Ferruginous Duck, Priory CP

A Birthday and a half day off from work today and it's off to Priory CP in Bedfordshire hoping to get a sighting of the Ferruginous Duck.

The journey goes smoothly until we approach the site and encounter two roundabouts. The satnav loses the signal and we are left going round the roundabout three times before we find the right turn off.

Soon after turning on to Barker's Lane at 2.30pm we see the car park up on the right. Priory Lake is only a short walk from the car park and we are soon scoping the lake in search of the fudge duck.

At first there is no sign, but a local tells us it's been reported again at 1pm, so I stay positive and at the dipping platform another scope of the lake produces the first sighting of the target bird.

Ferruginous Duck

It's asleep in amongst a group of Pochards and on the far side of the lake in front of the hide.

On the walk round towards the hide the recently found Black-necked Grebe from yesterday is seen. It's a nice bonus and another year tick.

Otter Carving

After reaching the hide the Duck is no where to be seen. A scan of the birds to the left of the hide reveals only Pochard and Great Crested Grebes.
Another  scan of  the lake, and another group of Pochards are found, with a handful of Tufted's mixed in.Then the Black-necked Grebe swims in to view again. Then the Fudge Duck is re-found right in front of the dipping platform that we had left earlier.
A quick walk back round and luckily it's right in front of the platform still.
The guy who was in the hide with us hadn't seen it yet, so a quick wave towards him and he's hurrying along the pathway to join us.
I grabbed a couple of record shots in very poor light before heading for home.