Common Scoter and Scaup

It was a bright and sunny morning with an easterly wind making it feel a bit cooler than the 10 degrees C the thermometer was reading as I stepped out of the house.

I walked straight down to the Mere southside to see what was about.A few Waxwing have been reported further north so you never know - we may have one or two here.

Scaup have been seen almost every day for the last week or so and Common Scoter have been present off and on too, and there's always a chance of seeing the Long-tailed Duck if it's still here.

A Scaup took off with most of the Tufted Duck and Gadwall and flew to the east reedbed, leaving a few Teal, Tufteds and Gadwall. Maybe I'll get a better view of Scaup and maybe a Scoter or two on the way back.

I walked through the fields and wood to the hide, and although there were plenty of birds to be seen there was nothing out of the ordinary to report. The large mixed flock of Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting was feeding in the set aside flowers;  A couple of Greenfinch were feeding in the crop field where the 120+ Barnacle Goose were feeding also and a few Chaffinch were in the hedgerow too. No Brambling though.

On the way back I checked the Mere for Scoter and Scaup and bingo -

Scaup off first field

2 Scaup off first field

Although a female and a drake Scoter had been reported this morning I only saw the female

female Common Scoter off second field

Common Scoter

It's always a pleasure to walk by The Mere as there is always something to see, and if you don't go out and look, well, you won't see anything!