A trip to Abberton this morning started at Layer Breton causeway at first light. As I stepped out of the car I could already see the first target bird. A redhead Smew, then another and another, in total there were six redheads and one stunning male. A pair of Goldeneye were also seen from here, but the male Smew stole the show.
 |
| Male Smew |
 |
| Female Smew |
Moving on to Layer de la Haye causeway, we climbed the steps and found the 2nd target a European Shag roosting on the far bank alongside a female Goosander and several Cormorants. Twenty minutes later it took to the water and headed for the sluice.
From here it was just three-miles to Abbott's Hall Farm. Instead of heading for the saltmarsh, we took the left-hand path and made our way to Lake hide. A drake Ring-necked Duck has been present in the area since early November, spending its time between Abberton and Abbott's Hall Farm. Today it was sleeping out on the pool in front of the hide. Waking very briefly before returning to its slumber. I grabbed a shot with the phone held to the scope and we moved on to the saltmarsh in search of the previous days reported Glossy Ibis.
 |
| Sleeping Ring-necked Duck |
Expectations were not high of finding the Glossy Ibis, given the large expanse of saltmarsh in front of us, but as luck would have it, within minutes the Ibis was seen in flight heading towards us! Just at that moment, a paraglider appeared above the trees and promptly put everything on the saltmarsh up. Two birders joined us soon afterwards and told us that the guy had also flushed the Ring-necked Duck off the pool as well. The Ibis was seen again in flight later in the day but the Ring-necked Duck was not reported again all day.
No comments:
Post a Comment