Last 12 month’s Sightings

July

4^th – A total of 21 Bat boxes along the towpath and our wildlife sites were checked by Derbyshire Bat Conservation Group. Several boxes contained Blue Tit nests, wasp nests and tree bumble bee nests. 5 boxes contained bat droppings showing signs of use and 4 boxes were occupied by bats. 3 Soprano Pipistrelle and 1 Leisler’s bat were recorded.

4^th – 6 Swift seen flying west over Bakeacre Lane

7^th – 1 Little Egret seen flying SE over Common Piece Lane, 2 Oystercatcher seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, c6 House Martin seen flying over Clovermead Common Piece Lane, 2 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

9^th – 4 Oystercatcher and 110 Canada Geese seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 5 Pied Wagtail seen at the treatment works

10^th – 1 Kestrel seen junction of Willington Road and Heath Lane, 1 Cormorant seen at Mercia Marina, 1 Bullfinch seen at the Marina wildlife pond, 1 Yellowhammer seen near the cattery Willington Road

24^th – 4 Song Thrush and 1 Mistle Thrush seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 1 Kestrel seen Willington Road junction with Heath Lane

31^st – 1 Red Kite seen flying over Burton Road

June

1^st – 1 Grey Heron seen west of Common Piece Lane flying south, 1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works and 2 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed, Barbastelle bat recorded in a field at the back of houses on Burton Road, the first ever record in Findern

4^th – 1 Little Grebe, a pair of Tufted Duck and 1 Reed Bunting seen on Mercia Marina Wildlife Pond and 1 Cormorant seen on the pylon SW of the pond

5^th – 1 Kestrel seen S of Bakeacre Lane, 5 Lapwing seen flying N over Bakeacre Lane, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Meadow Brown butterfly (the first sighting this year) also seen in Bakeacre Lane

9^th – 1 Barbastelle bat recorded again in the field at the back of houses on Burton Road

12^th – 1 Little Egret seen in the field at the back of houses on Burton Road

 

May

1^st – 1 female Kestrel seen off Bakeacre Lane, 1 Swift seen over Bakeacre Lane (the first sighting this year), 1 red-legged Partridge and 4 Lapwing seen in the horse paddock NW of Bakeacre Lane, 1 Skylark and 1 male Yellowhammer seen in the cultivated field opposite Blakemere Farm, a pair of Pied Wagtail seen nesting and 1 Common Whitethroat seen at Blakemere Farm

2^nd – 1 House Martin seen over Longlands Lane, 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing in Cote Close, another singing in Stanhope Wood and another near the railway bridge, 1 Garden Warbler and 1 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood

3^rd – 1 Grey Heron and 1 Reed Warbler (1^st sighting this year) seen at the Railway Institute Fishing Pools Willington, 8 Tufted Duck seen at Mercia Marina and another 2 on the Marina wildlife pond, 1 Green Woodpecker heard calling south of the Railway Institute Pools, 1 Yellowhammer seen at the junction of Willington Road and Heath Lane

5^th – 1 Little Grebe seen on Mercia Marina Pond, 1 Lesser Whitethroat heard singing and 1 Common Whitethroat seen near the cattery on Willington Road

7^th – Pair of Blue Tits seen nesting in a bat box in Cote Close Bird Sanctuary, 1 Hobby seen circling with 2 Buzzards over Hillside

12^th – 5 Lapwing (2 adults with 3 small chicks) seen in the horse paddock NW of Bakeacre Lane, 1 Lesser Whitethroat seen and the bottom of Bakeacre Lane and 2 Swift seen flying over Bakeacre Lane

13^th – 7 Swift seen flying W over Stanhope Wood, 2 Common Whitethroat seen feeding in Stanhope Wood reed bed, 3 male Reed Bunting also seen in the reed bed

15^th – 1 Cormorant seen S of Mercia Marina Pond, 2 House Martin seen nest site prospecting on Porter’s Lane, 1 Willow Warbler seen at the edge of Willington Power Station site and 1 Lesser Whitethroat seen N of King George V playing field

19^th – 1 Brown Hare seen in field South of Priory Way

20^th – Nathusius Pipistrelle bat recorded in field at the back of houses on Burton Road

