Leicestershire and Rutland Birding/Local Patches

[Adey Baker]

Many other counties/areas have threads for general information on birds and birding sites, so I thought I'd start one for Leicestershire and Rutland, which are recorded together as vice-county 55 in official reports.

The website for The Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society (LROS) has a Latest News page which is updated more or less daily: http://www.lros.org.uk/News.htm giving details of the most interesting birds of the day with photos of the scarcer ones but there's room on this thread for more details of access, other birds, other nearby sites, etc., which are beyond the scope of the LROS site which is basically run by one man when he has time!

Likewise, the Birding Sites page: http://www.lros.org.uk/birdingsites.htm can be expanded here with newer info and more sites, etc.

I often look into the 'Warwickshire/West Midlands Local Patches' thread and use the info there to make forays 'over the border' and I'm sure Warks/WM birders would be grateful for extra info when contemplating going for one of our (occasional!) good birds!

So post away all you Leics/Rutland folk and ask away anyone else...

[laesevets]

Many other counties/areas have threads for general information on birds and birding sites, so I thought I'd start one for Leicestershire and Rutland, which are recorded together as vice-county 55 in official reports.

The website for The Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society (LROS) has a Latest News page which is updated more or less daily: http://www.lros.org.uk/News.htm giving details of the most interesting birds of the day with photos of the scarcer ones but there's room on this thread for more details of access, other birds, other nearby sites, etc., which are beyond the scope of the LROS site which is basically run by one man when he has time!

Likewise, the Birding Sites page: http://www.lros.org.uk/birdingsites.htm can be expanded here with newer info and more sites, etc.

I often look into the 'Warwickshire/West Midlands Local Patches' thread and use the info there to make forays 'over the border' and I'm sure Warks/WM birders would be grateful for extra info when contemplating going for one of our (occasional!) good birds!

So post away all you Leics/Rutland folk and ask away anyone else...

Hi Adey.
Nice one mate lets hope it takes off, keep it up.
Steve.......

[Adey Baker]

Hi Adey.
Nice one mate lets hope it takes off, keep it up.
Steve.......

All we need now is some nice birds in accessible sites to set the ball rolling.

[nick the grief]

All we need now is some nice birds in accessible sites to set the ball rolling.

so do we :-O:-O

Good luck with the thread:t::t:

[Adey Baker]

I had hoped to enter the first sightings into this thread from my regular Friday afternoon stroll around my local patch, but the weather had other ideas. I think I'll try to find a waterfall to walk through next week as it might be a bit drier ;)

Still, it was a good excuse to check out how waterproof some of my lightweight 'waterproof' clothing really is (it isn't:eek!:)

[Adey Baker]

Today at Brascote Pits:

57 Common Snipe
8 Golden Plover over
2 Little Owls

Croft Hill:

2 Garden Warblers
15 Comon Buzzards over Croft Quarry (no Honey Buzzards, though :C)
1 Painted Lady

[Steve Lister]

Watching the sky around Charnwood this morning.......
20+ Common Buzzards very obvious but no HBs (wonder who reported the six 'probables' over Swithland Res)
5 Hobbies, three of them probably migrants
3 Ravens
Small movements of Mipits and Swallows

Steve

[Adey Baker]

...but no HBs (wonder who reported the six 'probables' over Swithland Res)...


They haven't appeared on the LROS website so you have to wonder...

Carl went back to Brascote Pits this afternoon and had an Osprey, though, so some BOPs were on the move.

[Adey Baker]

Today at Brascote Pits:

57 Common Snipe
8 Golden Plover over
2 Little Owls

Croft Hill:

2 Garden Warblers
15 Comon Buzzards over Croft Quarry (no Honey Buzzards, though :C)
1 Painted Lady

Ooops, got a bit over-enthusiastic with the Snipe 47 not 57!

[Richard Powell]

I'd just like to say it's great to see a thread for Leicestershire/Rutland. :t:

Burton is my home town, but I never birded round Bardon Hill at Coalville. That always used to produce Ring Ouzels in the spring and autumn, just wondered if it has produced anything recently?

[Adey Baker]

I'd just like to say it's great to see a thread for Leicestershire/Rutland. :t:

Burton is my home town, but I never birded round Bardon Hill at Coalville. That always used to produce Ring Ouzels in the spring and autumn, just wondered if it has produced anything recently?

Still a good spot for spring Rouzels, though not sure about autumn.

I can't recall anything recently on the LROS news page. The July/August records will be in the next newsletter but the most recent bird I can find in previous newsletters is a Crossbill on May 2nd.

I suppose that, like anywhere else, it needs regular working to find the good birds. We've had a spate of decent records recently at Croft Hill which is less than half the size of Bardon (and, like Bardon, has been nibbled away by the adjacent quarry!). There are many days when we don't find anything out of the ordinary but every now and then we hit a purple patch - I dipped the recent Pied Flycatcher, though |:(|

[Richard Powell]

Cheers Adey

I know what you mean about regular coverage. I live near to Stoke these days, and a place like Berry Hill (in Stoke itself!), turns up all sorts of stuff you would'nt believe. And again, some days aboslutely zip. But that's the beauty of local patch birding.

Any Coalville birders should take a walk up there!

[Adey Baker]

A touch of winter possibilities with 6 Siskins at the northern end of Burbage Common yesterday (and a fly-over Lesser Redpoll as well).

Today, we had a foray over to the extreme west of the County to try to find Corn Buntings. None appeared, but a flock of c80 Golden Plover and a couple of dozen or so Tree Sparrows in the Orton on the Hill/Norton-Juxta-Twycross area.

[Steve Lister]

My first 'vismig' session at Deans Lane (Woodhouse Eaves) this morning.....
30 Siskins
50 Mipits
3 Grey Wagtails
And a few hirundines

Plus a nice Red-necked Grebe on Swithland Res for its second day.
Told some visitors about it but they forgot to return the favour when they were watching what they thought was a Honey Buzzard ignoring us locals just a few yards up the road admiring the grebe.

Steve

[davidearlgray]

[QUOTE=Steve Lister;1293772]My first 'vismig' session at Deans Lane (Woodhouse Eaves) this morning.....
30 Siskins
50 Mipits
3 Grey Wagtails
And a few hirundines

Not much down the Soar Valley this morning, 30+ meadow pipits over Cossington Meadows between 10.30 and 12.00pm.

Plus a nice Red-necked Grebe on Swithland Res for its second day.
Told some visitors about it but they forgot to return the favour when they were watching what they thought was a Honey Buzzard ignoring us locals just a few yards up the road admiring the grebe.

So that will be Common Buzzards then!( Recently had up to seven C.Buzzards over the reservoir);)
Also had two Common Buzzards over the Wanlip Sewage works this morning.

[Adey Baker]

...I never birded round Bardon Hill at Coalville. That always used to produce Ring Ouzels in the spring and autumn, just wondered if it has produced anything recently?

A Woodlark reported there today (from LROS news page) on the south side of The Mound + 2 Tree Pipits and 2 Bramblings.

Woodlark is a really difficult species to catch up with in the county - has anyone twitched one successfully or do you have to dig out your own ;)

[Richard Powell]

I noticed that as well. Also Ring Ouzel reported at Bardon Hill today.

A small number of Woodlark are present in Notts and Staffs, I'm not saying where for obvious reasons (so there eggers!). But perhaps it's more likely this one was a longer distance migrant. Certainly got the conditions for it.


A Woodlark reported there today (from LROS news page) on the south side of The Mound + 2 Tree Pipits and 2 Bramblings.

Woodlark is a really difficult species to catch up with in the county - has anyone twitched one successfully or do you have to dig out your own ;)

[Adey Baker]

A small number of Woodlark are present in Notts and Staffs, I'm not saying where for obvious reasons (so there eggers!). But perhaps it's more likely this one was a longer distance migrant. Certainly got the conditions for it.


