A visit to Summer Leys after work on Monday 30th proved to be very worthwhile. Birds initially seen included 4 Black Tern flying around the main lake, a drake Garganey between the Screen Hide and the Feeding Station and a mobile Cuckoo close by, all year ticks. 5 Black Tailed Godwit were also present as well as 2 Ruff, one being a very handsome black male. Around 19:15 2 Grey Plover in rather scrappy summer plumage appeared along the far shore of the main lake. A male Ring Ouzel had been present for several days around the vegetation to the left of the screen hide, however despite a long search I failed to catch up with him. On a brighter note, scanning the fenceline bordering Pete Wilde's lake produced my first Whinchat for the site, a handsome looking male, as well as a total of 4 Wheatear and a male Yellow Wagtail.
To finish off the evening, in the fading light I discovered 10 Bar Tailed Godwit feeding vigourously on the bund viewed from both the double decker hide and the small car park hide. Was a great evenings birding, also featuring good numbers of Swift and Blackcap.
On Tuesday, news broke of a stunning adult Cattle Egret in fields around the Summer Leys reserve. Sadly I was busy until Thursday (03/05). I headed there straight after work. My initial search for the bird on floods close to Hardwater crssing drew a blank, with just a single Egyptian Goose showing on Hardwater Lake. The reserve itself had had several decent passage waders through that day and to my suprise 5 Curlew Sandpipers were on show on the far shore of the main lake showing distantly from the Screen Hide in the company of 5 Dunlin. This shoreline was about the only decent area left for waders with the increased water level hiding the majority of muddy edges and islands. Also present were a single Black Tern, 3 Bar Tailed & 1 Black Tailed Godwit between the screen hide and the feeding station.
I had to get a closer look at the Curlew Sands so I donned the wellies (essential at the moment!) and trudged through lots of standing water and along the old railway line. The birds showed brilliantly and thankfully I managed to rattle off some decent photos too. 3 of the 5 were looking stunning with their brick red underparts, presumably males. Im guessing the the other 2 dowdier birds were females.
Once I'd had my Curley Sand fix it was time to catch up with the Cattle Egret. The bird had been very mobile but could usually be found in the Hardwater Crossing general area. I walked to where the old railway meets the road and then followed the road towards Wollaston. A short way along on the right hand side was a gate with a for sale sign. This is where the Egret had been first seen. As I approached I was suprised to see an Egret no more than 20 feet away feeding in the grass. The problem was the bird saw me through the hedge. There was no traffic so I quickly set up the tripod and it indeed proved to be my 3rd Summer Leys Cattle Egret. This though was the best looker yet in full breeding plumage, was a stunner! I must have had around 10 seconds of view before the bird decided he wasn't too keen on my company and departed away to the other side of the ARC Pit. Lastly, my first Garden Warbler of 2012 was singing close to the main car park.
Saturday (06/05) I was keen to get to Summer Leys early to finally see this bonkers Ring Ouzel which had lingered for at least a week and should've been half way up a mountain by now! I was also keen to catch up with the Cattle Egret, plus the Great White Egret which had again been seen on Mill Lake.
On arrival there was a year tick almost straight away in the form of a Lesser Whitethroat singing in the lane hedgerow. Furthermore there was a male Wheatear in the first field to the right of the lane.
At first glance there was frustratingly no sign of the Ring Ouzel, but I was determined to sit it out! The vegetation to the left of the screen hide was quite thick so seeing it would be difficult. There was one obvious gap in the vegetation and whilst scanning around with my scope, suddenly there it was right in the middle of the gap, male Ring Ouzel! It disappeared for a while and while more birders came to find it too, it did eventually show on and off, having a feed around the bases of the small scrubby bushes. The photo below is a shocker but shows I saw it!
There wasn't too much else about. I did see an adult Black Tern (apparently another around too) and a single brick red Bar Tailed Godwit close to the screen hide (apparently one of three about).
After this there appeared to be very little else about the county so I decided to head to Rutland Water as a Savi's Warbler had been singing there for the last few days between Lagoons I & II. Despite several proglonged vigils there, I failed to catch up with the elusive little blighter! Didn't even see an Osprey! Birds of note there included at least 2 Arctic Terns, an adult Black Tern, adult Little Gull and 4 breeding Avocet on Lagoon IV.
I had to be back in Northampton by 2pm as I had an appointment at Natwest, however after I headed to Summer Leys/Earls Barton to attempt to catch up with the Egrets.
Despite an extensive search for the Cattle Egret, I failed to catch up with it, despite it apparently still being present. The problem is it was flippin mobile!
Finally I went round to the Mill Lake. It didn't take me long to catch up with the Great White Egret in the far NE corner of the lake. It flew around a bit and I even saw it on the near shore showing pretty dam close. After that I headed home with the weather changing from decent sunshine, to yet more bloody rain!!
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