Post for yesterday 11th. A lovely walk from Buxton & over berry clough.
Swifts, swallows & house martins on route. Curlews, lapwings, golden plover, at least 7 red grouse, 1 stonechat & 1 reed bunting over berry clough. Lots of buzzards throughout the day. 2 sparrowhawk 1 kestrel.
1 wood warbler along the Riverside walk, found it hard to get a photo as it was moving around a lot. 3 garden warblers, 2 seen. 7 pied flycatchers 5 redstarts 3 tree pipits No sign of any spotted flycatcher 5 cuckoo, 4 seen Willow warblers everywhere Several blackcaps & chiffchaffs Plenty of siskin around 2 nuthatch 1 great spotted woodpecker 1 tawny owl 2 common sandpipers 1 dipper 3 grey heron 6 grey wagtails Cormorant with orange darvic 279 Plus all the usuals.
Highlights of today's High Peak RSPB group trip to the Goyt Valley from Errwood Reservoir to Derbyshire Bridge:
Minimum 4 pairs of Pied Flycatcher, 4 male Redstart, Tawny Owl, 1+Cuckoo, 2 Ring Ouzel, Common Sandpiper, Tree Pipit, 6 Curlew, Red Kite, Dipper, 2 Siskin, 3 Stonechat, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Sparrowhawk, Red Grouse, Reed Bunting, many Willow Warbler, 3 Goldcrest, Mandarin Duck.
Adam Jones said
Sat Apr 29 8:43 AM, 2023
Friday 28th April
Errwood Reservoir to river side walk: 3 Pied Flycatchers (2m 1f) 2 Redstarts, both male 1 Common Sandpiper 1 Tree Pipit 1 Cuckoo 2 Bullfinch 2 Nuthatch 2 Treecreepers Lots of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs and distant calling Curlew
John Williams said
Mon Feb 27 5:10 PM, 2023
Midday visit
Derbyshire Bridge-Packhorse Bridge circular walk:
1 Red Kite (Heading North through the valley), 2 Ravens, 1 Dipper and a solitary Skylark.
Steve Smith said
Tue Jun 21 11:13 PM, 2022
Walk from street carpark to Erwood Hall Cuckoo heard and then seen in area that has been cleared on way up to Hall Tree Pipit in carpark
Paul Flackett said
Wed Apr 20 9:25 PM, 2022
My first two Pied Flycatchers (both males) seen near Errwood Reservoir yesterday. Also several Tree Pipits delivering their wonderful song from the tree-tops. Common Sandpiper heard but couldn't locate it.
Adam Jones said
Fri May 10 7:30 PM, 2019
11am
Errwood car park to Riverside Walk:
3 Common Redstarts 2 Pied Flycatchers 4 Common Sandpipers 1 Tree Pipit
andrew chapman said
Mon Apr 29 1:39 PM, 2019
Errwood Res - 8.20 am - 10.00am 28.04.19
At least 6 calling male Pied Flycatchers further up the valley and at least 1 female.
3 Common Sandpipers on the Errwood res dam wall and 2 further up the valley near the river goyt flowing into the res.
Cuckoo calling near Errwood Hall (and possibly another across the valley ).
p.s Missed the Osprey yesterday, but got a call mid afternoon from Ray Scally (who first picked it up flying overhead moments earlier) that one was on Bollinhurst Res a few miles away from the Goyt Valley (Lyme Park - Cheshire) - obviously a chance it could be the same bird.Views distant and access restricted, but still present when I left near tea time.
Andy
Adam Jones said
Sun Apr 28 12:42 PM, 2019
10:30 - 11:45am
An Osprey drifted north over Errwood reservoir just after 10.30 1 Common Sandpiper on the reservoir wall A Cuckoo heard calling on the southern side of the reservoir
In the wooded areas above Errwood car park: 2 Tree Pipits 4 Common Redstarts (3 male, 1 female) 2 Siskin 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker Lots of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs No Pied Flycatchers seen, but didn't have time to check as many areas as I'd have liked.
Chris Harper said
Sun Apr 29 8:22 PM, 2018
Quick hour with High Peak RSPB group from 8.30-9.30 this morning en route to Middleton Lakes.
Highlights: 4 Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Tree Pipit, Dipper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Curlew, Red Grouse
Julian Winstanley said
Mon May 22 8:47 AM, 2017
Excellent day out yesterday for the High Peak RSPB group in the Goyt Valley area (The Street, Errwood, Goystclough and Derbyshire Bridge carparks, plus a visit to the Danebower quarries) with a good turnout: over 20 people I think! Highlights included:
Spotted flycatcher (as below, no sign of pied flycatchers) Chiffchaff Willow warbler Garden warbler Tree pipit Buzzard (including one carrying prey) Redstart Dipper Grey wagtail Group (presumed family) of at least 5 treecreeper, with adults feeding juveniles Sparrowhawk Cuckoo heard but not seen Goldcrest heard but not seen Curlew Tawny owl Red grouse Stonechat Whinchat (Derybyshire bridge if anyone wants to go looking) Pied wagtail Wheatear Lapwing Group of at least 7 raven Kestrel Hobby Peregrine Golden plover Swallows stock dove blackcap great crested grebe siskin sandpiper heard but not seen
John Rayner said
Sun May 21 5:02 PM, 2017
Errwood car park - Riverside Walk - Goytclough Quarry - Stakeside - Shooters Clough.
