If you build it they will come - some fab news from High Leas, Barn Owls have bred successfully for this 1st time in years. The vole rich grassland is ideal for these birds but with support from @derbyswildlife.bsky.social & others a 2 well sited boxes did the trick. @derbyperegrines.bsky.social

Fantastic to catch the unringed White Stork just outside Hatton this morning - a fabulous bird looking at home and seemingly finding plenty to eat in the long grass fields. A first for me! (I need to get out more 😁) @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social #UKBirding

A Red Kite kinda day at #lockopark today with up to 5 enjoying the blustery conditions. The Oystercatcher pairs eggs seem to be hatching with a change in volume and activity from the birds along with a brief glimpse of one chick. Barn Owl, 12+ Buzzard and a Kes too! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

A great morning with a lovely group in the White Peak - #redstart were the star with c15 singing males and a minimum of 5 active nests. Dippers galore including juvs and adults feeding a 2nd brood. 4 Spotted Flycatcher, Peregrine, Red Kite & Garden Warbler (3) @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

The Serengeti of South Derbyshire with several Cattle Egret doing what it says on the tin by the Trent - a lovely couple of hours at Willington Wetlands. 5 sp. of heron/egret, Cuckoo, Kingfisher, Common Terns, 2 Sparrowhawk & 4 Oystercatcher. Influx of Painted Lady (7) @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Top walk with a lovely bunch at Willington Wetlands this am - 8sp. of warbler incl. Lesser Whitethroat, top views of Common Tern, Swift, Red Kite, Cattle Egret, a calling Cuckoo, pair of Yellow Wags and a brief Hobby. Wonderful to find this toad near the tower hide too! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Great walk in the Dark Peak with Mark who wanted to see Ring Ouzel - we found a minimum of 6 birds including a couple of obliging males. Other highlights were a drumming Snipe, Golden Plover, c8 Curlew, Cuckoo, 3 Redstart, 4 Pied Flycatcher and some lovely Lapwing chicks @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Back from Skye and an early walk at #Lockopark had me thinking I was still up north with a Cuckoo calling & 2 Willow Warbler singing (both part of our Skye soundtrack) on a very chilly morning. A 1st Gadwall since 2023, Oystercatcher, 4 Lapwing, Barn Owl, 15+ Swallow @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Garden Warbler, bat bonanzas, early orchids & No Mow May - May's newsletter from Natural Derbyshire Tours is now available 👇 @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social www.naturalderbyshiretours.uk/may-newslett... #walking #Derbyshire #May #gardenwarbler #naturalderbyshiretours

Lovely group walk at Willington Wetlands this morning - 9sp. of warbler included Grasshopper Warbler (2), Garden Warbler & Lesser Whitethroat. Goosander with young on the Trent, a first Common Tern of the year & 5+ Swift. Waders included a brief Green Sandpiper @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

A top 'Best of the White Peak' group walk this morning - not often Redstart (14+) is upstaged but our views of Dipper (4) incl. 2 feeding a brood in the nest were insane! Peregrine, 3 Garden Warbler, 3 Green Woodies, Grey Wags, Early Purple Orchids & a first Swift too! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Great walk with Friends of Nottingham Road Cemetery this morning - excavating & mating Green Woodpeckers (2 firsts for me!), Raven, Swallow, Blackcap, Greenfinch & displaying Stock Dove in beautiful surrounds. Always a pleasure to lead these! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

'Best of the Dark Peak walk' today & a great selection for our group including 10+ Wheatear, 3 Ring Ouzel, 4 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Redstart, Tree Pipit, Oil Beetle & 6 sp. of wader including our 1st Common Sandpipers of the year (2) and 6+ Curlew @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @curlewaction.bsky.social

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" A top day for Redstarts in the Peaks with a grand total of 27(!) on today's walk in the White Peak. An absolute joy to watch these fan birds 😍. Also 3 Wheatear, Little Owl & Garden Warbler @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Few weeks since my last visit but a lovely morning at #HighLeasFarm today - Tree Pipits back in force with 4 birds singing (a beautiful understated songster) along with Willow Warbler (4), Blackcap (6) & a single Whitethroat. Cuckoo flowers but no Cuckoo yet! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Mean, moody & magnificent - Crowden chucked a bit of wind & rain at our fab group this morning but it was worth it to be serenaded by a male Ring Ouzel (1 of 2 seen). Great views of Peregrine, Kestrel, Stonechat & lots of Willow Warbler now @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

And that's it for another spring! A fab private Mountain Hare walk with a lovely couple from Sheffield was our last of season - A min of 4 Hares with a great supporting cast of Golden Plover (8), Curlew (8) and Wheatear (3). Two walks fell foul of fog but 6 went ahead with Hares seen on all!

