Cromford Canal, Derbyshire (1 Viewer)

didnt actually see any water voles, heard a few distinc Water vole "plops" though,
Butterflies were represented by small and large whites, there were a large number over the meadows, speckeled woods were lovely, Think i missed jay out on my previous post, there was one at the highpeak junction next to the tables.

Went down on the canal again this afternoon,the situation with young Grebes/Moorhens is changing by the day with several adults now sitting on nests again and another large brood of 8 newly hatched Moorhens.
A large number of Swifts and House Martins were over the river by the sewage works, a Buzzard and a pair of Kestrels were there also.Very few Damsels/Dragons or Butterflies, with the weather being quite overcast.Once again failed to see the Tufties.As the groundsman mowed the cricket pitch, on the meadows, a group of swallows were feeding on the disturbed insects. Could not resist a few more shots of young,three of the new Moorhens and a juv.Grebe.

had a walk down the canal this afternoon/evening. At the start there were 2 female tufted ducks, but no sign of the male anywhere. As usual big numbers of mallards. Moorhens seemed to be doing well, esp 1 pair with 8 (quite) young chicks! Other birds including Great spotted woodpecker, only 1 of this time. A few song thrushes singing along the canal. Little greebes, quite a few sitting again, really great to see. It was lovely to here so many chiffchaffs today, around about 15 birds singing away as i walked down to high peak junction. Only 1 willow warbler though. There were 2 jays skwarking like mad from deep cover. Sparrowhawk as well over the garden centre area.
there were plenty of damselflies around today, represented by azure and large red (assuming i got the ids correct, have posted them up for id on the dragonfly thread) Dragonfly wise there were only 2 of 1 species i did not recognise.

Cheers Michael,good to hear so many Chiffs, quite a few when I was last there but didn't count. The Tufties are a bit of a mystery at times, watch them suddenly appear with a couple of young. Mind you plenty of hiding places down there, with a the canal now quite overgrown.
Your Dragon is a Four spotted Chaser, see my pic from 11th June.
Thanks again for posting, makes the thread more interesting if it's not just me.

A few hours this afternoon, in brilliant sunshine,cycled straight down the road to High Peak Junction to avoid walkers around the wharf.
Highlights were:
3 female Goosander on the river by the sewage works.
The brood of 8 Moorhens by Leawood pump are still all present, and have been joined by another large brood of 8 ,beyond the aquaduct, and one of 5 beyond Gregory tunnel (21 in 3 broods massively adding to the counts)
Female Banded Demoiselle and Water Vole past the aquaduct.
The usual Tree Creepers, Nuthatch, GS Woodpecker were joined by a yaffling Green Woodpecker at Gregory tunnel.
Single Tufted on the wharf.
Plenty of big lenses around High Peak Junction photographing the Grebes, which appeared to be less in number, are they dispersing already?
Lots of Chiffchaff singing and calling.
A few snaps, more Moors, distant Banded Dem and Gregory tunnel.

hi clive, where did you see the banded demoiselle? they eluded me when i was there last.

michael23 said:

hi clive, where did you see the banded demoiselle? they eluded me when i was there last.

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Just beyond the temporary walkway over the railway, betwen the aquaduct and Gregory tunnel.I have seen a single female on 2 occassions, but they have avoided close scrutiny.Look out for Grass Snake in this area also.

Thanks clive, didnt actually get that far last time. Will have a look for the snakes next time i get to go.

Clive A said:

Just beyond the temporary walkway over the railway, betwen the aquaduct and Gregory tunnel.I have seen a single female on 2 occassions, but they have avoided close scrutiny.Look out for Grass Snake in this area also.

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michael23 said:

Thanks clive, didnt actually get that far last time. Will have a look for the snakes next time i get to go.

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Far from guaranteed I am affraid, but worth keeping a look out.

