Autumn is coming!

I went down to Holmebrook Valley last Sunday and was happy to see my first Redwing flying over. I beat last years record by one day. Unfortunately as it was very quick I couldn't get a photo. I then went down to the lake and found that the Black-Headed Gulls are returning with 7 birds present. Soon there with be possibly hundreds on the lake to scan through so I will make the most of these small easy flocks whilst I can.

2 of the Black-Headed Gulls

Today the Great Crested Grebe which has spent all year since February on the lake flew almost the length of it today which shows that it could be getting ready to depart for the winter. The bird is virtually in full winter plumage now. Last year it, or a different bird, stayed until the end of October so its not got long to go.

Great Crested Grebe through some leafs

On both visits all 6 Mute Swans have been present on the lake. All 3 of this years cygnets are doing fine and last years cygnet is looking basically like and adult but with a pale bill.

Last years cygnet

Adult male Mute Swan 089 

Two of this years cygnets. Both looking very old now!

Holmebrook Valley 24th - 30th of March. Sping is coming!

Because its the Easter holidays I have managed to get to Holmebrook Valley 5 times this week. During the week there has been quite a few geese on the lake and finally a few signs of spring.

On the 24th I had my first Chiffchaffs of 2018 calling with about 3 birds around the site. On the lake there were now 4 Greylag Geese (Highest HBV record) and 2 Canada Geese. The Greylag Geese seemed to be two pairs and were very territorial towards each other. One of the pairs flew south but returned 10 minutes later and then 3 of the Greylags and both Canada Geese left at 15:30 and didn't return. 

All 4 Greylag Geese

 Other birds on the lake were 7 Tufted Ducks, 1 Cormorant, 20 Black-Headed Gulls and the Great Crested Grebe. I also found my first 2018 frogspawn at the bottom end of the lake. This week it is meant to get colder but hopefully it will survive.

Frogspawn

On the 25th there was not much difference but the Chiffchaffs were still calling and both Canada Geese had returned to the lake and were with the 1 remaining Greylag Goose. Also there were only 2 Black-Headed Gulls, 5 Tufted Ducks and I found a Coot already on a nest. I couldn't find the Great Crested Grebe though. 

Coot on nest

On the 26th there were 3 Canada Geese, 9 Tufted Ducks, 1 Great Crested Grebe and still only 1 Greylag Goose but I did find the male Mute Swan (089) on last years nest. I presume its to early for them to breed yet and he was probably just sitting there because its comfortable.

089 on old nest

On the 27th 3 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese and 10 Tufted Ducks (New highest Tuftie count) were on the lake. 

Greylag Geese

On the 30th there were no Greylag Geese or Tufted Ducks but the 2 Canada Geese were still present and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming below the lake. 

Holmebrook Valley 18/03/18

Between the 17th and 18th it snowed again and I decided to head of to Holmebrook Valley with my uncle despite it being very cold. There was not much difference on the lake but we did record 6 Common Gull (My highest site record!), 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Canada Geese and about 5 Meadow Pipits flying around the lake which was odd.

2 of at least 5 Meadow Pipits on raft on lake

Sleepy Mute Swans

Apart from that there was just the normal Mallards, Coots, Moorhens, Mute Swans and 50+ Black-Headed Gulls.

Iceland Gull at Edgbaston Reservoir 17/03/18

Yesterday I had a day in Birmingham with family and on the way home we popped into the nearby Edgbaston Reservoir to check out an Iceland Gull that had been reported of Birdguides earlier in the day. We parked in the carpark at the end of Reservoir Road and within 5 minutes I had located the bird which was about 20 meters out on the reservoir.

2nd Winter Iceland Gull

These are my best views I have had of an Iceland Gull before as I have only seen one flying away at North Shields in Newcastle back at the start of 2017. Other birds seen on site were Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Coot and Mute Swan.

Edgbaston Reservoir

Holmebrook Valley 10 - 11/03/18

Last weekend I went down to Holmebrook Valley for nearly 3 hours as it wasn't as cold and all the snow had gone.

On the 10th I cycled down and round the park for about 1hr and 20mins. On the playing fields by the main carpark there were about 200 Black-Headed Gull which is my highest record for the site. I scanned through the flock but only managed to pick out 1 Common Gull and no ringed gulls.

Playing field full of BH Gulls

On the lake there was 2 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, all 3 Mute Swans and the Great Crested Grebe. Unfortunately there were no Tufted Ducks even though the lake had no ice on it.

Mute Swan

Other birds seen around the site were a Goldcrest by the river and a Bullfinch.

On the 11th I went down for an hour round the lake. The only change from the day before was that there were now 4 Canada Geese (2 extra), 2 Tufted Ducks were on the lake. Also 2 Mandarin Ducks flew over and a Kingfisher was heard on the lake.

