MARCH

Wednesday 31st

Rutland Water: unconfirmed report of 1st-winter Bonaparte's Gull from Lapwing hide.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still off the dam, drake Scaup & 1 House Martin.

North Luffenham Airfield: 4 Wheatears.

Thornton Res: 17 Barnacle Geese of unknown, but presumably feral, origin.

Tuesday 30th

RAF Cottesmore: no sign of Dotterel today, but up to 1500 Golden Plovers still, so could still be in the area. Also female Merlin & 10 Wheatears.

Rutland Water: adult Little Gull, Lagoon 3; 2 Black-necked Grebes, Barnsdale Creek; 2 White-fronted Geese, lagoon 1; drake Smew & 9 Scaup off Normanton Church.

Husbands Bosworth: Osprey fishing at Bosworth Grange Farm fishery pool around midday.

Thornton Res: 1 House Martin, plus good numbers of Swallows & Sand Martins.

Eyebrook Res: 15 Swallows & 5 Sand Martins.

Frolesworth Manor Lake: 2 White Wagtails & 1 Swallow.

Monday 29th

RAF Cottesmore: Dotterel this afternoon with c600 Golden Plovers. Take the B668 towards Greetham out of Oakham; turn left onto Great Lane in Greetham, then left at the T junction. Park at the hairpin bend and view the ploughed fields at SK923165. NB the plover flock is regularly flushed by planes, but was still present at 18:40 at least. Also 2 Wheatears.

Sunday 28th

Rutland Water: 2 adult Kittiwakes, Lagoon 3 early afternoon, then on Lagoon 4, along with adult Little Gull, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 White Wagtails, 1 Dunlin & 1 Green Sandpiper. Slav Grebe & 3 Swallows, North Arm. Also good numbers of Sand Martins around the reserve.

Watermead CP North: Osprey flew north at 11:30.

Sence Valley FP: 2 Pink-footed Geese flew north this morning. Nearby, 4 Sand Martins & 1 Green Sandpiper at Kelham Bridge.

Brascote Pits: 11 Sand Martins & 2 LRPs.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still at the inflow this afternoon.

Saturday 27th

Rutland Water: Pink-foot and 2 White-fronted Geese + Wheatear behind Deep Water hide, Lyndon; Long-eared Owl, Fieldfare hide; Willow Warbler, Gibbet Gorse; 4+ Swallows.

Cropston Res: 1 Swallow & 1 Sand Martin at the dam.

Friday 26th

Shawell: female Black Redstart on roof of Redland Roofing building this afternoon.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal + Little Egret at the inflow.

Rutland Water: Long-eared Owl & Short-eared Owl roosting behind Fieldfare hide; Willow Warbler, Buzzard hide; Turnstone & 2 White Wagtails, Lagoon 4; 3 Pink-footed Geese, Lagoon 1; Slav Grebe, Fishponds, 2 Black-necked Grebes, Barnsdale; 9 Scaup, Normanton.

Burton Lazars: Short-eared Owl & Wheatear by the flood relief.

Thornton Res: 1 Swallow.

Thursday 25th

Watermead CP South: 1 Willow Warbler.

Eyebrook Res: 3 drake & 1 female Common Scoter this morning.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still on the north side.

Cossington Mill: adult Whooper Swan still.

Rutland Water: Slav Grebe, North Arm.

Wednesday 24th

Swallows today at: Brascote Pits (2), Frolesworth Manor Lake & Ibstock Brick.

Rutland Water: Turnstone still on Lagoon 4; 3 Black-necked Grebes, Barnsdale Creek.

Brascote Pits: White Wagtail, 2 Little Ringed Plovers & 8 Sand Martins.

Albert Village Lake: 2 adult Med Gulls.

Melton Airfield: 5 Wheatears.

North Luffenham Airfield: 2 Wheatears.

Tuesday 23rd

Rutland Water: 2 Long-eared Owls still behind Fieldfare hide; 3 Wheatears on Lagoon 4 bank and another at the dam; Slav Grebe, Fishponds; Little Gull, Barnsdale Creek; Bittern, Lagoon 3; Turnstone, Lagoon 4; 2 White-fronted Geese & 2 Pink-feet, Lagoon 1/South Arm II; 9 Scaup & drake Smew, Normanton; 40+ Sand Martins around the reservoir.

Eyebrook Res: Slav Grebe still from the hide.

Melton Airfield: 4 Wheatears.

Grove Park: 1 Wheatear.

Brascote Pits: 2 LRPs.

Monday 22nd

Great Casterton: female/immature Black Redstart on stone wall at Home Farm this afternoon.

North Luffenham Airfield: male Merlin.

Rutland Water: 4 Avocets, Lagoon 1; 5 Swallows, North Arm/Fishponds.

Eyebrook Res: Slav Grebe still.

Stoughton Airfield: 1 Wheatear.

Sunday 21st

Wanlip Meadows: Black-tailed Godwit still, also 10+ Sand Martins. Nearby, redhead Smew still on the Pec Pit; Whooper Swan, Wanlip North lakes; Wheatear, Little Egret & 2 Ringed Plovers, Cossington Meadows.

Luffenham Airfield: 4 Wheatears.

Brascote GP: 2 LRPs.

Grove Park: 2 Jack Snipe.

Saturday 20th

Sand Martins today at: Rutland Water (12), Brascote GP (4), Kilworth Springs GC (1), Watermead CP Birstall (1) and Wigston Sewage Works (1).

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal back at the inflow, also 2 LRPs.

Wanlip Meadows: 1 Black-tailed Godwit. Nearby, drake Scaup on Key Lake, Watermead CP Birstall.

Luffenham Airfield: 2 Wheatears.

Friday 19th

Albert Village Lake: possible Mew/eastern race Common Gull still.

