...suppose I'd better write a blog post!

I suppose the lack of activity on this blog could be explained by the fact that the author (me) obviously hasnt done anything or seen anything of note since the last post. This assumption would be wrong, the fact that I've simply been too lazy to upload any photos off my phone is probably closer to the mark....

Anyway, work has carried on as-per-usual at Rutland over the past couple of weeks, the winter work programme is well under way now so there's been a nice introduction to the heap of woodland work we'll be doing this winter.

A spot of scrub clearance along the circular path on Lax Hill also allowed me to photgraph the surrounding lagoons last week, this shot shows Heron bay on the left, Lagoon 8 in the foreground and Lagoon 7 at the back.

Whereas this shot looks North/Northwest, showing Lagoon 5 on the far left, Lagoon 6 in the central foreground and Lagoon 1 at the back.

A bit of work has also been done surveying the Water Vole population on the reserve, you may have seen the Vole rafts (pictured below) dotted around the reserve and these are key to drawing up a census of vole numbers. The voles will use these platforms as latrines and with regular monitoring a picture of relative abundance across the reserve can be obtained.

Learnt to drive this tractor too...and it was good.

Moving onto birding related news, Hooded Birder has bought a scope! Here it is in all its glory, chilling in the garden this afternoon1 Best news of all - my cameraphone still works with it so I'll still be able to provide the odd eye-burner!

I've also managed to do a bit of birding with the new scope this past week. Last Monday (22nd) was the date for a staff trip birdwatching to Norfolk and although it coincided with terrible murky weather conditions it also coincided with a lovely fall of migrants on the East coast! First stop of the day was Holme Dunes where you couldn't really see more than 100 yards in any direction but this hardly mattered as migrants were everywhere! Fieldfare and Redwing in the 1000's, Mipits and Skylarks aplenty, bushes literally heaving with Goldcrest and the odd Chiffchaff, truly a spectacular fall with particular highlights for me being a healthy number of Brambling and two, maybe three Black Redstart. Nothing rarer was winkled out (reports later in the day of RB flycatcher and OBP though) so we moved along to Titchwell where a Little Stint was about the best of it. Good day out though in unbelieveable fall conditions, that one will live long in the memory.

I also had an amble around the North part of Egleton reserve on Friday afternoon, taking in the delights of Lagoon 2, 3 & 4 whilst playing with the new scope.

Birds of note included a few Redpoll and Siskin behind Lagoon 2, 7 Dunlin, 3 Redshank, 1 Ruff and 46 Golden Plover on Lagoon 4 and 5 Snipe and a Green Sandpiper on Lagoon 3.

Lagoon 4 waders

Greenie on 3

Snipe having a scratch

More from Rutland...

This lack-of-internet game in me caravan at Rutland is becoming a tad upsetting at the minute. I have little time to blog for a start! Its shocking on reflection that I have become so dependant upon the interwebs to provide me with information and entertainment. Afterall, I can easily recall a time (and I'm sure you can too!) where I had no idea of what the internet was, and would have had little interest in it even if I did. A more simple time I think. Anyway, now I'm back in Leicester for the weekend and am happily re-united with my laptop and wireless broadband I can write a blog post! I suppose I could write posts on my phone, but im fairly confident my stubby sausage-fingers combined with the tiny keyboard on the galaxy's screen would enrage me to gigantic proportions. Safer to stick to this weekly arrangement I think.

Over the last couple of weeks I've progressed a bit at work, getting to grips with some of the vehicles and equipment on site, and also completing a couple of courses - I'm now certified to be let loose with the Mini-bus and also as an emergency First Aider! Myself, the two other trainees (Jamie and Amelia) and Joe, one of the Senior Conservation Officers were also interviewed by the man with probably the most soothing voice in the world - Ben Jackson for a piece that Radio Leicester will be running about the trainee-ship at Rutland Water on Thursday which was new a new experience for sure!

Time for less rambling I think and more photos - the Canon came with me this week so they should be an improvement.

 

Its the Trainees's job to run the Badger watches, these images were taken on Monday night but the proper watch on Wednesday went brilliantly, 5 adults showed well, much to the delight of the four punters!

 If you're interested in joining me or one of the other trainees for a scheduled watch, feel free to contact us at badgerwatchrw@gmail.com

 Birding has been quietish again this week, spiced up by the arrival of 800-1000 Golden Plovers, some of which are pictured here. The Black-necked Grebe still lingers in the Fishponds and a Marsh Harrier has been seen a few times, particularly during the earlier part of the week. Most interesting is perhaps the noticeable influx of Jays to the country, the numbers recorded at Rutland have mirrored the reported trend, yesterday for example I saw a group of four flying purposefully south over the 360 hide, making a tally of 9 for the day. Speaking of things heading purposefully south, an Osprey did that too yesterday morning, seen over the North Arm briefly at 9am - presumably a Scandinavian bird.

With the help of the Argo I did manage to get close enough to these Golden Plover on Lagoon 4 this week - there are two Dunlin in this shot too. One is obvious but you can play Spot-the-Dunlin with the other if you like!

Somewhat of a rarity these days, this Hedgehog was found roaming Jamie's garden on Tuesday night.

Lovely weather on Wednesday

A lovely berry-crop this year too.

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A few Common Darter were also taking advantage of the warm conditions on Wednesday, several pairs were seen mating. At least I think this is a Common Darter, correct me if I'm wrong. Sticking on the things-that-aren't-birds theme, I saw a Great Diving Beetle in the pond between Dunlin and Sandpiper hides on Tuesday, and it was good. We also saw a juvenile Water Vole on Lagoon 4 on Tuesday, that was also good.

The wettest meadow on site (between Badger and Redshank hides) got a mowing with the Trackmaster on Wednesday....

Which provided the Hooded Birder with a chance to rake a Mega-pile. And then jump in it.

 

There was also a nice collection of raptors soaring near Eyebrook on the way home today too, this Red Kite was soaring alongside two Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and two Raven before the group were molested by a swarm of corvids and scattered across half of Rutland.

In all likelihood, look forward to my next blog-post in exactly a weeks time!

Edit: completely forgot to mention the two "rares" at Rutland today - the Azorean Yellow legged Gull and the Lapland Bunting.... Amy was visiting the caravan (and scoring Badger for the first time) last night so I was still at the reserve today but still managed to see neither - I did have a decent stab at the Bunting this afternoon alongside Dave Gray, the Beast and the birder only known to me as "Chris" but didn't see the little bugger. Nevermind.