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Trip Report

Bird Report

The following is an account of the birds reported in the Hope Valley recording area in recent times. There are also summaries for the current and past years.

Little Grebe
Scarce. Seen mainly in winter, however adult with young seen on the Derwent at Froggatt on our Calver walk in June 2008. Also reported several times around Froggatt in recent years.

Great Crested Grebe
Status in the valley unclear. Single bird reported on the Lafarge fishing ponds at Hope in June 2008.

Cormorant
Fairly common. Seen flying up/down the river. Regularly recorded on the rafts on Ladybower reservoir.

Grey Heron
Common resident. Heronry on the west bank of Ladybower reservoir. Frequently seen flying up/down the river.

Pink-Footed Goose
Regularly seen flying over on migration.

Canada Goose
Fairly common resident. Pair breeding on the Derwent near Hathersage since 2009. Large numbers breed on the Derwent Valley reservoirs north of Ashopton viaduct.

Mandarin Duck
Fairly common resident. Reported regularly between Grindleford and Froggatt on the Derwent. Now breeding further west between Hathersage and Bamford.

Mallard
Very common resident. Large numbers breed on the rivers and on Ladybower reservoir.

Teal
Uncommon winter visitor. A few recorded on Calver marsh and last recorded there in April 2011.

Tufted Duck
Uncommon. Regularly recorded between Froggatt and Calver, mainly in winter. Also recorded on the pond at Longshaw and on the Lafarge fishing ponds. Pair reported at Hathersage in April 2010.

Goldeneye
Scarce winter visitor. A male reported above Calver Weir in December 2010 - first report since 2003.

Goosander
Uncommon resident. Known to breed on both the Derwent and the Noe.

Black Grouse
Very scarce. Most recent report of a male on Bamford Moor in April 2010 - presumed a bird from the release scheme.

Red-Breasted Merganser
Uncommon summer visitor. Fairly regularly reported on the Noe and Derwent but not known to be breeding.

Honey Buzzard
Rare passage migrant. One reported over Hathersage in September 2008.

Red Kite
Very rare. Single birds seen over in May and June 2008 but reported more frequently in 2009/10. Last recorded over Stanage Edge in February 2011.

Osprey
Rare passage migrant. One reported around Stanage in May 2009 and over Bamford in September 2010. Most recent record over Curbar Edge in April 2011.

Hen Harrier
Very scarce. Male drifted west over Hathersage in March 2009.

Buzzard
Common resident. Now breeding in the valley.

Sparrowhawk
Common resident. Regular visitor to feeding stations.

Goshawk
Very scarce. Known to breed in upper Derwent Valley. One recorded flying over Froggatt in February and over Hathersage in March 2009.

Kestrel
Common resident.

Peregrine
Very scarce. One reported in Hathersage in August 2009, another over Burbage Moor in May 2010 and most recently over Bamford Moor in May 2011.

Hobby
Rare summer visitor. One reported over Burbage valley in April 2010. Most recently reported around Dennis Knoll in May 2011.

Merlin
Very scarce. Reported in 2010 for the first time since 2001 - over Padley. One seen on our Castleton evening walk in May 2011.

Red Grouse
Fairly common resident. Regularly reported in small numbers below the gritstone edges.

Red-Legged Partridge
Very scarce. A single bird was reported near Toothill farm (Hathersage) in May 2008.

Grey Partridge
Very scarce. Reported in a Hathersage garden in March 2009! No fewer than 8 were at Curbar Gap in September 2009. Pair flushed on Callow Bank in April 2010.

Pheasant
Very common resident.

Moorhen
Common resident. Numbers seem to be increasing after problems with mink predation. Several pairs breed on the Derwent and the Noe. Also recorded on the pond at Longshaw.

Coot
Uncommon resident. Regularly recorded above Calver Weir. Also reported on the pond at Longshaw and on the Lafarge fishing ponds.

Oystercatcher
Very rare. One reported over Hope in May 2008.

Common Crane
Very rare. One reported over Edale in October 2009.

