A quick hour around the quarry area at midday produced 2 Red Legged Partridge in the area chopped down to make way for the new Pylon lines. Other than that there were numerous Skylark in song with several 'parachuting' Meadow Pipits, probably about 20 or so displaying Lapwings as well. Finally just one Wheatear today.
Cheers
Mark
Geoff Walton said
Mon Apr 1 4:44 PM, 2019
2-4pm
4 Wheatear
4 Curlew - flying
3 Skylark - in the air and 2 on the field
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Kestrel
C20 Lapwing
+LBJ's
-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Monday 1st of April 2019 04:48:45 PM
Geoff Walton said
Mon Apr 1 8:46 AM, 2019
Thanks John. I am going up this afternoon with a friend.
Regards
Geoff
John Rayner said
Sun Mar 31 11:04 PM, 2019
Much the same as Mark for me today. Had at least 3 male Wheatears (possibly 5) and 1 female.
Also 3 Snipe and 2 Curlew (they were in the field behind Pistol Farm, Geoff).
Otherwise just the regular birds.
Cheers John
Geoff Walton said
Sun Mar 31 3:22 PM, 2019
Anyone know if there is a regular field where Curlew can be found please, or is it just pot luck and in the air?
Mark Walsh said
Sun Mar 31 2:49 PM, 2019
Not a huge lot about but the day did have a 'spring' feel about it. First few Wheatear of the year with 5 birds seen, 1 just above Hillside farm (Derbyshire), 2 first right hand field up the PR path and 2 above Far Bradshaw.
A little on the 'slow' side, to say the least! Of some note were 20 rooks down, 2 ravens, chiffchaff, 13 lapwings, 2 red-legged partridge and a male reed bunting. The partridges were flushed by the farmer's wife and her team of dogs from the field between the pond and the plantation (about 20 minutes after you'd gone John!). Reed bunting also at the pond.
Mark Walsh said
Fri Mar 29 5:11 PM, 2019
A brief wander this afternoon, mainly the PR path and the quarry area;
Not a lot different today. A flock of 14 golden plover was the main addition. Curlew 4, skylark 3+, lapwing 29, redpoll heard, rook 5+, c10 stock doves, kestrel. The 'other wildlife' was of more interest.
Robert Adderley said
Tue Mar 19 4:36 PM, 2019
Late morning
Lapwing - 30 Curlew - 3 Buzzard - 1 Skylark - 1 Meadow Pipit - c10 Brambling - 1 male Tree Sparrow - 8 Reed Bunting - 1 The latter 3 species at Larkhill.
Midday wander around Gun Road and the Quarry produced;
Large Starling flock of c1000 71 Lapwing 32 Golden Plover 31 Skylark (single group feeding) 7 Meadow Pipit 1 Buzzard
Cheers
Mark
Mark Walsh said
Sat Mar 2 2:20 PM, 2019
Late post for yesterday;
8 Curlew just in Derbyshire (pond field above the quarry) c200 Starling and 50 Lapwing in a mixed flock 11 Skylark put up while I was walking along Gun Road 2 Raven 1 Kestrel and 1 Snipe
Cheers
Mark
Bill Beckwith said
Mon Feb 25 8:12 PM, 2019
Saw a red Kite near Clough End Farm about 4.00 pm today.
John Rayner said
Thu Feb 21 7:04 PM, 2019
Another Spring-like afternoon, in part with Mark Walsh.
A pair of Red Legged Partridge were a pleasant surprise.
No Raven's for a while now.
Cheers
Mark
Mark,
Had one yesterday, but little else. A snipe species rose from the weedy area around the pond just 4 feet in front of me and silently. Unfortunately it flew straight into the sun and behind a bush.
Andy
Cheers Andy, as it was I was down just as John was leaving yesterday and had 1 Raven then. No Stonechat but that was probably due to not getting that far over. Other than the Raven not much myself.
John Rayner said
Fri Feb 15 4:56 PM, 2019
A lovely Spring day - in the middle of February!
Stonechat male (my 3rd local bird this year after an almost blank 2018) Skylarks 5 (2 in full song) Lapwings 65 Tawny Owl 2 Reed Bunting 1 Buzzard 1
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Thu Feb 14 9:13 PM, 2019
Mark Walsh wrote:
A couple of hours spent up here this afternoon in the sun produced;
A pair of Red Legged Partridge were a pleasant surprise.
