A POOR VISIT TO A FROZEN RUTLAND WATER THEN A MAGICAL REMAINDER OF THE DAY AT EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

A friend had phoned to say he was going to be coming up for a visit on Thursday and so we arranged to meet in the car park at the Egleton Reserve.

 On arriving I could see his mini bus, covered in mud, he had apparently seen a Red Kite on his drive up and asked his Great Nephew to pull onto the verge and they got stuck, I did not laugh, {much} but suggested they must have entered a ploughing competition. However he soon was over to my car, he had brought his Great Nephew with him who was a lovely young man, so after a chat and the exchange of a memory stick and paper work for a talk he his going to give on my behalf we headed out into the frozen reserve.

It soon became evident we had problems with ice on the lagoons and very low numbers of birds to see.

We however carried on around the hides and eventually decided as he really wanted to see a Smew Drake, to head for Eyebrook Reservoir. It seems all the birds that had been on the Lagoons had headed for the open water on the main body of the reservoir away from the ice.


RUTLAND WATER.
24th January.

Teal Ducks and Drakes, Crake Hide, South Arm 3, Main Reservoir.

I was surprised upon entering the hide as to how much the reservoir level had risen and with it brought the birds that much closer, we don't seem to have had sufficient rain but they must have had more in the Rutland area.

Teal Drake, Crake Hide.

For such a small Duck they are so beautifully marked.

Shoveler Drake, Smew Hide, Lagoon 2.

Awful conditions to get images in, we were shooting directly into the sun. At least you can see the bird is standing on the ice.

Reflection in the ice not as good as in the water.
After this we headed back at a pace to the car park to get over to Eyebrook Reservoir.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.
24th January.

On arriving at the reservoir I headed for the gateway where I had seen the Smew on previous visits and gratefully they did not let me down, within seconds of getting out of the car I had located six, four Red heads and two Drakes, a good distance away and then I found a singleton closer. So my friend had a really good session, some at a distance and then the closer single bird, he had turned up with a new lens and camera, a Nikon 850 with the Sigma 200mm - 500mm f2.8 with a two times converter, this is the very large green lens, it weigh just under 16 kilos, it is a real beast but the end results are spectacular to say the least.

After a while at the gateway I said to my friend come on we are going to try elsewhere, he asked where and I just said follow me.

After a short time we arrived at another gateway and I parked to the left and he drove in to the right of me, immediately a Short-eared Owl flew around the corner of the high hedge next to the gate and flew about 600mm above his mini bus, the look on his face was priceless. We finished up with three Shorties flying about us, constantly changing sides of the road, we finished up with two cameras on tripods, one on either side of the road and me using the gates as a tripod and following the owls about, it was a magical 60 minutes where I spent more time watching these beautiful birds than taking images.
My friend however took in excess of 800 images, he certainly dipped his bread with his first encounter with a Shortie and to have three to go at was just too much for him, his nephew was on duty with one camera and he spent his time running from one side of the road to the other chasing birds, his nephew and I kept an eye on the other set up.

Smew Drake, Gateway Opposite Stoke Dry.

At Last my friend has seen some Smew, I still could not resist getting another image of this beautiful duck. 

Lapwing, Same Gateway as above.

Very large numbers of these birds all around the Reservoir but I had larger birds to catch for my friend.

Short Eared Owl. Back Road to Horninghold.

These birds were in the area where I had found them previously,  my friend didn't realise this initially and thought we had a lucky break, which we did in finding the three.

After the initial shock of the bird arriving and flying so close we managed to get ourselves together and cameras and tripods were extricated from the vehicles and we set to in getting some images. These birds flew round us and were in sight most of the time we were watching out for them. 

For about 10 minutes, this bird sat on top of the post  watching us, just over 250 metres away.

This bird was on the side of the road that was looking into the sun but as it flew over the field I managed a quick image as the sun came to the left.

Just prior to it dropping to the ground, this and the next image. 

Once on the ground the bird was hidden in the undergrowth so no chance of an image. I'm sure it missed its prey as we could not see anything when it flew away.

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Amazing as to how these birds can swivel the neck, a case of I can still see you.!!!

 

This appears to be a slightly darker bird.

Such beautiful eyes.

Another case of the swiveling neck.

A lucky shot, most of the time the birds flew this low, the lens usually focused on the undergrowth and when they flew close to the hedge you can see in the background I managed some wonderful images of the hedge.




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

A VISIT TO REG AND JILL FOR HOPEFULLY AN UPDATE ON THE TAWNY.
THEN A VISIT TO EYEBROOK IN THE SUN, BUT WITH A STING IN THE TAIL.

Those of you that follow my blog will remember my images of the juvenile Tawny Owl in the garden of my friends Reg and Jill. 

At the time I put Reg in touch with Simon of the Hawk and Owl Trust.  He turned up some six weeks ago and erected a Tawny box in the tree for them and said he would return in the Spring to see what if anything was in situ.

