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October was a fairly quiet month yet still provided a couple of decent rarities, albeit that once again they were not available to the masses. Three Carr Vale regulars logged their second flock of migrating Common Cranes in the space of three weeks and it can't be bad hearing a Yellow-browed Warbler calling whilst dropping the car off at a garage in Spondon whilst Wood Larks were logged at two sites, but again only by single observers. A Cattle Egret returned to Long Eaton Gravel Pits / Cranfleet Cut for the third winter, a Black-necked Grebe from September hung on to the 1st at Pleasley Pit, three Black Redstarts were found during the month but only one was a long staying bird, at the Cattle and Fiddle pub near Buxton, which left the star performer of the month to be the Snow Bunting that spent ten days at on the dam at Carsington.
A good autumn passage of Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese was noted across the county. Scarce ducks included a single Scaup, three Common Scoters, two Red-breasted Mergansers and a Ruddy Duck, which was scant reward for the reservoir watchers. A Bittern was regularly seen at Willington GP whilst Great White Egrets must now be considered resident in the county with at least four birds in the north-east of the county; up to three at Willington GP, two's at Carsington Water and Ogston Reservoir and singles at dozen more sites, though surely in the south of the county there is some duplication of records.
Red Kites are now well established in the county with up to six at Carsington and one or two at 23 more sites, three Marsh Harriers were seen but there was only one Osprey record. Wader passage tailed off with only Grey Plover, Little Stint and Greenshank of any note although a few Jack Snipe were found and gulls fared little better with Mediterranean Gulls at Carr Vale and Highbridge GP and a Kittiwake at Lower Longdendale Reservoir plus six Yellow-legged and four Caspian Gulls. Two late Hobbies were seen as was a late Whinchat. There was the first heavy movement of Redwings, but Fieldfares were extremely thin on the ground and a Water Pipit was reported from Ogston.
Mark Beevers