins
Blue,great and long tailed tits
jay (new bird for me at EV)
Magpies
Crows
mallards
Black head gulls
Canadian geese
Mute swans
Green finch
pile wagtails
Grey herons
Blackbirds
dunnocks
wood pigeons
nuthachers

take care

Leigh
 
I live near the castle and have been going there a bit lately, mostly just hovering around near the little bridge (you know the one). I'm just getting into bird photography so it's a nice easy spot for me. I never even knew about the reserve and the hides until last Sunday, how long have they been there? I've been going to Elvo Castle my whole life and I think that was the first time I had walked that stretch, and I'm nearly 35 :D

Managed to get some OK shots of the Herons that are nesting in the trees near the bridge, and often get a nice shot of the Nuthatch that hangs around for the seed.

I saw on the little board near one of the hides that someone had got a shot of a Kingfisher! Has anybody else ever seen one at the Castle? My goal for this year is to get a decent photo of a Kingfisher. I have only ever seen them in one spot near me, but even then it's a rarity. I may have spend a day trying to stake one out!

Also Leigh - I saw a Jay near the bridge there the other week, didn't spot him at first, but he was sat up in the tree just watching over everyone, nice sight.
 
littlerestraint said:
I live near the castle and have been going there a bit lately, mostly just hovering around near the little bridge (you know the one). I'm just getting into bird photography so it's a nice easy spot for me. I never even knew about the reserve and the hides until last Sunday, how long have they been there? I've been going to Elvo Castle my whole life and I think that was the first time I had walked that stretch, and I'm nearly 35 :D

Managed to get some OK shots of the Herons that are nesting in the trees near the bridge, and often get a nice shot of the Nuthatch that hangs around for the seed.

I saw on the little board near one of the hides that someone had got a shot of a Kingfisher! Has anybody else ever seen one at the Castle? My goal for this year is to get a decent photo of a Kingfisher. I have only ever seen them in one spot near me, but even then it's a rarity. I may have spend a day trying to stake one out!

Also Leigh - I saw a Jay near the bridge there the other week, didn't spot him at first, but he was sat up in the tree just watching over everyone, nice sight.
Click to expand...

hi ya

The Reserve has been their around 10 years it was well publicised about 5/6 years ago but it go so badly vandlised. one huts got burnted down griffttii all over the place so they shut it down by this i mean they took al the sings down removed the big toubble gates, you could alway go in there but i looks like its on the farmmers land.

it a shame that they are selling off some of the land to the castle but they cant touch the reserve 8-P as it public land

you are the same as me i have been going down there all my life i have pictures of me down there in a push chair lol 35 year later and still going down there

if you want a few pictures of a nuthatcher on of the best places to go is in the main car park there is a streach of water between the ice-cream and the show ground there is two bird feeders set up there and put some seeds on the feeders you will get Nuthatcher, Greate tits and Robin on there as well as a bucket full off wood pigeons and crows if you are lucky there might be a few dunocks around the bottom of the fence there

if you go over the first wooden bridge just be hind the ice-cream van there is some red wood trees to the right keep your eyes peeled there as there is some Tree creepers there

then the bridge

good place for the Herons Greate tits Blue tits i offen longtailed tits on that bridge.

the castle.

on the far side off the castle (other side to the cafe) i have seen pile wagtails

grave yard

if you have some spare time try setting up here ( early morning ) i have seen quite a few Green Woodpeckers here feeding on the floor
mid morning just after dinner Green finchers are about if its not to cold

you can see the green woodpecker in the trees but the best place to go is over by the cricket ground

as for the Kingfishers i can honestly say that i have NEVER seen one :(
there as a few people down there that say they have seen them but all have seen them in the Reserve

if you ever want a buddy to go down with just give me a shout and excuse to go down :t: and look at birds and take a few pics

take care

Leigh
 
leighsutcliffe said:
hi ya

The Reserve has been their around 10 years it was well publicised about 5/6 years ago but it go so badly vandlised. one huts got burnted down griffttii all over the place so they shut it down by this i mean they took al the sings down removed the big toubble gates, you could alway go in there but i looks like its on the farmmers land.

