1 January 2017 - Hollingworth Lake

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Pair Wigeon, Buzzard, Goosander, Herring Gull, (Med Gull in roost)

Rain early, clearing with stiff, cold NE breeze.  

A pair of Wigeon were visible on the water as I arrived at the Rowing Club car park. As I watched and filmed them, a Cormorant surfaced right beneath the drake and spooked them into flight!  An adult Herring Gull loafed amongst the Black-headeds at the feeding point.  As I walked up Rakewood Road, a Buzzard flew over the road close to Rakewood village.  Around 5 Goosander were in and around the reserve, but very little else of any note.  From the hide, a few Tufted were visible, and a snipe flew past. Moving on, a female Goldeneye was just off the dam wall and a male Pheasant in the fields on the other side.

Later on, the weather became calm and clear, so I decided to check the gull roost and was pleasantly surprised when almost immediately I found an adult winter Mediterranean Gull in a similar position to the one I saw recently.  I watched it through the scope for a while and then switched to the camera but couldn't locate it in the camera and then couldn't find it again after that, as the light began to fade.