AN AFTERNOON AT RUTLAND AND WOW WAS IT WARM.

I again arranged to meet up with my friends who had travelled up on Wednesday afternoon so as to have a few hours on Thursday morning at Eyebrook with the Short-eared Owls prior to us meeting up at the Egleton Centre at 12.30 hrs.

We had managed at last to have a beautiful day weatherwise with the temperature managing a warm 16.5 deg C, like a fool I still put my coat on and within ten minutes I was baking, I could have just been in shirt sleeves and been plenty warm enough.

We had a steady walk around the hides and at last my friend got a male and female Smew a little closer, we stopped at one point to have a chat with a gent I see on a reasonably regular basis and he lucky chap had the two Smew within twenty metres of him.

Having had a wonderful afternoon we took a steady walk around the various hides and eventually back to the car park and got underway for home.

We have had some extraordinary weather during this last week, who says global warming is not happening.

Canada Geese, Redshank Hide. Lagoon 2.

These two split away from a large number in the middle of the lagoon and swam towards me for a short distance and turned around and returned whence they came.

They are such a proud looking goose.

Greylag Goose, Grebe Hide, Lagoon 2.

This bird decided to have a quick wash and brush up, had to get an image.

Greylag Goose, Grebe Hide, Lagoon 2.

This bird was much closer and on the shore.

Male Smew, Plover hide, Lagoon 4.

This bird came within about 80 metres from us but would not come any closer even though we waited for about 40 minutes, at no time did either of the males put the crest up unfortunately. 

Second male, closer to the corner of the lagoon with some Coots. 

Great White Egret, Bittern Hide, Lagoon 3.

We met up with a couple who had been around the reserve all day and they had seen seven G.W.E., I wonder when they will breed at Rutland Water for the first time.

Mallard Drake, Bittern Hide, Lagoon 3.

Such an underrated bird, we mostly tend to ignore them as just being a Mallard.

Little Grebe, Bittern Hide, Lagoon 3.

This little beauty just suddenly broke surface and I managed a quick image prior to it disappearing  again. 

Male Shoveler, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

These birds were about in reasonable numbers all over the lagoon .

Another male having a quick preen. 

Drake Shelduck, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

Several of these ducks swimming about, these are a bird that will usually  when possible nest underground in a disused rabbit hole.

Greylag Goose, Shoveler Hide, Lagoon 3.

Two of these were hanging around near the bird feeders that have been put up near the hide to attract the Bearded Tits. A friend saw a Water Rail on the bird table having its fill and the Grey lag were waiting underneath picking up any spillage. 

Moor Hen, Crake Hide, South Arm 3.

After we had been in the hide for a few minutes, my friend said "can you hear splashing near the water fall."
This is the variable level out flow wear from Lagoon 3 into the main reservoir. Upon having a look through the bins, I could see a Moor Hen swimming about, it then speeded up and was splashing around and then eventually stood on the front of the weir.

Something I have never seen before, this bird was catching fish, this fish is only small, but the bird was having a good feast. 

This time it had caught a much larger specimen.

This time a smaller fish, after this the bird disappeared back into the Lagoon but what an interesting encounter.

Female Smew {Red Head}, Sandpiper Hide, Lagoon 4.

We had seen some females whilst in Plover Hide but they were a silly distance away, this bird was about 80 metres away so it was worth a try.



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


For a Dear friend who visits my blog, both my wife and I wish you all the best with your operation and look  forward to seeing you in the non to distant future. The Osprey's are returning and so will you.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL  VISIT TO EYEBROOK.
7th February.

My friends decided to visit again and to have another visit to Eyebrook hopefully to see the Short-eared Owls, they had arrived at the gateway at 09.30 hrs approx hoping to get a start on me, but unfortunately it was raining very heavily. However at about 10.00 hrs the rain stopped for a short time and within a very short time they saw an Owl on the far side of the road. 

