Scarlet Elf Caps

After taking some garden waste to the recycle centre we decided to carry on to Lower Tamar Lake. On arrival we just watched the birds coming to the feeders set up in the car park for a while. The blue and great tits were flitting in and out so quickly it was impossible to count them. Marsh and/or willow tits were also coming in as well as robins, chaffinches, and the occasional greenfinch. I got a few shots off but the birds were very lively. Setting off to walk to the hide there was a lovely group of scarlet elf caps on some rotting wood. You can see why they have their name. On the lake were a couple of pairs of great crested grebe and a flotilla of goosander, All too far out to get a good photograph. We walked onto the hide, fortunately we had put on our wellies as the path was that muddy. A few other birders were in the hide. Not a great deal to see. Some snipe flew over, coot and moorhen dabbled in the shallows, We ate the pasties we’d picked up from the local farm shop on our way. A group of 4 or 5 dabchicks swam by, It came into drizzle so we wandered back. The elf caps looked better for the dampness; we watched the birds on the feeder for a while; a greater spotted woodpecker came down to feed followed by a squirrel. Time to go home for a coffee.