23^rd – 1 Red Kite seen flying over Burton Road

26^th – 1 Red Kite seen flying west over All Saints Church

30^th –  1, possibly 2 Tawny Owl seen Common Piece Lane

April

1^st – 1 female Goosander on the canal SW of the treatment works, 1 Mistle Thrush at the treatment works, 1 male Blackcap on Common Piece Lane (first sighting this year), 2 Jay in the meadow adjacent to Clovermead on Common Piece Lane, 4 (2 pairs) of Reed Bunting in Stanhope Wood reedbed

2^nd – 1 Cormorant seen flying N towards the Marina, 1 Grey Heron seen flying W towards Nadee, 11 Tufted Duck seen on Mercia Marina Pond, 2 Stock Dove seen feeding with Wood Pigeons in cultivated field S of Common Piece Lane, 1 Green Woodpecker heard S of the white footbridge over the canal, 10+ Meadow Pipit seen in the stubble field SE of Stanhope Wood, 1 Yellowhammer seen NE of Nadee and 2 Male Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works

4^th – 2 Skylark seen displaying in the stubble field SW of Porter’s Lane

5^th – 1 Buzzard seen over Stanhope Wood, 1 Redwing seen at the treatment works (a late sighting) and 1 Small White butterfly seen near the A50 underpass (first sighting this year)

8^th – 1 Green Veined White butterfly seen S of the treatment works, the first sighting this year.  1  Muntjac deer seen in the field at the back of houses Burton Road.

12^th – 1 Speckled Wood butterfly seen on Bakeacre Lane, the first sighting this year, 2 Lapwing seen in the horse paddock N of Bakeacre Lane, another pair seen displaying N of Blakemere Farm in flood water, the first sightings this year

14^th – 1 Swallow seen Upper Heath Lane, 1 Grey Wagtail seen on the towpath S of the treatment works, 1 Common Whitethroat (first sighting this year) seen in Cote Close and another in Stanhope Wood, 1 Willow Warbler (another first sighting this year) singing at the treatment works and another canalside E of the railway bridge, 1 female Bullfinch seen near the Ballast Hole Pond, 1 male Yellowhammer seen NE of Nadee and the first Hawthorn flowers seen in the entrance to Stanhope Wood

15^th – 5 Stock Dove seen in the cultivated field SW of Watson’s Bridge, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker seen N of the Ballast Hole Pond

16^th – 1 Little Grebe seen on Mercia Marina Pond, 1 Sparrowhawk seen over Upper Heath Lane, a pair of Linnet seen near the Marina Pond, 1 Jay seen flying over Willington Road near the cattery, 1 male Yellowhammer seen near the cattery N of Willington Road, 1 Swallow seen over Mercia Marina

17^th – 1 Cormorant seen flying over Bakeacre Lane, 4 Linnet seen Bakeacre Lane and 2 Red-legged Partridge seen Blakemere Farm flood Bakeacre Lane (the first sighting in Findern since 2016)

18^th – 1 Snipe seen in flood water Blakemere Farm, Bakeacre Lane

19^th – 2 Skylark seen in field SW of Watson’s Bridge, 1 Lesser Whitethroat seen on the railway embankment SE of Stanhope Wood (the first sighting this year)

20^th – 1 Kestrel seen hunting off Doles Lane

23^rd – 1 female Wheatear on migration seen in the cultivated field SW of Watson’s Bridge, the first sighting this year

24^th – 1 Kestrel seen over the Marina Pond and 1 Garden Warbler heard singing adjacent to the Marina Pond, the first this year

25^th – 1 House Martin seen on wire Heath Farm, Heath Lane

26^th – Cuckoo heard Common Piece Lane jw Crow Park Way, 1 Reed Bunting seen on top of a reed Stanhope Wood reed bed, 1 Blackcap seen near Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Song Thrush seen Stanhope Hole side of the A50 underpass, 1 Hedgehog becoming a regular nightly visitor to back garden Aults Close

March

1^st – 4 Stock Dove and 3 Fieldfare (first sighting of this species in Findern this year) seen in stubble field N of East Lawn

3^rd – 1 Lapwing seen over Cardales Meadow,  1 Green Woodpecker seen feeding on the ground in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way,  Pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker seen adjacent to the A50 underpass,  1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works,  1 Song Thrush singing at the bottom of Common Piece Lane,  3 Mistle Thrush seen in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way,  1 Chiffchaff (thought to be overwintering here) seen at the treatment works and 2 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

