February 2008 News

These reports are unchecked. Please note that for obvious reasons we do not publish sightings of rare breeders such as Little Ringed Plover during the breeding season (unless obvious migrants)

29 February 2008
  • Kirk Langley (SK2838) 235 Golden Plover
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Kingfisher, 4 Gadwall,
  • Derby Cathedral (SK3536) 2 Ravens again
  • Allestree (SK3439) The Waxwing has moved to Woodlands Road opposite the Woodlands Evangelical Church
28 February 2008
  • Loscoe Dam (SK4247) Goosander
  • Alvaston Park Lake (SK3734) 4 tufted Duck, 12 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, Kingfisher, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 150 Black-headed Gulls
27 February 2008
  • Carsington Water (SK2450) Great Northern Diver still present, 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher, 13 Goldeneye
  • Staunton Harold Res. (SK3723) 2 Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon, 4 Buzzard, 4 Tree Sparrow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellowhammer, Common Gull, 2 Mute Swan
  • Melbourne Pool (SK3824) Goldcrest, 9 Pochard
26 February 2008
  • Allestree Park (SK3440) 6 Mandarin
25 February 2008
  • Derby Cathedral (SK3536) 2 Ravens being mobbed by the Peregrines
  • Shipley Lake (SK4444) 3 Goosander
24 February 2008
  • Shipley Lake (SK4444) Redshank, male Scaup still present, Cormorant
  • Matlock Moor (SK3163) 120 Siskin, 50 Fieldfare, 70 Chaffinch, 55 Lapwing
  • Dove Valley Lake (SK2031) 55 Wigeon, 110 Lapwing, 5 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, Teal, Kestrel
  • Hatton - Common House Farm (SK2031) Cackling Goose, Oystercatcher
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) a Chiffchaff singing, our earliest ever singing bird, and only our third ever February record. Also 50 Shoveler, 26 Pochard, 25 Goldeneye, Goosander, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, Peregrine, Water Rail, 2 Snipe, Curlew, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Skylark singing, 3 Meadow Pipit, 15 Fieldfare, 33 Redwing and 2 Goldcrest
23 February 2008
  • Froggatt Bridge (SK2476) 2 Red-breasted Mergansers on R Derwent
  • Cromford Moor (SK2955) Lesser Spotted Woodpecker near the TV mast
  • Shipley Park Lake (SK4444) Scaup
22 February 2008
  • Findern (SK3032) A Barn Owl over the A38
21 February 2008
  • Alvaston Park Lake (SK3734) 6 Pochard, 8 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, 4 Common Gull, 300 Black Headed Gull
20 February 2008
  • Chellaston (SK3830) A Hawfinch visited one lucky observer's garden
19 February 2008
  • Stanton-by-Bridge (SK3727) Woodcock
  • Lees (SK2637) 2 Little Owls
  • Mickleover (SK3235) Blackcap in observer's garden
  • Park Farm, Allestree (SK3439) The Waxwing still in Ferrer's Way
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) A Bittern briefly (possibly the bird seen at Branston Water Park)
  • Shipley Park (SK4444) A male Scaup
18 February 2008
  • Barrow GP (SK3527) 2 Shelduck, 126 Wigeon, Shoveler, 2 Teal, 40 Greylag Geese, 100 Canada Geese, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 8 Cormorant, Tufted Duck, Snipe
  • Ingleby (SK3526) 2 Goosander, Goldeneye, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Snipe, 5 Wigeon, Greylag Goose, 2 Long Tailed Tits, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 12 Curlew
17 February 2008
  • 70 Acre Plantation, Flash Lane (SK2964) Common (Mealy) Redpoll with Lesser Redpolls and Siskins
  • Ambergate (SK3451) A Peregrine on ground after tooking a Crow
  • Park Farm, Allestree (SK3439) The Waxwing still in Ferrer's Way
  • Froggatt Bridge (SK2475) 7 Mandarin, Goosander
  • Stoney Middleton (SK2175) Peregrine
  • Longstone Edge (SK2073) 24 Golden Plover, 70 Linnet
  • Beeley Moor (SK3065) A flock of Brambling with Chaffinches, Goshawk briefly
16 February 2008
  • Beeley Moor (SK3065) Merlin passing through, Peregrine, 3 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk soaring with the Buzzards
  • Wyver Lane (SK3449) 4 Goosander, 30+ Teal, 30+ Wigeon, 5+ Pochard, 2 Reed Buntings
  • Cromford Church (SK3056) 3 Hawfinches in the Yews and trees near the entrance to Willersley Castle
  • Park Farm, Allestree (SK3439) The Waxwing still in Ferrer's Way
15 February 2008
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 2 Oystercatcher, Jack Snipe
  • Loscoe Dam (SK4247) 9 Dunlin flying east
14 February 2008
  • Grindleford (SK2578) 12 Brambling
  • Allestree Park (SK3440) 5 Mandarin, Wood Duck, Grey Wagtail
