A TRIP TO RUTLAND WATER AND AT LAST A KINGFISHER.

As Thursday was an absolutely foul day weather wise, it hardly stopped raining, I decided to have an afternoon out on Friday, which proved to be a far better day, albeit wet underfoot but what does that matter. 

So I got under way on my usual route heading through the Little Owl sites  but with no look this week, the barn I saw the Little Owl at last week had several tractors and trailers moving about as they were getting the barn ready for the Winter when the cattle will be inside and the farmer was emptying the manure from inside to give a good clean start for the Winter.

On arriving at Rutland I checked in and looked on the board, several good birds had been seen so I headed for the hides to see what I could find. 

The board said a Bittern was outside Buzzard Hide, but it had buzzed away by the time I arrived. Also a Little Stint had been visible from Sandpiper Hide, not for me and the others in the hide but apart from that I had a super afternoon. Lots of Dragonflies were about but of course I had the wrong lens, always the case.

I finished my day by having tea at Eyebrook Reservoir and spent most of the time watching Swallows which to me seem very late heading South.




RUTLAND WATER,
EGLETON RESERVE.

Juvenile Hobby, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

This bird was spotted for me by a lady in the hide who I see at the LROS meetings, it was unfortunately a silly distance away and even though we finished with four over the lagoon, they never came close to the hide so all these images are not that good but please remember the birds were 150 metres plus away and Hobbies are such fast flying birds, they were very difficult to keep up with.

Sorry for the poor quality of the images. 

I think I managed images of three of the birds and they all appear to be juveniles, no red trousers. 

Green Sandpiper, Shoveler hide.

This bird in Winter plumage, shame we haven't had a summer yet.

Grey Heron, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

This bird suddenly appeared and I find it difficult not to take an image,  they always appear so ponderous in flight.  

After a short flight it landed and was still with me when I headed towards some of the other hides.

AND AT LAST A KINGFISHER.

It was reported that a pair of Kingfishers and young were showing on a regular basis at a Leicestershire reserve so I decided to make a visit doubting that they would turn up, but sure enough on arrival an adult was present and later on another was showing well. What a difference it makes when the birds are so close. I had to change my auto focus distance to the lowest available on the lens, if not the lens would not focus, what a difference when the bird is virtually in the lens hood. What a wonderful feeling to at last get some images, lets hope this is the start of seeing some more??. Whilst I was at Rutland Water a lady had seen two Kingfishers just outside Buzzard hide and they were close so I will have to visit again. 

Still have more images so may find some space soon for a few more.

Kingfisher Male.

Such a beautiful bird with splendid plumage, had another visit Monday but it looks as if they have departed to pastures new, 

Kingfisher, Female.

She did not show as much as the male .

  

Little Grebe, having just appeared at the surface.

Whilst taking the images of the Kingfishers, this bird  appeared so a very quick image before it disappeared again.





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

Please feel free to leave a comment, I will reply to all.

A TRIP TO EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

As Richard was unavailable I decided as I was still not feeling 100 % to have a less strenuous visit out so I drove our normal route through our Little Owl Sites and saw a bird at Site No. 6, this was a real bonus not having seen any birds for several visits out. After this I carried on through our normal route and met up with the farmer {an Irish gent} on whose land Sites 10 and 11 are situated. Telling him we were not seeing any birds in the normal areas he told me he was still seeing plenty of the Little Fellas and was also seeing large numbers of big owls as he called them on the other side of his farm so things are probably not as bad as we have been thinking. 

After this I headed for Eyebrook Reservoir for an easy afternoon and some decent images of anything??

It was not a busy but very interesting afternoon and the results follow.

Kestrel near Little Owl Site No. 6.

As I approached the Little Owl Site I saw this bird sat in the top of the tree and could not resist an image. 

Little Owl Site No. 6.

At last I have seen, after such a time a Little Owl and having spoken to the farmer perhaps things are not as bad as I thought.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

This is such a delightful place just to sit, watch a few birds and let the world pass you by. I spent some time at the bridge with a gent with a scope and a little farther down the stream we could see, a Black-tailed Godwit, Little Stint, Ruff and Greenshank but all much to distant to even attempt an image. 

Red Kite.

I sat in the car and suddenly a shadow passed over me and six of these beauties all flew in at once, about spoilt for choice but they soon had made a reasonable distance out over the reservoir, so much for just letting the world pass you by. 

This bird decided to do an about turn and flew parallel to the road where I was parked making life a little easier, it was however still a good distance out over the water.  

