Rutland Water

Not even sure what I had planned today - just fancied seeing some osprey.  It was my first visit to the Lyndon Visitor Centre at Rutland Water.  The staff were welcoming, helpful and charming.  The sun was blazing, the winds light.  Birds were in song.   Most evident were willow warbler with a least eight singing males within a 1km radius from the vistor centre.  Blackcap were also widespread, at least 15 singing males noted there.

The bay was like a millpond.  A walk over to the Makepeace hide for the nesting osprey.  The female protecting three eggs with the male in close attendance.  Then the switch around.  A proper family unit.  The live footage within the hide and visitor centre are testament to the technological investment that the wildlife trust have made to sharing the continuing success of the local osprey population in and around Rutland.  There are now up to 22 birds present in the area with the hope that they will continue their expansion outside of the local environs.

Three great egret flew over the distant poplars.

Yes it was a glorious day roaming around the south shore.  It was relatively quiet and with the hides now open, it was a surprise to have them all to ourselves.  From the Teal hide, the great northern diver finally popped out of the water after spending long punctuated periods submerged.  It was distant.  Two mandarin were also close to the hide. 

After a stroll, I headed back to the Makepeace hide for one last look at the osprey.  A mad 5 minutes then ensued after finding a 1st summer little gull, a totally unexpected white stork drifted over, circling for a short period before heading south.  It was unringed and had a missing inner primary feather.  These birds are never really guaranteed to be genuinely wild, but maybe this one was the real deal?

The great northern diver was then seen again from the hide.

Two swallow and half a dozen sand martin flew through.  There were a few butterflies in ideal conditions with four orange-tip two comma, three peacock, three brimstone and a small white.

It was a thoroughly splendid day.