  • Brizlincote Hall Farm - Stanton Pools (SK2721) 6 Little Grebe, 12 Teal, four Kestrel, three Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 96 Stock Dove, 31 Blackbird, 140 Fieldfare, 120 Redwing, Chiffchaff, 628 Starling, 12 Yellowhammer and two Raven
13 February 2008
  • Park Farm, Allestree (SK3439) The Waxwing still in Ferrer's Way
11 February 2008
  • Elvaston Castle CP (SK4033) Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
  • Newhall (SK2820) Blackcap plus an escaped Cockatiel
10 February 2008
  • Kinder Low (SK0787) Snow Bunting amongst rock 100m NW of the trig point
  • Beeley Moor (SK2967) Merlin, Hen Harrier
  • Carsington Water (SK2450) Pink-footed Goose
  • Park Farm, Allestree (SK3439) The Waxwing still in Ferrer's Way
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 99 Shoveler
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 14 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank, 2 Goosander, 2 Stonechat, 2 Kingfisher, Buzzard, 16 Goldeneye
  • Stanage Edge (SK2483) 30 Red Grouse
  • Millstone Edge (SK2483) 5 Stonechat
9 February 2008
  • Cromford Canal (SK3056) 2 Hawfinch in the Rugby Club car park, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, 2 Goosander, Raven
  • Allestree Park (SK3440) 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Mandarin,
  • Loscoe Dam (SK4247) Ferruginus Duck still present, Goosander
  • Park Farm, Allestree (SK3439) The Waxwing again in a tree at the junction of Ferrer's Way and Birchover Way (photo on Photo Gallery page)
  • Beeley Moor (SK2967) 8 Buzzard, Stonechat, Fieldfare, Redwing
  • Screetham Lane (SK3065) 100+ Brambling still present, Yellowhammer, Buzzard
8 February 2008
  • Park Farm, Allestree (SK3439) A Waxwing in a tree at the junction of Ferrer's Way and Birchover Way at 13:45
  • Cromford (SK2957) 12 Hawfinches near railway line with 4 later seen in the Yew by the Church
  • Carsington Water (SK2450) The Great Northern Diver between Stones Island and dam wall
  • Screetham Lane (SK3065) 200+ Brambling with large flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing
7 February 2008
  • Steetley Quarry (SK4247) Ferruginus Duck reported from this site, apparently present for two days
6 February 2008
  • Alvaston Park Lake (SK3734) 15 Shoveler, Grey Wagtail, Pochard, Green Woodpecker, 150 Black Headed Gull, 2 Common Gull
  • Apperknowle (SK3978) Barn Owl
  • Loscoe Dam (SK4247) Ferruginus Duck previously at Shipley Lake mnow showing well here
  • Bradley Dam (SK2245) 47 Mandarins (39 males) and 18 Goosander
  • Carsington Water (SK2450) The Great Northern Diver reported from the Dam wall early afternoon
5 February 2008
  • Derby Cathedral (SK3536) The female Peregrine again at the nest platform
4 February 2008
  • Derby Cathedral (SK3536) The female Peregrine at the nest platform late morning
3 February 2008
  • Grassmoor Country Park (SK4167) A Red Kite flew low west at 1320 hrs
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Little Egret, 135 Teal, 82 Shoveler, 55 Tufted Duck, 21 Pochard, 17 Goldeneye, 8 Goosander, Buzzard, Snipe, 2 Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest and 3 Siskin
  • Cromford Canal (SK3056) 11 Little Grebe
  • High Peak Junction (SK3155) 30 Siskin
2 February 2008
  • Shipley Lake (SK4444) Ferruginus Duck still present
1 February 2008
  • Doe Hill CP (SK4259) 41 Canada Geese, 65 Lapwing, 8 Golden Plover, 4 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 4 Mistle Thrush, 5 Song Thrush, 28 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 3 Skylark, 70 Starling, Sparrowhawk
  • Edale Cross (SK0886) Snow Bunting on the Penine Way
  • Pride Park (SK3735) Goosander

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Previous months
January 2008
All of 2007
January 2008 highlights

Perhaps not an outstanding January although mild weather and the motivation of a new year list ensured plenty of records from those out and about. Great Northern Diver, Bittern and Long-tailed Duck remained from last month and the latter was visited by a steady stream of admirers on the first day of the new year.

A Ferruginous Duck was an excellent find although it did prove difficult to catch up with initially. A Little Stint at Ogston would have been very popular had it stayed longer but like a Black Redstart and a Common Redpoll it was all to brief.

The gull roosts attracted much attention (with a total of 11 species in all) and the number of white-winged gulls was as impressive as many of us could remember, with Ogston in particular recording excellent numbers. Finch flocks also delighted with good counts of Siskin and Brambling and more Lesser Redpoll than in recent times.

Bryan Barnacle