Dotterel
Very rare passage migrant. Reported around Stanage edge in May 2009. A pair were on Abney Moor in May 2010 and a single bird in the same area in May 2011.

Golden Plover
Scarce summer visitor. Most recent reports from Bamford Moor in April 2010 and Dennis Knoll in April 2011.

Lapwing
Fairly common summer resident. Regularly reported above Mitchell Field at Hathersage.

Common Sandpiper
Very scarce summer visitor. Not recorded in recent years in the valley. Known to breed above the dams in upper Derwent valley.

Curlew
Fairly common summer resident. Regularly reported around the gritstone edges.

Woodcock
Very scarce. Reported north of Hathersage in 2009 and at Longshaw in 2010. Also reported around Stanage at Dennis Koll in April and May 2010 and again in May 2011.

Snipe
Fairly scarce summer resident. Regularly reported around the gritstone edges.

Common Gull
Scarce. One reported over in July 2008.

Black-Headed Gull
Infrequently seen flying over to roosts/feeding areas outside of the valley. About 20 around ploughed field near Bamford in April 2010.

Herring Gull
Infrequently seen flying over to roosts/feeding areas outside of the valley.

Lesser Black-Backed Gull
Regularly seen flying over to roosts/feeding areas outside of the valley.

Stock Dove
Scarce resident. Reported around Aston in 2009. A pair visited a Hathersage garden in April 2010 and 1 in Hope in May 2011.

Woodpigeon
Very common resident

Collared Dove
Very common resident

Ring-Necked Parakeet
Very rare visitor. Recorded on Syckleholme Golf Course in 2007. Also recorded at Curbar in October 2009.

Cuckoo
Fairly common summer resident. Regularly reported around Burbage and Longshaw.

Barn Owl
Status unclear. Single bird reported between Hathersage and Grindleford in October 2008 and another around Barber Booth, Edale valley, in December 2010.

Little Owl
Scarce resident. Several sightings around Castleton in 2008,2009 and 2010. Reported in the Edale valley in 2009 and 2010.

Long-Eared Owl
Status unclear. No sightings in recent years.

Short-Eared Owl
Scarce. Last reported from the Burbage bridge carpark in April 2010.

Tawny Owl
Fairly common resident. Most often heard in late winter.

Swift
Common summer resident

Hoopoe
Vagrant. Single bird reported at Curbar in May 2008.

Kingfisher
Uncommon resident. More difficult to find after the hard winters of 2009 and 2010. Not yet reported in 2011.

Green Woodpecker
Fairly common resident.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
Common resident. Regular visitor to garden feeding stations.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Very scarce resident. Reported around Leadmill area in Hathersage in March 2008.

Skylark
Uncommon resident. Found on the higher ground rather than on the valley bottom.

Sand Martin
Status unclear. Nearest known breeding colony in Chatsworth Park. No birds reported in the valley in recent years.

Swallow
Very common summer resident. Numbers seem down in the last couple of years.

House Martin
Very common summer resident. Numbers seem down in the last couple of years.

Meadow Pipit
Common resident. Seen mostly in summer below the gritstone edges.

Tree Pipit
Fairly common summer resident. Recorded regularly above Padley Woods and around Bretton Clough.

Pied Wagtail
Common resident.

Grey Wagtail
Fairly common resident. Breeding on both the Derwent and the Noe.

Wren
Very common resident

Dipper
Fairly common resident. Breeding on both the Derwent and the Noe.

Waxwing
Rare winter visitor. Single birds reported in Hathersage in November and December 2008 and January 2009. There was a big influx into U.K. In the winter of 2010/2011 and larger flocks were in the valley occasionally. A small group were still around in early May 2011, by the stepping stones at Hathersage.

Dunnock
Very Common resident

Robin
Very common resident

Black Redstart
Very rare visitor. Single bird recorded on our Burbage walk in April 2008. Reported around Longshaw in July 2010.

Redstart
Fairly common summer resident. Recorded regularly in Padley woods and Bretton Clough. There seem to be good numbers around in 2011.