Spotted Flycatchers 4 (possibly 5) Redstarts 7 (males singing) Pied Flycatchers Zero (certainly seem to be thin on the ground this year) Tree Pipit 3 Cuckoo calling (Shooters Clough) Willow Warblers numerous Treecreeper
1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel were the only raptors.
Cheers, John
Badbirdersue said
Sun May 21 4:33 PM, 2017
Sun 21 May 7.30 am to 3pm Street car park: forest track : garden warbler top of car park: spotted flycatchers, tree pipits Usual pied fly area with nestboxes: female pied fly, briefly. Two redstart. Cuckoo calling from Stakeside area. Dipper, grey wagtail, sparrowhawk at Goytsclough quarry Derbyshire bridge: whinchat, stonechat Danebower quarries: no ring ouzel. About 8 ravens together over the moors. Wheatear. Barn on right further down the road: male peregrine, kestrel, buzzard. Golden plover, swallows nesting in barn.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 21st of May 2017 04:44:41 PM
andrew chapman said
Sat May 20 9:07 PM, 2017
sat 20th may Errwood Res & riverside walk area
5.30pm -7.00pm
ditto Adam`s sightings re Spotted Flycatchers (4) and alas comments re Pieds.
I staked out several spots where it has been easy to see Pieds in recent years but none seen or heard tonight
Pair of Mandarin Duck in trees near car park
Pair of Treecreepers gave close views in trees above car park.
Andy
Adam Jones said
Sat May 20 8:06 PM, 2017
Saturday 20th May 6:30am
3 (maybe 4) very vocal Common Redstarts between Errwood car park and the riverside walk. They were quite visible, but always at the very tops of the trees. 4 Tree Pipits 4 Spotted Flycatchers. A pair seen at the riverside walk and two further back towards Errwood car park. 1 Woodcock flushed. My first seen in full daylight. Cuckoo heard calling from the direction of Stakeside, but never seen. No sign or sound of any Pied Flycatchers for me. Numbers seem low this year.
andrew chapman said
Sun May 14 9:08 AM, 2017
sat 13th may 8.00am
Errrwood res
At least 2 Cuckoo calling in opposite ends of the valley
Redstarts - at least 3 seen others calling
on road towards Stakeside -
Tree Pipits displaying and gathering nesting material
Female Mandarin- high up a Scots pine tree
At least 1 Spotted Flycatcher near the riverside walk beeches.
Pied Flys calling but hidden in leaf canopy - checking out caterpillars I guess
Andy
andrew chapman said
Sat May 6 11:48 AM, 2017
8.15am - 9.30 am Sat 6th May
Errwood res
Cuckoo distant but visible and calling from the top of a hawthorn tree across from car park.
1 female Redstart gathering nesting material.
3 Common Sandpipers (1 sat in car park as I arrived).
Pied flys calling but not seen.
Andy
Adam Jones said
Sun Apr 30 8:07 PM, 2017
Sunday 30th April 10am
1 female Crossbill as I was sat on the bench on the river walk. Very unexpected, then I saw that a pair were reported (below) on Friday. Good news. 2 Common Redstarts 2 Tree Pipits
Otherwise pretty quite again, other than Willow Warblers mainly.
Julian Winstanley said
Sun Apr 30 4:03 PM, 2017
Add two common sandpiper at the water's edge
Julian Winstanley said
Sun Apr 30 3:48 PM, 2017
Redstart and spotted flycatcher at Errwood Hall car park
Geoff Walton said
Fri Apr 28 3:33 PM, 2017
2 Crossbills - Male and Female in a tree two thirds up to the river walk on the Res. side
2/3 Tree Pipits
1 Curlew flying at Derbyshire Bridge
1 Raven flying
3 Red Grouse
Andy Voisey said
Thu Apr 27 7:33 PM, 2017
My wife was on a sewing course in Poynton, so more in hope than expectation I decided to visit the Goyt Valley.
Weather was varying between drizzle and rain when I parked up at Errwood Hall Car Park, and as it was full I parked at the side of the road and set off towards Derbyshire Bridge.
I was short of year ticks for both flycatchers, redstart, wood warbler and sandpipers. Two hours later I was still short of them and set off back to the car.
Apart from one jay and a nuthatch the only birds vocalising were willow warblers and chaffinch, even the robins were silent.
I arrived back at the car park to see Buxton Mountain Rescue bring a "client" down the hill on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.
I decided to try my luck at the north end of the valley and was putting my gear in the boot, when what I thought was a pied wagtail caught my eye.
Closer views with my binoculars confirmed it as a pied flycatcher, with a second in a birch at the side of the reservoir. They were flycatching from the trees on the shore and making their way along the waters edge.
I headed north towards the road bridge so I could get a decent camera shot as they came up, when I heard a bird I didn't recognise calling from a birch copse on the car park side of the road and tried to locate it.
The call started like a willow warbler song and after a couple of notes degenerated into a dry gutteral wheeze, very harsh like the tail end of a goldfinch call.
I never did locate the bird and it could just have been a willow warbler with something in its throat. The search however put me straight onto a spotted flycatcher, catching from the end tree in the copse.
When it spotted me it flew off, so I carried on round to photograph the pieds, but they had gone.
I then scanned the shoreline with my binoculars and found the common sandpiper I needed.
Birding is strange I get soaked and see nothing for 2 hours, then as I am packing up I pick up 3 ticks in 10 minutes.
A further two hours at the north end produced nothing further.