Our final 'Discover Mountain Hares' walk this AM & its no exaggeration to say it was exceptional day in the hills! A min of six Hares with lots of chasing and interaction. 5 Wheatear, 6 Curlew & 5 Golden Plover to a backdrop of Skylark & 🌞 @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

Snake's head fritillaries at Notts Road Cemetery this am amongst some fantastic other flowers - Bluebells, Wood Anenomes, Dog Violets, carpets of lemon yellow Primrose and the first Cowslips. Pair of Sparrowhawk, Buzzards & Green Woodpecker @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

A couple of lovely local walks in the sun today - Kestrels, Yellowhammers, Red Kites and woodland flowers at Dale Abbey (including what I think is my 1st ever Toothwort). 1st Swallows, Brown Hares & another lovely close Red Kite at #lockopark @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

A fantastic walk with a freelance writer today to look at and talk about our Dark Peak Mountain Hares (& hopefully help highlight their sad decline) - we had great views of a couple along with a Wheatear, pairs of Curlew & Raven, Golden Plover, Red Grouse & Buzzard @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Reedbeds, Dawn Choruses, Ospreys and Green Hairstreaks - April's newsletter from Natural Derbyshire Tours is now available @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social 👇 www.naturalderbyshiretours.uk/april-newsle... #walking #Derbyshire #april #wildlife #naturalderbyshiretours

1st day of BST? It felt more like winter had returned to the Dark Peak today. Neither our group nor the Mountain Hares much appreciating the brisk,v.cold cold wind - at least the Hares were able to hunker down! We found 2 animals and managed decent scope views. Curlew & spangly Golden Plover too 😊

Great day out in the Peaks - 3 Ring Ouzel were my first of the year and included a colour ringed male. 5 sp. of wader back on territory included calling Golden Plover, 6+ Curlew, 2 chipping Snipe, plenty of Lapwing & a pair of Oystercatcher @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @shefbirdstudy.bsky.social

Woodpeckers, Lesser Redpolls, a brief Woodlark, Red Kites and showy singing Stonechats were the highlights from our 'Best of North Notts' walk this morning. A fabulous group enjoyed the sun, scenery and birds at @rspb.bsky.social Sherwood and Budby today #UKBirding #birds #nottinghamshire

This week's #ethels - A wonderful walk up the stunning Crowden Valley to Laddow Rocks and then on to Black Chew Head (542m) (the highest point in Greater Manchester and my 1st of the six 'county tops') and Featherbed Moss (541m). Peregrines, Curlew and Golden Plover for company! #Birds #walking

Just 21 seconds of a Marsh Harrier hunting at the fantastic @derbyswildlife.bsky.social Willington Wetlands on a lovely spring morn along with my 1st LRP of the year, 5 Redshank, 6 Curlew, 10 Oystercatcher, Snipe, Red Kite, 12+ Goldeneye & a booming Bittern @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Fab Mountain Hare walk with a lovely family from Cambs this morning - a minimum of 3 seen well including one speeding away uphill (much better view than my naff snap suggests!) along with 4 Curlew (2 pairs), 2 Golden Plover and 10+ Red Grouse @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Another good outing looking for raptors in the Upper Derwent Valley with a smashing group today. No Gos but did see 4 species with great views of Kes, Buzzard, female Sparrowhawk and a brief Peregrine. Great to hear a Curlew calling nearby @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

1st visit to #lockopark in a couple of weeks, the birding felt wintery to match the weather today with the highlights a first patch Barn Owl of the year, 2 Peregrine, Kestrel, 8 Buzzard, 3 Raven, 64 Fieldfare, 30+ Chaffinch, 2 Grey Wags, 5 Mandarin & 6 Skylark @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Mountain Blackbirds, spring colours and winnying waterbirds - A little later than usual but March's newsletter from Natural Derbyshire Tours is now available! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social #UKBirding #Birds 👇 www.naturalderbyshiretours.uk/march-newsle...

Successful abseil today to remove the collapsing base of our 10 year old #peregrine falcon nest platform, and the installation of a new nest box and camera on the tower roof. Webcams are not yet configured - more work to be done tomorrow.

