Rutland Water by accident!

Saturday 26 August

It all started out quite innocently with friends Tony and Margaret Noble visit us for the day from, relatively, nearby Moulton on the northern outskirts of Northampton.  Out for lunch and Jenny wanted to try the recommended cafe, Wellies, at Edith Weston Garden Centre.  The car parked and out and within one step we looked up as an Osprey drifted over to the neighbouring south side of Rutland Water.  Lunch duly completed we made the short journey of less than a mile to Rutland Water's Lyndon Centre to see what might be about and enquire as to the success of this year's Osprey breeding season.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Marvellous news.  This year there were eight (8) breeding pairs and fifteen young had been successfully reared.  Whilst the youngsters had now departed, many of the adults were still about.  Looking through the viewing window we watched the local Tree Sparrows feeding along with Woodpigeons and a Crow.  Down on the water we had a trio of Egyptian Geese, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Mute Swan and even a Little Egret.  Lots more birds on the water; mainly Coots and Great Crested Grebes but also passing Cormorants.  A couple of Common Terns were quartering the water near the shore and a handful of Black-headed Gulls put in an appearance.  No doubt, however, the best sighting was that of a very close juvenile Sparrowhawk that sat for many minutes on the edge of a large bush to the left above one of the near-ground nest boxes erected for the local Tree Sparrow population.

Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

Given that it was already well after four-thirty. no point in talking the long walk to the osprey nest so drove along to bridge over the ingress to Rutland Water where there was room to get the car off the busy road.  Not so much the Little Egret that was feeding immediately in front of us but rather the Osprey that perched for  very long spell at its former nest.  Whilst I had taken scope and binoculars, annoying to think that I had neither camera or phone adaptor.  However, Tony managed to get, I think, a good shot by hand-holding his phone to the scope (picture to possibly appear at a later date).  Also visible on the nearby water were very many Cormorants and Lapwing resting on a narrow bar with feeding Gadwalls by the hundred,  a score or more of Teal, Mallards, Moorhens, Coots, Mute Swans and even a few Great Crested Grebes on the open water.  It was also here that we found the first large flock of Greylag Geese.

Osprey Pandion haliaetus at Monton Bay

Next on to the main Visitors Centre and chance to take a look at the feeding station where we found Blackbird and Robin along with Dunnock, House Sparrows, Chaffinches and both Blue and Great Tits before entering the building.  From the viewing window we could see a plentiful supply of Black-headed Gulls along with many Cormorants, both Canada and Greylag Geese, numerous Tufted Duck which far outnumbered the local Mallards and there, at the back of the water, a couple of Great White Egrets along with a Grey Heron resting away to the left.  Returning to the car park the resident Jackdaws were still to be seen along with a calling Collared Dove.

Time to head back for home as it was now approaching six o'clock but not before showing Tony the way to the Burley Fishponds where many of the previous birds were once again recorded along with early arriving Wigeon.  Considering we went out for lunch and expected to see only Woodpigeon, Collared Doves and a few Crows, to end up with a list of 33 species in an hour or so was somewhat of a bonus.

Birds seen:
Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Heron, Osprey, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch,

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