A couple of hours here this afternoon. My first visit. All sightings were pretty much in the vicinity of Erwood Hall car park.

Wood Warbler 2 seen well and heard and a third, heard only.
Spotted Flycatcher 3
Pied Flycatcher 1f seen and 2 more heard
Redstart 1m and another heard
Grey wagtail
Peregrine 2, displaying over other side of reservoir

Late post for Monday 18th May 1-2pm.

Errwood area:

1 Wood Warbler still showing well
3 Spotted Flycatchers
1 Pied Flycatcher
3 Redstarts
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
5 Common Sandpipers
1 Tree Pipit, heard only

That's right, you said you had quite a few Blackcap's around last time you were there.

Also forgot to mention...
1 Jay and 1 Grey Wagtail both of which I missed but Steve got.
Cheers

Rob Creek wrote:

---

Early am to pm visit today with Steve Burke

Not been here for many years since I was a kid with my Dad, and some good species were stacking up thick and fast within minutes of parking up including...

-WOOD WARBLER - 1, a Lifer for me, thought I had one at Dove dale a couple of years ago but I'd misidentified a Willow Warbler
This bird was none stop singing thrashing out a long zipping call. Long primary projections, a very obvious bright yellow supercilium with a dark eye stripe, yellow face and throat with pure white breast. What a fantastic bird this was!

-TREE PIPIT - possibly 6 in all, another Lifer for me, Steve promised this one and it materialised!
Heard calling then located at top of a tree, then another one on the ground but as it took to the air it was joined by another 3 birds. Then a lone bird singing fairly close to us, exceptional views. Again some good features shown close up including the strong shortish bill, short hind claw that Steve managed a shot of, and the white lower breast.

-Common Redstart - possibly 7 in all, 2 females and 5 cracking males, some giving good close up views.
-Pied Flycatcher - possibly 4 in all, 1 female and 3 males, again giving excellent viewing.
-Spotted Flycatcher - possibly 6 in all, 2 pairs and a couple of singles. Giving good views but not providing photo opp's.
-Willow Warbler - 2 or 3 seen and lots more heard
-Chiffchaff - again 2 or 3 seen with lots more heard
-Goldcrest - 1 seen well, 2 seen as silhouettes, more heard
-Meadow Pipit - plenty around
-Skylark - 1 heard
-Nuthatch - 3
-Treecreeper - 1
-Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 on feeders, others heard
-Siskin - 2, 1 was a young one
-lots of Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch
-Song Thrush - 1
-Coal Tit - 2
-Long-tailed Tit - 3
-Common Sandpiper - possibly 5 in all, 1 then 3 together at the reservoir edge, and a close up individual feeding in the vegetation near the car park
-Curlew - 3
-Grey Heron - 1
-Cormorant - 1
-Lesser Black-backed Gulls - a few around
-Peregrine - 1 circling over us on reservoir edge, being mobbed by a Carrion Crow (tables were nearly turned when the Peregrine turned in mid-air showing its talons)
-Common Buzzard - 1
-Kestrel - 2
-Tawny Owl with Chick reported by a dog walker (photo taken by person)
- Cuckoo - heard 3 or 4 times in various areas around the site
-Red Grouse - lots heard whilst there, only a handful seen near the A537 Cat and Fiddle area
-only a few Swallow seen
-Greylag Goose - 1
Fair amount of usuals around including Corvids, Waterbirds, and Song Birds.

---

a great morning out rob & thanks again, something I did mention to rob about the area was that not a single blackcap was seen or heard which I did find very strange

Early am to pm visit today with Steve Burke

Not been here for many years since I was a kid with my Dad, and some good species were stacking up thick and fast within minutes of parking up including...

-WOOD WARBLER - 1, a Lifer for me, thought I had one at Dove dale a couple of years ago but I'd misidentified a Willow Warbler
This bird was none stop singing thrashing out a long zipping call. Long primary projections, a very obvious bright yellow supercilium with a dark eye stripe, yellow face and throat with pure white breast. What a fantastic bird this was!

-TREE PIPIT - possibly 6 in all, another Lifer for me, Steve promised this one and it materialised!
Heard calling then located at top of a tree, then another one on the ground but as it took to the air it was joined by another 3 birds. Then a lone bird singing fairly close to us, exceptional views. Again some good features shown close up including the strong shortish bill, short hind claw that Steve managed a shot of, and the white lower breast.

