Time for some more dodgy record shots of an addition to my annual PBC (Peterborough Bird Club) list. This morning I received a phone call from Mike Weedon to tell me that there were 2 Common Scoters at Ferry Meadows, a new bird for the list of 2013 and not a common bird in these parts by any measure. I have only seen one of these birds in the Peterborough area before, so this was a chance to double my total!
The weather was not conducive to any sort of photography, but I thought that I had to try and get some sort of 'record' shot of these two drake birds. As can be seen from the photos above (hopefully!), one bird has slightly less yellow on the bill than the other, but they are both male.
A bird normally seen on the coast and so this was a nice 'tick' for an inland, landlocked lake.
Hi John It was lovely that you were able to see a bird that normally is not in your part of the world adn agood idea to take a photo of it.
ReplyDeleteHi Margaret,
DeleteThank you, yes, not a rare bird nationally, but quite scarce in Peterborough. They were only here for the day, before departing elsewhere.
J
The scoters are cool, great sighting and photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Eileen, they are/were indeed!
DeleteJ
Nice one John.
ReplyDeleteYet another good sighting for the area.
As I said in the post, only my second sighting of the species in Peterborough, so worth making the effort for.
DeleteJ
What a great find John.
ReplyDeleteOnly ever seen these off the Welsh coast.
I normally see them off the Norfolk coast, where I have seen huge rafts of the birds, but it is always better on a land-locked lake in Peterborough!
DeleteJ
Hi John. Perhaps this bird should be named the Uncommon Scoter. Somehow the water looks like it's about to freeze!
ReplyDeleteHi Bazza,
DeleteDefinitely uncommon in the Peterborough area at any rate! The water and the weather was slightly inclement, to say the least!
J
An excellent tick John! You may consider them record shots but they're definitely not dodgy :-) There was one at Draycote last week, unfortunately I haven't been able to get there for some time, I think I've missed a fair few goodies :-(
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan!
DeleteIt is the time of year when there are lots of birds on the move and so consequently, lots of birds to miss! :(
J