Birding Outshines The Weather!

 Yet another dank and dingy day in what seems to have been an endless procession of them, I heard rumours that the sun may eventually reappear but I'll believe it when I see it! Alan Shorrock and I ventured over to Blatherwycke Lake where our main target was Hawfinch, they have been seen several times since my initial sighting last Sunday and we were optimistic of seeing one this morning.

Crappy photo but nice bird, Hawfinch

Luck certainly seemed to favour us, I had brief views of one before I set my scope up but it flew before Shozzer could get on to it. Any disappointment that Al felt soon disappeared when he spotted one in a nearby tree. It stayed put for a couple of minutes and I attempted a few record shots. Once the bird had flown in the direction of the large Yew we hung around for a little longer before heading towards the lake. Several Ravens were heard and at least one seen as we made our way towards the lake.

Whooper Swans

Before we even got to the water I heard Whooper Swans calling and then found a group of eight adults at the eastern end of the lake. The birds were vocal and seemed rather restless and eventually they flew off in a westerly direction. Last weeks Red Crested Pochard drake had been joined by a second bird and both were watched as they fed in the middle of the lake. We searched for a female Scaup that Alan had photographed here on Monday but it looked as if the bird had flown. We later learned that a Common Scoter had been seen here but it must have been seen on part of the lake that we didn't cover. While scanning the lake news came through on the Eyebrook WhatsApp that two Knot were present at the inflow. I was quite eager to see them and managed to persuade Shozzer to head over in that direction.

Red Crested Pochards

From Stoke Dry car park we saw a Great White Egret but not much else and so headed towards the sharp end. The Knot showed easily enough as they picked their way through the ranks of five-hundred plus Golden Plovers, rubbishy record shots were duly taken of what remains a scarce inland visitor.  Sharing the mud with the Knots and Goldies were many Lapwings and three Dunlin. The next stop on our brief tour of the res was the gateway near Hollyoaks. Al managed to find the pair of Red crested Pochard close to the plantation shore and also three Goldeneye near the tern rafts. Our final stop was near the island where eight Egyptian Geese provided the highlight. 

Knots.