The broadleaf trees here are only just starting to bud, so I think it may be a couple of weeks before the flycatchers settle down to raising a family, and we see the redstarts and wood warblers appear.
I will return on a sunny day in a fortnight.
Adam Jones said
Sat Apr 22 5:05 PM, 2017
Saturday 22nd April 8am
Errwood reservoir area: 2 Common Redstarts 3 Tree Pipits Many Willow Warblers Cuckoo heard
andrew chapman said
Tue Apr 18 2:05 PM, 2017
Lower Goyt Valley -
Sat 15/4/17
Pied Flycatchers (male and female) -
Willow Warblers & Swallows around Fernilee.
Mon 17/4/17
2 Oystercatchers on dam wall - Fernilee res
2 Treecreepers passing food to each other
1 Woodcock near Fernilee reservoir car parking area.
1 Mandarin
Dipper on river goyt
No sign of Redstart yet ...maybe Errwood..!?
Andy
Rob Creek said
Thu Jul 28 10:15 AM, 2016
Wednesday 27th July
With Steve Burke and Simon Gough, we were all hoping for an eventful evening... well we certainly got that alright! We were absolutely eaten alive by the swarms of biting tiny flies. Forget Jungle Formula Insect repellant, it was more like Insect attractant.
Of note... - Spotted Flycatcher possibly 5 - Common Buzzard 1 - Tawny Owls heard only - Common Sandpiper heard only - Woodcock heard distantly ...and a large raptor was seen that Steve noticed and I caught the tail end of which we agreed was quite long, unfortunately will remain unidentified as we got nowhere near enough of it to ID it.
2 tiny Bats (Pipistrelle types) and a Weasel seen too!
Andy Voisey said
Mon Jul 4 7:53 PM, 2016
Out yesterday evening looking for pied flycatchers, before the dusk woodcock parade.
No pied seen but one spotted fly unexpectedly found up by the quarry. Is this unusual or are they occasionally seen here?
One wood warbler seen down from the river walk path.
In the pines at dusk a continual stream of woodcock, but hard to tell if it was just half a dozen or two dozen.
Evening topped off by a lifer for me.
-- Edited by Andy Voisey on Monday 4th of July 2016 08:41:59 PM
Sunday near Goytsclough quarry:
4 Whinchats in bracken slope
Dipper and Redstart in clough
andrew chapman said
Sat Jun 4 7:07 PM, 2016
sat 4th june - lower goyt valley
Cuckoo calling from woodland between fernilee and taxal
Pied flycatchers calling along the lower goyt valley - good to see 2 pairs successfully returning with food parcels to nest sites
Andy
andrew chapman said
Mon May 30 9:01 AM, 2016
Upper goyt valley - sun 29th May
Cuckoos still calling in earnest near Stakeside and Errwood.
Nice to see a pair of Redstart making regular visits to their nest site with caterpillars.
At least 2 Woodcock roding above Errwood later in the day.
Just 1 Common Sandpiper seen, high up in a tree!
Very busy everywhere in the afternoon with cyclists and walkers but the Pied Flycatchers were still showing well in tree tops from Errwood to Goyt Clough,
Andy
Adam Jones said
Tue May 24 12:52 PM, 2016
Tuesday 24th May 5.00am to 8.00am
Cuckoos were the order of the day, being heard at Pym's Chair, Errwood Hall, Errwood reservoir and seen singing along The Street. Male and female Redstarts seen near Errwood car park, and another singing behind Errwood Hall. Two Spotted Flycatchers at Errwood Hall. A Wonderful cacophony of bird song throughout the whole valley.
Geoff Walton said
Fri May 20 4:29 PM, 2016
Fri 20th C10.30-2pm
Cuckoo heard and seen at Errwood Hall
Two male and one Female Redstart
4 Curlew wheeling and hovering
-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Saturday 21st of May 2016 08:20:08 AM
Adam Jones said
Tue May 17 8:20 AM, 2016
Monday 16th May 7.30pm
Errwood area:
2 Spotted Flycatchers 1 Common Redstart (male) 3 Song Thrush fledglings being fed 2 Mistle Thrush
Phil Barnett said
Sun May 15 4:44 PM, 2016
10.00 Errwood reservoir to Derbyshire Bridge
Redstart 3 singing
Pied flycatcher 2 singing
Spotted flycatcher 5
Common sandpiper 2
Cuckoo 1
Siskin fledglings
john tromans said
Sat May 14 12:54 PM, 2016
Yesterday 13 May. 8.30 to 12.30 am. Parked in Errwood Car park and walked on long the road away from the reservoir. (the one way road). Located several Pied Flycatchers and Common Redstarts. The Redstarts were very active. Over on the moor were Curlew and a Red Grouse was heard. Returned to the car park and heard a close Green Woodpecker to the left of the road by the wall but could not locate it. On the open area between the car park and the gate leading to the ruined hall were a couple of superb Tree Pipts and a Spotted Flycatcher was in the bushes to the right. Sit on the bench in the open area and wait! Two Common Sandpipers were on the edge of the reservoir by the car park. There were several singping Willow Warblers but only one Chiffchaff. Several of the more common species were also seen.
There were no Cuckoo heard. A great mornings birding in warm sunshine and I managed some nice photos as well!
Adam Jones said
Wed May 11 10:43 PM, 2016
Very quiet tonight. Cold and cloudy. My first Cuckoo of the year heard calling in the direction if Stakeside.