Greylag Goose on raft

Holmebrook Valley 28/02/18 - 01 - 02/03/18

Over night from the 27th to the 28th of March it snowed a lot in Chesterfield and when I woke up I found myself off school which meant I could go down to Holmebrook Valley to do a bit of birding. Despite it being -5° I went down for about two hours during the day.

The lake was almost completely frozen over but there were still 2 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, all 3 Mute Swans, 3 Tufted Ducks and the Great Crested Grebe.

Mute Swan

On the frozen lake there were about 40 Black-Headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls and at least 4 Common Gulls throughout the day (new sight record). Other birds seen around the site were Redwing, Fieldfare and about 7 Bullfinch which spent all of the morning feeding in the bushes on the east side of the lake.

Frozen lake on the 1st of March

On the 1st of March I was off school again and I spent the day walking round Chesterfield getting some nice pictures in the snow. Whilst in Chesterfield I had a look on the lake in Queens Park and was happy to find 1 Common Gull, 4 Lesser Back-Backed Gulls and about 40 Black-Headed Gulls.

Common Gull with BH Gulls

When I returned home I popped down to Holmebrook Valley for about 20 minutes. Nothing had change much but there were only 2 Common Gulls today and 4 Canada Geese including 2 new birds that landed whilst I was there. I was also told by my uncle that the Mute Swans were not on the lake earlier in the day as it was completely frozen over, but they had returned and all 3 birds were on the lake. They had most likely gone to Linacre Reservoirs or Walton Dam as they are both about a 2 minute flight from Holmebrook.

All 3 Mute Swans in a small gap in the ice

Common Gull

The Greylag Goose and the Tufted Ducks weren't there but there were at least 10 Bullfinches still in the bushes on the east side of the lake.
On the 2nd of March it was the same as on the 1st with 2 Common Gull but only about 5 Bullfinches and still no Greylag Goose or Tufted Ducks.

1 of 4 Canada Geese

Holmebrook Valley 20 - 23 - 25/02/18

This week I have been down to Holmebrook Valley three times.
On the 20th of February I went down for about an hour. On the lake there was the usual Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swans, 40+ Black-Headed Gulls, a few Mallards, Coots and a couple of Moorhens. The Tufted Ducks were there as usual and I counted 9 of them which I think is a new site record. Also on the lake were two Canada Geese which were new, but no Greylag Goose, although there was one seen at Linacre Reservoirs which would have been the same bird. This bird has flown from Holmebrook Valley to Linacre before as is just about a 5 minute flight for it.

8 of the 9 Tufted Ducks

Both Canada Geese

On the 23rd I went down for about 50 minutes. There was basically the same on the lake but instead there were no Tufted Ducks, no Canada Geese and the Greylag Goose had returned from his/her flight up to Linacre Reservoir. Also on the lake was 1 Common Gull, 2 Cormorants, 1 Great Crested Grebe and about 120 Black-Headed Gulls which was a lot. Unfortunately I couldn't find any ringed gulls but quiet a few of the birds were in breeding plumage and I managed to get some nice photos of one of these birds.

 Also on the 23rd there were 2 Kingfishers calling on the river.

Today the sun was out and it was quiet a nice day so I went down for half and hour. I knew that there had been quiet a few Whooper Swans around South Yorkshire this morning so I kept my fingers crossed that they might fly over to the lake at Holmebrook.
Unfortunately there were no Whoopers on the lake but there were 6 Tufted Ducks, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Mute Swans and about 60 Black-Headed Gulls. Also there were very low numbers of Mallards today with only about 20 - 30 birds present.

2 of the Mute Swans

Holmebrook Valley Park 17 - 18/02/18

This week I am off school and I have managed to get down to Holmebrook Valley a couple of times.

17/02/18

I popped down for about 45 minutes on Saturday and had a walk round the lake. On the lake there was a flock of about 60 Black-Headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Greylag Goose, 3 Tufted Ducks, all 3 Mute Swans and 2 Cormorants.

Common Gull

The tame Robin was still by the boardwalk in his normal tree and I managed to get some nice shots of him.

18/02/18

Today I went to Holmebrook Valley about half an hour.
Birds on the lake were 50+ Black-Headed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Tufted Ducks (3 Male + 2 Female, A good record for HBV), 2 Cormorants, all 3 Mute Swans and 1 Greylag Goose.

Great Crested Grebe nearing full breeding plumage.

I also saw 1 female Goosander fly over and it was coming in to land but it flew off. Around the lake there was the usual tame Robin and I could hear the Kingfisher calling on the river and when I went to look, it flew off. I guess seeming that it was calling a lot, there was another bird.

Tame Robin

Also I added Green Woodpecker and Tawny Owl to my year list. I saw the Green Woodpecker this morning at Linacre Reservoirs and the Tawny Owl last weekend flying over a roundabout near Batemoor.

Holmebrook Valley Park 12/02/18

From last Saturday night through to Monday it snowed a bit in Chesterfield, so when I woke up I found out that my school was closed due to the snow. This gave me chance to get down to Holmebrook Valley to see if there was anything about.

