Visiting The Neighbours

 Alan Shorrock and I spent the day visiting the neighbouring counties of Rutland and Leicestershire. We began at Eyebrook before moving on to Rutland Water, the weather turned out to be better than forecast as the expected showers failed to arrive.

Stonechat and Garden Warbler

Eyebrook was quiet, we missed the Black Terns that annoyingly arrived after we had left. A single Dunlin was the best of the waders on show which was disappointing as there is plenty of mud showing on the margins of the reservoir. An Osprey was my first of the year. it didn't hang around though and was gone before an irritated crow could climb up to its altitude. There was a pair of Stonechats at the sharp end with the male in particular showing very well. At the bridge a Garden Warbler was singing and also showed occasionally, I managed to get a couple of pics. With the morning moving on we made the relatively short trip over to Rutland Water.

Record shot dross, Black Tern, Barwit, Spotted Red and Avocet

From the visitor's centre at Rutland a distant Black Tern was hawking on the far side of Lagoon One and was my first of the year. A distant Osprey was also noted though it was a quartet of Hobbies that stole the show, we had further sightings during our stroll around the reserve. We didn't see the reported Cattle Egret and moved on to Lagoon Four hearing a Cuckoo on several occasions as we walked. Alan found a Bar-tailed Godwit and also a fine looking sum plum Spotted Redshank, both were distant but showed reasonably well through the scope. Two Avocets were also present and so too were a pair of Yellow-legged Gulls. Last bird of note before we started heading back was a red tagged female Marsh Harrier which was flying towards the neighbouring Lagoon Three. Returning to the centre we were treated to excellent view of the Cattle Egret as it preened just in front of the building - a great way to end our visit. Other wildlife on view included Common Blue and Azure Damselflies as well as Peacocks, Orange-tips and Green-veined White.

Cattle Egret and Oystercatcher.