Scaup & -no- Goose

Have been on holiday for the past few days but the time of year and the dull weather have done nothing to entice me out. However, eventually ventured up to the Heritage Loch to see if there was anything of interest.

All winter I've been scruitinising the Tufted Ducks in the hope of a Scaup................ and today.........:

1st Winter Drake Scaup

Of course I did not have the camera. These were taken the following morning!

Face On

Best of the rest included at least 40 Fieldfare in the fields adjacient to the loch, 1 Cormorant and 1 Goosander. The 2 Canada Geese remained and presumably the Drake Pochard that has been present off and on all winter had returned. In total there were 30 Tufted Duck. The following morning when I took the photographs a single Oystercatcher was present and Skylark were singing from the surrounding fields.

Having a little time in the afternoon, I ventured down to Douglas Water for a look at the Snow Goose that was found a couple of days ago. There were impressive numbers of Pink Feet and a few Greylags, but despite the Snow Goose apparently being with them it just disappeared and in 2 hours there was no sign. The only other birds of note were 30 Whooper Swan on Douglas Water.