A bright frosty morning at Low Moor with a light SW>3 at 1 degree and frost on the ground with 80% cloud.
With a target bird of drake Pochard, and one dip already under my belt, I battled the traffic down to Harold Park early morn on a low expectancy search of the area. The long staying Gt White Egret was perched on a log on the island where it stayed throughout the visit and being very awkward to get a good position for any decent photos. In the end I had, other than shots at distance across the lake, to aim through the trees on the island but against sun angle.
Several Black Headed and Common gull around the exposed shore whilst 8 Herring and a single LBB were out on the water as well as a Cormorant and 2 drake Goosanders.
Plenty Tufted duck, mostly females, and a Little Grebe was busy diving near the edge of the island. Otherwise down to the usual Coot, Moorhen and Mallards.
A walk across the road to Park Dam found it a bit quieter than my last visit with very few gulls, all being Black Headed, but plenty Tufted ducks as well as Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, 2m Goosander and 2 Gt Crested Grebe, now in full winter plumage.
A Little Grebe was at the far side of the water along with the Mute Swan family but no sign of the Pochard. A Kingfisher flew fast over the water which was a nice surprise for this site and a group of 12 noisy Canadas flew overhead towards the park.
After a good check of every duck, which was'nt easy in silhouetted light ,I was ready for another dip and starting to leave when, there was the Pochard half way across the water with 4 female Tufted so a good end to a good mornings birding. My last local Pochard was at Mixenden 25/9/2017 so a pleasing result with thanks to NK for turning the bird up on one of his previous visits.
Part cloud tomorrow on a WSW and slightly milder at 3 degrees.
BS