Monday 9 February 2015

A morning in Leicestershire & Rutland - February 8, 2015

I went to Rutland Water today to help with the WeBS count.  I was back counting South Arm Three today with the addition of lagoon one as well due to a lack of counters.

The weather was actually very nice and despite an overnight frost it was a very pleasant morning and ideal for counting.  I saw three male and four female Goosanders in the fishponds whilst we gathered for the count. There were all the expected wildfowl in South Arm Three with three drake and three red-headed Smew and a Redshank being the highlights.  Lagoon one was almost completely frozen over with just a few areas of free water, although there were still plenty of birds.  Most were Teal but there was also Mute Swan; Wigeon; Gadwall; Shoveler; Pochard and Tufted Duck.  There was also a single Golden Plover amongst a flock of Lapwing and fourteen Snipe, nine Curlew and another Redshank.  A Buzzard was also observed on Brown’s Island but there was no sign of the pair of Stonechats Erik had seen earlier.


There had been a report of a Great White Egret at Eyebrook Reservoir and so I called on route home.  The egret was still present and was standing in the inlet but there was little else, a Shelduck being the highlight.

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