TRYING FOR A POST,

BUT THE WEATHER'S WINNING.

We have had some abysmal weather to say the least, Richard and myself managed to get out last on the 26th of January and then the temperature was hovering around - 2 and -3 degrees C and when you stood in the wind it was like a knife. We only managed a few images on the visit out and they were of hardy Little Owls that had tucked themselves out of the wind. The following Thursday the forecast was poor so we opted to miss as it was going to rain all day and Richard was giving a talk at the bird club on the Friday so that was a non starter.

The next reasonable day was the Sunday the 5th of February,  but then by the time I managed to get out the sun had disappeared and the light was not good at all but I headed for Hinckley as some Waxwings had been reported in the Rugby Road, Brookside area. On arrival I had a drive around the area where the birds had been seen and eventually saw a gent with a pair of bins around his neck doing the same. We had a quick chat and he had seen some flying but that was all, so after about another 20 minutes I headed back to where I had entered the area and on the right I could see two gents with binoculars looking into a tree, so I found somewhere to park and walked round to the site. 

At last I had tracked some down but only five that sat in the tree feeding, these birds were not as confident as the birds at Loughborough and the gents who were on site had been watching birds in this area for several days. They said you could not get very close,in fact we were over double the distance away from what we had achieved at Loughborough.

I had not been on site very long and four of the birds flew away so I emained a little longer with the solitary bird on the chance the others may return, but after about another 20 minutes the last bird flew away so I headed for home.

I then went out this afternoon { 7th February } as the sun was shining and headed for the Lyndon Centre at Rutland Water. I visited Teal Hide and not much was about so I headed back towards the car park to walk down to Waderscrape Hide When I met up with a gent walking back up from the hides, this is a gent we see reasonably regularly at Rutland. and he said it was not worth walking down as he had seen very little.

So I headed for Eyebrook Reservoir and to the area where we see the Red Kites only to pull into the gateway and get the car hopelessly stuck in the mud, it took me 45 minutes to get the car out, this was being watched by three Kites and when I eventually got back onto the road they flew away. 

LITTLE OWLS 

26th January.

Little Owl Site No. 8.

This bird we are finding in a pollarded tree and was very difficult to get an image due to it having tucked itself away out the cold wind.

Little Owl Site No. 5.

Again this bird had got itself out of the wind in the tangle of some old ivy. 

WAXWINGS, HINCKLEY.
5th February.

On arrival I found five birds in the tree, non of which it was possible to get a clear shot at, with either berries or twigs in the way. These birds I was told would not tolerate you any closer than about thirty metres. 

Again not a clear shot. 

Slightly better, all the birds appeared to be females. 

 They just would not go onto the end of a branch for a clear view.

 This is when the four flew away and left the single bird.

At last getting better but not totally clear.

Tucked itself away again. 

And then returned to exactly the same branch at the top of the tree.

Just managed this image, and then she was away.


Sorry for the lack of posts but the weather has been a real nuisance, we are never satisfied with the light, its either too bright or dull.??

Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed the images as much as I did in the getting of them, even though it has been a struggle weather wise.