No Raven's for a while now.
Cheers
Mark
Mark,
Had one yesterday, but little else. A snipe species rose from the weedy area around the pond just 4 feet in front of me and silently. Unfortunately it flew straight into the sun and behind a bush.
Andy
Mark Walsh said
Thu Feb 14 6:05 PM, 2019
A couple of hours spent up here this afternoon in the sun produced;
A pair of Red Legged Partridge were a pleasant surprise.
No Raven's for a while now.
Cheers
Mark
Mark Walsh said
Thu Feb 7 1:35 PM, 2019
I was up briefly on Monday for an hour but there was not much about numbers wise, I did hear one 'hoot' from a Tawny Owl near Hillside farm though. Other than that a single small flock of 10 Golden Plover was the only other thing of note. Nothing at Larkhill this time.
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Thursday 7th of February 2019 01:36:58 PM
John Rayner said
Sun Feb 3 5:44 PM, 2019
Tree Sparrow 10 Greenfinch 6 Fieldfare 4 Buzzard 2 Common Gull 6
(Recent report of 32 Grey Partridge at Brownlow).
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sun Jan 27 2:00 PM, 2019
A surprise covey of at least 12 Grey Partridges flew across Gird Lane
Otherwise very quiet, the feeders at Larkhill being completely birdless. Elsewhere: A mixed flock of 41 Fieldfare and c90 Starlings 47 Rooks feeding with c180 Jackdaws 1 Pheasant
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Fri Jan 18 3:29 PM, 2019
Generally quiet with the only 'lively' place being the feeders at Larkhill which produced;
1 Brambling 6 Tree Sparrow 5 Chaffinch 1 Reed Bunting
Mostly Corvid's elsewhere (no Ravens), one single Meadow Pipit by the quarry and a couple of Bullfinch at Cloughend were the only other small birds visible.
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Sun Dec 16 12:54 PM, 2018
09.15-11.00: Quiet bird-wise but a decent walk in the sun.
Virtually birdless today but the 2 Red-legged Partridge persist above the quarry. Meadow Pipit 3 Grey Heron Starling flock 115
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Fri Nov 2 4:45 PM, 2018
Good numbers of Fieldfares (I saw approx. 450 but Mark reported larger numbers earlier on) Red-legged Partridge 1 (Above quarry. Flew towards eastern end of Q) Teal 1 Snipe 1
A couple of hours this afternoon produced not a lot. Most numerous were corvids and woodpigeons but amongst a measly 22 species were: 14 Fieldfares 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers 2 Snipe 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Goldcrest
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Sun Oct 28 10:36 AM, 2018
Looks like I got my ID wrong as Andy Bissitt had 2 Red-legged Partridge yesterday in the same area, so I withdraw my Grey Partridge. Usual excuses: Brief views, flying away, no time for optics, old age, mental infirmity etc. etc. but in the brief view I had I didn't pick out any white about the head.
Cheers John
John Rayner said
Mon Oct 22 5:15 PM, 2018
An unexpected surprise today in the form of 2 Grey Partridge below the quarry. A juvenile Mute Swan, looking totally exhausted, flew in and flopped down on a hillside amongst the rushes and gorse. Buzzards 2 Raven 2 Fieldfare c60 Greenfinch 9
To good for you this John ..... bet you have had Mrs Rayner and the grandchildren on it with the magnifying glass ??
Will do it again tonight when I get back from a few local hostelries ..... probably make it 336 !!
Roger.
John Rayner said
Fri Oct 19 4:00 PM, 2018
Main highlights this morning: Pink-footed Goose (316) in 3 closely associated skeins of 53, 168, 85. All SE at 12.10. Buzzard 5 (Resident pair seeing off 3 migrant interlopers) Skylark 2 over N. Redwing 15 (no Fieldfares) Nuthatch 3 Jay 4
Cheers John
Edit: Photo added of the largest skein. Roger Baker is my usual number checker so I expect him to be on here soon
-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 19th of October 2018 05:31:47 PM
In bright sunshine with Andy Bissitt and Mark Walsh:
Pink-footed Geese (2 skeins of 56 and 57 both SE) Redpoll 12 Greenfinch 7 Fieldfare 63 Redwing 15 Skylark 4 Chiffchaff 1 Great Spotted Woodpeckar 1 Buzzard 2 and Kestrel 1 Only a thin passage of Woodpigeons and Meadow Pipits today
Cheers John
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 18th of October 2018 01:38:56 PM
Before I met John, I had 33 pink-footed geese going west and whilst watching one of the other groups he mentions (which were probably one and the same), I saw a flock of 250+ woodpigeons way off to the east.
