Dude

Took the boys out yesterday for some bird-spotting around Rutland Water and Eyebrook, picking up a Peregrine over Stoughton Airfield on the way. I won't call the day out birding as very active young children and fieldcraft/stealth don't mix. Managed to miss anything of real interest (didn't bother going onto Egleton reserve, just dropped into the centre to use facilities) but good to catch up with a few common species that I haven't seen for a few non-birding years like Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit and Pintail. A walk along the dam produced cold ears and watery eyes in the howling wind, but no Scaup or Long-tailed Duck (maybe they were over on the Nomanton side). I haven't been to Eyebrook for years and was disappointed to find the hedgerow along the old gull roost viewing area was too tall and thick to see anything. Not too many gulls there anyway. Masses of Lapwing and good numbers of Golden Plover there though, along with c30 Dunlin.