Latest Bird 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 Please note that for obvious reasons we do not publish sightings of rare breeders such as Little Ringed Plover during the breeding season (unless obvious migrants)

For more reports please see Rod Key's Page

31 May 2009
  • Sheriff Wood (SK2378) 2 Wood Warbler
  • Barbrook Pools (SK2777) Whinchat, Marsh Harrier
  • Musden Wood area (SK1151) 13 Skylark, 3 Buzzard, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler
  • Baslow Edge (SK2463) Redstart
30 May 2009
  • Longshaw (SK2679) 2 Hobby, Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Skylark, Redstart, 20 Willow Warbler
  • Aston-on-Trent GP (SK4329) 2 Black Tern viewable from the A50 gate
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 2 Buzzard, 2 Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Cuckoo, 2 Reed Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Ruddy Shelduck still present, Little Stint, Cuckoo, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit, Whitethroat, Gardem Warbler, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common Tern, 2 Buzzard, Hobby
29 May 2009
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 6 Gadwall, Garganey, 2 Comnmon Tern, Willow Tit
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Ruddy Shelduck still present
28 May 2009
  • Milton (SK3226) Grey Partridge
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Ruddy Shelduck, Peregrine
27 May 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Ruddy Shelduck
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Hobby
25 May 2009
  • Ogston Res (SK3760) Osprey, Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet, Willow Warbler
24 May 2009
  • Ramsley Res (SK2874) 2 Stonechat
  • Ogston Res (SK3760) 2 Black-necked Grebe
  • Foremark Res (SK3323) 2 Turtle Dove
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 2 Garganey Canal Scrape, 2 Hobby, 103 Mute Swan on main and Canal Scrape areas, 2 Garden Warbler
23 May 2009
  • Barbrook Plantation (SK2774)Cuckoo, 8 Tree Pipit, 2 Redstart, 6 Stonechat, Wood Warbler, 4 Spotted Flycatcher
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 2 Hobby
22 May 2009
  • Win Hill (SK1885) Peregrine, 12 Tree Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, Dipper, 2 Redstart, Whinchat, 6 Blackcap, Wood Warbler, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Linnet
21 May 2009
  • Locko Park (SK4038) 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch
  • Baslow (SK2572) Tawny Owl
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 2 Garganey Canal Scrape
19 May 2009
  • Hilton (SK2430) Osprey flew west over A50 at 10:00
  • Wyver Lane (SK3449) Red Kite
  • Shelton Lock (SK3731) Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
18 May 2009
  • Calke Abbey (SK3622) Possible Wryneck briefly
17 May 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Little Tern reported at 11:30
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Little Egret, Bar-headed Goose
16 May 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Hobby, 2 Whimbrel Canal Pit
15 May 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Hobby
14 May 2009
  • Stanage Edge below High Neb (SK2285) 6 Dotterel (see photo on the Photo Gallery page)
  • Carver's Rocks (SK3322) Turtle Dove
  • Pleasley Pit (SK5064) 2 Temminck's Stint still present
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 3 Egyptian Goose, 2 Common Crane flew NE at 1420 (and later E over Aston-on-Trent GP at 1450), Sparrowhawk, 41 Ringed Plover passing through, 3 Sanderling, 22 Dunlin, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpiper, 39 singing Sedge Warbler, 59 singing Reed Warbler, 12 singing Reed Bunting.
13 May 2009
  • Carsington Water (SK2554) 80 Arctic Tern, 6 Black Tern, 2 Sanderling, Turnstone
  • Pleasley Pit (SK5064) 2 Temminck's Stint
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Black Tern
12 May 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Black-tailed Godwit
  • Carver's Rocks (SK3322) Turtle Dove purring
11 May 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 2 Egyptian Goose, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 1 Wheatear
10 May 2009
  • Chaddesden (SK3837) 2 Red Kite over
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Wood Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Woodpecker
  • Ladybower Res./Derwent Res. (SK1789) Pied Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Garden Warbler