it a shame that they are selling off some of the land to the castle but they cant touch the reserve 8-P as it public land

you are the same as me i have been going down there all my life i have pictures of me down there in a push chair lol 35 year later and still going down there

if you want a few pictures of a nuthatcher on of the best places to go is in the main car park there is a streach of water between the ice-cream and the show ground there is two bird feeders set up there and put some seeds on the feeders you will get Nuthatcher, Greate tits and Robin on there as well as a bucket full off wood pigeons and crows if you are lucky there might be a few dunocks around the bottom of the fence there

if you go over the first wooden bridge just be hind the ice-cream van there is some red wood trees to the right keep your eyes peeled there as there is some Tree creepers there

then the bridge

good place for the Herons Greate tits Blue tits i offen longtailed tits on that bridge.

the castle.

on the far side off the castle (other side to the cafe) i have seen pile wagtails

grave yard

if you have some spare time try setting up here ( early morning ) i have seen quite a few Green Woodpeckers here feeding on the floor
mid morning just after dinner Green finchers are about if its not to cold

you can see the green woodpecker in the trees but the best place to go is over by the cricket ground

as for the Kingfishers i can honestly say that i have NEVER seen one :(
there as a few people down there that say they have seen them but all have seen them in the Reserve

if you ever want a buddy to go down with just give me a shout and excuse to go down :t: and look at birds and take a few pics

take care

Leigh
Click to expand...

Some great info there Leigh, thanks a lot for that mate!

And yeah, I tend to go down with the missus to get away from the kids for a bit and spend a bit of quality time, but summer holidays aren't far away now so I'll be off down there on my own quite a bit, will drop you a PM to see if you fancy it sometime mate!

The graveyard sounds good, I might go early and try for a Woodpecker then!

Do you live locally then mate? Any other good spots that I might get some success with?

Thanks again mate, appreciate the help :)
 
PM me any time mate
I live in chaddesden so not far away but i grow up in spondon

a nice walk with a camrea is the ash path (the old stoney cross ) and you get to see some nice birds

locko park (in spondon) is a nice place to go around the lake there was a smew on the lake there not so long back

Darley Park is nice for kids 'n' camrea : nice walk around

do you have a car ???

if you do Carsington water is a good place dependes on how far you want to walk some amazing birds there

leigh
 
leighsutcliffe said:
PM me any time mate
I live in chaddesden so not far away but i grow up in spondon

a nice walk with a camrea is the ash path (the old stoney cross ) and you get to see some nice birds

locko park (in spondon) is a nice place to go around the lake there was a smew on the lake there not so long back

Darley Park is nice for kids 'n' camrea : nice walk around

do you have a car ???

if you do Carsington water is a good place dependes on how far you want to walk some amazing birds there

leigh
Click to expand...

Sound, I'm in Alvaston, I work in Spondon, right on Stoney Cross funnily enough, might have a wander on lunchtime with my camera :)

Yeah, I drive so don't mind a jaunt out. Was thinking about trying Rutland soon.

I'm really new to birding to be honest, so I'm still learning what's what, and I only really know the obvious birds. I need to get a good book, as I keep having to email photos to my Dad to ID for me 8-P
 
went down at the castle today had a good few hours down there

new birds for me at the castle

mistle thrush x2
little grebs x2 on the gull pond on the far side

tree creepers were showing well in the main park

3 green finches in the tops of the trees by the grave yard

only seen one of the jays today

take care

leigh
 
leighsutcliffe said:
went down at the castle today had a good few hours down there

new birds for me at the castle

mistle thrush x2
little grebs x2 on the gull pond on the far side

tree creepers were showing well in the main park

3 green finches in the tops of the trees by the grave yard

only seen one of the jays today

take care

leigh
Click to expand...

Was hoping to get down this weekend, but weather looks very bleak
 
Nipped down on Sunday for an hour, saw one of the Jays but couldn't get a photo, 3 Nuthatch on the bridge, couple of Chaffinch, then the usual Robins and Bluetits etc.

Had a sit in the first hide for an hour but didn't see anything. Herons were making their usual racket at the top of the trees, near the nests.

Didn't stay for long as it started raining fairly hard.
 
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