Last update: Sunday 7th Feb 2010 at 20:55


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Please read this before sending in your news or photographs, especially regarding which species to report for the news page [Click Here] (updated 2nd December 2009)

Species shown in red on this page are BBRC rarities or species recorded on less than ten occasions in the county and those in blue are county rarities (generally between 10 and 50 records since 1941). Visit the 'LROS News' page - updated with photos from the Rutland Water Birdfair book launch, 22nd August

Photos for 2008 Bird Report - would everyone who has promised to send photos to Carl Baggott please do so before the deadline is reached. Thank you. For subscribers, the January edition of The Grebe is now available to download from the usual page. A reminder to everyone to please read the Guidelines page before sending in bird news. The Latest Bird News page and Twitter feed are intended to alert birders to scarcer species that they might be interested in seeing. Records of common species, birds in gardens etc should be submitted via LROS Recorder or paper record slips (see the Bird Recording page for details), and are summarised in the monthly Field Notes in The Grebe. The Meetings and Outings page has been updated with details of all indoor meetings and outings for 2010. Photo Gallery updated 30th December 2009. Listing page updated 22nd January 2010.

FEBRUARY

Sunday 7th

Cossington Meadows: Bittern flew towards Lower Marsh from the pools along the footpath to Sileby, early afternoon; 3 Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow; 2 Little Egrets, Upper Marsh. Nearby, redhead Smew on the Pec pit and Whooper Swan with Mutes on the waterski pit at Watermead CP North.

Rutland Water: Slavonian Grebe, Fishponds end of the North Arm; 2 Long-eared Owls & 1 Short-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide; drake Smew, Lagoon 3.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls this evening.

Albert Village Lake: adult Med Gull.

Saturday 6th

Eyebrook Res: 2nd-winter Iceland Gull in the roost north of the island again this evening, also 2 White-fronted Geese.

Albert Village Lake: 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull, adult Med Gull, 3 Caspian Gulls & 1 Yellow-legged Gull this morning.

Friday 5th

Eyebrook Res: 2nd-winter Iceland Gull in the roost from 14:45; initially in front of the hide, then flew towards the island.

Birstall: Black Redstart still, at the junction of Bridge Green and Hallam Fields Road this morning.

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver, North Arm + Slavonian Grebe, Barnsdale Creek (but no sign from 11:50 - 13:30).

Cossington Meadows: 2 Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow + Little Egret, Tern Pool.

Swithland Res: drake Smew off the dam.

Burton Lazars: 3 Short-eared Owls this evening.

Thursday 4th

Birstall: Black Redstart still in Bridge Green, though elusive. It's become a bird news cliche, but please do make every effort to respect residents' privacy when birding in an area like this.

Burton Lazars: 3 Short-eared Owls this evening.

Cossington Meadows: 3 Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow + 2 Little Egrets, Tern Pool.

Rutland Water: Bittern, 4 Smew & 4 Red-crested Pochards, Lagoon 3.

Watermead CP North: 2 redhead Smew & 2 Red-crested Pochards still on the Pec pit.

Albert Village Lake: adult Med Gull this afternoon.

Wednesday 3rd

Birstall: Black Redstart still in Bridge Green/Halfpenny Way on the Hallam Fields estate.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls this evening, either side of the Stapleford road near the flood relief.

Albert Village Lake: adult Caspian Gull & adult Med Gull this afternoon; 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull reported present this morning.

Rutland Water: White-fronted Goose still in the North Arm (reported as Greenland, but no confirmation of this); Great Northern Diver & 4 Scaup, Whitwell.

Watermead CP North: 2 redhead Smew and 2 Red-crested Pochards still on the Pec pit.

Tuesday 2nd

Rutland Water: 2 Slavonian Grebes - 1 in North Arm; 1 in South Arm III; Great Northern Diver & 10 Scaup, Whitwell; White-fronted Goose, North Arm; 24 Red-crested Pochards & 4 Smew, Lagoon 3; Scaup, Lagoon 4.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal at the island, also White-fronted Goose still.

Watermead CP North: still 2 redhead Smew & pair of Red-crested Pochards on the Pec pit, opposite the Hope & Anchor.

Monday 1st

Birstall: Black Redstart again on back garden wall of 24 Bridge Green, on the Hallam Fields estate.

Rutland Water: Slavonian Grebe, North Arm; 2 Long-eared Owls behind Fieldfare hide; 3 Bramblings, Egleton Visitor Centre.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still north of the island, aslo 2 White-fronted Geese.

Goadby: 18 Bramblings at SP758998.

Watermead CP North: 2 redhead Smew, male & female Red-crested Pochard on the 'Pec pit' opposite the Hope & Anchor pub.

JANUARY 2010

Sunday 31st

Bardon Hill: Firecrest with tit flock at the edge of the conifer wood at the north-east summit of the hill, SK465135.

