Archive for the ‘Fauna’ Category

Two lambs have been killed with a third left seriously injured following an attack by a dog.

A walker has also been through a gate not on the public footpath and left it open, meaning the sheep have all been mixed up from their original groupings.

This has happened on the fields opposite the triangle at the bent (bottom of Highway Lane), the fields that the footpath to Ballidon cross and the fields behind them.

If anyone has seen anything at all then please contact Liz Edge on 07545 345 504.

Please also use this as a polite reminder that all dogs should be kept on leads as per the Highway Code – particularly at such a sensitive time of year when the sheep are in lamb.

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… at the Coronation Tea Party!

Great pics as always from David G, many thanks for sharing them with us.

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Thanks to Jill L for this amazing snap of her nocturnal visitor 🦔

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Many thanks to David G for this great shot of a visitor to his garden.

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Nightime Visitors

Thanks as always to David G for these fabulous pictures of his nocturnal garden visitors.

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Another fabulous nature picture shared with us by David G.

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With thanks to David G for these great pictures. His accompanying message reads: ‘At last, a treecreeper not camouflaged against tree bark. Note the size of the claws’.

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Huge thanks to John L for these amazing pictures taken at the birdfeeder

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A Pair of Mini Visitors

Many thanks as always to David G for these fabulous pictures.

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Wonderful Woodpecker

Thank you to David G for these amazing pictures. What a fantastic catch!

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Fresh Water for the Birds

Thanks to David G for sending in these fabulous pictures this morning.

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Thanks to David G for this beautiful shot, with a couple of close ups to see the detail.

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Hedgehog Highway

Whilst I was outside on Creamery Lane at dusk yesterday evening, waiting for guests to arrive, I saw more hedgehogs on the road than cars! Please keep an eye out for them when driving.   

Saskia T

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Missing Cat

UPDATE – Great News! Korky has returned home safely this morning. Thank you to everyone who helped look for him.

Our ginger cat, Korky, went missing on Thursday night. Please check any outbuildings in case he is shut in.

Tony and Sue 390 724

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Glow Worms!

Dear residents of Parwich.  I am after your help!

My name is Jim, a Derbyshire naturalist and former countryside warden.  For almost 20 years I have had a fascination with one of the UKs most enigmatic insect, the Common Glow-worm and most evening through June and July I am out searching the Derbyshire countryside to try to locate and record the species which is actually a type of beetle and not a worm at all.

Many people are totally unaware that Glow-worms (a close relative of Fireflies) even exist in Derbyshire or even the UK. They do and Derbyshire is quite a good place to find them, especially in the limestone areas of our county, where they may be found in many of the limestone dales.

Unfortunately, the number of populations of this species has declined over the past century through changes to land use, use of pesticides and increased levels of light pollution. Therefore I am trying to locate as many of our surviving Glow-worm populations as possible.

Over the last five or six years I have been trying to find new i.e. unrecorded populations as well as visiting sites with historical records, some dating back to the mid 1900’s. 

There are no records that I am aware of for the immediate area around Parwich. The nearest populations being in Ballidon Dale where I saw them in 2018 and on private land a little farther east towards Brassington.  There is also an old record for the Tissington Trail near Newton Grange. 

It is possible that Glow-worms do exists around Parwich village and some of you may be aware of them, or have seen them there in the past, perhaps lighting your way home with their yellow bioluminescent glows, down one of the lanes on a summer evening.

Glow-worms are usually found on unimproved pastures & meadows especially steep banks or dale sides, where they feed upon slugs and snails.

I’d be grateful if anyone who may know of the whereabouts of any Glow-worms, even memories of seeing them decades ago around Parwich (or indeed anywhere else in the county) could let me know via my email address

More information about Glow-worms can be found on the UK Glow-worm Survey website (www.glowworms.org.uk ) that Glow-worm enthusiast Robin Scagell has run for almost 30 years.  I now assist Robin with the survey as well as conducting my own searches in Derbyshire.

Many thanks

Jim Alder

UK Glow-worm Survey records verifier

derbyshireglowworms@gmail.com

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RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place at the end of this month. Let’s make this an occasion to do a Big Parwich Garden Birdwatch. Anyone wanting to take part please also send in your sightings to us and we’ll publish the results. Anyone who fancies something different than staring into your garden how about spending an hour sitting in the Pump Hill Garden- it would be interesting to record what birds are making use of the area.

For more information click on this link

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RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place at the end of this month. Let’s make this an occasion to do a Big Parwich Garden Birdwatch. Anyone wanting to take part please also send in your sightings to us and we’ll publish the results. Anyone who fancies something different than staring into your garden how about spending an hour sitting in the Pump Hill Garden- it would be interesting to record what birds are making use of the area.

For more information click on this link

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Ghostly Apparitions?!