Wheatear
Fairly common summer resident. Mainly on the higher ground in the white peak and below the gritsone edges.

Whinchat
Uncommon summer resident. Recorded around Callow Bank in 2009 and 2010 and also above Padley Woods in 2011.

Stonechat
Fairly common resident. Numbers seem to be much lower in 2010 and 2011 after two severe winters.

Song Thrush
Common resident

Redwing
Fairly common winter visitor

Mistle Thrush
Common resident

Fieldfare
Fairly common winter visitor

Blackbird
Very common resident

Ring Ouzel
Uncommon summer resident. Around the gritstone edges - particularly Burbage and Stanage.

Garden Warbler
Fairly common summer resident.

Blackcap
Common summer resident

Lesser Whitethroat
Very scarce summer visitor. Not reported in 2008 or 2009. One reported in Hathersage in May 2010 and also in May 2011.

Whitethroat
Uncommon summer resident. Recorded regularly in Hathersage and around Calver. Numbers seem to be increasing in recent years.

Grasshopper Warbler
Very scarce summer visitor. Bird heard reeling on our Castleton walk in 2010. Records of reeling birds in 4 locations in 2011.

Sedge Warbler
Very scarce summer visitor. Most recently recorded around Calver in August 2011.

Willow Warbler
Very common summer resident

Wood Warbler
Scarce summer resident. Recorded in 2008 asnd 2009 and 2011 in Padley Woods. Reported in 2009 and 2010 in Bretton Clough.

Chiffchaff
Very common summer resident

Goldcrest
Common resident

Spotted Flycatcher
Scarce summer resident. Recorded in 4 or 5 locations in recent years.

Pied Flycatcher
Scarce summer resident. Reported regularly in Padley Woods and north of Hathersage.

Great Tit
Very common resident

Coal Tit
Very common resident

Blue Tit
Very common resident

Marsh Tit
Very scarce. Last reported around Calver Marsh in July 2011.

Willow Tit
Very scarce resident. Recorded in Coombsdale in August 2009 and around Abney in August 2010. Family group found above Froggatt in 2011.

Long-Tailed Tit
Common resident

Nuthatch
Common resident

Treecreeper
Fairly common resident

Magpie
Very common resident

Jay
Fairly common resident

Jackdaw
Very common resident

Rook
Very common resident

Carrion Crow
Very common resident

Raven
Becoming a fairly common resident. Regularly reported around the Burbage valley in recent years. Also over Longshaw and Calver Peak.

Starling
Common resident

House Sparrow
Common resident

Tree Sparrow
Very scarce. First records in 2007 for many years - 1 in Hathersage and another in Hope. Recorded in Froggatt in March 2008. Latest records are of single birds in Hathersage and Edale in March 2011.

Chaffinch
Very common resident

Brambling
Uncommon winter visitor.

Linnet
Uncommon resident. Mainly found on the higher ground under the gritstone edges and above the quarries in the south.

Lesser Redpoll
Uncommon resident. Recorded more frequently in recent years especially at Longshaw.

Common Redpoll
Very scarce visitor. Recorded in Froggatt in January 2009, at Longshaw several times 2010, and on Back Tor Edale in March 2011.

Goldfinch
Common resident

Greenfinch
Becoming a less common resident. Noticeably fewer in the last few years. Has suffered badly from trichomoniasis outbreaks.

Siskin
Uncommon resident. Mainly seen in winter although it is likely small numbers may now breed in the valley around the Ladybower area. Now a regular visitor to feeding stations espcially at Longshaw.

Crossbill
Scarce visitor. Reported in Longshaw in November/December 2009. Latest report of a group at Dennis Knoll in May 2011.

Bullfinch
Uncommon resident.

Reed Bunting
Uncommon resident. Mostly recorded below the gritstone edges. Up to 6 birds reported almost daily in a Hathersage garden in March and April 2009 and again in April and May 2010.

Yellowhammer
Scarce resident. One recorded at Curbar in September 2008. Regularly found above Bretton Clough