I went out today with the
intention of staying out all day but I returned home early as my daughter
wanted some help.
I had seen a couple of
Buzzards, one near Stanton Wyville and the other near Cranoe and a Red Kite and
Marsh Tit near Blaston on route to Eyebrook Reservoir. Eyebrook Reservoir was relatively quiet with
just five Shelduck being of interest.
After visiting the dam at
Rutland Water, with nothing to show I went to the north arm where I found a
single summer plumage Black-necked Grebe but there was no sign of any of the
Long-tailed Ducks or Slavonian Grebe.
There were six Shelduck and a single Redshank around the shore line also
two Red Kites and four Buzzards over Burley Wood. On reaching the reserve I went straight to
lagoon three where I found an adult Little Gull amongst the numerous
Black-headed Gulls feeding over the water.
It was still in winter plumage although the head was showing signs of
the hood developing. I called Steve who
was also at Rutland Water to inform him of the Little Gull as it was the first
within the counties this year. He had
seen a few Sand Martins and a single Swallow in Dickinson’s Bay and heard
single Blackcaps near the Tim’s cottage and at Barnsdale. Just after speaking to Steve I had a
Sparrowhawk over the Hambleton Peninsular.
I moved onto plover hide on
lagoon four where I found four Oystercatchers, two Avocets, four Ringed Plovers,
nine Dunlin, a Black-tailed Godwit and five Redshanks and there was also
thirteen Shelduck on the lagoon.
Mute Swan on lagoon four
Shelduck over lagoon four
Redshank on lagoon four
There was a Great Spotted
Woodpecker on the feeders at the Egleton Centre and I heard another drumming as
I walked back from lagoon four.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Robin at the Egleton feeding station
Male Greenfinchat the Egleton feeding station
Female Greenfinchat the Egleton feeding station
After a bite to eat I went
back to the north arm in the hope of finding the Blackcap. I heard it sing on few occasions but it was
well in the wood and so I went to the end of the road to view the north arm. There was a lady there who was watching a
grebe but was unsure of its identity. It
was in fact the Slavonian Grebe, which was moulting into summer plumage and
looked rather messy, although it was showing quite a bit of red on the neck. We also looked for the Black-necked Grebe and
found it out towards the water tower.
After informing Steve that both grebes were still present I departed for
home.
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