Abberton Adventure

 With the list of quality birds being reported from Abberton it was a no-brainer to head up there on Sunday with a view to upping my sadly pathetic year list. The ever elusive Canvasback was my main target though there was plenty more to aim for as well!! It was also a chance to meet up with me old birding buddy, Gary! After an uneventful journey up from Sussex, I arrived at the Layer de la Haye causeway just after 1st light, I should at this point,getting my excuses in early, mention the light was atrocious and many of the star birds were at great distance, so even those I did get pics of, are not at even my usual, fairly alright standard!! The light may have been bad but the birding started with a bang with two Slav Grebes at close range, Goosanders in close as well, displaying Goldeneyes drifting pass and a large flock of Black-necked Grebes although these were more distant. Sadly despite examining multiple Pochards the Canvasback remained elusive! Several Great White Egrets were dotted around the place as well. It has to be said the sheer numbers of birds at Abberton is extraordinary, I would love to know the official counts, but we, from various viewpoints, saw at least 50 Goosanders, the same if not more Goldeneyes, 100s of each, Great Crested Grebes, Tufted Ducks, Pochards, Teal,Wigeon, Coots, Greylag Geese, not to mention the 100s of Gulls. Lots of Waders, Herons, Egrets, Pied Wagtails and several flocks of Goldfinch and Linnets,   an incredible place in the winter! Though I wouldn't like to be a fish in there!😱

Slavonian Grebes, should brace yourselves for a lot of grey, noisy pics! 

Goosander

Male Goosander

Goldeneye, fantastic to see their head back display

Apparently this impresses the ladies, i would try it on Margie, but my back's not up to it!😁

Common Gull, lots of these about

Distant Black-necked Grebe flock

The 47 millionth Pochard I've examined in the search for the Canvasback

Great Crested Grebes saw several of these having a bit of a courtship dance

Black-necked Grebe

Two Slavs and a black-neck

Great White Egret

Pied Wagtail several of these on the causeways

Tufted Duck

At 9 o'clock with hyperthermia setting in, despite 3 layers of thermal clothing, Gary turned up, he had a good spot nearby for Little Owl,though sadly we couldn't find it, though it had been there 20 mins before! We had a quick stop at the Layer Breton causeway where we managed to find a White-fronted Goose in with the large number of Greylags, before heading to the Billets screens.We arrived at the Screens to be told the reported Smew had buggered off😢but there were 5 Red Crested Pochards, 4 Bewick Swans  and the reported Black-throated Diver eventually put in an appearance. Fair few Waders about here as well, with Redshank, Dunlin, Lapwing, Ruff and Ringed Plover all noted! We headed to the other Screen in search of the Smew, no luck again, though we spotted a distant Spoonbill and a flock of feeding Black-tailed Godwits, everything is pretty distant from these screens, great birding but pics at a premium! 

Great White Egret and Mallards

Spoonbill and GWE

We had another session on the LDLH causeway with more of the same, still no Smew or Canvasback after which we headed to the Lodge Lane viewpoint, no luck on the search for the Lesser nor Greater Scaup, but Gary managed to get his scope on the Great Northern Diver that's been in the area for a while, this viewpoint is even further from the action so no pics at from here! Though I did get a few more from the Causeway

Yet another non-Canvasback😢

One of the Black-necked Grebe came a bit closer

From the Lodge Lane viewpoint we had a break from the reservoir and headed to the Copt Hall Marshes in search of the reported Great Grey Shrike which was present and giving good views, we also saw some Med Gulls flying over the fields, annoyingly we missed a Hen Harrier which we were told about on our return to the car park!! Must have been behind the hedge we were standing next to😢

Med Gull

Great Grey Shrike

With the Shrike in the bag and the temperature dropping we decided to head to the visitor center, where I had a nice cup of tea and Gary had a cheese and onion pasty that had apparently been heated up in a blast furnace🔥!! From the sightings board we leant of a Ring-necked Duck that was showing from the Hide Bay Hide, we headed over and with the help of those present eventually got distant views of the beast, also a nice Caspian Gull in the roost. Thanks to the helpful and patient birders whose excellent directions eventually got me on the birds, despite getting on the wrong Magpie, twice, the wrong reedbed and the wrong bank, got there in the end!!😀😀 Nice views of a Marsh Harrier hunting the far bank as well. We were also told in this hide that the Lesser Scaup was showing from Gwen's Hide so we hotfooted it over there and eventually found the bird in with the Tufties!

Ruff from the Hide Bay Hide, all the other good stuff was too distant for pics

Lesser Scaup among the Tufties

From this hide we heard that the Smew were showing from the Island Hide, so we headed over, but despite scouring the water we couldn't find them!! 😢  With the light fading we decided to give up!!! 

So predictably no Canvasback, bloody thing is definitely the new Green-winged Teal, think this is my 5th dip of it now 😢No Smew or Greater Scaup either, but can't be too upset on a day when you've seen Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Spoonbill, Great Grey Shrike, Slav Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, displaying Goldeneye etc Not to mention the huge numbers of the commoner birds! Though if I don't  see another Pochard for a few months I won't be that upset!!!😁😏Nice to see a Gary as well, an excellent birder who spotted most of the good stuff, though notable that we used to talk about food and birds, now it's birds , what foods we can no longer eat and what bit of us aches the most😃😃😃😃!!! My year list has limped up to 105 which is not to bad for halfway through January!!!