Ring-necked Ducks

It was the usual dilemma, as we sat in the car we had to decide where to go and the choice was limited. For a start the weather was really dull and overcast and the forecast promised no improvement. On offer were some Red-breasted Mergansers at the Widewater, subjects that we had captured several times previously and experience told us that the light conditions would be difficult. So in the end we opted for a new venue and the possibility of a life tick. Two Ring-necked Ducks had been in residence at Rooksbury Mill near Andover. Careful navigation of some of the back lanes of Hampshire allowed us to avoid the congestion of the M27 and apart from one minor error we duly arrived at the venue without mishap.

By the time we arrived the skies were brightening somewhat and the temperature was exceedingly pleasant. The ducks had not been reported the previous day but earlier sightings gave the Mill Lake as the place to be. Our first scan revealed very little, just a few Little Grebes and Moorhens to be found. Where were the flocks of Tufted Ducks that we had expected to search through to find the target?

A check of the other lake, Brooks, raised the spirits as here were small numbers of ducks, Gadwall, Mallard and Tufted, sadly no RnDs. Chatting with a local helped but left us feeling that we were on a good chance of dipping. Luckily we decided to give the larger lake another go and as we crossed over the River Anton we could see two ducks out in the middle of the lake - scrutiny with the bins confirmed that we had found our quarry - a life tick for us both!

So we took advantage of the bankside cover and positioned ourselves to get some better shots, even the sun came out at one stage. These two were definitely wary of human presence and though they were feeding happily they stayed out in the middle of the lake, occasionally coming closer to us as several dog walkers using the path on the other side of the lake forced them over.

 

All very similar  - only the light changed.

Having taken more than enough shots, there are only so many poses that two ducks can perform, we left - well pleased.  We decided to find another venue that we have read about but never visited - the watercress beds at Alresford, just in case a Water Pipit was about.
We found the place - purely by happenstance -  we noted Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Green Sandpiper and the ubiquitous Little Egret but unfortunately no sign of a Water Pipit. On the way home we visited another watercress bed, this time the one at Warnford in the Meon Valley, nothing to raise the pulse, just a Pied Wagtail and a Little Egret.

Plenty of bugs in a watercress bed!