Two very different places visited today! I started the day with a trip to Padley Gorge and the Longshaw Estate in Derbyshire. It's a crime I've never been here before, as it's very easy to get to by train, being practically adjascent to Grindleford Station. I was way too late in the year for Padley Gorge's star [...]...

Spring is over and summer well into full swing (although you wouldn't know it looking out of the window today), and my Spring birding wishlist has ended up with a respectable 8/10. As a reminder the birds were: Redstart - found at the abandoned farm buildings at Rocher Head. Woodcock - at least two seen on the SBSG nightjar walk. Spotted Flycatcher [...]...

Not a great shot, but this tawny owl landed on the telegraph pole opposite our living room window about 10pm tonight....

Not much around at all tonight - 1 x dipper at the Fisheries, herons at Stacey Lane and over Black Lane, a female pheasant with chick at Stacey Bank, coot with chick at Old Wheel Dam, mixed flock of 50+ house martins and swallows at Old Wheel Farm. Luckily the coots were photogenic enough to make [...]...

It's hard to believe, but it seems like Summer's returned, if only for one day. So I took the opportunity to have a walk round Agden and Rocher Head, and back down Damflask and the Loxley Valley. Birding-wise there were very few highlights considering how far I walked. Two of the biggest came early on with [...]...