Trip reports

Mini-bus trip to Rutland Water

Saturday, 24 September 2011

After meeting in the Egleton Reserve car park we started the day's birdwatching from the main Visitors Centre where we soon had a good list of birds including a juvenile Shelduck, two Little Egrets and several different duck species. Next stop was the Sandpiper hide. 4 species of gull were noted along with 2 Egyptian Geese, a male Pintail, a winter plumaged Ruff and 3 late Swallows. Moving on to Lapwing Hide 10 House Martins were catching insects over the path and a male Blackcap was spotted fly catching in the trees. Looking out over the main reservoir we recorded hundreds of Coots, a few more Pintails and an amazing 16 Little Egrets. On the walk back to the van we stopped off at Redshank Hide where a Kingfisher was spotted perched on one of the duck boxes and 3 Green Sandpipers were feeding on the water's edge.

After a spot of lunch we travelled round to the Lyndon Reserve and spent a few hours looking around three more hides. 4 more species of wader were recorded (Redshank, Curlew, Ringed Plover and Black-tailed Godwit), along with 2 Common Gulls, 2 juvenile Common Terns and, best of all, 2 Red Kites!!

All in all an excellent day. Many thanks to everyone who came along and shared their expertise.

Peter Stoppard