Wednesday 17 July 2013

A day in Leicestershire & Rutland - July 16, 2013

I was out at Rutland Water early the next morning but despite an early search by others the Pacific Golden Plover had not been seen and with no sighting all day it was assumed it had gone.

Tim asked me help in a wildfowl count and I counted south arm three, which is the area west of a line between goldeneye hide and the Old Hall.  I started the count from goldeneye hide and then walked back towards the centre calling at gadwall and fieldfare hides.  There were plenty of Mute Swans, Greylag Geese and Tufted Duck and a Canada Goose, several Egyptian Geese, Gadwall, Teal and Mallard were also observed.  There was an Oystercatcher, five Green Sandpipers and four Greenshanks from fieldfare hide.  I continued to walk back to the centre calling at harrier and snipe hides but there was nothing of note and I continued to lapwing hide to complete my section of the count.  The highlight was a brood of seven Tufted Duck from crake hide, which was the only brood I had seen all morning.

Having finished the count I called at shoveler hide on lagoon three were there was a Ruff, three Curlew, five Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank and a Redshank feeding in the shallow water and a Black Tern was feeding over the lagoon.


As I was having lunch the only Buzzard of the day flew over the car park.  After lunch I went to the north arm where I found three Little Ringed Plovers, a Greenshank and a Yellow-legged Gull.  The Ruddy Shelduck was also seen in the fishponds after a rather prolonged wait and a Red Kite was observed over the wood on the north shore.  There was still no news of the plover and as it was now very hot I decided to call it a day and set off home.  There was a message early evening announcing that the Pacific Golden Plover was again on the bund and had been found by the same observer, Matthew Berriman.  I suspect it might have been there all day but out of sight on the other side of the bund.


Black-tailed Skimmer near snipe hide


Redshank on lagoon three

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