AN AFTERNOON OUT AND OSPREY DUTY AT RUTLAND WATER.

Richard and myself had an afternoon travelling to Rutland water where we were on Osprey duty and owling on route, and again owling on our return. We visited all our normal sites and found owls at many. I finished with a grand total of eleven little owls seen and Richard with ten so all in all a great day.

An Extra Osprey.

For several weeks at Rutland Water  John Wright the field officer has been convinced we had another bird arrived  but nobody had been able to get an image of this elusive Osprey, which for John is very unusual. It had been suggested by some that it was 8F/12, a 2012 bird from Manton Bay. Whilst we were on duty we had an intruder Osprey arrive into the bay and as usual with us, it did not come that close. Other people have had birds in the dead tree in front of the hide, all we have in the dead tree are cormorants!
However we managed to get some shots and with considerable cropping could read the ring and the bird turns out to be a female Osprey from Site B 2F/12. So we have 21 adult Ospreys and 11 fledged young at Rutland Water at the moment, what a wonderful achievement for those who started the Osprey Project.
Addition, 8F/12 has also been seen in Manton Bay sitting on the same post as 33/11.

This is a much clearer image but you cannot read the ring number.

Little Owl Site Number 1.
We arrived at the site in Richards car so the tree with the little owls in was on my side of the car. With the window open I could just see one through the branches so said to Richard to get out so he could get a shot. As he got out a second little owl appeared and disappeared immediately but still managed a shot through the branches.

Little Owl Site No 5.
With the young having dispersed  farther across the farm the adults are taking a well earned rest. On visiting the site where we had seen them last week, both young flew about but we were unable to get any shots. The farmer still sees the birds on a regular basis.

Little Owl Site No 5.

Little Owl Site No 9.
We arrived to see an adult sitting on the corner post to the field not far from the nest tree and looking straight at us. It then flew down into the field, no doubt to pick up some food and I managed to get some images of the bird flying back up to the post.

Little Owl Site No 9.
The above two images were taken on our way back from Rutland water. By then we were loosing the light so image quality down somewhat. We found the two juveniles, one on a post and one in the nest tree.

Little Owl Site No. 10.
Little owl juvenile. More a record shot as bird was 190 metres away.

Little Owl Site No 15.
Little Owl juvenile. We have seen birds at this site before but not since I started my blog so for me its a new site

Common Blue Damsel Fly. Immature female.
Rutland Water.

Female Common Darter.
Rutland Water.

Migrant Hawker, image caught in flight, more through luck than expertise.
Rutland Water.

Ruddy Darter with somewhat Tatty Wings.
Rutland Water.

On our way home we saw a Little Owl sat on top of a telegraph pole at a site where Richard had seen a bird a considerable time ago. So little owl Site No. 16.