Lifford Reservoir - Ring-necked Duck

 

A change to the normal on Sunday, when I made the short drive over to Kings Norton to see a female Ring-necked Duck discoved by Adrian Platt the previous day. Being such a small piece of water ensured the views were excellent from all sides. This was only the second record for the West Midlands for the species whilst there have been numberous in Worcestershire.

Ring-necked Duck at Westwood Pool, Worcestershire

Fellow Salford Priors GP birder Mike Inskip made a super find this week at Westwood Pool in west Droitwich. It was a very smart drake Ring-necked Duck and he kindly shared the news and access had been given by Westwood Wayne. I made a sharp exit out of work to ensure I had plenty of time to see the bird. 

It's a species I have thinking we have a genuine chance of getting locally with the prolonged westerly winds this winter. 

Westwood Pool is reported to be 60 ha is part of Westwood Park in which the stately home of Westwood House stands.The house is a grade 1 building and is particularly stunning. In previous visits I've recorded Red-necked & Black-necked Grebe there. Speaking to Wayne on site, it was the 198th species recorded on the site.

Whilst on site I recorded my first Cetti Warbler of the year and there was also a singing Chiffchaff. 

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.

White-billed Diver in Woodhall Spa

White-billed Diver

Distant shot showing habitat

A bonus year tick

Kirby-on-Bain Gravel Pits

Ring-necked Duck

With Saturday being just ballistic I didn’t have chance to check any bird news until late into the evening. I certainly didn’t expect to see a White-billed Diver reported at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. This species of Diver is one that I’ve been after for a long time and given when & where they are best seen in Scotland it wouldn’t really be cost effective to go.

After an early breakfast the bird appeared again on the news with photos so fancying my chances I headed north east to Lincolnshire. The first part of the journey was very smooth but the last 30 minutes did appear to take ages and roads were very flat & boring. Sadly no postcode was posted initially and it took me another five minutes to find where everyone else had parked in Ferry Road.

I parked by another local birder who joined me as we headed up the River Witham on the cycle path towards Southery. It was probably a good twenty minute walk until we found the splendid looking Diver from the arctic coasts of Russia being watched by around fifty birders and photographers. The scene was a bit of carry on as the Diver dived and then came up around 100 metres on way or other. Apparently it was heading north first thing but in my time it only headed south. The bird appeared to be in overall good condition. The bird at times was only 30 metres from the bank where all the birders were so everyone managed to get brilliant views. Many locals stopped to see what the fuss was about. Some 3 or 4 years ago an injured bird of the same species was found on the same stretch of river but a mile further south, very strange birding is at times.

Satisfied with first life tick of 2017 I made the five mile drive to Kirby-on-Bain Gravel Pits where there was a very smart drake Ring-necked Duck & a female Scaup among the Wigeons, Tufties & Gadwall.