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Saturday 17 March 2018

A VISIT TO KELHAM BRIDGE AND THEN THE OSPREYS START TO RETURN.


I decided on Tuesday as the sun was shining, to have a visit to my local reserve at Kelham Bridge as people had been seeing some Willow Tit at the first hide. Needless to say I unfortunately did not.

I then carried on to the second hide where nothing much was happening, I saw two Little Grebes, that I personally find to be delightful, always very busy and not easy to get an image from as they appear to be continuously diving. After a short time three Buzzards appeared at a good distance away, I would have probably closer to them at home!!

After this I returned to the first hide for the rest of the afternoon but only the usual birds around the feeders. 








Little Grebe, Second Hide.
This is one of the two birds I could see initially at the far end of the pool, but these both moved slowly my way, eventually at speed, hence the bow wave in the rest of the images, 






The second bird coming into range. 




And then deciding against it and turning around to return whence it came.





Two of the three Buzzards, the third dived away steeply to the right and never reappeared.















This bird was reasonably pale, we seem to get a great variation in colour.




Great Tit, First Hide.


On my return I watched both Great Tit and Blue Tit feeding at the feeders. Only managed to get this image as they were so fast around the tree.

 
 




Grey Squirrel, First Hide.


Two of these little horrors were scavenging under the feeders with the occasional out break of hostilities between them. I am unfortunately seeing the odd one at home so with us having the Barn Owls, this will have to be moved on.








RUTLAND WATER.

LYNDON RESERVE,

Thursday 15th March.


Osprey monitoring was due to commence on Saturday the 17th of March at 06.00 hrs until the Manton Bay female [Maya] decided to arrive early on the 12th, thereby scuppering all the carefully laid out rota. The male 33/11 then decided to arrive on the 14th late in the afternoon. This is the earliest we have had Ospreys return, the earliest previously was the 17 th.  

So I had a quick visit on Thursday the 15 th and help one of the other volunteers {who was due to be on duty in the centre } at the hide for the afternoon shift. As I got away from home the sky was showing a reasonable amount of brightness and as I travelled  towards Rutland things were not that bad, but about three quarters of the way across it started getting very foggy with the odd spot of rain, not the best for getting any photo's.

I arrived at the Lyndon Centre , had a quick chat with David who was on duty who told me we had both Ospreys at the nest, he had also seen a Water Rail and a fleeting view of a Barn Owl on the far side of Manton Bay, not far from the Osprey Nest.

I booked in with Holly and Anya and then had a quick walk down the reserve with a very quick visit into Tufted Duck hide before arriving at Waderscrape where we have all the monitoring equipment with  the computer and large monitor so we and the public can watch these birds on the screen. It has certainly made life considerably easier when you can look at the screen instead of through the bins to see what food the Ospreys have returned to the nest with.

We had a most enjoyable session with a few hardy visitors due to the early arrival of birds, also with the weather luckily improving as the afternoon progressed from foggy with a little rain eventually getting somewhat brighter then some more rain just as we were leaving the hide.
As they say you can't win them all, but it would be nice to win one.





Cormorant, Tufted Duck Hide.


As the water level in the reservoir is virtually up to the full mark, the islands to the front of the hide are submerged and this bird sits on one of the stumps on the island.



This one appears to be standing on a rock.



Tree decorated with Cormorants.




Adult Male Mute Swan. Waderscrape Hide.

I took this image about mid afternoon just as it started to rain, you can see the spots.



Both Adult Ospreys, Waderscrape Hide.


This image taken when I first arrived, the fog was still reasonably dense so very poor image. The Female is closest and the Male {33/11} is farthest away.



Female after the male had decided to go and sit on a stump farther along the bay.



She then decided to have a fly about, the light was still very poor.
I was having to shoot at ISO 5000.
 



Lets have a game of chase the Corvid. 







And she's had enough. 



Settles down for a rest.



Then a quick wash of the feet. 











Then back for a rest on the T post.



Male Osprey, 33/11 Waderscrape Hide.

All the time the female was chasing around the bay, himself sat totally uninterested on this fallen branch farther along the bay. Mind once they have eggs and young let something intrude into the bay, they will wonder as to whats hit them.





Heron, Waderscrape Hide.

This Heron flew by about 150 metres away, it was really other than the joy of the Ospreys return an afternoon with seeing other birds but not getting many images.




Barn Owl, Waderscrape Hide.

This bird had also been seen by the lady on duty in the morning behind the Osprey nest. I spotted it a silly distance away then it flew and sat on this post, on checking it was 650 metres away so not that bad an image for the distance.
 




It then flew from the post and looked as if it was going to come that much closer, but this image as it turned away was still in excess of 500 metres away.




Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed the images as much as I did in the getting of them.


Unfortunately due to the light {or lack of it } at Rutland the images are not as good as I would have wished.

I think the Ospreys are thinking they should have arrived later with the weather we are experiencing at the moment, very cold and heavy snow.
If I had the choice I would have had remained in West Africa.  





