A peek at the Peak District

Me and Mark decided to join the York Bird Club field outing to the Peak District on Sunday. We started with a look around Orgreave Quarry near Treeton on the outskirts of Sheffield, a couple of lagoons have been created here attracting a good selection of Wildfowl and Waders including Little Ringed Plovers and Common Sandpiper, there was also a good number of all three species of Hirundines feeding over the water and lots of Wheatears and Skylarks in the surrounding area. We then headed into the Peak District and the first site was Padley Gorge, we sat out a heavy shower that had started as we arrived then took a pleasant stroll through this lovely wooded valley, a good range of typical woodland species were seen including up to six Pied Flycatchers, a pair of Dippers on the stream and the bonus of a pair of Mandarin Ducks that were flushed by a dog and flew up into a nearby tree. The forecast of showers rang true as we moved to the second site at Burbage Bridge and the heavens opened up again, we ventured out when it eased off and followed a track adjacent to the Burbage Rocks although we got caught in a hail shower half way along but when it eventually passed over several Stonechats and a pair of Ring Ouzel showed well plus two Ravens flew overhead and a Peregrine had a fly round when we got back to the car park, a pleasant day in a nice area just a shame about the weather, we could have maybe visited a couple more sites if not for the rain.

view from Burbage Bridge

Burbage Rocks