COMMON SCOTER still lingering

Common Scoter today - diving up to 28 seconds at a time

Moorhens feeding their single youngster.....

........as were this pair of Coot

An independent juvenile Moorhen (27 of which are on Tringford at the moment)

The eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard

47 Mallard and a Greylag Goose roosting on the beach by the car park

A drake Mallard in full eclipse

Pied Wagtail heavily worn

Grey Heron and Little Egret in the shallows

A whopper of a dead Pike

Lots of juvenile Common Terns around

A single migrant wader - Common Sandpiper

Mute Swan 682 and family

THURSDAY 8 AUGUST

 

Another hot day with wall-to-wall sunshine, light winds and no rain.

 

A relatively quiet day at the three smaller reservoirs today, both Francis and I failing to locate the Mandarin Duck photographed on Marsworth yesterday (although I see Sally Douglas found it again this evening). In fact, very little on MARSWORTH - just the 4 Coot (family group), 12 Great Crested Grebes and 90 Mallard.

 

The celebrity first-summer female COMMON SCOTER was still present on STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR and pulling in the crowds but was much further away and diving frequently. I took a few shots (see above). The pair of Moorhens were still attending to their single chick, as were the pair of Coot (see above), whilst the eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard was still to be seen, the 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2Mute Swans, 58 Greylag Geese and 47 Mallard on the beach in the NE corner. Mallard eventually tallied up to 95 birds whilst Coot peaked at 115.

 

Reaching the mud in the SW corner, I was pleased to photograph both Grey Heron and Little Egret wading in the shallows, as well as an array of juvenile Common Terns (of 15 birds) and a Common Sandpiper. A mobile Grey Wagtail was also in the area.

 

On TRINGFORD RESERVOIR, the Mute Swan flock was basking in the sunshine on the bank but only included 5 cygnets - one seemingly killed - possibly by the Foxes now prevalent on the surrounding edges. Mother is Mute Swan '682'. Common Teal were now up to 10 birds whilst the only other species of note were 2 Blackcaps.