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Signs of Spring!

  • Date: 05/02/2020
  • Category: General

Buzzards are plentiful around Derby and can be often seen displaying over local woodlands.

Signs of Spring!

On my usual Sunday ramble around the local patch, despite the biting wind, the signs of an early spring were all around. The Snowdrops that have been in flower for a week or so now, still looked splendid but had now been joined by the first lemon yellow Primroses and some early Lesser Celandines, adding a welcome splash of colour to the muted browns and greens. Down past the horse paddocks where the bridge crosses the Lees brook the vivid green shoots of Lord’s and Ladies had pushed their way up from the mud beneath the hazel trees and on the far side of the water a sleepy Buff-tailed Bumblebee queen buzzed its way low along the hedgerow. My first Bumblebee of the year!

The birds were the most obvious harbinger of the changing season. The Mistle Thrush which had been pouring out it’s melancholy, beautiful song on and off throughout the winter had been joined by its cousins the Blackbird and Song Thrush, whilst blue and great tits competed from the hedgerow trees. From the wooded areas Great Spotted Woodpeckers drummed their challenge and a Nuthatch sang its strange trilling song before falling silent as a beautiful female Sparrowhawk took to the air to soar above her domain. From the arable fields that border the parkland first one then a second Skylark added their voices to the choir, pouring down sweet notes from the blue, the birds visible only as specks even through binoculars.
My return home had one last spring surprise, a pair of Brown Hares playfully chasing each other. The lead animal occasionally leaping and flicking out it’s back legs, invigorated by the sun and the scent of Spring!

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What Our Visitors Say ...

"I had a half-day walk with Antony, hoping to see a Ring Ouzel, and to see Waders in their nesting habitat. I achieved both of these, and saw several other good birds as well, including an owl and several Pied Flycatchers (another first for me). Anthony was not only very knowledgeable but also good company, and I would recommend his walks for anyone who enjoys wildlife but would benefit from some local expertise."
Tim Bucknall - Dorset.
"Antony's guided tour began in Hartington, and included an upland area, Biggin Dale and Wolfscote Dale. This gave us experience of a great variety of habitats, and a chance to see lots of birds, including ravens, rooks, jackdaws, a peregrine falcon, wheatears and stonechats, dippers and wagtails and chiffchaffs. The weather was variable, but Antony made the whole tour really entertaining and informative. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of nature, and birds in particular. Just as important, he is a very friendly and approachable guide, always willing to engage in discussion on any aspect of the area. We felt that, in addition to having a most interesting walk, we came away with really useful advice about how to observe birds on our future walks. The weather improved as we walked along the River Dove, and we were treated to some very special moments of bird observation, aided by Antony's telescope and tripod. We would highly recommend Antony to anyone keen to learn more about local wildlife as part of a most enjoyable walk in Derbyshire."
D & C Longson - Derbyshire.
"My mum and I had a fantastic bespoke walk with Antony around the Brassington area and Rose End Meadows in Cromford. Beautiful scenery, glorious sunshine and a wealth of interesting facts about the flowers, birds, insects and butterflies we met along the way. We had a truly magical time watching a Silver-washed Fritillary dancing and gliding around right in front of us for fifteen minutes. The walk was a birthday present for my mum and Antony took the time to find out what her specific interests and level of knowledge were in advance so that he could plan the route accordingly. He even sent us more information afterwards to confirm a couple of butterfly and dragonfly IDs. Antony really knows his stuff and his enthusiasm is infectious. He also has an unbelievable eye and ear for tiny creatures, plants and sounds that would have passed me by completely. A relaxing, hugely informative and very enjoyable day all round. Many thanks again, Antony!"
L Breakwell - Nottingham.
"Thank you ever so much for the Dawn Chorus experience last Saturday. Even though the weather was terrible we really enjoyed it. We all said would do it again regardless of the weather."
J Tagg - Derbyshire.
"Thoroughly enjoyed two fantastic nature walks with Antony in September 2020. Loved our walk on the Eastern Moors spotting moorland birds and lots and lots of red deer, just starting their rut. Our second walk was an early morning exploration of the very different habitat of the Derwent river and Cromford Canal. Spent ages watching a beautiful pair of dippers dabbling in the river, a streaking Kingfisher and tons of little Grebe diving in the clear water. Antony was an absolutely brilliant guide. He has amazing knowledge about every single species of bird, mammal and lots of plants across the Peak District and knows exactly where to find them. He has such a friendly and welcoming manner that you never feel you're not 'expert' enough and he patiently answers every question. I would thoroughly recommend a nature walk with Antony to get to know the Peak District through the eyes of a wildlife fan! Very best wishes and see you next spring!"
N Marshall - London.
"Antony was not only very knowledgeable about swifts but also provided valuable information to participants on the walks regarding support for the various swift habitats in their neighbourhood. Highly recommended."
D Howson - Derby.
"A great evening watching swifts, and learning about other local wildlife. The leader was very friendly and knowledgeable. He gave us lots of interesting information about swifts, and how we could help with their conservation. There was plenty of time to ask questions, and the walk was taken at a leisurely pace to enable everyone to keep up and get involved. A lovely evening stroll that everyone seemed to enjoy!"
H Naylor - Derbyshire.

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