This morning
Female Scaup
Male Goldeneye
Mediterranean Gull (2)
Good passage of Sand Martin with Swallows and one or two House Martins mixed in.
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Mallard with 7 ducklings
Velvet scoter still showing well also seen to do a short flight. 1 Mediterranean gull amongst all the other gulls. 12 tufted duck 5 goldeneye 2 little grebes 2 pied wagtails
The Velvet Scoter present this morning, diving, resting up and good views as it flew from one end of the reservoir to the other. Also 14 Tufted Duck, 1 Goldeneye, 3 Little Grebe, Coot, Mallard, Black-headed, Common, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Bitterly cold with biting wind. The 1st winter/Immature Velvet Scoter still present around mid day today. After approx two hours, the bird finally swam from the middle of the reservoir to the south bank. Immediately flushed by a dog walker, so I was only able to fire off a few hand held shots as it swam back to its preferred position back in the centre!!
The Velvet Scoter still showing very close at times actively diving and occasionally resting. Still present when I left at 3.00pm and looks very settled. Also 1 Goldeneye (male) amongst the Tufted Duck.
Velvet Scoter still present at 13:45. Spent about half an hour with the bird and it was a real pleasure to be able to watch it at close range and not whizzing past half a mile out to sea. Managed to get a real good feel for the behaviour of the bird, particularly its diving which is represented brilliantly in the Collins Field guide.
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Sunday 2nd of December 2018 02:46:44 PM
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
Went to see this bird this morning on a very wet a miserable day.........but it was well worth it. Good to meet everyone there and what a very showy bird (pictures attached) Not that I know anything but I would say this is a young wild bird (In answer to Ian below).....just my opinion though
Richard Thew wrote: Quote "Whilst I was going down the path, the scoter was swimming straight for me and I was amazed how close she came. This made me wonder where she would have come from as in my experience, all wild scoters like to keep a good distance from you".
Well I hope it is a truly wild bird as I would like to count it as a tick. I don't know whether or not the Velvet Scoter is a species that is often kept in captivity anywhere, but would be grateful if any others have any comments on this matter please.
I'm glad this reservoir is not the size of Audenshaw, as the Velvet Scoter was on the far bank, having been spooked by some dogs when I arrived at 1pm. Great to see and observe, and glad it has stayed so long for me to catch up with it.