Common Scoter - Sat July 27

A text from Mark Islip caused me to visit Arrow Valley Lake for the first time in ages. The reason was the presence of a Common Scoter.

I walked all the way around the lake in pouring rain, pausing to look at five Oystercatchers. They must have bred here I imagine.

Oystercatchers

Eventually I met Gavin coming the other way and we discussed the surprising absence of the Scoter, and moths (he has been trapping them for longer than I have).

Then on one of our scans I noticed the Common Scoter, a drake, asleep opposite the cafe. We both must have walked past it.

Eventually it woke up and I got a reasonable shot of it.

Common Scoter

This is not a species which is ever going to occur at Morton Bagot, a true sea duck. They are a lot more regular on Midland reservoirs than I am nowadays, so its probably my first for many years.

I can recall a record from Arrow Valley Lake from about 1972, but not any since.