Friday January 20

In a classic case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, I got up early to arrive at Arrow Valley Lake before dawn in the hope that the Glaucous Gull would put in a repeat performance. I imagine it was the bird which has been roosting at Bartley Reservoir lately.

The sky was clear and the lake was partly frozen. The small reed-bed produced a few Reed Buntings emerging from their roost. I couldn't see any gulls to begin with, so I headed down the lake where I was surprised by three Little Egrets as they flew from the island where they must have been roosting. As I approached the island two more flew off, and another remained in view, but distant. I moved closer and saw another one, but wondered whether it might have been one of the two which had apparently flown off. Soon, both egrets went, and I resigned myself to having missed the opportunity to photograph them.

By now I was aware that there were 10 Goosanders swimming in front of the island, including three adult males.

The Goosander flock

I moved closer to get a better view, although the light remained poor.

Adult male Goosander

As I started to head back, a Kingfisher flew in and perched in a perfect spot. Shame about the light though.

Kingfisher

I continued back only to see one of the Little Egrets returning. A hurried backtrack allowed me to get the views I had hoped for.

Little Egret

By now gulls were starting to arrive, and I found a spot from where I could see a lot of the lake. Most were Black-headed Gulls, but there were two or three Lesser Black-backed Gulls as well. I then spotted a distant duck swimming in circles, and suspected a Shoveler. It was curiously dark though.

I decided to head over for a better look, and found this.

Clearly some kind of Shoveler on body and bill shape, but in a very weird plumage. I wondered about Australasian Shoveler, but it lacks a white crescent behind the bill. The narrow pale neck ring is wrong for any kind of Shoveler, so I was left to conclude it was a hybrid ShovelerXsomething (maybe Mallard).

More gulls were arriving on the ice, but by the time I had to go they had only built up to 60 Black-headed Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and an adult Herring Gull.

Adult Herring Gull

Back at home, the journey from the paper shop was briefly halted by a tacking call, probably of a Blackcap, but it soon stopped and I couldn't see it, so I'll wait for better circumstances before I add one to the list.