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Sunday 2 January 2011

Hopping over the Border

I haven't had a good look around Stewartby Lake in ages. Although it's in Bedfordshire, as the crow flies it's only about 5 miles from home.
 As it hasn't frozen over during the recent cold snap, a lot of water birds have relocated there.
 I parked in Marston Moretain and walked down to have a look in at the Sewage Works first. Here around a dozen Pied Wagtails picked around the rotating carousels, along with one Grey Wagtail and three Meadow Pipits.
 Scanning over the Lake I could see many Tufted Ducks, scores of Goldeneye, a few dozen Great-crested  and at least ten Little Grebe.
 Failing to see anything more interesting I decided to do a lap of the lake seeing Bullfinch, 4 Lesser Redpoll, Kingfisher  and Great-spotted Woodpecker on the way round.
 Almost reaching the North-West corner, I met another birder who asked if I'd seen the Smew. I said not and he pointed me in the direction of a 'redhead' that was sitting on the bank near to the Water-ski hut. I then asked him if he'd seen the Red-throated Diver that had been around the day before. 'Oh yes' was his reply, 'It's out there' and sure enough it was, right near to where I'd been standing on the other side of the lake, just a short time before.
 Carrying on to the west shore I encountered a huge flock of Tufted Ducks and on scanning through these I managed to pick out at least three Scaup, two females and a first winter male.

1 comment:

  1. I've not been over there for ages either.
    Must make the effort soon.

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