Mark Jarrett said
Mon May 9 4:54 PM, 2016
Visited the area today for the first time. Arrived at 10.45 and walked up from Errwood Car Park to the ruins, beyond to where the trees thin out and then looped back to the car park via the ruins again. Then had a moorland walk via Stakeside, essentially following the track two thirds the way to the Cat & Fiddle before retracing my route. Back at the car park at 14.00 hrs. Amongst others :-
No Flycatchers showing for me today, possibly because of the strong wind keeping flies well hidden. I stood and waited by the streams several times without luck. Obviously, the birds are around and the habitat is 'bang on,' possibly just one of those days. Early on, there was a Cuckoo calling on the moors, beyond the trees at Stakeside, whilst just before 2pm it/another was calling up beyond the eastern side of the reservoir, ie. well across the valley. Possibly two birds but more likely the same one moving around. The moors were fairly quiet and mirroring the bird sightings up there, just one Green Hairstreak butterfly was seen.
Y
sid ashton said
Mon May 9 4:23 PM, 2016
I was lucky enough to get good views of a Cuckoo in flight this morning over the wood on the walk up to Stakeside Ridge from Errwood car park.
steven burke said
Sat May 7 11:44 PM, 2016
7th may 10-2.30pm
erwood res/erwood car park/big wood.
5 pied flycatcher, male & female & 3 males. 6 redstart, male & female & 4 males. 2 spotted flycatcher 8+ tree pipit 4 common sandpiper no sight or sound of any cuckoos & again just like last year no sight or sound of any blackcaps 2 great spotted woodpecker 1 nuthatch 2 treecreeper 3 grey wagtail lots of willow warblers all around 1 kestrel 1 buzzard 2 tufted duck curlew & red grouse on the moors.
an enjoyable early morning trip with Ray Scally.....highlights were
Fernilee -
Spotted flycatcher
Pied flycatcher 4-5
Erwood
Pied Flycatchers present but less evident than lower down the valley at Fernilee
Tree pipits singing from tree tops
Redstart
Common Sandpiper (4)
Stakeside
Cuckoo heard but not seen
Andy
Phil Hampson said
Wed Apr 20 1:30 PM, 2016
Excellent morning in the valley. Willow Warblers everywhere, plus Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush and Song Thrush. 3 Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover on the side of the reservoir. Tree Pipit and Redstart up the track where the Wood Warbler was last year.
Phil
andrew chapman said
Tue Apr 19 8:12 AM, 2016
1 male Pied Flycatcher below Fernilee reservoir on sat evening (16th April).... taking cover from the snow storm!
2 male Mandarin on the lagoons.
Andy
Adam Jones said
Mon Apr 18 10:13 PM, 2016
Quick visit tonight. 1 male Common Redstart in the woodland above Errwood reservoir car park. Plenty of Willow Warblers around
-- Edited by Adam Jones on Monday 18th of April 2016 10:24:53 PM
Errwood Car Park. at least 4 willow warblers singing with similar number of chiffchaff. Both song and mistle thrush present. Further up the valley 2 dippers and a grey wagtail. Very mild and quiet with no wind for a change. All usual species present.
Phil
andrew chapman said
Sun Sep 27 8:44 PM, 2015
2 Stonechat near Derbyshire Bridge on south facing slope, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. (sat aft) Andy
Andy Voisey said
Thu Jul 2 7:07 PM, 2015
Did a dusk watch above the reservoir, along the forestry path from the street car park last night.
15 to 20 woodcock roding all around us, some birds may have visited us multiple times so counting uncertain.
If you visit to see them go covered and take midge spray....... strong midge spray.
Tawny owl seen on road as we drove out up the valley.
Tony Coatsworth said
Sat Jun 20 5:38 PM, 2015
Singing Wood Warbler behind Errwood Hall car park - bird was ringed on its right leg.
Also Pied Flycatcher here and loads of Midges :(
Mark Dean said
Wed Jun 17 8:03 PM, 2015
Went up to Goyt valley with Jason Adshead last night from around 9pm to 10.10. saw 2 Common Sandpiper on edge of Erwood Reservoir,around 9.30pm a Woodcock flew over Roding ,then about 10 minutes later another(or was it the same one?) went above us between the Erwood Car park and the Street Car park,just after it went out of sight another Woodcock, a Female? came up out of the grass and flew low before we lost sight of it. Several Barn Swallows overhead as well as a Common Buzzard. We then drove back over the Dam and past the toilets and a bit further on saw a Little Owl sat on the wall on the left,which was great to see as not seen Little Owl for a quite a while.We drove on and saw 2 Curlew near the Yacht Club,as well as a great Sunset. All the best and Good Birding!
Andy Voisey said
Tue Jun 16 5:31 PM, 2015
Two visits to the valley yesterday and today. Yesterday 1000 to 1200 primarily to photograph wood warbler. Walk from Errwood car park up round the hall and back to the reservoir. Many goldcrest in the wood. One photogenic wood warbler just before the hall woods and very vocal. 2 redstart and one pied flycatcher up at the hall and one redstart by the resevoir. We then walked up the road to Goytsclough Quarry and found two pied flycatchers feeding young half way up the road. We were told there were owls about early morning, which prompted todays visit.
today 0430 to 0930 No owls seen or heard. Family of redstarts at the hall with 3 or 4 fledglings Wood warbler near Errwood car park. Wood warbler on road to quarry. Pied flycatchers being very accommodating and posing for photos. The male came in so close I was unable to focus on him. Fields up at Derbyshire Bridge car park full of curlew, about 12 seen, one perched on fencepost about 5 metres away. Very light coloured buzzard quartering the fields above the car park and kestrel hunting.
