After Saturday mornings trip to Devon, Will (a RSPB volunteer and top Scilly birder) went down to Abbotsbury Swannery for a look around. Scaup numbers have been building steadily and peaked recently at 33! On route to the swannery we popped into Moonfleet Manor hotel. Well.... actually a field next door which was home to two Great Bustards. Both birds were from the re-introduction programme on the Salisbury plain which recently featured in the news as it secured a grant for a few million pounds to continue its work. It was a damn shame I didn't have the camera because as we were about to grab our scopes from the car they flew right over our heads! Amazing sight to see in the UK.
The swannery was busy as ever with loads of Pochard and Tufted duck (as well as the odd swan) and as was hoped for, loads of Scaup. They were difficult to count, the best we managed was 26+. Scaup wasn't the only quality species around, a redhead Smew and three drake Goldeneye were also on the lagoon.
Here's a very poor attempt at digiscoping (or should that read digiscauping??). I think I managed to count 8 Scaup in that picture.
Finally, here's the group picture from Saturday taken by Mike Tyler who was running the day. Thanks again for a great day and for the use of the picture.
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