I had an Email from Reg the other evening with an image showing what appears to be an adult Tawny sitting in the entrance to the box taking in the bit of sun we had on that day. Simon was also delighted and feels sure the bird will breed in the box this year.

Needless to say I had to have a visit to see if I could get some images, it was however not a nice day and I managed no views of the owl.

I had an email from Reg recently to say the Tawny was sitting in the entrance to the box at 09.58 hrs, the sun was out again so I must try harder when we have some sun.

 Juvenile Tawny Owl from earlier in the year.

New Tawny box as erected by the Hawk and Owl Trust six weeks ago.

Ingenious image as taken by Reg using his I phone through his binoculars.

What appears to be an adult Tawny owl having taken up residence in the new box, Hawk and Owl trust say they will monitor the box in a few weeks time. This bird is being seen on a regular basis on a sunny morning.

Robin, Whilst waiting to see the Tawny.

Whilst Reg and myself waited to see if the Tawny would show, this little beauty came to see us. It staid with us most of the time we were outside.

AT LAST A SUNNY VISIT TO EYEBROOK RESERVOIR. BUT!!!!!!

I arrived at Eyebrook for 12.35 hrs and immediately went to the Upper Bunker hide, large numbers of Lapwings were well out on the mud with a few waders but at the distance I took no images and headed down the Reservoir to the gateway where I had previously seen the Smew. I arrived to find four gents with scopes and upon asking if any Smew were about, was immediately  invited to have a look through a scope and I had four Smew all together, two Drakes and two Red heads, these birds were however a silly distance away but one of the gents managed to find one Drake closer so I took a few images in hope they would not be that bad,the bird still being well in excess of 200 metres away. After this we waited to see if any of the birds came any closer only to have a Short-eared Owl fly past with the wind behind it, we did not see it for very long, however we all moved out onto the road and saw the bird appear over the hedge and cross the road only to disappear behind the high hedge on the opposite side of the road.

The gents had been counting the Smew and had got a total of seventeen, six of which were Drakes, two of these Drakes were young birds and had not full plumage yet.

I then moved down to the Lower Bunker hide and met up with the gent who I told about the Short-eared Owl on top of the hill, he told me he had seen the bird on the afternoon I told him about it but has been monitoring the area on a daily basis and for the previous three days has been seeing three birds in the fields, so after seeing what was about from this hide we decided to visit the area again together.

We  had a large number of Greylag geese near to the hide then we had a fleeting visit by a Red Kite followed by two more that circled for a few minutes then all hell broke loose. 

The fields on the opposite side of the road are in a shooting estate and 20 to 30 guns all started firing at the same time and everything scattered from the Greylag, Mallard and all the rest of the water birds, the gent I was with stated that would be the end of the afternoons birding, so we decided to visit the area where we had seen the Shorties, this being abou a mile away. However we had not been looking out for the Owls for long when the shoot appeared in the fields on the opposite side of the road so we gave it best and I went on a drive about looking for any Red Kites or Buzzards. I saw a few Kites but the second you lifted the lens in the air, they dived and disappeared from view very quickly.

 Smew Drake, Eyebrook Reservoir, from the gate.

This bird was in excess of two hundred metres away so a lucky shot. They really are a beautiful duck.

Lapwing from the Gate.

Whilst waiting to see if any Smew came any closer I managed to get this image shot between the tall grass.

Greylag Goose, Lower Bunker Hide.

These birds were within fifty metres of the hide and didn't appear over bothered when I entered the area and met up with the gent. So it was a case of get a few images.

First Red Kite to appear, Bunker Hide.

This bird only gave us a fleeting visit before flying over the reservoir to the far side.

Second bird to arrive, quickly followed by a third and they both then circled an area not far from the hide, just a case of rest the camera on the side and shoot away.

Third Red Kite, wonderful birds to watch in flight.

Last image managed before the shooting commenced, not many seconds after this everything was away to the far side of the reservoir.

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

I intend to meet up with the gent again and have another try for the three Short-eared Owls.

 

AT LAST ENOUGH IMAGES FOR A POST.!!!!!!.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.

We have been having some very dull and misty weather and it seems every time I decide to have an afternoon out birding, by the time I arrive at my proposed destination the weather turns dire. 

So after these complaints I firstly was on my way to Eyebrook when the phone rang and a friend asked as to where I was going, but then asked if I could go to Rutland instead as a member of his local bird club was going to be at Rutland, So it was a case of change of venue and I was to meet up with Ben in the car park at the Egleton Reserve.

On arrival I met up with the gent and we got underway heading for the hides, I enquired as to what he really wanted to see and top of his list was a Male Smew.  A bird had been seen on Lagoon 1 that morning but had later flown away towards Eyebrook. Our first Hide to visit was Grebe and upon opening the shutter with my first look out with the bins, I saw a Male, a very long distance away but it was a Smew. 

