Weekend wildfowl

Drake Ring-necked Duck, Startop's End Reservoir, Hertfordshire

Female Long-tailed Duck, Deeping High Bank, Lincolnshire, 7 November 2015

Called in to see the Ring-necked on my way back up to Lincolnshire this weekend - a nice bird nearly back in full breeding plumage, and quite showy to boot (as all the ducks are at this site it seems). The Long-tailed is my third in the Peterborough area following birds in 2004 and 2006 - the latter, which was on my old patch, is apparently also the last area record!

BNG still

The Black-necked Grebe was still present at Baston & Langtoft Pits this morning. Although the bird was a lot closer, the light hadn't improved much. Some winter white coming through on the lower neck and the flanks are pretty faded, but otherwise still looking rather dapper.

Ten minutes back on the old patch...

... and this pops in to view:

Another example of how underwatched the Peterborough area is. This beauty of an adult Black-necked Grebe showed well in the miserable conditions today on my old patch, Baston & Langtoft Pits. It is the first BNG I've had here since a pair in June 2007, I believe. Sad to think that the reason it is here so early is that it must have failed breeding somewhere else, though.