Avez-Vous un Cuppa?

Whilst watching the Goose flock down at Wanlip North GPS yesterday I noticed that one of the juvenile White-fronted Geese appeared to have an orange bill. Although my experience is limited with Greenland White-fronts, I had a nagging doubt that this bird might actually be one? Have a look at the record shots of the bird and comments are most welcome of it's ID?

Here is a couple of shots of the "Tundra" Bean Goose which has been with the Goose flock at Wanlip North GPs since last week at least. The Bean Goose sighting was a county and Soar valley tick for me!  "Tundra" Bean Goose Thanks to Colin Green for taken them and these weren't taken from the Yachting club track!!

Here is a record shot of the female Scaup which I found a few days ago on the river between Cossington Mill and Wanlip North Gps. At this site a red-head Smew , a drake Pintail and a "dodgy" Ross's Goose have been present over the last week.

Yesterday was the monthly Wildfowl Count down at Watermead CP and the highlights included the two long-staying Red-head Smews on the Pec Pit opposite the Hope and Anchor Pub, Five Pintails (3 Males and 2 Females) flying over the King Lear's Lake, a female Cetti's Warbler in the complex and another year tick in the form of three Egyptian Geese (No.94) on Wanlip North Lakes! Watermead North CP Wildfowl count (including the Birstall and Wanlip Meadows section!): Great Crested Grebe:11,Cormorant:40,Grey Heron:5,Mute Swan:74,Canada Goose:22,Wigeon:519,Gadwall:67,Teal:62,Mallard:169,Shoveler:83,Pochard:22, Tufted Duck:132,Little Grebe:7,Goosander:34,Smew:2, Pintail:5,Gadwall x Hybrid:1,Moorhen:25,Coot: 144,Water Rail:1,Snipe:5, and Lapwing:27.

Since the euphoria of finding the Ring-billed Gull at Shawell it's back to normal service again! Going to work on the late shift and checking out the Soar Valley in the morning if I have time? So over the last few days I have missed the two drake Smews down at Watermead CP South as the weather was crap and my bins and scope just steamed up every time you tried to look through them. I did however finally heard the male Cetti's Warbler singing at the same site a day or so later which put my list now on 82 species for the year. Other sightings before the Ring-billed Gull find (sorry Skev, yep I'm milking it!) on the same day included the Ross's Goose of unknown origin, 2 Green Sandpipers, small groups of Tree Sparrows and " Harold" the Whooper Swan on and near the flooded fields at Wanlip North Lakes/GPs.

Off from work today, so it was down the valley again. I checked out Watermead CP South and Birstall Meadows first. The highlights I saw included finally seeing the elusive male Pintail which was flying around the site following a large flock of wigeon until it settled on the flooded waters on Birstall Meadows. Ok you say what so special about the Pintail, well its a bit of a Mega in the Soar Valley as usually we only get a record once every five years. I let John Hague know about it as I think he still needs Pintail for his Soar Valley list? As the winter chill has finally release its grip it was also good to note a couple of calling Chiffchaff in the surrounding vegetation. Moving on to Wanlip North Lakes, and walking a short distance from the car I noticed the Geese flock next to the horse paddocks. Scanning the flock I noticed straight away that it contained a smart looking Pink-footed Goose , Get In!! So another bird on the Soar Valley list, I slowly moved closer to get a record ...