Birstall: Black Redstart still visiting a garden in Bridge Green (not sure what number!). Please park sensibly and respect residents' privacy.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still, in the bay north of the island this morning.

Cossington Meadows: 3 Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow, showing from 16:20 onwards.

Saturday 30th

Cossington Meadows: Bittern flew from pools by footpath to Sileby towards Upper Marsh this morning, then seen again this evening, coming in to roost in the reedbed. Also 1 Jack Snipe & 3 Short-eared Owls.

Rutland Water: Slavonian Grebe off Barnsdale; 3 Long-eared Owls & 1 Short-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide

Eyebrook Res: 2 White-fronted Geese still, also 1 Pink-footed Goose, drake Green-winged Teal, 4 drake & 4 redhead Smew.

Albert Village Lake: 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull again this morning.

Swithland Res: drake Smew off the dam.

Friday 29th

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver, dam/Whitwell; Slavonian Grebe, South Arm III; redhead Smew & 5 Scaup at the dam; 55 Red-crested Pochards & 8 Smew, Egleton reserve.

Eyebrook Res: adult & juvenile White-fronted Geese with Greylags at the north end, also drake Green-winged Teal still at the inflow.

Thursday 28th

Rutland Water: Bittern, Harrier hide this morning; Great Northern Diver off Barnsdale.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still at the inflow, also 2 White-fronted Geese off Holyoaks Farm, but flew off south-west this afternoon.

Shawell A5 Pool: adult & 2nd-winter Med Gulls, adult Caspian Gull, 2nd-winter & 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls.

Wednesday 27th

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver still off Whitwell; 3 Long-eared Owls still behind Fieldfare hide.

Tuesday 26th

Albert Village Lake: 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull, 2 adult Caspian Gulls & adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver off Whitwell; Slavonian Grebe, North Arm off Armley Wood; 3 Long-eared Owls & 1 Short-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide; 6 Scaup & 4 Smew between Normanton and Hambleton Peninsula; c30 Red-crested Pochards, Lagoon 3.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal at the inflow (west shore); Smew & Red-crested Pochard.

Monday 25th

Rutland Water: Black-necked Grebe, Barnsdale Creek; redhead Smew, North Arm.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal at the inflow; male and female Smew at the dam.

Shepshed: 2 Jack Snipe in field by the M1, north of Hathern Road.

Sunday 24th

Rutland Water: Slavonian Grebe, North Arm (off the end of Tim's road); 2 drake & 1 redhead Smew & c50 Red-crested Pochards, Lagoon 3; 2 Long-eared Owls behind Fieldfare hide; Black-necked Grebe, Dickinson's Bay; 2 drake Smew at the dam and another in the North Arm.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal, 9 Smew & Short-eared Owl at the island.

Cossington Meadows: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker with tit flock near the Moat.

Kelham Bridge: 2 Green Sandpipers.

Saturday 23rd

Shawell Pool/Tip: no sign of Ring-billed Gull all day. Adult Med Gull, Caspian Gull & Yellow-legged Gull this morning. View the A5 pool only through the hedge by the road. Do not stand on the raised bank next to the pool as this flushes all the gulls!

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal on the west bank, also drake & redhead Smew.

Rutland Water: 2 Long-eared Owls & 1 Short-eared Owl roosting behind Fieldfare hide; 2 drake Smew, 2 Scaup & 3 Red-crested Pochards at the dam.

Cossington Meadows: 3 Short-eared Owls.

Friday 22nd

Shawell A5 Pool: adult Ring-billed Gull briefly this morning, then flew towards the tip and no further sign all day. Also adult & 2nd-winter Caspian Gulls & adult & 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gulls.

Rutland Water: drake Smew, 2 drake Red-crested Pochards & drake Scaup at the dam; drake Smew, Lagoon 3; 51 Red-crested Pochards, South Arm III (Lapwing hide).

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal & 4 Smew.

Watermead CP South: 2 drake Smew still on the nature reserve lake, but elusive.

Little Dalby: 3 Bramblings, Burrough Road.

Thursday 21st

Shawell A5 Pool: adult Ring-billed Gull this afternoon, then flew towards the tip mid-afternoon. Also 2nd-winter & 2 adult Caspian Gulls and 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls. Park sensibly in Newton Lane (south-west of the A5; the junction is at SP532799) and walk back south-east along the A5 to view the pool through the hedge on the opposite side of the road. Please take care on this very busy road!

Albert Village Lake: 1st-winter Glaucous Gull again this morning.

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver off Barnsdale Creek; 3 Long-eared Owls behind Fieldfare hide; drake Scaup at the dam.

Cossington South GP: adult Whooper Swan still in field south of Cossington Mill, also presumably escaped/feral Ross's Goose and Pink-footed Goose with the Greylags at Wanlip North Lakes - walk south along the footpath from Cossington Mill towards the sewage works to view the area.

Watermead CP South: 2 drake Smew on the Nature Reserve lake (adjacent to Watermead Way).