An enjoyable 2 visits with some good photographs plus a tip from the warden on where the owls are.
Chris Chandler said
Fri Jun 12 6:07 PM, 2015
Fantastic late evening walk 9 - 10.30pm 11/05 Some great birds seen in a whistle-stop tour of the area with Rob Bell:
Wood warbler singing and showing very well above Errwood carpark. Definitely got to be one of my favourite bird songs. 3 pied flycatchers flitting about in trees above the road 2 tawny owls- one perched out in the open and the other a fly-by Tree pipit showing well on conifers up onto the heathland 5-6 woodcock flew circuits over the wood, calling continuously as it got dark Sparrowhawk 2 Kestrel Canada Geese Geese Meadow pipit
Mark Dean said
Mon Jun 8 7:38 PM, 2015
On Sunday June 7th went up to Goyt Valley with Jean Cox,parked on the street car park.There approx 4 hours.We walked towards Erwood Car Park,along the road. The Wood Warbler still around the back of Erwood Car park,though not showing as well as it was for me a few weeks ago,did get a glimpse though,and it was singing well.On Erwood Reservoir on the water lots of Canada Geese and a few Greylag Geese and a Common Sandpiper on the edge of the water,though the water very high and it had to go on to the grass quite a lot,as well as flying low over the water quite a lot to move on,also saw a Grey Heron near the bridge. Heard Curlew in the distance and saw Spotted flycatcher in the oak trees not far from the Wood Warbler,as well as a Tree Pipit.Walked along the higher path which eventually took us to the road and on the way got good views of Siskin and Mistle Thrush. Heard lots of Blackcap but did not manage to see one.Went up on to the road and crossed it to the Riverside Walk,still Blackcaps singing,as well as Common Chiffchaffs which we did manage to see,as well as the usual Great Tits,Blue tits and Chaffinch. rejoined the road and got a glimpse of a male Pied Flycatcher in the trees and 2 Common Swifts flying high above us.Then saw 2 Common Buzzards flying high above Erwood Reservoir, one approached the other at high speed and they both briefly touched talons before separating and then soaring around,one hovering into the wind for a few seconds,not sure what the talon touching was about, seemed like one was trying to see the other off but it did not work and they both just carried on as if it had not happened. Did not manage to see any Redstarts, though met a couple of birders who had seen some that day. All the best and Good Birding Mark
A lovely walk from Buxton & over berry clough.
Swifts, swallows & house martins on route.
Curlews, lapwings, golden plover, at least 7 red grouse, 1 stonechat & 1 reed bunting over berry clough.
Lots of buzzards throughout the day.
2 sparrowhawk
1 kestrel.
1 wood warbler along the Riverside walk, found it hard to get a photo as it was moving around a lot.
3 garden warblers, 2 seen.
7 pied flycatchers
5 redstarts
3 tree pipits
No sign of any spotted flycatcher
5 cuckoo, 4 seen
Willow warblers everywhere
Several blackcaps & chiffchaffs
Plenty of siskin around
2 nuthatch
1 great spotted woodpecker
1 tawny owl
2 common sandpipers
1 dipper
3 grey heron
6 grey wagtails
Cormorant with orange darvic 279
Plus all the usuals.
Highlights of today's High Peak RSPB group trip to the Goyt Valley from Errwood Reservoir to Derbyshire Bridge:
Minimum 4 pairs of Pied Flycatcher, 4 male Redstart, Tawny Owl, 1+Cuckoo, 2 Ring Ouzel, Common Sandpiper, Tree Pipit, 6 Curlew, Red Kite, Dipper, 2 Siskin, 3 Stonechat, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Sparrowhawk, Red Grouse, Reed Bunting, many Willow Warbler, 3 Goldcrest, Mandarin Duck.
Errwood Reservoir to river side walk:
3 Pied Flycatchers (2m 1f)
2 Redstarts, both male
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Tree Pipit
1 Cuckoo
2 Bullfinch
2 Nuthatch
2 Treecreepers
Lots of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs and distant calling Curlew
Derbyshire Bridge-Packhorse Bridge circular walk:
1 Red Kite (Heading North through the valley), 2 Ravens, 1 Dipper and a solitary Skylark.
Walk from street carpark to Erwood Hall Cuckoo heard and then seen in area that has been cleared on way up to Hall Tree Pipit in carpark
My first two Pied Flycatchers (both males) seen near Errwood Reservoir yesterday. Also several Tree Pipits delivering their wonderful song from the tree-tops. Common Sandpiper heard but couldn't locate it.
11am
Errwood car park to Riverside Walk:
3 Common Redstarts
2 Pied Flycatchers
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Tree Pipit
Errwood Res - 8.20 am - 10.00am 28.04.19
At least 6 calling male Pied Flycatchers further up the valley and at least 1 female.
3 Common Sandpipers on the Errwood res dam wall and 2 further up the valley near the river goyt flowing into the res.
Cuckoo calling near Errwood Hall (and possibly another across the valley ).
p.s Missed the Osprey yesterday, but got a call mid afternoon from Ray Scally (who first picked it up flying overhead moments earlier) that one was on Bollinhurst Res a few miles away from the Goyt Valley (Lyme Park - Cheshire) - obviously a chance it could be the same bird.Views distant and access restricted, but still present when I left near tea time.
