Both the weather and the birding.
I was expecting a gale force blizzard when I woke up this morning but instead it was quite bright.
I had the chance to go with SH to Harwood in search of the GG Shrike but I had some work to catch up on.
After getting some supplies at Manor Walks I checked Arcot incase last nights rain had dropped anything on the pond.
It had rained a lot more than I thought and Arcot was heavily flooded. At first it looked like nothing was on the pond but as I approached the SW corner 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye, 2 female Goosander and plenty of Coot swam accross the pond.
Whilst watching the Goosander I though I saw another pop up from under the water but it was a Great Crested Grebe - Patch Tick, and a crammy lifer for me!
Another 2 GC Grebes then appeared from under the water before diving again.
A GS Woodpecker was drumming in the distance and 3 Chiffchaff were in full song, also 3 Curlew were flying around. I tried to get around to the back of the pond but I sank nearly up to my knees before I even got to the metal fence so went back instead.
I put some new bird seed out on monday which I hadn't used before and already it seems to be popular as a load of Greenfinch and House Sparrows were feeding on it this morning.
Whilst watching them a pair of Bullfinch appeared and gave some brilliant views as they fed on the new seed and some plant bulbs, its usually this time of year I get Bullfinch in the garden, I would like them to be a bit more regular.
The small half a metre long pond in the garden has frog spawn in for the first time I hope they survive the predicted cold spell.
73 - Great Crested Grebe
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