The "dot" in the distance!

On finishing a night shift this morning, I decided to stay up, drop Heather & Abigail in Coventry, and then pay an overdue visit to Shustoke Reservoir. My target bird was the drake Scaup but the water also gave me my first Swallows and Sand Martins of the year.

When I arrived at Shustoke, there were no birders to be seen and on scanning the main lake, no Scaup either! I walked the perimeter just as a shower of light drizzle started but this soon cleared leaving a cool and cloudy morning. It was obvious that sailing was about to take place and my hopes for the Scaup were diminishing.

Exploration of the smaller fishing lake enabled a good number of Tufted Ducks to be scanned and amongst them was the drake Scaup - but it was a "dot in the disatnce"!

It was a pleasure to meet MartinY and Kay D in the carpark for the first time "in the flesh"!


Drake Scaup "The dot in the distance!"

Coot

Great Crested Grebes

Todays Sightings (Year ticks in red):

Great Crested Grebs; Dabchick; Cormorant; Mute Swan; Canada Goose; Mallard; Gadwall; Scaup; Tufted Duck; Buzzard; Kestrel; Pheasant; Moorhen; Coot: Black Headed Gull; Wood Pigeon; Collared Dove; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Skylark; Sand Martin; Swallow; Pied Wagtail; Dunnock; Wren; Robin; Blackbird; Song Thrush; Mistle Thrush; Chiffchaff; Goldcrest; Blackcap; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Nuthatch; Starling; Jay; Magpie; Jackdaw; Carrion Crow;Rook; House Sparrow; Chaffinch; Greenfinch; Goldfinch; Bullfinch; Reed Bunting.