A visit to Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire & Rutland - August 20, 2014

I had spoken to Dave early who had gone out and had seen the Whinchat at Eyebrook Reservoir.  I decided to give it another go and arrived at the reservoir mid-morning.

There were two other birders present on arrival but they had not seen the Whinchat.  Richard also turned up and shortly afterwards Phil arrived and I stood with Phil overlooking the area the birds had been in.  We saw a couple of birds flying low over the vegetation but they dropped in and disappeared.  The only other bird we saw was a Reed Bunting that also dropped into the vegetation and disappeared.  It was just after midday when Phil announced he had one perched up further to the left.  I got on the bird, which was a juvenile, and we beckoned Richard.  By the time Richard arrived it had disappeared and we didn’t see it again.  I spent about four hours on site and saw the bird once and only for a few minutes.

Two Little Egrets had flown off just after I arrived and there were six Dunlin at the inlet and I found a Snipe and a Common Sandpiper on the Leicestershire side of the reservoir and a Green Sandpiper was observed in flight.  There was an adult and three juvenile Shelduck and a single Garganey present around the inlet and two drake Wigeon were feeding on the bank.  An Osprey was observed with a Red Kite and then probably a different bird was seen with a fish when it was harassed by a Great Black-backed Gull and a Raven.  They flew around for quite some time before the Great Black-backed Gull and then the Raven gave up and the Osprey came down into a tree briefly before flying off with the fish.  Two more Red Kites were observed towards the dam.

Two Yellow Wagtails were observed and there were numerous Sand Martins over the water and several House Martins and a few Swallow were seen, along with at least five Swift.

I called at the island where there was a Little Egret and a Common Sandpiper and I found a Green Sandpiper in the southwest corner before I departed.

I had seen a Red Kite near Hallaton on route to the reservoir and saw four in the area of Blaston as I drove home.

Osprey being harassed by a Great Black-backed Gull and a Raven