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Bird Report

The following is an account of the birds reported in the Hope Valley recording area in the last couple of years. A summary is also available.

Little Grebe
Scarce. Seen mainly in winter. Adult with young seen on the Derwent at Froggatt on our Calver walk in June 2008.

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
Uncommon resident. Pair bred on the Derwent near Hathersage in both years. Large numbers breed on the Derwent Valley reservoirs but mostly north of Ashopton viaduct.

Mandarin Duck
Scarce resident. Reported regularly between Grindleford and Froggatt on the Derwent. Reported 3 or 4 times at Hathersage in 2008.

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

Teal
Rare winter visitor. A few recorded on the flashes between Froggatt and Calver in March 2008.

Tufted Duck
Scarce. Regularly recorded between Froggatt and Calver, mainly in winter. Also recorded on the pond at Longshaw.

Goldeneye
Scarce winter visitor. No reports in either year. Last reported in 2003 on the river at Froggatt and on Ladybower reservoir.

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

Red-Breasted Merganser
Uncommon summer resident. Regularly reported on the Noe and Derwent - probably breeding.

Red Kite
Very rare. Single birds seen over in May and June 2008.

Osprey
Very scarce passage migrant. One reported flying over in June 2008.

Hen Harrier
Very scarce. Single bird reported over Burbage in December 2007.

Buzzard
Fairly common resident.

Sparrowhawk
Common resident. Regular visitor to feeding stations.

Goshawk
Very rare. Known to breed in upper Derwent Valley. One recorded flying over Hathersage in 2006.

Kestrel
Common resident.

Peregrine
Very scarce. Seen on our Coombs Dale walk in 2007 above the quarry.

Hobby
Very scarce. Single bird reported over Hathersage in August 2008.

Merlin
Very scarce. Last report of a single bird around Leam in 2001.

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 April and June 2008.

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.

Golden Plover
Scarce. Small flock recorded around Dennis Knoll in May 2008.

Lapwing
Fairly common summer resident. Regularly reported above Mitchell Field at Hathersage, and between Aston and Thornhill.

Common Sandpiper
Scarce. Not recorded in recent years.

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

Woodcock
Very scarce. Reported in both Froggatt and Grindleford in June 2008.

Snipe
Scarce summer resident. Regularly reported around the gritstone edges.

Common Gull
Scarce. Reported over in July 2008.

Black-Headed Gull
Infrequently seen flying over to roosts/feeding areas outside of the valley.

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 Greenwood farm (Hathersage) in 2008.

Woodpigeon
Very common resident

Collared Dove
Very common resident

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

Little Owl
Very scarce resident. Several sightings around Castleton in 2008.

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

Short-Eared Owl
Scarce. Last reported around Mitchell Field (Hathersage) in August 2005.

Tawny Owl
Uncommon resident. Most often heard in later winter.

Swift
Common summer resident

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

Kingfisher
Uncommon resident. Known to breed on the Noe.

Rose-Ringed Parakeet
Very rare visitor. Probable recorded on Syckleholme Golf Course in 2007.

Green Woodpecker
Fairly common resident. Regularly seen in and around Longshaw and also below Lose Hill.

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 frecent years.

Swallow
common summer resident

House Martin
Common summer resident

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

Tree Pipit
Uncommon 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. Last recorded in 2005 with a flock of around 20 between Hope and Castleton.

Dunnock
Common resident

Robin
Very common resident

Black Redstart
Very scarce. Single bird recorded on our Burbage walk in April 2008.

Redstart
Uncommon summer resident. Recorded regularly in Padley woods.

Wheatear
Fairly common summer resident. Mainly around the gritstone edges.

Whinchat
Uncommon summer resident. Recorded above Padley Woods and also above Mitchell Field (Hathersage)

Stonechat
Fairly common resident. Recorded regularly above Mitchell Field and also around Leveret Lane above Hathersage. Also frequently seen above Padley Woods.

Song Thrush
Common resident

Redwing
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
Uncommon summer resident.

Blackcap
Fairly common summer resident

Lesser Whitethroat
Very scarce summer resident. Not reported in 2008.

Whitethroat
Uncommon summer resident. Recorded several time around Hathersage in 2008.

Grasshopper Warbler
Very scarce. Bird heard reeling on our Longshaw walk in May 2008.

Willow Warbler
Common summer resident

Wood Warbler
Scarce summer resident. Recorded in 2008 in Padley Woods. Reported in 2007 in Bretton Clough and above Yorkshire Bridge on side of Win Hill.

Chiffchaff
Common summer resident

Goldcrest
Common resident

Spotted Flycatcher
Scarce summer visitor. Stronghold in Padley woods. Recorded in 4 or 5 other locations in recent years.

Pied Flycatcher
Scarce summer visitor. Reported regularly in Padley Woods.

Great Tit
Very common resident

Coal Tit
Common resident

Blue Tit
Very common resident

Willow Tit
Very scarce resident. Last ecorded in 2006 between Froggatt and Calver.

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
Uncommon resident. Breeding on Millstone Edge

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.

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
Scarce resident. Recorded more frequently in the first half of 2008 than in recent years.

Goldfinch
Common resident

Greenfinch
Very common resident. Noticeably fewer in 2007/8 than in 2006.

Siskin
Uncommon. 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

Crossbill
Scarce visitor. Several sightings of small groups flying over in 2008.

Bullfinch
Fairly scarce resident.

Reed Bunting
Uncommon resident. Regularly found above Mitchell Field (Hathersage). Mostly recorded below the gritstone edges, and only occasionally in the valley bottom.

Yellowhammer
Scarce resident. Only recorded around Bretton Clough in the last few years.