-Common Redstart - possibly 7 in all, 2 females and 5 cracking males, some giving good close up views.
-Pied Flycatcher - possibly 4 in all, 1 female and 3 males, again giving excellent viewing.
-Spotted Flycatcher - possibly 6 in all, 2 pairs and a couple of singles. Giving good views but not providing photo opp's.
-Willow Warbler - 2 or 3 seen and lots more heard
-Chiffchaff - again 2 or 3 seen with lots more heard
-Goldcrest - 1 seen well, 2 seen as silhouettes, more heard
-Meadow Pipit - plenty around
-Skylark - 1 heard
-Nuthatch - 3
-Treecreeper - 1
-Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 on feeders, others heard
-Siskin - 2, 1 was a young one
-lots of Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch
-Song Thrush - 1
-Coal Tit - 2
-Long-tailed Tit - 3
-Common Sandpiper - possibly 5 in all, 1 then 3 together at the reservoir edge, and a close up individual feeding in the vegetation near the car park
-Curlew - 3
-Grey Heron - 1
-Cormorant - 1
-Lesser Black-backed Gulls - a few around
-Peregrine - 1 circling over us on reservoir edge, being mobbed by a Carrion Crow (tables were nearly turned when the Peregrine turned in mid-air showing its talons)
-Common Buzzard - 1
-Kestrel - 2
-Tawny Owl with Chick reported by a dog walker (photo taken by person)
- Cuckoo - heard 3 or 4 times in various areas around the site
-Red Grouse - lots heard whilst there, only a handful seen near the A537 Cat and Fiddle area
-only a few Swallow seen
-Greylag Goose - 1
Fair amount of usuals around including Corvids, Waterbirds, and Song Birds.

Around Errwood Hall car park this morning:- Redstart, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and the busiest Wood Warbler I have ever seen or heard

Pyms chair-Shining Tor-Errwood Hall from 10-2:
Golden Plover
Wood Warbler
Garden Warbler
2 Curlew(at least 1 egg taken by a crow)
3 Red Grouse
Tree Pipit
Many Skylark and Meadow Pipit
2 Wheatear
Lesser Redpoll
Siskin
3 Kestrel
Common Buzzard
6 Willow Warbler
Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
2 Swift
7 Swallow
Sand Martin
Great Spotted Woodpecker
7 Lesser Black Backed Gull

Hi all,

Absolutely brilliant morning very early.

Walk around Errwood reservoir and along the one way road to Derbyshire Bridge.

3 Common Redstarts
2 Pied Flycatchers m+f
(both seen while stood on the one way road at the end of the reservoir).

1 Red Kite overhead between Errwood Hall car park and the second car park.
2 Mandarins on the other reservoir lower down (m+f).
1 Raven

Plus usuals.

Rob





-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 3rd of May 2015 12:59:33 PM

Very quiet this morning in the cold wind.
Highlights were a pair of Pied Flycatchers around the Errwood car park.
2 Tree Pipits
2 Common Sandpipers
2 Grey Herons
A Redstart, heard only.

lower goyt valley

2 male Pied flycatchers giving good views whilst hunting flying insects near Hillbridge wood.

2 Woodcock gave me a fright near Fernilee lagoons, flying off just before I tripped over them!

Andy

Friday 17th April

1 Common Sandpiper on the banks of Errwood reservoir
1 male Brambling
Tree Pipit heard
Common Redstart heard
2 Stonechat (pair)

Wednesday 15th April

1 Pied Flycatcher male
1 Common Redstart male
2 Curlew

Quick visit to Errwood for last hour of daylight last night (13.04.15).

1 Common Sandpiper on the limited amount of shoreline - water level very high

2 Greylags present.

1 Woodcock roding giving good views.

2 Tawny owls calling.

No sight or sound of any Redstarts or Flycatchers.

Andy

Wednesday 23rd July 7-9pm

Errwood Reservoir:
2 Ringed Plover
2 Little Ringed Plover

Derbyshire Bridge:
2 Kestrels
3 Red Grouse
1 Willow Warbler

Spent the day in the Goyt Valley Saturday 21st June from 9.00am to 3.00pm

Walked from Errwood Hall car park up to the Hall and then up the river valley from reservoir toward Derbyshire bridge.

2x Tree Pipit (near hall)
Coal Tit
Nuthatch
Jay
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
2x Grey Wagtail
2x Common Sandpiper (by reservoir)
1x Little Ringed Plover (by reservoir)
6x Common Redstart (2 by reservoir and family of 4 near hall)
Cormorant

Derbyshire bridge

Buzzard
Peregrine (flying down Valley from Cat and Fiddle)
4x Red Grouse (1 on own and family of 2 adults and one young)
many displaying Meadow Pipit
2x Curlew displaying
100s of Small Heath Butterflies across moors

Excellent day with stunning weather

I've been up to Goyt Valley many times but this was my ever best visit,
in fact it was rather magical, got up to there for 5.00 - Gorgeous dawn - no one one about

All the birds I'd been hoping to see just seemed to present themselves, no searching needed - lots of close encounters

Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Tree Pipit, Ring Ouzle, Golden Plover, Curlew, Red Grouse, Wheatear etc

Best by far though was a Wood Warbler, giving great views and still in song, they used to be regular here and in reasonable numbers, however this is the first I've seen
anywhere for several years.