 AND THEN THE BIGGEST BIRD OF THE DAY.

Lancaster Bomber, Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight.

I was just about to commence my tea and had the sandwich in my mouth when I suddenly heard a mighty roar behind me, dropped the sandwich, jumped out the car as this wonderful old aircraft flew by. This aircraft is based at RAF Conningsby . After a fire in engine nimber four, it was decided to send the plane to RAF Duxford for some work to be carried out taking some 9 months. A new firewall was put in place in engine 4 and numerous other improvements made, the bomb doors were replaced. The actual number of the aircraft is PA474 . The new livery is of the Royal Australian Air force  460 squadron with the number AR-L with a Kangaroo with bagpipes on the side. 

The aircrew on a test flight, the cockpit is not built for comfort. Somewhat different to our modern aircraft.

And away it went over the far hill, by this time the crew would be seeing Rutland Water to the front of them .

OUR BARN OWLS.

We still seem to have the young male bird hanging on in the large box, he is coming out later and later which is making the getting of images very difficult. Lets hope he will like his sisters and soon decide to disperse, he's obviously enjoying the warmth and protection given by the box.

 Young Male having a quick look out before going back into the box and eventually coming out about an hour later when totally dark.

A real struggle getting this image when he finally decided to appear, everything was flashing on the camera saying too dark.  

Another evening and a little earlier but still shooting at silly ISO numbers. 

 





AND AT LAST!!!!!!!!!

 A VISIT TO RUTLAND AND THE BARN OWLS.

Sorry for the blog being so late, but I unfortunately had the Flu over the Bank Holiday weekend and still suffering with the after effects.

Richard and myself managed an afternoon out and had a visit to Rutland Water visiting our Little Owls sites on both the outbound and return journeys and seeing nothing in either direction, but we did hear two Little Owls call.

Rutland Water was really a bit of a disaster, very little of consequence to see as many birds are on the way South and we are waiting for the Northern birds to come South.

Richard had a wander round looking for Dragonflies that seemed absent, it has unfortunately been one of those Summers {if that's what you call it} that has not been conducive to these beauties appearing, we to be truthful other than early Summer when we saw considerable numbers of Emperor Dragonflies, the weather has been dire with large amounts of rain, wind and cold.

After our visit to Rutland we visited Eyebrook Reservoir for our teas and hopefully some sightings of the last few Ospreys that were about. 

As of today no Ospreys are on site at Rutland Water, they are all heading South to warmer climes, wish I was with them, could do with some good weather.

Southern Hawker Dragonfly, between Little Owl Sites 11 & 12.

This spotted by Richard as we drove down the road and we saw it land on the verge, so window down and out with the 600 mm and this was the result, Richard should have got considerably better results as he virtually had the lens touching the dragonfly.

RUTLAND WATER. 

Little Egret, Lagoon 4, Sandpiper Hide.

I was the only person in the hide {which is never a good sign}, so I am always very careful in opening the windows so if anything is close I don't disturb it. I had no cause to worry, this was the closest at about 60 metres. 

It then after a few moments decided to fly up to the other end of the lagoon.

Great Crested Grebe & Juveniles.

Always think the Juveniles are so beautiful with the head stripes. 

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

We stopped for a short time and had our teas when an Osprey appeared carrying a really large Rainbow Trout, I'm sure many anglers on the water would be cursing seeing the bird get away with such a trophy.

Male Osprey with large Rainbow Trout. {Awful Image}

This bird being chased by a gull appeared whilst we had our teas carrying this large Rainbow Trout.

OUR BARN OWLS.

We still have two Juveniles Barn Owls with us, the male and one female, They appear reasonably together most evenings but are tending to get later and its getting more difficult to get any images. 

I think the second female has also dispersed leaving us with just the Juvenile Male. 

Juvenile Male Barn Owl.

Usually the first bird to appear, sometimes its just a case of head out of the box and then retire back in.  

But this evening he came straight out and stood in the front of the box for a couple of minutes. Mind it was still almost dark.

Juvenile Male.

Giving his serious look. 

Juvenile Male.
Wind blowing the feathers on the back of his head. 

Having flown up into the trees at the back of our land, he sat and watched for about five minutes, managed this image without falling out my chair.

Juvenile Female.

Have not seen her since taking this image. 

How to tell if a box is in use, look for the dust on the box at the entrance.




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

Unfortunately the last ten days I have had the flu so hence not many comments posted on others blogs, sorry about this but will catch up in the next few days.