Ring-necked Duck on Cotswold jolly

Close views early morning

Side on view with filter

In the flock

Goldeneye passing the local Red-crested Pochard

Flock of Red-crested Pochards

Short video clip

After two days of great birding I thought I'd try and make it three out of three by heading into the Cotswolds to hopefully see a Ring-necked Duck. Cotswold Water Park is a bit of a maze but my previous evenings research proved fruitful as I parked up close to pit twelve.

Following the path to the north end I found the American vagrant with a flock of Tufted Ducks. For those never to see one, the Ring-necked is similar to a Tufted but lacks the tuft and high crown, the bill is grey with a white band. These diving ducks are exclusively freshwater birds who feed on aquatic plants and small fish. They breed in wooded lakes in Canada & northern America. 

The first UK record was in 1955 but are now annual with around a dozen recorded every year. 

After getting a few shots I watched the bird and helped a few other birders arriving at the scene. Within a few hundred metres was pit sixteen where there was 13 Red-crested Pochard and 4 Goldeneye (1 drake). 

When leaving the water park a male Peregrine flew over me heading south.

Red-necked Grebe - Cotswold Water Park

Red-necked Grebe

 Red-crested Pochard

Distant Whinchat

With a distant lack of suitable Autumn winds I opted to stay close to home on my first day off  to wrap up my annual leave at work. Destination was Cotswold Water Park with gravel pit buddy Paul. The water park is a real maze of water and you always need a bit of luck to find what you are after.

We found pit 74 and twitchers gate with a degree of ease however we had to settle for just Great Crested Grebes and Wigeon. We had an explore further down the road where a Whinchat and Lapwings were showing by the working pits. Once we returned we instantly had more to view as the 16 Red-crested Pochard came into view with even more Wigeon. As I was trying to count the Wigeon a Little Egret flew over before Paul pinged "got one" and he had picked up a Red-necked Grebe diving on the far right from our view. 

This was both our third Red-necked Grebe after seeing them at Farmoor and also Upton Warren.

As we headed back up the M5 we stopped in at the Birders Store as I'd ordered a star gazing scope for the father in law. Whilst certainly not a stock item, Brian had managed to get the item wanted at a price cheaper then elsewhere.