This week you reported seeing a few of our feathered friends starting at our Willington Wetlands Nature reserve. A great white egret and little egret were spotted, both of which are in the heron family. As the name suggests, the former is larger with a wingspan at 155cm and the latter has as wingspan 92cm, both have white feathers and yellow and black feet respectively. Outside of our reserves near Alfreton, you spotted one of our smallest birds, the goldcrest. They can lay up to 12 eggs in a clutch, which weighs approximately the same as the female. Near Ashbourne you recorded a red kite who’s nests are untidy, often built on top of an old crow’s nest and are lined with sheep’s wool.

We are looking forward to reading about your wildlife sightings across Derbyshire. To submit your own sighting and be featured in a future blog go to www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/record-sighting.

Thank you to Ian Preston, Nina Skelton and Matt Brickland for submitting their wildlife sightings.