The Last Knockings of January - 24th to 30th January, 2022

I did quite well during the last week in January, managing five trips out during the seven days. Here are some of the highlights from that week.

Monday, 24th January

Calke Park covers a very large area, and there are several possibilities for access other than via the main vehicular entrance. On this occasion, I decided to take a route that I had not done for a couple of years or more, and park in The Round Car Park near the south end of Staunton Harold Reservoir, walk down to the reservoir and then take the path that heads round the inflow to the west and continues into Calke Park, and then to the main car park at Calke Abbey. 

As I passed round the edge of the reservoir, I saw Coot, Tufted Duck, and a very distant Little Egret.

On entering Calke Park, the Goosander were not on the pool by the weir (Little Dogkennel Pond) where I have seen them recently.  Further into the park, I found a Red Deer stag taking a rest. 

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) (male) - Calke Park

Having taken a left turn on the track, I found Fallow Deer with a group of three demonstrating some of the extensive colour variation found in this species. I am not sure if these were females or youngsters, although I suspect the former.

Fallow Deer (Dama dama) (female or young?) - Calke Park

When I arrived at the pool (Mere Pond) below the main hide and the abbey car park, I spotted a pair of Goosander sleeping on the far side of the water, sadly somewhat obscured by branches.

I was lucky enough to arrive at the hide in the main car park and find it unoccupied. I had about fifteen minutes on my own here before someone arrived and I felt the need to leave. During that time, I managed to photograph a few birds, including a Brambling. Although drinking from a man-made trough, I show my photos, mainly because of the beauty of the bird, and those fabulous markings on its back.

Great Tit (Parus major) - Calke Park

Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) - Calke Park

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) (male) - Calke Park

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) - Calke Park

Having departed the hide, I noticed some Redwing that were not too far away for photography. Here is one of them.

 

Redwing (Turdus iliacus) - Calke Park

Setting off back towards my car, I found that the Goosander on Mere Pond were awake, and had been joined by another, giving me some photo opportunities, although the light was fading by now.

 

Goosander (Mergus merganser) (female) - Calke Park

Goosander (Mergus merganser) (male) - Calke Park

As I passed oalong the shore of the reservoir, a Great Crested Grebe took my attention.

 

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) - Staunton Harold Reservoir

Tuesday, 25th January

 

Until this winter, it was a rare occasion when we had a visit from Pied Wagtail. However, this winter we have had almost daily visits, especially when the weather is cold when a wagtail seems to be omnipresent. This day was really special, as we had an unprecedented three birds visiting us. I did manage a record shot with all three in frame.

 

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) - garden on 25th January, 2022

It is always a special day when we get a visit from the delightful Long-tailed Tits.

 

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) - garden on 25th January, 2022

That afternoon I returned to Calke Park, this time walking in from Staunton Lane, on a track from which, in the past, I have seen Little Owl, Mandarin, and Redstart - I had no such luck this time, however! I did see some Redwing, which were not very cooperatve.

Redwing (Turdus iliacus) - Calke Park

My walk took me to Calke Explore where I found the nearby hide vacant. This gave me a few photo opportunities, although nothing unusual was seen.

 

Great Tit (Parus major) - Calke Park

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Calke Park

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) - Calke Park

Dunnock (Prunella modularis) - Calke Park

- it's not until you get close-up and personal that you see how attractive a Dunnock's face is with those 'rays' emanating from below the eye.

 

I left after about quarter of an hour as the light was failing, and set off over the hill to check out how easy it was to get to the hide in the main car park on foot. It turned out to be a pleasant walk. I got to the hide by the main car park and was, once again, lucky to find it unoccupied. I only stayed about 20 minutes as the area in front of the hide was in shade and light levels very low. I did, however, manage a few photos.

 

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) - Calke Perk

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) - Calke Park

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) (immature) - Calke Park

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) (female) - Calke Park

Near the hide, as I left, was a very fine Red Deer stag, having a rest.

 

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) (male) - Calke Park

I needed to avail myself of the 'washroom' before heading back to my car. Everything at the abbey was closing down as I arrived, and my biggest surprise of the afternoon was the Grey Wagtail by the buildings. I wish that I'd been better prepared.

 

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) (1st winter) - Calke Abbey

Wednesday, 26th January

 

This day saw me having a short walk from the nearby village of Packington. It was not a productive walk, but an enjoyable one - until I came to go home and found I'd got a flat tyre! Our Smart doeas not have a spare and the emergency kit did not put enough into the tyre to drive on so I had to get Lindsay to come out and rescue me with a tyre inflator. It turns out that, somehow, the tyre had got split on the inside wall and a new tyre was required. 

I did get some shots of a Kestrel on a pole, and also some when it few off as I walked down the road.

 

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) (female) - near Packington

Along this road is a property which has a very small front garden, in which I usually see a peacock. This bird seems to be totally unconstrained, and struts about freely.  On this occasion, I thought I'd take its photo. It obviously had expectatations, as it immediately strutted over to me as if to ask what reward it was going to receive for its cooperation.

Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) (male) - near Packington

Thursday, 27thJanuary

 

On this day, I visited a local trail that I'd not been on for more than three years. This is the Ashby Woulds Trail which runs on the course of a disused railway line. I joined the trail at Donisthorpe and headed south towards Measham.

In an area where I had been lucky enought to see Glossy Ibis and Great Egret (together) in 2018, the most interesting thing I could find was a distant Egyptian Goose.

Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) - from Ashby Woulds Trail

Just beyond this area, I noticed a board describing access to Woodland Farm. Having not been aware of this before, I took this side path. The path itself didn't provide anything of interest, but I found myself arriving at Jack's Pool and the lake at the western end of Saltersford Valley Country Park. Here, at the edge of the lake, I found a female Goosander. It's not often that I spot a Goosander out of the water.

 

Goosander (Mergus merganser) (female) = near Oakthorpe

On my retuirn journey, I saw what struck me as a strange sight - three Grey Heron in a field just standing there! It's a rubbish photo as there were intervening branches close to me, but I feel it is worth publishing here.

 

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - from Ashby Woulds Trail

Friday, 28th January

 

This day, I had a very short excursion (but my fifth trip out in successive days!) to nearby Thortit Lake. I didn't find much to photograph, but couldn't resist this swan which had adopted what I find to be a very attractive pose with its wings arched over its back.

 

Mute Sawn (Cygnus olor) (male) - Thortit Lake

At one point, I was trying to track a flying heron with my camera, expecting it to land at the water's edge. I was not expecting it to fly into the relatively dense woodland of Willesley Wood and disappear from view.

 

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - Willeslety Wood

Saturday, 29th January

 

Sightings of Siskin in the garden this winter have, sadly, been almost as rare as hen's teeth - and that's my excuse for publishing another 'bird on feeder' shot!

 

Goldfinch (Carduelis cartduelis) + Siskin (Carduelis spinus) (male) - garden on 29th January, 2022

Sunday, 30th January, 2021

 

It had been another good week for garden birds, with 24 species visiting. The regular Goldcrest was last seen on 26th January, but we were, and still are, getting regular visits from Brambling and Blackcap. I'll end this post with a shot of a Blackcap, a species that, until this winter, has rarely graced our garden.

Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) (male) - garden on 30th January, 2022

That's it for now. I have a suspicion that my next blog post might feature a single recent visit - but that may change. In the meantime, take good care of yourselves and Nature - something that our government seems to be incapable of doing! Best wishes - - - Richard