Dip At Eyebrook Doesn't Ruin The Day.

 I have a couple of days off before my dreaded back shift next week and in lovely late autumn sunshine Alan and I decided to visit the dam at Rutland Water. The weather forecast suggested that it was going to be cold and I had so many layers on that I resembled the Michelin man as I prepared to face the notorious wind magnet that is the dam. As we passed through Caldecott a report from Eyebrook regular Tony Taylor on the WhatsApp  group alerted us to the presence of a Grey Plover at the inflow. We took a diversion at Stoke Dry and headed down to Eyebrook for a quick look.

Dunlins and Snipe

 Tony and his dog were still on site but we learned that the plover had flown off down the res and had been lost to view. We decided to check out Eyebrook anyway and soon saw the reported Ruff and a dozen Dunlins. Golden Plovers were calling overhead but only a few landed though they looked superb in the sunny conditions. The noisy arrival of three adult Whooper Swans certainly drew our attention and we spent ten minutes or more watching and trying to photograph them. A Snipe showed well as we walked back towards the car, Tony then alerted us to the presence of a White-fronted Goose on the water though this too flew off before we could get on to it. Unlike the plov we had a good idea where it had headed to and I had a distant view of it grazing in the field to the south of Hollyoaks Lane. Jumping in the car we drove around to the Leics bank and had closer views of the goose through the hedge, several record shots were taken. Happy with our half decent haul we decided to abandon Eyebrook and continue on to Rutland.

Whooper Swans and White-fronted Goose.

As we drove towards Rutland reports began to filter in that the Snow Bunting was back at Hanging Houghton but we remained committed to our original plan. Events went on to suggest that the bunting might have been the better call but we weren't to know at the time. A flock of fifteen or more Goosanders were a good find, strangely all were either females or immature males. There was a Yellow-legged Gull and a Redshank at the northern end of the dam. On the return walk an aythya duck posed us some identification problems. Tufted Duck sized but with a Scaup like white facial blaze and a more rounded head we spent some time looking at it. The wing bar looked good for Lesser but the bill did not and after looking at our photos and consulting the internet I feel it may have been a Tufted/Scaup hybrid. Next and final stop was at the 'spoons in Corby for a well earned refreshment stop.

Goosanders and Tufty type hybrid?

Misty Blatherwycke

 A certain sense of deja vu this morning as I awoke to yet more fog, one thing which was clearer than the weather however was my head, a surprise given that I'd had more than a few beers whilst watching a Blondie tribute act last night. I shrugged off any lingering fuzziness and got a lift from my stepson over to Blatherwycke Lake. Conditions were challenging to begin with but the murk lifted much quicker than yesterday allowing me to thoroughly check the area.

Wigeon, Black Swan and Fieldfare

The lake was obscured initially and I didn't really start birding until I got to the bridge where a Grey Wagtail and the resident Black Swan were present. Ravens were pretty vocal too, their gruff sounding croaks provided a contrast to the mellow whistles of unseen Wigeons. Redwings and Fieldfares joined a Mistle Thrush in dining on Yew berries near the churchyard, there was no sign of any Hawfinches.  I followed the public footpath down to the south east corner of the lake. By now I could see all of the water and began checking my way through the assembled birds. Ten plus Pochards joined an increasing number of Tufted Ducks and were my first here of the autumn. A large gaggle of Greylags were not harbouring anything more interesting in their midst but I'll keep sorting through them on other visits just in case that situation changes.

Goldeneyes, Pintail and Wren

Retracing my steps I went back to the King's Cliffe road to have a look at the larger part of the lake and I'm glad that I did. Two female Goldeneyes were a nice surprise following on from my first several weeks ago. Three drake Pintails were another welcome find and added to what was becoming a respectable duck list. It was getting towards the time when my lift was due to return and I headed back towards the village, a Water Rail squealed as I left. On my way past the bridge I noticed a Great White Egret fishing in the Willowbrook and that was my final sighting of the day.

A fish's nightmare!

A Change Of Plan

 My wife Sandra and I decided to cancel our Spanish holiday, health concerns and a rubbish and rainy weather forecast were just some of the factors leading to this rather expensive but necessary decision. This morning it was weather of a more opaque sort that came into play as foggy conditions dominated a visit to the Thrapston area in the company of Alan Shorrock. A first stop at the Town Lake produced little of note as visibility in the mist was minimal . We were forced to give up after a couple of hours and moved on towards the Titchmarsh reserve.

Moorhen

The fog was still pretty thick here and initially it looked as if we might have to bale out and head for the pub but gradually the mist did begin to lift as the morning progressed. Shozzer saw and I heard a Water Rail from the Peter Scott hide while from just out side I had brief views of a Barn Owl. The improving visibility meant that we had a better view of the lake but we still couldn't find much of interest either here or on the neighbouring Heronry Lake. Deciding that it was not going to be our day we called it quits and headed to the Dukes in Woodford where a pint helped to  ease some of the pain caused by what had been  a less than perfect day.

