Local Sightings This calendar only shows local patch sightings - to see other sightings for Notts/Derbys use the links above.
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By ChrisLuv, on August 31st, 2010
 [The photo
to the left is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License and kindly taken from Notts Birders site http://www.nottsbirders.net/welbeck.php.]
Bank Holiday Monday, and three of us locals (that’s Jim, Dave and I) decided to take a trip out and about to find us some decent birds. With the weather looking good then we decided to try Welbeck Raptor Watchpoint. Jim is a bit of a raptor nut and Dave has bags of experience too so I was hoping to pick a few tips on how to ID these fantastic birds at a distance. Honey Buzzard was very much the target species, but with very few records coming from the area, and the time of year, then we acknowledged it might be a tall order.
I was driving, and being the only one who hadn’t visited the “watchpoint” before, was warned that I might drive straight past it without realising – so eyes peeled I was ready for anything – but still drove straight past it. For those who haven’t been it’s little more than a piece of grass where you can park the car at the side of the road. I’ve taken the above picture from the Notts Birders site, because I forgot to take one, but it shows the vista as seen from the “lay-by” (and I’m being kind describing it that).
We immediately upped scopes and started scanning for birds, but in the drive up the weather had gone from a light wind and bright sunshine to strong winds and cloud. Not as good as we hoped. For a while the birding was frustrating, and a GS Woodpecker calling, a kestrel on the wire and a Yellowhammer or two were the only birds we saw. However, slowly, the birds started to show.
To start with just a Common Buzzard (or Radio Bird as Jim calls them – from C.B.) or two were climbing in the distant trees, but they gave us something to check and were positive signs. Then a Hobby went left to right in front, and proceeded to hawk among the Hirundines gathering to our left, often soaring alongside them. Later a second bird showed itself, soaring across the lake in front of us from right to left. After that it was like the floodgates opened and, joined by a sheffield lad, we watched the woodpigeons that had often fooled us with their playing in the wind in the distance give way to at least four more “Radio Birds”. Over the period we probably had 6 birds, while not a great number at least it was a bit of decent birding. Add to that the flock of 10 waders that came across the top of us (South to North) in silhouette against the sky and we were in good spirits suddenly. Frustratingly the waders gave very little away about themselves, 2 large birds and 8 little ones, Jim being fairly confident the larger ones may be Ruffs but the best guess we had for the smaller birds were Redshank.
Chatting to the bloke from Sheffield it seemed that we might struggle with “pencil birds” (another Jim-ism for Honey Buzzard. Think about it…) at this site, and so we moved on to see what was available elsewhere. We drove further south and walked through the forest, getting a lovely pair of Linnet on the way, setting ourselves up in a clearing that offered a bit of potential. It would be difficult here, as it didn’t have the panorama but looked like there may be some decent birds fly through if we were lucky.
From this vantage point it proved harder, as expected, and aside from a few “radio birds”, a sprawk and a kestrel nothing much offered itself. Whether a too brief sighting of a *very* interesting looking raptor over the forest top was something we should have got excited about deserved it, we’ll never know, but we did get excited – certainly it was to prove to be the most exciting sighting of the day (if only to prove just how fast three not-so-young birders can move when they get a whiff of a decent bird disappearing behind trees!).
After a couple of hours back we went, stopping briefly to watch a mixed flock of passerines, including treecreeper, willow warber, mixed tits and a family party of Spotted Flycatcher. Cracking birds.
Our last stop was to be “Budby Pond” – near the Pumping Station. Dave has really pushed us to go, Jim and I had never heard of the site, but I’m glad he did as what a mixed bag it threw up. Very quickly we’d got all three common wagtails in the same view, five Chiff-chaff, c50 Sand Martins, a hunting Kingfisher, Shelduck as well as a variety of wildfowl and other birds. A decent end to the day that really upped our “daylist” from paltry to okay, ending up with a few less than 40 species in the day.
The news that “pencil birds” were on the move when we got back home was a little annoying, with one sighted over Loscoe Dam on its way to Erewash Meadows a tantalising glimpse of what we might have seen had we stayed local, the third bird in three weeks. And of course not to mention the Citrine Wagtail at Ogston (though that sounded elusive).
All in all an enjoyable days birding.
By ChrisLuv, on August 23rd, 2010
My wildlife education continued at Erewash Meadows this weekend with a few species I’d not seen before (very easy when you’re as experienced as me!).
Firstly a Red Admiral Butterfly larvae, on nettle. Very variable caterpillar, this one is the pale form.
Secondly, on the left a Green Leaf-hopper – a common leaf hopper in wetlands but a species I must admit I’ve never noticed. Thirdly, on the right an Earwig sp., which I wrongly identified as a Rove beetle initially. It was guarding its young, which were rolled up inside a nettle leaf – I hope I didn’t cause any problems looking what was in there – it came out and gave me a good stare, raising its tail at me.
 
Lastly, we have a familiar sight but one I’ve never actually bothered to id. This one is a Meadow Grasshopper assuming I’m correct.
By ChrisLuv, on August 19th, 2010
 When I’m not at work I seem to be on holiday recently. This time we spent 9 nights up near Matlock camping (@ Packhorse Farm, Tansley).
