22-1-11, Rutland Water.

I fancied a session at this fantastic birding site to see if I could add to my year birds. An easy drive saw me arrive at 08.00 but unfortunately the shop doesnt open until 09.00 to get the reserve pass so I hung around and saw plenty of birds before going on site. I targeted the lagoons in the north arm first and visited most of the hides. As I was heading to the south arm after, I visted only a couple of hides south of the Anglian birding centre, then it was off to the south arm to a copuple of hides. Birds noted were Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Dunnock, Black-headed Gull, Chaffinch, Starling, Blackbird, Kestrel, Treecreeper, Redwing, Pheasant, Great Tit, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Moorhen, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Lapwing, Canada Geese, Bullfinch, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Song Thrush, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Gadwall, Teal, Shelduck, Pied Wagtail, Greylag Geese, Jay, Green Woodpecker, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Grey Heron, Wren, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Egyptian Geese, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Smew, Red-crested Pochard, Redshank, Great Black-backed Gull, Fieldfare, Curlew, Siskin, Snipe, Cormorant, Red Kite, Scaup, Little Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Common Gull, Ruddy Shelduck and American Wigeon. From here it was to a few other sites to add two birds which I was hoping to add to todays list - Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe. Three other areas around Rutland Water later and I had added no other birds but it was a good session here.

22-1-11, Whitemoor Haye.

I got back home to spend the last hour and a half around Whitemoor but it was as quiet as usual. Birds noted were Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Robin, Grey Partridge, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Mute Swan, Fieldfare, Redwing, Wren, Starling, Kestrel, Moorhen, Tufted Duck and Wigeon.