Andy
An Osprey drifted north over Errwood reservoir just after 10.30
1 Common Sandpiper on the reservoir wall
A Cuckoo heard calling on the southern side of the reservoir
In the wooded areas above Errwood car park:
2 Tree Pipits
4 Common Redstarts (3 male, 1 female)
2 Siskin
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Lots of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs
No Pied Flycatchers seen, but didn't have time to check as many areas as I'd have liked.
Quick hour with High Peak RSPB group from 8.30-9.30 this morning en route to Middleton Lakes.
Highlights: 4 Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Tree Pipit, Dipper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Curlew, Red Grouse
Excellent day out yesterday for the High Peak RSPB group in the Goyt Valley area (The Street, Errwood, Goystclough and Derbyshire Bridge carparks, plus a visit to the Danebower quarries) with a good turnout: over 20 people I think! Highlights included:
Spotted flycatcher (as below, no sign of pied flycatchers)
Chiffchaff
Willow warbler
Garden warbler
Tree pipit
Buzzard (including one carrying prey)
Redstart
Dipper
Grey wagtail
Group (presumed family) of at least 5 treecreeper, with adults feeding juveniles
Sparrowhawk
Cuckoo heard but not seen
Goldcrest heard but not seen
Curlew
Tawny owl
Red grouse
Stonechat
Whinchat (Derybyshire bridge if anyone wants to go looking)
Pied wagtail
Wheatear
Lapwing
Group of at least 7 raven
Kestrel
Hobby
Peregrine
Golden plover
Swallows
stock dove
blackcap
great crested grebe
siskin
sandpiper heard but not seen
Spotted Flycatchers 4 (possibly 5)
Redstarts 7 (males singing)
Pied Flycatchers Zero (certainly seem to be thin on the ground this year)
Tree Pipit 3
Cuckoo calling (Shooters Clough)
Willow Warblers numerous
Treecreeper
1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel were the only raptors.
Cheers, John
Sun 21 May 7.30 am to 3pm Street car park: forest track : garden warbler top of car park: spotted flycatchers, tree pipits Usual pied fly area with nestboxes: female pied fly, briefly. Two redstart. Cuckoo calling from Stakeside area. Dipper, grey wagtail, sparrowhawk at Goytsclough quarry Derbyshire bridge: whinchat, stonechat Danebower quarries: no ring ouzel. About 8 ravens together over the moors. Wheatear. Barn on right further down the road: male peregrine, kestrel, buzzard. Golden plover, swallows nesting in barn.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 21st of May 2017 04:44:41 PM
sat 20th may Errwood Res & riverside walk area
5.30pm -7.00pm
ditto Adam`s sightings re Spotted Flycatchers (4) and alas comments re Pieds.
I staked out several spots where it has been easy to see Pieds in recent years but none seen or heard tonight
Pair of Mandarin Duck in trees near car park
Pair of Treecreepers gave close views in trees above car park.
Andy
3 (maybe 4) very vocal Common Redstarts between Errwood car park and the riverside walk. They were quite visible, but always at the very tops of the trees.
4 Tree Pipits
4 Spotted Flycatchers. A pair seen at the riverside walk and two further back towards Errwood car park.
1 Woodcock flushed. My first seen in full daylight.
Cuckoo heard calling from the direction of Stakeside, but never seen.
No sign or sound of any Pied Flycatchers for me. Numbers seem low this year.
sat 13th may 8.00am
Errrwood res
At least 2 Cuckoo calling in opposite ends of the valley
Redstarts - at least 3 seen others calling
on road towards Stakeside -
Tree Pipits displaying and gathering nesting material
Female Mandarin- high up a Scots pine tree
At least 1 Spotted Flycatcher near the riverside walk beeches.
Pied Flys calling but hidden in leaf canopy - checking out caterpillars I guess
Andy
8.15am - 9.30 am Sat 6th May
Errwood res
Cuckoo distant but visible and calling from the top of a hawthorn tree across from car park.
1 female Redstart gathering nesting material.
3 Common Sandpipers (1 sat in car park as I arrived).
Pied flys calling but not seen.
Andy
1 female Crossbill as I was sat on the bench on the river walk. Very unexpected, then I saw that a pair were reported (below) on Friday. Good news.
2 Common Redstarts
2 Tree Pipits
Otherwise pretty quite again, other than Willow Warblers mainly.
2 Crossbills - Male and Female in a tree two thirds up to the river walk on the Res. side
2/3 Tree Pipits
1 Curlew flying at Derbyshire Bridge
1 Raven flying
3 Red Grouse
Weather was varying between drizzle and rain when I parked up at Errwood Hall Car Park, and as it was full I parked at the side of the road and set off towards Derbyshire Bridge.
I was short of year ticks for both flycatchers, redstart, wood warbler and sandpipers. Two hours later I was still short of them and set off back to the car.
Apart from one jay and a nuthatch the only birds vocalising were willow warblers and chaffinch, even the robins were silent.
I arrived back at the car park to see Buxton Mountain Rescue bring a "client" down the hill on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.
I decided to try my luck at the north end of the valley and was putting my gear in the boot, when what I thought was a pied wagtail caught my eye.
Closer views with my binoculars confirmed it as a pied flycatcher, with a second in a birch at the side of the reservoir. They were flycatching from the trees on the shore and making their way along the waters edge.
