Peak District

Wednesday

The parents came up for the day, so we went for a fairly chilled walk around the grounds of Chatsworth. Got a few bits and pieces seen, including a couple of Common Sandpiper, Blackcap and a few rather dashing Mandarins. I reckon we stumbled across at least four pairs of birds plus a solitary male. Not a bad haul to be honest.

-Mandarin

Friday

With nothing major on the cards and the dissertation in its final stages of being wrapped up I decided to make today my day trip into the peaks in order to track down any spring migrants I still needed for the year.

Technically the only migrant still required for the year-list was Wood Warbler, so I headed first to Blacka Moor Plantation where two had apparently been present for a week or so. It took some time on site before I had any luck, largely as a result of the fact that neither bird was singing. I caught snipits of song occasionally, but not enough to be sure of identification at any point. Each 2 second snipit of song would then be followed by a good quarter of an hour of silence, by which point the bird had moved to the other side of the wood. I was about to give up when I eventually got it, sat above my head for all of a few seconds before it scurried away through the canopy.

Possibly the most frustrating bird I have ever had to deal with...

-Wood Warbler

Next it was on to Padley Gorge and Moor where I did get a few of the migrants but sadly lacking in others, specifically Redstart, Tree Pipit and Cuckoo all failed to connect with. The Whinchat I had was distant but the Stonechat were on top form showing very nicely and the Pied Flycatchers were fantastic as they always are. They were also joined by a single Spotted Flycatcher.

-Whinchat

-Pied Flycatcher

Species List

Blacka Moor: Blue Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Wood Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird, Swallow, Mallard, Siskin, Pied Wagtail, Canada Goose,

Padley Gorge: Carrion Crow, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Mistle Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Pied Flycatcher, Treecreeper, Wren, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blue Tit,