A SINGLETON OUT AND A VISIT TO RUTLAND WATER.

This week I had an extra visit out on Monday evening, trying to get some images of the Barn Owl we had seen previously and shown in Richards O M G Post. I arrived at the area at about 19.00 hrs and firstly visited Little Owl Site No 1 and found one of the birds very relaxed and sitting on comfortably on one leg and managed a reasonable image. I then turned around and returned to the area where we had previously seen the Barn Owl, this only being a few hundred metres away and parked up and sat and waited to see if anything showed.

At about 20.40 hrs the Barn Owl arrived but only came up the field side of the hedge to within about 100 metres from me and then turned onto the road side of the hedge and flew down the road. It then crossed the road and turned and flew up the hedge side towards me and then at about again 100 metres away it crossed the road, this is when I managed the only reasonable image. It then went back down the road and crossed over into the field opposite and that was the last I saw of it. I waited for a while in case it flew back up the hedge but Barn Owls range over vast areas and who could predict as to where it was so I packed away the camera and headed for home.

Richard and I talked on Tuesday and as the weather forecast for Thursday was not good, we decided to venture out on Wednesday.

So on Wednesday Richard arrived as usual at 14.00 hrs and we set our route for Rutland Water calling in at Little Owl Sites en route and seeing birds at Sites 1, 9 &10. We also drive past the Barn Owl site where the bird had young in a hole in a tree last year and an adult bird sat in the hole in broad daylight, I got the car at an angle across the road and Richard managed to get an image so a wonderful start with Barn Owls. We arrived at Rutland Water at about 16.20 hrs, had a quick chat in the Lyndon Centre, our normal Ice Cream was devoured and we set forth taking the route alongside the Reservoir keeping an eye out for any Otters. 

We arrived at Tufted Duck Hide at approx 16.35 hrs and decided to sit for a while to see if the Otters were about or hopefully would turn up. We staid in place until about 17.00 hrs and then walked down to Shallow Water Hide to try for some images of the Ospreys and what ever else was about. If you visit Rutland for the Ospreys, you are better to visit Shallow Water Hide,  you get a bit closer [mind you are still some 239 metres away, 320 metres from Waderscrape Hide] but mainly you are not shooting into the sun as from Waderscrape Hide.

We then visited Waderrscrape Hide and had not been in place for long when a women in a pink coat suddenly appeared very close to the Osprey Nest on the far side of the bay. She appeared to stand and stare at the nest but this disturbed the sitting bird {the male} who left the eggs exposed and flew onto the T post with the female. The lady then disappeared behind the hedge but in the mean time we insisted the couple on duty phoned the duty officer and inform them of the disturbance. The duty officer immediately contacted John Wright who appeared very quickly in the fields to the right of the nest in his 4wd but we had then to leave for another visit to Tufted Duck Hide and then onto go Owling.

On our return journey we saw birds at Little Owl Sites 5 & 4 making a grand total for the day of five birds seen which for this time of the year is good going with birds sitting on eggs. We then proceeded to the area where we see the Barn Owl previously and Richard had got his superb images and sat and had a well deserves tea at 19.55hrs. I just glanced in the rear view mirror in the car as the Barn Owl flew across the road behind us so into action. I got out of the car to see if I could see the bird in the field as it flew down the road within about 2 metres of Richard, it then turned to the right and flew down the hedge line and again turned and flew up another hedge, I got some images as it flew up the hedge but they were at a very long distance plus virtually into the sun. After this we could not find the bird again so after a time we gave it best and headed home having had a five Little Owl and two Barn Owl day.



  

Tufted Duck Hide, Mallard Duck.

Whilst we sat in the hide looking for the Otters this proud mum swam by with eleven ducklings, what a mum. 

One of the ducklings a bit closer. 

Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck Hide.

These are very pretty birds, this one was busy diving all the time we were in the hide. Some times they dive and you are sure something has happened to them, then at last they surface. 

Close up of the head with its striking eye. 

Shallow Water Hide, Male Osprey 33/11.

When we arrived in the hide, a couple we have met several times before who are very keen photographers told us the male was on the T post eating a fish and the female on the nest. Virtually immediately he took of to fly to the nest. 

Arriving at the nest, as you can see it was a good size fish, I think it was a roach. 

A bit closer and the female is up and ready for her tea. The male is approaching with his back towards us. 

At last he lands and the female grabs the fish and is away. He takes a turn at incubation duties. 

Female heading towards the T post and ignoring the Egyptian Geese by the tree.

A bit later was when the stupid women approached the nest and disturbed the birds, the female had a reasonable feed on the fish, but when the male left the eggs exposed she eventually dropped the fish and returned to the nest. 

Female back on incubation duties. 

Common Tern, Shallow Water hide.

These birds are continually flying around the bay and dipping the beaks into the water.

Caught this one in flight. 

Cormorant, Shallow Water Hide.

Bird sat on the last post of the fence in Manton Bay drying its wings.

 Moor Hen Chick, Tufted Duck Hide.

In comparison to the Mallard chicks whom at times almost ran on the top of the water, this was a singleton and very slow not having webbed feet.

LITTLE OWLS.

Little Owl Site No. 1.

This image taken on my Monday evening out when looking for the Barn Owl. 

Little Owl Site No.9.

Single bird sat out in tree above the nest hole. 

Little Owl Site No. 5.

Again a single bird in the nest tree, image taken at 19.11 hrs on our return journey. 

Little Owl Site No. 4.

We have only seen the one bird at this site, this taken at 19.15hrs.

Barn Owl.

Best of a poor bunch of images, taken with the bird about 100 metres away. Taken at 20.45 hrs. ISO 8000. 

Caterpillar On Walk Back to the Car Park at Rutland Water.

If anyone can tell me the species I would be grateful. Have sent a copy of the image to a Moth Expert.

Richard has put a comment below and thinks this is a Dark Arches Moth Caterpillar, have checked and it certainly looks the same, thank you Richard.

Tufted Duck Hide, Cormorant Decorated Tree.

The two above images are for my friend Margaret who was fascinated with last weeks image of the tree at Waderscrape Hide with the Cormorants in, this was taken earlier with a lot more birds.



Thank you for visiting my blog, I hope you have has as much enjoyment in looking as I did in taking the images.