I went to Eye Brook Reservoir
first today and although the water is high it is showing signs of falling and
there were areas of mud on along the stream.
Despite this the only waders were Lapwing and a single Redshank. There was a single Little Egret and two Red
Kites and six Buzzards were observed over the fields on the Leicestershire side
of the reservoir. And a single Sparrowhawk was observed as it gliding into a
tree. The wildfowl numbers were still
increasing and four Pintail were observed but there was nothing else of note.
Having exhausted Eye Brook
Reservoir I moved to the north arm at Rutland Water. I walked down towards the point and found the
Black-necked Grebe feeding at the entrance to the fishponds. Two Little Egrets were feeding in the north
arm and two mor were found roosting in the fishponds where there were masses of
duck, which were mainly Tufted Duck. A
single Ruff was observed on the north shore and a Chiffchaff was heard calling
but with little else I moved off to the Egleton Reserve where I joined Roger,
We walked to snipe hide and
found a juvenile Whitethroat in the brambles close to the hide. From the hide we found two juvenile Ruff, a
Green Sandpiper and a Little Egret feeding on the wet meadow flash. Whilst we were in the hide, a large flock of
Lapwing flew over with a few dropping onto lagoon one.
We moved off to the new 360° hide on lagoon five but there were fewer
birds than my last visit and the only birds of note were three Little Egrets
and five Pintail.
A walk to heron hide produced
very little where the water level remains very high with no exposed shore
line. As we walked back to the car park
at Egleton we did see a couple of Chiffchaffs but generally passerines appear
to be well down.
On reaching the car park we
had lunch before moving off to lagoon four.
Juvenile Little Grebe in Heron Bay
Egyptian Geese on lagoon five
Adult and juvenile Goldfinch on the bund of lagoon six
Lapwings over the wet meadow
We decided to visit dunlin
hide on lagoon four as we would be closer to any roosting gulls. As we approached the hide we saw Norman who
appeared to be looking for something in the hedgerow. He had seen a Blackcap but there was no sign
whilst Roger and I were there but a juvenile Hobby put on a good show above one
of the meadows.
There appeared to be less on
lagoon four than on recent visits but we still found six Yellow-legged Gulls
roosting to the left of the hide but the waders we could find were three Golden
Plovers and Lapwings. There were nine
Pintail and six Little Egrets but little else.
I could hear several Long-tailed Tit calling from the hedge behind and
took a look from the left hand flap. I
soon located several and also found a Chiffchaff and a Lesser Whitethroat and
eventually a male and a female/immature Blackcap. A juvenile Marsh Harrier was then observed
hunting over the reed-bed on lagoon three.
Peacock close to the badge hide
Juvenile Hobby over the meadow close to lagoon four
As we approached shoveler hide
on lagoon three we saw two Chiffchaffs and a Reed Warbler and there was at
least another three Reed Warblers seen from the hide. There were plenty of duck on lagoon three
with most congregated right at the back of the lagoon but a single Pintail was
found close to the hide. Two different
Water Rails were also heard but neither was observed. After a while we decided to call it a day and
headed off back to the centre. There was
little on lagoon one except for plenty of Tufted Ducks.
It had been a rather quiet day
in some beautiful autumn weather and with the water levels being fairly high
around most of the reserve and reservoir it has been a disappointing autumn for
waders.
Migrant Hawker from shoveler hide
Juvenile Reed Warbler from shoveler hide
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