Friday 5 January 2024

Cracked Ice

More luck today with the drake Smew at Thorganby, which performed beautifully to the north of the platform. 

 


It spent ages preening and then to our surprise, clambered out on to the grassy bank and joined the Wigeon. Feather-care continued; it takes effort keeping the cracked ice appearance of his dapper plumage looking that good.

 

Also, present, three Coot (pretty scarce in the LDV in winter), 500ish Dunlins and 30+ Whooper Swans to the south. No sign of any Scaup at North Duffield, but I bagged two drakes at Wheldrake Ings in the afternoon, after a very deep wade through the floods to the bridge. The gull roost was out on Swantail so too distant to do anything with. A Willow Tit was calling nearby, and a couple of Goldeneye were notes, along with a single female Pochard.

 
 
A very flooded Wheldrake Ings, with two sleepy Scaup in the distance (about 900m away from where I took the pic)
 


Smew bathing

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