So we gave it a while as it appeared to be drifting towards us and came within 290 metres, with them being such a small duck the auto focus was finding it very difficult to get and hold a decent focus but the results are below.

After seeing this duck the sun went in and it became even more difficult to get any decent images. 

RUTLAND WATER EGLETON RESERVE.
20th December 2018.

Male Smew, Grebe Hide, Lagoon 2.

Not as good an image due to the distance but its a Smew. Ben was over the moon and was after taking I would say going on for a hundred images phoning a friend to report on his luck. I kept saying to him I cannot get the birds here, only help to find them.  

Having drifted slightly closer it then decided to turn its back on us. 

It then flew a short distance and appeared behind a small island. After this we visited the other hides in case we could find a closer specimen but it was not to be. After this the sun departed us, whats new???

Tufted Ducks, Lapwing Hide, Main Reservoir, South Arm 3.

This enormous flock of Tufties was visible with the odd Mute Swan in with them.
On returning at the end of the day, the lady on duty said the bird count had been completed and for the whole reservoir the number of Tufties was 5600.

 Hebridean Ram, Near Shoveler Hide.

As we walked out of the Hide, these sheep came to see I'm sure thinking we had brought some food for them. When we headed back to the centre the farmer had turned up and was feeding them at the gate.

After visiting the centre on the way back to the car park, I got underway home and Ben headed for Norfolk as he was visiting Titchwell Reserve on the Friday.We said our goodbyes and after an excellent afternoon together we got underway.

AN AFTERNOON AT EYEBROOK.
27th December 2018.

By the time I arrived it had become very dull and misty and for a time I had some misily rain, just perfect weather for getting some decent images. 
However the afternoon was not totally wasted as will be revealed.

Kestrel, Upper Bunker Hide.

Upon arrival i had a drive round the area mostly initially looking for Red Kites but on arriving at the reservoir I visited both the hides and found this bird. It was by then raining so I headed back to the car to look for the Bewick Swan.

Bewick Swan, Fields Opposite the Fishery entrance gate .

This Swan had been around for a few days but certainly took some finding. I eventually found it in a field with an adult and juvenile Mute Swan. Trouble was it was just over 350 metres away and it was turning misty.

Short Eared Owl, Between Horninghold  and Great Eaton.

I had another drive around looking for Red Kites and saw this bird in a field at the side of the Road, Luckily I had turned up the ISO to 5000 as only after taking about a dozen images and the bird heading away I found I had somehow switched off the VR so not the sharpest of images, not the easiest thing hand holding a 600mm lens and trying to follow the bird without any shake. The rest were all rubbish. But after this I decided to return and have another go for this Shortie.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

3rd January 2019.

I decided to have another visit for the Short Eared Owl and arrived at the Reservoir for about 12.50 hrs on another dull day, I wish it would turn colder and perhaps we would get some sun. I had a good look around the Reservoir with another gent looking for the Smew of which we found ten, seven Red Heads and three Males but they were all much to far a distance to even consider even attempting any images, I will try again next time.

Greylag Goose, Lower Bunker Hide.

On arriving in the hide this goose was walking by not far from the water but in the Marsh grass so it was a case of shooting when it was least obscured. 

Golden Plover and Lapwing, Upper Bunker Hide.

These birds were about 200 metres away, I have never managed a decent image of a Golden Plover. 

Fieldfare, Stoke Dry.

This tree was initially full of birds as I approached, but by the time I got within about 50 metres only this solitary bird remained.

I then decide to go on a Shortie hunt and headed to the area where I had seen the bird the previous week, as I got nearer  I thought I would stop in the gateway where I had last seen the bird but then at the last second decided to drive past and go to where I first saw the bird only to travel about 50 metres up the road when the owl flew about 3 metres above the car from right to left, the language was choice, luckily I was on my own, just me and a passing Owl.

Short Eared Owl, Near Eyebrook Reservoir.

This time I checked that the VR was switched on, this bird is I'm sure the same bird I saw from the upper bunker hide at the Reservoir. The only problem being the area it appears to be feeding over. One minute it was next to the road, unfortunately the roadside hedge is in excess of 3 metres high so its not possible to follow the bird that well from the road, its a case of standing by the field gates and waiting for it to come my way. For these images I had to shoot at ISO 4000 but wished I had gone to 5000, it was still very cloudy  and it was starting to get dark. 

Before I took these images I had spotted the bird at the top of the hill a good mile away, it then came towards me but vanished into a valley only to re appear and fly towards me, in these images the bird was about 200 metres away.

It then did an about turn and headed for the side hedge and disappeared over it into the next field and as it was time for me to head for home I gave it best. Next sunny day I intend to have another try.




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

I also hope for some brighter weather so I stand a better chance of some decent images.