Today is the last day of my winter. MY summer starts tomorrow. I needed black-throated diver for my year list, and as one had been reported from Tophill Low, I decided to visit. I arrived at 9am just as they were opening. It was only just light, it is still another week before it starts to get lighter in a morning.
The reception hide was still closed, so I walked on to the other hide which overlooks D reservoir.
Lots of ducks. Wigeon, teal, pintail, goldeneye, pochard, red crested pochard, shoveler, smew,gadwall and tufted duck. great crested and little grebes.They were sheltering from the strong wind, so were reasonably close to the hide, although most of them were asleep.
Some of many goldeneye on the reservoir. Several of the males were displaying. A male smew came close.
Not the best of light and as you can tell from the 1st photo, there was quite a swell due to the wind.
The black-throated diver took some finding. It was close to the far wall of the reservoir, where the water was very choppy as it collided with the reservoir wall. It spent a lot of time diving for food, but eventually it swam into the calmer water to preen. It was still a long way away.
I spent a couple of hours in the hide, hoping that the diver would come closer but it did not, so I walked back to my car. On the way, I called in at the reception hide and managed to get this photo of a female red crested pochard.
Lots of cormorants were also fishing.
I then walked towards the southern end of the reserve. The first hide is overlooking an are where a lot of conservation work is taking place, so not a bird to be seen, From the next hide I saw a grey heron, a flock of lapwing flew over, as did a kestrel. a pair of marsh harriers were hunting over the far side of the scrape.
A flock of 42 curlew was a pleasure to see.
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