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We booked this day tour along with two friends, all birding enthusiasts. Our guide for the day was Tim Appleton who was an original designer of the Rutland wetlands. His knowledge was extensive of course and he took us to a variety of sites and hides to spot various bird species. We had wonderful views of (for example to name a few) Smew, Goldeneye, Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Sparrowhawk plus a Peregrine Falcon enjoying a long bath! Tim couldn't have been more helpful in ensuring everyone understood the birds' behaviours and although we all had binoculars not everyone had scopes, so Tim encouraged the group to use his personal scope to get those lovely close ups of the birds. The group members all brought packed lunches and enjoyed a relaxed lunch break with Tim halfway through the day. We have previously been on another day tour plus a weekend break (both in Norfolk) with Naturetrek and have always found them to have extremely knowledgeable and helpful guides and administrative staff, an easy to navigate web site plus an straightforward booking system. We have now booked another day tour to Yorkshire with friends and are looking into booking a longer holiday with Naturetrek, perhaps outside the UK.
G.G. Hertfordshire, Feb 22
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Rutland Water (Day Trip)
Tour Code: GBR100A day of guided birdwatching at the internationally important wetland site of Rutland Water.
£50 (land only)
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
The UK’s largest reservoir is also one of the country’s most important wetland sites and of international importance for its birdlife. Rutland Water Nature Reserve is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and in the company of either naturalist Matthew Capper, or the founder of the annual Birdfair, Tim Appleton MBE, we will keep the itinerary flexible to react to recent sightings, so be prepared to ‘car-hop’ between sites if necessary. Walking will be over short distances only and easy ground. Please note that the Day Permit required to access the reserve is not included in the tour price and is payable locally (£7.50 adults / £6.50 concessions). Some of the local car parks are pay and display. We operate this Day Trip throughout the year, so please click on our 'detailed information' below to discover the seasonal highlights.
- Possible scarcities include Black Tern, Great Northern Diver, Black Necked Grebe and Smew
- Thousands of ducks
- Waders could include Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and Snipe
Spring
Spring sees the return of the Ospreys along with other summer and passage migrants. Early in the season it might be a Wheatear at the dam or Little Ringed Plover on one of the lagoons. Terns and other wetland birds can turn up with some regularity and the sound of the Black-headed Gull colony will form an audible backdrop to any trip. Warblers such as Reed and Sedge will start to fill the reedbeds and the woodland and hedgerows will be alive with the sounds Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Garden Warblers. Wader passage is maybe not as prominent as in the autumn but will still include a good range of species and there is often a lingering scarcity like a diver or rare duck that hangs on from the winter months.
Late Summer and Early Autumn
Anything could turn up during our day at Rutland, and this time of year is good for scarcities such as Black Tern, an early Great Northern Diver, Black Necked Grebe or maybe a Garganey in amongst the thousands of duck. The Autumn return passage of waders will be picking up pace and could include Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint or a smart Wood Sandpiper. This is the time of year for scarce herons, and Great White Egret is now regular and may be joined by something rarer like a Glossy Ibis. Of course, we will also hope to enjoy the local Ospreys during our visit.
Winter
Winter is a fantastic time of year to visit when wildfowl numbers hit their peak. Monthly counts have logged nearly 50,000 waterbirds and, in amongst the common species, we will search for scarcities such as Smew, Red-necked, Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes, Scaup and maybe even a diver, with Great Northern being an annual occurrence at this time of year. Small birds include Marsh Tit and we may encounter roving flocks of Siskin or Redpoll. And as the light fades, we could be treated to a Barn or Short Eared Owl, quartering the grasslands of the reserve.
Day Trip Location
Reviews
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Rutland Water (day trip) was a very interesting and enjoyable day spent with pleasant companions and a very knowledgeable guide, Matthew, who has an amazing eye for birds. We saw a large range of water birds: ducks/geese, waders and some raptors thrown in for good measures. Matthew did his utmost to find birds for us to see and was at pains to make sure we all had as good a view as possible through his scope. Naturetrek are a very efficient and friendly company whom I would highly recommend.