This week's #ethel - a walk up to Harland Edge (371m) was very much plan B for today (as thick mist clung on in the Derwent Valley until midday scuppering plan A) but wow what a difference some altitude made! Great views with a fine Peregrine & 1st upland Curlew of 2025😊 @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Today's the last day of National Nestbox Week! So who's built a nice big one like ours? #derbyperegrines #nestbox #ukbirding #peregrinefalcon

A rainbow - can't remember too much sun but defo plenty of rain on a walk at Markeaton Stones/Lower Vicarwood Farm this afternoon! Male Tree Sparrow was worth the soaking, 12+ Skylark, 3 Yellowhammer, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Kestrel, Red Kite, Siskin & 4 Greenfinch @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Despite the mist (or possibly because of its cover) a good Partridge day at #lockopark - 6 Grey (3 & 3) and my 1st Red-legs of the year (4). 2 Skylark, 2 Yellowhammer, 5 Meadow Pipit, 30+ Linnet & big numbers of Siskin (120+) near the lake @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

Noisy green devils, iconic waders and frisky Hares - February's newsletter from Natural Derbyshire Tours is now available 👇 @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social naturalderbyshiretours.uk/februarys-news…

Away for the weekend on the Lancs coast and a 1st visit to @rspbleightonmoss.bsky.social this morning - a brilliant reserve with lovely, welcoming staff & volunteers. A family of 3 Otter were the highlight with 3 Bearded Tit, 3 Marsh Harrier & lovely views of Marsh Tit @rspb.bsky.social #UKBirding

A day of two halves - great to get distant but good scope views of the 3 Smew at Holme Pierrpont. My first for over 2 years and only my 2nd ever drake 😍. Then back into Derbyshire with a quick visit to Carsington Water (Willow Tit x 2) and a stroll up Harboro Rocks @nottswildlife.bsky.social #Ethels

The sound of late winter for me - a Mistle Thrush pouring its heart out at Notts Road Cemetery, Chaddesden this morning. A lovely, slightly melancholy song! 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 pairs of Stock Dove singing and beginning to display, 18+ Redwing & 3 Greenfinch @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

@rspb.bsky.social #BigGardenBirdwatch this morning and the Ivy in my Chaddesden garden packing a punch - a minimum of 11 Blackbird gorging, a skittish male Blackcap & even the House Sparrows getting stuck in! 😍 @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Here Hare Here - lovely to catch a couple of Mountain Hare on today's walk. This week's Ethel was Higher Shelf Stones (628m. A bit blowy but otherwise a cracking morning! A single Golden Plover scything across the moors and plenty of grumbling Red Grouse (9+) #UKBirding @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

A bit wet and misty for our winter bird walk at #lockopark this morning but there were some great sightings for our lovely group - 2 Grey Partridge, 18 Lapwing, 2 Goosander, 8 Mandarin, Kingfisher and a first returning Oyc along with great views of Treecreeper and Brown @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Enjoyable walk up to Back Tor trying to get some hill miles in my legs (after a few weeks of torpor & cake!) so I'm not far off when guiding kicks off in earnest this Spring. Brambling (2), Red Grouse (11) & Golden Plover (c35) took me to 100 sp. for the year @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Fantastic visit to Attenborough NR this afternoon. The Scaup continues to show brilliantly along with loads of lovely wildfowl. A first Blackcap of the year made it a 3 Warbler day (with Chiff & Cetti's) along with Caspian Gull and a probable YL Gull @nottswildlife.bsky.social #UKBirding #Birds

Lovely winter bird walk at Notts Rd Cemetery for the Friends group this morning - plenty of Redwing (c30), 4 Fieldfare, 18 Greenfinch, female GS Woodpecker, male Goosander over and some obliging Goldfinch. Thanks to all the folk for braving the icy conditions! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

First session of the year at a misty #HighLeasFarm this morning - calling Tawny Owl, Crossbill, c25 Siskin, 3 Redpoll, 3 Bullfinch, 4 Nuthatch, 8 Jay, 100+ Redwing & Kestrel the pick of 30sp. Single Hawfinch & 3 Dipper at Cromford beforehand @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Derbyshire seems to be enjoying a good run of form with geese this winter - a lovely stroll along the frozen Trent & Mersey this morning to catch up with the Greater White Fronts at Aston. At least 8 still with Greylags, Egyptians & 4 Lapwing. GS Woodpecker drumming @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Quick after work dash to see the lovely drake RN Duck at Straw's Bridge - I thought the views at Shipley Lake were good but this was incredible. Nice to catch up with @samgod96.bsky.social & loving the Shoveler circle pit too! 😍 @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Steady start to the birding year with a round 50sp at #lockopark today. Always great to get Grey Partridge (4) early with Kes, Sparrowhawk, Goosander (2), Mandarin (6), Treecreeper (3), Linnet (c35) & Fieldfare (c30) the other highlights. Plenty of Fallows too @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding