Having now been in the post of Sphagnum Recovery Officer at Dove Stone Reserve in the Peak District for a few weeks, it was about time I stopped wandering around the reserve in a world of Sphagnum, crawl out of the bog to introduced myself and the work that I, and a gang of willing volunteers will be doing over the next 3 years of this WREN funded project.

This endless wandering has had its purpose as it is essential…

While many of the moorland birds, such as dunlin, golden plover and curlews have now left the hills, there is still plenty of diversity to be found around Dove Stone at the moment - and there are a number of new species for the site being discovered.  Before we leave the birds, as we collate the breeding bird figures it is good to see that 43 pairs of dunlin were recorded out on the bog.  This is up from 39 pairs last year…

While walking along the main path round Dove Stone the other day we came across hundreds of small bees flying in and out of little holes in the bank.

These turned out to be a type of mining bee, Common Colletes, (Latin name Colletes succinctus, which has a nice ring to it!). Thanks to Ken Gartside for the identification having posted it on https://www.facebook.com/groups/1590641777855221/

The following information on these…

With thanks to Jamie and James, we ran a couple of moth traps up at Binn Green car park for a few hours earlier in the week.  The bright lights of the traps lure the moths in, and once inside they have a rest on an eggbox for an hour or two, then released to continue their nighttime adventures.   It was a good night, in that it didn't chuck it down, and despite a bit of a breeze we recorded more than 30 species of moth.…

A fungal first for Dove Stone, sent to us by local naturalist and RSPB volunteer Ken Gartside, who found it while out and about with his grandson.

Found on a stump of Corsican pine, near a pond, this is the interestingly named Skeletocutis amorpha, and only the 476th UK record of this species (making it quite a rarity!). Leaving the stumps quite high when we are felling conifers, allows fungi like this to grow.

Thanks…

Last Saturday we were joined by local qualified bird ringers for a Valentine's Day bird ringing session.

Despite the damp weather around 30 birds were successfully ringed including a great spotted woodpecker, jay and wood pigeon.

Ringing birds can help our understanding of what is happening to birds in the places they live and how this affects population increases and decreases, this knowledge is vital for conservation…

We've had a few sightings of bramblings this week, also goldfinches feeding in the larches, a redpoll, reed bunting and a weasel. There were siskins around last week as well as a mistle thrush, a pair of great spotted woodpeckers, tree creeper, nuthatch and the usual selection of great tits, blue tits, coal tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, blackbirds and robins.

Just sharing some beautiful snowy Dove Stone photos from regular volunteer and local naturalist Ken Gartside.

Some more of our dedicated volunteers having a well earned break from woodland work

Hare tracks

Roe deer feeding point

Roe deer tracks. Even though the animals themselves may be shy or elusive, its a great time of year for seeing tracks and knowing they have been around!

That's…

Stonechat, Brambling, Jays and Grouse seen daily from the new Celebration Wood near Ashway Gap. If you'd like more info about the wood and how to get involved please call Jacqui on 01457 819885.

Binn Green feeders full of Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Chaffinches as well as Nuthatch, and Great/Blue & Coal Tits. Thanks to Margaret, John and Alan for keeping these feeders filled up!

Kestrel, Buzzard and female Peregrine…

Lots of activity at the Binn Green feeders with a Nuthatch, Tree Creeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinches, lots of Chaffinches, Blue, Great & Coal Tits, and a lone Brambling and Siskin. This week has seen the return of Greenfinches too.

On Sunday there was plenty of action to be viewed from our scopes at Ashway Gap. Visitors had the chance of close up views of hunting Kestrels, a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, and Ravens…

Most of the information and photos in this blog come from knowledgeable RSPB volunteer and local naturalist Ken Gartside...thanks Ken!

Good news - a lichen called 'reindeer moss' (work that one out!) has returned to the peat bogs above Dove Stone. This lichen has not previously been seen here and is an indicator of environmental improvements - both cleaner air following years of industrial pollution and the restoration…

 It’s an exciting time at Dove Stone, as a public consultation on proposals for a small visitor centre is set to begin this month.

Feedback from thousands of people responding to our consultations and surveys over the last five years has highlighted the need for a centre and improved facilities on the site. In response to this we have now created plans for a small visitor hub.

