Decent conditions down at EGP though rather dark with full cloud on a light SE>3 at 4 degrees.
With fog forecast to roll in mid morning on high ground, which it did, I headed down to EGP or my annual check which I soon remembered why I only do it around once a year by the time I got there in nose to tail traffic taking me 45 minutes to get there in the works and school queues but only 15 minutes back home. I used to visit this site at least 3 times a week but those days are gone.
Most of my birding time was taken up travelling but a quick skim around managed to find my target birds with a struggle.
Two small groups of Siskin and Redpoll were mobile around the canal bank Alders but only settling briefly before heading off to another tree. A Little Grebe was on the river along with Coot, Moorhen and Mallards whilst several Cormorants and Herons were present. A Kingfisher and 4 Teal were in the lagoon area but no sign of a Water Rail reported there.
The ski lake held 6 Tufted along with a good count of Herring and LBB gulls plus the usual Black Headed but no sign of Goldeneye until a last minute scan, as I was ready for leaving, revealed a single drake near to the fishermans lake.
Winter Water Rail used to be a common sight under the steel bridge below the weir but no time to check that area. This area was also the last stronghold for Yellowhammer and Mandarin duck but that was many moons ago.
Bikes on the tow path were a nuisance this morning which reminded me of the time when Gordon Denison was stood on the tow path looking through his bins and stepped back as a bike was passing him. The rider and bike ended up in the canal and Gordon just looked at him and said " whats tha doing in theer lad" ! I don't know what the bikers reply was !!!
Wet and windy for tomorrow with a moderate ESE at 6 degrees plus of course the mandatory hill fog.
BS