^4th – 1 Cormorant seen perched on a pylon at Mercia Marina,  3 Tufted Duck seen on Mercia Marina Pond,  1 Kestrel seen flying E over the treatment works,  2 Skylark seen over the stubble field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge,  2 Bullfinch seen by the allotments Common Piece Lane,  4 Yellowhammer seen along the hedge N of Hicklin’s Bridge,  1 Yellowhammer seen N of Willington Road and several Lesser Celandine seen Upper Heath Lane

5^th – 8 Teal seen Blakemere Farm,  Bakeacre Lane,  3 Buzzard soaring S of Bakeacre Lane,   2 Lapwing displaying W of Blakemere Farm,  c10 Meadow Pipit, c20 Pied Wagtail and 110+ Redwing seen in flooded field N of Bakeacre Lane.

6^th – 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly in a garden on Hillside, first sighting in Findern this year

11^th – Peacock butterfly seen in a garden on Hillside, another first sighting in Findern this year

12th – Frogspawn, lots of it, in  pond on Aults Close.

12^th – 1 Goldcrest seen at the treatment works

15^th – Hedgehog seen at the bottom of Porters Lane

16^th – Peacock Butterfly seen in flight Heath Lane over A50, 1 Chiffchaff singing at the top of Cote Close, first song of the spring

19^th 1 Cormorant seen over Stanhope Wood

23^rd – 1 Grey Heron, 5 Tufted Duck and 1 Reed Bunting seen at Mercia Marina Pond, 3 Buzzard seen soaring over the Nadee, 1 Kestrel seen at the bottom of Common Piece Lane, 2 Stock Dove seen north of Willington Road opposite the cattery, 1 Skylark singing in the field between the canal and Willington Road, 1 Grey Wagtail seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 4 Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works, 1 Brimstone butterfly seen in a garden on Hillside

25^th – 1 Comma butterfly seen near the Nadee, first sighting this year, 2 Coal Tit seen in a garden on Hillside, 3 Song Thrush and 10 Chiffchaff seen on the canal circuit, 1 male Reed Bunting seen in the reed bed Stanhope Wood

27^th – Several Meadow Pipit seen in the stubble field West of Watson’s bridge, 10+ Linnet seem Watson’s Bridge

29^th – 1 Little Grebe seen on Mercia Marina Pond

February 2020

5^th – 6 Tufted Duck seen at Mercia Marina,  1 Buzzard seen feeding on worms in a field north of Willington Road,  1 Peregrine seen on the cooling towers,  3 Skylark seen in the stubble field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge,  1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works, 4 Song Thrush seen around the canal circuit,   c60 Redwing seen in trees North of the Ballast Hole Pond and c40 seen in the field North of the cattery on Willington Road,  1 Goldcrest seen at the Ballast Hole Pond,  1 male Yellowhammer seen North of Hicklin’s Bridge,  1 male Bullfinch seen East of the treatment works,  2 female Reed Bunting seen canalside between the Nadee and the white bridge,  Hawthorn seen in leaf at the entrance to Stanhope Hole and Blackthorn seen in flower at the top of Cromwell Avenue

12^th – 1 Kestrel seen over the field SW of Watson’s Bridge,  1 Green Woodpecker heard south of the treatment works,  6+ Skylark seen over the stubble field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge,  2 Mistle Thrush seen in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way,  1 male Yellowhammer seen in fields NW of the Ballast Hole Pond and c60 Redwing seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works

25^th – 11+ Stock Dove seen in the stubble field East of East Lawn

26^th – 2 Buzzard seen displaying N of Crow Park Way/Common Piece Lane junction, 1 Kestrel seen in the horse paddock Crow Park Way, a pair of Bullfinch and 1 male Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works, 12 Teal seen in flood at Blakemere Farm, Bakeacre Lane, 1 Lapwing (first sighting in Findern this year) seen in flooded field N of Blakemere Farm, c12 Long Tailed Tit seen on Bakeacre Lane

January 2020

5th – 2 Water Rail (and a few Canada Geese) seen in the cattle field W of the treatment works

6^th – 15 Stock Dove seen in the stubble field SW of Watson’s Bridge,  c30 Redwing seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works,  1 male and 1 female Bullfinch seen on the A50 embankment near the underpass.

8^th – 8 Tufted Duck seen at Mercia Marina,  1 Peregrine seen on the rim of a cooling tower Willington power station,  1 Song Thrush singing at the bottom of Common Piece Lane,  1 Goldcrest seen at Clovermead on Common Piece Lane,  5 Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works and 1 seen at Mercia Marina Pond.

