First Curlew heard this year.

Heard and saw a Curlew fly over the Caldon Canal and disused railway this morning at about 08:30. The first of the year. I strongly suspect Curlews have, at least attempted, to breed in the fields between Endon and Denford for the past 11 years, and probably longer (I have only lived here for 11 years and whilst working in my garden during spring and summer I have heard them calling every year). For the first eight or nine years they seemed to nest in a wet hollow on a farm on the south side of the Caldon Canal - at least this is where I have seen them land and heard them call. Then last year the farmer carried out some agricultural "improvements" and the Curlews appeared to have shifted nesting site, as a pair were using fields near to the sewage works on the opposite side of the canal. Of course it is possible that it is another pair, but I didn't notice any activity from the wet hollow site that year (2014). According to the RSPBs Handbook of British Birds (2002) Curlews can live 30 years or maybe more, but 5 years seems more typical ( see http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob5410.htm). So it may be either one or both of the same individuals coming back to nest in this area every year for the past several years. 

Where the Curlew flew over. 

Curlew in nesting site near Endon Sewage Works 2014.

Agricultural "improvements" taking place in April 2014 in wet hollow where Curlews were regularly seen and heard in previous years. 

Alder Bracket Fungi on dead Goat Willow tree trunk in Deep Hayes Country Park.

One of the first Gorse Ulex europaeus flowers of the year in Deep Hayes CP this morning. 

Stream above pools DHCP this morning where a Willow Tit was calling. 

Something bad and something good.

Today was the first day this year that I have noticed any House Sparrow breeding behaviour - it was a pair of sparrows inspecting a nest box - and each other by the looks of it!

Sparrows by nest boxes in the morning sun on a house in The Village, Endon (20/02/15). 

Then this afternoon I was busy in my garden, spreading a small pile of compost that I had temporarily heaped around an Echinops plant last autumn. Is I was working away I noticed I had inadvertently speared a big Common Frog with my fork. It must have been hibernating in a cavity in between the plant stems. I felt bad!

This feeling was compensated for by spotting a Peregrine Falcon from my back garden. I saw it fly southish and over my garden and swing around by 90 degrees then plummet downwards at a smaller bird, which it missed. It flew off towards the north, pursued by a Corvid. 

Amongst the regular birds such as House Sparrows, Blue and Great Tits that use the garden it was good to see 2 Goldcrests and 2 Reed Buntings in a mature hedge bordering my plot. 

My garden today.

Crayfish footprints and Badger snuffle holes.

Seen this afternoon along the disused railway and in the Caldon Canal.

Badger snuffle holes and regular pathway on railway embankment (snuffle holes are where Badgers dig for earthworms).

One of the holes had been used as a latrine. There was a strongish smell too.

What is very probably American Signal Crayfish prints in the muddy bottom of a lock at Hazelhurst Junction (the lock has been emptied for repairs). American Signal Crayfish are a serious ecological nuisance see https://www.buglife.org.uk/uk-crayfish here is an informative leaflet https://drive.google.com/drive/#folders/0BzWckZhY-EvoNjBXbW0yaVdwVVk

Early spring birdsong.

Yesterday morning I walked along the disused railway to Hazelhurst Junction and back along the canal. There was lots of birdsong and evidence of other breeding behaviour to be seen. I heard at least four Song Thrushes, three Chaffinches, Dunnocks, Robins, one Mistle Thrush, Great and Blue Tits, and Wrens singing. Plus one wheezing Greenfinch, two Reed Buntings attempting a first hesitant song, and one or two Woodpigeons cooing. I didn't hear but saw the local pair of Stock Doves a they flew rapidly across the route of the railway to land in a large Ash tree (I wonder how much longer that will be there now that the Ash Dieback is reported to have spread last year? http://treehealth.plantsci.org.uk/).

View of various habitats from the canal towpath looking towards Dunwood. In the foreground, scrub; beyond the railway a small reed bed (in which Reed Buntings usually breed); beyond that pasture and part of Dunwood itself. 

