TWO TRIPS TO RUTLAND.
ONE IN DULL WEATHER AND ONE IN SNOW.

My first visit was on the 21st of December and was unfortunately a rather dull afternon. On arriving at the Egleton Centre I was greeted by Holly Hucknall who was for  last year one of the Information officers on the Osprey project and she was with Ken Davies who is one of the Education Officers for the Project, he also had some family members with him. So it was decided we would have a walk around together, the more eyes looking about the better.

The first hide we visited was Redshank where  nothing much was to be seen, everything was on the far side of the lagoon and not really worth attempting an image.

So onto Grebe, looking for Siskins that were seen earlier but unfortunately not by us. Once we opened up the shutters the area on the far side of the lagoon was crowded with ducks but to far away for anything like a decent image. Managed a Moorhen image at about 50 metres away and that was all. But with Kens scope we saw Red Head Smew, the American Wigeon which is still in attendance and with the bins a fleeting glance of a Marsh Harrier which are always a bonus to see.  

From here we visited Osprey Hide and then onto Shoveler Hide where we suffered with the same problem and even worse, birds all much to far away, we saw some Pintail ducks at Shoveler but they were at a silly distance, I took some image but no good, they are such a beautiful duck.

We then ventured to Buzzard hide and then onto Crake where we saw two Water Rail, both out on the mud but at a distance of about 60 metres but it was good to see them. 

We then parted company as Holly had to report back to the Volunteer Centre as this is where she is going to be working for the next Year., and I headed back for the car park after a most enjoyable afternoon.       

  

Female Blackbird, Car Park at Egleton.

Having parked the car and heading towards the centre to book in, this Blackbird suddenly appeared in the hedge bottom at the entrance, most unusual marking.   

Moorhen, Grebe Hide, Lagoon 2.

 Took this image as this was the only bird that was relatively close, about 50 metres away, everything thing else was on the far side of the Lagoon, including Goosanders,  female Red head Smew, Marsh Harrier and the American Wigeon.

Water Rail, Crake Hide.

By the time we arrived at the Hide, the light had become awful , but I could not miss these two birds messing about in the mud, The Reservoir is getting very low and the birds are moving that much farther away. The following images are at a distance of approximately 60 metres. 

Really digging down deep in the mud.

A muddy beak.

The second bird, with a not such a muddy beak. All these images are with the birds 50 metres away.

Second bird having had a deep dig and muddied up.

Male Goosander, Buzzard Hide.

The light was getting worse but you have to try, this is one of two birds that eventually got closer together as below. Distance of about 150 metres.

RUTLAND WATER, EGLETON. 
SNOW ON THE GROUND.

This visit was a week later on the 28th of December and after a precarious trip over part of the journey {Rutland is renowned for snow falls,  mind nothing like our poor friends in America} 

It was really a case of a quick visit as a chance of more snow was on the forecast, so I had a quick walk around  and got away home reasonably early to be sure of getting home. I had a lovely walk around but most of the birds are still such a long distance away.

With all the rain that is forecast for the next few days in England, hopefully with the pumping from the Rivers that Anglian Water carry out, the Reservoir will start to fill up, at the moment the Osprey nest I monitor is on dry ground. 

Upon leaving the car park I suddenly noticed some lambs in the field alongside the access road, still in December, Spring has sprung very early this year.

Osprey Hide.

Mute Swans on small snow covered island.

Image from Grebe Hide.

Image taken towards Lax Hill, the temperature was barely above freezing at 1 degree.

Pair of Mallard Ducks. Shoveler Hide.

This pair were in the shallows as the Water Authority have been pumping water from the main Reservoir  into Lagoons 3 and 4.
Another bonus being the snow and rain we have had has started putting some water into the Reservoir.

Shoveler Drake, Shoveler Hide.

This bird was just over 100 metres away but managed to get the beautiful coloration, helps having some sun.

Lapwing, Crake Hide, North Arm 3.

We are not seeing many Lapwing at the moment so I was pleased to get this image from the hide. A certain lady has been asking for Lapwing images.

Wigeon Drake, Crake Hide.

With the water level in the main Reservoir rising slightly in the week due to the current weather, still a shortage of birds, they seem to have moved out onto the main body of water.

Lamb.

As I drove out of the car park I suddenly saw this little one with mum, felt like putting the heater on full and inviting it into the car. Very early for lambing.

I then spotted this second lamb, venturing out without mum.

Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did in the getting of the images even if it was so cold on my second visit.