November 2009 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 Please note that for obvious reasons we do not publish sightings of rare breeders such as Little Ringed Plover during the breeding season (unless obvious migrants)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

30 November 2009
  • Shardlow (SK4230) 3 Buzzard, 5 Fieldfare
  • Ticknall (SK3523) 2 Marsh Tit in observer's garden
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 400 Pink-footed Goose to NW, 2 Kingfisher on the dam wall
  • Littleover (SK3233) Little Egret NE over Derby Grammar School at 08:00
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Possible Pochard x Ferruginous Duck hybrid again, 2 Water Rail, 30 Golden Plover, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff
29 November 2009
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 6 Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher, Lesser Redpoll
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) 11 Cormorant, 200 Wood Pigeon, 48 Collared Dove, 12 Long-tailed Tit
  • Barrow GP (SK3527) 66 Mute Swan, 11 Snipe, 20 Meadow Pipit
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Little Egret, possible Pochard x Ferruginous Duck hybrid, Greylag Goose, 60 Wigeon, Peregrine, 4 Water Rail, 50 Golden Plover, 300 Lapwing, 30 Snipe, Kingfisher, 2 Green Woodpecker, Willow Tit, 2 Canada Goose/Greylag Goose hybrid
28 November 2009
  • Willington PS (SK3028) 2 Peregrine
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Little Grebe, 18 Mute Swan, 3 Goldeneye, Green Sandpiper, Short-eared Owl briefly, 80 Redwing
  • Hilton GP (SK2432) Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit
  • Kedleston Park (SK3140) 4 Mandarin, 3 Goosander, 2 Wren, 34 Redwing, 3 Nuthatch, Treecreeper
  • Shipley CP (SK4444) 65 Wigeon, 14 Gadwall, 21 Shoveler, 70 Pochard, 6 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Redwing, 9 Mistle Thrush, 38 Goldfinch, 6 Siskin
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 8 Yellow-legged Gull
27 November 2009
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) Peregrine, Green Sandpiper, Little Owl, 2 Stonechat
  • Chaddesden (SK3736) 300 Jackdaw
  • Big Moor (SK2776) 150 Pink-footed Goose west, Peregrine
  • Little Barbrook Res. (SK2776) Pink-footed Goose
  • Ramsley Res. (SK2874) 3 Stonechat
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 3 Whooper Swan adults left to south at 15:40
26 November 2009
  • Alvaston (SK3933) 40 Linnet
  • Kedleston Park (SK3140) 12 Shoveler, 2 Raven
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Merlin over
25 November 2009
  • Mapperley Wood (SK4343) Little Egret in adjascent fields
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Kingfisher, Willow Tit
  • Carsington Water (SK2451) Merlin, Ring-billed Gull, 2 Yellow-legged Gull
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) Grey Wagtail, 20 Tree Sparrow, 21 Lesser Redpoll
24 November 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 9 Gadwall, 23 Pochard, 5 Goldeneye, Water Rail, 200 Lapwing, 80 Redwing, Willow Tit, 11 (eleven) Bullfinch
23 November 2009
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 6 Yellow-legged Gull
22 November 2009
  • Monsal Dale (SK1771) 8 Grey Heron
  • Alvaston Lake (SK3734) 45 Common Gull
21 November 2009
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 2 Lapwing, 20 Snipe, 14 Redshank
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Teal, 3 Pochard, 43 Tufted Duck, 70 Lapwing, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11 Redwing
  • Carsington Water (SK2451) 100 Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, 150 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 150 Pochard, 7 Goldeneye, 220 Black-headed Gull, 70 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Great Black-backed Gull, Redshank, Chiffchaff
  • Rowsley (SK2565) 500 Starling
  • Linacre Res. (SK3372) 45 Mandarin
20 November 2009
  • Kedleston Park (SK3140) 10 Mandarin, 5 Goosander, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Redwing
  • Bentley's Plantation (SK4544) Nuthatch
  • Cotmanhay (SK4643) SParrowhawk, Snipe, 2 Jay
  • Mapperley Res (SK4343) 5 Teal, 2 Shoveler, Coal Tit, Nuthatch
  • Shipley CP (SK4444) 8 Gadwall, Red-crested Pochard, 32 Pochard, Merlin, 320 Black-headed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Meadow Pipit, 35 Redwing
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Bittern from Platform 3
  • Staunton Harold Res. (SK3723) Yellow-legged Gull
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 6 Yellow-legged Gull
19 November 2009
  • Toyota Lake (SK2930) Barn Owl
  • Northwood (SK2764) 30 Brambling in mixed finch flock
18 November 2009
  • Ticknall (SK3523) 21 Grey Partridge
  • Carsington Water (SK2451) Great Northern Diver
17 November 2009
  • Avenue Washlands (SK3966) Jack Snipe
  • Hartshorne (SK3220) 500 Golden Plover
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 14 Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull
16 November 2009
  • Findern (SK3030) 25 Yellowhammer
15 November 2009
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Water Rail, 16 Moorhen, 46 Collared Dove
  • Avenue Washlands (SK3966) Jack Snipe, 100 Snipe, Water Rail
  • Barrow GP (SK3527) 12 Gadwall, Peregrine, 2 Snipe, Redshank, Kingfisher, 6 Skylark, 50 Fieldfare, 2 Bullfinch
  • Screetham Lane (SK3066) 60 Skylark
  • Uppertown (SK3265) 8 Bullfinch, 10 Yellowhammer
