OUT IN THE FOG AND THEN SOME SUN??.

Richard and myself both decided to have our normal Thursday visit out as normal even though the forecast was far from being perfect, in fact it was dire, but we both needed some time out and you never can tell what Little Owls are going to do. So as normal Richard arrived at 11.30 hrs and with him driving we got on our way heading for our Little Owl sites. And then after we thought we would carry on through to Eyebrook Reservoir, what a pair of fools.

It soon became evident that we would be battling against the fog and even though it was varying in thickness it was going to be a very difficult afternoon image wise. We travelled through our Little Owl Sites and not until Site No. 8 did we manage to see our first bird, this bird sat and watched whilst we took a few images, a reasonable amount to be truthful because of the weather. We then headed for Site No. 9 where we planned to have our lunch and sat in the nest hole sat an adult, the images from here were rubbish as a much longer shot to the nest hole. After our lunch we carried on through our remaining sites but saw no more birds and so headed for Eyebrook. On arriving we immediately went and visited the bridge and went on Kingfisher watch, virtually immediately I spotted a bird flying upstream which was followed by Richard spotting a bird in the usual Willow tree, as much as I tried over this distance with the fog no decent image was taken but we kept up with watching in case a bird landed any closer. After this we had a drive around the reservoir and stopped at a new site I found a week or two ago and this looks very promising for the future without the fog.

After visiting all the areas around the reservoir where we have been seeing Red Kites and seeing none we decided to head for home and a return trip through the Little Owls Sites. Within a very short distance from the bridge we spotted a Little Owl in a large tree in a field, this is a well documented site but still good to see the bird. On our return trip we saw two birds and Site No. 5, one in the nest tree and one in a tree on the far side of the field so for me a five owl day.



EYEBROOK RESERVOIR.
19th January.


       

Cock Pheasant, Near Little Owl Site No. 5.

This bird sat on a gate not far from the field Road we were using. Richard stopped the car and as we were reasonably close the fog just gave a back drop.  

Little Owl Site no. 8.

This bird just sat and watched us as we attempted to get a decent image. 

Little Owl Site No. 5.

This bird sat high up in the nest tree and its mate was in a tree on the far side of the field where we see them on a regular basis. 

Lapwings in the fog at Eyebrook Reservoir.

As  most of my images are as a rule shot over reasonably long distances, this shows the fog with the Lapwings flying at the top end of the reservoir.

RUTLAND WATER.

20th January.

We then had some sun on Friday the 20th and so after lunch I had a very quick visit to Rutland, so after booking in at the Egleton Centre I had a walk down the reserve with a friend from LROS and headed initially for Shoveler Hide. On arriving in the hide and having a quick chat with the gents in the hide, they all agreed they had not seen so many ducks on the Lagoon but unfortunately for me, they were all a very long way away. After a short time some Teal flew in  a little closer but still not really close enough for a decent image. After a few images I then walked farther into the reserve and visited Crake and  Fieldfare Hides where I met up again with a gent I had walked into the reserve with who pointed out some birds well out in the reservoir with his scope, he had found eight Red- crested Pochards, a beautiful duck and he also showed me some Smew and a Red-necked Grebe, unfortunately these birds were all a silly distance away from the hide so I made no attempt for an image. 

Drake Teal, Lagoon 3, Shoveler Hide.

First time using the new lens and Rutland Wate and shooting down from a hide to the water. Should have used more - EV. A considerable number of ducks were on the Lagoon but at a long distance from the hide. After a short time about ten Teal flew in and landed about 60 metres from the Hide.  

Better balance and with its head down and feeding. 

A really beautiful duck that with Garganey are the smallest of the ducks. 

Great White Egret, Lagoon 3, Shoveler Hide.

 Even the G.W.E. would not play ball and come close, this image taken at 398 metres.

G.W.E. Lagoon 1, The Egleton Centre.

This image taken from the upstairs hide in the centre, the bird was just under 600 metres away. While at the Reservoir I had met up with Steve Lister who told me another five G.W.E. were at the Fishponds area. With the numbers that are being attracted to the reservoir maybe we will get some young this year, fingers crossed. 

Lapwing, Shoveler Hide. Lagoon 3.

Considerable numbers of Lapwing are around the Reserve.  A count of birds around the reservoir is carried out  by a team of volunteers on a day each month and last months count for Lapwing was 5098.

The first image of the Lapwings has been cropped, this is just a greater cropped version of the above.

A QUICK VISIT TO SWITHLAND RESERVOIR.
24th January.

I had an early lunch with the idea of going on a hunt for Waxwings at Loughborough,so I arrived in Loughborough for about 13.20 hrs and went directly to Park Road, this is where I last saw some birds. I soon met up with a gent who I had seen on a regular basis with the S.E.O. last year at Cossington Meadows. He had seen some Waxwings about 2 hrs previous as they flew over Park Road and showed me some images but he had seen nothing since. So we both got under way on all the side roads to see if we could find anything but to no avail so after about 30 minutes I decided to visit Swithland to see if anything much was about which unfortunately it was not.

Shoveler Ducks and Drakes.
These birds were swimming around in circles and feeding, not sure what they were feeding on but it certainly kept them busy, Birds were about 60 metres away, 

Black Headed Gull. On the Dam.

This bird sat on the hand rail of the bridge which spans from the dam to the draw off tower.

  Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did in the getting of the images.