Derbyshire County Birding (2 Viewers)

[tvmr_birder]

Mart, been meaning to ask, do you know why the trees are being felled at Little Eaton flood and on the round about for that matter?

Poolsbrook has always had some shady characters around, you have to keep an eye out. Scramble bikes were causing a real problem when I was there.

Hi Dan,

I don't I'm afraid (I'm still in London most of the time). A small patch of woodland was introduced there in the last 5 years but these trees are still pretty small so probably wasn't them.

From a selfish birding point of view (and temporarily ignoring the wider environmental principle), the passage passerines usually prefer the farmers fields or the scrub further towards the factory (or Nut Wood), so it hopefully won't affect this site too much. Last year saw multiple Greylag broods at Holme Nook and Goosander bred there also and a good autumn wader passage with all the standing water. This site has Fishing, Farming, Turf & Industrial interests throughout it and surrounding it so is often under pressure.

I'm glad everyone survived the Poolsbrook incident unscathed and thanks for alerting. When we're in the Chesterfield area we usually do the Arkwright Town area or the sites to the S/SW which aren't too badly affected by the ASBO brigade, although Birdholme Wildfowl Reserve can suffer from shootings I think, probably owing to a combination of the area and the proximity of the birds here.

Let nothing stand between you and white-wingers!!!

Matt

 

[andyr]

Is Cannock chase still a good place to see Dartford Warbler ? If so could someone please give me some info on the place, as in best sites to try and see them. Thanks

Hi gossypots

I think others will join me in saying that this species is very much in the category of "not talked about", certainly on Internet forums which are scanned by criminal egg-collectors.

In general therefore, and certainly here in Staffordshire where Cannock Chase is located, any relevant information would only ever be passed privately from one birder to another personally-known birder ... in other words, people known and trusted to and by each other.

So sorry, I doubt that anyone can help you.

Best regards,

Andy R.

 

[Clive A]

Let nothing stand between you and white-wingers!!!

Matt

Indeed, I am thinking about having a quick release tripod leg for my next visit.

 

[Clive A]

A few cropped and resized pics of yesterday's Whoopers.

 

[DaveN]

Not bad mate. They'll be even better when you get the hang of that new camera.

 

[Clive A]

Not bad mate. They'll be even better when you get the hang of that new camera.

The hardest part was getting them on here, I resized them to the max pixel size allowed but they were still too large so I had to crop them. Maybe I will get the hang of it soon.

 

[John Eaton]

Mart, been meaning to ask, do you know why the trees are being felled at Little Eaton flood and on the round about for that matter?

Poolsbrook has always had some shady characters around, you have to keep an eye out. Scramble bikes were causing a real problem when I was there.

Dan,

Was at the Little Eaton garden centre last week and the manager there told me the excuse given for the trees on the island being felled is they are going to increase the size of the island. Guess no one thought about how they could work around them, or if only the odd one needed felling.
It's going to be an even bigger nightmare at that island once they start work.

 

[Daniel Martin]

Dan,

Was at the Little Eaton garden centre last week and the manager there told me the excuse given for the trees on the island being felled is they are going to increase the size of the island. Guess no one thought about how they could work around them, or if only the odd one needed felling.
It's going to be an even bigger nightmare at that island once they start work.

Hi John, isnt it just!! Most of the time the lights dont work anyway. It could do with a flyover, but I guess tax payers money wont stretch that far. Richard T did tell me it was highways involved rather than local councils. I wonder if they are aiming for 3 lanes with the trees coming down along the approach too?
6 Buzzards up circling together as I drove over it up the hill towards Drum Hill this morning.

 

[Daniel Martin]

Garden birds

Thought I would upload a few pics from recently.....the male Bramblings are looking better each week.
There is another pair of Barn Owls on territory within Belper now, this one Holbrook end. I just hope they are doing ok with all the snow on the ground.

 

[Daniel Martin]

Siskin

I forgot this male Siskin - unusual enough that he is on his own but he also feeds on the ground most of the time.

 

[DaveN]

Bittern still present down Wyver today. I've been saying for a while now that I was convinced the remaining bird had departed but it was reported in the week and it showed well this morning and this afternoon in the channel to the right of the main pool.

A few other decent bits today. There was at least 30 Meadow Pipits on the deck on the old tip field left of the viewing mound. That's easily my best count of birds actually on the ground. I only tend to get them flying over during visible migration in Sep/Oct. Maybe with all the snow and ice they've been pushed of their breeding grounds.

