LETS GIVE IT ONE MORE TRY AT THE EGLETON RESERVE FOR THE SMEW DRAKES.

It appears to me that every one has been visiting the Egleton reserve and having good views of the Smew, that is except for me, so at last the sun was shining and I decided I would have another try for some images of these beautiful ducks. Having previously visited several times but entering to the reserve from the Volunteer Centre entrance, this time I decided to follow the normal route and walk in from Egleton.

So having booked in with David who told me he had seen a Smew earlier in the on Lagoon 4, so I got on my way {in the sun for a change} and firstly had a visit to Redshank Hide on Lagoon 2, nothing much to be seen from this hide, so onto Grebe Hide. I had a walk through the woodland walk which with the sun shining was delightful but a little muddy under foot. I arrived and was greeted by a gent already in the hide with his scope and camera who said we had a Smew Drake on the far side of the Lagoon. Having since checked the distance it was 220 metres plus away so not an easy image, its getting the camera to focus accurately over such a distance. I took some record shots and then on my way again heading for Sandpiper Hide on Lagoon 4.

On arrival I could see a few Mute Swans, some Coots and what I think were Scaup but no sign of the Smew. After waiting for about 15 minutes  a small white bird appeared from behind an island, was it a duck or a gull? through the bins I could see it was a Smew Drake but this time farther away than previous, I would estimate about 250 metres away. As the wind was blowing towards me I decided to give it time and sure enough it gently swam and drifted my way. I started to take some images when it got 140 metres away and the results are all below. 

After this I visited some other hides and took numerous images of other Ducks etc that will become part of my next post. 

Smew Drake, Lagoon 2, Grebe Hide.

Why do these birds stay on the far side of the Lagoon, these next images were taken purely as record shots, it's all well and good taking images at 220 metres when the bird is an Osprey or Buzzard but for a little Smew??? 

Smew Drake, Lagoon 4, Sandpiper Hide.

Upon entering the Hide I had no site of any Smew, but after about 15 minutes a white looking bird appeared from behind one of the islands, so a quick check with the bins and it was a Drake Smew. The bird at this time was approximately 250 metres away from the hide and having just taken some silly distance images I thought as the wind was coming towards the hide and the bird was doing a mixture of swimming and drifting, give the bird some time and it should get closer. This image was me not being able to wait any longer, I'm always impatient to get an image but the bird was still 140 metres away. 

By this time he had come a little closer to 100 metres away, trouble is you are never sure as to when or if they are going to fly.

Another swim and the bird was 80 metres away, praying everything would carry on in my favour!!

 It then seemed to speed up a little as this Mute Swan looked somewhat angry.
Passed with a "How do you do, I'm a Smew." 

And at last the bird came within 50 metres but kept drifting behind some reeds on one of  the islands on the Lagoon.

A quick call, probably calling his mate, but I never saw a Red Head.

They really are such a handsome bird.

Unfortunately the stem of a reed has partially obscured the bird but still shows the markings fine.

Final image of what for me is one of my favourites amongst ducks.

Little Owl Site No 2.

Had a drive through the Little Owl sites but this was the only bird I saw, mind still glad to see it appears to be taking up residence staying at the site, I just hope its got a mate.





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

The next post will have some of the other birds I saw on this sunny afternoon.


Barn Owl Update.

I am still finding pellets under the large box but have not managed to put the cameras on to check what's in residence.

YET ANOTHER LITTLE OWL SITE RETURNS AND THEN ONTO RUTLAND AND EYEBROOK RESERVOIRS.

Having struggled as to decide which day between Thursday and Friday to have my birding trip out, I eventually decided on Thursday as it was likely from the forecast we would have snow on the Friday and a bit of cloud on Thursday, WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS !!!!.

So I had my afternoon out struggling with the light or lack of it should I say. I took my normal route through the Little Owl sites and to my delight I found a Little Owl in the nest hole at Site 2, I have not seen a bird at this site for a considerable time. This was unfortunately the only bird I saw but I have seen birds at 7 sites over the last few weeks so things are looking considerably better.

After this I made my way through to the Lyndon Centre at Rutland Water as a pair of Goosanders had been reported, but unfortunately by the time I arrived they had decided to go else where on the reserve. I saw a few Goldeneye but a silly distance away and some Little Grebes, again a good distance away so after a few images I got on my way to Eyebrook Reservoir, not very hopeful of any decent images with the light as it was.   

Little Owl Site No. 2.

It was a wonderful to drive down the road and see this bird  in the front of the nest hole, this was my first attempt at an image but I was shooting through the roadside hedge. , but I had to get a record shot in come what may. So I drove down the road and turned round.

And managed to get this image from the verge on the far side of the road shooting above the hedge.

