RUTLAND WATER OSPREYS

I was pleased to have the opportunity to visit   Manton Bay, where  ospreys have been nesting for  a number of years now. It forms part of the Rutland Water Nature Reserve so after purchasing our permits, we  walked the kilometre path to the hide where telescopes are trained on the nest and there is a screen in the hide giving a video link to the nest. 

On arrival, we could see the female osprey on the nest, where she is   incubating four eggs, an unusual number for ospreys who normally lay two or three. In fact we were told that up till now it  has not been known for four chicks to fledge successfully. So it will interesting to follow their progress. 

The male bird was perching in a tree  not far away, and whilst we were in the hide he flew off and then returned low over the water and then  up to the nest where he swapped over incubating duties with the female. 

The weather was rather grey and not as spring like as recently, but we still managed a decent tally of birds on the reserve.

These included:
osprey, little ringed plover, redshank, lapwing, mallard, tufted duck, gadwall, teal,pochard, mute swan, egyptian goose ( one with young) canada goose, greylag goose, little egret, heron, robin, blue tit, great tit, blackbird, thrush, pheasant, goldfinch, chaffinch, greenfinch, house sparrow, dunnock, wood pigeon, collared dove, common tern, swallow, sand martin, black headed gull, reed bunting, chiffchaff, rook, jackdaw, moorhen, coot, wren, snipe, great crested grebe.

egyptian goose and young

blackbird

female osprey on nest

common tern