A day’s birding in Leicestershire and Rutland - April 2, 2012

I went to Eye Brook Reservoir today as there had been a summer plumage Slavonia Grebe present yesterday but there was no sign this morning nor during a late afternoon visit. It was rather quiet with two pairs of Shelduck and two Redshanks being the highlights on the reservoir and a Little Ringed Plover flew over before climbing high and heading off north. The Little Owl was visible in the old oak.

From Eye Brook Reservoir I went to the Egleton Reserve at Rutland Water and after signing in walked to lagoon four, visiting sandpiper hide. There were five Avocets, six Ringed Plovers and at least four Redshanks. I then walked to lapwing hide where I saw nothing of note in very poor light. I called at crake hide on the way back where Ken Chamberlain pointed out a Curlew and informed me that he had, had two Little Ringed Plover and a Ruff on lagoon four. I decided that I would call at plover hide on lagoon four in the hope of finding the Little Ringed Plovers and Ruff. As I went by smew hide a Green Sandpiper called but I could not find it on lagoon three or four and there was no sign of either the Little Ringed Plovers or the Ruff. I then went to Dunlin hide on lagoon four where I had some good views of two of the Avocets observing them mate. I Sparrowhawk also caused some disturbance as it flew over the water and briefly perched on one of the islands. I called at both grebe hide and the Bird Watching Centre before having lunch but other than a number of Shoveler on lagoon one there was little else.

I went to the north arm for my lunch where the two Barnacle Geese of unknown origin were still present and there were a few pairs of Shelduck. There were at least eight Buzzards and two Sparrowhawk over Burley Wood and I had seen a Red Kite over the wood earlier. A trip to the Old Hall aloud distant views of the pair of Osprey in Manton Bay and a third bird carrying a fish was observed high overhead and was probably trying to attract a female.

I returned to the Bird Watching Centre where I had brief views of a Short-eared Owl but there was still no sign of a Black-tailed Godwit reported earlier. I decided to go back to lapwing hide as the light would now be better and there was perhaps a chance of finding a Scaup or the Long-tailed Duck. When I arrived another birder informed me that there were six Ruff feeding on the bund to the left and shortly afterwards I found a female Scaup but the Long-tailed Duck failed to put in an appearance. Time was no pressing as I wanted to call again at Eye Brook Reservoir to see if the Slavonian Grebe had appeared but there was still no sign and possibly even less than this morning, except for two rather pristine adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Great Crested Grebe on lagoon four at Rutland Water

Juvenile Cormorant over lagoon four at Rutland Water

Grey Heron over lagoon three at Rutland Water

Canada Goose on lagoon three at Rutland Water

Shelduck over lagoon four at Rutland Water

Pair of Gadwall on lagoon three at Rutland Water

Drake Teal from lapwing hide at Rutland Water

Pair of Tufted Duck on lagoon four at Rutland Water

Osprey with fish over the Old Hall at Rutland Water

Oystercatcher over lagoon four at Rutland Water

Avocet on lagoon four at Rutland Water

Female Avocet inviting the male to mate on lagoon four at Rutland Water

Avocet mating on lagoon four at Rutland Water

Redshank over lagoon four at Rutland Water

Redshank alighting on lagoon four at Rutland Water

Ruff in south arm three at Rutland Water

First-winter Great Black-backed Gull over south arm three at Rutland Water

First-winter Herring & Great Black-backed Gulls in south arm three at Rutland Water

Adult summer Black-headed Gull in south arm three at Rutland Water

Adult summer Black-headed Gull in south arm three at Rutland Water

Great Tit at the Egleton feeding station, Rutland Water