Andy
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 18th of October 2018 10:30:41 PM
John Rayner said
Thu Oct 18 12:43 PM, 2018
In bright sunshine with Andy Bissitt and Mark Walsh:
Pink-footed Geese (2 skeins of 56 and 57 both SE) Redpoll 12 Greenfinch 7 Fieldfare 63 Redwing 15 Skylark 4 Chiffchaff 1 Great Spotted Woodpeckar 1 Buzzard 2 and Kestrel 1 Only a thin passage of Woodpigeons and Meadow Pipits today
Cheers John
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 18th of October 2018 01:38:56 PM
John Rayner said
Tue Oct 16 3:54 PM, 2018
Quite a few birds migrating today, mostly SE.
Woodpigeons (433) with a few Starlings (28) amongst them. Only 5 Woodpigeons N Redwings (44) Fieldfares (40) Chaffinch 14 Greenfinch 9 Meadow Pipit (19) Jay 2 Raven 1
Take care if walking round the Western end of the quarry. Two large sink holes have appeared, one is at least 15 feet wide and 15 feet deep. Only one of them is roped off, the other part concealed. Over the years I must have been walking on a skin of grass and top soil
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 16th of October 2018 04:27:58 PM
Fieldfare 89 (1 flew north plus feeding flocks of 60 and 28) Tree Sparrow 11 Meadow Pipit 5 only Jay 6 Rook 4 Buzzard 3
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Sun Oct 7 2:27 PM, 2018
One flock of about 40 Fieldfare over the quarry early afternoon, not much else until I got to the car at Hillside and had a Sparrowhawk in the fields opposite.
cheers
Mark
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Oct 3 9:05 PM, 2018
2.00 - 4.40 p.m.
A male merlin gave me a thrilling display of its hunting technique just a few meters away. It flew off with the presumed meadow pipit and was probably the bird seen (at distance) being mobbed by two crows over the quarry area 50 minutes later.
Other things of note included 4 golden plover, 4+ snipe and a chiffchaff. Other than that the usuals like buzzards, kestrels, sparrowhawk, stock doves, common gulls, rook et al...
First post here for over a month during prime migration time. Kind of says it all really.
Andy Bissitt said
Fri Aug 31 9:23 PM, 2018
Only things which caught my eye on an afternoon of insect hunting were 5 ravens in loose association which went NW, and a juvenile/1st winter great black-backed gull. Otherwise it was a good job the sun provided me with some interest.
John Rayner said
Wed Aug 29 4:27 PM, 2018
28th and today's combined sightings (today with Paul Greenall)
156 Starlings (nicely perched up on wires for easy counting on 28th) Lapwings - a large flock of probably around 200 mixed in with over 80 Starlings (today) 2 Ravens mobbing 2 Buzzards Kestrel 2 Buzzard 3 Linnet 3 Swallow flocks of c50 and 15 plus 2s and 3s House Martins 4 Sparrowhawk buzzing the Swallows Bullfinch 3 Canada Goose 37 Rook 12 Chiffchaff 6
Cheers John
Mark Walsh said
Tue Aug 28 10:09 PM, 2018
Not much this afternoon;
50 Swallow over the fields near Larkhill, a further 20 or so through in small groups of 6 or less. 22 Meadow pipit 17 Mistle Thrush 11 Goldfinch 3 Jay 2 Kestrel 2 Chiffchaff 1 Buzzard
A visit this past Saturday produced 2 Spotted Flycatchers......alas in Derbyshire.
Cheers
Mark
John Rayner said
Wed Aug 22 1:58 PM, 2018
At last - some Autumn passage.
1 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Redstarts (m&f) in same small hawthorn near Cloughend. Another fem/imm Redstart below quarry. A total of 12 Chiffchaffs including 6 together below quarry 2 Blackcaps 1 Whitethroat 5 Swallows south 7 Rooks 3 Buzzards (1 ad hunting, 1 juv begging, 1 distantly soaring) 15 Meadow Pipits 5 Reed Buntings 22 Goldfinches 1 Pheasant (no big releases this year as yet)
Cheers John
Andy Bissitt said
Sun Aug 19 9:45 PM, 2018
This afternoon, more for the fresh air than anything. Not massively exciting but at least some birds to see, viz:
At least 10, and possibly as many as 15 tree sparrows at Lark Hill. Also at least one tree sparrow was with a flock of its house cousins back west along Sandhill Lane (I walked up from the Glossop Rd).
