A group of 12 Nature Group members and friends met at around 9 am at Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water and set off to explore the hides to the north of the visitor centre - there are plenty to choose from with good views of the reeds and water.
Unfortunately, the very blustery conditions kept the birds down low in the vegetation so we didn't get quite as many on our photographic species lists as we might have hoped for. However there were enough to keep us occupied in the morning.
After lunch in the Visitor centre where we saw our only Hobby of the day, we explored the southern route spending most time in Mallard hide where both Great White Egret together with a very obliging Heron posed for us . We would have hoped to see both Osprey and Marsh harrier hunting form this viewpoint and Hobbies but the strong wind must have deterred them.
The 360 degree hide - often good for increasing the number of species photographed was too windswept to even view from. We returned to the Mallard hide and were rewarded with a Cattle Egret.
John managed a distant shot of an Osprey to prove they are there
For more events to attend go to Nature (rps.org)
Led by Peter Ward
Photographs Peter Ward, John Kirkelionis, Ann Miles
