VISITS TO EYEBROOK, CALKE PARK AND AN OSPREY DUTY.

I decided as we were still experiencing the warm weather to have an afternoon at Eyebrook Reservoir on the 12th of July, I could hopefully see some birds but also it meant not walking any great distance in the 28 degree heat, that I must admit I did not fancy.

I arrived and after a short time  male Osprey 03/09 arrived and had a quick fly around in front of me and then flew farther down the reservoir only to return later with a very large fish. Other than that it was very quiet, I think the same for the birds as us humans and they were all keeping cool in trees.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.
12th July.

Male Osprey 03/09. Opposite Stoke Dry.

Luckily for me this bird has become a regular visitor for me, He first arrived not many minutes after I arrived, I had just set up the tripod and was then going to have my lunch when he turned up so lunch had to wait. Bird about 200 metres away.

Here returning with what I think is a very large perch, this should keep the young fed for a while. 

Spitfire, Eyebrook Reservoir.

This plane suddenly appeared over the far side of the reservoir. I think it is a different aircraft than previous but unable to read the number,  as its on the far side.

CALKE PARK.

10th July.

I had a quick evening visit again hopefully to see the Badgers and anything else that was about.

On arrival at the Badger areas I found two ladies already in place and asked if they had seen anything, up to then nothing had appeared.

Unfortunately they were a very chatty pair and even though I was in excess of fifty metres away from them I could hear everything they said, as I'm sure the Badgers could likewise.

By the time it got to 20.00 hrs I had seen a Badger a good distance away and could see several others moving in the bracken but they would not come close, so I had a visit to the ladies and suggested that for a while they could stop chattering, i'm sure we are not disturbing them said the older lady, I bet you cannot hear us, I have heard all about your Uncle Tom and his boils I said, and then returned back to my camera.

Needless to say they didn't stop a continuous chatter so by 21.00 hrs I decided to move on and head for home, I will have another visit and see what happens. 

Adult Male Great Spotted Woodpecker, Car Park Bird Hide.

I had a quick visit into the hide and only this bird showed so I got under way into the wood for the Badgers.

Badger.

This was the only Badger I managed and image from, it was about 80 metres away and well hidden in the trees and bracken.

OSPREY DUTY.
19th July.

I got away from home a little earlier as I was meeting up with some relations to take them to see the Ospreys, on arriving at the Lyndon Centre and meeting up with Lesley and John, we got under way and arrived at the hide for about 13.00 hrs to meet Shelagh who was already in place.

At this time the only bird we could find was the adult female, after a short time the juvenile male 3AU appeared from in one of the polar trees and then the adult male 33/11 but we never saw the juvenile female unfortunately, I think she was keeping herself well hid in the poplars trying to keep cool, as we were all trying to do and failing. 

With how hot it was we were amazed as to how busy it was with several parties of people arriving and numerous couples, more strength to them, in this heat.

Adult Female Osprey.

All the time we were on duty she never moved from this post, just turned round twice.

All the Osprey images are in the area of 300 metres away so please excuse the quality.

  

Juvenile Male Osprey 3 AU.

This is when he first appeared and had a quick short fly about and then landed on the fallen poplar  tree, a favourite spot for all the Ospreys.

Male Osprey 33/11. Waderscrape Hide.

We were not sure where he came from but he came in very low and had a short fly around the trees and past the Juvenile Male.

Juvenile Male sitting on the fallen poplar watching 33. 

You could almost hear him say " watch this son, this is how you catch a fish".

An embarrassed 33 flying to the back of the trees with a "sod it, missed it" as 3 AU watches on hoping for a meal.

33 hiding himself away towards the top of one of the polar trees.

3AU then flew onto the nest for 33 to bring the fish to him. 

He then flew onto the camera post and started food begging and 33 then went away fishing. 

Snipe, Waderscrape Hide.

We had been told by the people we took over duty from that they had seen a Snipe inthe channel in the front of the hide, and sure enough it turned up for us several times but usually hiding in the reeds to the edge.

Still just on the edge of the reeds but a little closer.

Grey Heron, Waderscrape Hide.

This bird flew into the end of the channel to the front of the hide. One had visited earlier in the week and was seen taking a Water Vole.

Little Egret, Tufted Duck Hide.

Closest I have seen one for a considerable time sat on a small island that has appeared in the last two weeks as the reservoir level falls.  

Hateful when the breeze blows your  feathers up.

Egyptian Geese, Tufted Duck Hide.

This pair sat on the same island as the Egrets.



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



One bit of bad news, we lost our youngest dog this week with what the vet said was a heart attack.

ANOTHER TRIP TO CALKE ABBEY, EYEBROOK RESERVOIR AND AN OSPREY DUTY.



CALKE ABBEY
WEDNESDAY 27th. June.

I decided to have another visit in the evening to Calke for another try with the Badgers, I arrived as previous not much after 19.00 hrs and firstly visited the bird hide but not much was about so I had another visit with the Red Deer, such graceful creatures.

