There was a report of two
Red-necked Phalaropes this morning at Rutland Water but I was unable to go
until after lunch.
I arrived in the car park at
Lyndon where I met Ken and we walked towards shallow water hide but called at
wader scrape hide first and found the pair of Red-necked Phalaropes was busily
feeding right in front of the hide.
Although they were not too close they did provide some good views. The female was clearly brighter showing a
very distinct white patch below the eye and round the throat. The crown was also darker as was the red,
which extended from behind the ear-coverts down and across the upper
breast. The yellowish buff lines on the
edge of the mantle were also quite striking.
The male appeared duller with a distinct supercilium that extended down
below the eye before merging with reddish sides to the neck and throat. They were seen to mate on the water on one
occasion.
The male and female Osprey
were both present and the three tiny chicks were visible as the female fed
them. The male then flew off leaving the
female with the chicks and see then made several sorties to collect additional
nesting material.
Male Reed Bunting from wader scrape hide
The Great Northern Diver had
been reported in the north arm so Ken and I drove to the fisherman’s car park
where I soon found the bird preening and moving slowly further into the
arm. This bird has remained much later
than any previous birds being my first June record for the counties. Perhaps it will now remain all summer!
I called briefly at Eye Brook
Reservoir on route home where I had a pair of Shelduck with seven tiny young,
an Osprey and three Black-tailed Godwits but there was still no sign of the Little
Owls.
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