Derbyshire County Birding (1 Viewer)

[DaveN]

Looks like the Ring Billed Gull has returned to Carsington again. An adult from Sheepwash this afternoon.

 

[Daniel Martin]

Its timing is spot on as usual - always seems to be back for first few days in November. Hope it stays longer this year. Also hope it drops into Wyver for a wash again!

 

[Gomphus]

Yes the adult RBGull was back tonight and showing fairly well in the roost from around 3.20pm. Also in the roost were 4 or even 5 adult YLGulls... more than for the last few nights. No sign of either the adult Caspian from Wednesday or my Caspian alike from Thursday tonight though. I wonder where these birds go when they aren't here.... or do they just come in late?

Link to a bit of awful video of the RBGull taken late PM.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFqx0hLkvt0

ATB

Steph'

 

[Clive A]

Yes the adult RBGull was back tonight and showing fairly well in the roost from around 3.20pm. Also in the roost were 4 or even 5 adult YLGulls... more than for the last few nights. No sign of either the adult Caspian from Wednesday or my Caspian alike from Thursday tonight though. I wonder where these birds go when they aren't here.... or do they just come in late?

Link to a bit of awful video of the RBGull taken late PM.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFqx0hLkvt0

ATB

Steph'

Nice work Steph, it must have been showing quite close to get the video.
Should be up there monday/tuesday so hope to catch up with it again.

 

[Clive A]

Ryan, I've never been there. Is the entrance on Mill Lane? if so it would be a very local patch for me:t: What can you expect to see at this time of year?

If you check the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust website it should give you the info you require.Never been myself, but it is on my list of places to visit soon.

 

[Daniel Martin]

Sad to say a Barn Owl was picked up freshly dead at Erewash meadows yesterday, poss the victim of the train.
It was a young bird, bearing a ring. They have had some real success down there this year, and with fairly high mortality rates its always going to happen.

 

[peter hill]

gargany at the wildlife centre todayphoto not up to much as through glass and it was not showing its head much

 

[Clive A]

gargany at the wildlife centre todayphoto not up to much as through glass and it was not showing its head much

Hope to catch up with it in the morning, was it on the bank to the left?
With todays windy weather maybe some other goodies too, and the possibility of RB Gull also.

 

[peter hill]

No it was on the right side with a load of teal nice kingfisher from the paul stanley hide

 

[DaveN]

Do you mean on horseshoe island, Peter?

 

[peter hill]

Yes on horseshoe about 80yrds from the hide and 15ft from the water but it did go for a little swim later so you might need to look around B

 

[ChrisLuv]

Sad to say a Barn Owl was picked up freshly dead at Erewash meadows yesterday, poss the victim of the train.
It was a young bird, bearing a ring. They have had some real success down there this year, and with fairly high mortality rates its always going to happen.

Thats a real shame Dan, I've enjoyed watching them all year - they've been a joy to watch. Haven't seen one recently, lets hope the other young are faring better.

I was down at EM yesterday afternoon, not been much about so far this autumn, but got some nice shots (for me) of Long-tailed Tit which came to within a foot of where I was stood.

I've also started a blog to record my photos/sightings (mainly from Bennerley/Erewash Meadows) if anyones interested - see the link in my sig. I don't claim to be the worlds best/interesting photographer or blog writer but it keeps me entertained on these dark nights.

Cheers for now, Chris

 

[DaveN]

Yes on horseshoe about 80yrds from the hide and 15ft from the water but it did go for a little swim later so you might need to look around B

Thanks Peter. It was seen today but unfortunately not by us.

 

[DaveN]

Not a bad day today although the Garganey eluded us. It was seen around the wildlife centre but not by us. A couple of Skylarks over Stones Island, and quite a few Meadow Pipts flitting about.

Went onto Sheepwash and saw 8 Goldeneye, 7 Shoveler and 3 Pintail. A little later a female Scaup appeared in front of the hide. At least 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls and then the Ring-billed Gull came into roost just after 16.00.
It settled on the water just behind the spit but soon drifted away and out of view. Other highlights were 2 Ravens, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher and c100 Redwings.

Photos of the Scaup and one of the Yellow-legged Gulls.

 

[DaveN]

Wyver Lane Bird Notes October 2009

Wildfowl for October include 36 Wigeon on 1st (this figure is down on recent
years and was no doubt due to the ongoing work causing disturbance around
the upper pool area), 8 Shoveler on 7th, 94 Teal on 20th, 12 'redhead'
Goosander on 19th, 100 Mallard on 8th, 62 Greylag Geese on 13th, 58 Canada
Geese on 23rd. c300 Pink-footed Geese were flying North West on 20th, 2
juvenile Mute Swans have been present for most of the month. 3 Water Rails
were seen on 1st, 6 Grey Herons on 5th and 14th, and 9 Cormorants on 23rd.

