Jan 292012
Winter birding at Eyebrook Reservoir & Rutland Water generally produces a good selection of wildfowl and to-day was no exception.
These are probably the best two waters in the midlands to see Smew. We had 3 “White Nuns” (drakes) and 6 Redheads, 2 drakes at Eyebrook and 1 drake 6 Redheads at Rutland. Unfortunately we were not able to locate the drake Green-winged Teal at Eyebrook, having spent some 2 hours searching through the numerous Common Teal. We did have 3 Redshank, 3 Egyptian Geese and a fly over Red Kite.
At Rutland there were hundreds of Gadwall and several hundred Goldeneye. Amongst the large flock of Tufted Duck at Lagoon3 we found 4 Scaup (2 drakes & 2 females) also here a very obliging Water Rail and 2 Little Egret. Small numbers of Pintail, Shelduck and Pochard and several hundred Wigeon at both sites. 3 Bewick’s Swan from the Visitor Centre at Rutland and small numbers of Shoveler from here.
IMAGES – No:1 – Grey Heron / No: 2 – Drake teal / No: 3 – Hambleton Peninsular, Rutland Water / No:4 – Little Egret / No:5 – Lapwing.