30+ linnets near Ernocroft Farm, where also 12 swallows.
1 raven down on Ernocroft Ln.
8 stock doves (flock of 7 + 1 loner),
c150 starlings with at least 12 mistle thrushes feeding on the rowans on the track to Greenfield Farm.
also, sparrowhawk, kestrel, 2 rooks, 20+ more swallows. Just any sign of migration missing really!!
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Aug 15 3:43 PM, 2018
Walked up the road from the Hare & Hounds at Mill Brow to the top (Derbyshire). Some of the habitat here is in better shape than walking Sandhill Lane, but it still held precious little. Most notable was a loose flock (with starlings) of mistle thrushes in the high 20's, and about 20 meadow pipits on fields either side of Gun Rd. It's a long walk though, and if not for the butterflies would not have been worth it.
Cheers
Mark
2-4pm
4 Wheatear
4 Curlew - flying
3 Skylark - in the air and 2 on the field
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Kestrel
C20 Lapwing
+LBJ's
-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Monday 1st of April 2019 04:48:45 PM
Thanks John. I am going up this afternoon with a friend.
Regards
Geoff
Also 3 Snipe and 2 Curlew (they were in the field behind Pistol Farm, Geoff).
Otherwise just the regular birds.
Cheers John
Anyone know if there is a regular field where Curlew can be found please, or is it just pot luck and in the air?
6 Meadow Pipit
5 Wheatear
3 Raven
2 Curlew
1 Buzzard
1 Reed Bunting
Cheers
Mark
A little on the 'slow' side, to say the least! Of some note were 20 rooks down, 2 ravens, chiffchaff, 13 lapwings, 2 red-legged partridge and a male reed bunting. The partridges were flushed by the farmer's wife and her team of dogs from the field between the pond and the plantation (about 20 minutes after you'd gone John!). Reed bunting also at the pond.
16 Lapwing
7 Skylark
5 Meadow Pipit
3 Pied Wagtail
2 Chiffchaff
2 Kestrel
1 Curlew
1 Jay
No Wheatear as yet.
Cheers
Mark
21 Lapwing
14 Meadow Pipit
6 Skylark
3 Curlew (one up near the Picking Rods and 2 near Far Bradshaw)
2 Reed Bunting.
Alas no Wheatear.
Cheers
Mark
Walked round between 11 00 and 1 15.Dull at first but brighteed later.
Saw 2 kestrels,buzzard twice,2 gplden plovers,about 15 lapwings,curlew heard,2 meadow pipits,3+skylarks
3 mistle thrushes,3 tree sparrows at Larkhill.many starlings in flock.
Elsewhere;
14 Lapwing
9 Meadow Pipit
3 Skylark
3 Fieldfare
2 Buzzard
2 Mistle Thrush
1 Kestrel
1 Reed Bunting
Cheers
Mark
Not a lot different today. A flock of 14 golden plover was the main addition. Curlew 4, skylark 3+, lapwing 29, redpoll heard, rook 5+, c10 stock doves, kestrel. The 'other wildlife' was of more interest.
Lapwing - 30
Curlew - 3
Buzzard - 1
Skylark - 1
Meadow Pipit - c10
Brambling - 1 male
Tree Sparrow - 8
Reed Bunting - 1
The latter 3 species at Larkhill.
6 Tree Sparrow, a Reed Bunting and a Brambling at the Larkhill feeders: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S53980621
Large Starling flock of c1000
71 Lapwing
32 Golden Plover
31 Skylark (single group feeding)
7 Meadow Pipit
1 Buzzard
Cheers
Mark
8 Curlew just in Derbyshire (pond field above the quarry)
c200 Starling and 50 Lapwing in a mixed flock
11 Skylark put up while I was walking along Gun Road
2 Raven
1 Kestrel and 1 Snipe
Cheers
Mark
Saw a red Kite near Clough End Farm about 4.00 pm today.
