A day in Rutland - May 13, 2017

I was involved with Tim Appleton, Terry Mitcham and Chris Park in the annual Rutland Bird Race and we were starting from Tim’s at 04:00.  I saw a Muntjac after passing through Billesdon, a Red Fox just outside Skeffington and a European Hedgehog on the road near the church and Egleton.

As I pulled up at the cottage Chris and Terry were already there and had seen a Barn Owl and heard Curlew.  As I was changing my shoes the Curlew called again and whilst we were waiting for Tim we heard Oystercatcher, Cuckoo and Tawny Owl.

After a brief discussion, we headed for Burley Wood, where a Woodcock had been seen roding on several occasions recently.  It was just 04:10 when we headed off up the ride to a spot where we had waited unsuccessfully last year.  It was still quite dark and there was little bird activity but as it began to get light we heard Robin, Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Blackcap, Song Thrush, Carrion Crow and Blackbird and just after 04:30 the Woodcock flew over and we had our first key bird on the list. As we walked back down the ride we added Wren, Chiffchaff and Garden Warbler and on reaching the road could see Mute Swan and Coot in the north arm of Rutland Water.

We headed back towards the Egleton Reserve at Rutland Water and stopped on Church Road as Tim indicated it was a good spot for both Whitethroat and Yellowhammer.  The others were hearing birds on the other side of the Land Rover and whilst looking at a group of Mute Swans in the field on my side of the road I picked out a Bar-tailed Godwit.  I then got out of the vehicle and added Mallard, Whitethroat, Black-headed Gull; Willow Warbler; Great Black-backed Gull and Egyptian Goose, when the others, who were still in the vehicle called me as they had a couple of Grey Partridge between the road and the Lagoon Four bund, which was an excellent find, and I caught up with Yellowhammer. We added Shelduck and Shoveler in the next meadow and Starling, Chaffinch and House Sparrow before reaching the Egleton car park.

An unsuccessful stop in the car park for Mistle Thrush did produce Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Goldfinch, Rook and Pied Wagtail and we had reached thirty-seven species as we moved along the surface road towards the new lagoons, seeing party of Greylag Geese in the meadow.

We stopped near the 360 Hide and viewed Lagoon Eight adding Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Lapwing, Sand Martin, Dunnock and Sedge Warbler and quick visit into the hide added Redshank, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall and Cormorant.

We then moved on to hopefully hear a Grasshopper Warbler that had been reeling between Harrier and Fieldfare Hide but we had no joy.  A Lesser Whitethroat was heard and Common Tern were added whilst we stood listening for Grasshopper Warbler and Terry picked up a Jay as it flew over and a Stock Dove obliged just afterwards.  A visit to Harrier Hide was not so productive with just Moorhen being added before we decided to head for Lagoon Four.

As Terry opened the gate to get access to the northern lagoons a Greenfinch was observed in the tree above the gate but we added nothing else before we parked near Dunlin Hide.  The total was on fifty-five as we entered the hide and as we scanned the lagoon Chris found a Whimbrel and there was an Avocet at the back of the lagoon.  A party of waders were observed in flight, some of which settled close to the hide and we added Ringed Plover and Dunlin.  Tim and Chris felt there was possibly a Sanderling amongst the flock but it hadn’t come down with the close group.  A Green Woodpecker called, I then saw a Little Egret, Terry found a Barnacle Goose and Tim got on a close Little Ringed Plover.  The waders were then in flight again and we all picked out the Sanderling as they dropped out of sight again.  A Sparrowhawk then flew low over the lagoon spooking all the birds resting on or near island ten.  Chris and Tim noticed a Teal but Terry and I missed it and we couldn’t relocate it after the birds had settled again.  A Grey Heron was our last addition from the hide and we had a Linnet as we got to the bottom of the slope.

We stopped briefly near the ramp to Sandpiper Hide and heard the Nightingale that had taken up territory near Osprey Hide moved the total onto sixty-eight.  We went into Shoveler Hide on Lagoon Three but there were few birds feeding over the water although there was a drake Pochard to the left of the hide and several Swifts feeding high over the reedbed.  Several Reed Warblers were singing and Tim and Chris heard a Cetti’s Warbler but it was some time after before Terry and I heard it.  A Water Rail then called, which was an excellent addition and my first every May record for the counties and whilst looking for a Reed Bunting the others had seen we added Blue Tit and I got the Reed Bunting as we left the hide.

A trip to Lapwing Hide produced nothing on either South Arm Three or Lagoon Two but as got back to the gate near Shoveler Hide there was a very smart male Bullfinch in the hedge, along with a female.