I walked round the lake for about an hour and 25 minutes. On the lake there was a big flock of gulls with at least 100 birds present. I had a quick scan through the Black-Headed Gulls and managed to find 2 Common Gulls and a juvenile Black-Headed Gull with a metal ring on it. The ringed bird was to far out on a raft to reed the ring so unfortunately I don't know where it has come from.

A few on the gulls including the ringed Black-Headed Gull (2nd from the right on the raft) and the common gull (Just left of the middle Cormorant)

Other birds present on the lake where, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Tufted Ducks, 3 Cormorants, all 3 Mute Swans and a Grey Heron which was fishing. A bird that I thought had gone was the Greylag Goose, but it was back on the lake so it may have been hiding somewhere. If it was there the day before, then I don't know how I missed it.

                                                                  The Greylag Goose

                                 Black-Headed Gulls on the boardwalk. Unfortunately no rings!
Around the lake there was a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, a couple of Bullfinch, a Greenfinch calling at the top end of the lake, which is a nice Holmebrook Valley record as I don't see them much there, and this very friendly and tame Robin in his/her normal location by the boardwalk. I have not seen this Robin for at least a month so it was nice to see it back and in the snow I got some nice photos.

                                                    I tried to hide the seed in the snow!

                                                                 The lake in the snow

Holmebrook Valley Park 11/02/18

I went down to Holmebrook Valley today for about an hour despite the horrible weather. It was drizzling, cold and worst of all very windy, which made it feel even colder. I cycled down to the lake to see if there was anything about. On the lake there was 2 Tufted Ducks (Male and female), 3 Goosanders, including 2 which landed on the lake whilst I was there, about 60 Black-Headed Gulls including some near summer plumaged birds, all 3 Mute Swans and 3 Cormorants that were on a raft in the middle of the lake. The Greylag Goose that has been on the lake since December wasn't on the lake today so I guess it has flown away. Another bird that I found was a Great Crested Grebe which has been gone since November. Its nice to see the grebe back on the lake and hopefully it will successfully breed this year.

                                                                 Great Crested Grebe

                                               Near summer plumage Black-Headed Gull
I also found a Goldcrest which came within about 5m of me by was to quick and surrounded by branches to photograph. I spent about 15 minutes trying and here's the best I managed.

 Also with the Goldcrest were a few Goldfinch and Siskin which were feeding on the ground below.

                                             The lake whilst the sun was out for 5 minutes

Rufford CP 28/01/18

This afternoon I went to Rufford CP in Nottinghamshire. My main focus was to try see the Hawfinches that have been feeding around the main carpark over the winter as they would be a "lifer" for me. When we arrived I managed to spot one straight away at the top of a tall tree in the carpark, but by the time we had parked and got out it had disappeared. I waited for about 5 minutes with a group of birders and we managed to find a couple at the tops of the trees. There were at least 5 when I was there but there had been up to 20 the day before. I managed some record shots but they were hard to photograph amongst the branches and were very high up in the trees. That was my first "lifer" of the year.

                                                                   Male Hawfinch

                                             Female Hawfinch compared to Greenfinch

After seeing the Hawfinches we went for a walk round the lake. On the lake there were 6 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 7 Mute Swans, lots of Canada Geese, a few Greylag Geese, 150+ Black-Headed Gulls, 20+ Common Gulls and 1 Kingfisher that was heard and then seen flying under the bridge on the island in the middle of the lake. There were quiet a lot of Tufted Ducks but unfortunately no Potchard.

                           Greylag x Canada Goose Hybrid                    Common Gull

                             Female Tufted Duck                      Greylag Geese scaring of the Canada's

It was interesting to see the cygnet Mute Swans as they had a lot more adult feathers on them then the birds at Holmebrook Valley. I guess that they were born earlier. Also one of the birds (bottom left photo) had a weird shaped bill that went of to the side. It obviously hasn't affected it as it is still alive. Possibly next time I may find it in full adult plumage?

Another bird I was hoping to see was Marsh Tit as I was told by a friend that they had seen one there the week before. Last year I didn't manage to see either Marsh or Willow Tit so I was eager to find one and tick it off the year list. It didn't take long as on the first bridge round the lake I found one coming to seed quiet regularly. I waited but it was quick and I only managed a record shot.

                                                                         Marsh Tit

One last bird that I saw was one I wasn't expecting to find today. We were driving home through a town called Nether Langwith which is on the border of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire when I saw a Little Egret on the stream. We stopped and went back to look for it. By this time it had been spooked up into the trees by some runners who told me that it had been on the river there for a few months. Luckily it was just in Derbyshire by 10m. Little Egrets are not that common in Derbyshire and I have only seen them here whilst on the train to Derby from Chesterfield and once flying over Bakewell so it was a nice Derbyshire record for me and was also a year tick.