Saturday 7th June 6pm-8pm

A lovely evening, eventually.
Around Errwood reservoir/car park area:
1 Common Sandpiper busying along the shoreline of the reservoir
1 Spotted Flycatcher
2 Redstarts (male and female)
1 Pied Flycatcher
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Grey Wagtail
Curlews heard
1 Red Grouse sat on a wall by Derbyshire Bridge

Axe Edge Moor
1 Golden Plover seen, several others heard

Fri evening

3 Hobbies above Errwood hunting insect prey at dusk. 2 seemed to transfer food to each other and one sustained an aerial attack by an angry Woodcock!

At least 6-8 Woodcock flying out from roost including a group of 3.


Male and Female Pied Flycatcher giving good views from the road leading from Errwood to Derbyshire bridge.

Andy

A Kite (presumably Red) was soaring high over Fernilee above the road down to the reservoir.

The bird appeared to have missing feathers or minor damage to it`s left wing

It would be interesting to hear if anybody else has seen a local Kite showing fitting this description.

Pied flycatcher, Spotted flycatcher, Tree Pipit and Redstart were present at Errwood Res.

Alas, the leaf canopy is now providing plenty of cover and making it difficult to see some of the calling birds today.

Andy

Pied Flycatchers and common Redstarts, male and female in both cases were seen with beaks full of food. Presumably the chicks of both species have hatched.

The Spotted Flycatchers were seen again around Errwood car park as well as Grey Wagtails feeding on the road.

Lucky enough to find my first Spotted Flycatchers of the year this afternoon, as Adam said right next to Errwood car park

A late post for yesterday Saturday 17th May.

Mainly around Errwood Car Park area.
1 Spotted Flycatcher
1 male Redstart
2 Pied Flycatchers
3 Tree Pipits
1 Common Sandpiper on the reservoir
2 Cuckoo (heard only)
1 Curlew
1 Oystercatcher

Don't know how I missed you Sid!! We were there between 10am-2-30pm
Saw much the same as you, but did see the Ring Ouzels last week - Just on the bend as you approach the Derbyshire Bridge car park.
We also saw a couple of Curlew today as well.

Regards

Geoff

Spent a good part of today in the Goyt Valley starting at Errwood Reservoir and going up to Derbyshire Bridge. Saw many of the same species as have been reported in the last week with the addition of Little ringed Plover and Cuckoo (heard calling in several locations then one flew over my head near the quarry). Also had very close views of both Redstart (m&f) and Pied Flycatcher(m&f). Alas despite a long search in less than pleasant conditions Ring Ouzels again proved elusive for me.

a walk over berry clough into the goyt valley...

lots of red grouse on berry clough, also 1 stonechat & 4 willow warblers, 2 kestrels, lots of meadow pipits.
at least 8 tree pipits, nice views of one as it was bathing in some water.
7 male redstarts
1 female redstart
1 male pied flycatcher
6 common sandpipers
1 dipper
lots of willow warblers all around
1 chiffchaff, oddly no sight or sounds of any blackcaps.
no spotted flycatchers, yet.
several cuckoos heard only in different locations.
6 buzzards
1 raven
1 sparrowhawk
4 goldcrests
3 great spotted woodpeckers
2 treecreepers
several nuthatches
plus all the usuals around.
several lizards sunbathing on the walls.

a great day out

A super morning, in bright sunshine but with a frost in some areas.

Tree Pipits singing by Errwood car park.
4 Common Sandpipers along the shore line of the reservoir.
Female Pied Flycatcher
Male Redstart
Ring Ouzel
4 Stonechat

1 Tree Pipit singing proudly in the trees up from Errwood car park.
1 Common Sandpiper on the fringes of Errwood reservoir
2 Grey Wagtails
4 Cormorants
2 Mistle Thrush
Many Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff
Curlews calling
No sightings of Redstarts or Pied Flycatchers for me.

My wife spotted a pair of Hobbies last weekend, she was hiking over the tops so a bit vague as to their location.

1 male Redstart near fernilee dam wall (15.00hrs).

andy

sat 12th April

lower goyt valley -

male Pied flycatcher - feeding in earnest in willows on woodland edge - none heard singing, this bird may have only just arrived in

1 dipper on the river goyt

4 Mandarin ducks on fernilee lagoon (3 male and 1 female)

1 male Sparrowhawk in hillbridge woods

1 Buzzard

andy

Morning visit around the valley with Dave B.

Splendid stag running and then crossing road near Pym's Chair
Chiffchaff and willow warbler at Errwood car park
Great spotted woodpecker in car park at Derbyshire Bridge was a first for me in years of visiting, in only copse of trees for some distance
Many red grouse all way up the valley
Also at least 6 wrens singing in the valley

Phil

Bramblings still in the area -200 + flew over the street (Errwood reservoir) car park at 15.15 hrs before landing in nearby larches.

