A Trip To Derbyshire

 Just a quick post before I get stuck into sorting through my images from our cruise So, just before myself and the good lady went on our cruise down to the Canaries and the Mediterranean which started on the 12th of January, John Hague [Shrike Birding Tours] Dave Gray and I had a trip to Derbyshire in search of a few year ticks. First stop was Cromford - a good area for Hawfinch and Dipper; sadly neither was seen, but great to watch some Long-tailed Tits and Siskin busily feeding away.

                                                                    Long-tailed Tit

                                                                          Siskin

It was then on to Darley Dale to try again for Hawfinch and this time we were successful, with two birds feeding at the church yard.

We then ended out little tour of Derbyshire at Straw Bridge LNR where a Ring-necked Duck had been frequenting. This bird showed ridiculously close - down to 15 feet at times, the best views I have had of this species.

                                                               Ringed-necked Duck

                                                                 Ringed-necked Duck

Once I've sorted through the images from our cruise, I'll put a post on about our trip. It wasn't a birding trip,  just a few images from when I had my camera with me.

As always thanks for stopping by.

Snowed Out

 On January 3rd this year, Dave Gray, John Hague from Shrike Birding Tours and I decided to go and have a look at the long staying Black-winged Kite which was residing at Ludham Bridge in Norfolk. We knew the weather was giving snow showers down the east coast but arriving on site just after 9.30am, the so called snow  showers turned out to be a snow blizzard, so we abandoned the Kite idea when John said the Eastern Black Redstart (a sub species of Black Redstart) was showing in Sherringham- a bird I had not seen. Driving conditions were horrible,  and so a 50 minute drive to Sherringham turned out to be over an hour and half;  fair play to Dave for driving in those coditions. On arrival at the esplanade, it was not long before this really confiding bird was showing really well on the beach and groynes.

We picked up a few year ticks from the esplanade, an adult Caspian Gull, adult Med Gull, Kittiwake and Turnstone plus the usual  more common gulls.

We finished at Roydon Common where the Harriers come into roost, Male and Female Hen Harrier were seen, and up to 10 Marsh Harriers, well over 30 Red Kites a Couple of Barn Owls and Dave picked out a bonus Little Owl

Overall it turned out to be a better day than expected after a miserable start!

Happy New Year to everyone, as always thanks for stopping by, and here's to a bird filled 2026 and any thing else to do with nature.