FEBRUARY 2010

Sunday 28th

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian & Black-necked Grebes still south of the island.

Wistow: 1 Little Egret on River Sence by Great Glen - Fleckney road.

Saturday 27th

Exton: male Black Redstart still at Home Farm.

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian & Black-necked Grebes still south of the island, but no sign of Green-winged Teal, Pink-feet or White-fronts.

Rutland Water: 11 Scaup between Normanton Church and the dam.

Friday 26th

Rutland Water: 2 Bitterns, Lagoon 3; Long-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide; 2 White-fronted Geese east of Manton village; 12 Smew & 9 Scaup around the reservoir.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls + male Merlin showing well near the silt trap.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still off the dam.

Newton Harcourt: 2 Little Egrets by the River Sence, west of the village where the Wigston to Fleckney road crosses the valley.

Thursday 25th

Exton: male Black Redstart back at Home Farm this afternoon (last reported on 4th January!).

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, 2 White-fronted Geese & 2 Pink-footed Geese still.

Wednesday 24th

Shawell A5 Pool: 1st-winter Glaucous Gull & 2nd-winter Med Gull this morning.

Eyebrook Res: Green-winged Teal, Slavonian & Black-necked Grebes south of the island, also 2 White-fronted & 2 Pink-footed Geese, but mobile.

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver, Barnsdale Creek; Short-eared Owl, Lagoon 1; 11 Scaup off Normanton Church; 6+ Smew around the reservoir.

Albert Village Lake: 3 adult Caspian Gulls.

Tuesday 23rd

Eyebrook Res: 68 Whooper Swans from 07:20 till 09:40 when they flew off north. Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes still; 2 White-fronted & 2 Pink-footed Geese at the inflow, but again no sign of the Green-winged Teal.

Shawell: adult & 3rd-winter Caspian Gulls, adult Med Gull & adult Yellow-legged Gull on the tip this morning.

Monday 22nd

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes still south of the island; 2 White-fronted & 2 Pink-footed Geese at the inflow, but no sign of the Green-winged Teal today.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls again along Sawgate Road.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still at the dam.

Sunday 21st

Cossington Meadows: 2+ Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow. Photographers (and everyone else) - please STAY ON THE FOOTPATHS on this LRWT nature reserve. Nearby, 2 redhead Smew still on the Pec Pit.

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe still + White-fronted Goose.

Rutland Water: 4 Bitterns roosted in the Lagoon 3 reedbed; 2 Long-eared Owls still behind Fieldfare hide; Black-necked Grebe, Barnsdale Creek; 18 Smew & 11 Scaup around the reservoir.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls over fields either side of Sawgate Road, c500m east of the village. Park by the silt trap.

Shepshed: 1 Jack Snipe again in the field by the M1 off Hathern Road.

Saturday 20th

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe south of the island and Black-necked Grebe off the Fishing Lodge, also drake Green-winged Teal at the inflow.

Birstall: Black Redstart again in Bridge Green on the Hallam Fields estate this morning.

Cossington Meadows: at least three, probably four Short-eared Owls showing well over Swan Meadow/Rectory Marsh from 15:55 onwards.

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

Rutland Water: Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe & Great Northern Diver, North Arm; 1 Long-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide; 7 Smew, Lagoon 3.

Friday 19th

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe off the Fishing Lodge this morning, also drake Green-winged Teal at the inflow + White-fronted Goose.

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

Cossington Meadows: 2 Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow this afternoon.

Thursday 18th

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe still just south of the island, also 2 drake & redhead Smew, and drake Green-winged Teal still.

Albert Village Lake: adult Med Gull + 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls.

Wednesday 17th

Groby Pool: 3 Waxwings flew over Laundon Way towards Groby Community College at 16:35.

Eyebrook Res: Green-winged Teal on the west bank; Slavonian Grebe and Black-necked Grebes south of the island + drake & 2 redhead Smew near the dam.

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

Cossington Meadows: 3 Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow from 14:30. Nearby, 2 redhead Smew on the Pec Pit adjacent to Watermead CP North.

Tuesday 16th

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe south of the island, drake Green-winged Teal at the inflow & drake Smew north of the island.

Shepshed: 1 Jack Snipe in the marshy field by the M1 off hathern road.

Cossington Meadows: 4 Short-eared Owls on Swan Meadow from around 16:00.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still off the dam.

Albert Village Lake: adult Caspian Gull & adult Med Gull.

Sunday 14th

Cossington Meadows: 4 Short-eared Owls showing well over Swan Meadow this afternoon, also Little Egret, Upper Marsh.

Saturday 13th

Shepshed: 3 Jack Snipe again in marshy field adjacent to the M1 off Hathern Road, SK 483 208. Nearby, Little Egret by the brook at the corner of Abbey Road and Charley Road.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal south of the island.

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver, Slav Grebe & Black-necked Grebe, North Arm; 12 Smew & 25+ Red-crested Pochards, Lagoon 3.

Shawell A5 Pool: female Scaup.

Friday 12th

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

Thursday 11th

Rutland Water: 2 Bitterns, 10 Smew & 28 Red-crested Pochards, Lagoon 3; 9 Whooper Swans & Slavonian Grebe, North Arm.

Burton Lazars: 3 Short-eared Owls this evening.

Wednesday 10th

Rutland Water: drake Smew & drake Scaup at the dam; Knot flew from South Arm III towards Manton Bay.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal near the island, also drake & redhead Smew.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls this evening along the Stapleford road near the flood relief. It is advisable to stay in your car at this site for the best views of the owls, as they can come very close to the road.

Shepshed: 3 Jack Snipe in the marshy field adjacent to the M1 off Hathern Road, SK 483 208.

Shawell A5 Pool: adult Med Gull.

Tuesday 9th

Rutland Water: 10 Whooper Swans on Lagoon 4 this morning; Knot, Goldeneye hide; 7 Smew, Lagoon 3; 1 Long-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide. NB - I have heard reports of people 'climbing into the bushes' to try and photograph the owls here - this is completely unacceptable behaviour, and is the reason why news of Long-eared Owls (and other species) is often withheld. If you are incapable of grasping the fact that the welfare of the birds must always come first, please take up a different hobby.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal at the inflow; drake Smew near the island.

Swithland Res: drake Smew at the dam, also Little Egret, and 10 Whooper Swans flew north this morning.

Cossington Meadows: 2 Short-eared Owls.

Shawell A5 Pool: adult Med Gull.

Monday 8th

Rutland Water: 1 Long-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide; Slavonian Grebe, North Arm.

Cossington Meadows: 3 Short-eared Owls, Swan Meadow.

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: 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

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; 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.