I then got on my way across the fields in search of the Badgers, I did the reverse route from last time but unfortunately didn't manage to get it completely correct and finished having to do a bit of a detour to get to the sett, about 50 metres short of my destination I saw some bracken moving about about 1.8 metres in front of me close to an large Oak tree, then a small Badger about 375 mm long  calmly walked out of the bracken, had a quick glance at me and carried on walking across an area of grass until it went out of site, of course the camera was over my shoulder with my bins and I was carrying the tripod, but it was so good to see this little one.

I then carried onto my area where we had seen them previously and got myself set up at the top of what appears to be a path up from the sett towards the top of thee hill. 

After a while, about 20.45 hrs I suddenly saw the bracken moving and within a very short time a Badger appeared, I would say about 10 metres away but after that they came considerably closer with the consequence I could get no images, This is a problem with using a large lens, they will not focus at such a distance, they were I would estimate as close as 1.5 metres and took no notice of me at all.

Luckily the wind was in a good direction and no scent from me was going towards them, it was a very warm evening and after the walk across I was somewhat sweaty.

I left the area of the sett at about 21.30 hrs having seen 14 badgers but only managing images from 3, the other were all too close.

Next time I will have to move farther up the hill!!!!!., but what a wonderful evening I had, and walked back to the car park with a happy grin.

Red Deer Calke Abbey.

I had a short time with these wonderful creatures, such a delight to get some images from. On this visit  more youngsters were about. 

Jackdaw, near to Badger Sett.

One of an enormous number that were flying about all evening. 

First Badger,

Never made it onto the path so still partly hidden in the Bracken, about 10 metres away from me.

Second Badger.

In virtually the same spot as the previous .

Third Badger.

This one came out onto the path but walked away from me where the ones that came close all walked towards me.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

Thursday 28 th.

I decided after the previous evenings exertion in the heat to have a steadier afternoon at Eyebrook and as the temperature was about 19 degrees I think it was the correct decision.

I got away from home for about 12.00 hrs and arrived at 13.00.

I had a very varied afternoon subject wise. 

 

Male Osprey 03/09.

Carrying back a nice fish to the nest at Site O and was calling very loudly most of the time. 

Hobby.

This bird had flown past twice before I managed to get any images,it was like trying to get images from a missile at the speed it was flying about at, super bird to see. 

R.A.F. Red Arrows.

I was talking with the gent who goes out to the Tern rafts to ring the young and he was telling me he had been out that morning and ringed the first nineteen when I saw this smoke in the distance, it was the Royal Air force display team practising ready for the celebration fly past a Buckingham Palace next week. I would estimate they were about 2 kilometres away.

Red Kite, Opposite Stoke Dry Village.

During the afternoon I saw several of the birds, they are such wonderful birds to watch in flight. 

Then another arrived a little closer. 

Only to be given a chase by a Common Tern. 

After a short chase it thought better of it and glided away.

Spitfire ML 407. {Grace}

I stood watching the world go by when I suddenly heard a superb roar to the back of me. On turning round I saw this Spitfire doing a loop but as the images were virtually into the sun this is the only one that is anything like.
It is piloted by Carolyn Grace and is based at Sywell Aerodrome.

OSPREY DUTY.

7 th July.

I was on duty again with Shelagh and this commenced at 13.00 hrs. Since my last duty the two young have both fledged and becoming reasonably adept at flying.

On arrival at Waderscrape Hide the temperature inside was 35 degrees, 28 outside and my thoughts were we would have a reasonably quiet afternoon due to this, wrong we had one of the busiest afternoons I can remember with people arriving most of the afternoon and people were still walking down to the hide as we walked back to the car park.

Cormorant, Tufted Duck Hide.

Several of these birds sat out to the front of the hide, this one appeared to be suffering with the heat as I was. 

Female Osprey with young female 3 AW .

I think even the Ospreys were feeling the heat, this pair sat together in the fallen tree for about an hour. Distance of 310 metres approx.

 Young Male Osprey 3 AU.

Both young decided late afternoon to have a fly around and these two images are taken in the area of the nest.

Young Female Osprey 3 AW.

She eventually returned to the nest as the Male 33/11 returned with a small fish which after the adult male had his feed from he took it to the nest and she immediately took it and flew to the fallen tree and ate the remainder.
  

Male Osprey 33/11 with a small Roach.

This is the fish that 3 AW flew away with.  

Young Moorhen, Waderscrape Hide.

This is one of the two young i have taken images of over the last three or four duties. They are really coming on well and mum is still in the channel looking after them.

Muntjac Deer, Wadrerscrape Hide.

This little deer appeared at the end of the left hand channel but soon disappeared into the reeds.

Water Vole, Waderscrape Hide.
We had several appear all afternoon but this one was in view for about five minutes. 

Mute Swan with Cygnets, Tufted Duck Hide.
One of those images I just had to take with mum overseeing these four youngsters.

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

Update on the Barn Owls, I saw both the male and female leave the box last night and am just about to go out after I post this blog.