When I left home this morning it was raining heavily and was still doing
so as I reached Eyebrook Reservoir. As I
approached the reservoir via the northern approach road there was a flock of
30+ Fieldfare that flew off the field into the old oak. There was a Little Egret feeding along the
inlet stream and I saw two Barn Swallows over the reservoir but there was very
little else.
From Eyebrook Reservoir I went to the Lyndon Reserve where the rain had
eased. I went into the centre and spent
some time observing the feeders where there was a constant coming and going of
birds that included a couple of Eurasian Tree Sparrows, along with two Great
Spotted Woodpeckers, Blue and Great Tits, European Robin, Dunnock, Common
Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch and Common Reed Bunting.
I then went to Teal Hide to view the South Arm and found both Great
Northern Divers close to Manton Bay and the two Western Ospreys were at the
nest site in bay. As I continued to scan
I picked up a Western Barn Owl quartering over the meadows between Heron Bay and
Manton Bay but there was nothing else of real note and I went back into the
centre.
There had been a Brambling at the feeders yesterday and so I accepted
Paul’s offer of a cup of tea and settled down to observe the feeders for a
while. There were fewer birds at the
feeders than earlier but more gradually returned, including another couple of
Eurasian Tree Sparrows and a Yellowhammer.
I then picked up a Lesser Redpoll in the hedge to the left and a few
minutes later one appeared at the feeding station and eventually there were
five present, including a rather smart-looking male.
Malcolm had called earlier and was on the Egleton Reserve and indicated
that the road was flooded from the main road to Egleton and so I decided to go
to the north arm via the Oakham bypass.
As I drove along the unnamed road there were four Common Shelducks in
the fishponds and when I stopped at Tim’s feeders, it appeared quiet with just
a few Blue & Great Tits visiting. However,
I did stick it out for a few minutes and was rewarded with a Coal Tit and two
Marsh Tit. With just a Little Egret and
two Eurasian Oystercatcher visible from the far parking spot I was soon on my
way to the Egleton Reserve.
I checked the geese in the fields as Steve and Terry had seen the
Pink-footed Goose fly in that direction with several Greylag Geese but there were
just Greylags, a couple of Canada and three Egyptian Geese.
After parking I went into the centre and on checking the sightings book
was surprised to find that a pair of Common Scoter had been reported on Lagoon
One. Mike Chester then came down from
the viewing gallery and said that he had just seen them. I went back up with Mike and found them
towards the rear of the lagoon. This was
the first time I had seen Common Scoter on any of the lagoons and while they
are not an uncommon visitor to the site they are usually confined to the main
reservoir. I called Steve to make him
aware as during an earlier conversation he had indicated that he was hoping for
them and some terns today. I also
alerted Malcolm who hadn’t seen the Pink-footed Goose or American Wigeon on
Lagoon Four and was on his way back to the centre. Steve and Terry arrived shortly afterwards,
and Steve then found a first-summer Little Gull on the water. Just after Malcolm had arrived the Little
Gull started flying and provided some nice, if distant views.
Malcolm, Mike and I then went back to the car park, leaving Steve and
Terry in the centre and while having lunch I saw both a male and female
Blackcap. After we had finished our
lunch it wasn’t too difficult in persuading Malcolm to go back to Dunlin Hide
to have another look for the American Wigeon.
The tracks were very wet in places, but the winter path was reasonably
dry and as we approached the end of the path we heard and saw a Willow Warbler
and then a second whilst continuing to Dunlin Hide. Just before reaching the hide a WhatsApp
message indicated that the drake American Wigeon was still on Lagoon Four.
The hide was empty when
we went in but just afterwards Toby and two friends came in and it wasn’t long
afterwards when I found the American Wigeon.
There were eleven Common Shelduck and a pair of Northern Pintail on the
lagoon and I eventually found ten Eurasian Oystercatcher and at least three
Common Redshank, which were very mobile.
Craig had also joined us and shortly afterwards Malcolm said he might
have the Pink-footed Goose at the back of the lagoon. A quick scan with the bins revealed the bird
and on getting it in the scope I was satisfied with his identification. Steve and Terry then arrived, and the hide
was now quite crowded but all we added were four Western Yellow Wagtails before
Toby and his friends and then Craig left the hide. Steve and Terry left shortly afterwards to
try and locate a Sedge Warbler and it wasn’t long before Malcolm and I left with
the same idea in mind.
When we reached the area, Toby indicated that they had just heard one,
but it remained silent and so Malcolm and I went to Shoveler Hide.
When we arrived Steve and Terry were in the hide and the second-summer
Mediterranean Gull was still on the islands with the Black-headed Gulls but
after a couple of short flights Malcolm saw it fly off to the east and it
hadn’t returned when we left the hide.
Malcolm and I went to Lapwing Hide to view the South Arm and soon found
the summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe out on the water. Terry had picked it up from the centre, but
it had been disturbed by a fishing boat and was now in the centre of the
arm. The fishing boat was now heading
out into the centre of the arm and rather than swimming directly away from it,
the grebe moved away from the line of the boat and then headed back into the
corner, where there was obviously a good supply of food.
With very little else in the South Arm we walked back to where the Sedge
Warbler was singing and this time we not only heard it but also had brief views. Pleased with our success we moved onto Plover
Hide where a Common Ringed Plover had been reported.
Plover Hide gives a different view of Lagoon Four and in particular the
opposite side to most of the islands.
Initially all we found were much of what we had seen earlier, Common
Shelduck, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Redshank but as I
scanned island four I found a ringed plover-type and on closer inspection
identified it as a Little Ringed Plover.
Malcolm then set off back to the car park and another birder asked about
the American Wigeon and I gave him some directions as where we had seen it
earlier and he found close to the western bank before I also set off for the
car park.
Malcolm called as I was walking along the winter path to inform me that
he had seen a male Brambling near the feeders in the ringing area. As I continued along the track I heard and
then found another singing Blackcap and on reaching the Rutland gate near the
feeders I stopped to scan the trees and bushes for the Brambling. There were a few European Goldfinch in the bush,
but I could see nothing else and so went to the other side of the small bridge
to view the big tree. I could see a
European Greenfinch but again there was no sign of the Brambling and so I
retraced my steps back to the Rutland gate, seeing a Common Chiffchaff as I did
so. There were now several Eurasian Blue
Tit in the bushes but again no sign of the Brambling and so I returned to the
big tree again with the same result. I
decided to go back once more to the Rutland gate before heading back to the car
park and found there were now more birds in the bushes. As I scanned I found both Green and European
Goldfinches and was fairly certain one of the birds at the back of the bush was
in fact a Brambling. When it moved I was
able to confirm my suspicions and saw that there was also a second bird nearby,
but they were both females. A third bird
then appeared, and I had reasonable views of a male Brambling.
When I got back to the car park I changed my boots and whilst drinking a
cup of coffee saw a bird fly into a tree near the toilet block and on raising
my bins found it was a Redwing.
It had been a good days birding despite the early rain and misty
conditions with eighty-four species recorded.
Migration remained slow although there were clearly more Barn Swallow
around today and also a couple of House Martins, and along with the Sand Martin
there was probably close to 100 hirundine over Lagoon Four at one point.
No comments:
Post a Comment