Skirr Cottage Diary.

The morning sun streamed through the bedroom window. The plan to continue with the emulsion painting of the living room fast began to fade. The lure now was a female ring-necked duck that had resurfaced at Tittesworth Reservoir. On arrival at the reservoir there were a few birders with scopes set up scanning the large flock of black-headed gulls from the car park. It turned out an immature Mediterranean gull was concealed among the flock. Very soon it was located and I obtained good views through another birders powerful scope. This was a great start, now to locate the ring-necked duck. I heard it had been spotted earlier in the morning in Crab Apple Bay so I set off following the waterside paths. Redwings, long-tailed tits and siskin were spotted on route. The redwings looked splendid in the bright sunshine. On reaching Crab Apple Bay I clambered through the brambles in the wood to find a good observation site. There were some tufted duck, a few teal, a wigeon and a moorhen, but no sign of the North American migrant. I decided to move further down the reservoir to Fosters Cove. After some time scanning through a group of tufted duck I picked out the duck sporting its white eye ring and pale grey bill with white and black markings at the tip. A great day in the sunshine and two good year ticks – who could ask for more?