Rescue centre visit.

I headed to Fen Drayton for a look around and it seemed more quiet than normal with nothing out of the ordinary other than a few white wagtails.

I called in at a bird of prey sanctuary on the way back, it had a nice set up with a good flying program. I took the opportunity to grab a few pictures while there.

Great Grey Owl.

American Bald Eagle.

Steppe Eagle.

White Tailed Sea Eagle.

 

Hambleton Peninsula

I headed to Hambleton peninsula this afternoon for a look to see if anything was about.
A Whitethroat appeared on top of a hedgerow and did not seem to mind if you got a bit closer, which made a nice change from yesterdays one.

Whitethroat.

Plenty of Chiffchaff and Willow warbler about along the pathways making plenty of noise including a Chiffchaff who had his song back to front and seemed to have forgot the words.

Willow Warbler with small fly.

I also managed to see a few Egyptian Geese in a nearby field.

Egyptian Goose.

After checking the website it appears that the Manton bay Osprey pair now have 3 eggs, not the best picture but the nest is a long way away.

The Manton Osprey pair.

Blackcap's and Whitethroat's

I headed to Rutland as I finished work a bit earlier today, so had a few hours of sunlight left for a walk.

The sand martins are gathering in number and are busy nesting in the man made wall.

Plenty of Blackcap around but trying to get a picture was proving difficult, until one popped up in front of me and flew to a nearby branch.

As I was only out for an hour I sat and waited behind some logs that have been stacked after maintenance work has been carried out, as a Whitethroat was singing in the area along with a Sedge warbler. After 10 mins of so the Whitethroat popped up but at a distance and never came any closer.

Unfortunately its a 100% crop on a 500mm lens but its a record for me.

Lots of the usual birds about enjoying the sun and I managed to get a few pics.

On the way back down the track a Sparrowhawk flew over head with its meal still in its clutches, I presume it was taking it back to its nest, as it flew back over within a few minutes.

Snettisham and RSPB Titchwell Marsh.

Decided to take a trip to RSPB Titchwell on Sunday for a look, I was debating weather to go out at all but left at 06:00.

On the way I called in for a quick look at RSPB Snettisham for a very quick look, but as I was driving down the entrance road a Barn Owl was hunting in the field. Both me and the car behind me made a quick stop and jumped out for a better view, unfortunately it flew to the back of the field and over the hedge.
After a brief look at the reserve I headed back out and found the Barn Owl sitting on a fence post back in the field. After about 15 minutes he set of hunting over the field again. This time I managed to have my camera to hand and managed to get a few pictures.

Barn Owl.

Barn Owl.

Barn Owl.

Barn Owl "Coming too close".

Once the Barn owl had retired to the back of the field I headed for Titchwell.

Nice set up there with a great cafe and visitor centre.

I started of along the track to the beach and was greeted by a Stoat running across the track and into the long grass. There was plenty of Sedge Warblers singing in the brambles along the track along with quite a few Cetti's Warblers present also.

One animal that caught me eye was a Chinese water deer feeding to the left of the path, it did however look like it had mange or something all across the top of his back.

The next stop before heading home was Fen hide, I had been informed I shouldn't bother with it as it usually has nothing on it. Lucky for me 3 Marsh Harriers turned up and flew around in front of the hide.

Marsh Harrier.

Marsh Harrier.

Sedge Warbler Take 2

Well I headed to Rutland to chase down the Sedge warbler that was playing hide and seek yesterday.
I went to the same place and sure enough there he was, well his song anyway. After 10 mins or so he popped up for a few seconds and I managed to get a few shots before he dropped back down in to the bush.  And the scores are now Sedge Warbler 1-1 Dave.

I managed to count 6 in total today around the reserve, hopefully plenty more will arrive over the next few weeks.

Sedge Warbler.

It now seems that the reserve is full of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, they are absolutely everywhere, I think they are competing with the gulls for who can make the most noise.

Willow Warbler.

Chiffchaff.

The lagoons look quiet now that the winter visitors have all but gone, don't get me wrong still plenty of birds about but without the Wigeon and Teal in there thousands its seems quiet.

I headed to Heron hide for a view of the Osprey's nest, with the hope that the male would land on the perch quite close to the hide but no luck.

