YET ANOTHER VISIT TO RUTLAND WATER.

We decided at the last moment to have another visit to Rutland Water as the reports had shown a pair of Great White Egrets being present on Lagoon 1, and we also wanted to try and get more images of Dragonflies. On arrival at the Egleton Centre we found volunteers were out on a working party in a boat carrying out works on Lagoon 1 and others were using chain saws nearby. We were told at the Centre that the egrets had been disturbed and moved up to lagoon 2 {probably}. We finished up visiting as many of the Lagoons and hides as possible, another visitor had seen the birds at the far end of Lagoon 2 but we went to all the hides and could not find them. We saw plenty of dragonflies but I got no decent images, they would not land for long enough and when you approached them they disappeared. 

We decided to leave Rutland Water that bit earlier than last week to try and see some more Little Owls but this was not to be.

We saw four Little Owls on the outward journey, one at Site 4, one at Site 6 and two at Site 9 so a much better tally than last week.

Little Owl Site No. 13.
Visited my farmer friend and we had a walk down to the farm area where he had seen the Little Owls earlier in the day. I searched the barns and eventually in the last barn even though initially I could see no birds, it was only when walking out and looked up I saw the bird watching me with that look of " you must be blind, I've been here all the while".

Little Owl Site No. 13.
At my next visit we are going for a walk around the farm to look for the nest site, the farmers son has seen Little Owls in a copse not far away, either some more or may be the nest site?
These two images were taken on the Tuesday afternoon.

Little Owl Site No. 4.
We are still only seeing one bird here so we could have lost the female. 

Little Owl Site No. 6.
We have both seen the bird at this site but at different times, Richard was out with another pal and I was on a singleton visit. We both managed to get a reasonable image prior to the bird disappearing up the R.S.J. behind the sheeting not to appear back. 

Little Owl Site No. 9.
We saw two birds here but I only managed to get one image as the farmer was it appeared to be spreading lime and disturbed the second bird before I could get an image.

Rutland Water Lagoon 3.
Black-Tailed Godwit and three Snipe.

Black Tailed Godwit and Snipe at Lagoon 3. 

In flew a Lapwing and the Godwit did a dive under water, came up and shook itself and carried on feeding. The Snipes never bothered at all.

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