This gave me able opportunity for early morning walks (to get my son out of earshot of the other campers who may disagree with 6am wakeup calls), a visit to Beeley Moor and also visits to Carr Vale and Pools Brook CP.
First round the campsite: the fields were good for lapwings, and I also had good views of lots of linnet (a few 1st winter tried to fool me into thinking they might be twite but I resisted), Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, a hawking Hobby, a large flock of Mistle Thrush (100 easily), a posing Wheatear is cracking plumage, and, most interesting, a probable (almost definite) Goshawk hounded out of a tree by several corvids.
A walk round Chatsworth with non-birding friends also delivered, a Spotted Flycatcher still nesting and posing very well for photos. My friends hadn’t seen one before and enjoyed watching it feed from a nearby branch, and watching it return to the nest every now and then.
 
Carr Vale was a cracking site, I’ll definitely be back. I had a walk round the north side of the reserve (named after some bloke whose name escapes me) which had great paths for the buggy and plenty of dragonflies and damselflies, which I photographed later (check out flickr) when George had gone to sleep. At Carr Vale itself a local birder helped me find Little Owl and 2 Little Ringed Plover using his scope during George’s biscuit break, but the Kingfisher, Sedge Warbler and 3 Little Egret (and usual common birds) were easier to spot on my way round.
Pools Brook CP was a bit of a disappointment, great for the kids to play and feed the geese, but little to offer in the way of birding.
Beeley Moor had a Hobby (again Mummy was at work so I was birding in between reading George stories in the car) and Linnet but little else in the short time I was there.
On getting home I found, like last year, two Hawkmoth Caterpillars on my Rosebay Willowherb – monsters at least as big as my finger!
By ChrisLuv, on August 5th, 2010
Had a day of work for a spot of birding with a mate, Jim, and so we went for a tour of a few Derbyshire sites.
First stop Wyver Lane: Hobby (distant), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel (2), 4 Teal, House Martins, Swallows, Swift, 2 Common Sandpiper, c100 Lapwing, Mute Swan, 2 Grey Heron, Several Juv Moorhen, Coot, several Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Stock Dove, Jay, Chiffchaff. Also Holly Blue butterfly in gardens at bottom of lane.
Next Carsington Water: Good views of Kingfisher in front of Paul Stanley, also a few Common Buzzard, 4 Raven, Litte Grebes, Great Crested Grebes, Canada Geese, Cormorants, Yellow Legged Gull, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls, Wildlife Centre: Goldfinch, lovely male Linnet, Tree Sparrows, Garden Warbler, 2 Common Sand, single Teal. Also a Southern Hawker dragonfly.
Finally Butterly Res: Lots of Coot, Souther Hawker dragonfly, Wren. Also Thomas the Tank Engine on Railway 
By ChrisLuv, on August 2nd, 2010
A recent trip to Carsington Water (for a two-year olds birthday party – no birding sadly) and a trip to CONKERS in Leicestershire (again a family trip) gave me chance for the pictures below. As usual click for larger versions, I’m especially pleased with the bottom two.
Common Blue
Gatekeeper
Green-veined White
By ChrisLuv, on August 2nd, 2010
More garden “Mothing” on Saturday night. My general approach is to sit out with a few beers (not absolutely necessary) and the outside lights on and wait until something is attracted to the lights. I then take photos of them, and try and capture interesting specimens in a sandwich box with egg boxes inside. These are stored in the fridge overnight (to keep them inactive) before releasing the next day for better lit photos.
I also put out my beer and sugar solution and painted it on the fence, to see what might be attracted to that. I only saw one moth on that though.
Here’s some photos (click to view larger Flickr photos):
1. Large Yellow Underwing
2. Yellow Shell
3. Riband Wave
4. Willow Beauty (notice the feathered antennae)
Finally I also found this Pyrausta aurata (Mint Moth) in my garden last week, it’s a small day flying moth – I’m not sure of the Notts status but my guide has it listed as locally common.
By ChrisLuv, on July 24th, 2010
A weekend up on the Yorkshire Coast last week gave the opportunity to visit Bempton Cliffs. Not too much there, only the usual suspects. I should have been at Filey where a King Eider was being watched from the Brigg.
Here’s some photos from Bempton, very dull day weather wise so these are the only decent one’s I managed.
By ChrisLuv, on July 15th, 2010
Another from my garden, this time last night.
By ChrisLuv, on July 14th, 2010
Website problems make it difficult for me to finish the second week of Wales write up and photos. In the meantime here’s a Dark Arches I found in the garden last night, and so I kept him til this morning to get a nice photo. Keeping moths in the fridge seems so cruel!
By ChrisLuv, on July 11th, 2010
Was hoping to walk down to Bennerley yesterday but spent that long at Awsworth on the way down I never made it. What a fantastic quiet area for butterflies and moths. I’ve added a Google Street View interactive map at the bottom of how to get to the site (its off Awsworth Lane), that area has been good for Little Owl in the past too.
Once you’re up on the old railway embankment there is a nice walk along the wooded path, I think it leads all the way to Kimberley. There is a field to the left after a while (leads down to the Hogs Head) which also had quite a few butterflies.
I hardly saw any birds in the couple of hours I was out, but I did see Essex, Small and Large Skippers, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Green-veined White and Large White butterflies, as well as Six and Five Spot Burnet Moths. Macabrely I also found a recently dead mole by the side of the path.
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