  • Ticknall (SK3523) 2 Grey Partridge
13 November 2009
  • Hare Edge (SK3073) Ringtail Hen Harrier
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Dunlin, Green Sandpiper both on Canal Scrape
  • Linacre Res. (SK3372) 7 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Mandarin, 3 Great SPotted Woodpecker, 5 Nuthatch, 4 Bullfinch
  • Ambaston GP (SK4232) Little Egret, 50 Meadow Pipit
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 18 Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull
12 November 2009
  • Baslow (SK2572) Barn Owl
11 November 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 8 Pochard, 4 Goldeneye, Buzzard, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 20 Redwing, Chiffchaff, 30 Long Tailed Tit, 3 Reed Bunting
  • Edale End (SK1586) 40 Siskin, 200 Fieldfare
  • Ambaston GP (SK4232) Little Egret
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 1200 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 286 Herring Gull, 7 Yellow-legged Gull
10 November 2009
  • Allestree Park (SK3540) Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
  • Wyver Lane (SK3449) Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, 100 Fieldfare, 40 Goldfinch
  • Kirk Langley (SK2838) Female Blackcap in observer's garden
9 November 2009
  • Tibshelf (SK4360) 500 Pink-footed Goose moving west in two skeins
8 November 2009
  • Ogston Res. (SK3760) 220 Pink-footed Goose
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Scaup, Tawny Owl, Bittern, 130 Pink-footed Goose, Curlew, Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Kingfisher, 18 Fieldfare, Willow Tit
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) Little Egret, 2 Yellow-legged Gull
  • Long Eaton GP (SK5033) 25 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Egyptian Goose, 67 Wigeon, 11 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 43 Pochard, 82 Coot
  • Ramlsey Pools (SK2874) 2 Stonechat, 5 Reed Bunting
  • Grieve's Piece (SK2827) Brambling, 4 Bullfinch
  • Avenue Washlands (SK3966) Jack Snipe, 30 Goldfinch
  • Willington Village (SK2928) Raven
  • Drakelow NR (SK2220) 437 Mallard, 6 Mandarin, 91 Wigeon, 44 Shoveler, Water Rail, 2 Woodcock, Green Sandpiper, Little Owl (the first since 2005), Stonechat, 34 Blackbird
7 November 2009
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) 3 Little Grebe, 24 Cornmorant, 3 Common Gull, 90 Collared Dove
  • Arleston (SK3329) 6 Mute Swan, Kingfisher, 2 Bullfinch
  • Alvaston Lake (SK3734) 8 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 55 Coot, 15 Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • Carsington Water (SK2451) Black Redstart
  • Gibbet Moor (SK2870) 4 Stonechat, 100 Fieldfare
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 6 Yellow-legged Gull
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 13 Skylark (Canal Pit), Tawny Owl
6 November 2009
  • Shardlow (SK4230) 40 Pied Wagtail Shardlow Business Park
  • Shipley Country Park (SK4444) Red-crested Pochard, 17 Pochard
  • Wirkesworth (SK2953) Merlin, 2 Grey Wagtail
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 2 Yellow-legged Gull
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Tawny Owl, 3 Whooper Swan
5 November 2009
  • Foremark Res. (SK3323) 6 Yellow-legged Gull
  • Willington GP (SK2827) Bittern 10:30, 3 Whooper Swan left south
4 November 2009
  • Locko Park (SK4038) Kingfisher
  • Pilsley (SK4262) 50 Pink Footed Goose SW
3 November 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 6 Whooper Swan, Stonechat
2 November 2009
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 6 Whooper Swan, 2 Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper
  • Newhall (SK2921) Grey Partridge in oberver's garden
  • Carsington Water (SK2553) 3 Pintail, 7 Shoveler, Scaup, 8 Goldeneye, Ring-billed Gull, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Skylark, 15 Meadow Pipit, 100 Redwing, 2 Raven
1 November 2009
  • Avenue Washlands (SK3966) Jack Snipe
31 October 2009
  • Ogston Res. (SK3759) Water Pipit
  • Carsington Water (SK2553) Ring-billed Gull,
  • Moorway Lane Pond (SK3232) Little Grebe, Water Rail, 4 Common Gull, 77 Collared Dove, Grey Wagtail
  • Marsh Lane (SK40793) 25 Golden Plover
  • Willington GP (SK2827) 6 Pintail, Goosander, Red Kite, 3 Dunlin, Ruff, 19 Snipe, 30 Herring Gull

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Previous months
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
All of 2008
All of 2007
October 2009 highlights

A Bittern at Willington GP proved popular but the star bird was surely our fifth-ever Cattle Egret seen at both Carr Vale and Ogston. A Glossy Ibis stayed all to briefly and a Common Crane tantalised similarly.

Many winter species arrived in force with good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing, a few Brambling, several groups of Common Crossbill and passage Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese. A Great Northern Diver arrived at Carsington Water almost on schedule, but then suffered a change of heart and departed northwards.

There was an excellent mix of waders, which included some late departures, whilst ten species of gull were recorded. The latter including an adult Ring-billed Gull which is presumed to be the bird of recent years.

Throw in a Black Redstart and some impressive figures from those involved in ringing and at migration watches, and it all adds up to a pretty good month.

Bryan Barnacle