Raven 1
Skylark 5
Starling c30
Tawny Owl 2
Kestrel 1
Lesser Redpoll 1
Peregrine 1 (Mark only)
Golden Plover (heard, Mark only)
Cheers John
Cheers Andy, as it was I was down just as John was leaving yesterday and had 1 Raven then. No Stonechat but that was probably due to not getting that far over. Other than the Raven not much myself.
Stonechat male (my 3rd local bird this year after an almost blank 2018)
Skylarks 5 (2 in full song)
Lapwings 65
Tawny Owl 2
Reed Bunting 1
Buzzard 1
Cheers John
Mark,
Had one yesterday, but little else. A snipe species rose from the weedy area around the pond just 4 feet in front of me and silently. Unfortunately it flew straight into the sun and behind a bush.
Andy
47 Lapwing
23 Starling
7 Golden Plover
2 Buzzard
2 Skylark
1 Kestrel
A pair of Red Legged Partridge were a pleasant surprise.
No Raven's for a while now.
Cheers
Mark
-- Edited by Mark Walsh on Thursday 7th of February 2019 01:36:58 PM
Greenfinch 6
Fieldfare 4
Buzzard 2
Common Gull 6
(Recent report of 32 Grey Partridge at Brownlow).
Cheers John
Otherwise very quiet, the feeders at Larkhill being completely birdless. Elsewhere:
A mixed flock of 41 Fieldfare and c90 Starlings
47 Rooks feeding with c180 Jackdaws
1 Pheasant
Cheers John
1 Brambling
6 Tree Sparrow
5 Chaffinch
1 Reed Bunting
Mostly Corvid's elsewhere (no Ravens), one single Meadow Pipit by the quarry and a couple of Bullfinch at Cloughend were the only other small birds visible.
Cheers
Mark
Larkhill Feeders:
Tree Sparrow 4
Bullfinch 2
Reed Bunting 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Quarry area:
Mistle Thrush 3
Lapwing 16
Common Gull 6
Buzzard 1
Raven 1
Cheers John
Fieldfare 17
Redwing 2
Tree Sparrow 5
Cheers, John
17th November:
Pink-footed Geese 130 west
Cormorant 4 north
Raven 2
Sparrowhawk 2
Redwing c10
Fieldfare c20
Rook 1
Greenfinch 9
15th November:
Brambling 1
Snipe 1
[No decent insects either visit]
Cheers, John
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 17th of November 2018 07:54:00 PM
Buzzard 2
Raven 2
Kestrel 1
Redpoll 9
Tree Sparrow 7
Redwing 2
Skylark 2 over
One Buzzard was harassed by the kestrel, escaped and unluckily flew straight into 2 aggressive Ravens.
Best though was a very late date butterfly
10 November (Late News):
Teal 3
Snipe 3
Lapwing c90
Cheers, John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 13th of November 2018 04:43:39 PM
Meadow Pipit 3
Grey Heron
Starling flock 115
Cheers John
Red-legged Partridge 1 (Above quarry. Flew towards eastern end of Q)
Teal 1
Snipe 1
Late insects on other wildlife
Cheers, John
Snipe 6
Meadow Pipits 8
Redwing 5
Fieldfare 1
Tree Sparrow 8
Greenfinch 12
Raven 1
Kestrel 1
Buzzard 1
Some late insects on other wildlife
Cheers, John
14 Fieldfares
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
2 Snipe
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Goldcrest
Cheers John
Cheers John
A juvenile Mute Swan, looking totally exhausted, flew in and flopped down on a hillside amongst the rushes and gorse.
Buzzards 2
Raven 2
Fieldfare c60
Greenfinch 9
Cheers, John
To good for you this John ..... bet you have had Mrs Rayner and the grandchildren on it with the magnifying glass ??
Will do it again tonight when I get back from a few local hostelries ..... probably make it 336 !!
Roger.
Pink-footed Goose (316) in 3 closely associated skeins of 53, 168, 85. All SE at 12.10.
Buzzard 5 (Resident pair seeing off 3 migrant interlopers)
Skylark 2 over N.
Redwing 15 (no Fieldfares)
Nuthatch 3
Jay 4
Cheers John Edit: Photo added of the largest skein. Roger Baker is my usual number checker so I expect him to be on here soon
-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 19th of October 2018 05:31:47 PM
Before I met John, I had 33 pink-footed geese going west and whilst watching one of the other groups he mentions (which were probably one and the same), I saw a flock of 250+ woodpigeons way off to the east.
