Derbyshire County Birding (1 Viewer)

[birdleg]

Thanks again Steph and for the links on the other site! :t:

 

[Gomphus]

Didn't even notice if any were young birds Steph, when they first came in they were next to impossible to count as they were all head bobbing and interacting, so just a jumble of birds,(eventually settled at 24 with assistance from another birder).Nice to see though, was that one or two were actually standing on the ice..not too common a sight in Derbyshire I will bet.

Interestingly it seems they were seen over Allestree park immediately prior to arrival at Carsi! I take it they left overnight??

ATB

Steph'

 

[peter hill]

Also saw the woopers could not tell nubers or if there were any young they were a long way off

 

[Gomphus]

Just found this shot of the swans.... if you look carefully you can see two young birds on the extreme right, they have paler bills and in life a more grey brown tone to the plumage still, but its not that obvious, in the photo!

ATB

Steph'

 

[DaveN]

I had quite high expectations about going down Wyver today. The sun was beating down and many birds were in full song and I really thought this could be the day I got a spring migrant or two. Well no such luck yet, although I guess there's plenty of time.

In fact it was quite a disappointing day although it did start quite well. I'd not been in the hide long when the 70 or so BH Gulls that were on the water flew up in panic. I looked around for a Raptor but couldn't see anything. Then I noticed the Moorhens and Coots getting a little edgy near the reeds. After a few minutes a male Sparrowhawk flew up from out of the reeds right by where a Reed Bunting had been singing its heart out shortly before.
Judging by the amount of time the Sparrowhawk was in the reeds I think it might have been devouring the Reed Bunting in there.

Apart from that early incident things were a little quiet there after. From the hide I had 2 Cormorants, Grey Heron, 46 Wigeon, 19 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 2 Tufties, 2 Pochard, female Goosander, 9 Lapwings, Snipe, 3 Stock Doves, 3 Goldfinch and a male Kestrel. I did have a good count of 5 Buzzards and 8 were recorded at the weekend.

Going through some of my photos and I forgot about this photo of a BH Gull I took at Carsington back in february. One of the very few photos I take to come out ok.

 

[michael23]

spen some time at carsington this late afternoon. Not much around, no sign of the whoopers. Did have a flock of c24 geese fly through which i am sure were pinkfeet, but were fairly distant by th time i got my bins on them. c250 gulls were on ice to the left of horseshoe, 95% Common Gull, rest were black headeds, 1 odd one, which i can only describe as a small herring type with a short bright yellow bill, with a red gonys spot on lower mandible, incredibly pale grey, no sign of any immaturity or subadult moult apart from a black tail band!...with yellow legs. Finished the day off with c10-12 curlew on horseshoe, but they wouldnt settle for mor than a minute being incrdibly flightly.

 

[Clive A]

Adult Mediterranean Gull at Carsington this afternoon, 16:20 from Wildlife centre.

 

[tvmr_birder]

Hi all,

Common Sandpiper on the Derwent near Raynesway yesterday, as well as double figures of Goosander showing really well.

First chiffchaff of the year singing further along at Elvaston.

As for the question asked a few days ago about the canal scrape at Willington, to echo Richard's reply you can walk to it along the canal towpath from the picnic area in Willington fairly easily in 10-15 mins. The farmers fields along the way can sometimes be good, though mainly for large numbers of commoner birds rather than out and out unusual stuff. Had a Goosander on the canal briefly the other day showing to about 3 feet.

Does anyone know what the situation at Nadin's is regarding access/development etc? When we last drove past at xmas it looked a total building site but I see that Bittern is being seen there again.

Happy birding,

Matt

 

[Stephen C]

March 15 - 23 Trip

Hi all

Seems a bit quiet lately but I'll be over next week and wondered if there's any tips. In particular, I'll be looking for any non-Spanish birds such as:

WAXWING
WINTER SWANS or DUCKS
GOOSEANDER
SMEW
TAWNY, BARN, SHORT-EARED and LONG-EARED OWLS
etc.
and I've not managed to come across a BRAMBLING yet.

Any help much appreciated

all the best

 

[arniemonkey]

Hi all

Seems a bit quiet lately but I'll be over next week and wondered if there's any tips. In particular, I'll be looking for any non-Spanish birds such as:

WAXWING
WINTER SWANS or DUCKS
GOOSEANDER
SMEW
TAWNY, BARN, SHORT-EARED and LONG-EARED OWLS
etc.
and I've not managed to come across a BRAMBLING yet.

Any help much appreciated
goosanders are quiet common on the river derwent but try willington gravel pits theres a few there and a whooper swan longshaw estate for brambling but others may know a better place all the winter ducks are at willington also.

 

[Dog]

Having never seen a Twite in the Midlands I keep bumping into people who say they still occur in the very North of the county, anybody on here have any reliable sites.

Cheers Mike.

