9 October 2016 - Hollingworth Lake
Male Ring Ouzel overhead at the Big Hedge with Redwings on the hawthorn berries at Hollingworth Lake, female Shoveler and the drake Gadwall on the water
Up early again this morning, trying to get round and back as we had to take Gloria & Chris to the airport. It was a nice cool and clear morning, though the sun wasn't yet fully up. Not too much to report on the water but I saw a flock of 95 Lapwings flying over the hill behind the Wine Press. As I approached the Big Hedge, the sun was up enough to bathe the bushes in early morning sunshine so I stopped to do a little recce. I noticed a few Redwings feeding on the Hawthorn berries, and decided to try to get some footage, albeit quite distant. I spent about 15 minutes here and then a few of the Redwings flew up and overhead, and at about 08:15, a male Ring Ouzel did the same - it flew right overhead, quite low down and was instantly identifiable even without binoculars. Unfortunately it carried on over the reserve and out of sight.
I searched for more but couldn't see anything other than Redwings (although I did have a glimpse of what I thought might have been another, but it was probably a Blackbird, as there were a few of these about. One or two Song Thrushes too.
Moving on, I could see the female Shoveler on the reserve, with a few Teal. I walked through the Pavilion wood with nothing to report and when I emerged at the other side to look at the mooring jetty, I noticed three ducks on the water close by. These were two Wigeon and the drake Gadwall.