I hadn't intended going birding today, the weather was fairly grim in the morning and the only journey out was to Stanley's Farm Shop for the veg for the Sunday lunch. This changed though mid-afternoon when I received a call of TS informing me that a drake Pochard was on Captains Pool. I headed over there straight away as Pochard is less than annual on the pool and was still a patch lifer for me.
On arriving at the pool I picked up the Pochard almost immediately, as it floated on the pool in that typical head tucked in Pochard way.....result! I then took a series of shots but the bird didn't want to play ball. I wasn't bothered this bird now took my life list to 112 species seen on/over the patch. The total number of bird species seen on the patch is 125.
Also of note on Captains Pool were 3 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Coots.
Pochard - Captains Pool, 4th March 2012
Pochard - Captains Pool, 4th March 2012
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank local photographer Qiuxia Vaughn who has emailed me a selection of wonderful photos she has taken of the birdlife down at Captains Pool this year....Thank You.
Great Crested Grebe - Captains Pool
photo by Qiuxia Vaughn
Patch Lifer, great stuff! would love a Pochard to turn up here!!
ReplyDeleteWell done on the Pochard Jason and the photo of it looks wonderful when enlarged, so detailed!
ReplyDeleteWell done with the new tick Jason. The photo is great!
ReplyDeleteGreat news with the Pochard Jason and the image is splendid!
ReplyDeleteMy bag of spuds were from Stanley's Farm Shop.lol!
Alan - Cheers. You never know with patch birding. Captains pool is not much more than a small fishing pool that is wooded on 2 edge yet still it can throw up the occasional goodies
ReplyDeleteJan - Thanks, you don't realize how stunning they are until you see those vermiculations and that red head up close
Phil - Thanks mate...much appreciated
Pam - Thank you, I was dead chuffed with the bird. As for Stanley's spuds, you dont get much better!
A patch lifer! Doesn't it give you a lift :-) Pochard are very rare here too Jase
ReplyDeleteNice one on the Pochard! I can but dream!
ReplyDeleteWarren - I am informed by my mate Tony, who lives next to the pool, that Pochard used to winter in numbers of 10-20 birds a good few years back before disturbance levels increased. This is the first one I have managed to see in 5 years of regularly monitoring the patch!
ReplyDeleteCraig - Its a great patch bird and a welcome tick for me. I am still dreaming of finding a Firecrest, Short Eared Owl aor a Wryneck. I wonder if I know any local patch birders round these parts who have had those ;-)
Jason : Well done on connecting with a patch Pohard. I know all too well how it feels when the species is as common as muck everywhere else, with the exception of Warren`s patch ;-)
ReplyDeleteCheers Dean. Ha..I'd give Warren my Mute Swans for his Nightingales or Turtle Doves any day of the week!
ReplyDelete