Following information kindly provided by
Joan Thompson, I raced over to HILFIELD PARK RESERVOIR late afternoon (Saturday
22 November), where Steve Murray had located 6 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS - a rare
bird in Hertfordshire and the first to be recorded this year. Despite the gloom
(it was dark by 1530 hours!!), I managed to locate (and photograph) the six
birds as they flirted with the gull roost (6,000 birds and counting) - all being
'yearlings' (eg, juveniles). I later learnt that numerous Red-breasted
Mergansers had been recorded today including a flock of 8 at Arlington Reservoir
(East Sussex), 4 flying west along the River Thames at West Thurrock (Essex)
then Beckton (Gtr London) and singles at Angler's Country Park (West Yorks) and
Staines Reservoirs (Middlesex). Most pertinent however, and perhaps directly
related, were 6 juveniles present at Diddington Pit, Paxton Pits NR (Cambs)
briefly earlier in the day. Two Common Goldeneyes also joined them towards dusk.
Record shots of the flock follow.....
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