Derbyshire Ornithological Society (DOS)

Common Scoter

Commo Scoter on Arnfield Reservoir

Mute Swan on Bottoms Reservoir

Common Scoter on Arnfield Reservoir @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social for a second day plus more notably a Redshank there & both eclipsed by a Mute Swan (!) on Bottoms Reservoir, 1st seen over @tommckinney.bsky.social's house yesterday - my first in the valley this year @birdguides.bsky.social #UKBirding

Highlights from today's walk in the Upper Derwent Valley were the 1st Fieldfare of the autumn with c120 feeding & moving south. Continental Blackbirds and Redwings moving too with 20+ Crossbill including great views of 4 stonking 'red' males! @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @shefbirdstudy.bsky.social

15th October

a juv Gannet at Carsington today, along with 8 Common Scoter and a Rock Pipit

14th October

a Common Scoter day: 22 at Carsington, off Stones Island; 2 at Foremark Res; 6 at Ogston.

also at Ogston, Knot, 4 Dunlin and a Rock Pipit

7 Whooper Swans over Swarkestone Lows

Hadfield Station

Hadfield Station

Another busy day of #Vizmig in Longdendale on my walk to the station via nursery; lots of thrushes & finches moving including 60 Redwings and 3 Crossbills, 2 grounded Chiffchaffs @ Lambgates, expected a YBW at any minute. @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social also noticed a reminder that I'm speaking tonight

Checked @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social records and my 100+ Redpoll in the birches at Carvers Rocks today was 2nd highest count in South Derbyshire this century after Richard James had 150 at the same site in 2011

4 spoonbills heading north up the Derwent at Cromford at about 4.30 today. @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Cetti’s Warbler at Middleton Moor since 27th September and thought to be 1st record for the Derbyshire Peak District. Finally managed a photo today @shefbirdstudy.bsky.social

A grey morning at Middleton Top, however highlight was a very vocal Willow Tit & 250 Redwing over SW in three flocks 12 Skylark & a handful of Meadow Pipit #Vizmig with Blackbirds in the berries , Chiffchaff Goldcrest #Derbyshirebirds @danmartinwildlife.bsky.social @belperbirder.bsky.social

A mixture from this morning at Alvaston Park before the mist rolled in. @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Redwings tricking west over Longdendale in the Peak District this morning, part of an ongoing arrival on the East Coast #UKBirding @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

32 species on my Winter Bird Survey at Higham, Derbyshire, this morning. Never had Raven or Crossbill there in the breeding season, and a late Swallow was unexpected #ukbirding @bbs-birds.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Grey Phalarope still present this morning

Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius), Waterswallows Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK, 07/10/2025 ebird.org/checklist/S2... This arctic-breeding wader, no doubt blown inland by Storm Amy, was found by @rayscally.bsky.social this afternoon #ukbirding #birding #birds #rarebirdsuk #ukrarebirds

WATERSWALLOWS Reservoir, Buxton, Derbyshire - Started slowly with 2 Teal which was a site tick, 4 Tufted Duck, 35 Lapwing, 1 Little Grebe and on the main quarry pool was gobsmacked to find a GREY PHALAROPE spinning in the distance. @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #ukbirding

7th October

Grey Phalarope at Waterswallows Reservoir (per @rayscally.bsky.social)

Grey Plover and Black-wit still at Carsington

From the Raptor Watch point that is Crich Lane Woods looking West over #WyverlaneNR , the main pool this morning is now a meadow of Purple Loosestrife 2 Little egret South. #Derbyshirebirds @belperbirder.bsky.social @willowglass12.bsky.social @tg42birder.bsky.social @danmartinwildlife.bsky.social

Walking back from the school run, a group of 11 Whooper Swans came in high from the west, and their calls spurred the 19 on the reservoir to leave; with both groups heading E up Longdendale @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #VizMig #UKBirding

6th October

a Whooper Swan morning

23 flew SE over Highoredish

19 at Bottoms Res

and 4 at Carsington, where both Grey Plover and Little Stint still present.

#UKBirding #DerbyshireBirds

Whooper Swans

Whooper Swans on Bottoms Reservoir

19 Whooper Swans, Bottoms Reservoir @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #UKBirding

Despite #StormAmy Painted Lady & Red Admiral still braving the elements this morning #WyverlaneNR @derbyswildlife.bsky.social @belperbirder.bsky.social 6 Buzzard 2 Sparrowhawk 4 Rook 14 Meadow Pipits over Local Siskins 4 Chiffchaff 2 Reed Bunting Treecreeper @willowglass12.bsky.social

5th October

Grey Plover (Lane End) & Little Egret (Sailing Club) @ Carsington

3 Whooper Swans over Highoredish

a Redwing over North Wingfield

4 Yellow-legged Gulls & 2 House Martins @ Staunton Harold Res

yesterday, a juvenile Black Tern at Ogston

#DerbyshireBirds

Solar-eclipse frigatebird wins Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 The winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 have been announced, with Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman taking the grand prize for his image of a frigatebird silhouetted against a solar eclipse in Mexico. Chosen from more than 25,000 entries, the competition also awarded Polish photographer Tomasz Michalski Young Bird Photographer of the Year. With eight adult categories and over £5,000 donated to conservation, BPOTY remains the world's leading bird-photography competition.

The winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 have been revealed, with a striking image of a Magnificent Frigatebird against the backdrop of a total solar eclipse taking the top prize:

Nice to see two Stonechats at #WyverLaneNR today. No photo of the two Goldcrests who were hiding well and similarly failed with the Little Egret on the link channel before it flew off north. @willowglass12.bsky.social @belperbirder.bsky.social @richardttaylor.bsky.social @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

Set of sketches in a sketchbook of an eclipse drake Ring-necked Duck. They were painted in dull, flat light. The duck has a slightly peaked rear crown, a general brown colouration with square paler patches on the cheeks and around the bill base. The pale flanks are a rather smooth lighter brown with the ghost of the vertical pale line at the front edge of the flank patch. The tertials are much more worn and paler along with the tail. The breast feathers are thinly fringed paler. The gold eye stands out.

Second set of sketches from about a 3 weeks later. The bird was in sunlight and looks much brighter. The head has become more Ring-necked Duck like with a strong peak at the rear of the crown. The brown flanks etc are much the same as before.

The Ogston Reservoir #Derbyshirebirds Ring-necked Duck on 2 dates separated by about 3 weeks in July and August and in vastly differing weather conditions. #UKbirding #birding #birdart #birds #art

Birds of the World - October Big Day—11 Oct 2025 Now's the time to prepare for October Big Day on 11 October! Grab your friends, your coworkers, your community and go watch birds!

Grab a friend and let's go birding!
birdsoftheworld.org/bow/news/obd...

Black Tern at Carsington Water near Millfields @rarebirder.bsky.social @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

A lovely autumn walk up to #lockopark late morning and a good day for Chats with a Wheatear on a nearby track and 2 pairs of Stonechat (1 pair back on a traditional winter territory). Skylarks moving, Meadow Pipits (c10) arriving & a clear out of Hirundines 🍂 @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Biggest surprise at Barrow GP this morning was a flyover Yellow Wagtail (E). Also a Cattle Egret in an adjacent cow field, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, 2 Great White Egrets and 50+ House Martins

Just done my first BTO Winter Birds Survey at Lower Hartshay, Derbyshire, 38 species, Chiffs and Blackcaps still there. There's still time to sign up if you want to take part: see www.bto.org/get-involved...