Rutland Water 15th May 2012
On the last day of our holiday we had intended to go back to Cley Marshes but it was so wet when we were packed and ready to go that we decided to go straight to Rutland Water where we were due to stay at the Barnsdale Lodge Hotel (which proved to be a great place – and reasonably priced, perhaps due to last minute booking). As it happens our drive took quite some time so by the time we were settled in on the 14th there was no time to do anything except take a walk around the north edge of Rutland Water where we saw a number of the usual birds but we also saw a Kestrel and a Peregrine in close succession so it was interesting to look at their appearance and manner of flight together. On the 15th Anne wanted to go to a local garden before heading back for Manchester but I thought I would have a look again at the Rutland Water reserve on the south and west side and since, when we last stayed here on our way down to Suffolk, we had not really been able to get to many of the hides at the Egleton section of the reserve due to flooding. Continue reading