22/10/26 - Recent work on the NNR

It’s been another incredibly busy autumn managing the reserve (helped in part by the ongoing drier than normal conditions), which have allowed us to complete our ditching programme as well as improve some of the scrapes and breeding wader habitat for next spring. We’ve also been working with the local farmers to ensure suitable sward heights for our wintering birds when they return, and ensuring good meadow condition through second cuts and grazing. 

Our fantastic team of volunteers have also been hard at work managing scrub and tree works around the site, to maintain the open landscape and view lines from the hides and platforms, as well as removing the last of the fencing and scrub at North Duffield Carrs. Elsewhere on the reserve we have been managing scrub at Wheldrake Ings and Thornton Ellers, and continuing to improve our wildlife garden and ponds at Bank Island – with time also found to extract timber to log up and sell to raise vital funds to do even more conservation work around the site next year.

We simply couldn’t have got through so much of our work programme without our incredible volunteer group – the Grafters, who turn up each week (whatever the weather or task), and always with so much enthusiasm and good humour, so a huge thank you to our brilliant team for their efforts and for helping to make the reserve as good as it is. If you’re interested in nature conservation and would like to work alongside like-minded people, why not get in touch and join us on the reserve on one of our task days – contact Lucy.Murgatroyd@naturalengland.org.uk for more details. 

14/10/26 - Redwing arrival

Following two early forerunners on the 30th September, last week saw the first real arrival of up to 1,000 Redwing – fresh in from Scandinavia. We are likely to see further individuals appear over the coming days and weeks, helped by the easterly winds. 

Redwings are the first of our winter thrushes to appear, with their high-pitched calls heard overhead during the hours of darkness as they migrate westwards, whilst tired and hungry flocks can also be seen and heard chattering as they search hedgerows for berry-laden bushes on which they feed. As the weather turns colder and autumn progresses, the supply of fruit and berries can become depleted, often resulting in large numbers returning to the Ings to feed on the edge of the damp meadows – taking advantage of the high numbers of earthworms and other invertebrate prey. If you see or hear any large flocks in the area please do share your records with us by posting them below, thank you.

10/10/26 - Whooper Swan passage

The first herds of returning Whooper Swans (totalling 88 individuals) passed through the LDV on the way back from their Icelandic breeding grounds last week, and we expect others to follow over the coming days as more birds arrive and pass through the area on the way to the wintering areas in the Cambridgeshire Fens, before our resident wintering birds settle on the reserve later in the year as more birds depart Iceland. 

Around 40,000 Whooper Swans now winter in the UK with the majority being found in the northern half of the country, and large numbers are known to gather at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust centres such as Martin Mere, Caerlaverock and Welney. Numbers in the LDV usually build-up from mid-October and reach between 150-200 birds, with North Duffield Carrs and the fields by Bubwith Bridge being favoured areas. The trumpeting herds passing over the reserve are a truly welcome sight and sound of autumn, and all records are appreciated, so please do let us know if you see (or hear) any flocks passing over the area. 

Image courtesy of LDV birder Trevor Walton 📸 

02/10/26 - BTO Marsh Awards

Each year the BTO, with support from the Marsh Charitable Trust, recognise outstanding achievements in ornithology in the form of awards, with one of the categories covering ‘local ornithology’. This particular award is given to a bird club or group by the BTO Board, that either publishes a book, completes a study or conducts any other exceptional activity in the preceding calendar year that advances knowledge about birds. 

So… we are delighted to announce, that this year the Friends of the Lower Derwent Valley were nominated and successful in receiving this award 🤩

The review panel were unanimous in agreeing that the Friends extensive ornithological and conservational efforts in the Lower Derwent Valley and surrounding area were nothing short of exemplary. They recognised the cutting-edge tracking of key bird species such as Spotted Crakes and the radio-tagging of Jack Snipe (amongst other species), along with the comprehensive bird ringing studies and the provision of a training site for wader and wildfowl ringing. They were also very impressed with the recent publication of the Birds of the Lower Derwent Valley, as well as the charities great achievements working with partners in safeguarding the English reintroduction of Corncrakes. 

Mike Jackson (in his role as Chair of the Friends) and Craig Ralston (as Senior Reserve Manager and author of the Birds of the LDV) travelled to London last night to attend the awards ceremony at the Mall Galleries, to collect this award on behalf of the whole group including the Friends trustees, volunteers and supporters. It was a real surprise for the group to receive this award and a great honour for two of the team to represent the Friends at the ceremony, showcasing the incredible efforts of so many people over the last 10 years. With thanks to this award and the cheque for £1,000, so much more can continue to be done to protect the Ings and its special wildlife, so watch this space for more updates... but in the meantime a huge thank you must go to everyone who makes up the Friends of the Lower Derwent Valley.

20/09/26 - Pink-footed Geese arrival

Over the last few weeks we have witnessed the first arrivals of Pink-footed Geese into the UK, with several skeins also moving through the Lower Derwent Valley NNR as they began to arrive in the country from their Icelandic and Greenland breeding grounds. Flocks of these migrating geese often fly high and produce an excited medley of high-pitched honking calls, (sometimes likened to yapping dogs), and being particularly vocal in flight makes them a sight and sound so indicative of autumn. Birds will continue to arrive and increase in number as we head into October – so one to watch out and listen for.

Around 550,000 Pink-footed Geese winter in the UK each year, with large concentrations in Scotland, around the Wash and in the north-west, particularly Martin Mere WWT. Flocks passing through the reserve at this time of year are all heading south-east and are probably on passage to the Wash or Humber Estuary. Birds then return north-west again in January and February as they start to return to the north-west coasts before making the spring migration back to their breeding grounds. Small numbers sometimes remain throughout the winter and join up with the larger semi-resident Greylag flocks, although there has been a tendency in recent years for larger wintering flocks to linger, perhaps involving 1,000-5,000 birds. 

Pink-footed Geese can be separated from the similar Greylag Goose quite easily – look for a small, dainty, dark chocolate brown head and a small dark bill with a band of pink (if seen well) – also take note of the pink legs as opposed to the more orangey-pink of the larger/greyer Greylag. No doubt more flocks will follow over the next few weeks so please do let us know if you see (or hear) any.