9^th – 1 Cormorant seen flying over Bakeacre Lane,  5 Teal seen on flood water at Blakemere Farm on Bakeacre Lane.

December 2019

2^nd – 1 Sparrowhawk seen over Hillside garden

3^rd – Kestrel seen NE of Hicklin’s Bridge and another over Lower Heath Lane,  2 Water Rail seen in the reedbed at the treatment works,  3 Meadow Pipit,  1 Song Thrush (the first sighting since July) and 1 Goldcrest also seen at the treatment works,  c20 Long-tailed Tit and 1 Coal Tit seen in Findern Churchyard and 20+ Goldfinch seen at the Ballast Hole Pond

4^th – 2 Cormorant seen on the pylon SE of Mercia Marina wildlife pond,  1 Black Swan and 1 Tufted Duck seen at Mercia Marina,  1 Siskin seen at the Ballast Hole Pond

16th – Barn Owl seen hunting over the field between the canal and the railway line near Hicklins Bridge.

19th – 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Goldcrest seen at the Treatment Works.  2 Male Bullfinch seen on the embankment near the A50 ubderpass and 2 male Yellowhammer seen near Hicklin’s  Bridge

21st – 1 Barn Owl seen hunting Stanhope Wood

30th– 1 Peregrine seen on the cooling towers and 1 male Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works

November

3rd – Woodpecker in Cote Close,  1 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

6^th – 4 Cormorant seen on pylon SE of Marina wildlife pond, 1 Coal Tit seen in Findern churchyard

19^th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen flying S over Nadee, 1 Buzzard seen perched on a pylon NE of Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Water Rail seen in the reed bed at the treatment works

28^th – 1 Water Rail, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Treecreeper seen at the treatment works, 1 Jay seen in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way  1 Cormorant seen over Stanhope Wood, 1 Kestrel and 1 Skylark seen flying NE over Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Peregrine seen perched on the rim of the cooling towers

29^th – 1 Kingfisher seen fishing canalside E of the white footbridge, 5+ Redwing seen feeding on Hawthorn canalside E of the white footbridge, 1 Jay seen canalside E of Nadee and 1 Buzzard seen NE of Hicklin’s Bridge

Ocober 2019

2^nd – 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen adjacent to the cattery on Willington Road,   4 Meadow Pipit seen opposite the cattery,  1 adult and 4 juvenile Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

8^th – 1 Swallow seen over Porter’s Lane, 1 Grey Wagtail seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works

19^th – 1 Sparrowhawk flew straight through the garage and into the kitchen Aults Close! Released safely and flew off to fight another day

21^st – 1 Sparrowhawk seen flying over Hillside garden, 1 Coal Tit seen in Hillside garden

28^th – 1 Cormorant seen over Stanhope Wood, 1 Kestrel and 1 Skylark seen flying NE over Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Peregrine seen perched on the rim of the cooling towers

29^th – 1 Kingfisher seen fishing canalside E of the white footbridge, 5+ Redwing seen feeding on Hawthorn canalside E of the white footbridge, 1 Jay seen canalside E of Nadee and 1 Buzzard seen NE of Hicklin’s Bridge

September 2019

1^st – 1 Sparrowhawk seen from Hillside garden

2^nd – 1 Grey Heron seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 1 male Blackcap seen N of the treatment works, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Spotted Flycatcher (the first sighting in Findern of this species) seen at the treatment works

4^th – 1 Peregrine seen on the cooling towers Willington Power Station, 1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works, c50 Pied Wagtail seen at the treatment works and in the adjacent field, 2 Common Whitethroat seen Stanhope Wood reed bed

14^th – 1 Kestrel seen flying over fields Doles Lane

19^th – 1 Kestrel seen perched on a bale in a field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Kingfisher seen flying E along the canal SW of the treatment works, 1 Jay seen at the bottom of Cardale’s Meadow and 1 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

30^th – 3 Skylark seen near Watson’s Bridge

August 2019

1^st – 1 Grey Heron seen at Mercia Marina,  1 Green Woodpecker heard S of the Ballast Hole Pond,  2 juvenile Common Whitethroat see adjacent to the railway bridge SE of Stanhope Wood,  1 Essex Skipper butterfly seen at the bottom of Cardales Meadow (the first sighting this year)