Cycled down to Ambergate again today.Attempted to count the Little Grebes,and got 12 adult and 14 juv, with 4 birds still sitting on nests.It is getting very difficult to do accurate counts, with the canal edges being overgrown with vegetation, so could well have missed some.Moorhens continue to do extremely well, with yet another fresh brood of 5, though as these favour the overgrown areas, counting is next to impossible.
Also 3 new broods of Mallard,including one of 7.
Other birds of note were Green Woodpecker, near Ambergate, a couple of Ravens at least 3 Garden Warblers, plenty of Chiffchaffs and good numbers of Goldcrests singing.
Plenty of Damsels and Dragons, including Azure and Large Red Damselflies, female and male Banded Demoiselle, Sothern Hawker, Brown Hawker,Four spotted Chaser and Broad Bodied Chaser.

Cycled down again today, July 13th.
For some reason I decide to take a look at the river first, and stop on the bridge near the church, Goldfinch,Greenfinch, Coal Tit, Great Tit and Blue Tit are all in evidence. I then notice a little brown job fly into an Ash tree, upstream of the bridge,closer inspection reveals a lovely Spotted Flycatcher, a bird I had been hoping for, so a good start to the day.A Robin is singing and a Blackbird is alarm calling.Overhead are a few Jackdaws some Swallows and a couple of scruffy looking Magpies.
Onto the canal, and around the wharf c30 Mallards are sunning themselves along with a pair of Tufted Ducks.Towards Lawn bridge a pair of Moorhens have 4 fresh young, a Bullfinch whistles weekly, Wood Pigeons sing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker gives it's "chick" call.Beyond the bridge several Little Grebes are on nests again, one eventually reveals 3 tiny young, and many Moorhens of varying sizes are present.Blackcap,Chiffchaff,Song Thrush,Long tailed Tit, Wren and Goldcrest are all seen/heard, as is a Buzzard, "mewing" somewhere in the distance.The canal side here is lined with Meadowsweet and Great Willowherb.
Heading towards High Peak Junction, many more Grebes, Moorhens and Mallards are seen, one Mallard has 4 fresh young.Just beyond the workshops, a female Tufted Duck has 6 young, they always seem to appear out of the blue at this stage in the summer.A Pied Wagtail gives its "Chiswick" call somewhere by the sewage works. Around the aquaduct, Nuthatch is heard, and further on a couple of Treecreepers are singing. Butterflies seen, up to now, are Gatekeeper,Speckled Wood, Small and Large White and Comma.
In the area around Gregory tunnel a Jay is screeching and a Chaffinch "chinks" from a tree top, Rooks are heard in the fields nearby.
Approaching Whatstandwell, a tiny Moorhen chick is alone, apart from a well grown juvenile.The chick seems to be begging for food from the juv. when eventually 4 more tiny chicks and 2 adults emerge from the reeds. The first chick however continues to beg from the juvenile, which helps out it's parents by feeding the youngster.
At Whatstandwell House Sparrows are chirruping by the houses and further on, by the treatment plant, a family of Grey wagtails, 2 ad and 3 juv, are feeding on insects along with a juvenile Robin. A few Carrion Crows are here and Collared Doves can be heard as I watch a family of Goldcrests.
Almost at Ambergate now, and a Kestrel soars over adjacent woods, along with another Buzzard.A Green Woodpecker yaffles from the fields, a Stock Dove flies by and Swifts hunt insects high overhead.An area of brambles here, is alive with Butterflies, Meadow Brown,Gatekeeper,Small Tortoiseshell and Comma are joined by a single Small Skipper on a thistle head.
The journey back yields 3 Southern Hawkers, lots more Commas (10+ in total) . At one point a Grass snake is sunning itself on the toepath but slithers off as I reach for the camera.
A quick look in at the river by the sewage works provides views of 2 Dipper, 4 Canada Geese and a Grey Heron.

Counts today:
72 Moorhen (31 ad, 41 juv and surely some missed)
26 Little Grebe (12 ad 14 young)
13 Blackcap,6 Chiffchaff and encouragingly good numbers of Bullfinch, their feeble whistle was a feature of the day.

