Patch mega!

I had a whole day with Freya today, and after a morning playing and an early lunch, we headed out to Collingham, and she fell asleep in the car (as I hoped she would). I was after the Great White Egret which has been kicking around here and Langford (and Meering), and with which I haven't been having much luck. Having looked at Ferry Lane Lake yesterday, I had a quick scan, not expecting much to have changed, but almost did a double take as I completed my first sweep - there were two female-type Velvet Scoters! This is a rare bird inland, and the last one in Notts was at King's Mill Res way back in 1996 (my GCSE year at school). They were diving quite happily, but occasionally becoming more alert, necks extended. I aged these as 1cy birds from photos, with a pale belly patch visible in the wing-flapping photo below (although other features of this age such as browner plumage tones and pale fringes to scaps and upper-wing covs are difficult to make out). 

Velvet Scoters

Velvet Scoters

Velvet Scoters

Velvet Scoters

Velvet Scoters

I called Mark Dawson, and was just about to put the news out when my phone died. Mark arrived (and was suitably excited about a Notts tick), and then called various people, and RBA. I stayed until Alan Clewes arrived, and by which time Freya had woken up, so we went off for a push around in the push chair. Once again, no sign of the Great White Egret (like yesterday), but there were a few other bits round - 5 Curlew, 3 Common Redshank and a Dunlin, with the Spotted Redshank still present on Ferry Lane Lake. The Scoters stayed for the rest of the day, and were widely appreciated by Notts listers, but had gone the following day. 

Spotted Redshank

Last weekend was a non-birding weekend (stag do in Leeds), and the weekend before I had my parents visiting; this was when the GWE first turned up (found by Mark D), and despite an immediate visit, I couldn't locate it - the aforementioned Spotshank was some recompense, being the first here for some time (since at least 2013).