Column: 'It’s the time of year when anyone that loves nature in Derbyshire starts to get excited'

It’s the time of year when anyone that loves nature starts to get excited. With spring on the horizon, the cold darkmonth of winter are about to give way to light, warmth and song as the arrival of summer visitors from southern Europeand Africa fill the air with colour and sound.
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Some of the earliest birds to arrive can be found on the uplands & moors of Derbyshire. One place to find them is along Stanage Edge near Hathersage.

The granite stone escarpment is a very popular place for walkers and climbers, so an early start is essential before it gets too busy.

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A walk around this area gives huge vistas and can, if you’re patient, over the next few months give you sightings of a Ring Ouzel. This member of the thrush family breeds here in the spring & looks much like our Blackbird but is slightly smaller and with a distinctive white breast band across its chest. Like with the Blackbird the female is a little duller and less striking.

WheatearWheatear
Wheatear

Listen out for a two note high pitched trill and then wait.

The Wheatear is another early visitor to the uplands and what a stunning bird it is.

A member of the chat family and about the size of a Robin it is always so pleasing to see in what can be a bleak landscape.

Black wings, grey back, peach coloured throat and chest with a thick black eye stripe helps it stand out and can be seen usually feeding on the ground or along the top of stone walls.

CurlewCurlew
Curlew
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One thing you’re almost guaranteed to see up here is the wonderful Meadow Pipit as it rises in the air to announce its presence then parachutes back down to earth. I could sit & watch them for hours showing off their aerial skills. An odd sound you may hear is a noise that sounds like two pebbles being tapped together, this will be the call of the Stonechat.

Another member of the chat family that thrives out here in the uplands of Derbyshire. Smaller that the Wheatear but the male is just as striking with black head & back, orange chest and white collar. They can be found in lots of habitats, but they suit the uplands so well.

You would think that in open country like this that birds of prey would be abundant, but they are noticeable by their absence. I have seen Kestrel, Buzzard and Red Kite here but years of persecution have kept numbers low. The hope is that as Grouse shooting becomes unsustainable, these marvellous air born hunters can begin to rule the skies once more free from danger.

Of course, I can’t talk about the uplands without mentioning the two iconic birds of moorland, Red Grouse and the Curlew.

Ring Ouzel by Gary ThoburnRing Ouzel by Gary Thoburn
Ring Ouzel by Gary Thoburn
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The babbling flight call of the Red Grouse and the haunting song of the Curlew just make the hairs on my arms stand on end. How many films have we seen when the Curlew’s fanfare has been used to create atmosphere and drama?

The ground can be a little unstable in the area so please take care if you venture out here, but you won’t regret it if you do.

If you would like to join me on a guided walk in some of the best spots Derbyshire has to offer, then visit my website for details. www.derbyshirebirdtours.com

Star of the month

Stanage EdgeStanage Edge
Stanage Edge

Eurasian Curlew

This is the UK’s largest wader and breeds on the uplands of Derbyshire.

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It has a haunting call that is unmistakable and adds the wonder of places like Stanage Edge. They lay 4 eggs from April onwards and incubate for 27-29 days.

The young are precocial, which means they can walk almost as soon as they hatch. They are a red listed species and are struggling here in the UK as predation and changes in farming practices take their toll. So, if you see a Curlew, enjoy every moment.

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