Andy

Just had news of possible Parrot Crossbills seen and photographed on 1st December in the Goyt Valley.
Some pictures taken by Peter Welch (Buxton).

Cheers Ken
Parrot Crossbills?

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 8th of December 2013 03:22:16 PM

Small parties of Brambling calling and moving through the large tract of beech woodland that is located between Fernilee village and Ladder hill on Saturday afternoon (23/11/13).
Difficult to count them, as the parties were very mobile and mixed with other species (coal tits and chaffinches).
One or two parties flew across the valley towards Taxal.

Andy

There was a Great Grey Shrike today in the plantation behind the top end of street car park, the bird was found and observed by Paul Lewis and flew towards Pym's Chair.
Also present were Crossbill, Chaffinch and Brambling.

At least 5 common sandpipers on the muddy/sandy shorelines and 1 other near the dam wall.

1 spotted flycatcher (possibly a juvenile) in woodland above the reservoir.

andy

My first trip to the valley for some weeks.

Quiet around Errwood, surprisingly low water levels!
1 grey wagtail
Juvenile stonechat on way up to Derbyshire Bridge

Swifts overhead
Red grouse walking in the cotton grass
Buzzard
Curlew
2 grey wagtails near toilet block



Phil

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 25th of June 2013 08:23:59 AM

Had a look around the valley this morning and found Spotted Flycatcher (possibly 2 pairs), a Common Sandpiper, several Grey Wagtails some feeding on the road, Willow Warblers aplenty, a pair of Dippers feeding one young bird and my third Redstart of the morning, a female flycatching near the quarry

Marsh tit
spotted flycatcher
Tree pipit
redstart
willow warbler
Common sandpiper
all from one spot, just up the road
from the end carpark

thanks chris,

read it as marsh tit not isure why i typed in marsh warbler!

andy

Marsh tit around woodland near road just up from the Errwood road car park (right hand side as you head up towards Derbyshire Bridge).

andrew chapman wrote:

---

the marsh warbler was a great find, where was it seen?

---

Marsh Warbler ; Marsh Tit by any chance?

hello chris,

some good records from your walk around errwood.

i did n`t get up to the goyt valley much last may/june due to the weather and then bad hay fever.

the year before there was a wood warbler singing in the small copse above the road between the two errwood car parks.

there was also a cuckoo around that day and i have also seen them around deryshire bridge but not for a while.

hillbridge woods was a dependable wood warbler spot (near taxal) a few years ago but alas, no longer.

the marsh warbler was a great find, where was it seen?

andy

8.30-12.30 Errwood car park-Hall-Quarry-Dam circular walk around Errwood reservoir

1+ Cuckoo heard near Foxlow edge
5 Redstart
4 Pied Flycatcher(3 Male)
2 Tree Pipit (song flight)
Possible Wood Warbler near Shooters Clough Bridge, didn't sing, limited views.
2 Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Marsh Tit
Crossbill
Red Grouse
2 Common Sandpiper (mating)
2 Ringed Plover
Raven
Lesser Redpoll
Treecreeper
3+ Curlew (displaying)
3+ Common Buzzard
1+Kestrel
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Chiffchaff
Many Willow Warbler
2 Meadow Pipit
2 Skylark
Great Crested Grebe
6 Swallow
2 House Martin

a lovely long walk around the valley produced...

4 hobbys putting a fantastic ariel diplay catching small insects around goyts bridge
4 buzzards
2 sparrowhawks
1 kestrel
6 redstarts
5 pied flycatchers
1 stonechat & lots of red grouse & several curlews, berry clough.
at least 8 common sandpipers around errwood reservoir
lots of willow warblers all around
no signs of cuckoos or spotted flycatchers.
plus usuals around
tawny owl heard.
lizzards enjoying the sunshine along the walls.

At the start of the one way system,
pair of pied flycatcher
pair of redstart
one common sandpiper
great spotted woodpecker
willow warbler

Sunday morning - Apr 21st - Male Redstart below Fernilee Reservoir.

monday 9th July 8.00pm

walking along road from erwood car park (far end) to derbyshire bridge, had to keep moving because the midges were unbearable!

1 male redstart visible for several seconds before vanishing into the gloom and dense oak canopy.

1 common sandiper on nearside bank, on the creek leading up to derbyshire bridge.

A pair of Redstarts with lots of insects in beaks.
A Cuckoo heard between Errwood Reservoir and Derbyshire Bridge. Is this now getting late for them to be calling still?
Plenty of Willow Warblers around too.

Redstarts again putting on a cracking performance, male in particular performing for me and another photographer (sorry didn't get your name!). Put shots here for those interested in these cracking little birds!