I decided on Thursday the 18th to have an afternoon visit to Egleton to see what was around, on arrival at the centre and a quick talk with David it appeared very much the same as the previous week, apparently the Great White Egrets had risen to nineteen in number. So after a quick walk down to Shoveler Hide where nothing other than well in excess of a thousand Tufted Ducks well out in the lagoon was evident.
I then made my way around to Lapwing Hide, this hide covers both the Main Arm of the reservoir {South Arm 3} and Lagoon 2 from the other side, at times later in the year it get large numbers of ducks but very little was evident in the main area so I then looked into Lagoon two where I could see some Shoveler ducks.
I then finished up in Crake Hide for most of the remaining time.
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Shoveler Duck, Lapwing Hide, Lagoon 2. This was the only bird that was in a reasonable distance, but she unfortunately swam away and tucked herself away in some reeds instead of coming closer, why do they always do this. |
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Chiffchaff, Lapwing Hide, Lagoon 2. Then after a few minutes waiting to see if any of the Shovelers came any closer or anymore flew in, all of a sudden I saw some movement to my right and this little beauty flew in to a bush within 15 metres of the hide. |
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It sat for a good five minutes and most certainly had me spotted but made no attempt to fly away. |
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It eventually flew away when another couple entered the hide but not until I had had my fill of getting some images. I then moved to Crake Hide as a Jack Snipe had been visiting in the morning and for several days previously, but not for me. |
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Great White Egret, Crake Hide, South Arm 3. Nothing like the numbers that were evident previously, I counted twelve around the bay. This bird I caught just as it flew in and still has the air brakes and flaps out. |
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This bird perched itself on a pile of weed that was no doubt washed up during the windy day a week ago. Decided just to have a quick scratch. |
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This bird also had just flown in and this time joined up with another GWE on a heap of weed. |
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Little Egret, Crake Hide, South Arm 3. Here striding out with a purpose. |
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Who's that down in the water!!!! |
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Grey Wagtail, Buzzard Hide, Lagoon 3. Not the best of images, the bird sat on an island just over thirty metres away but I just had to try for some images, they are really such a lovely bird. |
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I suppose not that bad for saying the distance and the amount the image has been cropped. |
Thufted Ducks, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.
This image shows about a third of the birds that were way out in the lagoon, this is an uncropped image and they extended a similar distance to both left and right.
EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.
25th October.
I decided to have a visit to Eyebrook Reservoir, it was a beautiful sunny and warm day and likely to to be the last for a while to the forecast that has said we could have snow a bit farther North over the weekend.
Several reports of Whooper Swans visiting really swung my decision and again I would have the bonus of some Red Kite.
On arrival I met with a gent who I have met numerous times who likewise had not seen any Whooper, he said the same as me and also had seen no Kite.
During the afternoon I saw six, five of which would have been shots direct into the sun and the sixth was so high in the sky, I attempted and failed miserably, we did however manage some flight shots with both Canada and Greylag geese and in general had an entertaining and enjoyable afternoon and chat.
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Greylag Goose, Eyebrook Reservoir opposite Stoke Dry. A large area of the top part of the reservoir had large numbers of both Greylag and Canada geese that would take off and fly into the fields behind us on a regular basis. |
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These four in close formation, how they were not touching wings. |
Starting to split up a little.
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At last getting more into a line. |
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Three Canada and a single Greylag in this image, more were in the flight but this one I had to crop a great amount.
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This is the bird of the left of the above pair, cropped for the above image and then some more for this. I hope you have enjoyed your visit as much as I did in the getting of the images. I may try for the Deer Rut at Calke Abbey next week. |