A quick check through some old annual reports shows all of the reported ones since 2000 have been flyover jobs. A few in the late 1990s were actually on the ground, including a party of 6 at Gumley in 1998, but even these were one day only sightings.

The next one to hang around could be well received by county listers (of which I'm not one) - so instant popularity for the finder!

[Adey Baker]

A walk around my local patch in yesterday afternoon's warm sun produced nothing too exciting, though a Grass Snake was sunning itself along 'Snake Alley' on Burbage Common and the rather pale Buzzard below 'posed' on a hedge at Elmesthorpe - ie it didn't fly away as soon as it saw me on the horizon. It still needed a converter on my lens plus interpolating up in photoshop plus a heavy crop to get it looking reasonably close!

[Steve Lister]

Woodlark is a really difficult species to catch up with in the county - has anyone twitched one successfully or do you have to dig out your own ;)

Not that difficult if you make the effort - this (the Bardon bird) was the fifth that I have seen/found in the county. I deliberately left it on the ground and put the news out straightaway in the hope that others could see it.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

A Pied Flycatcher on Croft Hill today (still present at 1:40pm) on the west side of the hill

[Adey Baker]

Not that difficult if you make the effort...

A Saturday or Sunday bird, then might be useful ;) I might even go and have a look myself - unless I find it, of course. We could do with one in the Croft Hill/Huncote Embankment area

[Adey Baker]

The 'possible or hybrid' Ferruginous Duck at Sence Valley Forest park is reported on Birdguides as being a male, showing well on Stonebridge Pool at 5:30 this afternoon

[Adey Baker]

Fudge Duck reported again this morning at SVFP.

2 Stonechats at Brascote Pits.

Couldn't relocate the Pied Fly at Croft Hill, though.

[Adey Baker]

The winds that have blown in goodies to other areas seem to have blown our birds away ;)

Anyone 'sitting' on a good county bird they'd like to share??

[Brian Stone]

[QUOTE=Adey Baker;1305444]The winds that have blown in goodies to other areas seem to have blown our birds away ;)
QUOTE]

Any in particular?

[Adey Baker]

[QUOTE=Adey Baker;1305444]The winds that have blown in goodies to other areas seem to have blown our birds away ;)
QUOTE]

Any in particular?

The Red-necked Grebe at Swithland Resr seems to have gone (not reported for a couple of days now) and there was nothing on the LROS website yesterday (and only Black-necked Grebe and Y L Gull reported on Monday)

[Brian Stone]

Ah. We sometimes pick up your left-overs so thought I'd ask. Could do with Red-necked Grebe for the year. Wonder where it is...

[Adey Baker]

Wonder where it is...

The winds were pretty strong yesterday, firstly from the south but eventually going round to the west, so it could be anywhere...

I've got a few days off on holiday and with bright sun today it would have been nice to get photos of something 'newsworthy' to go into this thread but there doesn't seem to be anything to go for within striking distance - we're definitely lagging behind the Warks/West Midland thread (and I see there's a Common Scoter at Draycote to replace the Grey Phal ;))

[Adey Baker]

...We sometimes pick up your left-overs...

Didn't realise that we had any left-overs ;) Certainly away from Rutland Water all we seem to get is the crumbs from the master's table :eek!:

[Brian Stone]

Yeh, it's Rutland/Eye Brook birds basically. At least you have those, we have no really decent sized water bodies here around Peterborough.

Also struggling here. The joys of inland birding!

[Adey Baker]

The Red-necked Grebe has been reported again at Swithland Resr today (off the dam) - perhaps it's been on its holiday somewhere and has returned home;)

[Adey Baker]

Nothing too exciting (again) reported today (Saturday)

This less than approachable Wheatear was on Huncote Embankment and whilst it's getting a bit late-ish for this species, it's nowhere near the latest county record - November 27th 1971 (Outwoods)

[Mike Feely]

Hi there

Heard today (from a work colleague) about a big fish die off at Groby Pool, is this true? What's the story & is it having any affect on the birdlife at all?

I'm a Leicestershire native (Anstey) but living in Notts (boo!) so don't really get hear too much about local Leicestershire stories. (I believe there was something about this on the local TV news, but i don't own a TV so have not seen anything).

Cheers

Mike

[Adey Baker]

Hi there

Heard today (from a work colleague) about a big fish die off at Groby Pool, is this true? What's the story & is it having any affect on the birdlife at all?

I'm a Leicestershire native (Anstey) but living in Notts (boo!) so don't really get hear too much about local Leicestershire stories. (I believe there was something about this on the local TV news, but i don't own a TV so have not seen anything).

Cheers

Mike

There was certainly an item on 'East Midlands Today' last night - they weren't sure what the problem was at the time, but a lot of dead fish were seen and there was a noticeable smell. A birder (un-named) was one of the locals that they interviewed.

Whatever, the Black-necked Grebe was still reported there yesterday according to the LROS laest news page. However, many of the usual birds were not there according to the TV prog (it was unusually quiet in the background without the noise of the regular B H Gulls)

[Steve Lister]

A birder (un-named) was one of the locals that they interviewed.



That was Paul Fossey.

The pool stinks today. But BNGrebe still there.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

Good vismig today.....

Deans Lane: 1600 Redwings and 520 Fieldfares in four hours (me)
Ellistown: 571 Redwings in 45 minutes (C.Playfair)
Burrough Hill: Lapland Bunting (J.Hague and D.Gray)

and the RNGrebe has resurfaced at Swithland Res.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

The pool stinks today. But BNGrebe still there.

Steve

Yes, Carl and I called in briefly to see the (distant) B N Grebe today and the smell (like raw sewage) was very strong, especially by the outflow. A Black-headed Gull was risking the polution for a meal of dead fish!

We noticed quite a few Fieldfares over Bradgate Park. Quite a few Siskins there as well and a camera-shy Stonechat

[Adey Baker]

A drake Ferruginous Duck reported today on the west side of Thornton Reservoir, past the boathouse, and a Green Sandpiper at Thurlaston Lane Sand Pit.

[Steve Lister]

The Ferruginous is the same bird as at Sence Valley on September 27/28 so where has it been for the last 26 days ??

Steve

[Adey Baker]

The Ferruginous is the same bird as at Sence Valley on September 27/28 so where has it been for the last 26 days ??

Steve

Cavorting with the R N Grebe? ;)

[davidearlgray]

No sign of the Fudge duck at Thornton Resv yesterday morning, but nice views of a Water Rail!
Also possibly up to 4 Stonechats reported down at Cossington Meadows later in the day.
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com

[Adey Baker]

Two Green Sandpipers present at Thurlaston Lane Sand Pit, this morning.

[Momo]

Just passing through to visit some long-lost British relatives without so much as a pair of binoculars, but we did find time for a walk through Bradgate park (no time to stop at Groby Pool), thanks to the nice people who gave us the 40 p we were short of for the carpark (otherwise it would have been back to Groby Poool, where the carpark appeared to have been free). Anyway, for what it's worth, 1/11/2008 coughed up a few stonechats, a raven, a lesser-spotted woodpecker, a little owl, various migrating and/or local thrushes and finches and lots of galliformes we hardly ever see in Switzerland, but which don't seem to be particularly newsworthy in Leicestershire. However, our lasting impression will be one of an interesting biotope totally overrun by dogwalkers and joggers.

