Saturday December 22 - Black-throated Diver

Earlier today I got a text to say there was a Black-throated Diver at Lower Bittell, a very rare bird in a Worcs context. By midday I was wondering whether I might persuade Lyn that we could go to Hillers via Bittell (ten miles in the wrong direction), so I checked t'internet and found the message that it had flown south early afternoon. Well it was only 12.25 when I saw the message, so I thought I had missed it.

Then I thought I could just check Arrow Valley Lake before we went to Hillers. So I arrived to see a familiar shape striding ahead of me, Gavin Peplow. He had obviously had the same idea. I caught up with him as he was scanning. He turned to me and said "its here!"

Neither of us could believe our luck.

Black-throated Diver

Looking into the sun (with Cormorant)

Wing-flapping

Needless to say, the first for the locality.

Much phoning and texting followed, and others soon arrived to enjoy the spectacle.

Just wow.

I didn't take much notice of the other birds on the lake, but did see that the Goldeneye was still present.

One last thing. Back from the shops in the afternoon I found a small Ichneumon wasp sp on its last legs on the draining board in the kitchen. It soon expired and I photographed it in the hope I can find an expert who can identify it.

Tromatoria lineata

I know there are a very great number of possible species and it may require a microscope (which I don't possess). I have retained the specimen. If I do find out what it was, I will update the blog.

This is the update. An expert has identified it as the 44th British record of Tromatoria lineata an obscure ichneumon wasp.