Smew by Steve Seal
Blue skies, high cloud, and a light frost was most welcome on arrival at the pond. The Lesser Scaup was with the 40+ Pochard and Tufted Duck flock in grays barn while 3 Lesser Redpolls fed quietly behind the hide. Male Smew again off valve tower and the Great-northern Diver continued to be elusive being distant off valve tower, close in off rainbow or not seen at all by some unfortunates. Depending on where you were standing on toft bank a Stonechat could be seen in the sewage farm and a Chiffchaff along the perimeter hedge. Peregrine performed over cafe and I was joined by Bob Hazell and Pete and Linda Price where we chewed the cud over such delights as gull id, field craft, lists and the price of peas. Roost tonight decided to be distant and strung out over the centre of reservoir but managed five Med Gulls (two first winter, two adult winter and a second winter), three adult Yellow-legged Gulls and a Glaucous Gull first winter came in at 1640pm.
Other birds of note were Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker 2, Great-spotted Woodpecker 2, Goosander 10, Goldeneye 25, Cormorant 82, Great-crested Grebe 206 Grey Wagtail and a Buzzard. On the down side some pratt was trying too hard to get too close to the Lesser Scaup in grays barn late afternoon - read the bloody signs - stay off the shore line, o a pity I was so far away, just fancied a chat in braille - thwak !!!
Richard
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