[Adey Baker]

Just passing through to visit some long-lost British relatives without so much as a pair of binoculars, but we did find time for a walk through Bradgate park (no time to stop at Groby Pool), thanks to the nice people who gave us the 40 p we were short of for the carpark (otehrwise it would have been back to Groby Poool, where the carpark appeared to have been free). Anyway, what it's worth, 1/11/2008 coughed up a few stonechats, a raven, a lesser-spotted woodpecker, a little owl, various migrating and/or local thrushes and finches and lots of galliformes we hardly ever see in Switzerland, but which don't seem to be particularly newsworthy in Leicestershire. However, our lasting impression will be one of an interesting biotope totally overrun by dogwalkers and joggers.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is always a good bird to catch up with in the county.

Bradgate Park is a very popular place, especially at the weekends - the size of the car park would have pre-warned you of this! It belongs to the 'people of the city and county of Leicester' and they make full use of it - however, the farther you venture from the car park, the easier it gets to find a more quiet location.

[Steve Lister]

Someone just rang me to report a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker by the Bradgate Park ruins so that makes two reports in recent days.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Nothing too exciting seems to have been reported recently (nothing new there, then!). According to the LROS news page, a Waxwing was noted at Bottesford last Friday but without any further details - who's going to find the first obliging birds?

Bramblings seem to have been reported as much from gardens as their more regular spots - is there a poor Beech crop this year?

[Steve Lister]

Red-necked Grebe still at Swithland Res this morning but now on the southern section.
Thanks to Ben Croxtall for the info.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

Things are looking up at last....

All today:
GNDiver refound at Rutland Water, off Normanton
7 Whooper Swans east over RW dam
15 and later 17 White-fronts at Eyebrook Res
Merlin at Cossington Meadows
Red-necked Grebe still at Swithland Res south
And best of all - pity I was not there - 2 Tundra Bean Geese at RW this afternoon.

Thanks to Andy Brett and Tim Appleton for some of the info.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

...According to the LROS news page, a Waxwing was noted at Bottesford last Friday but without any further details - who's going to find the first obliging birds..?


Half a dozen reported from a garden in Billesdon this morning but only briefly, so we'll probably have to wait for later in the winter for some posing birds

[Adey Baker]

'Bird' of the day for me today was a Dragonfly :eek!:

Two, actually - a male and female Common Darter at Fosse Meadows. They were finding smaller insects to feed on in front of the hide which was giving them shelter from the wind.

[Steve Lister]

Bird of the day for me was actually a bird.......

A very confiding Snow Bunting by the summit of Beacon Hill. Someone later rang me to say they could not find it but then hung up when they realised it was at their feet.

Also in the area at least 11 (there were 19 yesterday) White-fronted Geese amongst a county record 710 Greylags on Swithland Res, plus the long-staying Red-necked Grebe.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Yes, that's a smart-looking Snow Bunting, Steve.

Photos on Surfbirds and LROS news page: http://www.lros.org.uk/News.htm

[Adey Baker]

The Little Egret reported yesterday at Fosse Meadows (flying towards Frolesworth Manor Lake) was still around the Manor Lake this morning, either at the lakeside or in nearby fields.

Half a dozen or so of both Siskins and Lesser Redpolls at Fosse Meadows in Alders and Birches near to the River Soar.

[Adey Baker]

The Little Egret was reported on Birdguides as being on the main pool at Fosse Meadows again this morning, or commuting between there and Frowlesworth Lake (sic) - presumably, they mean Frolesworth Manor Lake. Also a Waxwing in a holly tree in a front garden in Sapcote.

I was almost going to add: 'what mad fool would have been out on a morning like today to find these birds' except that I went and stood in the rain for 3/4 hour waiting to photograph a steam train on my local line :eek!:

[Steve Lister]

Albert Village Lake

Not a site that many people look at except when something odd (Manx Shearwater, BTDiver) turns up but the presence of a new tip just across the road makes it ideal for daytime gull watching.
Two hours last week turned up an adult Iceland and a Yellow-legged, and this aft I had a classic adult Caspian. Plus 800 other large gulls to sift through.
The lake has a gravel track all round and several seats. Just about as easy as it gets, as the gulls are not bothered by people or dogs.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Reports of Waxwings are slowly trickling in with two each at Barrow on Soar and Thringstone today. We had a look around Sapcote yesterday after the one was reported on Saturday but we couldn't re-locate it - not sure how many peoples' front gardens you can check out at about 9 o'clock on a Sunday morning before you start arousing suspicions!

The Little Egret was still at Fosse Meadows, though (http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/226035/ppuser/1805) and a Jack Snipe was with five Common Snipe in the boggy area of West Meadow.

[Adey Baker]

Reports of Waxwings are slowly trickling in with two each at Barrow on Soar and Thringstone today.


...plus another one at Measham today

[Adey Baker]

A dozen or so Waxwings reported in Leicester, yesterday and today, in the Castle Park - High Street area and three still in Barrow on Soar

[Steve Lister]

The Leics Waxwing total is up to around 46 birds now.

11 in Barrow-upon-Soar yesterday but only six reported so far today.
12 regularly in the High Street area of Leicester, with groups of 8 and 5 elsewhere in the city.

None in Loughborough yet though - maybe I should go for a walk.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

...maybe I should go for a walk.

Steve

Yes, it's just about stopped raining here - I'm thinking of lobbying the government to add two days to just one week so that from now on the weekend starts on what would have been a Monday as it always seems to miraculously brighten up then!

[Steve Lister]

The Leics Waxwing total is up to around 46 birds now.

None in Loughborough yet though - maybe I should go for a walk.

Steve

An hour and a half wandering around the spots where Waxwings turned up last time produced nothing - and hardly any berries anywhere so I don't think Lufbra is going to be blessed this time.

2 adult Caspian Gulls at Albert Village Lake this afternoon.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Birdguides reported one Waxwing at Staveley Court, Belton Road, Loughborough at 13:00 today

[Adey Baker]

Two Waxwings reported today in the Co-op carpark in Earl Shilton

[Adey Baker]

Two Waxwings reported today in the Co-op carpark in Earl Shilton


Seen again today.

[Adey Baker]

The two Waxwings seen on and off throughout the day again today at the Co-op store in Earl Shilton. They fly off for twenty minutes or more at a time before returning to their favourite trees which still have a lot of berries on them.

[Steve Lister]

The LROS website is not being updated for a day or two due to holidays so....

19 Whooper Swans at Swithland Res this afternoon

Red-throated Diver and Little Stint at Eyebrook Res, plus a rare winter Oystercatcher.

Cheers
steve

[Steve Lister]

And a flock of 48 Waxwings, the biggest so far, in Coalville - Romans Crescent area, which is where people park for Bardon Hill.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

The Hawfinch reported from the Lyndon Reserve at Rutland Water is present again today for its 6th day.

Interesting to see a Waxwing reported again today from the Co-op car park in Earl Shilton - the last time that any reports came from here was on Boxing Day. One of the same birds or another coincidentally finding the same trees?

[Steve Lister]

The feral geese flock in the Wanlip area is worth a look.
Yesterday there was a Pink-foot and 5 White-fronts amongst them, and today the White-fronts numbered 15 and there was a juv d-b Brent and an Egyptian.
Also a juv Whooper Swan both days.
On 'Wanlip North Lakes' whch is strictly private but viewable from footpaths west and north of the adjacent rivers.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

A Bittern has been showing well on and off near to the inflow end of Eyebrook reservoir for much of the week but it didn't appear for the gathered birders this morning!

A rather distant wing-tagged Red Kite was about the best bird seen there plus a few Tree Sparrows and a couple of Buzzards

[kevside]

Great White Egret today (and yesterday) at sheepy magna fishing lake, saw it for about 5 minutes when i got there but flew off before i could walk around to get a better look. Seems to spend its time between the lake and the flooded fields behind it.

[Hippo]

Popped over the border to see the Great White Egret at Sheepy Parva Mill Pool. Arrived at 0740 in pouring rain and alas no sign. However 5 minutes later this graceful bird flew in from the west and landed with the Mute Swans opposite the ?fishing shack. The bird seemed flighty and was constantly harrassed by the swans and herons. The bird then flew north and landed in the fields behind the pool and was lost to sight.

