My son, Alex (back in the UK to celebrate his Dad's 79th), and I have managed to get out birding this week to Dorrington Fen (Mon) and Kirkby-on-Bain/Dunsby (Wed).
Early this morning in the fog/mist we headed for Mansfield where I dropped him off to pick up a particular car he had located via 'Autotrader', and I then drove on solo to Cromford (Derbyshire), off the A6. I had seen on "BirdGuides" (incl. photos) that it was a good locality for Dipper along the River Derwent. By the time I reached Cromford, the fog/mist had cleared and the sun came out.
In all, I located 4 Dippers along the River.....2 by the separate bridges in the Cromford area and 2 more (adopting aggressive, territorial postures) further along the River in a wooded area towards Matlock. Plus : incl. :
3 Grey Wagtails
2 Mistle Thrushes
There are also Hawfinches around the Cromford area but, according to the local birders I met, they seem to 'disappear' (typically) after 8.00am or so.
Alex will now leave in his car tomorrow (Friday) for a solo drive to Malaga (Andalusia) to "chill out" for a week in his bachelor pad there before resuming his anti-piracy duties in the Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea. He has seen some super birds and marine mammals on his previous transits.
If interested, see
http://www.deathvalleymag.com/.../civil ... y-operator I shall now resume my role of Solitary Sandpiper birder.
Freddy
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