No, the two white flying ‘figures’ were a beautiful pair of Egrets, just outside Bradbourne near the brook and visible from the narrow winding section of Brackendale Lane – unfortunately the photo is of poor quality.       And some of you may have spotted a (pair of?) Red Kites just outside Parwich a week or so ago.  We are lucky to get such diverse wildlife. 

Saskia T

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Open Gardens Update

We already have more than ten gardens opening in the village for you to enjoy, and the weather is set for a glorious afternoon, so be sure not to miss the free Village and Members-only Open Gardens on Wednesday, 4pm to 7pm.

Our thanks to everyone who has volunteered to open their garden. 

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Thanks to David G for these atmospheric pics

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Kingfisher back in the village

In the last few days, several people have spotted a kingfisher in the vicinity of the pond by the pub, and along the brook that runs behind The Fold….

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Wasp Nest

Thanks to Carl W for this warning

Please be aware there is a wasp nest in a hole in the ground approximately one third of the way up the sledging field/Cowes Close. 

It’s on the right hand side quite close to the footpath.

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Breakfast Visitor

Many thanks to David G for this amazing series of pictures of a robin visiting his garden.

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Hedgehog 4

This morning I collected my fourth rescue hedgehog from Derby Hedgehog Rescue, I got to know the wonderful lady who runs the rescue when I found a baby hog in my garden in trouble., she nursed him back to health and he returned to Wheatsheaf cottage with a friend who needed a home.
I collected another female just before the winter who had reached the optimum 600 grams to be able to hibernate safely.
This spring they have visited the feeding station regularly, the garden has gaps in the fencing to allow the hogs to roam the distances they need, I don’t use any chemicals in the garden and like to think they may eat some of the slugs and snails.
Hedgehog numbers are declining why not help them out by putting out a shallow dish of water and if you can put food out for them, either cat food (not the fishy sort) or even better specialist hedgehog food. Jill L

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Thank you from PDHS

Thank you to everyone who attended the PDHS village show. Lots of exciting entries from so many people and here is Bob Woolley proudly showing his trophy and best vegetable in show; George Woolley would be proud!
What a wonderful way to bring the community together.
Thank you again.

PDHS

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Thanks to John F-S for these great shots

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A great shot of these curious cows, with thanks to David G for the pics.

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Sleepy Chick

‘The sun is out I’m fed and watered, now I just want to sleep’ Another fabulous shot from David G

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Party animal (Moss) returns from the solstice turned into fire breathing dragon. Another great pic from David G

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Calling Local Bee Keepers

I used to keep bees when I lived in NE Norfolk some years ago and greatly enjoyed the hobby. I’m keen to do so again up here in Alsop, but I’m concerned that nectar and pollen from our local trees and flora might not be sufficient to sustain a colony year round. Is our area a relative desert for honeybees?
I should say that I’m not so much interested in getting loads of honey; just giving the bees a place to thrive and for me to study them.
Grateful for any advice.
Anthony C
Alsop en le Dale

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Last Winter Feast

No Swallows by the pond but thank you John F-S for these lovely pictures of a Thrush enjoying the last of the winter harvest.

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Dusty Bees

Dusty Bees by David G

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It’s February!!

With the sound of lawnmowers audible around the village, and birds gathering nesting material, is Spring coming early this year?

This Ladybird and Peacock butterfly seem to think so!

Let’s hope the Starlings are not peckish!

Thank you David G for sending in these images from his garden today.

 

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Is this the last week?

As the stunning starling murmuration continues over the village, have any of the starlings missed having their photo taken? If so, please send in your photos and we will publish the best!

Photos By Steve J

 

 

Photos By Viv H

 

 

Photos By Richard T

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Love is in Air!

Tonights Murmuration Photos have been sent in by:

‘Chimney Fire’ by David G

‘Love Hearts’ by Saskia T

 

‘Hosing the Car Down’ by Lynn C

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From the Top of the Village by Martin C

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Murmuration Continues

Wasn’t the starling murmuration spectacular over the village tonight? Thank you David G for the photos and thank you David S for an explanation as to why the starling formation was so good tonight.

Just one for the observers, ( if not noted) this evening they were under attack from three sparrow hawks creating even more dramatic shapes as they avoided contact, I did not see any taken, but the hawks have soon observed when a meal is available and what time.

DS

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The Show Continues

Thank you David G for sending in new photos of the Starling murmuration above the village. They are still growing in numbers, fascinating to watch them!

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Horse Chestnut Turns Black

Thank you David G for sending in these photos tonight. The Starling population is growing each evening, so wonderful to watch them.

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Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum).
Shot this evening at Alsop en le Dale.
By Anthony C

humming-bird-hawkmoth.jpg

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More Bugs!

Other forms of bug control are available!

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Photo sent in by John Lord

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