During the past week there has been occasional reports of just two Hawfinch by the entrance to Willersley Castle in Cromford. During a three hour watch this morning I managed brief, perched views, of just one bird but I, and two other local birders, were satisfied with that after a prolonged wait in sub-zero temperatures! Fortunately there was other entertainment on the river with a pair of Dipper showing regularly and the male in song and a Kingfisher made several appearance which, in the bright sunlight, looking greener than I can recall seeing one before. Hawfinch Kingf ..read more

I've made several visits to Middleton Moor recently in the hope of seeing something a little different and yesterday I was rewarded with a lone Knot stood amongst the Lapwings. Plentiful on our coastal estuaries it's a scarce bird inland but unfortunately it didn't stay long. The Lapwing were disturbed and it left high to the south with them.  Knot with Lapwing ..read more

 The persistent low cloud curtailed my trip to the moor this morning so I had a look around Darley Dale and was very surprised to see a pair of Goldeneye on the Whitworth Pond. I have never heard of a sighting there before and it's only about my fourth for the local area with the last at Chatsworth in 2013! Common Goldeneye - male and female The long staying female Teal was still present a couple of days ago but I didn't really look for it this morning, the photo below is from the end of October. Eurasian Teal - female More birds have been arriving with good numbers of F ..read more

I saw my first Brambling of the autumn on Monday (14th ) at Middleton Moor but since then I have seen several more. After a day of rain on Wednesday there was a large movement of Redwing over Beeley Moor on Thursday with over 3,000 birds counted in the morning and with them were several Brambling as well as small groups of Lesser Redpoll, which have been scarce recently. This morning I had three more Brambling on Bent Lane whilst looking for a Ring Ouzel which had been seen there yesterday, unfortunately it was misty so the photos are not the best.  Brambling male and female I ca ..read more

 My first Whooper Swan of the autumn dropped on to Middleton Moor this morning but didn't stay long before flying off to the west. Whooper Swan A flock of 21 Goosander were also present at dawn and presumably roosted but soon departed as did a noisy flock of 166 Greylag Geese. Goosander ..read more

Hot on the heels of Great White Egrets at Chatsworth and Middleton Moor, Pam and I came across another at Harthill Pond (New Dam) at Youlgrave today. They are definitely on the move and a record count of 8 at Audenshaw Reservoir, Manchester at the weekend suggests it might be to the North West. Great White Egret More thrushes about today with at least 80 in conifers in Matlock Forest and the flock included my first Fieldfare of the autumn. There was also a nice group of 10 Common Crossbill, which are the first I've seen for several weeks. For those concerned about the potential devel ..read more

 A had a single Red Grouse on the Triangle yesterday and then saw two flying near Wraggs Quarry and I thni three birds is now the total for Beeley Moor with perhaps a couple of pairs on East Moor. I think the bird in the photograph below is a juvenile with its rather dark plumage and lack of pale edges to the flanks. So the positive news is that they are still breeding, but raising a single yougster is unlikely to sustain the population. I have seen them crossing Harland Edge so there is some interchange with the East Moor birds. A recent taxanomic decision by the International Ornitholog ..read more

 Another cool morning witnessed the arrival of small numbers of thrushes and finches over Beeley Moor coming up the Cathole from Holymoorside. At least 7 Redwing were seen but there were also Song Thrushes moving as well which made identification difficult in very overcast conditions. Fortunately some of the thrushes were calling and we were able to confirm our identification with sonograms from the recordings. Redwing (upper) and Song Thrush over Beeley Moor ..read more

 Walking along the river towards Chatsworth this morning a heron sized bird flew past towards Beeley and I was surprised to see that it was a Great White Egret. It circled over Beeley Village, gaining height, then drifted off towards Rowsley. I was even more surprised therefore 45 minutes later to see either the same bird, or possibly another sat in the conifer tree just south of Chatsworth House. It looked like it was feeding in the channel running from the bottom of the cascade steps as it flew down several times before returning to the same tree and with a Grey Heron on one occasion. W ..read more

 Yesterday I had seen a juvenile Herring Gull with the Black-headed Gulls in Bakewell, which is a scarce bird locally, but hadn't got my camera with me si I returned this morning hoping it had come back with the other gulls. There was no sign although the gulls often turn up late morning, so it may still appear. There was however a Common Pochard with three Tufted Duck which made the journey worthwhile, This is only my second record of Common Pochard although they can get several hundred at Carsington in the winter. It has a very pale mantle which is suggestive of a male but lacks the adu ..read more