Morning Sun

With the opportunity of seeing a Red-breasted Merganser at Coate Water, as one had been seen yesterday, I thought I'd have a look this morning. I made my way round to the causeway, but unfortunately it had gone. But there were still plenty of other highlights, with 10 Goosanders (a pair and 8 female/juveniles), Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, Tufted Ducks and Gadwall on the Main Lake. Other birds noted were Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeons, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Siskin, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

Coate Water Noticeboard

Great Crested Grebe

A pair of Goosander

Goosander - male

Goosander with the female collecting weed

A pair of Goosander with the drake collecting weed

A pair of Goosander

A pair of Goosander

Cormorant

Cormorant 

Juvenile Moorhen

Adult Moorhen

So having dipped on the Merganser, I dropped into Liden Lagoon for walk around the lake. It was pretty quite here as well with the main highlights being a single Great Crested Grebe, 3 drake Pochards, 10 Tufted Duck (3 pairs, and 4 males), 22 Canada Geese, a Grey Wagtail and a Buzzard being mobbed by both Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Other birds noted were resident pair of Mute Swans, Mallard, 13 Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, 3 Herring Gull (2 adult and 1st winter), 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, a pair of Collared Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

Collared Dove

And the other half

Buzzard being mobbed

Buzzard being mobbed

Buzzard

Buzzard being mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull

Buzzard being mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull

Buzzard being mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull

Tufted Duck - drake

Grey Wagtail

Moorhen

On the way back home I stopped off at Nythe Pool, hoping for a Little Egret. Unfortunately not, instead there were 3 Mallard (2 drakes and a duck) and 3 Moorhens. Around the pool were: Wood Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and a pair of Bullfinches.

Mallard - synchronised diving 

Dunnock singing

And the rear