18 comments:

  1. The pictures of the Osprey are incredible, pretty as well John.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Bob,
    I should think the Ospreys are wishing they were still in Africa with all the snow we have had, just had a look on the web cam and the cameras are covered in snow!!!
    It was a superb afternoon even though I was not supposed to be on duty to have a visit and see these wonderful birds, as to why they were both so early who can tell.
    All the best, John

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello John, yes is it not amazing that both Ospreys are back a week earlier than last year. I saw it on their website. Luckely they catch a lot of big fish for energy to go trough this last spel of Winter. Also here it is freezing cold.
    Your captures are wonderful indeed.
    Regards,
    Roos

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Roos,
    I should think after the weather we've had since yesterday, these Ospreys wish they had spent this week sunning themselves in West Africa. as you say hopefully they are keeping the cold at bay and eating plenty of fish. All the male birds if they are short on fish go to the local fish farm, crafty!!!
    I was very lucky with the images, even with the awful light I could still manage something even working at ISO 5000.
    We all hope after this spell of weather everything becomes more Spring like.
    Hope Peter and Julie are settling into home.
    All the best, John

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi John,
    Wonderful bird walk !
    I see the cameras above the nest, it's a good way to follow the populations. We think we're in Africa with this cormorant tree.
    Have a good day John.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Nathalie,
    Yes a wonderful afternoon with a spot of duty with the Ospreys.
    This nest is the only nest we monitor where the public is allowed to get to see the birds, mind the nest is 300 metres from the hide so not the best for getting decent images.
    If you go onto the Rutland Osprey site and then onto the web cam, you can monitor the birds at home.
    Have a good week.
    All the best, John

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi John,
      Can you write me the Rutland Osprey site web ?
      Thank you

      Delete
    2. Hi Nathalie
      Just google Rutland Ospreys, go onto the site and then go onto web cam.

      John

      Delete
  7. Hello John,
    I see your weather is not better than ours, yesterday we had some snow at the foot of the Pyrenees...!
    I think you are very brave to get out and take pictures but they are great and it was well worth.
    Too bad the Barn owl was so far, I would have loved to see closer ;-)
    All the best and many thanks for your kind visits... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Noushka,
    Yes like yours our weather has been foul.
    I had the chance of helping with a duty with the Ospreys and as the weather was not going to be that bad I visited, it was just good to go and see these wonderful birds, even if they are so far away.
    I hope to get some closer images this week, that is if the birds agree.
    It was good to see the Barn Owl but as you say, shame it didn't come closer.
    Hope your trip to the coast went well for you.
    Always enjoy a visit to your varied blog.
    All the best, John

    ReplyDelete
  9. Back in business with your Opspreys - hope early return means better weather is on it’s way!
    Always like your mirror image shots, lovely ones of Little Grebe, so pretty! Also like the Cormorant images and the wet headed swan showing the rain drops. Beautiful. Successful visits for you in spite of weather. M

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Margaret,
    Yes these wonderful birds are back again and another season is underway, lets hope the weather is following them!!.
    Last I heard we have six birds so far returned.
    Little Grebes are delightful, they are always so busy.
    All the best and see you soon. John

    ReplyDelete
  11. Buen reportaje amigo mío, me ha gustado mucho las fotos del Tachybaptus ruficollis, los reflejos en el agua son espectaculares. También la lechuza cazando, está lejos pero se la ve muy bien. Enhorabuena John, un fuerte abrazo desde España.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hola German,
    Gracias por el comentario, realmente disfruto obtener los reflejos del agua para estas pequenas aves deliciosas.
    Como dice que las imagenes de las Lechuza comun no eran malas para la distancia a la que fueron tomadas, con suerte pronto se acercaran.
    Somos hasta ocho Opsreys devueltos en este momento.
    Todo lo mejor y un abrazo de Inglaterra. John.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hola German,
    Gracias por el comentario, realmente disfruto obtener los reflejos del agua para estas pequenas aves deliciosas.
    Como dice que las imagenes de la Lechuza comun no eran malas para la distancia a la que fueron tomadas, con suerte pronto se acercaran.
    Somos hasta ocho Ospreys devueltos en este momento.
    Todo le mejor y un abrazo de Ingalterra. John

    ReplyDelete
  14. wonderful shots of the Little Grebe - and the shot of the Mute Swan with the water droplets is a classic!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Both,
    Little Grebe are such a delight to watch, not easy to get an image from, they are always so busy and seem to be continuously diving. Very lucky shot with the Mute, it was about 30 metres away.
    Our love to you both, Veg and John

    ReplyDelete

About Me;


Titus White:
Hi I am Richard Peglers friend Titus White, and those who follow Richards posts will understand the name and reason for it. I have been birding with Richard for 3 years and a volunteer at Rutland Water on the Osprey Project for 2 years. My early images were taken on a Nikon D80 with a 70 - 200mm lens. I updated the lens to a 70 - 300mm VR lens but still was not happy with the results. Eventually when Nikon announced the D7100 I decided to change so upgraded the camera and also invested in a Sigma 50 - 500mm lens.
I first met Richard through Arthur Costello as I was having the occasional visit from Little Owls on our land. We eventually found the Little Owls through another contact about 100 metres away. Photo's will follow on future posts.
I have recently upgraded my camera to full frame, this is a challenge I am at the moment enjoying trying to get the best out of the beast.
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