In recent weeks there has been an invasion of pink starlings from South-eastern Europe. The Rose-coloured Starling, or Rosy Pastor, has arrived into Britain in unusually high numbers and one or two have made it into my home county of Derbyshire. The Rosy Pastor, is very attractive, especially as all the birds that have arrived […]
A pair of Garganey were found early morning at Willington Gravel Pits in South Derbyshire. Only a few miles from home, I decided to pay them a visit and I wasn’t disappointed. Although for most of the time they were just at the extremities of my camera lens, I managed to get a few half
With the recent Covid19 Lockdown rules, it has been difficult to justify a visit to one of my favourite Derbyshire locations, Padley Woods. In recent weeks, however, the rules on Lockdown have been relaxed somewhat, making it more justifiable to venture out and make the trip. A little late in the season really, as ideally
For many years now a personal obsession of mine has been to see a Snow Leopard and my first attempt to see this animal commenced last year. During late July into early August 2019, I spent two weeks in Mongolia with Wise Birding Holidays. Our first week was spent entirely in the south Gobi Altai
The last two days at my local patch, Staunton Harold Reservoir, have produced a few good birds. Monday 21st October I had 3 Whooper Swans fly over the reservoir heading SW and then 30 minutes or so later a Red Kite flew over the dam wall. Then today, 22nd October, I found a pair of
The Long-billed Dowitcher returned to Willington Gravel Pits on the morning of Saturday 19th October. So I decided to have another attempt at photographing it. This time it seemed settled as it was roosting on a tiny island just from the main hide. It showed for a good 45 minutes before a Sparrowhawk flew through
The last thing I expected to see this morning was a first record for Derbyshire in the form of a 1st winter Long-billed Dowitcher. Found by Steve Porter first thing this morning, it disappeared for nearly 2 hours, before returning to Willington GP around 10:30am. I managed a rush from work arriving on site around
A North American Common Nighthawk was discovered by local anglers hunting along the River Maine at Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, in late September, rumour has it. It didn’t take long before birders had been to check it out and sure enough, it was a superb adult male Common Nighthawk. It was then discovered roosting
