Wood Mouse

Stumbled across a very tame Wood Mouse at Willington Gravel Pits yesterday (4th January 2015).  Was a very cold morning with very dense mist over the lakes so went for a wonder, well couldn't see anything anyway.  I reckon this particular mouse was a bit cold and was obviously very hungry and was completely oblivious to my presence and allowed me to get to within a few inches whilst scampering along grass stems, bramble stalks and teasels.

'My nose is cold'

Love of Pipits

I have spent the last 10 months or so working on a contract in mid-Wales.  The site is host to a variety of passerine species but one of the most confiding, photogenic and probably my favourite is the humble Meadow Pipit (Anthus pretensis).

Here's a selection of my better pictures taken since Spring 2014.

Another of my favourite 2014 Meadow Pipit photos taken this year - this one is from a Spring trip to Scotland (taken at RSPB Loch Leven)

Its not just Meadows - quite like Rock Pipits too!

Couple of shots taken at Tynemouth in 2013

New Toy and a Bumper June Catch

Inspired by Charlie Hamilton James' use of a light box in the Amazon rain forest for some truly stunning macro-photography I decided to invest in a very basic (and fairly cheap) set-up to hopefully improve my moth pics.  I am still limited slightly in my camera and lens but hopefully the results are passable.

After a full week away working in mid-Wales (will be sorting an end of season 'Best of Pics' blogs later), I was very excited to be back home; firstly to see the wife and kids but secondly to get the moth trap out under pretty perfect conditions and snaffle a few additions to my Garden Moth Challenge List (still being processed! - well to be fair its in a notebook!!!)

Trap set, bed and then trap emptied pre-survey this morning and I wasn't disappointed with the catch.

Scores on the doors -

Total Moths Caught - 257 (including 76 Heart and Dart)
Total Species - 39 (would  be more if I was better at catching and ID'ing micros)
New for the Year - 9

Here's a few pics -

Broad-barred White (NFY)

Buff-tip (NFY)

Brace of Buff-tip

Codling Moth (NFY)

Common Emerald (NFY)

Marbled Beauty (NFY)

Middle-barred Minor (NFY)

Turnip Moth (NFY)

Dusky Brocade

Willow Beauty 

Bright-line Brown-eye

Elephant Hawk-moth (1 of 5 caught)

Elephant Hawk-moth

Derbyshire Gold, Trip to A&E and First Patchwork Visit

Finally after what has to be the wettest Christmas break in my memory a day of sunshine was forecast.  Kids and dogs packed in to the car we headed off to Calke Abbey to hopefully blow away a few cobwebs and some energy. 

 

 

On arrival Red Deer were in the paddock next to the car park and a quick look at the bird hide was not that revelatory!  Stuffed full of grumpy old men with long lens none of whom moved slightly to allow access to the benches so we gave up and headed off for a walk.  More deer in the paddocks below the lake (both Red and Fallow Deer), Nuthatches in the trees and finally a Chaffinch (both new for the year). 

 

Along the top path I found a small mixed tit and finch flock and totally by chance a small woodpecker - a LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER no less. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a species which I have seen very rarely in the UK (probably only the third or fourth that I have actually seen in the UK).  This is also a species which is not particularly that common in the County and is also a County tick for me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I only managed to fire off a couple of record shots and will hopefully get something better later in the year - now I know that they are there! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am particularly chuffed to get this species on the yearlist - especially on Day 2 of the year.

 

After the excitement of the woodpecker my son had a tumble and a quick trip to A&E was enforced upon us.  Fortunately it turned out to be soft tissue damage and the visit to the hospital was not as painful as other occasions as we were in and out in 20 minutes!  Hopefully he will learn not to walk while trying to spot gold daubloons with his pirate telescope!  He should leave the gold standard spotting to Daddy!

 

 

 

Still managed to squeeze in a late afternoon trip to the Patchwork site - Willington Gravel Pits - although I did have to wade through the flooded track to access the site.  Nothing particularly of note  but at least I have some sightings to input on to the score sheet!  Highlights include good numbers of Shoveler and Wigeon plus a single Goosander, Cetti's Warbler and a late  Sparrowhawk back at the car.  Hopefully the rain will stop at some point in 2014 and the water levels will drop slightly or my wader list will be very poor indeed! 

Magical Murmurations

After spending most of yesterday morning stuck in the car travelling back from relatives, the kids and Mrs G were ensconced either on the sofa or in respective rooms playing with various new toys I decided to head down to Willington Gravel Pits to see what was about. The weather was OK but exceedingly windy and not overly sunny however the Starlings put on a fantastic display with approximately 18,000 birds coming in to roost in to the modestly sized area of reeds on the reserve. 

 

Today (28th Dec) the weather was much better (sunny, calm and not too cold) so I decided to take the whole family out to show them the magic that is a 'murmuration'.  For all the kids this would have been their first murmuration and I am hoping not their last!

 

 

We arrived early as I had promised a spectacular however (as is always the case) no Starlings!  The sunset on the reed bed was however pretty lush and there were plenty of  Wigeon, Teal and some Shoveler to watch. 

 

 

In addition over recent weeks the number of Lapwing on the reserve has built up so we were also able to enjoy some of their pre-sun set wheeling over the reserve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and then albeit a bit late....... Starlings! (Phew!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small flocks became large flocks and then even larger and soon we were able to all enjoy black 'clouds' wheeling and turning over the reed bed before the birds finally came in to roost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disappointingly the display was not as good as the previous night with pre-roosting being particularly quick - I think a result of the lateness at which they arrived but it was nonetheless a very enjoyable evening.

 

 

 

Walking back to the car the reed bed was alive with chattering birds which seemingly didn't want to settle (probably due to two female Sparrowhawks that were both sneaking around the roost) and we were able to watch as the roost filtered through the reed bed until it was almost totally dark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are local to Derby / Burton area I can thoroughly recommend going to watch what is one of natures most amazing spectacles and whilst it is not the millions of birds that are present at other sites nationwide it is still stunning and exceedingly easy to access. Oh and the best part is that it is totally free!!

 

Best time to arrive is approximately 30 minutes before sun-set and the roost is viewable from all of the platforms although P2, 3 and 4 offer better views.  P4 gives the best overall view however P2 and P3 will get you much closer to the birds coming in to the reeds.