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 6 Wheatear
9 May 2009
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Gadwall, 2 Kingfisher, Cuckoo, Grey Wagtail, 20 Wheatear, 4 Whinchat (different to that of 6th), 25 Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Whitethroat, 9 Blackcap, 7 Garden Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, Willow Tit, Treecreeper
8 May 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 14 Dunlin
7 May 2009
  • Foremark Res. (SK3324) Kittiwake, 3 Dunlin, Common Gull
  • Chaddesden Sidings (SK3735) Goosander, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Sedge Warbler, 5 Whitethroat
  • Pride Park Sanctuary (SK3735) 50 Sand Martin usinf nest bank, 7 Wheatear, Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, 2 Lapwing, 4 Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Whitethroat
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Whinchat, 7 Wheatears
6 May 2009
  • Ladybower Res. (SK1986) Red Kite, Pied Flycatcher
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 18 Great Crested Grebe, Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 16 Common Tern, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Bullfinch, 3 Reed Bunting
  • Carsington Water/Village (SK2553) Great Northern Diver still present, Shelduck, 7 Dunlin, 4 Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, 50 Swift, Barn Owl
5 May 2009
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Red Kite over (a new species for the site)
  • Aston-on-Trent (SK4030) Escaped Harris's Hawk
  • Bretton Clough (SK2078) Wood Warbler, 36 Willow Warbler in survey area
3 May 2009
  • Kirk Langley (SK2838) Wryneck for 30 mins
  • Ramsley Moor/Leash Fen (SK2875) Red Kite moving west, Buzzard, 3 Curlew, 4 Tree Pipit, 10 Meadow Pipit, 20 Willow Warbler
  • Willington GP (SK3937) 4 Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 10 House Martin, 10 Sand Martin, 8 Swift, Bullfinch, Common Tern, 3 Reed Bunting, Kestrel, 2 Goldfinch, Buzzard, 6 Swallow
  • Carr Vale NR (SK4569) Barnacle Goose
  • Heatherton (SK3233) Lesser Whitethroat
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Lesseer Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, 3 Swallow
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 3 Shelduck, 3 Greylag Geese, 3 Gadwall, Peregrine, 6 Buzzard, 16 Lapwing, Kingfisher, Cuckoo, 4 Wheatear (Greenland), 22 Reed Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, 7 Garden Warbler, 16 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 11 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit family party
2 May 2009
  • Pride Park Derby (SK3735) Sedge Warbler singing from shrubs in Pride Park Pub car park
  • Monsal Head (SK1871) 3 Swift
  • Miller's Dale (SK1473) Red Kite over car park
  • Barrow GP (SK3527) Egyptian Goose
  • Shelton Lock (SK3731) 10 Swift
  • Mackworth Park (SK3235) 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Linnet
  • Linacre Woods (SK3272) 2 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Greylag Goose, 2 Garden Warbler, 25 Mallard
1 May 2009
  • Stanage Moor (SK2384) Cuckoo, Pied FLycatcher
  • Carsington Water (SK2451) Great Northern Diver still present
  • Foremark Res. (SK3324) Common Scoter
30 April 2009
  • Long Eaton GP (SK5033) Red-crested Pochard, 4 Yellow Wagtail
  • Pleasley Colliery (SK4964) Wood Sandpiper

Top of Page

Previous months
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
All of 2008
All of 2007
April 2009 highlights

A quite exceptional month. A fall of Little Gull or Arctic Tern would normally have been noteworthy enough but the 11 Whiskered Tern that arrived at Willington GP sent shock waves around the county. Even a DOS field trip was diverted in the afternoon to enjoy this spectacle ! Six species of tern in the same month must surely be without precedent.

Those playing 'catch-up' from last month could still find Great Northern Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Grey Shrike and Waxwing before two Cetti’s Warbler had the regulars heading for the south of the county again.

A good mix of waders included a Wood Sandpiper, raptors included Honey Buzzard, a handful of Osprey and arriving Hobby whilst a Twite away from breeding grounds is always an excellent find.

Migrants and prospectors created interest, amongst which up to five Avocet and a splendid herd of Whooper Swan must have pleased those who saw them.

Bryan Barnacle