8 individual Buzzards were in the air on 1st, 2 Sparrowhawks also on 1st with
singles of both male and female seen regularly, a Little Owl on 4th.

Because of a very dry month some good areas of mud formed so Waders have
been much easier to see. The highlight has been several records of a Jack
Snipe on 13th, 23rd and 29th. Common Snipe have been seen in good numbers
with a high of 30 on 15th and many other counts in the high twenties. A Green
Sandpiper on 14th, 68 Lapwings on 8th and a possible Dunlin heard on 14th.

Gulls this month include 200 Black-headed Gulls on 13th, 140 Lesser Black
Backed Gulls on 25th and a Common Gull on 15th.

The last of the Hirundines was 4 Swallows and 2 Housemartins on 1st. A Chiff
Chaff was singing on 1st. 50 Redwings on 12th and 135 on 13th, 3 Grey
Wagtails on 1st, 6 Pied Wagtails on 5th, 2 Stock Doves on 13th, 2 Green
Woodpeckers on 8th, 20 Long-tailed Tits on 13th, Skylark on 13th, 20th and
26th, 3 Goldcrests on 15th, a Stonechat on 23rd and 26th, 8 Meadow Pipits
on 20th, 2 Linnets on 20th, 15+ Siskin on 26th, 15 Goldfinches on 4th, 2 Jays
on 11th and a Treecreeper on 13th.

 

[Clive A]

Up at Carsington again today. The Garganey showed nicely from the Wildlife centre, and later Sheepwash.
At Sheepwash 4 Pintail,fem/imm Common Scoter,Mandarin (drake), Peregrine,Raven,Kingfisher and a Great Northern Diver found late afternoon by one of the many Gull roosters.

 

[DaveN]

Wyver highlights today....

Water Rail, 5 Shoveler, 9 Wigeon, 4 Grey Herons, 29 Lapwings, 89 Canada Geese, 95 BH Gulls, 8 LBBG, Common Gull, 2 Skylarks, 5 Reed Buntings, 5 Redwings, 2 Grey Wags, 2 Buzzards, and a Green Woodpecker.

No mud around the main pool owing to the recent rain so only one Snipe seen. The Lapwings were around the new design upper pool so at least when the main pool is full they have somewhere else to go. Looks like most of the work has now been completed apart from the actual viewing mound which is still just mud. I heard that they've got to wait until it solidifies before they can do something with it. Not sure how long so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The new viewing mound and screens.

 

[Gomphus]

Carsi this pm produced some good stuff, including the adult RBGull off Lane ends from 4.25pm. Sheepwash produced loads of wildfowl and these included the female/imm Scaup, female Common Scoter, 2 Shoveler and 2 plus YLegged Gulls. No sign of the GNDiver tho'....... but apparantly the Garganey was present by Sheepwash Hide earlier but I didn't see it today.

ATB
Steph'

 

[DaveN]

Had a bit of a mystery bird in the middle of Belper earlier. I was walking up from my dad's house which is in quite a built up area just off the fleet when a bird flew over my head.

Had very brief views and judging by the bill I can only assume it was a Snipe or maybe a Woodcock. Very odd seeing it where I did.

 

[Gomphus]

Another good afternoon at Carsington....arrived at about 3pm for the roost to find a few people in the hide at Sheepwash only to find that the Garganey had been seen earlier to the right of the hide but due to the light we didn't relocate it, but the 3 Pintail were still present. The Common Scoter female was still out towards the middle of the reservoir and could be seen to be feeding well on something.... fresh water mussels...crayfish?? This has been here a while now hasn't it! The usual Yellow legged gull was on the spit end with the Cormorants and showed well. The roost began to form opposite Lane Ends so some of us went down there in dribs and drabs. After realising the light was bad there to we persevered and up to 3 adult Yellow legged Gulls were seen (all now getting really smart looking). Then Richard Lowe said "is there supposed to be a Great Northern Diver here?" Well there was a couple of days ago we reply...."well its over near Fishtail" was his reply! Sure enough there was a GND and its an adult showing quite a bit of summer plumage (some saw it earlier apparently and confirmed this) Thanks Richard. Then there was a while of searching the very large roost until in the gathering gloom I located the RBGull. Unfortunately it was only on view for a short time before heading out into the gloom and the main mass of gulls.....

Below is another record shot of our friendly neighbourhood Yellow leg on the spit..... the head is now clean white and it looks very smart!

ATB

Steph'