A VISIT TO RUTLAND WATER AND THE LONG BILLED DOWITCHER.

I had a previous quick visit to Cossington Meadows on Tuesday the 23 rd of February and I had entered some of these images on my last post. I apologise for putting more Shorties on my post but I find them fascinating to watch, such wonderful birds in the air. I only saw the two birds but that doesn't mean the other bird has gone, these birds have moved around the reserve previously. I was on site until nearly 17.00 hrs and the birds were flying about to both sides of the track.

The next visit out was with Richard on our normal Thursday outing and we as usual got on our way by 11.30 hrs. We got on our way with the idea of visiting our Little Owls sites on the way out and then carry on through to Rutland water to see the Long Billed Dowitcher, this bird originally had been sighted near Cossington Meadows but roughly a week ago had turned up at Rutland Water, that's if it is the same bird. The experts say it is so who am I to argue. On our outbound journey we saw a pair of Little Owls at Site No. 2, which was brilliant, the second time seeing the two this year but the first with them both on one image. We then carried on through the Sites and had our lunch at Site No. 9 as usual, we are very much creatures of habit but it is a lovely place to stop. We then followed our usual route but no more birds were seen, so we made for the Egleton Centre at Rutland Water. Having booked in we got under way to Shoveler Hide on Lagoon 3 and the Long billed Dowitcher. We arrived to the hide to find it was not as full as we had expected and after a short time, Tim Appleton spotted the bird, his instruction were " its in front of the broken box with the orange pipe by it". We had two of these and I was looking at the wrong one. Richard was firing away merrily and I was still searching. Eventually having found the bird it flew round the back of the island to the front of the hide and was again out of view. It then appeared on the end of the island near some reeds which it kept hiding behind, elusive little beggar. I eventually managed some reasonable images of the bird, it wasn't very close, it kept hiding in the reeds and it wasn't very big!!! Also the weather was not perfect, it kept drizzling with rain so when we moved Richard had his camera under his jacket and me had my camera in a large polythene bag.

After this we had a quick visit to Plover Hide to see if the Smew were still in residence and luckily we were lucky with a Drake and two Ducks.

After this we got on our way back to the car park to retrace our route with the Little Owls. The first Site we saw birds at was Little Owl Site no. 9 where again both birds were visible. Next was Site No. 6 where the bird again sat on the R.S.J. We then headed for Site No. 5 and a bird sat in the tree and we also saw a single bird at Site No. 1. So we finished with a seven Little Owl afternoon.

Sorry the post is a bit late but we had a meeting of our local bird club on Friday evening which both Richard and myself visit, We had a most enjoyable evening with Richard Williams showing some of his Fathers movies {Peter Williams}, when you saw the quality and the kit he had used all those years ago, and the end results, he was a most talented and dedicated birder who must have spent hours getting himself and his hide into some difficult and dangerous places to achieve some outstanding results.



LITTLE OWLS
3 rd March 2016.

Little Owl Site No. 2.

Again we saw two birds, one in the nest hole and one above asleep. 

Little Owl Site No.1.

We spotted this bird on our return journey, still only seeing one bird but still plenty of time for the two.

RUTLAND WATER
3 rd March 2016.

   

Greylag Goose, Near the Egleton Centre and Lagoon 1.

Birds spotted by Richard and could not but resist to take some images. 

Pintail Drake, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

A pretty duck  and is the fastest flying of the ducks. 

Snipe, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

When I first saw this bird it was asleep and round the back of the reeds, I initially thought I had found the Dowitcher. 

Long billed Dowitcher, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

Really a small and somewhat inconspicuous bird. Most of my images the birds head is under the water. 

Even though partially hidden by the reeds, this shows the side markings below the wing.  

And at last with its head up. 

Smew Drake, Plover Hide, Lagoon 4.

Birds all kept well away from the Hide on the far bank near the Volunteers Centre. 

Drake and two Red Heads.

Still in roughly the same area near the Volunteer Centre, after this the two Red Heads swam away to the left and the Drake eventually followed.  

SHORT EARED OWLS.

COSSINGTON MEADOWS.

23 rd February 2016.

Pale Bird on the other side of the track.

Pale bird over Swan Meadow. 

Pale bird having changed sides and flying near the electric poles. 

Back over Swan Meadow.

Such wonderful wings. I am surprised as to the quality as the birds kept a good distance away from us.  

Dark bird on post in Swan Meadow, just over 100 metres away. 

Dark bird flying towards the electric poles on the field on the other side of the track. 

It then turned around and flew back exposing the darker underside.



Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed the Images as much as I did in the getting of them. If you wish to leave a comment please do. I will reply.