Erewash Meadows 09/05/2015

My first visit to this reserve on the Derbys/Notts border. The Wood Sands were our target and we weren't to be disappointed. Great views but technically in Notts as they were on the other side of the river erewash.
2 Wood Sands, 4 Greylags, 3 Cormorants, 4 Redshank, 2 LRP, 15 Gadwall, 3 Moorhens, Kestrel, Swift, 2 Tufted Ducks, 10 lapwings inc an adult with 3 chicks, 5 Coots, House Martin, 3 Swallows, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroat. Here's a few shots of the Wood Sands.

Wyver Lane 08/05/2015

Red-breasted Goose, Greylags with 4 young, 4 broods of Canada Geese 1,5,5 & 8, 3 Cormorants, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Shelduck, 6 Gadwall, 12 Tufted Ducks, Moorhens with 6 young, 17 Coots, Hobby, 3 Buzzards, Oystercatcher, 6 Lapwings, Common Tern, 26 BH Gulls, Swift, 2 Grey Wagtails, 50 Swallows, 40 House Martins, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, Blackcap, 2 Reed Buntings.

Wyver Lane 06/05/2015

No real change from yesterday. The highlight was a Lesser Whitethroat singing between the hide and the mound. Red-breasted Goose still present. Greylags with 4 fresh young. The pair of domestic Geese have lost one and have 5. Two pairs of Canada Geese with 6 & 7. 2 Shelduck, drake Mandarin, 4+ Gadwall, 8 Tufted Ducks, 10 Coots, 6 Moorhens, Oyc, 5+ Lapwings, 4 Buzzards, Swift, 40+ Swallows, 10 House Martins, Sand Martin, 2 Grey Wags, 2 Blackcaps, Whitethroat, Green Woodpecker.

Wyver Lane 05/05/2015

I'm not going to post the latest sightings as I used to but might just post about my own personal day to day birding. Yesterday afternoon down Wyver the Red-breasted and Barnacle Goose still present, 3 broods of Canada Geese, Moorhens with 1 young, 2 Shelduck, 6 Gadwall, 2 Mandarin, 12 Tufteds, Oycs still sitting, 3 BH Gull nests on raft the same as last year, Grey Wag, Pied Wag, Swift, c50 House Martins, 12 Swallows, 2 Sand Martins, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff.

If you want to see all bird related stuff for Derbyshire then check out the Facebook page here.
It's a closed group so you will have to send a request to admin to join which is quick and easy. Unless of course you're a complete twat in which case you won't be accepted.

More photos

While I'm in the mood for posting I may as well post a few more recent shots. Firstly a male Cuckoo at Willington GP's

                                                   Black-tailed Godwit at Willington GP's

                                            These were part of a flock of 23 at Willington GP's

                                                      Night Heron at Attenborough NR

                                                 Great Northern Diver at Carsington Water

Red-throated Pipit

I thought that the stonking summer plumage Red-throated Pipit that we went to see yesterday was worth a mention.When Clive contacted me about going I must admit I was most surprised. Clive tends to get dizzy and have a nose bleed at the mere thought of venturing north of Matlock but mention it he did. We arrived mid afternoon in what was a fairly pain free drive up there. The spot was found with relative ease and we parked at the side of the road with the other 20+ cars.

Within a few minutes we were on the bird.....and what a bird. I always thought that if and when I do see a Red-throated Pipit it will be in autumn and will be either a juvenile or a drab adult. But this is in full summer plumage and what a smart bird it was. We watched it for a while happily feeding and totally undeterred by the increasing crowd.

I cracked off a few photos and thoroughly satisfied we left. And right on cue the birding gods decided to throw in a brief storm so we hot footed it to the car with rain pelting down with thunder and lightning to boot. The photos aren't the best but they clearly show what it is.