A day’s birding on East Yorkshire & Leicestershire - April 27, 2013

David, Roger, Ken and I had set off for Spurn where there had been a female Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush for two days.  However as there had been no sign by 08:00 we diverted to Bempton and visited the RSPB reserve.  There were plenty of Guillemots and lesser numbers of Razorbill and we did see at least six Puffin.  Roger also picked up two Great Skuas sitting on the sea and apparently feeding on a dead auk.  They both eventually flew off north and out of site.  There were also plenty of Gannets present and a few Fulmar and Kittiwakes.  As it felt rather cold in the fresh northerly wind we moved off to South Landing on Flamborough Head, where we hoped it would be a little warmer.

Fulmar

Fulamr

Gannet

Herring Gull

Razorbill

Razorbill

Razorbill

Razorbill

Razorbill

Razorbill

Guillemot

Guillemot

Tree Sparrow

It was a little warmer at South Landing and as we walked down the slope to the lifeboat house we had a Willow Warbler and a female Blackcap and a Chiffchaff was heard singing.  On the sea we found an drake Eider, six Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver.  We walked back up the slope and had lunch during which we observed two Whitethroats.  On checking Birdguides we found out that the Iberian Chiffchaff had been seen in the gardens of the Coastguard Cottages.

When we arrived on site the bird had not been seen for some time and did not appear during our stay but was seen later.  Fourteen Waxwings flew over although I only saw them with the naked eye as they disappeared behind the cottages on the head.  A male Blackcap also appeared and was feeding on the grass on the gold course.  Out at sea there were plenty of Gannets and Kittiwakes moving north and there was also a notable passage of Bar-tailed Godwit.

Male Blackcap

We called it a day at about 13:00 wanting to get back to Leicestershire to try and see a couple of Ring Ouzels reported at Cossington Meadows.  It was rather a slow drive back but we made t back without two hours to find the ouzels.  They had been seen just before we arrived but we were unable to find them in the long grass and after a while felt they were not still in the field.  Roger had walked further down the track and had found one of them feeding close to the hedge.  It flew into the hedge as we all arrived but I then found the second also on the ground before it also flew up into the hedge.  We waited and both birds were then seen several times before we departed.

An afternoon birding in Leicestershire & Rutland - April 26, 2013

David had returned from South Africa yesterday and was keen to see the Ring-billed Gull so we went to Melton Country Park where it had been seen over the last few days.

When we arrived on site it had been present earlier but had flown off with a Common Gull.  We walked along one edge of the lake seeing a Buzzard and a Willow Warbler and as we walked back we could see a few gulls had arrived and were resting on the lake.  There were initially just three gulls, two Common Gull and a the first-summer Ring-billed Gull.  We pent quite some time watching the birds sitting on the lake and one birder had thrown some bread into the water but there was only mild interest from the two Common Gulls.  As the afternoon progressed more Common Gulls arrived and suddenly they showed an interest in the bread and all of the gulls started to fly around and I managed to get a few reasonable shots of the Ring-billed in flight.

First-winter Common Gull

First-winter Common Gull

First-winter Common Gull

First-winter Common Gull

First-winter Common Gull

First-winter Common Gull

First-winter Common Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

From Melton we called at Eye Brook Reservoir on route home where we four Shelduck, a Red Kite. Three Buzzards, six Swift, circa forty Sand Martin, circa forty Swallow, circa twenty House Martin and a Yellow Wagtail.

A day’s birding in Cambridgeshire and Leicestershire & Rutland - April 25, 2013

As there had been no reports of Nightingales at Rutland Water this year Roger and I decided to go to Castor Hanglands, near Peterborough where there was supposed to be a good population.  This was a new site for us and after we parked the car we followed a footpath across a field that lead to the entrance of the reserve.  There was a single Buzzard observed as we crossed the field and as we approached the entrance to the reserve there was quite a bit of common bird song, including several warblers.  We entered the gate into the reserve and it wasn’t too long before we heard our first Nightingale and during the visit we heard at least six but only got poor views of one.  The areas where they were singing from were extremely dense and they were very reluctant to show themselves, unlike at Rutland Water.  We did fine a nice Grasshopper Warbler close to where we actually saw a Nightingale and a Lesser and Common Whitethroat was seen nearby.  We also heard what we thought was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming but were unable to substantiate this.  It had been a pleasant visit and at least we did manage to get the target bird.

