A QUICK SUNDAY VISIT.

Having seen the forecast for Sunday was good after the fog had cleared, I decided to have a quick visit over to Rutland Water after the rain Richard and I had been out in on the previous Thursday. So having sorted the meals out for my wife and the dogs, I got on my way for 12.15 hrs and arrived at Rutland at 13.20 hrs and went straight to the Egleton Centre and booked in having checked the notice Board at the entrance for the whereabouts of birds. Great White Egret on Lagoon 2, Bittern Lagoon 3 and Peregrine Falcon Lagoon 4.

So I got underway and visited the Dipping pond initially to look for Dragonflies. On approaching the gate to the pond I could see several Darters on the top so managed to get some images of them taking in the wonderful sun and warming themselves. On arrival the temperature was 18 degrees so I was out in just shirt sleeves and enjoying the warmth which for the 1st of November was unusual to say the least. I saw Hawkers flying at the Dipping Pond but decided to get on my way towards Lagoon 2 and the Hides.

I called in at both Redshank and Grebe Hides but saw nothing and on arrival at Osprey Hide I met a lady who had just had a Kestrel { her favourite bird} land in front of the hide and she had managed some wonderful images. On looking out the Hide I could see a Little Egret which after a few seconds had a bath and I managed some images of this happening.

I then went onto Sandpiper Hide on Lagoon 4 where I met up with a gent who said he had been in the Hide for about 15 minutes, so I asked him if he had seen the Peregrine, "ah, that's probably what has been disturbing the Lapwing", we watched for about another 15 minutes but it made no appearance for us. He said he had been to Lagoon 3 in Shoveler Hide to look for the Bittern but was told he had missed them by about five minutes, he followed up by saying his name should be 'missed by five minutes' , I said I think we would finish up with the same name.

So onto Shoveler Hide on Lagoon 3 where on arrival was told the Bittern had not been seen since the people in the Hide had arrived {about an hour} so I settled down with them to see what, if anything transpired, which it didn't but managed a few images from the Hide. After about half an hour I went on my way to visit Crake Hide hoping to see the Kingfisher but again a fools errand and nothing was seen but again managed a few images. Then onto Lapwing Hide, this hide covers the main reservoir on one side and Lagoon 2 on the other. On arrival the gent who I had talked with in Shoveler Hide was in with an enormous scope and asked have you ever seen a Red Necked Grebe, no I replied, have a look through this he said and sure enough a bird with a red front to its neck was in the viewer, after looking he had brought up a picture on his tablet and it certainly looked as if he had found the bird. I then tried to find the bird with my bins, again looking through his scope it suddenly dawned on me as to how far away this bird was, it was in the bay to the front of the Old Hall, just under a thousand metres away, so I didn't bother to even pick the camera up.

I then looked out the other side of the Hide into Lagoon 2 and on the far side stood the Great White Egret with a Little Egret not that far away from it and even though it was a shot into the sun I had to attempt an image.

I then slowly made my way back to the Egleton car park and make my way home having had a wonderful afternoon with Dragonflies and other things. 

I apologise for so many Dragonfly images but the Blog in some respect is my diary of my visits out and in seeing so many in November to me was outstanding.

Male Common Darter Dragonfly. Gate into Dipping Pond.

Like how the wing shadow bends around the front of the gate .

Female Common Darter Dragonfly, Gate into Dipping Pond.

Again like the bend in the wing shadow. 

Female Common Darter Dragonfly, Gate near the Badger Hide.

Near perfect wings, for so late, a super specimen. 

Female Common Darter, near Osprey Hide.

Again near perfect wings. 

A very dark female common Darter on a section of fence near Shoveler Hide.  

Male on the same section of fence, appears to have eight wings with the shadows. 

Common Darter Male near Crake Hide.

Image of head and thorax.

Southern Hawker Dragonfly, fence near Shoveler Hide.

Throughout my visit I saw numerous Hawkers but this the only one I spotted having landed and staying still whilst I got my image. Wings are most certainly past the best.

Male Common Darter near Grebe Hide. 

Little Egret, Osprey Hide, Lagoon 2.

Saw the bird and decided luckily to take an image, as the following then happened.

The bird suddenly shot under water. 

And then reappeared and had a good old bath.  

End of bath time, just lucky shots. 

Then looking grumpy after the bath. 

Lapwing, Sandpiper Hide, Lagoon 4.

I arrived at the hide and spoke with a gent and asked if he'd seen the Peregrine, I didn't realise a bird was on the Lagoon he said, perhaps this is why the Lapwings keep taking off. We sat and waited for a while but no bird appeared.  

Lapwing, Lagoon 3, Shoveler Hide.

A very common but very colourful bird, these are in great numbers particularly on Lagoon 4. 

Teal, Lagoon 3, Shoveler Hide.

The numbers of Teal are increasing on the reserve, one of my favourite ducks. 

Shoveler Duck, Lagoon 3, Shoveler Hide.

This one more into Winter plumage than last weeks image. 

Heron, Main Reservoir, Crake Hide.

I had been watching a fox stalking along the top of the bank trying to get near to about fifteen Little Egrets when this bird landed next to the outflow water from Lagoons 2, 3 & 4, just had to take the shot.

Great White Egret and Little Egret, Lagoon 2, Lapwing Hide.

A little Egret is not a small bird so this image gives an idea of the size of the G.W.E. A shot I have trying to get for some time. 

Just after I took this shot, the bird flew away and I was too slow at resetting the camera and got no shots. 

Hot Air Balloon, over Rutland Water.

When I first saw the balloon I thought I must get a shot of this when it get closer, with the wind as it was it took about half an hour to get to this position and it was still a very long way away, after this the wind seemed to changed direction a little and it appeared to go back almost from whence it came, could still be above the reservoir??  

Little Owl Site No. 5.

The only bird I saw on my return trip, this bird was very difficult to see and if the leaves had been still fully on the bush I would never have seen it, mind as you can see it had most certainly seen me. 




Thank you for your visit, again I apologise for all the Dragonfly images but I do really enjoy getting them.
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