Andy
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 18th of October 2018 10:30:41 PM
In bright sunshine with Andy Bissitt and Mark Walsh:
Pink-footed Geese (2 skeins of 56 and 57 both SE)
Redpoll 12
Greenfinch 7
Fieldfare 63
Redwing 15
Skylark 4
Chiffchaff 1
Great Spotted Woodpeckar 1
Buzzard 2 and Kestrel 1
Only a thin passage of Woodpigeons and Meadow Pipits today
Cheers John
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 18th of October 2018 01:38:56 PM
Woodpigeons (433) with a few Starlings (28) amongst them. Only 5 Woodpigeons N
Redwings (44)
Fieldfares (40)
Chaffinch 14
Greenfinch 9
Meadow Pipit (19)
Jay 2
Raven 1
Take care if walking round the Western end of the quarry. Two large sink holes have appeared, one is at least 15 feet wide and 15 feet deep. Only one of them is roped off, the other part concealed. Over the years I must have been walking on a skin of grass and top soil
Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 16th of October 2018 04:27:58 PM
Fieldfare 89 (1 flew north plus feeding flocks of 60 and 28)
Tree Sparrow 11
Meadow Pipit 5 only
Jay 6
Rook 4
Buzzard 3
Cheers John
cheers
Mark
2.00 - 4.40 p.m.
A male merlin gave me a thrilling display of its hunting technique just a few meters away. It flew off with the presumed meadow pipit and was probably the bird seen (at distance) being mobbed by two crows over the quarry area 50 minutes later.
Other things of note included 4 golden plover, 4+ snipe and a chiffchaff. Other than that the usuals like buzzards, kestrels, sparrowhawk, stock doves, common gulls, rook et al...
First post here for over a month during prime migration time. Kind of says it all really.
Only things which caught my eye on an afternoon of insect hunting were 5 ravens in loose association which went NW, and a juvenile/1st winter great black-backed gull. Otherwise it was a good job the sun provided me with some interest.
156 Starlings (nicely perched up on wires for easy counting on 28th)
Lapwings - a large flock of probably around 200 mixed in with over 80 Starlings (today)
2 Ravens mobbing 2 Buzzards
Kestrel 2
Buzzard 3
Linnet 3
Swallow flocks of c50 and 15 plus 2s and 3s
House Martins 4
Sparrowhawk buzzing the Swallows
Bullfinch 3
Canada Goose 37
Rook 12
Chiffchaff 6
Cheers John
50 Swallow over the fields near Larkhill, a further 20 or so through in small groups of 6 or less.
22 Meadow pipit
17 Mistle Thrush
11 Goldfinch
3 Jay
2 Kestrel
2 Chiffchaff
1 Buzzard
A visit this past Saturday produced 2 Spotted Flycatchers......alas in Derbyshire.
Cheers
Mark
1 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Redstarts (m&f) in same small hawthorn near Cloughend.
Another fem/imm Redstart below quarry.
A total of 12 Chiffchaffs including 6 together below quarry
2 Blackcaps
1 Whitethroat
5 Swallows south
7 Rooks
3 Buzzards (1 ad hunting, 1 juv begging, 1 distantly soaring)
15 Meadow Pipits
5 Reed Buntings
22 Goldfinches
1 Pheasant (no big releases this year as yet)
Cheers John
This afternoon, more for the fresh air than anything. Not massively exciting but at least some birds to see, viz:
At least 10, and possibly as many as 15 tree sparrows at Lark Hill. Also at least one tree sparrow was with a flock of its house cousins back west along Sandhill Lane (I walked up from the Glossop Rd).
30+ linnets near Ernocroft Farm, where also 12 swallows.
1 raven down on Ernocroft Ln.
8 stock doves (flock of 7 + 1 loner),
c150 starlings with at least 12 mistle thrushes feeding on the rowans on the track to Greenfield Farm.
also, sparrowhawk, kestrel, 2 rooks, 20+ more swallows. Just any sign of migration missing really!!
Walked up the road from the Hare & Hounds at Mill Brow to the top (Derbyshire). Some of the habitat here is in better shape than walking Sandhill Lane, but it still held precious little. Most notable was a loose flock (with starlings) of mistle thrushes in the high 20's, and about 20 meadow pipits on fields either side of Gun Rd. It's a long walk though, and if not for the butterflies would not have been worth it.