A really nice bird (a lifer for me) so half an hour in pouring rain was worthwhile.

Also while watching, a Sparrowhawk visited,

[Steve Lister]

Recent highlights......
Big flock of Waxwings in Braunstone, up to 70
Flyover Lapland Bunting in the snow at Groby Pool, 2/2
Bittern at Dishley Pool in the snow 2/2
2 Bitterns on Lagoon III at Rutland Water 1/2, and one regular there
Green-winged Teal at Eyebrook from 31/1
Probably 13 Smew at RW, nearly as many at Eyebrook Res, and 2 at Swithland Res 31/1
Still the geese in the Soar valley, until the snow anyway.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Thanks for updating this thread, Steve.

Those Waxwings seem to be hanging round and building up in number at Braunstone.

The best we could manage last weekend was a couple of Woodcock , one each at Croft and Huncote - I haven't seen one in my local woods for several years now so it was nice to find them away from woodland.

[davidearlgray]

Saw the Waxwings couple of days ago around Avery Hill, Braunstone.
I have also noted that there seems to be loads of Fieldfares and Redwings in the City. I counted 150+ in the trees next to my garden in the last day or so!

[Steve Lister]

Checked the Soar Valley yesterday and all the interesting geese seem to have moved on in the snow: the Brent was at Groby Pool briefly one day and the 17 White-fronts were at Swithland Res on Wednesday but not yesterday.

Whooper Swan still near Cossington Lock.
Little Egret on Cossington South Lake.
Male Peregrine flushed everythig off Wanlip North.
Two Stonechats with the ponies on Cossington Meadows.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Not much activity on this thread recently despite a few interesting gulls being recorded around.

The Kumlien's Gull at Shawell was a draw this morning, though I'm not sure that the side of the A5 Watling Street is a very good alternative to the perimeter road at Eyebrook Reservoir for a social gathering of the county's birders ;)

The bird showed at the tip near to the Redland/Lafarge works at about 9:00am before moving to the balancing pool alongside the A5 at about 10:15.

Definitely one for the big-lens boys (or digiscopers when it's on the water). Below, heavily-cropped shots still have the bird small in the frame though they do show how striking a bird it is and how bulky and Glaucous-like it appears in the second shot rather than the more sleek lines of an Iceland.

[nexstarneil]

I stumbled across the re-opened Shawell tip just after the new year when I was on the A5 and saw a huge swirl of gulls circling to the north. I followed the trail and found the tip but I only managed my first birding visit early Feb in the snow. The first visits resulted in a near ad Caspain, a Y-L Gull, ad Med and 1st W Iceland so I needed little encouragement to keep going and obviously the star bird so far is the 2W Kumlien's. This is an interesting bird for several reasons amongst them the very point Adey makes is that in certain poses on jizz it looks more like a Glauc. Having never seen a Kum's before (and I guess few of us have) I was therefore pleased to hear from Tim Marlow (one of the Draycote gull chaps) who sent me this:-

Neil. Me again. I have just spoken to Martin Elliott about the Kumlien's and he agrees with me that the id is correct. Re structure he clarified/introduced me to several points:

1. The bill primary projection ratio is not 100% reliable, occasional
individuals don't fit the rule
2. All male large gulls have longer bills than females (the Shawell bird
would be a male on size alone)
3. Males also show a shorter primary projection caused by the fact that the
tertials and tail are both longer in males than females
4. Kumlien's tends to be slightly longer billed than Glaucoides


If you hear anyone questioning the structure of the bird on
primary/bill ratio you will now have an explanation. Hope this is of
interest.

Cheers,

Tim Marlow

It also seems this is the same bird which has been doing the rounds of various midlands sites as I also received this:- After noticing pictures of the second-winter Kumlien's Gull on the
LROS website, I contacted Andy Mackay to see if was possible to contact you about this bird.

I'm currently preparing an article about it's movements, as it has visited various Midlands counties over the past couple of months.
I would be grateful if you would allow me to use your pictures to
accompany the article which will appear on the Birding Today website
in due course.
Assuming the Shawell bird is the same bird involved in the other
Midlands sightings this bird falls well within the criteria for
Kumlien's and has been claimed as such, in the following order, at
Priorslee Lake (Shrops), Belvide Reservoir (Staffs), Wildmoor Tip
(Worcs), Bartley Reservoir (West Mids) and Throckmorton Tip (Worcs).

Some pics of it at Priorslee can be seen here:
http://www.shropshirebirds.com/gallery%202009.htm [1] and I've
attached some appalling record shots I took when it visited Wildmoor
a few weeks ago.
Kind Regards
Brian
Birding Today www.birdingtoday.co.uk

I will attach some images of the bird in my next post along with a few others from Shawell. This site has great potential and it's been great to to see other visiting birders.

Neil Hagley

[nexstarneil]

Attached are some Kumlien's images, one of the Med's (which had a green darvic) and a very smart Iceland.

[Adey Baker]

A very interesting and informative posting, Neil. A distinctive bird like this one certainly gives a good indication of how gulls move around during the winter (I see from Birdguides that it's got itself onto the Warwickshire list as well today).

I should have added that an adult Caspian was at the tip yesterday.

Incidentally, looking back through some of the old 'Stanford Resr Bird Reports' from the late 70s/ early 80s, this site was worked by the Stanford Ringing group when it was a working pit and the star bird must have been the Marsh Warbler trapped there May 18th 1982.

[nexstarneil]

Both the Kumlien's and a new 1stW Iceland (found on Monday by John Judge from Draycote) were still present yesterday. Although Gull numbers have tended to increase through the working week peaking on Fridays there were distinctly fewer than previous mid week totals. There were definitely fewer BHG's, GBBG's and Herrring Gulls so the pre-breeding dispersal seems to be underway.

[davidearlgray]

Checked out Shawell tip and Balancing pool again today. The Kumlien's Gull at times showed very well on the Balancing Pool and Tip for most of the afternoon.
I last saw the Kumlien's over the tip at around 4.15pm.
The 1st winter Iceland Gull was on the Balancing Pool until about 2.00pm.
The only other noteworthy Gull was an adult Caspian Gull seen well on the balancing pool mid afternoon.

[davidearlgray]

Changing the subject slightly looking at the recent records for the fieldnotes for the LROS newsletter. I noted that maybe at least 9 Iceland Gulls were reported in February 2009, with possible up to 14 birds seen since the start of the year!!

[nexstarneil]

Kumlien's still present today and giving fantastic views from the embankment (although the sun was so bright and giving cross light I found it difficult to photograph). See how different it looks in this shot compared to the one above, far more 'Iceland-like', not so butch. At one point it was really close and I could see features I'd not logged before including some sandy brown in the tertials and a pale nail to the bill. Also present a stunning adult Yellow-legged Gull, but no sign of the Iceland. Following my previous post gull numbers were at their highest this week (typical Friday) but still down on the peak of a few weeks ago.

[Nottingham Panther]

Afternoon !!

Can anybody tell me the best way to 'attack' Charnwood Lodge please ? I fancy some early Ouzeling or maybe a Wheatear or two over the weekend but have only been to this site once and felt i was only scratching the surface. I previously parked on the Whitwick to Copt Oak road and walked up through a field and then north alongside a drystone wall and that was it. Looking at the LRWT website there seems to be more to the area ?

Any help please ?

Steve

[davidearlgray]

Hi Steve, the best place to park is the Whitwick to Copt Oak road, and you did go the right way to check the fields out for Ouzels and Wheatears.
This area is actually called Warren Hills and is not Charnwood Lodge.
Charnwood Lodge reserve is actually further down the valley which is past the fields. There is a footpath which runs north down the valley to Charnwood Lodge from Warren Hills.
Hope this helps?
Dave.
Ps A male Wheatear was seen in Warren Hills last week.