Grasshopper Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler

Marsh-marigold

From Castor Hanglands we went to Eldernell and walked west from the car park seeing a pair of Marsh Harrier and a single Crane.  The male harrier also flushed a single Black-tailed Godwit and a Snipe.  As we were walking back we heard cranes calling and turned to see two drop in the meadows behind us and a single juvenile Peregrine then passed overhead.  Whilst having lunch I noticed four cranes drop in to the eats of the car park and assumed that these included the two we had already seen.

From Eldernell we moved off to Rutland Water. 

We called at the dam first where fourteen Common Scoters had been reported earlier.  We did manage to find them but they were very distant and rather difficult to observe in the now quite choppy water.

There was a Black Tern reported on lagoon one and people were still seeing it as we entered the centre.  However it had disappeared as Roger when Roger and i scanned the lagoon.  I could see that there were a few terns feeding over lagoon three so we decided to go and take a look.  We had brief but nice views of a Lesser Whitethroat near the badger hide as we walked to shoveler hide.  When we entered the hide we scanned the lagoon and I picked up the Black Tern amongst the Common Terns feeding at the back of the lagoon.  It was rather distant but they are a superb bird at this time of the year.  There was also a couple of Shelduck and three Little Egrets on the lagoon and a Reed Warbler was heard singing briefly but we couldn’t locate the bird.

Primrose

Drake Shoveler on lagoon thre

Little Egret on lagoon three

Little Egret on lagoon three

Little Egret on lagoon three

There were quite a few waders scattered on lagoon four and amongst a party of Dunlin I found a single winter plumage Knot.  We eventually counted thirty-two Dunlin after which another fourteen arrived taking the total to forty-six but over fifty were counted later in the day.  There was also two Oystercatcher; five Avocets, two Ruff and two Redshanks as well as fourteen Shelduck.  Remarkably during the late evening c.700 Black-tailed Godwits were on the lagoon and all in summer plumage, what a site this must have been.

Great Crested Grebe displaying on lagoon four

We called at Eye Brook Reservoir briefly on route home where we had our first Swifts, seeing two over Stoke Dry and the Little Owl was in the Old Oak.

A day’s birding in Leicestershire & Rutland - April 23, 2013

I arrived at Watermead Country Park and met Roger at the site where a Grasshopper Warbler had been reported.  I had seen and heard a few Blackcap and Chiffchaff as I walked to the area and there appeared to be plenty of song.  Roger can’t hear Grasshopper Warbler these days and I can only him in on ear, which makes them difficult to locate.  However on arrival all I could hear was a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat but after a short while I heard one sing briefly.  I walked in the direction where I thought it was and saw a bird fly into the corner of the field.  As I approached the area it began to sing again and I found it sitting on top of some scrub.  Roger got on it and we had some nice views for a good five minutes.  After a while it dropped down and was then heard singing a little further away.  There were a couple of birds feeding further in the corner of the field and proved to be a Lesser Redpoll and a Reed Bunting and a second redpoll was found before they all flew off.

Grasshopper Warbler

I walked back with Roger and we had some nice views of a Blackcap singing and a Treecreeper was observed carrying nesting material.  As we walked to an area where Roger had seen a Reed Warbler yesterday a Cetti’s Warbler burst into song but we neither saw it nor heard it again.  The Reed Warbler was singing when we arrived at the site but it proved very illusive providing only very brief views as it moved through some brambles.

Male Blackcap

As we walked back to where we had parked I heard two other Grasshopper Warblers singing on an area known as the Thurmaston Flood Plain, which is inaccessible and not being able to see either from the path I had to be content with them singing.

Roger was on grandfather duty today and had to head off home whilst I headed for Beacon Hill.  I stopped briefly at Swithland Reservoir on route and was surprised to find a brood of twelve Mallard feeding on the sidewalk with mother looking on through the fence.

I arrived at Beacon Hill and paid the car park, when there was a twitter message of a Wood Warbler singing at Rutland Water.  This is a good bird for the counties and would be a first for Rutland Water but as I had just paid a decided to continue to look for the Tee Pipits.  I parked the car and walked the short distance to the summit but it was very quiet in the now fresh a cool wind.  As I walked down the eastern I thought I heard a bird calling and shortly afterwards one sang.  It performed very well over the next fifteen minutes and I managed to get some good photos.