You can see the nest from the hide but a scope would be a handy addition to your kit.

On the way back for a brew a few Hares started boxing on Lax hill field and I managed to get a quick couple of photos before they headed off.

After a quick brew I headed to Lagoon 3 as the log book said 3 Black Terns had been seen, I had an idea where they might be and sure enough I soon found one sitting on a red buoy right in the middle of the lagoon. Chance of a decent photo was then none existent but its a record shot.

Its a Black Tern Honest!!!

One Tern that was showing a little better was the Common Tern, I managed to count 6 in total.

Two from Heron hide and 4 from the other side of the reserve near Lapwing hide.

They are quite impressive to watch the size of a gull yet they manoeuvre more like a swift.

Common Tern.

Common Tern.

Common Tern.

While walking back to the car a little Wren popped up in full song, for such a small bird he has a fair set of lungs on him!!

Wren.

Rutland Again.

Early finish from work today so headed to Rutland for a few hours.

The amount of chiffchaff's around is astounding it seems as if every tree has one flitting around in it.

Chiffchaff.

Chiffchaff.

Couldn't seem to find that many Blackcap around today I could here them but they always seemed to be in a bush, behind a bush or with the sun right behind them.

Blackcap.

Quite a few Willow Warbler's around today also providing a backdrop to the Chiffchaff. Although they are very similar the song is a dead give away.

Willow Warbler.

Not to far from Snipe hide a very distinct song of a Sedge Warbler was coming from a thick bush covered in brambles. About 20 ft was as close as I could get, and after 30 minutes of waiting he finely showed himself for a few seconds. I managed to get a couple of pics while franticly trying to focus my camera between 5 ft of brambles. 

Sedge Warbler.

Sedge Warbler.

I would have liked to get a picture of the Cetti's Warbler but as per usual plenty of singing but no showing himself.

The Sand Martins have arrived and numbers are growing but they never came that close for a good photo hopefully when they start to nest I can pick up a better image.

Sand Martin.

A few more pics from today.

Chaffinch.

Chiffchaff.

Greenfinch.

Rutland water.

I took a walk around Rutland water on Tuesday afternoon for a quick look to see what was about.

Plenty of Blackcap and Chiffchaf singing and showing quite well.

A lone Wheatear spent quite a bit of time on Lagoon 4.

A couple of Willow Warblers were seen along with x2 sightings of Sedge Warblers.

At Shoveler hide a Cetti's Warbler was making its usual call for over an hour, but never came into view yet it could have been no more than a few metres away.

Over at Lyndon site the Rutland Ospreys have returned with a rumoured 15 birds in total now in Rutland.

Good views can be seen for the viewing point. It also looks like a single egg has now been laid by the mating pair.

Biggest news of the day was an Alpine Swift that was present for a couple of hours in the morning over Barnstale but then headed towards Oakham. Its typical that I turn up in the afternoon after work to miss it!!.

Its the second recored at Rutland water the first being in 1978.

Ring Ouzels have been turning up around the water also with 2 being seen behind shallow water hide.

Hope to get out this afternoon for another look and hopefully remember my camera today.

  

Ingleholme farm, Dairy farm road, and Windle farm.

Mark and myself took a quick trip to the rugby club near Windle on the A580 to see if any Corn Buntings were about, and sure enough we managed to see a group of 4 near to the first house after the rugby club.

Corn Bunting.

Corn Bunting.

There was plenty of Reed buntings, Yellowhammers, Skylarks and the usual Chaffinch, Tits etc.

On the way back to the car a Sparrow hawk flew over.

Sparrow hawk.

We headed to Ingleholme farm on the Rainford bypass with the intention of a walk to dairy farm road and back, after a mandatory bacon roll and a tea we set of along the footpath. Lots of Skylark and meadow pipits around near the footpaths. The sighting of today was a male Merlin, Mark spotted him sitting on a small tree next to a silver birch along a track, he then flew to a large bush on dairy farm road. We made our way to dairy farm road for a better look but it was disturbed by a passing car and flew back to the same tree near the silver birch. He never came close enough to obtain a decent picture but the sight alone was fantastic. It just goes to show you don't need to go far from home to see amazing birds.