[Nottingham Panther]

Hi Dave

Thank you for the reply, thats put me right now - i knew i had heard the name Warren Hills when i saw it in your reply and realised i got the areas mixed up !! Will hopefully be up there Saturday and try and do Bardon Hill and Beacon Hill as well - pleasant day for Friday day then there's a nice band of rain and murk forecast overnight Friday into Saturday which might bring something good down with it. Black Redstart would be good with an Ouzel or two, fingers crossed.

Just checked the LROS Gallery and there's a picture of a Ring Ouzel at Warren Hills on there which seems a good omen !!

Thanks again

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Good luck to all 'Rouzellers' in the county this weekend though I reckon it might be a week early for the best chance of turning up one. I'm going into work for a couple of hours on Saturday morning but I hope to check out a likely spot on Sunday. With more folks searching for these in the last few years it's being proved to be not quite the county rarity that earlier records would suggest.

[Adey Baker]

Ring Ouzel reported from Warren Hills this morning. Did you get it, Steve, Dave?

[davidearlgray]

Hi Adey, yep I saw the male Ring Ouzel this afternoon after my shift at the general hospital.
The bird was a bit elusive but did show in the fields at the bottom of the valley were the cattle normally graze.
Also saw a good flock of 50+ fieldfares and a Raven in the surrounding fields.

[Adey Baker]

Well done, Sir! I just had time for a quick look around Croft Quarry area but nothing there - haven't had a single wheatear even this year so far. Will try again in the morning.

[Nottingham Panther]

Hi Dave and Adey,

Must have been a birding premonition !! I got up there late morning and a birder who i found out was Jim Graham was scanning the fields and had only just arrived and had seen nothing yet. Had a quick chat and left him to scan the field and went to check the other fields along the wall, lifted the binoculars up and there he was, a very smart male. Whistled Jim over and we both had good views and Jim took a few digiscoped pics. A couple of other birders came up after a txt from Jim, one being Andy Cliff who had been on the hills that morning but had been thwarted by the mist and hadn't seen anything.

Went up again yesterday hoping for a repeat performance but was not to be. A smart male Wheatear was in the big field at the bottom of the hill though so birds are constantly coming and going. Will be up there again in the next couple of weeks !!

Thanks again for confirming i was going to the right place when i posed the question.

Best Wishes

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Well done, Steve, a great bit of predictive work!

Incidentally, looking at last year's LROS newsletter for May (I haven't seen the full list yet), the first county Ouzel last year was also on April 4th but there wasn't another one until the 13th. Could be a good Easter project this year.

[davidearlgray]

Checked out Warren Hills this morning and nothing much to report except for a singing Willow Warbler and a fly-by Raven in the area.

[RICHARD DAWKINS]

Hi all
I was at Rutland Water yesterday with some migrants in with lots of Willow Warbler,Osprey & 4 Common Tern came through and the new lagoon that as been built looks quite impressive which had Common Sandpiper & Dunlin on the islands hope the Ospreys use the new nest sites on here next year,anyway a good day here last time i visited was for the Marsh Sandpiper last year.
Here's a few shots more on my website below

[davidearlgray]

3 Sandwich Terns reported off the Dam this morning at Rutland Water+ Great Northern Diver and Scaup.
Also looks like a few spring migrants have been reported in the last few days (Reed and Sedge Warbler)at a number of sites in the county.
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

[Adey Baker]

Red-rumped Swallow reported from Frolesworth Manor Lake early evening. Seen for about 20 minutes at close range on a couple of occasions. Observer had to go home to phone out by which time the bird had moved on. It may still be around so will be looked for first thing tomorrow.

[Jack Haggis]

Red-rumped Swallow reported from Frolesworth Manor Lake early evening. Seen for about 20 minutes at close range on a couple of occasions. Observer had to go home to phone out by which time the bird had moved on. It may still be around so will be looked for first thing tomorrow.

Who did he phone Adey? The message wasn't out on RBA/Birdnet and I only saw it on the LROS site this morning. I've got a fair few numbers in my phone of people sharing news, Carl is on so if you want adding and you would probably be the last I can add due to cost I will put you on my groups list.

I usually text out news, at my own expense, of rarities or firsts for the year. If I'm at work and at the computer, I can put out a message via a mail server which saves a bit of time and money. I'm happy to put out news once and then people have to rely on phoning updates to Birdguides/RBA/Birdnet etc.

[Adey Baker]

Who did he phone Adey? The message wasn't out on RBA/Birdnet and I only saw it on the LROS site this morning. I've got a fair few numbers in my phone of people sharing news, Carl is on so if you want adding and you would probably be the last I can add due to cost I will put you on my groups list.

I usually text out news, at my own expense, of rarities or firsts for the year. If I'm at work and at the computer, I can put out a message via a mail server which saves a bit of time and money. I'm happy to put out news once and then people have to rely on phoning updates to Birdguides/RBA/Birdnet etc.


He phoned Carl who phoned me, but as he wasn't at the site at the time he made the call we hesitated to put it out any farther until we'd checked it out - just as well as it turned out. No disrespect to the finder but this isolated site does pick up good birds but is not big enough to 'hold' them for long. It went onto the LROS website last night after 10:00pm (with the info that it had not been relocated) so the other services obviously didn't pick up on it or think it worth reporting.

No sign this morning but then the news came through of it (or a different bird?) at Watermead several miles farther down the Soar valley.

Carl usually lets me know if there's anything being 'texted' around and I also subscribe to Birdguides so I get to know of most things and if I find anything 'reportable' I put it out as soon as practicable.

[davidearlgray]

Thanks to Rob Gill for finding the Red-rumped Swallow at Watermead CP North today.
(He phoned me at around 8.15am this morning whilst at work).
The Swallow was still around the "Pec Pit" opposite the Hope and Anchor pub until at least 6.30pm, at which point it was showing very well.
Cheers,
Dave.

http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

[Nottingham Panther]

Afternoon

Been hitting the (Warren) hills 4 days out of the last 5 and was rewarded with the following

Wheatear (Male) Saturday, in the rocks at the back of the path that look over the Ouzel fields.

Ring Ouzel (Female) Sunday afternoon about 4.15 pm but NOT in the Ouzel fields. Girlfriend and I had checked the fields and decided to have a general wander round. As we walked up path that runs parallel to Abbey Road to where there is a small lay by we saw a female Ouzel scuttle left to right in front of us. The bird then flushed into a small patch of cover and an evergreen bush with Silver Birches mixed in. We walked on for about hundred yards turned and waited and after about 15 mins she came to the edge of the cover then dropped down and started feeding again. Moral of the story is check everywhere on the hills not just the traditional fields, the birds could be there especially as the next week or two seems to be the peak time !!

Also nice flock of about 30+ Linnets in the ploughed field next to the main car parking area.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

Nice surprise this evening on the way to the local records committee meeting.......

Two Pec Sands on Wanlip Meadows LRWT scrape - have not checked but probably the first spring record for the county.
Unfortunately they must have cleared off within ten minutes of me finding them as the rest of the records committee arrived to find them gone.
Quite timely really as the 'Pec Pit' has been called the 'Swallow Pit' recently.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

Now is normally the start of the peak time for Ring Ouzels but there was nothing on two of the main sites, Bardon Hill and Warren Hills, today. The weather was just too nice. A migrant Tree Pipit on Bardon was the best I could do.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

Nice find, Steve!

It's been a funny spring so far - the Swallow and those spring Pecs are great county birds but where are all the other goodies? Rouzels seen particularly thin on the ground and we haven't had any Wheatears at all in the Croft/Huncote area.