I headed north towards the road bridge so I could get a decent camera shot as they came up, when I heard a bird I didn't recognise calling from a birch copse on the car park side of the road and tried to locate it.
The call started like a willow warbler song and after a couple of notes degenerated into a dry gutteral wheeze, very harsh like the tail end of a goldfinch call.
I never did locate the bird and it could just have been a willow warbler with something in its throat. The search however put me straight onto a spotted flycatcher, catching from the end tree in the copse.
When it spotted me it flew off, so I carried on round to photograph the pieds, but they had gone.
I then scanned the shoreline with my binoculars and found the common sandpiper I needed.
Birding is strange I get soaked and see nothing for 2 hours, then as I am packing up I pick up 3 ticks in 10 minutes.
A further two hours at the north end produced nothing further.
The broadleaf trees here are only just starting to bud, so I think it may be a couple of weeks before the flycatchers settle down to raising a family, and we see the redstarts and wood warblers appear.
I will return on a sunny day in a fortnight.
Errwood reservoir area:
2 Common Redstarts
3 Tree Pipits
Many Willow Warblers
Cuckoo heard
Lower Goyt Valley -
Sat 15/4/17
Pied Flycatchers (male and female) -
Willow Warblers & Swallows around Fernilee.
Mon 17/4/17
2 Oystercatchers on dam wall - Fernilee res
2 Treecreepers passing food to each other
1 Woodcock near Fernilee reservoir car parking area.
1 Mandarin
Dipper on river goyt
No sign of Redstart yet ...maybe Errwood..!?
Andy
With Steve Burke and Simon Gough, we were all hoping for an eventful evening... well we certainly got that alright!
We were absolutely eaten alive by the swarms of biting tiny flies. Forget Jungle Formula Insect repellant, it was more like Insect attractant.
Of note...
- Spotted Flycatcher possibly 5
- Common Buzzard 1
- Tawny Owls heard only
- Common Sandpiper heard only
- Woodcock heard distantly
...and a large raptor was seen that Steve noticed and I caught the tail end of which we agreed was quite long, unfortunately will remain unidentified as we got nowhere near enough of it to ID it.
2 tiny Bats (Pipistrelle types) and a Weasel seen too!
No pied seen but one spotted fly unexpectedly found up by the quarry. Is this unusual or are they occasionally seen here?
One wood warbler seen down from the river walk path.
In the pines at dusk a continual stream of woodcock, but hard to tell if it was just half a dozen or two dozen.
Evening topped off by a lifer for me.
-- Edited by Andy Voisey on Monday 4th of July 2016 08:41:59 PM
sat 4th june - lower goyt valley
Cuckoo calling from woodland between fernilee and taxal
Pied flycatchers calling along the lower goyt valley - good to see 2 pairs successfully returning with food parcels to nest sites
Andy
Upper goyt valley - sun 29th May
Cuckoos still calling in earnest near Stakeside and Errwood.
Nice to see a pair of Redstart making regular visits to their nest site with caterpillars.
At least 2 Woodcock roding above Errwood later in the day.
Just 1 Common Sandpiper seen, high up in a tree!
Very busy everywhere in the afternoon with cyclists and walkers but the Pied Flycatchers were still showing well in tree tops from Errwood to Goyt Clough,
Andy
Cuckoos were the order of the day, being heard at Pym's Chair, Errwood Hall, Errwood reservoir and seen singing along The Street.
Male and female Redstarts seen near Errwood car park, and another singing behind Errwood Hall.
Two Spotted Flycatchers at Errwood Hall.
A Wonderful cacophony of bird song throughout the whole valley.
Fri 20th C10.30-2pm
Cuckoo heard and seen at Errwood Hall
Two male and one Female Redstart
4 Curlew wheeling and hovering
-- Edited by Geoff Walton on Saturday 21st of May 2016 08:20:08 AM
Errwood area:
2 Spotted Flycatchers
1 Common Redstart (male)
3 Song Thrush fledglings being fed
2 Mistle Thrush
10.00 Errwood reservoir to Derbyshire Bridge
Redstart 3 singing
Pied flycatcher 2 singing
Spotted flycatcher 5
Common sandpiper 2
Cuckoo 1
Siskin fledglings
Yesterday 13 May. 8.30 to 12.30 am. Parked in Errwood Car park and walked on long the road away from the reservoir. (the one way road). Located several Pied Flycatchers and Common Redstarts. The Redstarts were very active. Over on the moor were Curlew and a Red Grouse was heard. Returned to the car park and heard a close Green Woodpecker to the left of the road by the wall but could not locate it. On the open area between the car park and the gate leading to the ruined hall were a couple of superb Tree Pipts and a Spotted Flycatcher was in the bushes to the right. Sit on the bench in the open area and wait! Two Common Sandpipers were on the edge of the reservoir by the car park. There were several singping Willow Warblers but only one Chiffchaff. Several of the more common species were also seen.
There were no Cuckoo heard. A great mornings birding in warm sunshine and I managed some nice photos as well!
My first Cuckoo of the year heard calling in the direction if Stakeside.
Cuckoo (1-2)
Tree Pipit (1)
Redstart (2)
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Blackcap (1)
Kestrel (1)
Curlew (1)
Meadow Pipit
Skylark (2)
No Flycatchers showing for me today, possibly because of the strong wind keeping flies well hidden. I stood and waited by the streams several times without luck. Obviously, the birds are around and the habitat is 'bang on,' possibly just one of those days. Early on, there was a Cuckoo calling on the moors, beyond the trees at Stakeside, whilst just before 2pm it/another was calling up beyond the eastern side of the reservoir, ie. well across the valley. Possibly two birds but more likely the same one moving around. The moors were fairly quiet and mirroring the bird sightings up there, just one Green Hairstreak butterfly was seen.
