Last 12 month’s Sightings

October

2^nd – 1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works, 1 Chiffchaff seen feeding with C20 Long Tailed Tit Watson’s Bridge

13^th – 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen just W of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Meadow Pipit seen in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way, 1 Stonechat seen N of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Coal Tit seen on feeders at the stables Crow Park Way, 1 Bullfinch seen A50 embankment near the underpass (the first sighting for several weeks)

15^th – 1 Sparrowhawk seen Bakeacre Lane, 3 Stock Dove seen E of Blakemere Farm, Bakeacre Lane, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker heard Bakeacre Lane

19^th – 1 Grey Heron seen west of the treatment works, 1 Kestrel seen flying South over Common Piece Lane, 1 Green Woodpecker heard S of the treatment works, 6 Redwing seen flying west over Watson’s Bridge, 1 Linnet seen Watson’s Bridge

22^nd – 1 Cormorant seen on the pylon SW of the marina wildlife pond, 1 Water Rail seen in the reed bed at the treatment works, 4+ Skylark seen in the stubble field NE of Hicklin’s Bridge and another 4 seen in the stubble field SW of Watson’s Bridge, 1 female Reed Bunting seen in Stanhope Wood reed bed

30^th – 2 Grey Wagtail seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works

September

2nd – 1 Kestrel seen hunting over the field SW of Watson’s Bridge, 4 House Martin seen over Clovermead on Common Piece Lane, 1 Banded Demoiselle seen canalside S of the treatment works

4th – 1 Green Woodpecker heard calling Bakeacre Lane, 1 Chiffchaff seen near Blakemere Farm on Bakeacre Lane

6th – 176 Canada Geese seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works (a record count for this site), 1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works, 1 male Blackcap seen near Hicklin’s Bridge

11th – 1 male Kestrel seen flying S over the canal E of the Nadee, c40 Swallow seen over the field SW of Watson’s Bridge

18^th – c20 Goldfinch feeding on thistle heads in the farmyard W of the treatment works

21^st – 2 Song Thrush and 1 Chiffchaff seen at the treatment works

28^th – 75+ Black-headed Gull and 35+ Lesser Black-backed Gull seen feeding in freshly ploughed field SW of Common Piece Lane, 1 Grey Wagtail seen S of the treatment works

 

August

1^st – 1 Green Woodpecker seen feeding in garden Burton Road

2^nd – 1 Sparrowhawk and 25 Swift seen over the ash plantation between the wet area and the treatment works, 2 Holly Blue butterflies seen on Common Piece Lane

4^th – 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Chiffchaff seen at the treatment works, 3 Blackcap seen near the brook on Common Piece Lane

9^th – 8 Swift seen flying SE over Bakeacre Lane, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen Bakeacre Lane, c10 House Martin seen feeding above the trees opposite Lansdowne Farm, 6 Juvenile Long Tailed Tit seen at Blakemere Farm and 30+ Rook seen feeding in the horse paddock N of Bakeacre Lane

17^th – 1 adult and 3 juvenile Grey Wagtail and 5 juvenile Chiffchaff  seen at the treatment works

28th – 3 Stock Dove seen in the cultivated field W of Common Piece Lane, 1 Common Whitethroat and 4 Linnet seen N of Hicklin’s Bridge

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