AN OSPREY DUTY AND ANOTHER VISIT TO THE NEW SITE.

I had a visit to my farmer friends on Wednesday the 4th of April to see if I could locate the Little Owls that we were previously seeing on a regular basis but unfortunately I again had no signs at either sites.

My next trip out was an Osprey Duty at Rutland Water with Richard, as normal Richard was on duty from 13.00 hrs and I arrived at about 13.20 hrs, on arrival no bird had been misplaced, the Male sat on his favourite dead tree eating his freshly caught trout and the female was busy with incubation duties. We had a very busy afternoon with visitors arriving all through the shift, at one point we had a bus party of people arrive from Tewkesbury  who virtually filled the hide. After a busy shift I had a steady walk back to the Centre to be told that an egg had been laid that morning at the new site, and both birds were busy incubating with the male having time away to catch fish for the female, so after last weeks what appeared to be disappointment, a positive and an extra nest site, brilliant. I saw plenty of Butterflies {mostly Orange Tips} on my walk down and back to the Centre but none would stay still, most would not even land. 

I had a steady drive back having my tea at Little Owl Site No 9 but only saw a single Owl at Site 5.

So I decided to have a quick trip on Saturday the 7 th of April to the new site at Rutland and managed to get away from home at 12.30 hrs and headed straight through to Egleton. After a quick walk down the site and arriving to find John Wright the Field Officer with "some bad news John". Apparently on Friday a pair of Egyptian geese had raided the nest and dislodged the Osprey on incubation duty and on the return of the Ospreys it appeared the egg had been destroyed as the birds had stopped sitting. With this pair being first time breeders John thought they would have only laid the one egg so things are again looking bad for the site. John staid for about thirty minutes with me and as no Ospreys had arrived he decided to go and see if he could find them, his main concern being they might decide to build a nest in a place not suitable so away he went with a "give me a ring if they turn up." He could have only been away for about 5 minutes when the male Osprey turned up and with an Egyptian Goose sat on the nest he went into attack mode, the Egyptian goose seeing the Osprey flew from the nest to join its mate by the water edge and the attack by the Osprey commenced and carried on for about ten minutes, by then the geese had been driven into the water and away from the nest site but for how long who can tell. Its a shame he didn't do this on Friday but being inexperienced birds they have to learn.      

VISIT TO MY FARMERS FRIENDS.

4th May.

Cherry Blossom.

We had a walk down a field boundary looking for Owls and could not resist a quick image of this lovely Blossom. 

RUTLAND WATER.

OSPREY DUTY.

5th May.

Mallard Drake, Waderscrape Hide.

A pair of Mallards arrived, a bit of a favourite of mine, and he then proceeded to have a bath. 

Sedge Warbler.

Sat on this branch chattering away 

Then onto the top of a Bullrush.  

Toad in the pool to the front of  Waderscrape Hide.

This frog suddenly appeared with a chironomid by it. 

Female Osprey with fish on T post. Waderscrape Hide. 

Male Osprey leaving nest after his incubation session. 

RUTLAND.
8th May.

Greenshank, Lagoon 4. Dunlin Hide.

This bird pointed out by John Wright through his scope, unfortunately the bird was over 90 metres even after I had moved away, hence poor image. 

Egyptian Goose, Osprey Nest

This bird landed on the nest and was busying itself when the male Osprey returned, 183 metre image.

Male Osprey 51/11.

Arrived and flew quickly around the bay and went into the attack, this is what he should have done on Friday, unfortunately being a first time breeder, lacking in experience but certainly made up for it this afternoon. 

Then into a dive and into the attack. 

The goose on the nest having flown down to meet up with its mate.  

And in again. 

Another quick circle. 

This time virtually hitting the geese. 

Egyptian geese taking to the water and retreating. 

A head on attack this time and the geese are away. 

A fly round the bay and then joined by the female and another male. 

Only managed to get an image of the two males together, the female was away to the right. 

Greylag Geese, Lagoon 4, Dunlin Hide.

Coming into land but the two geese to the back virtually colliding.

BIRD CLUB MEETING
Friday 6th May.

Carvings by a very talented and internationally recognised wood carver and artist Colin Clark, many of the items brought had gained gold medals at international competitions. 

Goshawk.

The carving was full size, look at the detail in the head. 

Kingfisher.

Again the feather detail. 

Shoveler Drake.

I was astounded at the detail this gentleman had got into his carvings and the painting finish, absolutely stunning.


Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed your visit as much as I did in getting the images