We went into Sandpiper Hide to get a different view of Lagoon Four and Tim re-found the drake Teal and Chris then found a Raven perched on a conifer in Burley Wood.  A Common Sandpiper was heard and then seen just to the right of the hide and our first Swallow flew over.  There had been two immature gulls that we thought were Lesser Black-backed but after looking at the Common Sandpiper we were unable to find them and went to Plover Hide to view the other side of the islands.

A pair of Marsh Tits are breeding in nest box near Plover Hide and Terry and I saw a bird go into the box but it didn’t come out again.  Chris heard a Marsh Tit calling and we left Tim looking at the box whilst we went into the hide to look for the probable Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  There was no sign where we expected to find them but we did find a single first-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull further away.  Tim then came into the hide saying the tit still hadn’t come out of the box but that he had seen a second bird.

With nothing else we moved on and before reaching the cottage we had added Osprey, Stonechat and Magpie.  On reaching the cottage we had a short coffee break in the garden where we added House Martin and Buzzard and I caught up Great Tit, taking the total onto eighty-eight.

From the cottage, we went to Lyndon and saw a Red Kite between Manton and the Lyndon turn and a Mistle Thrush in the meadow just after turning onto the road to the reserve.  Our target here was Tree Sparrow, which we promptly got on one of the new nest boxes and I added Great Spotted Woodpecker, which the others had seen on the Egleton Reserve.  We scanned the far shore to left of Goldeneye Hide as several waders had been reported recently and Tim found another Sanderling.  Whilst enjoying a cup of tea we continued to scan the far shore and Chis found a Black-tailed Godwit that almost immediately disappeared into the juncus and it was some time before it reappeared and we all had good views.

After finishing our splendid cup of tea supplied and made by Paul we were off and added Kestrel as we were getting back into the vehicle.  A stop at Swan Hide for Treecreeper proved unsuccessful as there was no activity at the nest just outside the hide.  We continued along the cycle track having to negotiate several new gates before reaching Berrybut Spinneys, where Chris, Terry and I walked through part of the second spinney looking for Nuthatch.  As we started to walk through the wood Terry found a Treecreeper and after we had all had good views we continued through the spinney.  We stopped just before we reached the far end of the spinney looking for the illusive Nuthatch when Chris found a Spotted Flycatcher, which was our ninety-fifth species and a year-tick.  We called Tim who soon joined us but we were unable to relocate the bird and continued onto Luffenham Airfield.

We were hoping for a late Wheatear on the airfield but had no joy, although we did add Skylark and Meadow Pipit to the list before returning to the reservoir and finding a Mandarin in the fisherman’s area at Normanton.  A brief stop at the dam and we found a nice male Yellow Wagtail in the field on the opposite side of the road, which was species number 100.  Tim had seen one much earlier on Lagoon Four but it flew before anyone else managed to see it.

As we headed to Ketton we found a couple of Red-legged Partridges in a roadside field and on reaching Ketton viewed the cement works from the west.  There were a few Feral Pigeons around the buildings and Chris and Terry had the Peregrine in flight but is disappeared before Tim and I saw it.  As it had most likely come down on one of the buildings we spent several minutes scanning them without success and with news of a Great White Egret on Lagoon One we were keen to get back to the Bird Watching Centre.  However, as we had to go by the cement works we stopped view them from the east in the hope we could locate the Peregrine.  After a good ten minutes, we hadn’t found it and were about to move off when Chris said I've got it.  It was perched on a ledge of the chimney with the spiral down it and was tucked right up against the spiral and almost impossible to detect with the bins but visible through the scope.  After congratulating Chris on finding it we looked again but it had gone.

On reaching the centre the Great White Egret wasn’t visible and may even have flown off and so we went to the viewing area to get a better view of the lagoon.  As I scanned towards Mallard Hide I briefly saw the head of an egret that I suspected was the Great White Egret.  I altered the others and we then spent a good ten minutes try to get a better view, just seeing its head briefly on several occasions.  It eventually raised its head long enough to confirm its identity and we were on 104.

We called at Sandpiper Hide as we made our way to the fishponds to look for Kingfisher and added Turnstone and there was also a second Sanderling, and they had possibly arrived during a sharp shower whilst we were in the centre.

We took the opportunity to have a bite to eat whilst we were looking for the Kingfishers but they didn't show but I heard a Little Grebe, which I hadn’t heard earlier and we had a couple of Long-tailed Tits as we went back to the road and headed to Exton Park.

After passing through the village we walked on the edge of Tunneley Wood before doing a circuit again looking for Nuthatch.  There was no sign of any Nuthatches but we did add Coal Tit and had brief views of a Tawny Owl when we accidently disturbed it.  From Tunneley Wood we went to Fort Henry Fishponds for Grey Wagtail as they were breeding there.  We hadn't been out of the vehicle long when a Grey Wagtail called and then flew right in front of us and perched on a log on the other side of the lake.  As we were scanning the northern lake Terry shouted Hobby and when I looked I picked up a Buzzard over the wood but did eventually find the Hobby that was feeding below the treeline over the lake, making it difficult to see.  We had now reached 110 and expected the going to get tough with few birds we really could expect to add.