Tree Pipit

With the Tree Pipit in the bag and the lure of a Wood Warbler I set for Rutland Water.  I hadn’t gone very far when another tweet arrived ‘Not singing and no sign at present’.  I continued on to Rutland Water and on arrival called Tim Appleton who confirmed that it had not been seen since early morning.  He suggested that I go into the reedbed to see if it had moved there but I was not very optimistic of finding it.  I walked along the path that hugged the woodland as I thought this would be the best bet.  I had gone quite some distance when I thought I might have heard it sing briefly.  I stopped and listened but nothing but as moved forward I thought I heard it again but again on stopping there was nothing.  I walked up a ride that goes into the wood and a bird flew across the path.  I raised my bins and there was a cracking Wood Warbler and I watched it for a few minutes before calling Tim with the good news.  He and Tim Mackrill soon arrived and although I had since lost contact we soon found again and had further views as it fed in the canopy and occasionally gave a brief peace of song.  They both departed but I stayed in the reedbed for a while before going for lunch. 

News had broken this morning that the Ring-billed Gull had been feeding on bread at Melton Country Park and was back again this morning.  I was tempted to go but as I had seen pretty well last night decided to stay at Rutland Water.

I had my lunch in the north arm but it was extremely quiet and drove to the Egleton Reserve and walked to plover hide on lagoon four.  There were clearly more Blackcaps about today and I heard a Lesser Whitethroat but couldn’t find despite it singing several times but a Red Kite flew over as I was searching for it.  There were also plenty of Willow Warbler, the Chiffchaff and a Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat as I approached the hide.  From the hide there was a Ringed Plover sitting tight presumably on eggs on the nearest island and another bird was feeding around th edge.  An Avocet and a couple of Dunlin were also observed but there was little else so I moved to shoveler hide on lagoon three.  There was an Arctic Tern and several Common Terns feeding at the back of the lagoon but it was otherwise quiet.  I then went to dunlin hide on lagoon four were I found two Oystercatcher, four Avocet; a Little Ringed Plover; two more Ringed Plovers, a Ruff and three Redshank.  AS I was leaving the hide Steve Lister arrived and we had a chat about the Ring-billed Gull as he had been to Melton to see it.  He and Colin Towe entered the hide and started to walk back but soon received a call from Steve that the Ring-billed Gull had come in.  I returned to the hide and had some good views and also saw a Yellow Wagtail and my first White Wagtail and fourteen Dunlin flew by the hide.  I eventually set off to the car park but neither heard or saw the Lesser Whitethroat I was hoping for.

Willow Warbler in the Egleton Meadows

An afternoon at Rutland Water, Rutland - April 22, 2013

Roger and I had decided to go to Rutland Water again today as the first-summer Ring-billed Gull had come in yesterday at about 19:30.

When we arrived on site we had a look on lagoon one before going to four.  We found five Shelduck, a Little Egret, two Oystercatcher, a couple of Dunlin and four Common Terns otherwise it was quite quiet.

We walked to dunlin hide on lagoon four and set up our scopes in anticipation of long wait as it just after 16:00 and didn’t expect the gull until around 19:30.

There were a few waders on the lagoon and we eventually found two Oystercatcher, two Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover, five Ringed Plovers, fourteen Dunlin, a male Ruff, a Greenshank and three Redshanks.  There were also twelve Shelduck and four more Common Terns.

John Wright then joined us in the hide and he hadn’t been in too long when he said the Ring-billed is in.  We were soon watching the bird flying with a number of Common Gulls and it performed pretty well until we left juts before 17:00.  This was the earliest it had been reported and was a pleasant surprise as the time passed much quicker watching the gull than waiting hopefully for it to arrive.  In flight it was clearly a little larger than the Common Gull and showed a distinctive mid-wing panel, which was also visible on the underwing.  When it rested on either the water or in shallow water its black-tipped pink bill was obvious, which was clearly larger than any of the Common Gulls present.  Its head was also more angular and the breast fuller giving it a distinctive jizz.  The mantle was pale grey as were the tertials, which were also finely edged white.  In flight the pale wing panel was always visible, contrasting with darker secondaries and primary coverts.  The tail was rather interesting with central area being whitish with the tail band broken.  There was also so some faint streaking on the back of neck and nape.

