Red & Green Flashes before my eyes. Spent the morning in the north of my county, calling in for Hawfinch at Cromford and eventually saw 3 – 4 birds very well. You simply can’t get enough of these stunning finches. Several Dipper were nest building along the river. Up onto the moors and several Goshawk hunting & displaying, a fine sight. A good flock of Brambling were at a traditional winter locality, about 100 all together with chaffinches, feeding on beech mast. Spent several hours at a drinking pool along Flash Lane in Matlock Forest and we soon had […]
Derbyshire is blessed with some terrific birds. We may not have the coastal areas, mudflats and sea cliffs, but we make up for that with wild rugged moorland, peak dales and river valleys. These habitats harbour some excellent birding opportunities. With patience, local knowledge and a little bit of luck, Derbyshire’s specialists will eventually give themselves up. What a treat…. The weather looked perfect for a morning’s “Gos” watching but before that, Hawfinches had been showing well during the week at a traditional site. The “Crack of Sparrows” is the best time to see them, before the […]
March 13th 2011 – Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire. My second attempt for the Great White Egret, eventually paid off. Seen in flight briefly before disappearing from view in dense willow scrub. Also my first spring migrant for 2011- 2 parties of Sand Martin – 1 off 11 birds and 1 of 6 birds. Nice to see and a sign that spring is on the way. Year list now on 146 March 19th 2011 – A fresh male Brimstone flying in warm spring sunshine, Melbourne, Derbyshire. My first butterfly for 2011. March 20th 2011 – A superb morning watching raptors from an […]