A Day Out in Rutland

Osprey - Manton Bay, Rutland Water

With not a lot of excitement in the birding world, locally, I decided to try for a few more year ticks in Rutland, visiting Eyebrook Reservoir and the Rutland Water Egleton Reserve. The problem with these large bodies of water is that the birds tend not to come close and this reduces any photographic opportunities.

Eyebrook Reservoir still has the splendid adult plumaged Slavonian Grebe which was easily found in a group of four Great Crested Grebes. A lone Red Kite drifted over the local woodland followed by a hunting Osprey that gave a great display of hovering before diving for its fish, from a great height. The shallows at the inlet held Yellow Wagtail, Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin with one Black Tern amongst the Common Terns.

The massive Egleton Reserve at Rutland Water tests your stamina, with long walks between its hides and lagoons. The day permit fee has gone up to £5.20, handing over the correct money, I was informed that as a senior citizen I only had to pay £4.10! I really feel OLD now! Best birds of the day were the seven Wood Sandpipers showing at the new Snipe Hide, on the south side. The northern lagoon four gave me year ticks with Turnstone, Egyptian Goose and Greenshank. Also my first Swifts of the year were over the visitor centre. A full list of sightings can be seen at the end of this post.

Great Crested Grebe (the only bird that came close enough!)

 

Todays Sightings:

Coot; Moorhen; Skylark; Shelduck; Yellowhammer; Whitethroat; Blackbird; Chaffinch; Mute Swan; Wood Pigeon; Carrion Crow; Rook; Lapwing; Mallard; Great Crested Grebe; Slavonian Grebe; Black Headed Gull; Common Tern; Grey Lag Goose; Canada Goose; Teal; Gadwall; LBB Gull; Red Kite; Buzzard; Song Thrush; Swallow; Common Sandpiper; Yellow Wagtail; Little Ringed Plover; Reed Bunting; Blackcap; Chiffchaff; Willow Warbler; Robin; Cormorant; Grey Heron; Magpie; Pheasant; Red Legged Partridge; Goldcrest; Green Woodpecker; Tufted Duck; Jackdaw; Wren; Bullfinch; Goldfinch; Sedge Warbler; Dunnock; Great Tit; Stock Dove; Song Thrush; GBB Gull; Pink Footed Goose; Ringed Plover; Wigeon; Turnstone; Egyptian Goose; Dunlin; Greenshank; Redshank; Reed Warbler; Dabchick; Linnet; Oystercatcher; Barnacle Goose; Swift; Blue Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Garden Warbler; Kestrel; Wood Sandpiper; Common Gull; Shoveler; Raven; Grey Heron; Little Egret; Collared Dove; House Sparrow; Starling; Osprey; Pied Wagtail; Black Tern.