Holmebrook Valley Monthly update

Since the end of October there has been quite a few different birds turning up on the lake at Holmebrook Valley.

On the 31st of October there was a male Teal which was first found at the north east end of the lake. This is my first Teal at Holmebrook since October 2017 so I expecting one. The bird was very shy and didn't come in very close, but with some persistence I managed a very badly let shot of him. 

Male Teal

Also on the 31st I had my first Common Gull of this winter. Unfortunately it didn't stick around and left very quickly so I only managed a record flight shot.

Common Gull

On the 6th of November there was a lovely male Pochard on the lake which was a first for the site for me. With the him there was a female Tufted Duck and they spent most of the time I was there in the middle of the lake.

Pochard and Tufted Duck

Also on the 6th I managed to find not one, but two Water Rails in the reeds at the bottom end of the lake. Not only was this the best Water Rail count for the site, but also my first since the 11th of November 2017. The birds were being very vocal but one was only seen twice.

Water Rail record shot

At least one Water Rail has been present calling in the same area within the last week and was there again today.

One of the Mute Swan cygnets had disappeared on the 6th but I now know it was taken away by the RSPCA because of lead poisoning (See post HERE). Hopefully it will get well enough to be returned. 

Also seen on the 6th was a Herring Gull. These can be seen around Chesterfield sometimes, but are still infrequent on the lake at Holmebrook. The bird was with 5 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls and 69 Black-Headed Gulls.

Herring Gull 3cy

Lesser Black-Backed Gull 2cy

Away from birds, there was a Common Darter flying around the bottom end of the lake on the 6th, which is now my latest record of any species of dragonfly.

On the 8th I found an American Mink at the bottom end of the lake which at the time, I presumed was why the Mute Swan cygnet had disappeared. I have reported the Mink but have not seen it since.

Mink

Also on the 8th there were two Goosanders (Male and female).

Goosanders

Since the 8th not much else has appeared on the lake apart from all the Mute Swans yesterday (See post HERE). Both Great Crested Grebes are still on the lake and numbers of Moorhens, Coots and Mallards have stayed roughly the same. I have heard the Kingfisher a few times on the river but it has not yet moved onto the lake as it did last year.