Twenty-seven members and friends took the
relatively short trip into Derbyshire for our February field trip. On the coach
journey our first find of the day was a Little Egret in a ditch alongside the
new Airport Eastern Link road. A first Stockport borough record for Mark Walsh
and a pleasant start to the day for the rest of us. A little further into the
journey, depending on which side of the coach you were sat on, a few members
had fleeting glimpses of Dipper and Grey Wagtail on the River Wye as we
approached Bakewell. Kestrel, Buzzard and Pheasant were all recorded before we
reached our first stop.
Arriving at Cromford most of the party
headed to the fields by the carpark to secure a wide view of the surrounding
area. Redwing, Mistle Thrush and Stock Dove were quickly picked up. As we
scanned the hillside we added the commoner finch species; Chaffinch, Greenfinch
and Goldfinch. Overhead we picked up a circling Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard.
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| Hawfinch Hunting (Holly Page) |
A wander up and down the banks of the
adjacent River Derwent added Kingfisher to the day list with a supporting cast
of Dipper and Grey Wagtails. Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests hunted for insects
in the trees above us.
Back at the field the shout went up from
Paul Lewis, Hawfinch spotted in the tree line on the hill. Our first target
bird of the day was secured. Most of the party got views, although many were
brief. Up to five different birds were identified and, although never
particularly close, relatively (for this species) good views were had.
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| Mallard (Holly Page) |
Moving on, the coach dropped most of the
party off at the traditional spot at the north end of Carsington Water. The
first stop was at the Paul Stanley Hide where the group sat down to view over
Brown Ale Bay. Duck were present with Mallard, Teal, Wigeon and Tufted Duck
identified. A fine pair of Goldeneye swam further out, and the adjacent feeding
station was visited by Reed Bunting, Nuthatch and Willow Tit, as well as the
commoner tit species.
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| Carsington Water (Holly Page) |
Walking on to Sheepwash Bird Hide we
recorded Herring, Black-headed, Common and Lesser Black-backed Gull, with plenty
of Cormorant and Coot present. On the shoreline a couple of Oystercatcher, a
Redshank and a Curlew. Further out on the reservoir we recorded both Little and
Great-crested Grebe.
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| Yellow-legged Gull (Holly Page) |
On a shingle spit, a little way from the
commoner gull species, sat the menacing bulk of a Great Black-backed Gull. The
Cormorants close by highlighted its huge size and powerful features. What was
more interesting was another gull sat close by that showed features of a sixth
species of gull for the day. After a bit of debate and Holly Page getting
photographs of the bird in flight we were able to confirm it was a third winter
Yellow-legged Gull. We were aware one had been recorded in the last few days,
but it is always satisfying to pick out and identify this tricky species, in
non-adult plumage.
From the Lane End Bird Hide we quickly
picked up the bulky shape of a Great Northern Diver out on the water. This regular
winter plumaged adult bird gave good views all day at the southern end of the
reservoir. It was actively fishing most of the time and was seen struggling
with large fish.
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| Bullfinch - Holly Page |
Birds seen:
| Mute Swan | Dunlin | Wren |
| Greylag Goose | Redshank | Great Tit |
| Canada Goose | Curlew | Coal Tit |
| Barnacle Goose | Ruff | Blue Tit |
| Shelduck | Black-headed Gull | Willow Tit |
| Mallard | Common Gull | Long-tailed Tit |
| Gadwall | Herring Gull | Nuthatch |
| Wigeon | Yellow-legged Gull | Treecreeper |
| Teal | Great Black-backed Gull | Magpie |
| Tufted Duck | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Jay |
| Goldeneye | Stock Dove | Jackdaw |
| Pheasant | Woodpigeon | Rook |
| Great Northern Diver | Collared Dove | Carrion Crow |
| Little Grebe | Kingfisher | Starling |
| Great-crested Grebe | Great Spotted Woodpecker | House Sparrow |
| Cormorant | Pied Wagtail | Tree Sparrow |
| Little Egret | Grey Wagtail | Chaffinch |
| Grey Heron | Dipper | Lesser Redpoll |
| Sparrowhawk | Dunnock | Goldfinch |
| Buzzard | Robin | Greenfinch |
| Kestrel | Song Thrush | Siskin |
| Moorhen | Redwing | Bullfinch |
| Coot | Mistle Thrush | Hawfinch |
| Oystercatcher | Blackbird | Reed Bunting |
| Lapwing | Goldcrest |
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