BACK AT LAST.

Firstly I apologise for my absence, but unfortunately my wife was rushed into hospital, so what with visiting her and since she's been home looking after her, I just have not had the opportunity to get away from home and get a few hours out with the camera, but last Thursday I managed a visit out.

I firstly visited the Egleton Reserve as an Osprey Male, 6K/14 had decided to carry out some remedial works and rebuild the nest on the nest platform on Lagoon 4. This is a first time returning bird so he is hoping to attract a female with his nest building skills with the hope of mating next year, but so far to no avail unfortunately but its still early days, we will have young birds returning for the first time into June.

After this I headed for Eyebrook to meet up with a friend who was travelling up from near London, this is a gent I have met up with at Eyebrook and after my break he wished to meet up fo a catch up.

I missed the Ospreys fishing but I saw a few Red Kites and was treated to a Barn Owl as I was leaving for home.

An update on our Barn Owls at home. It appears we are down to the single male that fledged from the box last year, he has never departed all Winter and has still not managed to attract a female unfortunately, must try harder. 

RUTLAND WATER.

EGLETON RESERVE.

Egleton Reserve, Greylag Goose, Lagoon Four, Dunlin Hide.

Sitting on her nest sound asleep bless her.

Greylag Goose, Male.


This male then swam by at a distance of about 50 metres then the following happened.

 I must admit I thought somebody had fallen in with the splash.

 

Once back on the surface we went straight into a forward roll.

Arriving back up and a quick shake.

Then straight into another forward roll.

A bit of a shimmy. 

Then we started to show off, a forward and barrel roll combined, then the bathing was over.

Osprey Nest, Lagoon Four, Dunlin Hide.

This was the main reason for my visit, to watch the Osprey nest building but unfortunately this was all I saw initially.

Then an Egyptian Goose  decided to land on the nest, and from nowhere 6K suddenly dived on it. I actually had no idea as to where he came from but he came very quickly and knocked seven bells out of the goose, in fact after his second pass, he hit the goose so hard it finished up landing upside down in the lagoon below the nest. This is a good sign as he is obviously a much more aggressive male than the previous male occupant 51/11 who when two years ago his female laid an egg on the Friday, the Egyptian Geese destroyed it on the Saturday without a fight, it was very sad and the female departed Rutland and is a breeding bird at Dyfi in Wales. This I am sure will not happen with this male. I just hope he can attract a female and they pair up ready for next season.
The distance from hide to nest is 180 metres.

  

In for his second dive on the goose. 

Goose removed and a more relaxed male flies around the lagoon. 

And away to land in the trees between Lagoons 4 and 3, THE VICTOR. 

Great Crested Grebe, Dunlin Hide.

This bird swam by about 40 meters away, must be a nest somewhere near but I could not find it.

Same bird swimming away but with head dress feathers up.

Shelduck Drake, Lagoon 4, Dunlin Hide.

Several of these ducks were flying about all the time I was present.

Lapwing Lagoon 4.

Lapwing are very much diminished in numbers, I saw more at Eyebrook Reservoir  later in the day but much farther away. This bird was just over 40 metres away.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

I got away from Rutland at about 15.00 hrs and headed quickly to Eyebrook to try for the Ospreys. On arrviavl and meeting up with my friend, he told me I had unfortunately missed several Ospreys fishing, one being an un ringed male but I will have other chances I'm sure. I did however see many Red Kites that suddenly appeared all over the place.

  

Red Kite, Opposite Stoke Dry.

This bird was spotted by my pal flying up the reservoir and it eventually appeared in front of us, non of the birds came close unfortunately, this was over 100 metres away.

The same bird circled around before flying away towards Stockerstone village.

Red Kite Number Two.

This bird first seen by me but came a little closer than the first, I'm sure it had me in its sights, lovely piercing eye.

Same bird again, probably only about 60 metres away, definitely had me in its sights.

Another bird then came into view from the opposite side of the Reservoir, came closer and then made a quick turn as the Corvid below made an attack.

This the Kite did not appreciate and went very quickly on the attack.

As he gained on the Corvid it was calling very loudly continuously, wonderful to watch a hear.

Then it was as if it could not be bothered anymore and turned away but kept calling. This bird had much wider  tail feathers. 

Female Barn Owl, Near the Inlet Stream Bridge.

I saw this bird flying around the field and upon stopping in the bunker hide managed a very long distance shot, I just could not resist trying. If only some of these birds would try harder and come closer.

Same bird just on another post.

First Osprey Hatches In Manton Bay.

Proud parents watching on, two more to go.



Again I am sorry for my enforced break but hopefully things will improve and get back to normal.

Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did in seeing the birds and getting the images