Trip reports

Rutland Water - Paul Moon

Sunday, 28 August 2011

Anyway, our visit with all the changes, makes it difficult to fit all the reserve in, in just one day, but we gave it a good go. The water levels on the reserve and behind the newly constructed bunds had been kept high, with the main water body at its summer low, giving us a varied mix of habitat to explore. We headed off from the centre to investigate the southern part first, 18 of us in total, a good mix of new comers to birding and to the reserve too plus a few of us more seasoned watchers! The northern end was completed after our lunch stop. So what did we see...

We totalled between us around 60 species, a few notable absentees but many old friends to keep us entertained:

First notable bird was the goodly numbers of little egrets we came across, with their yellow feet puddling for food and some still with their breeding plumes but we didn't find the 'cattle' version reported.

Wader numbers seemed down at the start but then green sandpipers and the beautiful (well for me, anyway) greenshanks graced us with their presence, with a lone spotted redshank, not seen by all, lurking near Grebe Hide. And later, dunlin and plenty of ruff were added to the list.

Black terns were not unexpected but the two found were good for all that, if a little distant, supported with a couple of common terns too.

The ducks were well into their moults so lots of head scratching with wigeon, shoveler, teal to name a few, with the tufted taking the total number count.

The birds of prey didn't let us down either with kestrel, sparrowhawk, hobby and buzzards acting as the supporting role to the family of ospreys seen from Heron Hide looking over Manton Bay - 'lifers' for some of the group so making them all the more special.

The passerines ('perching' birds) were small in numbers but we managed well with whitethroats, blackcaps, chiffchaffs and willow warblers plus a couple of good tit flocks

On our homeward journey a brief stop off on the bridge which allows for better views over the Manton Bay area, had us adding to our total of waders, passerines plus our last and closer views of the four ospreys, who will be well on their way to Africa when you get to read this. Let's hope they all have a safe journey - hopefully they'll be on their way back to us and another successful breeding season next year.

Thanks to those who came on the trip and hope to see you all soon...