Turnstone - Sheringham

The promenade in Sheringham is a great place to get up close to Turnstones. While I was looking forlornly for a King Eider Duck a few weeks back, I turned my attention to this much easier target. You don't even have to be looking for them and they will wander towards you, all very brave and brash. It doesn't bother me in the slightest and took my mind off the fact I was failing in my initial efforts.

Yes, sometimes getting too close for the lens attached.

Smew - Castleshaw Rervoir

The Smew is not a very common bird in the North West. Only turning up in the winter months and never in great numbers or great regularity. That being said, I saw that one was up in the Oldham hills on Castleshaw Reservoir and it was too good an opportunity to miss.
It had been a few years since I saw my last, in Cheshire.
The bird was quite a distance out, but at it's closest when I arrived. I was able to pop my head and camera over the wall of the upper reservoir and take a few pictures.

The water was choppy on a very windy day, and like all Smews, this one was very wary.

Cattle Egret

A few weeks back I posted some pictures of a Cattle Egret that were a bit distant and not great. I'm able to post some better ones now, after a chance encounter while sat in hide. This one flew in and took up residence on an island. Typically it's on the wrong side, so you can't see it's legs and feet, but it posed nicely and stayed a long time. I'm much happier with these pictures.

Velvet Scoter - Bolton

A Velvet Scoter had been reported on High Rid reservoir in Bolton over a week ago. I was in Norfolk at the time, more than 200 miles away. I wondered if it would hang around for me to catch up with. My first opportunity was on Saturday afternoon, and it was still there.
The weather was really poor and the light even worse, but this visit wasn't really about the quality of pictures. It was a lifetime tick for me, having never seen one before.
On arrival it was on the far side of the reservoir. Typical! I trudged round in the drizzle, and it kindly played ball. It stayed close to the bank and dived for a minute or so at a time. A bird that should really be out at sea, it was nice to be able to see one just a short drive from home.

Could really have done with better light on a very dark day.