Burton Lazars: 2 Wheatears east of the village and 1 Swallow over A606 to the south this morning.

Luffenham Airfield: 1 Wheatear.

Rutland Water: 3 Black-necked Grebes + Slav Grebe, North Arm; Long-eared Owl + Short-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide; Turnstone, Lagoon 4; 11 Scaup, Normanton; Rock Pipit & 15 Sand Martins.

Cropston Res: 2 Sand Martins.

Groby Pool: Sand Martin & Little Egret.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still.

Cossington Meadows: 1 Little Egret.

"Between Oadby and Wigston": 3 Wheatears.

Thursday 18th

Sand Martins today at: Newton Harcourt Lake (5); Rutland Water (50); Sence Valley FP (1) and Wanlip Meadows (1).

Albert Village Lake: 2nd-winter Mew/Common/Whatever Gull still, also 2 adult Med Gulls.

Wanlip Meadows: Little Ringed Plover & Black-tailed Godwit.

Eyebrook Res: Slav Grebe still from the hide.

Groby Pool: Little Egret.

Wednesday 17th

Rutland Water: 4 Sand Martins, 2 Avocets, Turnstone & 3 Ringed Plovers, Lagoon 4; 3 Long-eared Owls, Fieldfare hide.

Warren Lane GP, Lockington: Little Ringed Plover.

Tuesday 16th

Rutland Water: 2 Bitterns, Lagoon 3; Long-eared Owl & Short-eared Owl behind Fieldfare hide: Slav Grebe & 3 Black-necked Grebes, North Arm; drake Smew & 11 Scaup off Normanton Church; 2 White-fronts & 3 Pink-feet, South Arm 2; 2 Ringed Plovers, Lagoon 4.

Watermead CP North: redhead Smew still on the Pec Pit.

Monday 15th

Albert Village Lake: possible 2nd-winter Mew Gull still, also 2 adult Med Gulls & 1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull.

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe still from the hide.

Sunday 14th

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe still from the hide.

Rutland Water: Slavonian Grebe, North Arm.

Saturday 13th

Albert Village Lake: possible 2nd-winter Mew Gull again at 10:30, also adult Kittiwake early afternoon, adult Med Gull & adult Caspian Gull.

Friday 12th

Albert Village Lake: possible 2nd-winter Mew Gull reported again at 14:00.

Eyebrook Res: juvenile Shag on the tern raft briefly around 15:00; adult Kittiwake dropped in for 5 minutes at 16:15; Slav and Black-necked Grebes still from the hide, plus 2 Little Egrets.

Exton: male Black Redstart still around Home Farm.

Cossington Meadows: 2 Little Egrets.

Thursday 11th

Albert Village Lake: apparent 2nd-winter Mew Gull again this afternoon.

Rutland Water: 2 Long-eared Owls behind Fieldfare hide; male Brambling at the Egleton Visitor Centre feeding station; Bittern, Lagoon 3.

Anstey Brook: 2 Little Egrets 100 yards upstream of Anstey Mill.

Wednesday 10th

Swithland Res: drake Smew still on the north side.

Tuesday 9th

Exton: Black Redstart still at Home Farm.

Eyebrook Res: Slav & Black-necked Grebes still from the hide.

Albert Village Lake: adult Med Gull + 3rd-winter Caspian Gull.

Monday 8th

Cossington Meadows: Bittern flew from reedbed at 11:30.

Rutland Water: male Brambling by the feeders behind the Egleton visitor centre (also present yesterday); Long-eared Owl still behind Fieldfare hide; Jack Snipe in field by cycle track/South Arm III; 2 Black-necked Grebes, Barnsdale Creek; 2 Smew, North Arm; 6 Scaup, Normanton & 5 Scaup at the dam.

Birstall: Black Redstart still in Bridge Green.

Exton: Black Redstart still at Home Farm.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still on the north side.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls this evening.

Sunday 7th

Cossington Meadows: Jack Snipe & Little Egret, Lower Marsh. Nearby, Jack Snipe & redhead Smew on the Pec Pit adjacent to Watermead CP North.

Eyebrook Res: Slav Grebe still from the hide.

Exton/Tickencote: Little Egret on stream by the trout farm.

Saturday 6th

Exton: Black Redstart still at Home Farm.

Birstall: Black Redstart still in Bridge Green.

Eyebrook Res: Slav Grebe still from the hide.

Rutland Water: 2 Black-necked Grebes off Barnsdale.

Late news for Thursday and Friday: at Albert Village Lake, a 2nd-winter Common Gull considered by the observer to show features of either the Russian race heinei, or the American race/species brachyrhynchus (Mew Gull).

Friday 5th

Swithland Res: 2 Whooper Swans on the north side.

Eyebrook Res: Slav Grebe still from the hide.

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver, North Arm; drake Smew & 9 Scaup, Normanton.

Thursday 4th

Cropston Res: 2 Whooper Swans.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls from 16:30.

Swithland Res: drake Smew still on the north side.

Wednesday 3rd

Exton: Black Redstart still at Home Farm.

Birstall: Black Redstart still in Bridge Green, but elusive.

Eyebrook Res: Slavonian Grebe south of the island, also 1 Ringed Plover at the inflow.

Burton Lazars: 2 Short-eared Owls showing well by the flood relief at 17:00.

Tuesday 2nd

Rutland Water: Turnstone, Lagoon 4; 11 Scaup & drake Smew, Normanton Church.

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

Cossington Meadows: 1 Short-eared Owl.

Monday 1st

Exton: male Black Redstart still at Home Farm.

Birstall: male Black Redstart still in Bridge Green.

Rutland Water: Great Northern Diver, North Arm; 3 Smew, Lagoon 3; 10 Scaup at the dam.

Wistow: Little Egret on the River Sence near the church.