RUTLAND WATER VISIT 14 / 12 / 2013
Started out at 05.10 by taxi to Halesowen bus station for the 5.22am bus to Birmingham, then onto New Street Rail station for the 6.20 Train to Oakham after a short taxi ride got to Rutland around 7.50am
On arrival no one in the visitor centre so had to pay for my permit on return (around12.30pm) so off I went to the hides from the left of the visitor centre, first port of call was the Tree Sparrow viewing area just by the Visitor Centre some great views of Chaffinch, Goldfinch & Greenfinch for early in the morning but not much else around here so returned a little later in the day (13.30).
On my walk about from hide manage to see hundreds of Redwing actually to many too count as they were on the reserve and flying over along with the ones on the reserve were Fieldfare, Mistle thrush, Starling, Song thrushes and in the bushes in the paddock was a single Brambling.
A little further round and you could see Wren, Robin and one of my highlights of the day a MUNTJAC DEER walked across the path right infront of me (no further than 6ft away) it just stopped for a couple of seconds looked at me and then run into the undergrowth (go on I know everyone runs away from me lol) but just to see one that close it was great.
On to the first main hide the Shoveler Hide a little let down this time with very few species around but did manage a reserve lifer GOOSANDER (2 pairs) just off to the right of the hide. A few Goldeneye were hanging around but no sign of the Smew reported over the last couple of days (they did appear later in the day but I didn’t get round to seeing them).
On to Lagoon 4 again not too much to tell you about but did have a reserve LIFER in the shape of a COMMON SCOTER drop on to the pool for a few seconds before one of the Mute Swans thought hey I don’t like you so off went the Scoter towards the sailing club.
TODAYS SPECIES SEEN –
TREE SPARROW VIEWING SCREEN –
Blue tit, Jackdaw, Pheasant (1xm, 3xf), Great tit, Marsh tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Coal tit, Collared dove, Goldfinch, Wren & Treecreeper
WALK ABOUT -
Jackdaw, Blue tit, Carrion crow, Fieldfare, Redwing, Pheasant, Great tit, Black headed gull, MUNTJAC DEER, Rabbit, Robin, Magpie, Blackbird, Green woodpecker, Song thrush, Starling, Lesser black backed gull, Mistle thrush, Brambling, Redpoll & Siskin
SHOVELER HIDE –
Cormorant, Grey heron, Wigeon, Redshank, Tufted duck, Pied wagtail, Carrion crow, Coot, Gadwall, Teal, Lapwing, Mute swan, Moorhen, Great crested grebe, Pochard, GOOSANDER (2Xm & 2xf) & Little egret
LAPWING HIDE –
Goldeneye, Wigeon, Gadwall, Cormorant, Mute swan, Tufted duck & Sparrowhawk
SMEW HIDE –
Little egret, Wigeon, Gadwall, Pintail, Black headed gull, Mallard, Mute swan, Tufted duck, Teal, Blackbird & Wren
BUZZARD HIDE –
Teal, Wigeon, Mute swan, Egyptian goose, Pintail, Gadwall, Mallard, Great crested grebe & Tufted duck
BITTERN HIDE –
Gadwall, Moorhen, Canada goose, Carrion crow, Wood pigeon & Cormorant
SANDPIPER HIDE –
Wigeon, Mute swan, Carrion crow, Black headed gull, Lesser black headed gull, Lapwing, COMMON SCOTER, Mallard, Wood pigeon, Tufted duck, Shoveler, Herring gull & Shelduck
GREBE HIDE –
Pintail, Wigeon, Mallard, Wood pigeon, Gadwall, Tufted duck, Black headed gull, Cormorant, Mute swan, Lapwing, Grey heron, Little grebe & Pied wagtail
VISITOR CENTRE -
Greylag goose (x10), Blue tit, Moorhen, Golden plover (x37), Goldfinch, Dunlin (x5), Lapwing, Pintail, Teal, Great black backed gull (x3), Lesser black backed gull (x7), Mallard, Kestrel, Redshank (x5), Cormorant, Wigeon & Sparrowhawk
Here's wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Birding New Year
Adrian