I also had a Chiff Chaff in the willows opposite the hide. It wasn't singing but calling quite a lot.

A local farmer had been muck spreading some fields north of the reserve and it was attracting lots of Gulls. They would now and again land on the main pool for a brush up. I counted 132 BH Gulls and 76 Common Gulls but there were many more in the fields.

Plenty of wildfowl....2 Shelduck, 7 Gadwall, 41 Teal, 2 Mandarin, 10 Wigeon, 4 Goosander but surprisingly no Pochard or Tufted Ducks.

Raptors put on quite a good show with 4 Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Peregrine all seen. A Grey Wagtail was in front of the hide. A Skylark over this morning, 8 Starlings through, 2 Stock Doves, Treecreeper, Lesser Redpoll, Song Thrush, Jay and 3 Reed Buntings rounded off quite a good day.

 

[DaveN]

Ambergate Reservoir

I don't know if anybody knows but there has been an underground reservoir at Ambergate for over 100 years that has been serving over half a million customers. Well the current reservoir is being de-commissioned and a new one is being built.

Looking from Wyver I've noticed for a while now that a large area of woodland on Crich Chase has been felled in readiness of the new res being built. I can only see the damage that has been done on the south facing hill but I understand that it looks just as bad on the other side.

Severn Trent are and have been doing surveys to try and minimise the effects on habitat loss and wildlife etc.

I've heard today from a local that Badger Sets were destroyed and roosting Bats were disturbed. I don't know how true this is though.

Anyway, a quick Google search of Ambergate Reservoir will throw up lots of results. The second one down is a PDF file which gives all the info on what, where and why.

 

[DaveN]

Great White Egret flew ENE over Carsington this morning.

 

[Himalaya]

Are there any good viewpoints well known vantage points where Goshawks can be seen displaying in the Peaks? I might make a visit on Monday. Please PM me if there are any publicised locations or good spots which they are likely to be seen around. How much snow is remaining there at there? Thanks in advance!

 

[Daniel Martin]

Hi Himalaya, there are several sites for Goshawk in Derbyshire. The well known and well publiscised Windy Corner at Howden Res is the only one you will see on here as all others are kept very quiet indeed. The DOS website does a trip to Windy Corner soon so check the website for arrangements.
Goshawk have been severely persecuted and in fact do better in lowland sites nowadays, where they enjoy success away from heavily keepered areas.

 

[tvmr_birder]

Hi all,

Couple of bits of interest in the Trent Valley this morning....

3 Pintail (2m, 1f) & 2 Shelduck at Barrow GP.

2 Shelduck also at Newton Solney.

c95 Swans NW of Anchor Church - all the ones we positively id'd were Mute, but some were obscured by trees, sleet and then, bizarrely, a heat haze when the sun came out.

The naive hopes of an early Hirundine or two were cruelly dashed however.....

Matt

 

[DaveN]

Had a couple of flying visits to Wyver this morning and this afternoon. I was hoping to see the Bittern on what would be its 100th day but there was no sign.
I had to settle for 6 soaring Buzzards, 2 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler on the top pool and 3 Oycs on the island.

A flock of c50 Fieldfare on Plains Lane in Blackbrook. Had a cracking Goldcrest feeding only a couple of feet from us in Handley Woods. Could have almost reached out and grabbed it.

 

[DaveN]

I don't know if anybody saw Walking Through History on Channel 4 last night but it was all about Derbyshire. Tony Robinson was walking through the Peak District along the Derwent Valley. Walking along Cromford Canal heading to Belper and to Derby. There was even a small piece with him down Wyver Lane standing on the viewing mound. You can catch it here on 4oD...

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4od

 

[Himalaya]

Hope top get to Windyu Corner tomorrow! Thanks for that!

Hi Himalaya, there are several sites for Goshawk in Derbyshire. The well known and well publiscised Windy Corner at Howden Res is the only one you will see on here as all others are kept very quiet indeed. The DOS website does a trip to Windy Corner soon so check the website for arrangements.
Goshawk have been severely persecuted and in fact do better in lowland sites nowadays, where they enjoy success away from heavily keepered areas.

 

[John Eaton]

2 Med Gulls at WGP yesterday evening and 16 Curlew. We were due something for all our trouble as it has been dire the past couple of weeks.