Page 8 - Out Birding Issue 111 Summer 2023

and Common Gull. Tu􏰀ed Duck, with their characteris􏰁c coifs were showing off their diving skills. Not to be outdone, Goosander (Common Merganser – my foot!) demon- strated their aqua􏰁c abili􏰁es, frequently disappearing and making loca􏰁ng them in a ‘scope a challenge. Goldeneye, with their dis􏰁nc􏰁ve head shapes were indifferent to the noisy demonstra􏰁ons of territorial Mallard drakes on the lookout for friendly females. We viewed a range of waterfowl including Mute Swan on the far bank before deciding to free up the hide for other birders.
Trundling over the damp reserve some of the group benefited from a good close view of Reed Bun􏰁ng in the hedgerow whilst others were delayed with a Dunnock showing ‘loud and proud’ at the side of the path. Se􏰂ng up in Island Hide we saw more of the same, but pa􏰁ence was rewarded by fine examples of Pochard, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Crested Grebe. Later came a small group of Linnet and a lazy Pheasant in the distance. With increasingly choppy water our targets became difficult to spot with both their diving and the bobbing up and down between waves. A􏰀er much searching among distant Goldeneye, we were compensated by a sigh􏰁ng of a solitary Long-Tailed Duck ♀.
Saying adieu to Pat, the remainder of the group completed the circular path to the Visitor Centre (now renamed a ‘Nature Discovery Centre’) for lunch/sandwiches. En route we were able to enjoy a group of Goldfinch exploring a small planta􏰁on and were challenged by a belligerent Wren, I don’t think the Chiffchaff was serenading us, but sang loudly and was briefly visible at close quarters.
The group split for lunch between ‘eaters-in’ and ‘eaters-out’. We all benefited from fine views of a Red Kite who surveyed the scene at low level flying along the shoreline and then over the heads of the picnickers, at which point several Skylark rose from the ground and flew toward the Kite, a behaviour I hadn’t witnessed before but can only assume it was to draw a poten􏰁al predator away from nes􏰁ng sites. A Kestrel, post-si􏰂ng by the water’s edge, seemed indifferent. Some picknickers were thrilled to get sigh􏰁ng of Black-necked-Grebe in stunning summer plumage and Wigeon and Chaffinch joined the list.
A􏰀er lunch we moved to the Layer de la Haye causeway, but it didn’t reveal anything new of interest, so the group decamped a couple of miles to the Layer Breton cause- way. Blustery wind made scoping very difficult, and the temperature was dropping. However, this sec􏰁on of the reserve is famous for its breeding colony of Cormorant. The trees looking northwards were full of occupied nests, the birds showing their dis􏰁nct breeding patches. Southward were at least four Grey Heron on their nests and the water held a trio of geese: Greylag, Egyp􏰁an and Canada. We were also happy to see Teal, (amongst which I was delighted to get a sigh􏰁ng of the ‘Abberton’ Hybrid Baikal/Green Winged Teal which has become a regular celebrity at this causeway).
As we prepared to leave, we also spo􏰃ed Li􏰃le Grebe, Shoveler and Coot; with two pairs of Gadwall gracing us with a late appearance, alongside a Jackdaw in the trees
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