CALLED IN FOR AN OSPREY DUTY AND A SINGLETON.

We had decided we would have an afternoon out with the Little Owls and also visit the Egleton Reserve with the Dragonflies, however Richard had a call on Tuesday asking if we would carry out the Thursday afternoon duty, we both decided to say yes, so come Thursday Richard was away to Rutland before me and on duty for about an hour before I managed to arrive. I walked into Waderscrape Hide and was met by Richard with "I've lost an Osprey", this is nothing new to us and after about an hour and still no juvenile returning, we thought the bird may be on the other side of the poplar trees near the nest. I then remembered that on the Rutland web site it had said that S1  had been missing nearly all morning the previous day, this bird does appear very adventurous and sure enough after about two hours away the wanderer returned. 

The weather however was not very kind, very dull and windy with occasional rain drops in the air but mostly staying dry, not very good light for any decent images Richard left at about 16.00 hrs so as to get home for his tea, up to this point we had only had two visitors, after he left they started arriving and I had a very busy last 30 minutes on duty. The last visitors were two elderly gents, very well spoken and I was introduced to Tom, who apparently has written several books on binoculars, I immediately hid my bins {my are Aldi specials, and mind they are very good} the camera is very good but the bins are to some 'suspect'. He turned out to be a lovely gent and was the ex headmaster of Oakham school so we chatted about cameras and lenses, the people who were due to take over from us arrived and I only had a brief chance to tell them where {by then} I thought all the birds were, luckily they are a super couple and where the birds had moved they soon found them. So I finished chatting for another 30 minutes on cameras and eventually managed to get away from the hide at about 17.30 hrs. A quick walk up to the car park dodging the rain drops, some tea and then on my way to look for some Little Owls. I had seen a bird in passing Site No. 12 on my way out but had not stopped due to being on duty.

After some tea I then got on my way and visited all the usual sites and not until site No. 2 did I see a bird. I arrived at the site and as usual looked in the tree, by this time it was raining heavily and I must admit I really didn't expect to see any birds which I didn't until; when I went to drive away, I started the car and started driving away, I then saw sat on the gate no more than 2 metres away from me, an adult and an advanced juvenile, so I carried on as usual and drove up the road and turned around and returned and after a short time found a very wet lucking adult, I think the juvenile had gone into the nest hole and was out of sight, so again don't miss the obvious!!. After this I set course for home and get in the dry, it rained all night and most of the next day, in places they had a months worth of rain and some had floods, we are luckily on the top of the hill and if we get floods, some are in real trouble.

I also had a very quick visit to Egleton on Saturday afternoon, leaving home at 12.30 and returning by 17.00 hrs to see some dragonflies, these I saw but found them very unco-operative in the landing department, it was still windy but I managed a few images but not enough to satisfy me.

On my return trip I had a quick flit passed a couple of Little Owl Sites at saw birds at Site Nos. 4 & 5 so not a totally wasted journey.

Manton Bay Ospreys.

Male Osprey 33/11 chasing intruders.

As mentioned previously, both adult Ospreys have a dislike of Egyptian geese, they found them on the nest when they returned. This foolish pair flew across the bay and near to the nest and were pounced upon immediately by 33/11.  

Female Osprey with Intruder.

 This time a juvenile Heron decided to fly near to the nest and the female had an immediate reaction and chased the bird away.

You can tell the female when she spreads her tail, you can see the missing feathers. 

Juvenile Ospreys S2 & S3 on Fallen Tree .

This was in the period we had a bird missing so we had assumed this was S1 on a jolly away thus leaving us with S2 & 3.

Male 33/11 sat on fence post.

When the reservoir is full this post is under water, the level has really dropped over the last few weeks. 

S2, S3 and 33/11 on Fallen Tree.

The male decided to leave the post by the waters edge and join his two youngsters in the tree.

S1 Returns to the Bay.

After her trip away for about two hours the bird returned and landed on the nest. 

Two juveniles sat on top of the posts, 33/11 standing on the shoreline. 

Peacock Butterfly Near Little Owl Site No. 13.

Very pretty butterfly sitting feeding on the flower.

Egleton Reserve.

Ruddy Darter, Dipping Pond.

Saw a lot of these Dragonflies all over the reserve area, spent most of the last hour at the dipping pond as several large Dragonflies were about but would not land, it was still a windy afternoon.

Thank You Richard.
I missed the obvious with the wings.
A Four Spotted Chaser.

Common Blue Damselflies in Tandem.

Spotted these in the outlet to Lagoon 6.

Migrant Hawker Near Mallard Hide.

About the only Hawker I saw that landed, I hope for better this week on our visit. 

Comma Butterfly, Dipping Pond.

Forest Bug {Shield Bug} Pentatamo Rufipes.
Stink Bug Family.

This on the side of our house, apparently smells like rotting flesh?? 

Buzzard Near Little Owl Site No. 4.

A pair flew across and this one was calling nearly all the time. 

Little Owls.

Little Owl Site No. 2.

This image taken after I had been looking in the tree and the birds sat on the gate really close to me, both the above bird and an advanced juvenile, as you can see the bird is rather wet. 

Same bird, image taken on my return trip on Saturday. 

Little Owl Site No. 4.

This bird is becoming very dependable, mostly in the same position in the tree. Still just the one bird. 

Little Owl Site No. 5.

Sat in the Hawthorn bush away from the nest tree.


Thank you for your visit, please feel free to leave a comment, I will reply to them all and also with any help with the hairy Dragonfly.