A real horror of a morning with a near gale W>7 gusting gale force >8 at 38 m.p.h. This, combined with very heavy horizontal drizzle at 7 degrees meant that only the most dedicated or insane birders were out. I,m border line between the two but leaning more towards the latter.
As I,ve often said, " the worst the weather the better the birds", and this morning was no exception when a drake Gadwall appeared from the west end of the reservoir along with a drake Teal. Unfortunately the pair stayed way out in the middle of the rough water and very difficult to see through the wall of drizzle, hence the horrific photos but a record of a very rare duck for this area. My last local Gadwall was Ogden 2016 and before that Mixenden 2015.
I put the word out to local birder BV who went up early afternoon and luckily got the bird which was also a new bird for him at this site. Brians last local Gadwall were 3 on Leeming 15 years ago.
We believe that this is a first ever recorded Gadwall for this site. Back in the golden days of B.O.G. Gadwall were recorded mainly at Knotford Nook in the days that Smew were regular visitors to that site.
Otherwise, just the usual Greylags and Canadas plus around 50 small gulls and 5 Herring but all sticking to distant fields out of the wind. No sign of yesterdays PF Goose today.
Dare I say, bright and sunny tomorrow on a moderate >NW at 3 degrees, I,ll have to see that to believe it.
BS