A brief visits to two local sites in Leicestershire - June 11, 2018

I decided I would make a visit to two local sites this morning and initially went to Great Glen and walked past the lake to the sewage farm.  There was a Mallard with a brood of two on the lake and four juvenile Grey Heron were in the trees.  I had seen and heard another Goldcrest before entering the field beyond the lake and as I approached the sewage farm a single Common Swift flew over.  With workers present at the sewage farm I wasn’t too surprised to find nothing on the filter beds as birds are not so dependant as in the winter months.  I walked back to the lake but after a brief wait for a Common Kingfisher with no joy I went back to the car.  As I approached the car to Carrion Crows were mobbing a Northern Raven over the village.

From Great Glen I drove to Saddington Reservoir where a Corn Bunting had been photographed recently. The habitat here looks ideal for birds, but it was quiet as I walked alongside the reservoir in the direction of Gumley.  On reaching the open fields there was very little and certainly no sign of a Corn Bunting as I walked towards the hill leading to Gumley.  Walking back I saw very little and on reaching the woodland surrounding the edge of the reservoir saw a Blackcap and heard another two and a Common Chiffchaff was also heard and there was a Common Tern over the reservoir.  I brief visit to the dam produced a couple more singing Blackcaps, but it was generally quiet, and I called it a day an headed home.