Ring-necked Duck, Messingham

This duck has been around for a while now but we have only just got round to going for it. A stroll to the hide and we soon found it.....and it really couldn't have been any further away if it tried ! So, what you might call 'record shots' of a brown bird on brown water in the dense grey murk that we have as weather these days. 

Ring-necked Duck, Messingam

 

An excellent couple of hours at Messingham to see the ring-necked duck. Afraid never close and with a good 100 tufted duck and pochard on there aswell, seeing it was sometimes challenging !

Out and about last week

 

Ring-necked Duck, not easy to see through the bank-side vegetation.

A few Mandarin were also quite close but these were flushed by a Lincs birder who thought it ok to climb the fence to get closer. Well and truly flushed and not seen again all day. Bet his ears were burning....lots of angry birders. 

Princess Pixi snoozing away xx

Simon planted a full wood before he retired, adjoining Brumby Woods, a semi-ancient woodland. After 10 years, it is maturing nicely and looking good. We had a small Oak tree in the garden so re-planted it in the woods. Tucked away nicely, lets hope it flourishes to greatness.

My lasagne is to die for, even if I say so myself.  It is one of my specialities. Just look at that golden cheese. It was delicious!

Hawthorn out in February

A very, very distant Goshawk. Saw this one fly twice, just a dot in the sky !

Great Crested Grebes pairing up

Cattle Egret near Messingham Nature Reserve

February buds. 

Cheers you up no end to see spring growth, feel like we have turned a corner towards spring.

Ring-necked Duck, Langford Lowfields, Notts

 

One of the two ring-necked ducks currently at Langford Lowfields, Notts along with a few brambling still around the car park area. Added quite a few to the 2022 list today. 

Ring-necked Duck, Barton

 

Nice to walk somewhere different for a change so really enjoyed the change of scenery.  Masses of sand martins and manged to see the ring-necked duck despite being a day late.

and a fantastic goldeneye !

Ring Necked Duck and Spoonbill

Had a good morning at Kirkby on Bain with a distant spoonbill that flew as soon as the guns started. Main star was this ring necked duck which came relatively close. I didn't know that Elvis was a birder??!!