a partnership between

Anglian Water and Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

Updated 9 th March

Recent Highlights

March 2010

NOTE Photographers are disturbing the Long-eared owl roost by trespassing off the reserve paths. Please keep to the trail at all times and if you see anyone causing disturbance please ring the Centre on 01572 770651.

Please send records of any sightings to tim@rutlandwater.org.uk

9th No sign of the otter or bitterns for the past four days. Long-eared and short-eared owls still showing near Fieldfare Hide. Barn owls have been active most afternoons around the lagoons. 2 Black-necked grebes showing near Dickenson'Bay in the north arm. 10 scaup and male smew main water, 17 dunlin in north arm. 3 Pinkfeet in the south arm. Up to 29 goosanderat and 460 Goldeneye at roosts sites.

Mar 4 An otter has shown for the past three evening from 5pm onwards on lagoon 3, last night it disturbed a bittern which preceded to display to the otter!!

MARCH 2 long-eared owls still along hedge row near Fieldfare hide, reminder to keep well back so as not to disturb them. Single Ruff, Turnstone and Ringed plover recordered this week. 3 pinkfeet and 2 whitefronts most days along south shore of the Lyndon reserve. 1000+ Golden Plover, 800+ Lapwing, 3 Green sandpipers and 2 Little egrets on lagoon 4. 11 Scaup off the Normantion Church, Great northern diver on (1/3) on main water. Few smew on lagoon 3, Fishponds and around Dam., 17 Goosander at roost on lagoon 1. 10 Oystercatchers on reserve.

February

4 Bitterns roosted on lag 3 reed bed. the same lagoon had 16 smew (8 drakes), and 9 Red-crested pochard. The great northern diver was on Main water, where 10 scaup could be seen close to Normanton Church. 2 Long-eared owls and 1 Short- eared were in the usual hedge near Fieldfare hide. Barn owls are showing most days hunting close to the lagoons. 3 Oystercatchers were the first of our breeding birds to arrive on the 20th. 250 Golden plover and around 1800 lapwings, 25 Redshank and 55 dunlin were counted on the webs count on sunday. Duck totals were 3 Mandarins, 2739 wigeon, 853 Gadwall, 1142 Teal, 605 Mallard, 36 Shoveler, 13 Red-crested pochard, 171 Pochard, 1720 Tufted duck, 390 Goldeneye, 18 Smew, 72 Little grebe, 210 Great crested grebe, 2 Slavonian and 1 Black-necke grebe, 1646 Coot

Tuesday 16th February Still two Bitterns regularly seen in lagoon 3 reedbed (view from Shoveler/Buzzard hide). Also maximum of 12 Smew and 30 Red-crested Pochards on Lagoon 3.Great-northern Diver, Black-necked Grebe and Slavonian Grebe seen daily from Fisherman's Car Park in the North Arm with another Slavonian Grebe in South Arm III (Fieldfare hide) on 16/2. Peregrine over Lagoon 4 (16/2). Little Egret, North Arm (15/2). 9 Scaup, Barnsdale Bay (14/2). Chiffchaff caught and ringed near Lagoon 3 (13/2). Cetti's Warbler heard singing from Shoveler hide on 10th Feb. Two groups of Whooper Swans dropped in briefly in the past week with 10 on 9/2, and 9 on 11/2. Knot, South Arm III (10/2). 2 Mandarins regular in Burley Fishponds.

Friday 5th Great northern diver, slavonian and Black-neck grebe in North arm 1, Up to 6 smew on lagoons,Cetti and chiffchaff- lagoon 3, 10 scaup whitwell, bittern and red-crested pochard, 1 little egret lagoon 3 and south arm 3

2nd Feb 2 Bittern , 33 Red-crested pochard lagoon 3, 1 Slavonian grebe, 1 peregrine, 1 European Whitefront, 1 Great northern diver North arm 1, 10 scaup whitwell Bay, Brambling feeding station at Egleton Centre

Latest bird records can also be obtained by phoning the Visitor Centre, 01572-770651, or for all the most recent sightings in Rutland and Leicestershire please visit the LROS website.