A Pied Fly or two or a Wood Warbler ought to brighten things up, though I can't get over to Croft or down to my local woods till the weekend now, so I'll leave it to someone else to get the glory!

[rockfowl]

Nice find, Steve!

It's been a funny spring so far - the Swallow and those spring Pecs are great county birds but where are all the other goodies? Rouzels seen particularly thin on the ground and we haven't had any Wheatears at all in the Croft/Huncote area.

A Pied Fly or two or a Wood Warbler ought to brighten things up, though I can't get over to Croft or down to my local woods till the weekend now, so I'll leave it to someone else to get the glory!

No Ouzels in the Aylestone area at all so far this year...weathers a bit too good!

[Adey Baker]

No Ouzels in the Aylestone area at all so far this year...weathers a bit too good!


April 2007 was very warm, about 4C above average and we had an excellent Rouzel passage, so there's obviously a number of factors involved.

S.E. winds forecast for the end of the week (on the regional BBC news prog tonight) could bring us something interesting for the weekend...

[davidearlgray]

With SE winds reported for the weekend, hopefully more stuff to be seen in the Soar Valley!?
At the moment the Soar Valley sites seem to be the best place in the county to find scarce and unusual birds.
My wish list for the Soar Valley would be a long overdue Cattle Egret or even a twitchable Broad billed Sandpiper!!

[Adey Baker]

With SE winds reported for the weekend, hopefully more stuff to be seen in the Soar Valley!?


The upper Soar Valley this time, please ;)

[rockfowl]

The upper Soar Valley this time, please ;)

No the southern section ;) Very nice Pec's by the way!

[Adey Baker]

No the southern section ;)

Yes, the farther south the better ;)

[Adey Baker]

...and we haven't had any Wheatears at all in the Croft/Huncote area.



Phew, finally caught up with a male and female Wheatear on Huncote Embankment briefly this morning, after a heavy shower of rain.

[Adey Baker]

Phew, finally caught up with a male and female Wheatear on Huncote Embankment briefly this morning, after a heavy shower of rain.

The male was still present this morning and showing very well to birders and the general public who seemed well impressed! http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/248480/ppuser/1805

[Dean Powell]

Hi all,

Made my way across to Leicestershire yesterday afternoon to Cossington Meadows to spend a couple of hours with a Pectoral Sandpiper.

I managed to get really close views of it. Beautiful plumage. It looked great in the scope. Saw it in flight, calling, preening and wandering around feeding.

I have been wanting to see a Pectoral Sandpiper (a vagrant to Britain) for some time so off I went and was not disappointed.

Also around was Little Egret, 2 Heron, Gadwall pair, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, 2 Redshank, small flocks of Linnet and a Wheatear. The Wheatear was on one of the posts at the back of the meadow and showed well for quite some time.

Dean

[Littleegret]

I'm amazed at the varieties of birdlife in Leicestershire and Ruland! My usuals are woodpigeons,robins,buzzards,pheasants etc. (am I the least experienced bird watcher in the entire forum?)

[davidearlgray]

Hi all, checked a few sites out today but not much to report.
I saw 3 Little Egrets and a Yellow Wagtail at Cossington Meadows.
The RC Pochard is still at Watermead CP South and good numbers of Swifts (20+) were recorded at same site.
Also checked out Warren Hills, but no sign of any migrating Ring Ouzels!!
Cheers,
Dave.

http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com

[Littleegret]

Are you lot twitchers? Is this why I see COMMON birds?

[Steve Lister]

Are you lot twitchers? Is this why I see COMMON birds?

There are obviously plenty of common birds in Leics/Rutland but if you get out and about and work at it there are plenty of scarcer ones too well every now and again anyway.

The last fortnight has produced a Red-rumped Swallow, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, and 3 (maybe more) Whiskered Terns. Just goes to show what you can find if you try.

Steve

[kevside]

Male Wheatear on Huncote embankment this evening.

[Littleegret]

Can you tell me the places to go in leics/rutland for rare sightings.

[rockfowl]

Can you tell me the places to go in leics/rutland for rare sightings.

http://www.lros.org.uk/birdingsites.htm

[Adey Baker]

A Cattle Egret reported this morning in front of the visitor centre at Rutland Water.

The Ring Ouzel still present at Charley, in the ploughed field off Charley Road opposite the Beacon.

A singing Wood Warbler at the very southerly tip of Burbage Wood was easy to hear, but difficult to see - the foliage on the under-storey of Hazels, etc., made any bird higher up difficult to see. It stopped singing when the wind got up, so I'll probably go along again later to see if it starts again if it brightens up.

[peter hill]

Just got back from a weekend at rutland ,2 ospreys 2 sandlings 1 drake gargany 2 garden warblers and 2 curlew sandpipers good times :t:

[Adey Baker]

A singing Wood Warbler at the very southerly tip of Burbage Wood was easy to hear, but difficult to see - the foliage on the under-storey of Hazels, etc., made any bird higher up difficult to see. It stopped singing when the wind got up, so I'll probably go along again later to see if it starts again if it brightens up.

A few pairs of eyes (and ears) searched this afternoon for three hours or so but no further sightings noted. It will be looked for again tomorrow morning but it looks as if this one really did disappear into the infamous 'Burbage Triangle' ;) :-

[davidearlgray]

Cattle Egret reported again today at Egleton on Lagoon 1 this morning via my pager.
Other highlights I saw yesterday included an Avocet, Greenshank and Hobby at Eyebrook Res. Later in the day I couldn't not find the Ring Ouzel on Charley Road, near Beacon Hill CP, but two Greenland types Wheatear were in the same ploughed field.
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com

[davidearlgray]

Although I didn't find it I did confirm the Wood Warbler seen and singing this afternoon by the pond at Victoria Park in Leicester city centre.
Quite possibly one of the best sighting I have seen in the city boundaries?!
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com

[Adey Baker]

Although I didn't find it I did confirm the Wood Warbler seen and singing this afternoon by the pond at Victoria Park in Leicester city centre.
Quite possibly one of the best sighting I have seen in the city boundaries?!
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com

I didn't think we were going to get any in the county this year, then there's two within two days.

There was one in 2005 at Abbey Park so they can turn up just about anywhere on passage. It seems that they start to sing as soon as they arrive in a likely spot for feeding before moving on the next day. Don't write-off the Burbage Wood one yet, though - the previous two records from this area (15 years apart!) both stayed and set up territories. The one in 2001 for about 10 days and the 1986 one for about a month.

[Steve Lister]

It has gone a bit quiet the last couple of days, with the Cattle Egret gone from RW and very few waders or terns coming through.
It could all change in the next three days as the weather changes to wetter conditions that could bring birds down. We are now in the main period for Temminck's Stint and other waders such as Turnstones and more Knots and Sanderlings are on the cards. People are predicting a major spring fall on the east coast so lets hope a few birds get inland as well: a second county record of Red-throated Pipit would go down well, as long as it is not just flying over.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

I should make predictions more often......
Within three hours of the above there was a Spoonbill at Rutland Water along with loads of Turnstones and Sanderlings, Black Terns at four sites, and Little Terns at two. No Temminck's yet though.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

...and a Sanderling also at Brascote Pits this evening.

[Littleegret]

Do you birders know the birds special to leicestershire. Please don't give web links!

[Adey Baker]

I don't think there are any birds that are particularly special to Leicestershire.