November Already? How On Earth Did That Happen?

 Another foggy start to greet the beginning of November but at least it didn't take too long before the mist lifted leaving a mainly grey and slightly cold morning to contend with. My travels took me no further than Priors Hall where I enjoyed  a reasonably interesting walk around the ponds.

Mistle Thrush and Robin

When I arrived the quarry lake was quiet, there were a few gulls and several Coots  but little else and it was a fly over Redpoll that provided the only highlight.  Around the ponds things picked up a little with Siskins present in some numbers. A Mistle Thrush was a site rarity while small numbers of Fieldfares were moving through. At the biggest pond a Chiffchaff was calling while several Redwings were also heard. Birds moving overhead included Skylarks and Meadow Pipits in addition to two Yellowhammers which are another site rarity. Other decent birds around the ponds included Raven and Kingfisher.

Stonechats and Wigeon

On my way back towards Weldon I stopped again at the quarry lake and enjoyed watching a pair of Stonechats moving around the reedy margins. A group of large gulls popped in for a wash but there was nothing unusual amongst them. Somewhat more interesting were four Wigeon, a drake and three ducks, this is an occasional visitor to the area. Happy with my modest haul I made my way back towards the bus stop, next weekend I go to Spain so this will be my last post for a fortnight.

A Bit Tricky Finding Some Treats

 A foggy shroud descended on the county this morning and with little wind to talk about it took some time before it shifted. I joined up with Shozzer for a trip around some local sites, it was by no means a great day but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Pintail and Shovellers

We began at Wakerley where the hoped for Crossbills failed to put in an appearance. The dank and foggy conditions may well have prompted a Tawny Owl to give a hoot or two and we heard at least one Fieldfare, my first of the autumn, flying somewhere above us. Several Marsh Tits were noted and there was a reasonable selection of the commoner woodland passerines around. Our travels then took us to Blatherwycke for a look at the lake. Nothing of any great interest to report, a drake Pintail was the highlight. Wildfowl numbers are beginning to build and at least twenty Shovellers were present. Other birds in the general area included more Fieldfares, a Great White Egret and at least one Snipe.

Golden Plovers and Spotted Redshank

After lunch and a pint in the 'spoons we squeezed in an hour at Eyebrook where we spent most of the time at the sharp end. The now long staying Spotted Redshank is still on site and other waders in the area included several hundred Golden Plover, at least fifteen Snipe, several Dunlin and a Ruff. Other observers saw some Red Crested Pochards off the plantation but with the light waning we had to take their word for it and headed back towards Corby.

Windswept, Not That Interesting

 I fear that the American Pipit may have leeched off all of my local birding luck as today's excursion was every bit as rubbish as yesterday's! Once again I joined up with regular birding pal Alan Shorrock for a tour of several local sites. The weather though sunny was also very windy and at times we struggled to contend with the conditions.

Black Swans and Common Darters

We began at Deene where a scan of the lake produced sightings of the three Black Swan cygnets but not much else other than a Grey Wagtail. On our way back to the car a Speckled Wood was a very pleasant surprise as it was my latest sighting ever. Three Common Darters were also sheltering from the gale, two males and a female, though in this case I managed to get a few shots of them. Nearby Blatherwycke was similarly dull though a female Goldeneye was my site first record of this species and as a result much appreciated. Other than a Great White Egret there was little else to report and Alan and I, as is often the case, ended our session with a pint in the nearby Cross Keys in King's Cliffe.

Poor record shot of Goldeneye and GWE.

To The Coach And Horses...The Long Way

 I was up before the lark this morning though not it seems before the Robin as I walked towards the town centre. My plan was to try and avoid the forecast rain which is why I wanted to catch the first X4 heading towards Earls Barton. On the way I was treated to a beautiful sunrise of pastel pinks and blues as well as fiery orange, just a shame that many of my fellow passengers were too engrossed in their phones to see it. Once the bus had dropped me off in the village I wasted no time in heading towards the river.

Stonechat and Egyptian Geese

A Water Rail squealed as I passed Mill Lake where I checked through the many Wigeon in the hope that one of their American cousins might have joined them, none had! At Hardwater Lake there was a pair of Stonechats while in a field on the opposite side of the road the leucistic Egyptian Goose was still present. Summer Leys itself was a bit rubbish really, a Marsh Harrier was perhaps the only real highlight. Both Siskins and a Redpoll were heard on my walk around the reserve but all in all it was a bit duff. Light rain began to fall as I checked Mary's Lake, luckily for me it didn't get any heavier as I walked towards Wellingborough along the Nene. That had changed by the time that I'd reached the town itself but the ever reliable Coach and Horses provided some much needed shelter until it was time to catch my bus home.

Kestrel and Marsh Harrier