Whilst watching the gull I also noted a single second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull five Yellow Wagtails and a couple of White Wagtails and there were several Arctic Terns visible on lagoon three.

It had been a very successful afternoon after Friday’s disappointment.

A day’s birding in Leicestershire & Rutland - April 20, 2013

The weather forecast for today was excellent, warm with plenty of sun.  Roger and I initially went to Eye Brook Reservoir entering from the southern end but it was pretty quiet until we reached Holly Oaks Farm entrance when an Osprey flew low over the car and on checking at the next track we found a second.  After watching the second bird for a while perched at the top of a tree it took to flight and circled to gain height before heading over us towards the reservoir.  We could hear an Osprey calling but didn’t think it was the bird we were watching, which we were now certain was a female.  As it got over the reservoir a second bird appeared, which was the one calling but we then lost them as they flew into the sun. John Wright successfully identified both as local females from the photos I had taken.  We also had five Buzzards, two Little Ringed Plover and the Little Owl obliged today.  Close to the northern inlet we had a Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Whitethroat and then a second Whitethroat further on.  There was also a small party of eight Sand Martin and two Swallows closer to Stoke Dry and a Raven flew over calling.  The wildfowl had all been pushed towards the northern end by the fishing boats and we located five Shelduck, a pair of Gadwall and four Goldeneye amongst the more common Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebes.

Female Osprey

Female Osprey

Male Reed Bunting

Whitethroat

Peacock

Having covered the reservoir fairly well we decided to go to Rutland Water and the north arm.

As we drove to Rutland Water I checked to see if the Green-winged Teal we found yesterday at Lockington was present but it wasn’t.  There was a report of a Wood Sandpiper on lagoon four but after calling Tim who was not aware we decided to continue to the north arm.

The sun was now providing quite a bit of warmth and it was very pleasant in the north arm, although there wasn’t a great deal bird wise.  There were however five Arctic Terns, one of which was feeding close to the end of the spit and I managed to get a few photos but the bright sunlight was making the conditions far from ideal.  We also had two Red Kites and two Buzzards over Burley Wood but other than a few Goldeneye there was nothing else.

Arctic Tern in the north arm

We moved off to the Egleton Reserve and after lunch we moved off to lagoon four.  A Blackcap was heard singing as we walked to the lagoon and whilst we were watching it we had a call from Malcolm who said that there were two Whimbrel on lagoon four and a further call saying he might have the Wood Sandpiper but it was rather distant.

When Roger and I entered sandpiper hide we soon found the two Whimbrel before they disappeared behind an island.  A quick scan as to where Malcolm indicated he thought the Wood Sandpiper was but all we could see was a Greenshank.  After scanning the lagoon we eventually found two Oystercatcher, an Avocet, four Ringed Plovers, Grey Plover, three Dunlin, three Curlews and three Redshank.  There was also five Yellow Wagtails and just three White Wagtail most of which had clearly departed last night.  There were twenty-nine Shelduck on the lagoon and they are clearly favouring this lagoon at present.  There had been a couple of Reed Warbler reported in the reedbed and we asked Tim if we could go into the new Bittern hide, which is not quite finished as yet, in the hope we might at least hear them.  As we walked towards the hide three Sedge Warbler were observed and a forth heard.  There was either no sign or sound from the Reed Warblers from the new hide so we moved into plover hide on lagoon four.  Here we had better views of the Greenshank and also saw a Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper.  The Green Sandpiper was quite spotted in its summer plumage and we wondered if it might have been mistakenly identified as a Wood Sandpiper earlier in the day.  Two Buzzards were perched on poles close to the filter beds beyond lagoon four.

Lapwing on island three, lagoon four

Curlew over plover hide on lagoon four

As walked back to the centre we had two Whitethroats, another Sedge Warbler and a male Blackcap and we also had an immature Yellow-legged Gull on lagoon two.

From the centre we had another eleven Shelduck and our only Shoveler, a pair, of the day but there was little else.

It had been another good day’s birding, perhaps not quite as good as yesterday, but still producing two new birds, Whimbrel and Greenshank, for the year.