Nobody's going to give out sites for the less common breeding birds but the migrants, whether rare or not, are usually listed on the LROS latest news page quoted elsewhere in this thread. If you don't want to visit that, then checking in here will probably provide the locations of some of them, but only if any of the regulars drops in here to post the info. If the bird is interesting enough then it'll almost certainly be 'phoned-in' to one or other of the bird news systems and find its way to a few websites before it gets on here - I'll certainly report anything I see of interest on here but it won't be until I get back home and perhaps after I've had chance to edit any photos of it

[Steve Lister]

Tuesday 19th....
Two Common Cranes south over Exton Park at 1.45 and then circling over Nanpantan, outskirts of Loughborough, at 3.05 - finally headed north-east towards Garendon Park.
May still be around somewhere
Steve

[Johnny Allan]

Hi there,

I'm trying to find out which Counties still use the Watsonian Vice County system to record birds in and which go by whatever the political boundary may change to (and why).

The Watsonian Vice County system was set to accurately record and compare historical and modern data and it seems that there can be/is confusion when some counties no longer use this system whilst others do. Does anyone in your county have a view on this ? Discussion here if anyone has a comment:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=142074

ps this is not about getting more or less county ticks, more a question about uniformity in recording.

Johnny Allan

[Adey Baker]

Another Sanderling dropped into Brascote Pits today and like the last one it was on a pretty grotty day weatherwise (more like November than June:eek!:) I suppose that on a sunny day it would have just flown over anyway.

[Adey Baker]

Not quite a bird, but at a good birding location! Part of an influx it would seem, a Red-veined Darter (possibly more than one) at Brascote Pits, late this afternoon/early evening.

[Steve Lister]

First flock of Crossbills locally today - 35 circling high over Charnwood Forest.

Lots of Mandarins indicating a good breeding season - 29 at Cropston Res today and 30 at Blackbrook Res on Wednesday.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

No further sign of any Crossbills in the area.

A new county record of 33 Little Egrets roosted at Rutland water on Monday night.

Steve

[Timo2112]

Is it common to see ospreys over Eyebrook Resevoir?
I saw one on Saturday, but wasn't expecting to...

[davidearlgray]

Yes, there wander from RW!

[Steve Lister]

RW = Rutland Water by the way

SL

[Steve Lister]

Countryfile tonight has a definite local feel to it......

Estate management at Belvoir Castle and the Rutland Water Osprey project

BBC1, 8.00

Steve

[kevside]

Peregrine and Common Sandpiper at Brascote this evening, pretty quiet.

[karpman]

Hey,

Got the rosefinch? great bird for our area, Seems a very quiet thread figure the birding aint so hot in leicstershire?:)
Not been at it long but had snipe and hobby at brascote nice spot keep missing the perergrine and raven though.
Shovler was there yesterday morning with some comorants but i could not get a lock on the dunnocks:(
44 species for me at the moment so brascote stil has so much to give:)

Regards


Karpman

[karpman]

Hey guys.

I know it's a little dead here so may be wasting but anyway.
Back down brascote tonight had 1 hour before light faded to much.
Got a lovley dunock show for me on a post 4 greay partridge 2 green woods the usual ducks no shoveler tonight:<
An absoloute amazing amount of pied wags
Also had a bird i could not identify depsite getting a lovley look, Was a tad larger than a wagtail probaly 14-15cm brown mottled with a feint black eyestripe and longish slender beak 2cm ish.
I know could be anything i had it as perhaps meadow pipit or maybe reed warbler. in any case was a nice bird to watch.

Ticking the no's of is not of massive concern to me 46 specie now.

all the best karpman

[Steve Lister]

Deans Lane October 4th

Moderate passage of mipits and finches.
7 Crossbills in the area.
Wheatear briefly.
Raven, up to 12 Buzzards in view - but some in Notts.

Steve

[karpman]

Sunday Oct 4th 2009

Brascote
Great spot woodpecker showed on dead tree over the back.
gadwall
Teal
Snipe in the moonland type area past the lakes "normaly devoid of life"
Meadow pippit seemed to be all over the place
Pied wagtails by the handfull possibley some other's mixed in there too.
Grey pratridge and red legged.
Peregrine late last night on a far pylon.

Kemhall bridge ibstock
Green sandpiper
pochard
snipe
common buzzard
willow ti bullfinch on the feeders.

Think thats about it been out pretty much all day, Went to the gull roosting spot at moira too but not to much to report from there.
all the best

Karpman

[karpman]

Also
male and female shovler on the fishing late at scence valley.

karpman

[davidearlgray]

Yesterday 4th October 2009:
Eyebrook Res
1 Pectoral Sandpiper
1 Red-crested Pochard
2 Pintail
and lots of common stuff!
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.comFrom

[davidearlgray]

Pectoral Sandpiper again this afternoon at the inflow end at Eyebrook res via my birdnet pager circa 16.00pm.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Steve Lister]

Deans Lane October 10th

First two Fieldfares of the autumn (unless anyone knows different)
First three-figure Redwing movement
4 Crossbills still knocking around

Steve

[thenorthernmonkey]

Good evening all

As part of my first competetive year list next year i will be visiting Rutland Water in the first week of January. Whilst i know there are 19 hides etc what i dont know is do i need to come up (from Cornwall) for a day or a weekend.

It's probably a stupid question and i assume as i have never been before the answer will be the weekend.

How many of the hides give views to totally different areas and how many give views to the same area, different angle.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Steve Lister]

I think it is 26 hides now but one is to be demolished soon and two more are temporarily off limits.
In January visiting seven hides plus three un-hid areas would give you chance of seeing all the waterbirds. One day would just about be enough, but two would allow you to do Eyebrook Reservoir as well.
Steve

[thenorthernmonkey]

I think it is 26 hides now but one is to be demolished soon and two more are temporarily off limits.
In January visiting seven hides plus three un-hid areas would give you chance of seeing all the waterbirds. One day would just about be enough, but two would allow you to do Eyebrook Reservoir as well.
Steve

Many thanks Steve. I've found some really cheap accom so i'll come up for the weekend with Eyebrook in mind. I must say though that £4 entry seems very reasonable...

[davidearlgray]

Good numbers of Redwings (1,000+) for the last two days over Dean's Lane, Beacon Hill.
Also a Ringtail Hen Harrier flew over at around 8.30am being mobbed by a couple of crows!

[davidearlgray]

Deans Lane vis mig results today 16th October:
Redwing:1261, Fieldfare:31, Chaffinch:40, Redpoll:22, Starling:323, Siskin:30, Linnet:16, Goldfinch:13, Song Thrush:5, Skylark:28, Meadow Pipit:3
Also present in the surrounding area was 2 Crossbills, 1 Peregrine and 1 Raven.

Cheers,
Dave.

[Timo2112]

Sorry, please forgive my ignorance I am relatively new to this area, but where is Deans Lane?

[rockfowl]

Sorry, please forgive my ignorance I am relatively new to this area, but where is Deans Lane?

See here and add Beacon Hill, Leicester into the search - http://maps.google.co.uk/

[Steve Lister]

Deans Lane Sunday 18th:

925 Redwings, 1000+ Starlings, 175 Chaffinches, 6 Bramblings and 3 Crossbills all went west.

7 Crossbills and 20 Lesser Redpolls in the area.

Steve

[karpman]

Hey guys

Not much to report on, Common gull and yellow leg gull down brascote on thursday, Tree sparrows and some Goldcrest showing really well @ thornton res today.

Not mega rare but best i could do and bloody nice:t:

Karpman

[Topspot]

Hey guys

Not much to report on, Common gull and yellow leg gull down brascote on thursday, Tree sparrows and some Goldcrest showing really well @ thornton res today.

Not mega rare but best i could do and bloody nice:t:

Karpman

hey Leicester boys any more news on that little bittern on your patch......regards Steve stokie birder

[davidearlgray]

No sign of the Little Bittern all day yesterday at Cossington Meadows, but I did see a Barn Owl hunting over the fields near the entrance to reserve at dusk.

[Topspot]

No sign of the Little Bittern all day yesterday at Cossington Meadows, but I did see a Barn Owl hunting over the fields near the entrance to reserve at dusk.

