Counting Ducks! and a Ruff?!
Ok so it's been a bit of cold of late and yesterday's monthly duck count at Watermead CP was not too hard due to very little unfrozen water!
The highlights during the count included the long staying female Red Crested Pochard on the water ski pit, 2 Ruddy Ducks at a site nearby, a male Brambling and Water Rail at the feeding station at Kingfisher hide and up to four Cetti's Warblers in the park!
After finishing the count I nipped down to Watermead CP South to meet Mark Rossell and Conor Thornton who were watching a Ruff walking round the car park and feeding area and showing down to five feet away!
I got the feeling that the bird was a bit knackered and was feeding like mad and didn't care to much about the passing public or the bare footed jogger!!
Talking to Mark he told me that he was selling his Canon D30 and before you could say Santa Claus a deal was struck and I said I would buy it off him!?
With the deal struck, Mark and Conor wimped out of the Gull roost due to the cold, but in hindsight maybe there had the right idea as I found nothing special in fading light!
So at around 4.00pm I called it a day and left the Ruff still feeding in the car park!?
The highlights during the count included the long staying female Red Crested Pochard on the water ski pit, 2 Ruddy Ducks at a site nearby, a male Brambling and Water Rail at the feeding station at Kingfisher hide and up to four Cetti's Warblers in the park!
After finishing the count I nipped down to Watermead CP South to meet Mark Rossell and Conor Thornton who were watching a Ruff walking round the car park and feeding area and showing down to five feet away!
I got the feeling that the bird was a bit knackered and was feeding like mad and didn't care to much about the passing public or the bare footed jogger!!
Ruff in the car park at Watermead CP South
With the deal struck, Mark and Conor wimped out of the Gull roost due to the cold, but in hindsight maybe there had the right idea as I found nothing special in fading light!
So at around 4.00pm I called it a day and left the Ruff still feeding in the car park!?
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