Rutland Water - June 2013

17 June 2103

A dull cloudy start but at least it was calm as I drove over to Rutland Water for a morning's birding.  Twenty minutes later I was at the far end near Manton Bay on the road bridge overlooking the Osprey's nest where both birds were in view, if somewhat murky.  Later, I was to be informed that all three nests had been successful and that each contained three chicks.  Also on the water a small number of Gadwall and Mallards plus Moorhen, Coot, Shelduck, Cormorant and the odd Mute Swan.  Above and around me a mixture of Crows, Jackdaws, Rooks, Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves could be both seen and heard.  By the time I left the area three hours later I had recorded 43 species.

Male Tufted Duck  Aythya marila

One of three Osprey Pandion haliaetus nests at Rutland Water

Returning to the Visitors centre to both purchase my Day Pass and collect a temporary strap for the camera, the observation window revealed many of the above along with Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and Greylag Goose.  meanwhile, at the neighbouring feeding station, the most common birds were Goldfinches and House Sparrows.  These were regularly joined by both Great and Blue Tits along with Chaffinches and a few Greenfinches.along with a pair of Dunnocks.  Leaving the site and passing a number of Blackbirds and a Chiffchaff on the way I headed off towards Lagoon II and its handful of hides.  Strange how the different lagoons attract different birds for the numerous Tufted Ducks now gave way to large numbers of Pochard - plus representatives of the other ducks and water birds.  Gulls were represented by both Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed.  A solitary Grey Heron gave me the "eagle eye" from its stance opposite the hide.  Opposite me, the artificial Sand Martin colony was in full swing and appeared o be well-occupied by these summer visitors.

Whitethroat  Sylvia communis

Osprey Hide at the far end was empty on arrival and some quiet time here certainly produced the goods in terms of smaller birds.  First a rather lovely Sedge Warbler then a Garden Warbler followed by many visits and sightings of Whitethroat in the thick water-side vegetation.  next it was across the path to the relatively new lagoon IV from the Sandpiper Hide.  Immediately a couple of Lapwing and then a single Little Egret but very little else part from the odd Pochard and Mute Swan along with passing Jackdaws.

Avocet  Recurvirostra avosetta

The Shoveler Hide overlooking lagoon III was to be a prime site.  Whilst I was unable to find the Garganey that had been sighted here yesterday, I did record a good number of Teal, Great Crested Grebes and Mute Swans.  A pair of Avocets were immediately in front of me along with a single Shelduck.  A Moorhen was fiddling about below me to the right and on the nearest platform a pair of Pied Wagtails were going about their everyday business.  Overhead the continuously feeding Sand Martins were joined by the arrival of a number of Common Swifts.  However, the real bonus came when the lady to my left asked for somebody to tell her what the bird was with the long neck that was sitting in the reeds.  The name "crake" was shouted and then it was a question of we other four observers trying to locate the bird which, fortunately, the lady was still watching with her binoculars.  A real case of looking at the reeds and watching the individual walk into view.

(Great) Bittern  Botaurus stellaris

Finally, immediately below the second "Sticky-up" twig from the left-hand edge of the reeds located the bird.  This was no crake and to everyone's delight I was able to confirm that they were looking at a Bittern and at very close quarters given that from this hide it is usually a scope job to the very far bank.  Whilst watching the bird gradually turned round so that we were able to see both sides and then, as we watched, it "rose" to the top of the reed and flew off to the above mentioned far bank.  What a lovely sighting and one, I am sure, that all five of us will remember for many months.

After also adding Egyptian Goose and Barn Swallow I was ready to move on and check the remaining hides overlooking this sheet of water but not before a newly-arrived birder, annoyed at just missing the Bittern, found a very tatty -looking Little Gull on the far side of the water.  Even better, the bird (there were now at least two individuals) worked its way towards us so that we were all able to get closer views.  The neighbouring Smew Hide gave me the chance to confirm the Common Tern that I thought i had seen in the previous hide and, in the event, there were quite a few feeding over the lagoons.

Record shot of Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Time to set off home via a quick call to check out the Burley Fishponds which revealed nothing new so, at that time one short of three columns in the notebook.  Must be a Magpie and/or Canada Goose in sight before I leave the area but, no, nothing.  Then, just as I had settle on a final total a rather splendid Red Kite drifted over the car to make a perfect ending to the morning's birding.


Photographs taken with my usual canon D50 but with the "soft" 400 prime lens and no suitable editing facility at my Stamford address.


 The flight of the Great Bustard Botaurus stellaris
 

Birds seen:
Geylag Goose, Egyptian Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron. Bittern, Osprey, Red Kite, Moorhen, Coot, Avocet, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Little Gull, Lesser black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Blackbird, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.

Goldfinch  Carduelis carduelis 

 For more observations from the Axarquia Birder check out the home website/blog in Spain:

http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com  or  http://birdingaxarquia2.blogspot.com

(There is a link between both sites - CLICK on either address.)