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 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