Fledgling Blackcap

 It isn't often that I do a post for one species, but last night, whilst out  looking for a Lesser Emperor dragonfly at Pebley Pond (no luck!!), Jayne and I came upon this fledgling Blackcap.

Blackcap

I say we found it, rather it found us! It appeared out of the bushes, as we were walking along, and perched 1m away, looking rather confused. We were, obviously, the first humans it had ever seen, and it just didn't know what to. It was only the calling adult, that eventually had it hopping back into the undergrowth. Good luck little one.

Whilst there, we also saw a single Emperor dragonfly, 1 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 10s of Common Blue Damselflies, c4 Ringlet butterflies, 10 Meadow Browns and c4 Large Skippers.

Linacre Lifer!

 I didn't really think that this weekend could get any better, after yesterday's lifer. But, this afternoon, after having spent time celebrating Father's Day, I went down to Linacre for just over an hour (3pm - 4.15pm) and discovered a new species of dragonfly for the site!

The dragonfly in question was a male Black-tailed Skimmer. It isn't an uncommon species, being widespread across Derbyshire, but, as I mentioned, this was my first record for the site. The individual was a "mature" male, as seen by the yellow markings down its thorax, and was found, basking in the 24 degree heat, on the stones of the bottom reservoir. Now I just need to find a female and prove breeding!!

Black-tailed Skimmer

Other insects seen were: Common Blue Damselfly (20+, including pairs in tandem), Blue-tailed Damselfly (1 male), 1 Comma, 1 Red Admiral, Meadow Browns (10+), Ringlets (2), 1 Great Pied Hoverfly, a Eupeodus sp Hoverfly (identified as E. corrallae by ObsIdentify), 1 Silver Y moth and several species of bumblebee (Red-tailed, Common Carder and White/Buff-tailed).

I only checked the birds on the bottom reservoir, and recorded: Mallard (1 female with 7 new ducklings, plus several moulting adults), Mandarin Duck (3 birds, all moulting), Moorhen (2 adults), Tufted Duck (9 males and 1 female - no ducklings), Great-crested Grebe (2 adults) and 1 Stock Dove (drinking from the reservoir). A single Garden Warbler was heard singing (and identified via Merlin app) in the ringing site.

WESTERN REEF HERON!

 News of a first for Britain broke a couple of weeks ago, in the form of a dark-phase Western Reef Heron ssp gularis (172nd bird for the year, my 306th British species and my 522nd species for my World List - not that anyone's counting!!)! At first, the bird was in and around Caernarfon, but then it disappeared for a couple of days, before turning up again around RSPB Conwy/ Conwy Castle. 

Conwy Castle (and the W R Heron, I promise!)

Today, I decided to go across, and see if I could catch up with it. Setting off from home at 5.40am, I arrived on site, in glorious sunshine, at 8.10am, and managed to see the bird straight away, feeding on the estuary, about 500m away. I enjoyed great views for about an hour, before it flew off, up the estuary. A lovely bird, in a fantastic setting!

Western Reef Heron

Nightjars, Woodcock, White Stork and a Peregrine!

 The four birds in today's title were all seen in the last 24 hours in my home county of Derbyshire!

The first bird, Nightjar (170), was seen last night. Unfortunately, it was quite cool and breezy, but we (Jayne and I) did manage to see and hear 2-3 birds. Whilst out and about, we also saw 5-6 Woodcock, a singing Whitethroat, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Song Thrush, Garden Warbler and Blackbird.

The next two species, White Stork (171) and Peregrine Falcon, were seen today. The White Stork, an unringed bird, was found, this week, in Hatton, near Derby. We drove across this morning, and were very lucky to get great views (c.50m away), as it fed in a farmer's field.

White Stork

The Peregrine Falcon was seen later in the day.

Peregrine Falcon

Linacre Nestboxes 2026 - The results are in!

Since the end of April, several members of Sorby Breck Ringing Group have been monitoring the nestboxes at Linacre, for the BTO's Nest Record Scheme We have been doing this since 2012, and this weekend was the last visit of the season.

The first birds of the season were ringed on 16th May, and the last were ringed on 30th May. This year's totals were: Blue Tit (161 birds from 20 broods), Great Tit (56 birds from 11 broods), Pied Flycatcher (8 chicks from1 brood), Robin (1 brood of 5 birds) and  Mandarin Duck (2 adult birds; 1 new female and a female first ringed in 2024). A female Garden Warbler, with a brood patch, was also caught at the start of May. Now that the nestboxes are all completed, our attention will turn to the breeding warblers on site. Hopefully, the season will be good and we'll get lots of youngest to monitor and ring.

Whilst walking around the site, we often see other birds, including this fabulous Great-crested Grebe that was seen, resting in amongst the Amphibious Bistort, yesterday morning.

Great Crested Grebe

RSPB Frampton Marsh - 31st May 2026

 Today, Jayne and I had a trip across to RSPB Frampton Marsh. We had a great walk around the reserve, adding three new species to the Year List, and were also, very pleased to see a lot of young birds running around the reserve and adults with beaks full of insects.

Firstly, the year ticks: Little Gull (167), a first summer bird seen flying over the Reedbed Lagoon, Corn Bunting (168; 1, possibly two singing birds) and Black-winged Stilt (169) - 1 of 2 birds present.

Black-winged Stilt

Other birds seen were: Green Woodpecker (1 seen by the carpark, Spoonbill (3), Cuckoo (1 heard), Mute Swan (a pair with 7 cygnets and another 12 non-breeding birds), Greylag, Egyptian and Canada Geese,  Mallard, Gadwall (adults and 1 brood of ducklings), Shoveler (adults and ducklings), Shelduck, Redshank, Avocet, Lapwing (all with young), Black-headed Gulls (chicks), Great-crested Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Reed, Cetti's and Sedge Warblers, Linnet, Blue and Great Tits, Reed Bunting (carrying food) and  Yellow Wagtail (1 adult and 1 juvenile on the reserve, and 1 adult on the road in).

Reed Bunting

Lapwing

Gadwall and ducklings

Avocet and chick (1 of 3)

Insects seen were: Painted Lady (20+), Common Blue Butterfly, Large Skipper, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Migrant Hawker (2). 2 Red-veined Darters had been reported on site yesterday. We saw a single red darter, but, annoyingly, we weren't able to see it face on, or get a photograph, before it flew off!!! The one that got away?

Painted Lady

Four New Ticks

 On Thursday, Jayne and I went out to Calke Abbey for a visit. Afterwards, we followed up on a tip, and visited Newton Solney to see two "year ticks", and 2 new species of odanata.

The new bird species were: Cattle Egret (165) and Egyptian Goose (166). 3 breeding plumaged Cattle Egrets were seen, along with 7 Egyptian Geese. Unfortunately, neither species wanted to have their photo taken! Other species of note were, 1 Little Egret and a female Goosander, with 3 well grown young.

As we got out of the car a teneral Emperor dragonfly was seen, perched in the hedgerow. Unfortunately, it too was camera shy i.e. I was too slow!!! Thankfully, the nearby Banded Demoiselles (40+) were a little more willing.

Banded Demoiselle (male)

Banded Demoiselle (female)