Ferruginous Duck #32

Last year I saw my first ever Ferruginous Duck at Woolston Eyes, which is a rare visitor to our shores from Southern Europe and Northern Africa. Today I saw another one(or maybe the same one?) at the same reserve not half an hour from home. 
It was a lovely sunny morning and I went with my neighbour as hubby was meeting some old workmates for the day.  It did give us the run around a bit first thing as it kept moving between the bridge and the weir. After seeing a fleeting glimpse of it flying off, we gave up and visited most of the hides on the reserve seeing some nice birds - a pair of Marsh Harriers, 9 Bullfinches, a brambling and a flock of redwing being the highlights. 
On our way out, we spotted our target duck just loafing about with the Tufties with its head under its wing. It finally stuck its head up and swam across the oxbow lake to then hide in amongst the overhanging branches. Lovely to see in the sunshine. 
Woolston Eyes is a members only reserve with every member holding a key to the bridge gate and the reserve gate. When we reached the reserve gate there was a queue of cars waiting to get out as the lock on the gate had broken.  It took another 45 minutes for it to be removed with a crowbar and brute force. There were a few grumpy people with places to go and people to see, but we just enjoyed being out in the sunshine. I like being retired with no pressure on my time :)