My Annual Pilgrimage to Rutland Water

15th July 2026

This year my visit was delayed due to the heatwave as the last thing I wanted was heat-haze. So I waited for a cooler day and went early. I walked on to the reserve dreaming of some close-up shots, and was immediately rewarded with this young male Pheasant which I almost trod on. I hope this was a good omen!!!

Once inside the hide it was immediately apparent that the water levels were low and realised this was a first for me. For right in front of the hide the water was covered with blanket weed and on the weed there were not just one or two Great Crested Grebe nests, but 14, some of them just 10 yards apart!!!!

All three young had now fledged and were sitting with the adults on and around the nest area. This is the nest with the new high quality camera

And here are two jueniles and an adult on one of the perches....................

...................and a juvenile on a post under the nest by the telegraph pole.

Here is the adult male 33 taking to the air to see off anothere Osprey that was getting too close to its territory..

Yes, so I did get some close-ups today but there was also another first for me, the number of Ospreys in view at once. Previously my record was five, with the two adults and three juveniles. But today I could see three perched around the nest area and a further five circling over the bay, a total of eight!!!!!

But the best was saved to last when 33 saw off a Heron that was far too close to the nest. They really don't like them do they!!!!!

What a great day on the bird front but there was another treat in store. While I was photographing the Ospreys I could hear an aircraft flying around and thought nothing of it. But just as I was leaving the aircraft, a Supermarine Spitfire ML407, did a low pass in front of the hide.

ML407 was built at Castle Bromwich in 1944 as a Mk9 single-seater and served in the last 12 months of WWII with six different allied Squadrons of the RAF's 2nd Tactical Air Force. Its pilot Flying Officer Johnnie Houlton was accredited with shooting down the first enemy aircraft over the Normandy beach-head on D-Day 6th June 1944.

Design Engineer Nick Grace acquired ML407 in late 1979 from the Strathallon Museum and spent five years meticulously restoring the Spitfire to a two-seat configuration incorporating what is known as the "Grace In-line Canopy Conversion" which Nick designed to remove the bulbous rear canopy to a more streamlined version. The aircraft is now affectionately known as "The Grace Spitfire".

Well, another great day at Rutland Water watching the Manton Bay Osprey family.

It was also good to meet Frank and Yvonne from The Netherlands who were on holday in the UK and enjoying a day at Rutland Water. Frank and I had a long chat about cameras so Frank, all I want to know is, are you convinced yet?

Also nice to meet Karen who was also in the market for a new camera. Go for it Karen, you know it makes sense.