ANOTHER YEAR TICK

I haven't been to  Whelford pools,  near Fairford for a while so thought I'd pay a visit, as its only a short detour on my route home from work. ( Actually I tried to go last week but they were resurfacing the car park) . I've seen red crested pochards there before, but they hadn't been reported recently.

I spent a little while at each of the two hides, though it was very quiet... Gadwalls, tufted ducks and mallards on the lake. Also a grey heron and some nesting cormorants in the trees.

I then decided to follow the footpath  past the fishing lake round to  another viewpoint, and on the way had a quick look through my binoculars. On the far side of the fishing lake I could make out two or three red crested pochards...another species for the year.

nesting cormorants

lesser blackbacked gull on the tern raft

great crested grebe

female gadwall

very distant shot of red crested pochard