OK OSPREY, ARRIVE WHEN EVER YOU WANT, WE HAVE GOT EVERYTHING READY FOR YOU.

UP DATE.


The Manton Bay female Osprey {Maya} has returned to the nest site today, all we want is for 33 to make it back in the next few days.

I had a visit to the Lyndon Reserve on Wednesday the 27th of February and had a good walk around the hides, it was the last of our really warm days and rain was forecast for my normal Thursday visit out. My main reason for the visit was to check on the Osprey nests and to see how we were doing in getting ready for the return of the birds.

As you can see we are all but ready and the nest has been reduced in height, the cameras have been away and serviced and replaced, I think the lads were away at lunch whilst I visited with the ladder still being in place.

Other than a few ducks I saw very little of interest and so after a walk back to the car park I headed for Eyebrook Reservoir.

I have visited Lyndon again today , it poured with rain, this aside the web cameras are again in operation and the Centre opens on Saturday awaiting the return of these wonderful birds.

Manton Bay Nest. Waderscrape Hide.

The nest has been reduced in height ready for the new season and any loose looking areas have had new cable ties fitted. The cameras have been away for a service and are back in place and will be operational in the next few days.
The last I heard from Holly was that non of the satellite tracked birds had left the overwinter area, so 30 is still in Senegal, 4K and S1 are still in Guinea Bissau, {lucky birds}. 
A quick update on the !0th March, 30 has departed the Senegal beach and heading North.

Female Osprey, Manton Bay Nest.
The long awaited for Osprey returns to the nest, as she approached the nest two Egyptian geese were in residence but left the nest before she landed. Fingers crossed for the return of 33/11 the male, then we are all set for Summer and some young Osprey. 

Mallard Drake, Deepwater Hide.

I realise I had a similar image in my last post but they really are such a beautiful duck.

Teal Drake, Tufted Duck Hide.

Normally a productive hide but very little was visible but could not resist this Teal.

With the Garganey, the Teal is the smallest duck to visit our shores. 

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Great Black-backed Gull. Tufted Duck Hide.

This bird sat on the bund between Manton Bay  and the South Arm II of the main reservoir, just over 100 metres away. This gives an idea as to the level of the reservoir  as normally the bund is submerged by over 300 mm of water, so as you can see even though the level has risen considerably lately it still has a long way to go. They really are an enormous gull.
 

Moorhen, Waderscrape Hide.

The only bird I saw and managed an image whilst in the hide. 

The New Shallow Water Hide from Waderscrape Hide.

Still not open to the public so I just took a quick image of the two hides that make up the new Shallow Water Hide, one at what would be water level when the reservoir is full, and the second at a much higher level that I'm sure will be superb for getting images of the Osprey.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

After a quick drive from Lyndon, I arrived at Eyebrook where I found a very similar scene as at Rutland, whether the very warm weather had made the birds move on bury little of interest was visible. I had a drive about and eventually saw a Red Kite but at a silly distance, no signs for me of the Short-eared Owls, but upon seeing the farmer he had seen the birds in the morning but about a mile away across the fields. 

Cock Pheasant, Near to the Eyebrook Inflow Bridge.


Several of these were about the area but this bird had such beautiful colouration.

The colours and sheen on this bird are so beautiful.

ANOTHER VISIT TO RUTLAND WATER, AND IT POURED WITH RAIN.

7th March.

I had a very quick visit to the Lyndon Centre, just in case any Osprey had arrived. l arrived at the centre in an absolute down pour and as it was raining and blowing so hard I only visited Teal Hide and didn't hang around very long. 

Mallard Drake, Teal Hide.

I only put this image on to show how the colour of the head is nothing without the sun.

Female Mallard, she flew in with the above male .

A quick image up the South Arm towards Manton Bay Osprey nest , it was a wild and wet afternoon. Manton Bay Osprey nest is on the left and out of site.

A QUICK VISIT TO EYEBROOK IN THE RAIN.
7th March.

Even though it was raining and blowing heavily I still had a visit to Eyebrook on a just in case mission, but no Ospreys seen, mind it is still very early for them to return.

On driving around the reservoir I noticed an area with birds feeding on the ground, on inspection somebody had obviously thrown a reasonable amount of seed on the ground and these birds were tucking in.

The birds were getting wet but at least I was in the dry.

 Female  Chaffinch,feeding in the area where some kind soul had scattered seed.

Even though it was still raining heavily several birds were visiting for a good feed.

She has just picked up a sunflower seed. 

Chaffinch, Area where food had been scattered.

Several birds were about, you can just make out the fine rain drops.

You can see the very fine rain on this birds back.

Goldfinch. Adult Male.

Again several were about making the best of the seed.

Dunnock.
Again a seed can be seen on its way down.



Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did in the getting of the images, {that is except when it was pouring with rain.}

Having just checked on the satellite monitoring of the Ospreys, it appears that S1, 4K and 30 are still in the over winter sites for the moment.

For my dear friend, so pleased  your operation appears to have gone very well and look forward to a chat in the next week.