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The undoubted highlight of the month was the Alpine Swift that scythed above Long Eaton GP for a couple of hours on 1st April. Just the fourth record for the county, it attracted many observers and for those that missed it there was the consolation of a record flock of 200 Kittiwakes later in the day. A pager report of a Black Kite near Hathersage on the 30th needs backing up with a description please, if the observer could oblige, whilst other county rarities included a Black-necked Grebe at Drakelow DWT NR, a Spoonbill at Erewash Meadows and a Stone Curlew at Dale Abbey, which was the 9th record for the county. It was a good month for gulls with not only a record flock of Kittiwakes but also a record flock of Little Gulls (50) at Willington GP. Other kittiwake records included a notable count of 21 at Foremark, with one or two at Erewash Meadows, Ogston Reservoir and Woodhead Reservoir whilst more Little Gulls were seen at Carsington Water (11 on the 21st, four on the 20th), Church Wilne Reservoir (eight on the 20th) with two earlier in the month at Ambaston. Rounding off the gulls were a Mediterranean Gull at Ogston Reservoir, single Caspian Gulls at Sinfin Moor Wetlands and Middleton Moor, with a Yellow-legged Gull at the latter site.
23 Whooper Swans at Carsington on the 19th were probably the same herd that pitched up in the Goyt Valley the same day, and more Whooper Swans (up to nine) were seen at five other sites including a very late adult which was at Carr Vale DWT NR from the 29th, remaining into May. A pair of Garganey was found in the south of the county. Four Common Scoters were seen at Carsington Water on the 23rd with single birds noted at three more sites including a long stayer at Ogston whilst a report of one at Brimington on the Chesterfield Canal may well be an error in ebird; perhaps the observer could confirm the record. There was an extremely early record of a Quail at Barrow-On-Trent on the 22nd, Bitterns were seen at two locations, up to 20 Little Egrets could be seen at 37 sites and up to two Great White Egrets were found at 11 sites.
A single observer recorded a Black-necked Grebe at Drakelow DWT and the Great Northern Diver at Carsington Water attained summer plumage and was still present into May. Up to six Red Kites were seen at 41 places, Hen Harriers were seen at two locations but Marsh Harriers were recorded at five sites with multiple records from Carr Vale DWT NR (four records) and Willington GP (two records) and Ospreys were also seen at five places.
It was a very good month for waders with the aforementioned Stone Curlew being the stand-out record. This was backed up by three Avocets at two sites, up to 15 Black-tailed Godwits at three sites (including an colour ringed bird from Iceland at Carr Vale DWT NR) and up to six Bar-tailed Godwits were seen at eight places. Not to be left out of the waderfest, up to six Whimbrel were noted at 12 places, a Turnstone was seen at Erewash Meadows, single Sanderlings were at four sites, up to five Greenshank were seen at seven places and a late Jack Snipe was seen in Horse Dale. It was a poor month for Arctic Terns with up to four noted at eight locations, but a party of five Black Terns graced Carsington Water on the 27th. Long-eared Owls were found at one location in the north-west but six upland sites held Short-eared Owls. The earliest ever Hobby was over Morton on the 3rd with reports from seven other places from the 11th with up to two birds present at Carr Vale DWT NR on six dates from the 20th. Two Merlins were seen at Carsington Water and single birds were seen at eight upland sites.
Scarce passerines were in short supply although Carsington recorded it's earliest ever Spotted Flycatcher and Black Redstarts were seen at Barbrook and Avenue Washlands. White Wagtails were scarce with one or two logged at four sites, single Hawfinches were seen on garden bird tables in Somercotes and Chapel-en-le-Frith, four Twite made a welcome return to Dove Holes Quarry and a Mealy Redpoll was found at Erewash Meadows. As always April produced some good birding.
Mark Beevers