We saw a group of five mountain hares on our walk today on the northern edge of Kinder Scout. They are starting to lose their white winter coats now and returning to their summer brown colour which will make them a little more difficult to spot in future. Continue reading Mountain hares getting their summer coats
We were lucky enough to see Ring Ouzels on our walk today on Derwent Edge. These birds which look a bit like a blackbird with a white ring around the front of their neck, spend the winter in Spain or North Africa and migrate north each year in April to nest. Their numbers have declined substantially over recent years and there are now believed to be only around 7,000 breeding pairs returning to the UK each year. They favour rocky hillsides for their nesting grounds, and in the Peak District as we usually get a few nesting pairs on the … Continue reading Ring Ouzels have arrived
We saw our first lapwings and curlew of the year today on our walk starting in the Vale of Edale. These beautiful birds tend to spend the winter in coastal areas, moving inland to breed in the spring. We also saw our first lambs of the year – only a few days old I would guess! Continue reading Spring must be here!
Stoats are widely distributed throughout rural Derbyshire. They are a small mammal with a sausage-shaped body and short legs, and are usually coloured gingery brown. On our walk today the stoat we saw moving amongst the heather on the edge of the moorland was pure white with just a black tip to its tail. Stoats in upland areas do sometimes turn white during the winter to camouflage themselves against the snow. This little creature had been left highly conspicuous as the moorland snow in this area has now melted. Unfortunately it was camera shy so we didn’t manage to get … Continue reading White Stoat on Beeley Moor
View Full Album While many people have been grousing about the snow which has lingered for many weeks in the Peak District, last Sunday we were up on Derwent Edge watching the grouse make their way about in the snow! (Red Grouse to be precise) There are estimated to be over 5,000 breading pairs of Red Grouse in the Peak District, so it is not unusual see see them on our moorland walks. The males can be instantly recognised by their distinctive red ‘eyebrows’. It really was a great day to be out walking, with brilliant sunshine, fantastic … Continue reading Grouse about the snow
Peak Walking Adventures Blog 