Tuesday 2 July 2013

Not so much a "Red Letter" day as a Red Kite day

Red Kite Milvus milvus
Monday 1 July


Rutland Water may be only fifteen minutes away to the west but the same time to the south will take me to the Northamptonshire Uplands and the woods and valleys between Fineshades and Blatherwyke, now home to a number of resident Red Kites that are always seen when we travel the A43 towards the county town itself.  So it was that I met up with my old friend and former primary HT colleague with the hope of getting a few close shots of these magnificent raptors that now seem to have reached just about every corner of the English and Welsh countryside.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Numerous Wood Pigeons on the way along with Blackbirds, Common Starlings, Rooks, Jackdaws and the occasional Carrion Crow but the first recorded birds upon arrival were a handful of House Sparrows and a few, mainly female, Chaffinches.  A Buzzard was soaring above me and then a low-flying Red Kite which passed almost directly over Tony's car as he approached the car park.  Once settled we looked about us, the arriving walkers, the caravans, etc and decided that we would be far better off down beside the lake at Blatherwyke.  So off we went, recording Magpies on the way and a single Corn Bunting on the wire above as we approached this small hamlet.  No sooner had we arrived and we were seeing Red Kites; at least four or five at various distances.  A pair of Buzzards could also be seen away to our left near the woods whilst, immediately in front, we had a small number of Canada Geese along with some Mallard a few Tufted Ducks.  A pair of Great Crested Grebes were feeding immediately below the low road bridge and the odd Coot and Moorhen were also noted.  In addition to the numerous Wood Pigeons, a single Greenfinch and a pair of Great Tits were actively feeding in the nearby tree.  And why is it when you concentrate on an individual Red Kite, waiting for it turn and come closer you look round and there is a closer individual right behind you?  Along with the Canada Geese a pair of larger, pale geese arrived with their two goslings but what were they?  A dark bill with an enlarged hump above and what looked like a dark line down the middle back of the neck, Tony informed me that they were regular sightings at this site over a number of years; I will have to do a little research to discover their origins.  Finally, we even had a lone Oystercatcher.

A family of Canada Geese Branta candenis
With no close shots of the Red Kites we drove along the side of the lake and found the main flocks of both Canada and Greylag Geese.  A dozen or more Mute Swans were on the water along with a couple of Grey Herons and Barn Swallows feeding above - but only one more target bird was seen.

Tufted Duck  Aythya fuligula
With the weather showing signs of improving and the possibility of a little sunshine we next drove the short distance over to Eyebrook Reservoir through some very pretty Northamptonshire villages with their lovely warm ,local stone cottages and houses and relatively unspoilt by wires and/or yellow lines on the road; a joy to behold.  Indeed, not so much the Collared Doves but the single Red Kite within ten metres of our cars that dropped down on to the road to pick something up was, perhaps, very much the highlight of this short journey.  Away from the fauna, who could not be impressed by the wonderful engineering spectacle that is the Harrington viaduct that we passed under on both the outward and return journeys.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Arriving at Eyebrook we were immediately greeted by scores of feeding Barn Swallows which were then joined by a number of Common Swifts.  Nearer the shallow end we were also to record god numbers of feeding Sand Martins over the water.  On the far bank were good numbers of both Mute Swan and Tufted Ducks with a handful of the latter immediately in front of us.  At least a half-dozen Cormorants were resting on a pontoon ans so provided the occasional fly-past but it was the smaller white birds that caught our attention.  First a couple of Black-headed Gulls with one being mobbed by an immature Herring Gull and then the first tern.  Soon we had as many as five or more Common Terns feeding along the water and often very close.  Carrion Crows and Lapwings also found something of interest in the grass at the water's edge and then a single Pied Wagtail flew past.  Whilst watching the Common Terns I was struck by how much larger and stranger the next "white bird" looked till, with sudden awe and excitement I realised that an Osprey had put in an appearance; not one but a pair.  Presumably on a fishing trip from nearby Rutland Water and both adults; were they a non-breeding pair or two breeding males that just happened to be fishing at the same site?

Osprey Pandion haliaetus (above and below) over Eyebrook Reservoir

A short drive to the shallow end produced more Lapwing along with the previously mentioned Sand Martins plus both Grey Heron and a single Little Egret.  A pair of Shelduck were caring for their two ducklings and three Common Sandpipers were feeding on the exposed mud.


So ended a very enjoyable morning from where we returned to Fineshades for a welcome coffee and large slice of cream-filled chocolate cake having recorded 38 species.

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus


Birds seen:
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Osprey, Red Kite, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Rook, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Corn Bunting.

What is this goose?  Can you let me know before I find out.


For more observations from the Axarquia Birder check out the home website/blog in Spain:
(There is a link between both sites - CLICK on either address.)

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