So taking the bull by the horn they drove in the new and very clean four wheel drive down the track to the farm so as to get closer to the bird, as they got near to the farm they saw the farmer and asked if it would be alright for them to park to the rear of the barn so as to get some images, luckily the farmer said 'of course no problem', so they managed a few images before it started to rain again.

This rain did not stop until about 12.30 hrs, which is when I arrived and I was given instructions to drive down the track and to park behind them, we did not move all afternoon waiting for these birds to show again but unfortunately they decided against doing so, but that's birding.

We did not see many birds but had a wonderful afternoon.

Very pale Buzzard to rear of Farmhouse, Nr Great Easton.

Whilst we sat waiting for the Shorties to re-appear, this bird came and sat in a tree about 60 metres away, this time it came to us rather than the usual of us approaching the buzzard that usually flies away as soon as you start getting within a reasonable distance for an image.  

Unfortunately the bird suddenly realised we were in the car and as per normal flew away. I unfortunately did not manage an image as it flew.

Kestrel, to the rear of the Farmhouse.

This bird landed in the next tree to the buzzard, this time about 45 metres away and sat for about ten minutes keeping an eye on us. 

RUTLAND WATER.

LYNDON RESERVE.

14th February.

As I was having a singleton visit out I decided for a change to go to the Lyndon Reserve to see what if anything was around.

On arrival I went  straight to Teal Hide, the nearest to the centre and found very little about, a Golden Eye drake was well out in the reservoir and a female even farther away,

I then had a quick walk around to another couple of hides and as I was seeing very little decided to head back to the car park and have another visit to Eyebrook and hopefully the Short-Eared Owls.

Goldeneye Drake, Teal Hide, Lyndon Centre Rutland Water.

This single male bird sat about 80 metres out from the hide and would not come any closer.

Goldeneye Female, Teal Hide.

This bird was in excess of 100 metres away, to me it appears as an immature bird.

 

Cormorant, Teal Hide.

Always look as if they are about to sink, I find the green eye fascinating.
 

Coot, Teal Hide.

Literally thousands of these birds are about the reservoir, but this one came that bit closer and I could not resist an image.

EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.
14th February.

On arrival I went immediately to the gateway where we had previously seen the Shorties but nothing was to be seen, so I had a drive around the reservoir before returning to the gateway.

No Smew were visible anywhere and everybody I spoke with was saying the same, two gents had been to Rutland at the Egleton Reserve in the morning said they were of the opinion the birds had gone to Lagoon 4, sods law!!!

After a bit of a wander about including a visit to the bird feeder are I returned to the Shortie stake out but again they never came close, I could later on see two birds a considerable distance away and unfortunately for the day the road that would have got me closer to them was closed for surfacing works.

Turned out weather wise to be a very mild and sunny afternoon, I spent the whole afternoon out without having to put my warm coat on, first time for this in a good while.

Lapwings and Teal, Lower Bunker Hide.

We have had a considerable increase in the numbers of Lapwing around the reservoir during this last week.
 

At last I have managed a flight image, however the wrong way around, they are always ducking a diving all over the place. 

Marsh Tit, under the bird feeders.

Not the best of images but the only one I managed of this bird, after this a farmer had a bird scarer going bang and everything was away.
 

Dunnock, near to the bird feeders.

I always think they are such an underrated little bird. 

Blue Tits, near and in the bird feeders.

I never really like taking images of birds on feeders but I could not resist this one, you can almost hear the right hand bird saying "are you sure its empty". 

Long Tailed Tit.

Again a feeder image, as soon as the bird left the feeder I could not find it until it returned. 

It never got completely in the feeder but would have if the gap had been slightly larger.

 

Crow, Near to gateway.

I have never tried for an image of a crow previously, but with such a lovely sunny afternoon the sheen to the feathers shows up well.
 

Buzzard on the top of the small Barn Owl box. Our garden.

This bird keeps visiting the garden and I keep moving it away, luckily the adult Barn Owls are in the larger box to the right. I took this image from our patio door, that is just over 60 metres away.

Update on the Barn Owls.

