By the time I got to the pond there was a north north west wind with broken cloud so I was hoping that this might encourage a bit of migration but was not expecting Bob Hazel to find a Scaup sp in grays barn. As I had a guided walk to complete he and Dave Hutton stayed with the bird for over four hours and were confidant that it was a male Lesser Scaup. I had seen the bird earlier but from a distance so spent an hour with the bird this afternoon and apart from not seeing the wing bar it ticked all the boxes for me. I originally thought it thought it was a first winter but other authorities think its an eclipse male. My second record for the pond and third for the county. A just reward for the effort Bob puts in to the place.
Earlier the walk was successful with Jack and Liz enjoying good views of Meadow Pipit, Teal and Dunlin and while watching three Buzzard soaring over toft bay they were joined by a Raven.
Other birds seen today were three groups of Swallow heading south (14, 6 & 3), 8 House Martin over toft bay briefly and 4 over Thurlaston village, Rock Pipit in toft bay, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Hobby over country park, Wheatear juv briefly on farborough bank, Chiffchaff in toft shallows and Jay.
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Lesser Scaup by Bob Hazel
Lesser Scaup by Dave Hutton
Both Dave and Bob did well to get these images as the bird is not close so if your coming you need a massive lens and going on to the shore line wont help - it just swims away.
On the way home I managed a late Spotted Flycatcher at Lions Farm, Rugby Rd and tonight over 3000 gulls have flown over the house on there way to the pond.
Richard
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