Friday 10 August 2012

An afternnon at Rutland Water - August 3, 2012


I was out on my own today as I am unable to get out tomorrow as I am taking my daughter and family to the airport.
I had a quick look on lagoon one but two Little Egrets flying over were the only thing of interest.  I went to sandpiper hide on lagoon four and there were five Little Egrets feeding on the lagoon.  I eventually found nine Ringed Plovers, twelve Dunlin, two Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper and a Greenshank but generally it was rather quiet.
I walked towards lapwing hide but had to duck into buzzard hide on lagoon three to avoid a heavy shower.  I found three female Red-crested Pochard and had nice views of both Sedge Warbler and Reed Warblers.  I continued on to lapwing but other than a large raft of Tufted Duck and several Gadwall and Great Crested Grebe there was little else and there was only Tufted Duck from crake hide.
I returned to sandpiper hide on lagoon four but it appeared very much as I had left it but there was no sign of the godwits.  I was joined by the Reserve Manager, Tim Appleton, for a short while but he soon left to call at plover hide.  Not long after he left twenty-two Black-tailed Godwits rose and flew off to the south and a Common Sandpiper flew in front of the hide.  As I was scanning I noticed two ducks that had appeared directly in front of the hide and suspect that they might be Garganey.  I got the scope on them and confirmed that they were in fact Garganey but they did look different and I suspected that one was a male only for it to obligingly lift its wing to reveal it blue forewing.
As I walked back to the car park I saw two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Willow Warbler and a Blackcap.

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