Friday 14 December 2018

Friday December 14

I decided to take advantage of the brief cold snap hoping that Arrow Valley Lake might be partly frozen. In fact it was ice free, but sunny and cold.

So no new diving ducks, but there was an increase in dabblers. A pair of Teal were new, and there are now 34 Shovelers feeding around the two islands.

Teal
Any fishermen present today would have been dismayed at the sight of 26 Cormorants arriving for their breakfast, while three Grey Herons, a drake Goosander, and the female Goldeneye were no doubt accounting for the smaller fish.

Cormorants in flight, fishermen's fright
A Kingfisher was also present, but although I heard it several times I failed to see it.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, a Fieldfare has started to strip the berries on our cotoneaster, while at least one Redwing has joined the Blackbirds chomping on the apples in the back garden.

Fieldfare

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