15 September 2023 - Hollingworth Lake

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17 Common Scoter, 2 Little Egrets, Sparrowhalk

A couple of Little Egrets are still around the reserve but this morning's highlight was a raft of 17 Common Scoter (16 males and a female) frequenting the area between the Pavilion and the Beach Hotel.  Conditions were rather dull, but calm, so I was able to get a few reasonable shots.  One of the males had a much yellower bill than all the others, which caused a bit of consternation on the WhatsApp group, but it was clear that this was just a slightly unusual Common Scoter, and not a Black Scoter unfortunately!

As I walked back through the estate towards home, a female Sparrowhawk flew over my head from behind and landed on the apex of a house roof on the other side of the road.  I rattled off a few pictures before a car came past and it flew off.

Common Scoter, 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100
Common Scoter, 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100 (view full size image)

Common Scoter, 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 160
Common Scoter, 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 160 (view full size image)

Common Scoter, 1/2500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 3200
Common Scoter, 1/2500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 3200 (view full size image)

Common Scoter, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 640
Common Scoter, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 640 (view full size image)

Common Scoter (male with bright bill), 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100
Common Scoter (male with bright bill), 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100 (view full size image)

Common Scoter (male with bright bill), 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100
Common Scoter (male with bright bill), 1/80 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100

Sparrowhawk, 1/100 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100
Sparrowhawk, 1/100 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100 (view full size image)