Y
I was lucky enough to get good views of a Cuckoo in flight this morning over the wood on the walk up to Stakeside Ridge from Errwood car park.
erwood res/erwood car park/big wood.
5 pied flycatcher, male & female & 3 males.
6 redstart, male & female & 4 males.
2 spotted flycatcher
8+ tree pipit
4 common sandpiper
no sight or sound of any cuckoos & again just like last year no sight or sound of any blackcaps
2 great spotted woodpecker
1 nuthatch
2 treecreeper
3 grey wagtail
lots of willow warblers all around
1 kestrel
1 buzzard
2 tufted duck
curlew & red grouse on the moors.
Sat 7th May -
an enjoyable early morning trip with Ray Scally.....highlights were
Fernilee -
Spotted flycatcher
Pied flycatcher 4-5
Erwood
Pied Flycatchers present but less evident than lower down the valley at Fernilee
Tree pipits singing from tree tops
Redstart
Common Sandpiper (4)
Stakeside
Cuckoo heard but not seen
Andy
Excellent morning in the valley. Willow Warblers everywhere, plus Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush and Song Thrush. 3 Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover on the side of the reservoir. Tree Pipit and Redstart up the track where the Wood Warbler was last year.
Phil
1 male Pied Flycatcher below Fernilee reservoir on sat evening (16th April).... taking cover from the snow storm!
2 male Mandarin on the lagoons.
Andy
1 male Common Redstart in the woodland above Errwood reservoir car park.
Plenty of Willow Warblers around
-- Edited by Adam Jones on Monday 18th of April 2016 10:24:53 PM
Errwood Car Park. at least 4 willow warblers singing with similar number of chiffchaff. Both song and mistle thrush present. Further up the valley 2 dippers and a grey wagtail. Very mild and quiet with no wind for a change. All usual species present.
Phil
2 Stonechat near Derbyshire Bridge on south facing slope, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. (sat aft)
Andy
15 to 20 woodcock roding all around us, some birds may have visited us multiple times so counting uncertain.
If you visit to see them go covered and take midge spray....... strong midge spray.
Tawny owl seen on road as we drove out up the valley.
Also Pied Flycatcher here and loads of Midges :(
All the best and Good Birding!
Yesterday 1000 to 1200 primarily to photograph wood warbler.
Walk from Errwood car park up round the hall and back to the reservoir.
Many goldcrest in the wood.
One photogenic wood warbler just before the hall woods and very vocal.
2 redstart and one pied flycatcher up at the hall and one redstart by the resevoir.
We then walked up the road to Goytsclough Quarry and found two pied flycatchers feeding young half way up the road.
We were told there were owls about early morning, which prompted todays visit.
today 0430 to 0930
No owls seen or heard.
Family of redstarts at the hall with 3 or 4 fledglings
Wood warbler near Errwood car park.
Wood warbler on road to quarry.
Pied flycatchers being very accommodating and posing for photos. The male came in so close I was unable to focus on him.
Fields up at Derbyshire Bridge car park full of curlew, about 12 seen, one perched on fencepost about 5 metres away.
Very light coloured buzzard quartering the fields above the car park and kestrel hunting.
An enjoyable 2 visits with some good photographs plus a tip from the warden on where the owls are.
Some great birds seen in a whistle-stop tour of the area with Rob Bell:
Wood warbler singing and showing very well above Errwood carpark. Definitely got to be one of my favourite bird songs.
3 pied flycatchers flitting about in trees above the road
2 tawny owls- one perched out in the open and the other a fly-by
Tree pipit showing well on conifers up onto the heathland
5-6 woodcock flew circuits over the wood, calling continuously as it got dark
Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrel
Canada Geese Geese
Meadow pipit
The Wood Warbler still around the back of Erwood Car park,though not showing as well as it was for me a few weeks ago,did get a glimpse though,and it was singing well.On Erwood Reservoir on the water lots of Canada Geese and a few Greylag Geese and a Common Sandpiper on the edge of the water,though the water very high and it had to go on to the grass quite a lot,as well as flying low over the water quite a lot to move on,also saw a Grey Heron near the bridge. Heard Curlew in the distance and saw Spotted flycatcher in the oak trees not far from the Wood Warbler,as well as a Tree Pipit.Walked along the higher path which eventually took us to the road and on the way got good views of Siskin and Mistle Thrush. Heard lots of Blackcap but did not manage to see one.Went up on to the road and crossed it to the Riverside Walk,still Blackcaps singing,as well as Common Chiffchaffs which we did manage to see,as well as the usual Great Tits,Blue tits and Chaffinch. rejoined the road and got a glimpse of a male Pied Flycatcher in the trees and 2 Common Swifts flying high above us.Then saw 2 Common Buzzards flying high above Erwood Reservoir, one approached the other at high speed and they both briefly touched talons before separating and then soaring around,one hovering into the wind for a few seconds,not sure what the talon touching was about, seemed like one was trying to see the other off but it did not work and they both just carried on as if it had not happened. Did not manage to see any Redstarts, though met a couple of birders who had seen some that day.
All the best and Good Birding Mark