I don't do Ducks!

Generally. Though today I made an exception to my rule....

A brief reprieve from South-east Asia (though I do have my non-bird and scenic shots to come once I've got time to look through them!) and also a trip report, hopefully I'll get time to sort them all out before I head back over there in December!... Anyway a bit of local stuff for now....

Some good local birds this weekend, highlights included Arctic and Common Terns, two drake Garganey, Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Swallow, Sand Martin and House Martin. Still lots of signs of winter in Whooper Swan, Fieldfare and Redwing.  Though I did miss 2 York Area 'non-year-list' megas this weekend in Arctic Skua and Osprey which took the gloss off a little!

On Saturday I was very pleased to see one of my favourite birds - drake Garganey (phone-scoped photo of one of last years birds below). As far as I was concerned that meant I didn't have to look at another duck for the rest of the year. Great. Only one problem, I wasn't expecting a drake Baikal Teal to turn up at Mecca  (AKA Flamborough Head) today! Luckily I got a flyer from work this afternoon and managed to connect with the bird with relative ease. Thanks to Ollie for use of his bins and Rodney for loan of scope! This bird really was a total stunner. Don't think a duck has ever impressed me so much - other than the aforementioned Garganey!

Garganey -Phone-scoped in 2012

Hopefully it won't be long before some proper birds start turning up to look at, like warblers, wheatears, shrikes, chats, raptors etc... no more wildfowl please.... unless it's a Long-tailed Duck on my patch....