I paid my first visit to Edenbrook Country Park, Fleet, Hampshire on the 3rd October.
I had come to the park in the hope of seeing the Garganey that had been reported over the previous few days.
After a negative search of the area, I thought that perhaps the bird had left or it was hiding in the reeds as Garganey tend to do.
After awhile I decided to head back to the car park, resigned in thinking I wasn't going to see it. I took one last look back and surprise surprise there it was, close to the reed bed, but in open water.
I scurried back to the other side of the pool in the hope of getting a photo or two, as it was heading in that direction.
Luckily it duly obliged in coming close to where I was. There were several Mallards around it which helped bring the Garganey towards me as a mother with a small boy had decided to feed the ducks.
I have seen Garganey previously over the years, but none that were as tame as this one. They are usually very shy and tend to hide themselves away. I did check for leg rings thinking that it might be an escaped bird, but none were present.
My initial thoughts on the bird led me to believe it was a female, but closer inspection aided by the photographs changed my opinion to it being an eclipse male.
On the 9th, October, the female Grey Wagtail that has overwintered in the garden for the last two years made a return, where it immediately made itself at home.
To be honest it did catch me out, as I had to make a quick shopping trip to stock up on meal worms, which she comes to expect to be on tap, on a daily basis.
I had come to the park in the hope of seeing the Garganey that had been reported over the previous few days.
After a negative search of the area, I thought that perhaps the bird had left or it was hiding in the reeds as Garganey tend to do.
After awhile I decided to head back to the car park, resigned in thinking I wasn't going to see it. I took one last look back and surprise surprise there it was, close to the reed bed, but in open water.
I scurried back to the other side of the pool in the hope of getting a photo or two, as it was heading in that direction.
Luckily it duly obliged in coming close to where I was. There were several Mallards around it which helped bring the Garganey towards me as a mother with a small boy had decided to feed the ducks.
I have seen Garganey previously over the years, but none that were as tame as this one. They are usually very shy and tend to hide themselves away. I did check for leg rings thinking that it might be an escaped bird, but none were present.
My initial thoughts on the bird led me to believe it was a female, but closer inspection aided by the photographs changed my opinion to it being an eclipse male.
On the 9th, October, the female Grey Wagtail that has overwintered in the garden for the last two years made a return, where it immediately made itself at home.
To be honest it did catch me out, as I had to make a quick shopping trip to stock up on meal worms, which she comes to expect to be on tap, on a daily basis.
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