David, Roger and I were out
for the day today and decided to visit Robin-a-Tiptoe, which is hill on the
northeast edge of Leicestershire that can be good for Ring Ouzel and Wheatear. We did find two Wheatears, a male and female,
but there was no sign of any Ring Ouzel.
We also had twelve Sand Martin and ten Meadow Pipit flying northwest
over the hill.
We moved off to the north arm
at Rutland Water from here where we walked to the point from the Manager’s
cottage. There were plenty of Sand
Martin over the water and we did manage to pick up a few Swallow and a single
House Martin amongst them. The water level
had risen quite considerably but most of the winter wildfowl have now departed
and there was little of note present.
There was a Red Kite, two Sparrowhawk and two Buzzards over Burley Wood.
Male Kestrel in the north arm at Rutland Water
We signed in at the Bird
Watching Centre and then walked to lagoon four, although yesterday’s
Black-winged Stilt and flown off yesterday evening and was apparently found in
Lincolnshire today. We called at
redshank hide on lagoon two on route as there had been a Sedge Warbler singing
there yesterday but there was no sign today.
We did see a male Sparrowhawk at the base of the manmade Sand Martin
nest site. We wondered if it was perhaps
waiting for an easy meal but the Sand Martin were keeping well away.
Lagoon four appeared quieter
this morning but we soon located Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover and
there were five Avocets and a single Ruff and at least five Redshanks. We also found a single Golden Plover, which
is quite a good bird here in April. As
we walked towards we heard a Sedge Warbler singing and then saw it singing from
the top of a bramble patch. We heard two
more Sedge Warbler, one from shoveler hide on lagoon three and the other from
crake hide but neither were seen.
This afternoon we were going
to have an official opening of Pintail Hide, which had been erected in memory
of one of our birding friends but before that we had lunch and spent some time
in the Bird Watching Centre overlooking lagoon one. A nice summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit
flew in as we were looking for a goose David had seen but had disappeared
behind an island. Roger eventually saw
the bird, which turned out to be a dark-bellied Brent Goose, an excellent bird
in the Counties. A female Marsh Harrier
was observed as it flew low over lagoon two before rising quickly and appearing
to move off and an Osprey was observed rather distantly over the north arm.
Drake Shelduck from crake hide at Rutland Water
Female Pheasant from crake hide at Rutland Water
Chiffchaff on the summer trail behind lagoon two at Rutland Water
It was now time to go to Pintail Hide for the opening, which was entered by some of John’s old friends and the Reserve Manager, Tim Appleton. We had savouries, cakes and a shot of John’s favourite whiskey. We saw very little else of note during the rest of the afternoon, other than further views of the Brent Goose.
The gathering at Pintail Hide
Shots lined and ready for the toast
The new Pintail Hide on lagoon six at Rutland Water
The view from Pintail Hide overlooking lagoon six
with lagoon one and the Bird Watching Centre in the distance
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