Then this morning, as has happened the last few mornings, at about 6am while sitting in bed reading, I heard a flock of  Jackdaws arriving for the days business in and around Endon. I assume these birds are some that roost among the 400 or so Jackdaws, Rooks, Crows and Woodpigeons that roost at Baddeley Green https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=479669269522962873#editor/target=post;postID=2257987925238157804;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=13;src=postname

As the darkness of night dissipated and dawn arrived a pair of Tawny Owls called followed by first a Robin, and then a Wren sang out. At time of writing a Blue Tit is singing from a tree at the end of my garden.

Wildlife Crime?

On 18^th January I was walking along the Caldon Canal towpath through Cheddleton, using my binoculars as I was on the look out for birds. Among the various species I saw were some that surprised me. It was about eleven Mallards enclosed in a chicken wire cage on one of the local shooting estates (see photo). They appeared to be being used to lure more ducks into position to be shot (there was a flock of free Mallards outside the cage). I checked out the relevant legislation and so I'm pretty sure it is illegal to use wild birds in this way, and in any case the photo shows that one is hanging by its neck as it appears to have got stuck in the wire on the roof; this suggests that even if, in principle, the decoy is legal, its construction may not be. So I reported what I had seen to the local Wildlife Crime Police Officer, who it turns out is a PCSO http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_community_support_officer. When he eventually got back to me (and anyone who has reported any non-emergency to the police recently will know how many days that can take!), we had a lengthy conversation. At no time did the police officer suggest that I was wrong in my opinion that using trapped Mallards as a decoy is illegal, however he did say that the gamekeeper told him that the birds were being kept like that for their eggs. Sharp-eyed readers will notice the obvious flaw in this statement, as the ducks are nearly all males!! The policeman told me that he wanted to maintain his good relationship with the keeper so had suggested to him that in future any activities such as this should be done out of the public eye. 

Did the officer believe the ducks were for eggs or did he want to avoid spoiling his relations with a local business? I don't know, but I do know I will be keeping my eye out for other suspicious activities in Cheddleton.

A walk up Church Lane across fields and roads to Tinster Wood and back.

A frosty, clear and calm start to the day caused the appearance of red streaky contrails.

On the way to work I noticed the Rooks are back at the rookery nests.

On a walk this afternoon I admired the view towards The Roaches and Stanley.

Off Broad Lane (Brown Edge) a few Meadow Pipits feeding in a pasture where horses hooves have disturbed the ground - a first time I have seen them there.

I saw my second Dandelion flower of the year today, the first was along the disused railway seen on Tuesday. Though we are currently subjected to a cold patch with sub-zero temperatures overnight there has been quite extended sunny periods at times, and I assume this is what has stimulated the Dandelion's  to flower. They will provide a very early source of nectar for any (very) early flying insects.

Then ,when I got home, I discovered that there is a second Starling nest site in a cavity in the Alder tree in the corner of my garden. Both nest sites are in cavities that have been created when branches have broken off the main trunk taking a plug of cork cambium and other woody tissue with it.

Winter walk to Deep Hayes Country Park.

I walked out to Deep Hayes Country Park on this cold, mostly calm and sunny morning during which snow from the end of last week still lies frozen in shady spots.

The sky was almost cloud-free though there was some cirrus cloud and contrails high in the sky.

Three views northwest and east from along the disused railway line. 

There are two new-born lambs in an adjacent field. I spotted one yesterday so I think maybe another was born since then. I watched a Buzzard fly close to the mum and her new offspring, perhaps it was looking for afterbirth to eat. There was a large flock of Fieldfares, Redwings and Starlings feeding in the same field as the sheep - when the ground is frozen, as it was today, these species seem to choose fields in which livestock have the disturbed turf and soil with their hooves. I think it helps them find their invertebrate prey more easily. 

A Badger must have been out collecting bedding from a patch of fine-leaved grassy tussocks alongside the railway tracks. You have to wonder why it didn't take it back to its sett? Maybe it was disturbed by a night prowling fox or an early human walker? I have to keep an eye out for the sett as I doubt it is one further along the railway line at Denford as I doubt if a Badger would drag the bedding 3km to that sett. 

There were some icicles......

...and icy branches. 

Plus a red crusty growth on the north side of oak tree trunks in Deep Hayes Country Park.I am not sure if it is algae, lichen or some other form of biofilm.

I admired a view of Shutlingsloe as I walked back through Stanley.