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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 2009 and 2010.

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 bred on the Derwent near Hathersage in the last few years. Large numbers breed on the Derwent Valley reservoirs north of Ashopton viaduct. Also reported at calver weir and on the Lafarge fishing ponds in 2009.

Mandarin Duck
Uncommon resident. Reported regularly between Grindleford and Froggatt on the Derwent. Numbers increasingly reported to the west of Grindleford around Hathersage and Bamford since 2008.

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

Teal
Uncommon winter visitor. A few recorded on the flashes between Froggatt and Calver in March 2008 and April 2009.

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. 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.

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. Regularly reported on the Noe and Derwent - possibly 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 nearby in 2009/10.

Osprey
Rare passage migrant. One reported around Stanage in May 2009.

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. Seen on our Coombs Dale walk in 2007 above the quarry. One reported in Hathersage in August 2009.

Hobby
Rare summer visitor. On reported over Burbage valley in April 2010.

Merlin
Very scarce. Last report in the valley 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 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.

Golden Plover
Scarce summer visitor. Most recent reports from Bamford Moor in April 2010.

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

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.

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 Greenwood farm (Hathersage) in 2008 and around Aston in 2009. A pair visited a Hathersage garden in April 2010.

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. First record for several years.

Little Owl
Scarce resident. Several sightings around Castleton in 2008 and 2009. 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. Known to breed on the Noe.

Green Woodpecker
Fairly common resident. Regularly seen in and around Longshaw and also below Lose Hill. Seems to be spreading throughout the valley over the last few years.

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 2009.

House Martin
Very common summer resident. Numbers seem down in 2009.

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.

Dunnock
Very Common resident

Robin
Very common resident

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

Redstart
Fairly common summer resident. Recorded regularly in Padley woods and Bretton Clough.

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

Whinchat
Uncommon summer resident. Recorded around Callow Bank in 2009.

Stonechat
Fairly common resident. Numbers seem to be much lower in 2010 after the severe winter weather.

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
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.

Whitethroat
Uncommon summer resident. Recorded several times around Hathersage in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Grasshopper Warbler
Very scarce summer visitor. Bird heard reeling on our Castleton walk in 2010.

Willow Warbler
Very common summer resident

Wood Warbler
Scarce summer resident. Recorded in 2008 asnd 2009 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.

Great Tit
Very common resident

Coal Tit
Very common resident

Blue Tit
Very common resident

Willow Tit
Very scarce resident. Recorded in Coombsdale in August 2009.

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. Regularly reported around the Burbage valley in recent years.

Starling
Common resident

House Sparrow
Common resident

Tree Sparrow
Status unclear. 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
Uncommon resident. Recorded more frequently in recent years especially at Longshaw.

Common Redpoll
Very scarce visitor. Recorded in Froggatt in January 2009. Also reported at Longshaw in 2010.

Goldfinch
Common resident

Greenfinch
Very common resident. Noticeably fewer in the last few years. Suffering 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

Crossbill
Scarce visitor. Reported in Longshaw in November/December 2009. Latest report there in May 2010.

Bullfinch
Uncommon resident.

Reed Bunting
Uncommon resident. Mostly recorded below the gritstone edges. Up to 6 birds reported almost daily in 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