A.C. Lincolnshire, Jan 22 -
I had a fantastic day at Rutland Water; it was so immersive and relaxing. I am a bit of an amateur (with my beginners binoculars) however there was nothing to worry about as everything was so accessible. We saw (and heard) a wide variety of birds, plants and some beautiful insects. Matthew Capper (our leader) was extremely knowledgeable and provided interesting and relevant commentary. I enjoyed being able to look through the leader's scope (all Covid secure) so that I could get a really good look at the Ospreys and other wildlife. The pace was good and we visited two different sites - all had lunch together and it was a really nice day out. I would highly recommend and hope to do more.
J.F. West Midlands, Jul 21 -
This Naturetrek day trip to the Rutland Water offered my first experience of the richness of the nature reserve. We were a small group of five, as required by Covid restrictions, led by the brilliant Tim Appleton. Tim knows everything there is to know about the reserve and we benefitted from his knowledge and bird-identification skills from 9.00 to 5.00 (literally). The list of the more than 80 birds seen and heard is too long for this review, but the high points were spotted redshank, whimbrel, nightingale, avocet and osprey. A memorable day out. The Naturetrek information and instructions were detailed and meticulous and all of my contact with the company was faultless. The whole day was excellent value for money.
P.B. Buckinghamshire, May 21 -
Simple day trip to Rutland Water led by Tim Appleton. Tim was friendly, helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. An excellent trip that I thoroughly enjoyed and would love to repeat. Naturetrek, as always, are a model of professionalism. An operator I have used many times and very much hope to use again once conditions allow.
C.S. West Midlands, Apr 21 -
One of Naturetrek's day trips to the nature reserve at Rutland water, a superb bird watching location. The guiding was first class, knowledgeable, informative, friendly and hospitable. 75 bird species in one day. Typical of Naturetrek to come up with the brilliant idea of a series of days out all over the UK to wildlife locations with excellent guides. And all within the covid rules.
J.L. Essex, Apr 21 -
[We would like to] thank Naturetrek for the most wonderful day, possibly the highlight of our year. We were very lucky that Saturday turned into a cold bright day, but more fortunate that Tim Appleton was our guide, we still cannot quite believe that such an eminent ornithologist spent the day with us. He showed us so many birds. The highlights were a newly arrived Smew, 3000 Golden Plover and 1000 Lapwing on one of the lagoons, and eight Great Northern Divers at sunset near the dam. Thank you, Naturetrek.
S.B & C.J., Cambridgeshire, December 2020
Dates & Prices
2024
Tour Leader: Tim Appleton
Tim Appleton MBE is the founder of the British Birdwatching Fair held annually at Rutland Water. Tim ran the Birdfair for 31 years until May 2020, during which time he helped to raise almost £40 million for Birdlife International Conservation Projects. Tim created Rutland Water Nature Reserve where he was the Reserve Manager for over 40 years. He was also responsible for the successful reintroduction of Ospreys at Rutland Water, 150 years after they last bred in England.
Tour Leader: Matthew Capper
Matthew was born in Stamford and grew up with Rutland Water on his doorstep, where he volunteered during his teenage years and developed his lifelong interest in birds and other wildlife. After a Geography degree at Sheffield University, he settled in the Peak District and was soon involved in bird of prey protection, the National Park Ranger Service and the local birding scene. Matthew began working for the RSPB in 2006 and managed projects across the north of England, spent time as an Area Conservation Manager and 10 years as Senior Site Manager at RSPB Old Moor in Yorkshire. Passionate about connecting people with nature, he has led walks, activities and delivered talks for many different organisations. Having previously served on the board of trustees, Matthew became the Head of Public Engagement and Communications for the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust in 2019.
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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