I was out with Dave today and
we set off initially to Eyebrook Reservoir.
The only bird of note we had seen prior to reaching the Stockerston Road
and turning to Eyebrook Reservoir was a single Buzzard near Great Glen. We stopped along Stockerston Road to view a
field that often proves interesting and we found a flock of Linnet that must
have contained in excess of one hundred birds.
There was also good numbers of Yellowhammer and Fieldfare and we also
found a single Skylark and a Reed Bunting.
We went back along the road to gain access to the reservoir from the
northern end but the hopped for Little Owl didn’t oblige but there were two Red
Kites. When we reached the reservoir we
found some clown inside the perimeter fence taking pictures of a tree at the
inlet and consequently disturbing the birds.
Dave shouted out him to get out as it was private and in fairness he
responded and climbed back over the fence.
I also spoke to him as he walked back to his car and he turned out to be
a birder and should have really known better.
There were quite a few Lapwing on the exposed mud and I counted ten
Dunlin amongst them and Dave found two Snipe closer to the bridge with eleven
Golden Plover flying over but other than a couple of Shelduck there was little
else.
We then drove across country
to the dam at Rutland Water as we turned right at Edith Weston there were two
Red Kites on the right but there was no sign of yesterdays reported
Red-throated Diver.
Mute Swans fighting close to the dam
Malcolm was at the dam and he
came to the Egleton Reserve with us and we walked along the cycle track before
Dave and he went towards the 360°hide and I
continued on the track. We were trying
to locate the two adult European White-fronted Geese and a juvenile Greenland
White-fronted Goose but all I saw in the fields were fourteen Egyptian
Geese. I did see a Green Woodpecker at
the back of lagoon seven and a few Greylag Geese near Heron Bay but there was
no sign of the White-fronts. I called
Dave and he and Malcolm had fared no better but he informed me that Rick had
seen a Stonechat from harrier hide. I
continued on to harrier hide where I was joined by Dave and Malcolm but there
was no sign of the Stonechat. We did see
a few Pintail on the mainly frozen lagoon, a Buzzard flew over and nine Curlew
dropped on to the wet meadow with a tenth coming down on the edge of lagoon
one. We walked back towards the centre
with Malcolm taking the cycle track while Dave and I continued on to Mallard
hide. Almost the first bird I saw
opening the flap was a male Stonechat and then a female and I also counted
forty-two Pintail on lagoon one. Dave
and I then went back to the car park for some lunch and were joined by Erik who
had also been looking for the geese without any luck.
Buzzard over lagoon one
After lunch we walked down to
Shoveler hide where we found a couple of Snipe but very little else. We moved on to Lapwing hide seeing a Green
Sandpiper in flight close to crake hide and although there were plenty of
Tufted Duck close to Lapwing hide there was little else. Eric then picked up a red-headed Smew almost
a far as the Old Hall and a Little Egret on the Lyndon Reserve shore. I then found a Green Sandpiper on lagoon two,
which was probably the one we had in flight near crake hide. A second Little Egret then flew in and landed
on the bund with four Grey Heron.
We walked back to Shoveler
hide and spent more time looking for the Bittern but without any joy although
we did find three Pintail and Little Egret flew in and a Great Spotted
Woodpecker was observed over the wood.
Dave and I then called it a day whilst Erik went to sandpiper hide on
lagoon four.
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