I've been back to Redesmere a few times to see if I can get any better pictures of the Great Northern Diver. I hadn't been any luckier, until yesterday. It was a lovely bright sunny day, but it still took a 2 and a half hour wait for the bird to make it's way closer to me. It was worth the wait.
Last Sunday saw me leave before first light to carry out my monthly wetland bird survey for the British Trust for Ornithology at Redesemere in Cheshire. Usually at this time of year I am counting hundreds of geese, Mallards and Coots on this large body of water and the highlights are likely to be the returning Goldeneye or maybe a Kingfisher. This morning though had me hopping and a skipping a little more than usual.
Not seen on my first scan of the lake, I started my counting and then moved east along the car park. The next look through the binoculars had me staring eye to eye with the instantly recognisable Great Northern Diver. Wow!!! Really not what I was expecting to see, but it was one of those joyous moments of self satisfaction when you find a good bird. I would usually make a special trip to see these birds each year, but here was one just 15 minutes from home.
The light at 7:40am was really not the best, but I ran to the car to grab the camera anyway and managed a few record shots. It soon disappeared from close view and spent time away at some distance. I've had some good birds here in recent years, where I found a female Smew and 3 White Fronted Geese and a Great White Egret stayed around last winter. I'm hoping for more like this and that this bird hangs around for a while.
A rare visitor from North America found it's way across the pond recently. The Lesser Yellowlegs is a great looking wader, and yes it does have yellow legs, as you can see below. A new lifer for me too. I was grateful for the very good light on the day I saw it and really enjoyed watching it work it's way around Crossens inner marsh on the North West coast. A cracking bird.
