Roger and set off for Eyebrook
Reservoir this morning seeing a Red Kite just before we entered Tur Langton and
a Buzzard just after leaving. On arrival
at Eyebrook Reservoir there were still a few Fieldfares in the first field and
we did find a single Redwing but there was no sign of any Little Owls this
morning. The only other birds of note
during our short stay were two Shelduck and a Red Kite with very little at the
inlet.
Another Red Kite was observed
just after leaving Eyebrook Reservoir and a Buzzard was seen just before we
reached the Manton turning. At Rutland
Water we went straight to Dickinson’s Bay where Roger eventually found the two
Black-necked Grebes, although they are now both moulting into summer plumage,
which does make them a little harder to find.
Steve had seen the Greenland White-fronted Goose and two Pink-footed
Geese amongst a flock of Greylag Geese on the western shore of Dickinson's Bay
yesterday and there was still a flock of geese present. However most were
roosting and it was difficult to see them well but all we were seeing were
Greylags, although we were able to see three more distant Barnacle Geese. We decided to drive to the fisherman’s car park
on the southern shore to view them from a different angle. Norman had joined us and the three of us we
scanned the roosting flock initially seeing just Greylags but I then picked the
Greenland White-fronted Goose out as it stood for a few minutes showing the
white blaze. Once we were aware where it
was it could be picked out as it was clearly smaller and noticeably darker than
the Greylags. An Oystercatcher observed
just to the east of the car park and a Red Kite over Burley Wood were the only
other birds of note.
Roger and I went to the north
arm from the end of cottage lane but other than further views of the three
Barnacles we just had a single Little Egret and four Buzzards over Burley Wood.
Mistle Thrush
We finally went to the Egleton
Reserve and met Erik as we walked to the centre, who informed us we were
wasting our time as it was very quiet.
We spent about thirty minutes in the centre where we found eight Dunlin
and seven Curlews and an Avocet flew over and landed in the Wet Meadow where
there was also a couple of Oystercatchers.
After some lunch we set of
heading to the northern lagoons seeing a pair of Bullfinches just before
reaching the large meadow. There were
quite a few birders in front of us heading towards the hides and as we walked
down the path I noticed a passerine flying above the meadow but before I could
get the bins on it, it dropped into the meadow.
I scanned where I thought it had landed but couldn’t see anything.
I informed Roger, who hadn’t
noticed the bird, that I wasn’t sure what it was but was curious as it had dropped
into the grass and disappeared. I
quickened my pace with Roger in pursuit but when I got closer I still couldn’t
see anything but was pretty sure it was still on the ground. I suddenly found it and Roger also got on it,
I could see it was a lark and assumed that it would probably be a Skylark but
as I looked I said to Roger is it a Woodlark and he replied I think it is. We both got our scopes on the bird and
confirmed its identity and we had found only the second Woodlark for Rutland
Water, the last one being a fly over in 2005.
We put the news out and thankfully the bird remained in the field until
about 17:30 when it flew off towards lagoon three. It was a Counties lifer for both Roger and I and
many more County listers added to their list as most recent sightings had been
autumn flyovers. We had first seen the
bird at 13:05 and after a good hour we continued on to plover hide where there
was a drake and red-headed Smew but little else.
Woodlark
A brief visit to Bittern hide
produced a single Snipe and from sandpiper hide we saw two Oystercatchers, two
Ringed Plovers, eight Curlew and a Redshank and there was a drake Smew and
three red-heads feeding just in front of the hide.
Smew
As we walked back to the
centre the Woodlark was still present but there were now fewer people observing
although we did see a couple almost running to get it on their lists.
Another visit to the centre
produced nothing and a quick stop at Manton Bridge, hoping for the Great White
Egret, produced nothing.
It had been an excellent day with
an unexpected bonus of a County Lifer.
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