Rutland Water 22 04 2018 - Dronfield Heritage Trust · Visit to Rutland Water Nature Reserve - 22nd...
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Visit to Rutland Water Nature Reserve - 22 nd April 2018 6 members met at Greendale on a cooler but dry Sunday morning following several days of “heatwave”. Linda & Mick Fairest, Graham Gill, Charles Seymour, Brian Smithson and Malcolm Swift. The plan today was to visit Rutland Water to see the Ospreys which were reported to have taken up residence and laid 3 eggs. On arrival we drove around to the Lyndon Visitor Centre and took the path to the Waderscrape Hide and Osprey Viewing area. Robin and Chiff Chaff were heard from the car park as a Swallow flew overhead. On the bird feeders viewed from the visitor centre were Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch. Along the path to the left in a small meadow were good numbers of Cowslips and several Purple Chequered (common name Snake’s-head) and the more rare White Fritillaries. A great photo opportunity. Whitethroat, Blackcap and Willow Warbler called from the hedgerows as a coach party of birdwatchers passed us heading for the Osprey viewing area. Fortunately the viewing hide is a large one so we were able to find room from where we could see the nest and perching sites. A female was on the eggs as the male sat on the perching post nearby. The eggs were laid a few days apart at the beginning of April and are expected to hatch by mid-May. At one point the male chased off an Egyptian Goose which was getting too close to the nest. Also from this hide Graham and Linda had a good view of a Muntjac deer slowly making its way through the undergrowth to the left of the hide. We proceeded on to Shallow Water Hide from where we had nearer views of the Ospreys across Manton Bay. One bird perched on an old dead tree near the water’s edge opposite the hide providing another good photo opportunity. Surprisingly this hide was fairly empty so we took the opportunity to have our packed lunch whilst keeping our eyes on the Ospreys. We re-traced our steps back to the visitor centre calling at Tufted Duck and Deep Water hides on the way. Butterflies noted were Small White, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Comma. The many insects flying around included White-tailed and Red-tailed Bumble Bee, Carder Bee and Large Bee Fly. We drove round to the Egleton visitor centre area and had good views of an Osprey complete with fish in its talons at Lagoon 4. Sand Martins flew backwards and forwards across the water. Water fowl included Pochard, Gadwall, Shelduck, Shoveler and Teal. Near the footpath another area of meadow had been cordoned off to protect larger numbers of Fritillaries which were growing there. On the way back to the car park Graham and Charles spotted another Muntjac deer. On arrival back at the cars we agreed it had been an EPIC day! As Linda, Mick and Brian drove away from Rutland Water a Red Kite flew over the car ending an excellent day. Birds 62 Flora 23 Insects 12 Mammals 3 Reporter: Linda Fairest
Transcript of Rutland Water 22 04 2018 - Dronfield Heritage Trust · Visit to Rutland Water Nature Reserve - 22nd...
Visit to Rutland Water Nature Reserve - 22nd April 2018
6 members met at Greendale on a cooler but dry Sunday morning following several days of
“heatwave”.
Linda & Mick Fairest, Graham Gill, Charles Seymour, Brian Smithson and Malcolm Swift.
The plan today was to visit Rutland Water to see the Ospreys which were reported to have taken up
residence and laid 3 eggs. On arrival we drove around to the Lyndon Visitor Centre and took the path
to the Waderscrape Hide and Osprey Viewing area. Robin and Chiff Chaff were heard from the car
park as a Swallow flew overhead. On the bird feeders viewed from the visitor centre were
Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch.
Along the path to the left in a small meadow were good numbers of Cowslips and several Purple
Chequered (common name Snake’s-head) and the more rare White Fritillaries. A great photo
opportunity. Whitethroat, Blackcap and Willow Warbler called from the hedgerows as a coach party
of birdwatchers passed us heading for the Osprey viewing area. Fortunately the viewing hide is a
large one so we were able to find room from where we could see the nest and perching sites. A
female was on the eggs as the male sat on the perching post nearby. The eggs were laid a few days
apart at the beginning of April and are expected to hatch by mid-May. At one point the male chased
off an Egyptian Goose which was getting too close to the nest. Also from this hide Graham and
Linda had a good view of a Muntjac deer slowly making its way through the undergrowth to the left
of the hide. We proceeded on to Shallow Water Hide from where we had nearer views of the Ospreys
across Manton Bay. One bird perched on an old dead tree near the water’s edge opposite the hide
providing another good photo opportunity. Surprisingly this hide was fairly empty so we took the
opportunity to have our packed lunch whilst keeping our eyes on the Ospreys.
We re-traced our steps back to the visitor centre calling at Tufted Duck and Deep Water hides on the
way. Butterflies noted were Small White, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock,
Speckled Wood and Comma. The many insects flying around included White-tailed and Red-tailed
Bumble Bee, Carder Bee and Large Bee Fly.
We drove round to the Egleton visitor centre area and had good views of an Osprey complete with
fish in its talons at Lagoon 4. Sand Martins flew backwards and forwards across the water. Water
fowl included Pochard, Gadwall, Shelduck, Shoveler and Teal. Near the footpath another area of
meadow had been cordoned off to protect larger numbers of Fritillaries which were growing there.
On the way back to the car park Graham and Charles spotted another Muntjac deer.
On arrival back at the cars we agreed it had been an EPIC day!
As Linda, Mick and Brian drove away from Rutland Water a Red Kite flew over the car ending an
excellent day.
Birds 62 Flora 23 Insects 12 Mammals 3
Reporter: Linda Fairest
Birds Flora Insects Mammals
Black-headed Gull Dandelion Small White Muntjac deer
Blackbird Dog’s Mercury Orange Tip Grey Squirrel
Blackcap Jack-by-the-Hedge Brimstone Brown Rat
Blue Tit Bluebell Speckled Wood
Canada Goose Ramsons Small Tortoiseshell
Carrion Crow Cowslip Peacock
Chaffinch Lesser Celandine Comma
Chiff Chaff Fritillaries
Collared Dove Forget-me-Not 7 Spot Ladybird
Common Buzzard Blackthorn
Common Gull Cherry Sp. Large Bee Fly
Common Tern Ground Ivy
Coot Cow Parsley White-tailed Bumble Bee
Cormorant White Dead Nettle Red-tailed Bumble Bee
Curlew Red Dead Nettle Carder Bee
Dunnock Daisy
Egyptian Goose Milkmaid
Gadwall Primrose
Goldfinch Red Campion
Great Black-backed Gull Marsh Marigold
Great Crested Grebe Groundsel
Great Tit Ribwort Plantain
Great-spotted Woodpecker (heard) Bay Willow
Green Woodpecker (heard)
Greenfinch
Greylag Goose
Herring Gull
House Martin
Jackdaw
Lapwing
Lesser Whitethroat
Little Egret
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Osprey
Oystercatcher
Pheasant
Pied Wagtail
Pochard
Redshank
Reed Bunting
Robin
Rook
Sand Martin
Sedge Warbler
Shelduck
Shoveler
Skylark (heard)
Song Thrush
Starling
Stock Dove
Swallow
Teal
Tufted Duck
Whitethroat
Wigeon
Willow Warbler
Woodpigeon
Wren
Yellowhammer
