Lodmoor RSPB was to be my destination today. I had a couple of deliveries to make so I decided to check out the viewing at the closed for winter Abbotsbury Swannery. I found a spot just off the road looking across the reserve but it was some distance away and my scope was maxed out once again. The wind was also driving into my face which may hi-powered viewing even trickier. I did not see the recently reported Whoopers or Scaup but marveled as the masses of ducks that were there. Pochard, Tufted, Teal, Mallard were there in good numbers. It’s such a shame the reserve closes for the winter!
I am particularly partial to ducks and I knew Lodmoor would also have a few ducks in tow but first I would check out some of the shorebirds that were seeking sanctuary on the reserve. Black-tailed Godwit was the most indulgent of the feeding parties. A dozen birds were counted.
A small group of Dunlin was also feeding in the same area as the Blackwits. These were all put skywards along with the Lapwing and wildfowl by a young Marsh Harrier that wanted to spoil the party.
Snipe was also evenly distributed around the raised edges venturing out into the open as the afternoon progressed. A Kingfisher did a low fly-by of the shelter which was a good stake out point between showers!
The duck were well represented with a handful of Shoveler tucked between grassy mounds.
Gadwall was the next species to fall under the camera but they kept their distance unlike the next species.
Tufted were obviously after some handouts as they paraded in front of me turning away when the human did not oblige! I still see people feeding bread to ducks I do despair sometimes!
On another note I have just started using twitter again but I am a bit of a duffer when it comes to its use. I missed the news from Portland Observatory about the Arctic Redpoll by about an hour! Then debated whether it would still be there if I got back to my car and headed onto the Island. I could not have been further away from the car if I had tried! As a result I had another note to self moment!
I popped into Silverlake on the way back home to find the Ruddy Shelduck had made friends with some Egyptian Geese. A couple of Green Sandpiper were spooked by a helicopter then showed well by the water edge. More rain put another day to its close! I have living here for over two weeks already. Where does the time go!!
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