Thanks for that.........we have seen a rise in the numbers of Barn owls around Stoke there's a breeding pair not far from myself here in the Meir area, of course we do well for the long eared also up to a dozen birds roost just a mile from my house at Park Hall , Ozz

[nexstarneil]

Whilst standing around the other day hoping to connect with the Little Bittern, Andy Smith and I chatted about just how small they are. Andy ringed one in Hungary a few years ago and recalled it was similar to handling a Moorhen! Well, here's the proof http://southnottsringinggroup.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-10-04T16:23:00%2B01:00&max-results=15 click on the image to enlarge.

[davidearlgray]

Good numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares heard calling over night at the General Hospital.
Also two groups of Fieldfares (20+ and 30+) flying south-west over the hospital just before 7.00am this morning.

[Steve Lister]

One of the best days of the autumn on Deans Lane today - plenty of Fieldfares, Starlings and Chaffinches (305, a site record), plus the first real (??) movement of Woodpigeons.

And a Lapland Bunting.

Steve

[nexstarneil]

Managed a few holes at Cosby Golf Course but was very distracted by excellent visible migration (that's my excuse). Waves of thrushes mainly but best Skylark passage I've seen/heard in a long time. Small groups of Redpoll, Siskin, Linnet and other 'finches', Autumn in all its glory.

[davidearlgray]

At Cossington Meadows this evening: 2 SEOs, upto 4 Barn Owls, 3 Little Owls, and 1 Tawny Owl around the reserve.

[Adey Baker]

Nice to see somewhere other than Great Easton getting Short-eared Owls for a change! Has it been a good 'vole year' I wonder?

[davidearlgray]

Nice to see somewhere other than Great Easton getting Short-eared Owls for a change! Has it been a good 'vole year' I wonder?

Hi Adey, I spoke to Chris Hill (warden at Cossington) and he said that Swan Meadow had good numbers of Voles on it!:t:

cheers,
Dave.

[Adey Baker]

Hi Adey, I spoke to Chris Hill (warden at Cossington) and he said that Swan Meadow had good numbers of Voles on it!:t:

cheers,
Dave.

Might be worth trying a few likely-looking sites anywhere else, then, just to see what's around.

I had a Red Kite this afternoon drifting around Burbage Common - still quite a scarce bird locally, though not newsworthy enough for LROS news page these days. ;) Very grotty light conditions so no decent photos - hope it hangs around until the sun shines again...

[davidearlgray]

Update on Cossington meadows last night:
2 Short-eared Owls showed very well from around 4.30pm, also at least 1 Barn Owl and 3 Little Owls seen and heard calling in the same area(Swan meadow).
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

[davidearlgray]

Highlights last night at Cossington Meadows LRWT:
3 Short-eared Owl, 2 Barn Owls and 1 Little Owl was seen or heard calling by Swan Meadow.
A late Swallow was also seen migrating south over the meadow at around 4.30pm.
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

[Adey Baker]

The Great White Egret seen on and off around the Croft area was relocated this morning. Just inside the parish boundary of Narborough at SP525965 at Flash Farm, next to the River Soar. Viewable from the boardwalk at the bottom of Huncote Embankment at the southern end. Somewhat distantly;) though fine through a 'scope!

[Steve Lister]

The same or a different GWE was reported flying north over Stanford Res this afternoon.

And a tantalising view of what could have been a Richard's Pipit over the 'owl field' at Cossington Meadows for one lucky chap.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

Another report of GWEgret at Rutland Water on Thursday but only very brief.
Still Red-throated Diver, Slav and 4 Black-necked Grebes and a few Whooper Swans there.

Steve

[karpman]

Another report of GWEgret at Rutland Water on Thursday but only very brief.
Still Red-throated Diver, Slav and 4 Black-necked Grebes and a few Whooper Swans there.

Steve

Cheers steve

Still not made the trip to rutland:-C
Gonna head over to kelham bridge and scence valley try me luck:)

karpman

[Adey Baker]

I wonder just how many/few GW Egrets are around in the county - it would be nice to get simultaneous sightings of two just to prove there's more than one bird involved (none seen in the Croft area this morning)

[Steve Lister]

One (maybe two?) Great Northern Divers now with the Red-throated (maybe still two?) at Rutland Water, off the dam or Whitwell.
Two Slavs reported yesterday, rather than the usual one, plus four Black-necked (there are usually five) - South Arm III from Gadwall Hide.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

Could not find any divers yesterday but it is a big place.

Slav and 4 Black-necked Grebes still in South Arm III, along with an impressive pre-roost of about 3000 Common Gulls blanketing the shore by Gadwall Hide.

4 Whooper Swans North Arm, and 19 mobile Red-crested Pochards.

Interesting large gull on Lagoon IV looked to be a Caspian x Herring hybrid.

Steve

[davidearlgray]

I wonder just how many/few GW Egrets are around in the county - it would be nice to get simultaneous sightings of two just to prove there's more than one bird involved (none seen in the Croft area this morning)

Adey there is probably two birds around in Vc55, but I think the one around the Upper Soar Valley;) it probably a returning bird which has been seen at Cossington, NW Leics and even Saddington Resv over the last three years?

Cheers,
Dave :t:

[davidearlgray]

Interesting large gull on Lagoon IV looked to be a Caspian x Herring hybrid.

Steve[/QUOTE]

So how rare would that species be in this country steve?!;)
But seriously I think this opens a whole can of worms of what really is a Caspian Gull?!

Cheers,
Dave.

[davidearlgray]

Update at Cossington Meadows:16th November 2009.
Myself, Pete Jessop and Jerry Griffiths saw 3 Short-eared Owls over the Swan meadow and the Moor, 3 Little Owls were heared calling in the general area and I had 1 Barn Owl hunting over Wood Meadow as I walked back to car near the reserve entrance.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Adey Baker]

Adey there is probably two birds around in Vc55, but I think the one around the Upper Soar Valley;) it probably a returning bird which has been seen at Cossington, NW Leics and even Saddington Resv over the last three years?

Cheers,
Dave :t:

Not to mention Sheepy Magna/Parva as well. Considering how big and white they are, I wonder where they hide away for the majority of the time when they're not reported.

[Steve Lister]

But seriously I think this opens a whole can of worms of what really is a Caspian Gull?!

Cheers,
Dave.

Exactly. The records committee has put Caspian Gull back on the description list as from January 2010 and would welcome details or photographs of any 2009 birds.
The November Grebe contains an article covering the subject, as I am sure you will know.

Steve

[Steve Lister]

I wonder just how many/few GW Egrets are around in the county - it would be nice to get simultaneous sightings of two just to prove there's more than one bird involved (none seen in the Croft area this morning)


The county records committee will attempt to analyse all sightings alongside those from adjacent counties to try and interpret all the reports as correctly as possible.
It is difficult to identify individual GWEgrets as they don't tend to vary very much and some of the descriptions received are no more than 'large white heron with yellow bill'.
I have received nothing at all by way of a description on the September Saddington bird by the way.

Steve

[Adey Baker]

It is difficult to identify individual GWEgrets as they don't tend to vary very much and some of the descriptions received are no more than 'large white heron with yellow bill'.


Steve

I can't offer much more than that on the Croft/Narborough bird, either. There was no way we could get any closer without disturbing the bird (or trespassing!) to obtain a detailed view or better photos. You can paste the above description onto a report form if you like to save making one out ;) and attach the photo below. The site does attract grey herons regularly, so if it returns it may well come much closer if it chooses to keep company with them.

[nexstarneil]

An adult Whooper Swan is a Watermead with Mutes. It was apparently first seen on the 11th and carries a BTO ring. Here's a link for more on this bird http://birdringing.blogspot.com/