As a family-friendly site, the proposed…

The Green Hairstreak, a rare and declining upland butterfly and Bilberry specialist, may be increasing at Dove Stone because of RSPB and United Utilities' management over the past few years!

Converting the woodlands from conifer to broadleaved trees has allowed light into the area and the bilberry has responded brilliantly - we have several records of Green Hairstreak butterfly (and bilberry bumblebee - another rare…

Most of the information and the photos for this blog were kindly provided by Ken Gartside - a local naturalist and one of our regular & valued volunteers.

Never mind the birds for once...how about a look at some of Dove Stone's smaller residents?

Might not be everyone's cup of tea but the aptly named Yellow Dung Fly is about most of the year, and their eggs are now starting to show on - yep - sheep poo! They…

Although our visiting two-barred crossbill has been only been present intermittently around the Binn Green view point, there has been some singing heard from him in the last few days, and he does appear to be getting tamer.  The call is quite an obviously different 'toot' along with some more typical crossbill 'chips', and the song has a very distinctive short trill. This terrific photo below was taken by…

A week last Sunday crossbills were spotted for the first time this year at Binn Green, by Dove Stone's stalwart Sunday volunteer John Parker.  One of the 8 or 9 birds looked different - and Dove Stone had its first rare bird find!  It is a male Two-Barred Crossbill  - quite bright red, with two white wing bars, the second of which is really broad - a lovely looking bird.  The accompanying Common Crossbills are fine looking…

The information for this blog was provided by Ken Gartside – a local naturalist and regular Dove Stone volunteer.

You may not always think about it, but when you look lichens are all around us – a colourful growth on trees, buildings, rocks and earth, in fact nearly 8% of the earth’s landmass is covered in lichen!

Did you know...?

• Lichens make a significant ecological contribution by generating carbohydrates…

Lots of Spring activity at Dove Stone this week...

Great spotted woodpeckers carrying nesting materials, as sure sign Spring is on the way, seen at Binn Green, along with 30+ siskins, a redpoll and the usual colourful chaffinches and tits.

Meadow pipit and grey wagtails at Ashway Gap with ravens displaying overhead. The pintails and oystercatchers are still on Dovestone Reservoir along with a brief sighting of a cormorant…

Spring arrivals are definitely making an appearance now, as well as a few unusual visitors passing through...so a quick update of what's been seen at Dove Stone over the last week or so, starting with today and a beautiful Stonechat male and female, perched on the fence on the other side of the watercourse above Ashway Gap.

Along with a Meadow Pipit heard, a Pied Wagtail in the watercourse below the bridge at Ashway…

With the current mild weather there are lots of signs that Spring is springing - lets hope we don't get a sudden cold spell to confuse everyone!

Yesterday the wardens saw their first curlew and lapwing of the season up on the bog and also heard a skylark calling high above.

A pair of ravens were circling with aerial acrobatics above the rocks and there is plenty of oystercatcher Spring-time activity on the reservoir…

The highlight of bird ringing at the bird feeding area at Binn Green on an otherwise quiet Saturday morning was when local bird ringer and Dove Stone volunteer Margaret Rawlins was reunited with a male Chaffinch that she ringed six years ago.  She ringed the bird in her garden about 3 km away in 2008. On average Chaffinches live about three years, so it is quite a valuable and interesting record and will help contribute the the…

Quick update of recent sightings, starting with a pair of Oystercatchers seen on one of the pontoons on Dove Stone reservoir - thanks for the report Rachel from your WeBS count! One Oystercatcher was seen again this morning, and was heard calling as it flew - I really like the sound of it. If you want to hear it there’s a sound clip at this link on our bird identifier part of the website http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife…

Last week was mixed weather-wise but there have still been some good bird and wildlife sightings at Dove Stone. Earlier in the week a stoat in ermine (white winter coat) was spotted up near Chew Reservoir and a pair of stonechats at Ashway Gap picnic area. There are still lots of bramblings to be seen, with 20 plus spotted at Binn Green on Sunday, as well as siskins, goldfinches, male great spotted woodpecker, greenfinches…

Well, the Big Garden Birdwatch is over, thanks to everyone who took part (remember you still have until Sunday 16th February to submit your results!), and with over 100,000 people registering to take part it looks like it may have been the biggest yet, so we await the results with interest.

While some parts of the UK seem to have had reasonable weather for the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend, Dove Stone was extremely wet,…