Birds at Summer Leys Northamptonshire

Great to see a large number and variety of water birds at Summer Leys Reserve today including several Great White Egrets, four Snipe, Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, large flocks of Lapwing as well as hundreds of ducks, and  lots of Heron, Grebes, Little Egrets etc.

Rutland Water Walk 1. Grebes and Egrets

Plenty to see and photograph on our RPS Nature Group outing to Rutland Water though most of it was fairly distant. Here images of Great Crested Grebes at various stages with some pairs on nests, others showing courtship behaviour or arguing over territory. Lots of Little Egrets and one Great White Egret entertained us. 

Still No Nightingales

Visited Paxton Pits today hoping that the Nightingales would have arrived (6th April last year) but no sign of them on the Heron Trail (one had been sighted/heard in Rory's Wood). Here are some of the species that we did see so very much not a wasted visit - Great Crested Grebe, Common Tern, Greylag Geese, Chiffchaff, Cormorant, Robin, Heron, Tufted Duck, Black Headed Gull. I hope that the Nightingales will return in their usual number (30 males recorded singing last year).