11^th – Dead Hedgehog seen Heath Lane

19^th – 1 Brown Argus butterfly, 2 Small Copper Butterfly seen in Cote Close, 2 Red Admiral Butterfly seen near Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Bullfinch seen near King George V playing field

20^th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen Willington Road near the level crossing

21^st – 1 Common Sandpiper seen feeding in the cattle field SW of the treatment works (this is the first sighting of this species in Findern, it’s probably on its migration South and stopped to feed in the flooded field)

July 2019

2^nd  – 3 Grey Wagtail (a pair and a juvenile) seen at the treatment works

8^th – 2 Lapwing seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works

13^th – 3 Lapwing (a pair and a juvenile) and several groups of juvenile Long-Tailed Tit seen in the cattle field W of the treatment works, 1 male Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

16^th – 1 Grey Heron seen in the cattle field W of the treatment works, 1 Green Woodpecker seen in Stanhope Wood, 1 Gatekeeper butterfly seen in Common Piece Lane and several more seen around the circuit, 1 Six Spot Burnet Moth seen in Cardales Meadow

30^th – 1 Brown Hawker Dragonfly seen in Cote Close

June 2019

5^th – 1 Cormorant seen flying W over Mercia Marina, 1 Sparrowhawk hunting SW on Watson’s Bridge, 1 Lapwing seen over Stanhope Wood reed bed and another in field SW of Watson’s Bridge, 1 Swift seen flying over Willington Road (the first sighting in Findern this year), 1 Yellowhammer seen N of Hicklin’s Bridge and another on Willington Road opposite the cattery, 1 Reed Bunting and 1 Reed Warbler (the first sighting in Findern this year) seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

15^th – 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen on bird feeder in back garden Aults Close

28th – 2 White Letter Hairstreak butterflies seen near the bird hide in Cote Close Bird Sanctuary

29^th – 1 dead Hedgehog seen Longlands Lane, 1 live Hedgehog and 1 live Mole seen on an allotment on Common Piece Lane

May 2019

6^th – Pair of Mute Swan with 5 Cygnets and a Canada Goose with 5 Goslings seen on Mercia Marina Pond. Mute Swan on a nest near the Nadee but no sign of any Cygnets yet.

11^th – Seen or heard on our Dawn Chorus walk around the canal circuit this morning:

Blackbird, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, House Sparrow, Song Thrush, Magpie, Wren, Robin, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Willow Warbler, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Common Whitethroat, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Cormorant, Blackcap, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Moorhen, Heron, Lapwing, Black Headed Gull, Bullfinch, Mallard, Blue Tit, Mute Swan, Garden Warbler, Jackdaw and Swallow

April 2019

3^rd – 1 Little Grebe, 3 Tufted Duck and 1 male Reed Bunting collecting nesting material seen at Mercia Marina Pond, 1 Grey Heron seen flying South over the pond. 1 Blackcap singing near Watson’s Bridge, pair of Long-Tailed Tit seen nest building canalside E of Nadee, 1 Jay seen flying over Stanhope Wood, pair of Bullfinch seen near Hicklin’s Bridge and 1 male Yellowhammer singing North of Hicklin’s Bridge

7^th – Treecreeper seen at the Ballast Hole Pond

8^th – Pair of Grey Wagtail, 1 Willow Warbler (first in this area this spring) and a pair of Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works, 1 female Bullfinch seen east of the treatment works, 1 male Yellowhammer seen adjacent to the railway line east of Stanhope Wood

11^th – Hawthorn in flower adjacent to the entrance to Stanhope Hole Conservation Area

14^th – 2 Swallows seen on wires by Heath Farm, Heath Lane

15^th – 1 female Mallard with 5 ducklings seen on the canal S of the treatment works, 4 Lapwing, 83 Black Headed Gull, 1 Stock Dove and 110 Fieldfare (a late sighting) seen on the freshly cultivated field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge, 2 Swallow seen flying over Heath Farm, 3 Mistle Thrush seen in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way.

21^st – 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing at the top of Cardales Meadow, 1 Jay seen at the bottom of Cote Close

25^th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen chasing a Collared Dove at the top of Heath Lane, 1 Common Whitethroat seen gathering nesting material beside the railway line SE of Stanhope Wood

30^th – 1 Grey Heron and 8 Stock Dove seen SE of Hicklin’s bridge, 2 Lapwing and 6 Stock Dove seen SW of Hicklin’s Bridge