8 October 2016 - Hollingworth Lake
« Newer | Older »Drake Gadwall, female Shoveler, 3 Buzzards, Goldcrest, 7 Redwings, 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Snipe, Kingfisher, Swallow
Was up early this morning (didn't sleep well) so was waiting for it to come light so I could get out. It was cool, rather still to begin with, and partially cloudy. As I walked along Rakewood Road, a Goldcrest appeared in one of the roadside bushes, and I thought I heard another nearby. On Bear Hill, a Mistle Thrush and a Song Thrush were perched together in the same bush, with a few Blackbirds. A small group of Long-tailed Tits showed in the bushes nearer to the bridge over the stream, and a Buzzard flew east overhead There were at least 4 Great Crested Grebes on the water.
A party of 7 Redwings flew over the reserve from the direction of the Big Hedge, my first of the autumn. Looking onto the reserve, I noticed a drake Gadwall at the back, which then swam towards the spit and out of view. Looking to the right, the female Shoveler was dabbling quite close to the path, and a few Teal and one or two Tufted were on the reserve too.
When I got to the hide, Kingfisher Pete was already there and told me he hadn't seen the Kingfisher today, but a few days ago watched it in front of the hide for 15 minutes when he got 140 photos (!). The drake Gadwall was sitting on the spit and giving good views, and shortly afterwards the Shoveler came and joined it nearby and preened for a little while before something disturbed them and they both flew.
I waited a while and a pair of Grey Wagtails appeared on the spit briefly, then shortly afterwards, the Kingfisher flew past and round into the bushes at the back of the reserve facing the hide, but out of view. A few minutes later, two Snipe flew in from the right and landed on the other side of the spit, out of view, but unfortunately didn't reappear.
I moved on and then didn't really see much else apart from Cormorants, Herons and a single Swallow.
In the afternoon I went again with the hope of getting some photos of the Gadwall in better light, but there was no sign of it, and there were streams of people coming in the hide. I did see three Buzzards soaring over the back of Bib Knowl, and in the hide, managed a few snaps and a short bit of footage of the Kingfisher as it sat on a post just in front of the hide.
Drake Gadwall, Hollingworth Lake 8 October 2016
Female Shoveler, Hollingworth Lake 8 October 2016
Cormorant viewed from the path, Hollingworth Lake 8 October 2016
Kingfisher, Hollingworth Lake 8 October 2016