March 29th - Scooting after a Scoter

I break up for two days today, and I get a notification just before 4pm that a female Common Scoter was a present at Wollaton Park at 3 o'clock.  That's just round the corner, so there's no choice but to hot foot it straight from work.  

I arrive 40 minutes later and check the lake from the Alders where the Siskins congregate, but don't see anything but the normal ducks and Coot.  Despite a slight concern that I've got here too late, I continue round to the back of the lake, where there's a full view of the water between the rhododendra. I do a quick sweep with the bins and there it is!  The bird is about a third of the way into the lake and has it's head tucked in its back.

The light is pretty naff under the thick ashen clouds, but I get an adequate record shot, so at least you can see what it is.

  Common Scoter

A nice after work twitch and a good one for the year list!