It appears we still have the two birds in the large box and I am still finding pellets  on a regular basis, so the schedule one licence has been applied from the BTO.

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

A VISIT TO EYEBROOK FOR HOPEFULLY MORE SIGHTINGS OF THE SHORT-EARED OWLS.

I decided after last weeks encounter that we had with the three Short-eared Owls to have another visit to Eyebrook Reservoir to hopefully get some more images of these birds, so arriving at Eyebrook at 12.40 hrs. I had a quick look about for the Smew and after eventually finding seven with the help of a gents scope as they were very distant, he had also seen two Goosander , these were on the very far side of the reservoir and were impossible to see without a scope and not that easy then. I then moved farther down towards the dam and eventually found a Smew somewhat closer and as usual just had to get an image.

I then thought I would go and see if any Shorties were about and after interruptions from Red Kites on the journey around I arrived at the gateway where they were previously seen and after about fifteen minutes and with no signs I decided to move on as I had Red Kites flying about everywhere. By the end of the afternoon I had seen nearly forty  Kites, mind as to whether any of those were double sightings.

So again after about half an hour I returned to the gateway for another look for the Shorties and spent a very cold half an hour watching for any signs but again no sightings. Another gent then turned up and he reported he had seen all three birds at 09.30 hrs that morning so we still had the birds, just not showing at the moment where I was watching.

I had another quick drive around the reservoir before returning to the gateway for the Shorties where I spent the rest of the afternoon but without any sightings, but they have such a large area to hunt over, I will return again for another try.

Sparrow Hawk, Our Garden.

Not such good light as previous but again spotted by my wife, it did not stay long, I just managed this image and as I was checking to see if my setting were correct it flew.

Long-tailed Tit, Eddie and Margaret's garden.

I had visited my farmer friends and whilst enjoying a cup of tea and a few biscuits we noticed some Long-tailed Tits at the feeders in the garden. These are a bird I have never managed a decent image from {and still haven't} as they never appear to keep still for any length of time at all, so it was up with the camera and open the back door slowly and have a try before they departed.

A TRIP TO EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.

The following images were taken whilst travelling to and whilst at the Reservoir. This proved to a windy and cool visit but reasonably eventful with the Buzzards and Red Kites but unfortunately not the Shorties.

Buzzard, Near Little Owl Site No. 4.

I rounded a corner and saw this bird sat on top of this pole and managed to stop about 60 metres away and pull slightly onto the verge {without getting stuck} to give me an angle to get the bird from the car window, the second I finished and started the engine, the bird flew away, they really are such nervous birds.

Buzzard on the Road into Eyebrook.

Another pale bird this time I did not get as close, they are such a proud looking bird.
Also good to see the buds on the tree looking full.

Just to show how cluttered with branches the bird was, if I had tried to get closer more branches would have covered the bird, I also doubt if the bird would have remained.

Buzzard Near Horninghold Village.

This bird was even more buried in branches. Very similar markings to the previous bird.

Buzzard Near The Shortie Gateway.

 This bird sat on the same pole as the SEO image was taken on last week, 250 metres away. This being a very pale bird.

Red Kite, Near Stockerstone Village.

I always think the top of the wing is worth an image, beautiful markings.

This bird was one of four that were circling together towards the top of the hill between Stockerstone and Horninghold Villages.

Another of the same group, slightly different wing feathering.

Third bird of the group.

Fourth bird, this has a totally different wing colouration, after this they suddenly were away.

This bird certainly appears to have me spotted, but still just lazily circled across the road and adjacent fields.

They are such wonderful birds to watch in flight with the use of the tail feathers as a rudder.

Another bird that appears to have me spotted,this one was at the Shortie gateway.

Same bird as above, mind would have still rather seen a Shortie or two.

Smew Drake, Near the Island.

This shows the problem when they are that much farther away, this bird was about 150 metres away. When they get to be in excess of 300 metres and in amongst the gulls they are so difficult to pick out without a scope.






Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did in the getting of the images, mind I would have enjoyed it more if the Shorties has turned up.