A few photos,Gatekeeper, Tufted with young,Small Tortoiseshell,Meadow Brown and Comma.

a very good day by the look of things, glad to see the tufteds have got young.

michael23 said:

a very good day by the look of things, glad to see the tufteds have got young.

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A productive day indeed, good to get Spot Fly.Not sure where those Tufties emerge from, but nice to see as you say. Nearly ran over the Grass snake, stopped just in time. I thought it was dead at first so just hopped off the bike, and spooked it, shame I didn't get a photo.Heck of a count of Moorhen, and interesting to see the large juv. feeding the young chick.

Went down to Ambergate on the bike today.Birds of note were a Sparrowhawk being mobbed by House Martins, families of Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail,Long tailed Tit,Wren,Blackbird, Blue Tit and Chiffchaff.
A massive count of 92 Moorhen and 39 Little Grebe (new broods of 3,3 and 4)
The 6 young Tufties growing well.

Dragonflies: 2 Brown Hawker, 3 Southern Hawker and 1 Common Darter.

Also spotted another Grass Snake and a Water Vole.

A few photos of the snake and Tufties.

Back by the canal again this morning, early at that- 06:30. I check the area over the river first , and reveal a couple of Nuthatch,4 Mistle Thrush, a party of Long tailed Tits,Wren,Chaffinch,Coal Tit,Wood Pigeon and Jackdaws
Onto the wharf area of the canal, and 50+ Mallards,8 Moorhens and a couple of Tufted Ducks are present.
Also here I watch a juvenile Little Grebe attempting to swallow a Bullhead,it is constantly harried by a Mallard, attempting to steal it's prey.A Robin is in song and Blue Tits are scolding somewhere in the bushes.
Around High Peak Junction a Moorhen is still nest building in an attempt at a late brood, the area here is plentiful with Grebes and Moorhens of all sizes.Several Water Voles are present on the grass banks near to the workshops.
Beyond here a Great Spotted Woodpecker calls, a Dunnock is on the toepath and Treecreepers can be heard in the trees.
By the aquaduct the family of Tufties appears to have been reduced by one, similarly the brood of 8 Moorhens now appears to be 7.In this area Goldcrests are heard as is a Chiffchaff, calling not singing.
Just beyond Gregory tunnel I disturb a fox by the canal edge, in it's panic it leaps over a wall, crashing into the undergrowth 6 feet below.Further on Bullfinches are heard,and by a small fishing pool between canal and river, a Coot has 2 young (another new species).The harsh call of the Jay is heard in this area, and soon a battle ensues between 2 of the afore mentioned and a pair of Magpies.Onwards towards Whatstandwell, Crows, Rooks and House Martins are added to the species list.
By the treatment plant the family of Grey Wagtails are again riding the revolving arms of the machinery, searching for insects, and are joined by 2 Dunnocks, a Robin and a Chiffchaff.
Towards Ambergate and I am surprised to hear a couple of Blackcaps in full song and a brief song from a Willow Warbler.
The only birds of note on the return are a couple of Swallows, some Great Tits and a juv/female Blackcap.
Very few Butterflies about, because of the early start, only a few "Whites" and a Gatekeeper. Similarly just the one Southern Hawker Dragonfly, good however to see at least 5 Water Voles.
Counts: 86 Moorhen,23 Little Grebe,10 Nuthatch and 5 Great spotted Woodpecker.

A few photos: Sleepy Mallard youngsters,Guelder Rose berries and Water Mint.

Took the dog out early this morning, and got a new bird for the "patch"..a Tawny Owl was calling by the river.

Hi Clive - any idea how Lesser Peckers have done this year?

Daniel Martin said:

Hi Clive - any idea how Lesser Peckers have done this year?

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No Daniel, only heard the one that time early in the year, at a known site. To be honest, I should have made more effort and tried to get some views.

