Frustrating Phalarope

With plenty of Grey Phalaropes turning up at inland locations over the last day or two, I was feeling the need to check there wasn't one at Collingham, but hadn't been able to get out until tonight. Having scanned Ferry Lane Lake a couple of times, I had resigned myself to the inevitable - there wasn't one. Hey ho. But there were a few gulls, and one of them was an adult Yellow-leg, my first of the year here. So not a complete waste of time.

Having photographed the gull, I was having another look at it when something flew west through my field of view, close to the water... a Grey Phal! I tracked it for a few seconds, but it was sufficiently close to shore that I soon lost it behind the willows which are growing up on the bank. Goddam! It was heading towards the south-west corner of the pit, but in a quick half-hour search (before having to get home to do the little one's bedtime) I couldn't relocate it - although there were two Garganey with a group of Shoveler. Tom Malarkey had a look later and couldn't find it either, although I find it hard to believe it left the site heading into a strong headwind.... so worth a look early tomorrow (although I wouldn't be surprised if it/one was found on Phase 3 at Langford!).