A VISIT TO MANTON BAY.

We had an afternoon and evening out and set off in Richards car at about 13.00 hrs. Having visited our Little Owl Sites on the journey and been very successful in birds seen, eventually arrived at Rutland Water at about 14.45 hrs with the purpose of visiting Manton Bay to see if we had any Ospreys in residence. 

Went into the Lyndon Centre and booked in we set out to walk down to the Waderscrape Hide. The light was not very good and for any distance shots it was very murky but however we first visited Deep Water Hide but only saw Golden Eye at a very long distance. We carried on and Visited Tufted Duck Hide where we saw Egyptian Goose and Little Grebe and not a lot more. So we carried onto Waderscrape Hide. 

The new hide is a real eye opener with glazed windows and wonderful array of information on the Ospreys and in the corner a wide screen television looking closely at the nest, unfortunately no Ospreys but they will arrive. 03/97 {Mr Rutland} has arrived and is at the nest at Site B awaiting the return of his female. 30/05 a satellite tagged bird is on her way and on the 16th March was 70 miles South of the Straits of Gibraltar so she should arrive soon, her track shows she was blown well of course at one point so winds over the Sahara could well be causing problems, you can check her route on the Rutland Site below.

We then visited Shallow Water Hide and contrary to its name we have a lot of water in the Reservoir and its virtually touching the Hide.

We then walked back to the car park and set off homeward to see if we could see anymore Little Owls.

On the trip out we saw Little Owls as follows, Site 1, this is the site I have seen a bird twice at lately but this week we both saw the bird and managed an image, we have not seen a bird her to get an image here since mid August last year. Site 2 we saw one bird in the tree, Site 5 two birds, one on the outward journey and one on our return for me, Site 6 we saw two birds, the first time ever seeing two birds at the site, Site 9 we saw one bird in the tree, Site 12 we saw one bird on the barn roof, and on our return we saw one bird at Site 7 sitting in a tree so all in all a very successful afternoon with nine Little Owls.

Update 23-03-2015.

Just had Richard on the phone and at Site 7 we have two birds visible not just the one we originally thought, you will see the obvious bird with another tucked behind it partially covered by the ivy, so we saw 10 Little Owls not 9.

Egyptian Goose, Tufted Duck Hide, Rutland Water South Arm.

A bird stood on the floating platform with another not far away.

Little Grebe, Tufted Duck Hide.

Lovely little bird that we thought would come closer but it unfortunately didn't.

Every time you thought you had got a good frame, the little beggar dived. 

Osprey Nest at Manton Bay.

The camera post has two cameras this year and a third camera is positioned on the bank. The top camera is the only one that operates the television in the hide.

Osprey Nest from Shallow Water Hide.

While we were at the hide a bird landed on the nest but turned out unfortunately to be an Egyptian Goose. You can from this shot see how murky the area was.

Shallow Water Hide.

Pair of Great Crested Grebes in mating dance. 

 They then set off to see away another pair.

As we walked back to the centre we put up this flock of gulls in the field adjoining the road.


 Little Owls seen on the outing.

Little Owl Site No 13.

Taken on the 17th March.

We had a trial run of placing the Barn Owl Box in the barn and the Little Owl watched with great interest and when we walked outside it followed us and kept us in site. 

Little Owl Site No. 1.

This is the first image of a bird at this site since last August, I was also very pleased that Richard was with me as I had only seen the bird twice before in the area and both times on my own. 

Little Owl Site No. 6.

We have seen birds at this site but never with any continuity, but this is the first time we have ever seen two birds. 

Little Owl Site No. 9.

Single bird sat in the tree, awful light and very murky. 

Little Owl Site No. 7.

First time we have seen the bird for a considerable time and as the farmer has also had a major clear out of trees in the area we thought they would have been frightened away but on our return a bird sat out so a quick image was taken. This was taken at ISO 8000 and 1/50s.

As per the update at the intro you can see the second bird sat behind the obvious bird, as Richard said in his Blog last year, "DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE OBVIOUS"

Hare near Little Owl Site No. 15 sat in the grass and I couldn't resist the shot.


Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed a visit to a different area of Rutland Water.