Tag Archives: Redstart

Redstart – 17th April

This morning, on the Causeway, a male Redstart was seen, first on the bench and then it flew into the Deep Pit and foraged along the bank. There was a Reed Warbler singing in the reeds at the north-west end of the Deep Pit.  There are still some Wheatears on the field beyond the Wader Scrape and more Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers are in. A Yellow Wagtail flew along the Causeway and a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling near the north-west corner of the Large Gravel Pit.  PS.

Redstart – 9th April

This morning a male Redstart was seen in the Plantation, near the Causeway end. A Sedge Warbler was singing down the bank and at least five Willow Warblers were singing around the site. Up to fifteen Chiffchaffs were singing and two Blackcaps, and a Swallow was with the Sand Martins by the railway bridge. At least two Wheatears were still on the ploughed field beyond the Wader Scrape and there was still one Goldeneye on the Large Gravel Pit. A Small Tortoiseshell and a Brimstone were seen in flight.  PS.

There was also a report of a distant view of a Red Kite, towards Carlton.

Yellow Wagtail – 18th April

Earlier this morning, two Yellow Wagtails flew south, over the site near the Wader Scrape. A Common Sandpiper was with the Little Ringed Plovers on the Wader Scrape. A male Redstart was on the Lower Path, close to the gates, as well as several Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps and a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling on the railway end of the Causeway. PS.

Redstart – 16th April

This morning a male Yellow Wagtail was seen flying over the Slurry Lagoon and a female Wheatear was on the dry end. Along the bank towards the Causeway two male Redstarts were seen and another male was on the railway embankment. Three Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers and a Grasshopper Warbler were also present and along the river bank three Kingfishers and a Common Sandpiper were seen. There were also lots more Willow Warblers and Blackcaps in, two male Blackcaps were watched eating Ivy berries. The only insects of note were a Peacock and two Bee Flies. PS.

Bee Fly - Bombylius major
Bee Fly – Bombylius major

Spotted Flycatcher – 28th August

As we walked along the Lower Path early on this morning there were lots of warblers and tits feeding in the elderberry bushes. Near the Irish Bridge an immature Spotted Flycatcher was found and further along, near the signal box, an adult Spotted Flycatcher was also found. Then a Hobby was seen over the river which made several attempts to double back and capture one of the swallows which were harassing it. Later, as we tried to refind the flycatchers to show to some people, a Redstart chased a Chiffchaff around a hawthorn bush. All three birds were still around in the early afternoon. On the Slurry Lagoon there were five Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover . PS AE.

Sun Hats and Sun Cream

Padley Gorge – May 2010

On what was to be the hottest day of the year so far, Deryck, Jackie and I left Nottingham at about 0730 to meet Brian, Norman and Steve in Baslow, Derbyshire. While we waited a Garden Warbler was singing near the stream. We looked for Dipper, as this was a spot I used to see them regularly but not today.

We moved off to our first stop at Padley Gorge. We parked up, dosed up with sun cream and donned our sun hats then set off down the Gorge. Our target birds being Spotted and Pied Flycatcher and Common Redstart. It wasn’t long before Redstart was heard but not seen. Continuing down the path we soon had views of 2 pair of Redstart at two nest boxes, close to each other. A few yards on down the path we were soon enjoying views of Pied Flycatchers, again at a nest box. A few of the group went a little further down the Gorge to see if they could connect with Wood Warbler but to no avail. Cuckoo could be heard calling all round but not seen. We had good views of a Nuthatch, a Treecreeper and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. With the weather so warm there were Wood Ants all along the woodland path. Also seen were Small & Green-veined White Butterflies along with Orange Tip and Peacock. We returned to the cars, the day trip list now standing at 22 birds, 2 mammals and 4 butterfly.

We moved on about a mile to Surprise View Car Park were after a coffee break we moved onto the open moor for the first time. Here we added Tree Pipit and Carrion Crow to the day list along with a fleeting glimpse of a Green Hairstreak butterfly.

We moved on again, this time to Stanage Edge, taking a slow walk up to the edge over the open moorland. On the way we could hear a Reed Bunting calling from a gully and Curlew were heard across the moor. As we approached the Edge brilliant views of Green Hairstreak were obtained and photographed. Then the next target bird was spotted sat on a rock – a male Ring Ouzel. 3 males and a female were seen before we left the Edge. A Buzzard was seen being mobbed by Curlew.

Wearily and hot we returned to the cars to move on the Cutthroat Bridge, near the Ladybower Dams were we stopped for lunch.

After a refreshing break, another load of sun cream applied we set out on what I believed to be a steady walk around the moors. I had done a similar walk about 10 years ago and had found it very pleasant. Oh how the memory fades! The path we took was not the path I had taking all those years earlier. We were however rewarded with fine views of a Whinchat. A little further on we entered the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve – Ladybower Wood. The track here was very rugged but again we were rewarded with the first sighting, on our trips, of a Grizzled Skipper. These are tiny butterflies, about 22 – 26 cms

(about 1 inch or less)that can easily be over-looked. (See article – Dingy and Grizzled Skipper) Three more were found a little further on along with a Small Copper. While in the wood a peregrine glided over the treetops.

We continued on the path past the rear of The Ladybower Inn were Jackie had a visit from a strange little creature on her camera case that Brian and Norman did their best to photograph. Jackie and I later identified it as a House Longhorn. Also in this area were a few Rose Chaffers.

While going through a conifer plantation we had views of Siskin and Goldcrest.

The path seemed to go on and on, out of the trees and on to the open moor, getting steeper all the time. We were all shattered on getting to the top but here we were rewarded with fine views of Red Grouse and two chicks. After a well-earned rest we continued down hill on a well-worn path towards the cars. On the way down Stonechat were heard but we could not locate them.

Although it had been a very hot and tiring day, all agreed that it had been worth the effort with good views of the surrounding countryside and some wonderful wildlife.

I would like to thank Neil Matthew for providing us with such a good itinerary.


The yearly trip lists now stand at: – Birds – 145 (117) : Butterflies – 8 (10)

Mammals – 6 (5) : Dragonflies – 0 (0) : Others – 3 (0)

2009 in brackets.

Peregrine Falcon – 19th April

This morning a Peregrine Falcon flew over and perched on the nearby electricity pylon for a few minutes before moving to the next pylon to the north-east. A Common Sandpiper flew round the Slurry Lagoon and a Little Ringed Plover was displaying over the Slurry.

In the early afternoon one Common Tern appeared on the newly recommissioned Tern Platforms. One Swift and two House Martins were seen and a Redstart was heard alarm calling. A Tawny Owl was observed in the willow tree. RW.

Later two Avocets settled on the Slurry Lagoon and a male Marsh Harrier flew through. PS. RW.