We decided to go to Cottesmore Airfield but when we got there, there was some sort of time trail with cars taking place and it was quite noisy at times.  It had produced Curlew in recent years, which was our first bird this morning, but it wasn’t surprising not to see or hear any.  Chris then shouted Wheatear but it dropped onto the ground and out of sight.  Chris, Terry and I walked down the edge of the field to try and get closer, seeing a couple of Red-legged Partridges and a Yellow Wagtail as we did.  When we reached the building, there was no sign and so Terry walked a little further and I then noticed some birds perched on the wire surrounding a small compound.  The first bird I looked at was a nice female Wheatear and after calling Terry back we all saw it, including Tim who had scoped it from near the vehicle.

Pleased with our latest find we went to Tinwell and the River Welland, where Terry had seen Kingfisher recently.  As we stood on the bridge looking down stream there were four Grey Wagtails around a small wear and whilst looking at these I saw a Kingfisher fly off downstream.  It wasn’t seen by anyone else but a few seconds later it, or another, flew up stream and over the bridge and it was species 112 with still plenty of day light left.

A trip back to Lyndon hoping that a Snipe present over the last few days would appear and after a brief look for a Little Owl without success we went to Wader Scrape Hide for the Snipe.  The hide is the main one for observing the Ospreys and both were on the nest but there was no sign of the Snipe.  Andy Howes was the volunteer in the centre and he informed us that there had been a Black Tern feeding whilst he had been on duty.  A quick scan and there was the Black Tern and then Chris found an Arctic Tern amongst the small number of terns feeding in South Arm Two.  Wow, two unexpected birds new for the day and the total reached 114 and the record of 118 was in sight.

From Lyndon, we visited a farm Terry has access to and found a Barn Owl roosting in one of the barns moving us onto 115 and one closer to the record.  We went back to the Egleton reserve and after checking in at the centre there was nothing new to report.  Chris, Terry and I walked to Redshank Hide and had a Sparrowhawk just before Tim joined us after driving the vehicle along the service road.  There was no sign of the female Ruddy Duck that has been present since October and seen regularly on Lagoon Two recently.  Tim said he would meet at Sandpiper Hide on Lagoon Four, whilst we walked along the Summer Trail.

As we reached the turning to Grebe Hide Terry suggested we should go in rather than just going by.  When we got into the hide Mike Snow was in the hide but he hadn’t seen a great deal, although he had seen a Common Gull on Lagoon Four earlier.  As we scanned the lagoon I picked up a bird just on the edge of the vegetation to the left of the hide and my initial impression was that’s the Ruddy but I needed t be sure as the angle wasn’t perfect.  As I watched the bird it turned and both Chris and I cried at the same time Ruddy Duck and with hopefully the Common Gull on Lagoon Four we would be one short of the record.

When we reached the hide, Tim was already there but there was no sign of the Common Gull and appeared to be very little else.  Two Hobbies were observed over the lagoon and I then noticed a Herring-type Gull stood between a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls and after alerting the others we agreed to it was just a Herring Gull but species 117 moving us every closer to the record.

After some discussion, we left the reserve to try a parkland area in Oakham for Nuthatch.  We went into a field where the owner had seen Nuthatches but again it looked as though it was a species we were not going to see.

We next went to a farm near Exton where we have seen Little Owls twice in the last three years but Terry wasn’t too hopeful as he hadn’t seen them there for a while.  As we walked through the paddock to the barns we saw a Yellow Wagtail but there was no sign of any Little Owls and we went back to Burley Wood for final Nuthatch attempt.

We spent twenty minutes in the wood but there was no sign of a Nuthatch and with just a Sparrowhawk for our efforts we went back to Lagoon Four on the reserve.

We had seen Erik earlier who was in the hide but hadn’t seen anything of note when Terry cried Common Gull and there was species 118 an adult between two Black-headed Gulls.

With the record equalled we went and walked the Wet Meadow hoping for a Snipe.  There was some superb habitat that looked ideal for Snipe but t appeared they didn’t think so and we drew a blank.

Chris had been talking to Lloyd who indicated that he heard Little Owls from the car park in Braunstone most evenings and so we drove the short distance to the village.  Lloyd was in the car park waiting for us when we arrived and took along a lane as he had often seen or heard them from there.  The light was now beginning to go but Terry then found a Little Owl perched on top of a tall pole and yes we had broken the record by just one, which was a fitting end to an excellent fun days birding.