 

[tvmr_birder]

Hi Mike,

Doveholes Quarry (just N of Buxton SK0977) has traditionally been a stronghold for Twite in Derbys, or area surrounding Sparrowpit village (just E of Chapel-en-le-Frith). For the former I think there might be public footpaths reasonably close which give you a chance (if not it's not a site I'd recommend trespassing on for obv reasons!)

Matt

 

[tvmr_birder]

Hi all

Seems a bit quiet lately but I'll be over next week and wondered if there's any tips. In particular, I'll be looking for any non-Spanish birds such as:

WAXWING
WINTER SWANS or DUCKS
GOOSEANDER
SMEW
TAWNY, BARN, SHORT-EARED and LONG-EARED OWLS
etc.
and I've not managed to come across a BRAMBLING yet.

Any help much appreciated

Hi Stephen,

It is fairly quiet at the mo yes! Most local birders seem to be getting out and about just to try and see their first summer migrant at the mo, with our land locked status always putting us behind schedule

It's been a relatively poor winter for Waxwing, though there's been a few records of v small flocks recently in Long Eaton & Allestree.

Bewick's Swan - single in farmland just off Wilne Lane, Church Wilne with Mute flock. The side it favours is ridged so it can go missing for periods!

Whooper Swan - single at Willington GP or small herd in fields between River Derwent & Ambaston GP (these birds can be wide ranging tho)

Short Eared Owl - Beeley Moor or was one at the old American Adventure but nothing has come up about this recently

Goosander - v.common at the mo, E of Alvaston Park on the Derwent will get you great close up views.

Scaup - 1w drake at St Chad's Water (v.near Wilne Lane) - small site so it shows v well.

Smew - Aston on Trent GP have them every winter but they usually disappear halfway through which I think they have at the mo (iffy site for access tho - the legal place to view is a pretty limited viewpoint)

Long Eared Owl - you'll be lucky to get info publicly on any roost sites as they get disturbed quickly but if you fancied going out of the county there's a well known and well watched roost site at Park Hall Country Park near Stoke.

I hope these are accurate if you decide to chase any of them up - or if not there's something else worth seeing there!

All the best,

Matt

 

[birdleg]

Had a stroll in Millers Dale today...had 3 sightings of a Dipper in the river as well as the usual Mallards, Moorhens, Coots...and a water vole.

(Not in Derbyshire but 1st time visited Pennington Flash in Leigh, Greater Manchester yesterday:

Saw Goosanders, Teals, Lapwing, Shelducks, Gadwalls, Shovelers, Willow Tit, Grey Heron, Redshanks, Cormorants, Wigeon, Reed Buntings, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Bullfinches, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, as well as the usual Long Tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Blackbirds, Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Black Headed Gulls, Mallards, Tufted ducks, Robins, Dunnocks, Coots and Moorhens.

A super birdwatching site!!)

 

[Stephen C]

March 15 - 23 Trip

Thanks to Matt and Arniemonkey. Hopefully I can get a willing babysitter to give me enough time to get out to see some of these at least.

Hey but I also have a great wish list of stuff that you'll consider normal fodder like Common Treecreeper, Willow Tit, etc. so looking forward to it anyway.

All the best

 

[DaveN]

Thanks to Matt and Arniemonkey. Hopefully I can get a willing babysitter to give me enough time to get out to see some of these at least.

Hey but I also have a great wish list of stuff that you'll consider normal fodder like Common Treecreeper, Willow Tit, etc. so looking forward to it anyway.

All the best

You're guaranteed Willow Tit at the Paul Stanley feeding station at Carsington.

 

[Gomphus]

I know its not of much interest to most but the Leicestershire "mew gull" has roosted at Foremark a couple of times in the last few days... I did think of going tonight when it left Albert Village Lake but decided it was just too cold. Not done Foremark for a long while...anyone know the best place for watching the gulls there?

Any one had any migrants yet... was talking to the Leics recorder and they haven't had anything yet.... I know Derbys has had LRP.......

ATB

Steph'

 

[DaveN]

My first Curlew of the year today with one heading north down Wyver Lane. Also 2 Ravens heading north. Also there 62 Greylags, 60 Wigeon, 5 Goosander, pr of Shoveler, pr of Pochard and 3 Buzzards. Nearby I had a Dipper just south of the East Mill at Bridge Foot.

 

[Clive A]

I know its not of much interest to most but the Leicestershire "mew gull" has roosted at Foremark a couple of times in the last few days... I did think of going tonight when it left Albert Village Lake but decided it was just too cold. Not done Foremark for a long while...anyone know the best place for watching the gulls there?

Any one had any migrants yet... was talking to the Leics recorder and they haven't had anything yet.... I know Derbys has had LRP.......

ATB

Steph'

What is the latest thinking on the Mew Steph? Noticed there had been reports from Foremark earlier in the week. Not seen a migrant myself and could be the weekend before I am out again.

 

[michael23]

Hoping to see the mew gull at some point.
Had a. Crossbill over kilburn school this morning