Decided to have a run down on the bike today 11th Sept.
By the meadows the usual Jackdaws are calling overhead, and Wood Pigeons can also be heard. A Magpie flies towards the canal and as I walk by the wharf a flock of Goldfinches are present, their tinkling call alerting me to them.
The wharf holds the usual Mallards and Moorhens, and further on Blue,Great and Coal Tits are in the trees by the water. A female Pheasant is on the fields, and a Jay flies towards the rugby pitches, fittingly straight between the posts! Little Grebes start to show now, but the numbers are down at this time of year.I count 31 Moorhens and 14 Little Grebes by the time I reach High Peak Junction, but gone are the fluffy little blobs of a few months ago, now replaced by independent juvenilles.
A couple of Water Voles are around the work shops, and a Raven flies over by Leawood Pump where a single Tufted Duck is present.
Long tailed Tits are calling near the aquaduct, and a feature of the trip so far is the number of Robins singing and "ticking", there are also many Wrens.
Beyond the aquaduct 4 Swallows are over woodland, and a couple of Nuthatch are calling.
At the other side of Gregory tunnel I stop for a while on a seat, here an area where the canal is not tree lined allows wider views. I see very little,however I can hear many species including a Great spotted Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff which sings briefly, no doubt spurred on by the beautiful sunshine.
Just beyond here an area of Willows is alive with birds,and I stop again to watch a smart male Blackcap and a a juv/female feasting on Elderberries. A couple of juvenile Bullfinches are feeding on Meadowsweet seed heads, their beaks cramed with seed, several Blackbirds join the feeding frenzy, in a fruit laden Rowan.Suddenly I am joined on my seat by a very tame Robin, and I share some of my sandwich with the little chap.
By Crich chase woods I hear an early Siskin, in Alders, and Dragonflies start to appear here, with several Southern Hawkers and some Common Darters a little further on. A single battered Comma a distant couple of Whites and a fair few Speckled Woods make up the butterfly species.
The return journey yields a couple of Buzzards, a Kestrel, 2 Grey Wagtails and a few Crows and Rooks.

A quiet day, as to be expected at this time of year.

74 Moorhen, 16 Litte Grebes, 7 Nuthatch.


A shot of the confiding Robin, and a pair of Common Darters.

With a flat tyre on the bike, I had to take to foot today.
I start ,as usual, on the meadows where the normal Jackdaws, Wood Pigeons and Magpies are seen. A Buzzard comes into view and soars low over the river.I hear a Grey Wagtail call, and a flock of 20 Redwing pass through towards the village.A Falcon over towards Willersley castle looks interesting..but it is only a Kestrel.
Moving on, a couple of Chaffinches are noted and the first of many Robins is singing. The canal holds the usual Mallards,Moorhens and Little Grebes, though numbers are down at this time of year. A few Goldfiches are in the Alders at the canal side, and a group of 6 or 7 Siskins fly over calling, two Wrens and a Dunnock are seen here too.
On the rugby pitches a group of Black headed Gulls are feeding, and on the opposite side of the canal a group of Wood Pigeons and 4 Pheasants are doing likewise, a Jay screetches from nearby woodland.
Most of the canal is quiet appart from a few Tit flocks containing Blue, Great and Long tailed, a Nuthatch calls as do a couple of Treecreepers. Only a single Blackbird is seen, but as I said, Robins are very numerous. A Tufted Duck is with Mallards at High Peak junction.
I stop for a while at the aquaduct, and soon hear a Dipper call as it flies upstream, I watch it for a while as it lands on a rock in the river, and another Grey Wagtail lands nearby.
By Gregory tunnel 2 Lesser Black backed Gulls fly over and a Sparrowhawk calls noisily from the woods.
The return journey reveals a second " Sprawk" soaring over the meadows.
41 Moorhen and 14 Little Grebe is a healthy count considering I only went as far as the tunnel. A couple of Water Voles were also seen.