LYNDON CENTRE.

RUTLAND WATER.

I only spent about 30 minutes in Teal Hide and as not much was showing and to as how the light was I headed over to Eyebrook Reservoir.

Little Grebe, Teal Hide.

I seemed to have a similar effect on these birds as last week, as soon as I focused on a bird, it would dive.

Again the same effect, these birds were about 60 metres from the hide but at least this week the waves had diminished. 

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

I arrived to see a very dull and dismal scene, everything looked grey and most uninviting but you have to make the best of what you've got, which unfortunately turned out to be very little.

  

Cormorant, Between the Reservoir and Stockerstone Village.


This bird sat towards the top of a tree about 50 metres from the road. Very close to the branch I got the image of the Kestrel sitting on last week.
Amazing to see the webbed feet wrapped around the branch.

Red Kite, Near to the Dam.

This bird suddenly appeared being chased by a Corvid, I took about a dozen images at ISO 3000 but these were the only two that were anything like reasonable.

Adult Male Red-legged Partridge, Lower Bunker Hide.

I spent a short time in this hide but the were the only birds worth getting an image from, still working at an ISO of 3000. The light was rubbish, and that's being polite.




I hope you have enjoyed your visit as much as I did in the getting of the images, even if this week it was so difficult with the light situation.

News on our Barn Owls, I found some new pellets under the large box, so as to whether we have two birds back or still the one youngster from last year I'm not sure.
Once this rain has stopped I will get some images of the pellets and put the cameras on in the boxes so find out as to what is going on. 

A LITTLE OWL SITE RETURNS. THEN ONTO RUTLAND AND EYEBROOK.

I had my normal Thursday visit out and as usual took the route through the Little Owl sites and  I have my lunch at site 9, and sat to the front of the hole was a bird, I must admit this really lifted the day. I had seen a bird also at site 8 so still time to make up the numbers as Spring comes along.

I then visited the Lyndon Reserve as I had been told that some Little Grebes were about at Teal Hide. On arrival I could see the birds, three in total but a considerable distance out from the hide. The wind was really blowing and straight into the hide with the waves splashing into the concrete base blocks the hide sits on and several times great lumps of water came in through the windows all over me and the camera.

Eventually one and then two of the birds came that bit closer, to within about 50 metres of me but still a good distance away. I spent about an hour trying for some decent images and then got on my way for Eyebrook Reservoir to see what I could find, Smew were reported  at Stoke Dry and also clouds were starting to roll in. I was told on Wednesday that as soon as I put my camera in the car, that's the death knell for the weather {and it does appear that way unfortunately}. 

It does seem at the moment I am having to take all long distance images, just wish some of the birds would co operate and come that bit closer.

Little Owl Site No. 8.

This bird had tucked itself well into the hollow in the tree to get out of the wind.

 Little Owl Site No. 9.

What a wonderful surprise to stop for my lunch and to find a bird in the nest hole, the first sighting for a considerable time and long over due. Lets hope both birds have returned or two new birds have taken over the nest.

RUTLAND WATER.

LYNDON RESERVE.

Little Grebe, Teal Hide.

Two of the three birds I could see from the hide. This image has been very heavily cropped but then eventually one of the birds came that bit closer.

This bird came within about fifty metres of the hide, so again images were heavily cropped.

This wave started to break in front of the bird. I had many wasted images due to the birds suddenly going out of view as the wave passed.

Such a beautiful and very busy bird, as soon as I focused on any of the birds they had gone and I then had to wait for them to return to the surface, find them and start again. 

Coming to the top of a wave. 

Birds are all in Winter Plumage.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

I then drove over to Eyebrook with the hope of seeing the Smew , this I did but they were just off from Stoke Dry which was a direct into the sun shot so no chance of anything any good unfortunately.

I had a drive about, spent some time on the bridge  and some time in one of the bunker hides but by then the sun had gone and we finished up with it raining, must be putting the camera in the car???

 Cock Pheasant, under the bird feeders at the Bridge.

Same spot I took the Hen Pheasant image last week, they are really a very beautiful bird, luckily this bird has moved away from the area where the shoots take place, lets hope it has the sense not to return.

 

Blue Tit, by the feeders.

This bird has a crossed bill.

The crossed bill shows more on this image.

Kestrel, Near Stockerston Village.

This bird sat on the top of a tall tree about 50 metres from the road.

Red Kite from Bunker Hide, Near the Island.

Two birds suddenly arrived whilst I visited one of the bunker hides, must admit it was rather cold and windy but went back to the car and put my coat on and it was fine then. Then it became cloudy and eventually rained. 

They are such a graceful bird to watch in flight.

The second bird appeared from over the reservoir but was unfortunately partially obscured by a tree on the island. 




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